Ex Nebraska Volleyball player makes feelings known about changing the sport in Alabama as she takes over as head coach of her Alma mater 

Merritt Beason, former Nebraska Volleyball star and current Atlanta Vibe professional player, expressed her excitement to Nebraska fans about returning to her alma mater, Gardendale High School, as head coach. Beason was back in Nebraska to play against the Omaha Supernovas at the CHI Health Center.

In the recent press conference, Merritt Beason said that being part of Nebraska made her dream of changing volleyball in Alabama, and joining GHS as head coach was a stepping stone towards it.

“One of my big dreams is to change volleyball in Alabama and in my hometown. I did camps in my hometown and I am trying to do that in any way possible and that’s kind of just a stepping stone. I experiencing how Nebraska was here and being a part of it and coming back, and just seeing how huge volleyball is, that’s something that I want to take down South, but specifically to Alabama. So it’s just kind of the first little stepping stone in hopefully changing that.”

Merritt Beason, who transferred to Nebraska from the University of Florida in 2023, was named the AVCA Regional Player of the Year and was a Honda Sports Award finalist for volleyball. In both seasons with the Huskers, she claimed All-Big Ten First Team honors. She also captained the team for two seasons and was named AVCA First-Team All-American in her final year.

Following her college career, the former Nebraska player joined the Atlanta Vibe of the Pro Volleyball Federation. She plans to continue her professional career while coaching at GHS.

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Ex-Nebraska player Merritt Beason shares her advice for aspiring professional volleyball players

In a press conference with Atlanta Vibe alongside Taya Beller, Beason gave two advice for aspiring professional volleyball players. She said, first (4:08 onwards),

"Train every skill and every position, we've both have kind of been in different positions where you are asked to play different positions, and you never know what coach or what program is going to need you to do something a little different.

Her second advice was,

Not to compare your path to anyone else’s".

The Atlanta Vibe is one of eight teams competing in the Professional Volleyball Federation’s historic second season in 2025. During the season, the team recorded 1,340 kills, 116 service aces, and 222 blocks across 99 sets.