A volleyball match held in Nebraska on Wednesday night has broken a world record for the largest crowd at a women’s sporting event in history.
A crowd of 92,003 people attended the volleyball match at Lincoln’s Memorial Stadium between five-time NCAA champions Nebraska and Omaha.
Memorial Stadium’s official capacity is around 85,000, but more people were able to fit at the match because there were additional seats and standing room on the field.
The previous world record for attendance at a women’s sporting event was 91,648. This was set in 2022 at a UEFA Women’s Champions League soccer semifinal in between Barcelona and Wolfsburg.
Husker Nation, you’ve done it.
— Nebraska Volleyball (@HuskerVB) August 31, 2023
The WORLD RECORD for a Women’s Sporting Event lives in Lincoln.
Today’s attendance: 9️⃣2️⃣,0️⃣0️⃣3️⃣
There is NO PLACE like Nebraska. pic.twitter.com/lQFguWHyp8
The crowd surpassed the previously most attended volleyball match by tens of thousands – shattering a record of 16,833 people, which was set last September in Florida.
“There is a lot of satisfaction to know that it’s not me. It’s a celebration of Nebraska volleyball at all levels,” John Cook, Nebraska’s head coach, said.
“We took a chance playing a game in Memorial Stadium and to go for the record and break it. Not only did we make a statement on how important volleyball is here, we want that record to be known around the world now.
“I don’t think anyone could have envisioned all this when this started. It feels like a great accomplishment for this sport called ‘volleyball’ played by the women in Nebraska. It’s a state treasure and we just proved it.”
John Cook has been the head volleyball coach at Nebraska for 23 years.
— Ben Stevens (@BenScottStevens) August 31, 2023
He has won 4 national titles, made 22 NCAA Regionals, and won 650+ matches.
Yet, he’s probably never done the Tunnel Walk.
And the smile on his face shows how special tonight is. pic.twitter.com/r1dPLOkLWK
“There’s a great business case and strategy around women’s athletics long term that maybe college athletics hasn’t embraced,” Nebraska athletic director Trev Alberts told ESPN.
“And we think here in Nebraska, long before I became the athletic director, we’ve significantly invested in women’s athletics, and you’re seeing the result of that by seeing the success of the volleyball program and the fan base surrounding it.”