LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Women’s volleyball is often overshadowed by traditional televised sports, but as the Huskers set their sights on their sixth championship, recognition of women’s sports is growing.

Women’s volleyball received little national attention a decade ago, according to John Shrader, an associate professor of sports media at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

But that has changed.

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Nebraska is one of the most successful programs in the country and is now seeking a sixth championship, providing an opportunity to shine a spotlight on women’s sports.

Shrader believes attention could literally change the game.

“Obviously volleyball at the University of Nebraska isn’t quite the same experience as a lot of other places,” Shrader said. “But across the country, the sport of volleyball has exploded in growth over the last decade, and that’s partly because of the attention it’s been given and partly because of the way resources have been made available to it. Broadcasters have learned over the last decade, particularly over the last four or five years, that if they invest resources and advertising, people will actually watch.”

While the sport is becoming increasingly popular in the college sports world, the way it is televised is still on the rise.

“In recent years, women’s sports have become better funded, better resourced, and when they put more cameras in, more operators, they put more announcers in, they spend more time broadcasting, people like it.”

As the championship draws closer, experts believe the Huskers’ success could lead to a change in the way women’s volleyball and women’s sports are televised more broadly in the future.

“Nebraska is clearly attracting an audience,” Shrader said. “And if you watched the game on Sunday afternoon between Nebraska and Wisconsin, the production was very high quality, the sound was great, it felt like a big event.”

He said the Huskers’ journey is about more than just a trophy.

It’s about breaking barriers, setting new standards and inspiring future generations of athletes.