Sterling alum Lexi Rodriguez earns Big Ten’s top defensive volleyball award, again

College volleyball

Sterling’s Rodriguez named Big Ten Libero of the Year: The Big Ten Conference announced the 2024 All-Big Ten women’s volleyball teams and individual honors Wednesday, as chosen by a vote of the conference’s 18 head coaches.

Nebraska senior and Sterling High School grad Lexi Rodriguez was named Big Ten Libero of the Year (voted to replace Defensive Player of the Year) for the second straight year and third time in her career with the Cornhuskers.

She is the second player in Big Ten history to earn three Big Ten Defensive Player/Libero of the Year honors (Paula Gentil, Minnesota, 2002-04).

Rodriguez also is a three-time All-American and has guided the Huskers' back row with 3.8 digs per set throughout the regular season, helping Nebraska to its second consecutive Big Ten championship. Rodriguez recently passed Kayla Banwarth for No. 2 in career digs at Nebraska. She now has 1,819 career digs and is chasing only Justine Wong-Orantes (1,890) to become the career digs leader in Nebraska program history.

Rodriguez also was unanimously voted to the All-Big Ten first team, her fourth time named to the first team.

Nebraska sophomore Bergen Reilly was named Big Ten Setter of the Year for the second straight year, and Wisconsin’s Sarah Franklin was named Big Ten Player of the Year.