The Nebraska volleyball program will open its regular season by competing in the inaugural Players Era Volleyball Showcase in Las Vegas this August.
The two-day event will take place on Saturday, Aug. 29, and Sunday, Aug. 30, at T-Mobile Arena. Nebraska will play UNLV on Aug. 29 and Texas on Aug. 30. Start times, television coverage, and ticket information will be announced later. TCU is also participating, and doubleheaders are scheduled for both days.
“Participating in the first Players Era volleyball event is an exciting opportunity for our program,” Head Coach Dani Busboom Kelly said. “Nebraska aims to lead in new events and opportunities for our players and our sport. Facing our long-standing rival, Texas, is especially meaningful. Starting the season in Las Vegas and competing against UNLV and Texas will set the tone for the year. We appreciate MGM and the Players Era for supporting volleyball and Nebraska to make this event possible.”
Huskers and UNLV Volleyball History
Nebraska and UNLV have not previously met in volleyball. Nebraska holds a 33-25 all-time record against Texas. Their most recent meeting was the 2023 NCAA Championship match in Tampa, Florida, where Texas won 3-0. The last regular season matchup occurred on Aug. 27, 2016, when Nebraska, ranked No. 1, defeated No. 2 Texas 3-0 at the VERT Challenge in Eugene, Oregon. That match was a rematch of the 2015 NCAA Championship.
Players Era, a subsidiary of EverWonder Studio, was founded in 2024 to create a more equitable model for college sports that centers around valuing the players and expanding global fandom through the creation of first-of-their-kind world-class events.
Players Era debuted with the 2024 Players Era Festival, which delivered a week-long celebration of college basketball – featuring exciting games and groundbreaking NIL activities for participating teams. Continuing its rapid expansion, in 2025 the annual showcase evolved into an 18-team Players Era Men’s Championship and the inaugural Players Era Women’s Championship, with both tournaments featuring the eventual national championship winning team.
Eric Butler is a Contributor for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on Instagram and X via @ReportandOpine
