After Harper Murray’s previous struggles, Nebraska teammate makes big claim in current NCAA season: ‘Was really aggressive’

Harper Murray’s preseason struggles are no secret. Their challenges began after Nebraska’s seemingly unstoppable momentum suddenly came to a halt in last season’s NCAA Championship finals. However, the intense backlash she faced for boldly proclaiming that Nebraska could win the next three national titles really put her on a difficult path.

“That comment just opened up a whole new world of hate to me that I never thought I would experience.” The Huskers’ star player made the announcement in an ESPN video on December 5th. Diagnosed with ADHD as a child, Murray couldn’t handle the backlash and made decisions that led to an arrest for driving under the influence in April. And while he came back strong, it’s an issue Murray continues to have questions about.

So it was no surprise to see Harper Murray take center stage after another standout performance in Nebraska’s second-round game against Miami. This time, however, it was Bergen Reilly who made the case for how important Murray was to Nebraska’s success. “Yes, she is an important key for our team. She does a lot for us.Reilley said confidently as he talked about Murray’s impressive batting average of over .400 in the last two games.

“She passes a lot of balls; obviously she hits a lot of balls. And it’s really good for us to get them into a rhythm. I don’t know, I think she was just very aggressive in this tournament.” Reilly told the reporter during the press conference in Nebraska. And the player didn’t exaggerate either. With 9 kills on 17 attempts. Harper Murray hit .412 in Nebraska’s 3-0 win over Miami.

However, there is also a good reason why Murray is trying to push herself beyond her limits this season. Although there are still many doubters about the outside attacker, she is far more positive this season. Murray also hasn’t let obstacles like last season’s final loss to Texas affect him. “I’m in a much better position now and can see and hear these things much better.” Murray admitted. Having put the struggles of the past behind her, Murray cares about much more than just personal glory.

Why Harper Murray is more determined than ever

The 19-year-old OH reached spectacular peak performances in the 2023 season. He has since become the first NU freshman to reach the 2.21/55.7 GP% VolleyMetrics As he began racking up stats for Big10 Freshman of the Year honors, it seemed like the sky was the limit for Murray. However, her equally spectacular fall almost caused her to quit volleyball.

“I was worried. I was just trying to stun and hurt myself before others could…” Harper Murray told ESPN. “My mom and my coaches knew I was struggling for a while and they all tried to help me.” said Nebraska’s star hitter. But although she was unwilling to acknowledge this help for a while, neither her mother, coach John Cook, nor her teammate lost faith in Murray.

“You do everything you can before you give up on these children.” Coach Cook told the New York Times about the 19-year-old. Now that she has put those dark times behind her, Murry has come to realize the immense contribution they have made. So the Nebraska Husker is fighting not only to win the 2024 NCAA Championship, but also to win the pride of everyone who helped the volleyball player get a second chance at redemption.