It’s just three days left for the Volleyball Nations League action to return! After a pretty disappointing Week 1 in the tournament, the USA Women’s Volleyball team will begin the next round of the VNL by taking on hosts Serbia on June 18. But undoubtedly, for many fans, it’s the imminent VNL debut of Lexi Rodriguez that’s got them the most excited. And yet, USA Volleyball just can’t catch a break!
With 1897 digs to her name, Lexi Rodriguez is a certified Nebraska legend. But still, her professional career since leaving Lincoln at the end of 2024 hasn’t been as impressive. With LOVB Omaha continuously postponing her pro debut, fans were irate about how insensitive it was on the team’s part not to make use of Rodriguez’s incredible skills. And now, even as the former Huskers’ star awaits to add another national appearance to her resume, fans think USA Volleyball isn’t taking the VNL seriously enough.
Avid shared the USA squad for the next round of the VNL via an X post on June 15. “USAVolleyball has announced the roster that will compete in Week 2 of the VNL, which will be hosted in Serbia,” reads the caption as the accompanying photo names all the stars who will be representing the Stars and Stripes in Europe over the next few days.
While among the names, Lexi Rodriguez is easily one of the more popular stars, fans couldn’t ignore the fact that the roster looked pretty dull, considering the high-stakes tournament that the VNL is. Along with this week being the libero’s Volleyball Nations League debut, Serbia will also see middle blocker Brionne Butler making her first appearance this year.
𝐕𝐍𝐋 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊 𝟐 𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑
USAVolleyball has announced the roster that will compete in Week 2 of the VNL, which will be hosted in Serbia.
All matches will be streamed on VBTV or CBBSN. pic.twitter.com/6wxUAMvjGJ
— Avid (@AvidVolley) June 15, 2025
While this will be Lexi Rodriguez’s first time experiencing the VNL action, Butler has been part of the USA team in the tournament thrice already. Needless to say, the roster for Week 2 is looking like a good mixture of experience and new blood. The squad also features Madisen Skinner, a Texas alum and winner of the inaugural LOVB trophy with LOVB Houston. OH, Sarah Franklin, a former Wisconsin star, is also set to return for the second week.
The USA is the current #3 volleyball team in the world and the reigning Olympic silver medalists. Naturally, fans only expect the team to bring its best to every challenge it faces. However, apart from Lexi Rodriguez’s upcoming debut, fans don’t seem to have a lot of good feeling about how the roster is built for the next set of VNL matches.
Lexi Rodriguez’s big break doesn’t satiate the fans’ needs
Week 1 of the international tournament, held in Brazil, wasn’t all that great for Team USA. However, the team did manage to wrap things up on a good note. After three consecutive defeats to Italy (the reigning Olympic champs), Brazil, and Czechia, the American women swept South Korea in the final game to claim some bragging rights. Naturally, fans would want nothing more than to carry forward that momentum. But it seems like neither Lexi Rodriguez, nor Dana Rettke, the first ever 5x AVCA All-American first-team honoree in collegiate history, being named in the roster could tick all the boxes for all the fans.
mmmgsports/Instagram
“Loser roster. Dana and Lexi are good, but they aren’t enough,” one fan stated flatly that Rodriguez and the Wisconsin-Madison alum can’t bring victories just on their own. “This roster is horrendous,” another also seemed to share a similar opinion on the overall squad. Both Rodriguez’s and Rettke’s accomplishments speak for themselves, but these fans evidently believe that those aren’t sufficient to make up for the rest of the team.
Another fan was even more livid by the fact that Team USA didn’t even consider naming Lexi Rodriguez’s former Nebraska teammate, who has proved her worth under John Cook just as much as the former. “Where is Merrit Beason???” asked the fan, seemingly appalled that the 2023 All-American missed out on making her VNL debut, whereas her ex-colleague is among the lucky ones to attain the rare honor.
“Is this real …,” another fan also seemed to have a hard time believing their eyes. While a fellow volleyball connoisseur wasn’t happy about how Roni Jones-Perry, a 2x All-American, was back on the roster. “They need a veteran OH who is not named RJP!” fumed the fan. What do you think of the roster? Do you think it’s good enough to help the USA tackle the four teams (Serbia, Poland, the Netherlands, and France) left to face in Week 2 of VNL? Or do you have some changes to suggest? Tell us in a comment!
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