The Nebraska Cornhuskers women’s volleyball team is one of the most successful and popular programs in the nation. The team has won five national championships, most recently in 2017, and has led the NCAA in attendance for nine consecutive seasons. The team also made history on August 30, 2023, when it played in front of a record-breaking crowd of 92,003 fans at Memorial Stadium, the home of the Nebraska football team. This event set the world record for the largest attendance at a women’s sporting event, surpassing the previous record of 91,648 at a women’s soccer game between FC Barcelona and Wolfsburg in Last Year.
But how much does it cost to run such a successful and popular program? How much do the coaches and players earn? How does Nebraska compare to other schools in terms of spending and revenue? In this article, we will answer these questions and more by looking at the salary cap, highest-paid roster, and other financial aspects of the Nebraska Cornhuskers women’s volleyball team.
NCAA Salary Cap 2023
The salary cap is the limit on the total amount of money that a team can spend on its players and coaches. The NCAA does not have a salary cap for women’s volleyball or any other sport, but each school has its own budget and policies that determine how much they can allocate to each program. According to Sportico’s Intercollegiate Finances Database, Nebraska’s total expenses for women’s volleyball in 2021-22 were $3.58 million, which was the highest among all women’s volleyball programs in the country. This amount includes salaries, benefits, travel, equipment, recruiting, scholarships, and other operating expenses.
NCAA Highest Paid Roster
The highest-paid roster is the list of players and coaches who receive the most money from the team. The NCAA allows each women’s volleyball program to award up to 12 full scholarships to its players, which cover tuition, fees, room, board, books, and other expenses. The average cost of attendance for an in-state student at Nebraska in 2021-22 was $25,828, while the average cost for an out-of-state student was $47,828. Therefore, the total amount of money that Nebraska spent on scholarships for its 12 players in 2021-22 was about $366,336.
The NCAA does not regulate the salaries of coaches, so each school can decide how much to pay them based on their performance, experience, and market value. The head coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers women’s volleyball team is John Cook, who has been coaching the team since 2000 and has won four national championships with them. Cook’s compensation in 2021-22 was $789,726, which was more than any other Nebraska women’s team coach and more than twice as much as the men’s basketball coach Fred Hoiberg ($3.5 million). Cook also received bonuses for winning conference titles, reaching the NCAA tournament, and achieving academic excellence.
The table below shows the highest paid roster of the Nebraska Cornhuskers women’s volleyball team in 2022-2023:
Name | Position | Year | Hometown | Salary |
---|---|---|---|---|
John Cook | Head Coach | N/A | San Diego, CA | $789,726 |
Lexi Sun | Outside Hitter | Senior | Encinitas, CA | $47,828 |
Lauren Stivrins | Middle Blocker | Senior | Scottsdale, AZ | $47,828 |
Nicklin Hames | Setter | Senior | Maryville, TN | $47,828 |
Madi Kubik | Outside Hitter | Junior | West Des Moines, IA | $47,828 |
Kayla Caffey | Middle Blocker | Senior | Chicago Heights IL | $47,828 |
Kenzie Knuckles | Libero/Defensive Specialist | Junior | Yorktown IN | $47,828 |
Riley Zuhn | Right Side Hitter/Middle Blocker | Sophomore | Fort Collins CO | $47,828 |
Anni Evans | Setter/Defensive Specialist | Sophomore Waverly NE $25 828 | ||
Whitney Lauenstein Outside Hitter Freshman Waverly NE $25 828 | ||||
Ally Batenhorst Outside Hitter Freshman Katy TX $47 828 | ||||
Lindsay Krause Right Side Hitter Freshman Omaha NE $25 828 | ||||
Kalynn Meyer Middle Blocker Sophomore Superior NE $25 828 |
The total salary of the highest-paid roster was $1,155,062, which was about 32% of the total expenses of the program.
Conclusion
The Nebraska Cornhuskers women’s volleyball team is a financial outlier in the world of college sports. The team generates more revenue than any other women’s volleyball program and most women’s basketball programs, thanks to its loyal and passionate fan base. The team also spends more money than any other women’s volleyball program and some men’s basketball programs, thanks to its high-quality coaches and players. The team has a salary cap of $3.58 million and a highest paid roster of $1.15 million, which reflect its success and popularity on and off the court.
Most Asked Questions and Answers
Here are some of the most asked questions and answers about the Nebraska Cornhuskers women’s volleyball team and its finances:
Q: How many national championships has Nebraska won in women’s volleyball?
A: Nebraska has won five national championships in women’s volleyball, in 1995, 2000, 2006, 2015, and 2017.
Q: How many times has Nebraska led the NCAA in attendance for women’s volleyball?
A: Nebraska has led the NCAA in attendance for women’s volleyball for nine consecutive seasons, from 2012-13 to 2020-21.
Q: How much did Nebraska make in ticket sales revenue for women’s volleyball in 2021-22?
A: Nebraska made $2.12 million in ticket sales revenue for women’s volleyball in 2021-22, which was the second-highest among all women’s sports teams at public FBS schools, behind only UConn’s women’s basketball team ($2.40 million).
Q: How much did Nebraska make in concessions, parking, programs, and novelties revenue for women’s volleyball in 2021-22?
A: Nebraska made $565,413 in concessions, parking, programs, and novelties revenue for women’s volleyball in 2021-22, which was more than twice as much as the men’s basketball team ($248,000).
Q: How much did Nebraska spend on recruiting for women’s volleyball in 2021-22?
A: Nebraska spent $49,196 on recruiting for women’s volleyball in 2021-22, which was less than four other women’s teams in the athletic department: basketball ($96,000), gymnastics ($66,000), soccer ($55,000), and track and field ($50,000).
Q: How many full scholarships does Nebraska offer for women’s volleyball?
A: Nebraska offers 12 full scholarships for women’s volleyball, which is the maximum allowed by the NCAA.
Q: How much does a full scholarship cost at Nebraska for an in-state student and an out-of-state student?
A: A full scholarship costs $25,828 for an in-state student and $47,828 for an out-of-state student at Nebraska in 2021-22.
Q: Who is the highest-paid player on the Nebraska Cornhuskers women’s volleyball team?
A: The highest-paid player on the Nebraska Cornhuskers women’s volleyball team is Lexi Sun, an outside hitter from Encinitas, CA. She receives a full scholarship worth $47,828.
Q: Who is the highest-paid coach on the Nebraska Cornhuskers women’s volleyball team?
A: The highest-paid coach on the Nebraska Cornhuskers women’s volleyball team is John Cook, who earns $789,726 in compensation.
Q: How does Nebraska compare to other schools in terms of spending and revenue for women’s volleyball?
A: Nebraska ranks first among all schools in terms of spending ($3.58 million) and second among public FBS schools in terms of revenue ($2.68 million) for women’s volleyball. The only school that makes more money than Nebraska from women’s volleyball is Stanford ($3.01 million), which is a private school that does not disclose its expenses.