No. 17 Florida Falls Close to No. 1 Nebraska at Spikes Under the Lights
In the first ever volleyball match played in an NFL stadium, Florida gave an early glimpse of what the 2026 season might have in store.
No. 17 Florida was swept by No. 1 Nebraska in two sets, 21-19, 21-18, Thursday in the opening round of the Spikes Under the Lights exhibition tournament at AT&T Stadium. Despite the sweep, the Gators stayed within striking distance throughout both sets. Nebraska’s presence at the net made the difference, recording seven blocks and holding Florida to a .169 hitting percentage.
The inaugural event brought together four of the nation’s top programs — Florida, Nebraska, Penn State and SMU — for a single-day showcase built around a $1 million prize pool, the largest ever awarded in women’s collegiate sports. Beyond the money, the night carried historic weight, marking the first time a women’s volleyball match had been played inside an NFL stadium, a milestone Florida coach Ryan Theis and his players had spent the past week framing as a landmark moment for the sport’s growth.
“I saw glimpses of really good stuff,” Theis said after the match. “We gave up point runs in both sets and you can’t make that up against a team this good. Sustaining side out play, we’ve been working on it, we knew it’s a challenge and we obviously did it against last year’s best defensive team in the country. I thought we did a pretty good job of holding our own in this environment.”
Before the event, Theis referred to Nebraska as a “juggernaut” and acknowledged his team would need to serve well, defend and capitalize on offensive opportunities to compete.
Florida traded points with Nebraska throughout the opening set. The teams were tied at 19 before Nebraska’s Manaia Ogbechie closed the set with consecutive kills for a 21-19 win.
Opposite hitter Logan King proved to be Florida’s most consistent offensive threat. The left-handed transfer finished with a match-high nine kills on 20 attacks while hitting .350 and adding two blocks.
Outside hitter Selena Leban added five kills with one error on 12 swings, hitting .333. However, she also led Florida with three service errors, going against Theis’ pre-match emphasis.
Florida committed five service errors overall. Those missed opportunities proved costly in a match decided by two points in the first set and three in the second.
The differentiator between the teams came from the middle.
Florida middle blockers Alec Rothe and Brooklyn Briscoe combined for five kills and two blocks. Rothe hit .091, while Briscoe finished at .167. Nebraska’s Andi Jackson and Manaia Ogbechie combined for eight kills and six blocks. Jackson hit .571, while Ogbechie finished at .250.
Jackson was especially difficult for Florida to contain, recording five kills on seven attacks and three blocks.
Florida again stayed close late in the second set. The Gators cut Nebraska’s lead to 20-18 before Teraya Sigler ended the match with a service ace.
Still, the exhibition showed both Florida’s potential and areas that need improvement. The Gators competed with the nation’s top-ranked team but struggled at the service line and against Nebraska’s middles.
Florida will now look toward Sunday’s regular-season opener against Stony Brook, with first serve set for 1 p.m. Theis pointed to the Gators’ passing and setting as positives he hopes will carry over.
“I liked the way our passers played,” Theis said. “I thought Taylor set really well, so there’s definitely some building blocks there.”
Category: Feature Sports News, Gator Sports, Gators Volleyball
