Nebraska Cornhuskers star went from totally ignored to team leader

It’s hard to know exactly where the Nebraska Cornhuskers volleyball team would be if it didn’t have Merritt Beason. Not only is she an incredibly talented player on the court, but she’s shown time and time again that she’s a leader off it.

However, according to Beason, there was a time when there was no chance she was going to be on the Huskers. The school didn’t really know she existed. Thankfully that was rectified after a few years at Florida.

Beason recently gave an interview with the Big Ten Network where she talked about the start to the season for the Nebraska Cornhuskers that’s included several straight wins over Top 15 programs. However, the conversation eventually turned to how she ended up in Lincoln and the outside hitter was asked how involved John Cook and company were in her recruitment out of high school.

“Not at all,” Beason replied. “They didn't even send me a camp invite.  So I give Coach and Jalen a hard time all the time.  But no, not at all.  I, like I said, never got a questionnaire or anything.  And so they weren't even really on the radar for me.  And even going into the portal, that wasn't someone that was on my radar.”

Nebraska Cornhuskers star completely ignored out of highschool by NU

Not only wasn’t she recruited out of high school, there was a time when Beason didn’t think there was any room for her on the roster once she was ready to move on from the Florida Gators.

“I knew that they had two girls my age in my position.  So I was like, yeah, they probably don't want a third in my position.  So it was never really on the radar for me.  But sometimes those are the best things, and they work out the best way; the ones that you don't see coming.”

She might not have been on the Huskers radar back in the day, it was clear once she visited, Cook wanted her pretty bad.

“I was here probably three, four days, I want to say, after I was entered into the portal and committed like a week later.  I knew pretty quick and pretty early on; that this was the place for me and that this was where I wanted to call home.”

Since Merritt Beason’s arrived in Lincoln, the Nebraska Cornhuskers have gone to the national championship match and are preparing for another run this season.