Holloway leaving NU volleyball team
Rachel Holloway, who as a freshman setter led Nebraska to a national championship, is retiring from volleyball.
The two-time All-American told the Journal Star of her decision on Tuesday afternoon, moments after notifying surprised teammates.
“I know it sounds bad, but I just want to have a life outside volleyball,” Holloway said, adding that the decision had nothing to do with coaches or teammates at NU.
“I love them all to death,” she said. “My intentions are not to hurt my teammates or to leave them empty-handed with no plan.
“But I really needed to do what’s best for me.”
Holloway, who just completed her sophomore season, said she made the decision last week, and on Tuesday was preparing to begin classes today at Alabama. She has no plans to play for the Crimson Tide.
“Nebraska would be the only place I would ever consider playing,” she said.
The news came as a stunning jolt to a Nebraska program already hit by the graduation losses of past national players of the year Sarah Pavan and Christina Houghtelling and team captain Tracy Stalls.
With the departure of Holloway, Nebraska will lose players who combined were named All-Americans 10 times in their careers.
Holloway, a third-team All-American as a freshman and a second-team pick this past season, was on pace to join Pavan as the only four-time All-Americans in NU history.
In a release issued by university officials, Nebraska head coach John Cook said “we respect her personal decision and appreciate everything she has done for the Husker program. Although we’re disappointed she’s decided to cut her time short here, we wish her nothing but the very best in the future.”
In an interview with the Journal Star, Cook said he hoped his comments and those of Holloway would lessen rampant speculation about the situation.
Cook said that without a setter in the program, the Huskers likely will not play competitively in the spring exhibition season.
Only weeks ago, Cook said he was talking with Hawaii head coach Dave Shoji about scheduling a spring exhibition match on the islands.
“It’s going to be hard to simulate any kind of team stuff without setters,” Cook said. “We’ll have to do the best we can.”
Former Utah starter Sydney Anderson is expected to join NU in time for the 2008 season, but she must first complete her associate’s degree to be eligible.
A walk-on setter, Bridgette Root of Grand Island, is also committed to join Nebraska’s team this fall.
The team will reassemble on Monday, the day that spring semester classes resume at Nebraska.
“Although Rachel’s announcement is a surprise, one thing we have seen over the years is how adversity can bring a team together,” Cook said in the release.
The starting setter on U.S. Youth National Teams in 2004 and 2005, Holloway enrolled at Nebraska a year ahead of schedule but ultimately sat out the 2005 season as a redshirt.
In 2006, Holloway won the starting job after competing with returning starter Maggie Griffin in spring ball and in early-season practices.
She was the first freshman setter to start for Nebraska in a one-setter system and directed an offense that led the nation in kills per game and ranked second in hitting percentage.
When the Huskers defeated Stanford in Omaha for the national championship, Holloway became only the second freshman setter in NCAA history to lead her team to the championship.
This past season, Nebraska saw it’s national title hopes end with a loss to California in the Madison Regional final.
Reach Todd Henrichs at 473-7320 or thenrichs@journalstar.com.
The two-time All-American told the Journal Star of her decision on Tuesday afternoon, moments after notifying surprised teammates.
“I know it sounds bad, but I just want to have a life outside volleyball,” Holloway said, adding that the decision had nothing to do with coaches or teammates at NU.
“I love them all to death,” she said. “My intentions are not to hurt my teammates or to leave them empty-handed with no plan.
“But I really needed to do what’s best for me.”
Holloway, who just completed her sophomore season, said she made the decision last week, and on Tuesday was preparing to begin classes today at Alabama. She has no plans to play for the Crimson Tide.
“Nebraska would be the only place I would ever consider playing,” she said.
The news came as a stunning jolt to a Nebraska program already hit by the graduation losses of past national players of the year Sarah Pavan and Christina Houghtelling and team captain Tracy Stalls.
With the departure of Holloway, Nebraska will lose players who combined were named All-Americans 10 times in their careers.
Holloway, a third-team All-American as a freshman and a second-team pick this past season, was on pace to join Pavan as the only four-time All-Americans in NU history.
In a release issued by university officials, Nebraska head coach John Cook said “we respect her personal decision and appreciate everything she has done for the Husker program. Although we’re disappointed she’s decided to cut her time short here, we wish her nothing but the very best in the future.”
In an interview with the Journal Star, Cook said he hoped his comments and those of Holloway would lessen rampant speculation about the situation.
Cook said that without a setter in the program, the Huskers likely will not play competitively in the spring exhibition season.
Only weeks ago, Cook said he was talking with Hawaii head coach Dave Shoji about scheduling a spring exhibition match on the islands.
“It’s going to be hard to simulate any kind of team stuff without setters,” Cook said. “We’ll have to do the best we can.”
Former Utah starter Sydney Anderson is expected to join NU in time for the 2008 season, but she must first complete her associate’s degree to be eligible.
A walk-on setter, Bridgette Root of Grand Island, is also committed to join Nebraska’s team this fall.
The team will reassemble on Monday, the day that spring semester classes resume at Nebraska.
“Although Rachel’s announcement is a surprise, one thing we have seen over the years is how adversity can bring a team together,” Cook said in the release.
The starting setter on U.S. Youth National Teams in 2004 and 2005, Holloway enrolled at Nebraska a year ahead of schedule but ultimately sat out the 2005 season as a redshirt.
In 2006, Holloway won the starting job after competing with returning starter Maggie Griffin in spring ball and in early-season practices.
She was the first freshman setter to start for Nebraska in a one-setter system and directed an offense that led the nation in kills per game and ranked second in hitting percentage.
When the Huskers defeated Stanford in Omaha for the national championship, Holloway became only the second freshman setter in NCAA history to lead her team to the championship.
This past season, Nebraska saw it’s national title hopes end with a loss to California in the Madison Regional final.
Reach Todd Henrichs at 473-7320 or thenrichs@journalstar.com.
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