Lexi Rodriguez? Oh, she’s out here collecting milestones like they’re free samples at Costco. Graduated college? Done. Stepped into the pro scene? Check. And now? She’s officially on the ultra-stacked 30-player long-list for Team USA’s 2025 Volleyball Nations League squad, aka the dream team playground where Olympians, legends, and shiny new rookies mix it up. We’re talking names like Jordyn Poulter, Avery Skinner, Dana Rettke… the whole buffet of greatness. Lexi’s now in the libero pit trying to snag one of just 14 final roster spots, while her fellow Husker alum Madisen Skinner has already gotten a taste of that VNL fire. This summer’s volleyball tour? Starts off all beachy in Rio, swings through Belgrade, and ends stateside in Arlington, Texas.
But hold up, don’t let Lexi’s glow fool you. Behind the scenes? It’s a grind-fest. She’s squaring up with defensive dynamos like Morgan Hentz (aka Stanford’s human wall), Zoe Jarvis (who’s basically played for every volleyball powerhouse), and Baylor’s own Lauren Briseno. While some of them already have VNL stripes, Lexi’s out here hustling with heart. And just as she’s inching closer to that red, white, and blue debut, she opened up about a libero’s toughest battle; being overlooked in a position built on dirty jerseys and quiet hustle.
Lexi Rodriguez just dropped a whole mood on TikTok, and honestly? Every libero felt that one in their soul. A day ago, she posted a clip of herself plopped right on the floor of the volleyball court, legs crossed like she’s entered her ‘send help’ era, with her slacks totally ripped at the knees like a true battle-worn warrior of the back row. The vid came with the classic caption, “me everyday after diving around all day” while the audio did its thing, echoing her energy with “Oh, Lord, have mercy. Mmm. Mmm. Mmm. Today. Drain me.”
And if that wasn’t peak volleyball grind vibes, she signed it all off with the cherry on top: “gotta love volleyball.” Like girl, the chaos is real, the bruises are souvenirs, but hey, libero life never looked so hilariously relatable.
mmmgsports/Instagram
Lexi Rodriguez has been hustling in the volleyball trenches for years, and now? That grind’s finally cashing in. After leaving her heart (and knees) out on the court at Nebraska, she didn’t just dip, she rewrote history. We’re talking 1,897 digs, people. That’s more than anyone else in Cornhusker history, even Justine Wong-Orantes. Four-time AVCA All-American, three-time Big Ten DPOY or Libero of the Year, and the queen of first-team everything in college volleyball. In her final NCAA tourney game, Nebraska may’ve gotten reverse swept by Penn State, but Lexi still walked away breaking records and turning heads.
And just two days later? Boom, she signed with LOVB Omaha like the legend she is, ready to shake things up in the pro world. Sure, the pro scene wasn’t quite the fairytale some expected, but Lexi still made waves in the volleyball world.
Lexi Rodriguez makes waves despite less screen time!
February 28 was not a chill day on volleyball Twitter. Avid Volley lit the timeline on fire when they hopped on X and dropped this spicy take: “We’re two months into the LOVB season and the only liberos to not start a match are Omaha’s Lexi Rodriguez and Annie Cesar. What a waste of opportunity and resources.” Fans weren’t just side-eyeing, they were full-on furious. Like, you’ve got Lexi Rodriguez, one of the most hyped, most followed, most electrifying liberos in the game, just vibing on the sidelines? Yeah, that hit hard.
AAU Sports/Instagram
But Avid Volley didn’t stop there. They doubled back to their own tweet and went off again: “This isn’t about JWO either (who is the best). But placing Rodriguez on a team that has the best American libero is??? Lexi brings as many eyes to the sport as any American right now and for what? To do fashion shoots and dances on the bench?” Like sure, JWO’s elite, no doubt. But putting Lexi in the same jersey and giving her zero reps? Fans were left wondering if she was recruited to play or just… post.
But even with her court time being all crickets, Lexi still made waves, big, sparkly, history-making waves. Back in April, she snagged the 95th AAU Sullivan Award, officially becoming the first-ever Nebraska volleyball player to win it. Yup, that’s the same award that’s been held by icons like Simone Biles, Michael Phelps, and Caitlin Clark. Only three volleyball players in history have ever taken it home: Lauren Carlini, Kathryn Plummer, and now Lexi. So while the bench may be cold, her name? Still burning hot.
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