Media rights deals indicate the increasing value of women’s sports, but they’ve also illustrated the need for salaries, amenities, and benefits in line with that premium price.
The impact of the ongoing influx of media investment was evident in the lineup at the Deep Blue Business of Women’s Sports Summit on Tuesday in Manhattan, which included the presence of new, developmental leagues like League One Volleyball (LOVB) and the United Soccer League (USL) Super League as well as the WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries expansion franchise.
Among the recent highlights, in 2023, the National Women’s Soccer League entered a four-year, $240 million broadcast deal with CBS, Disney, Amazon, and Scripps that was the largest of its kind at the time. It was also more than 53 times the $4.5 million deal the NWSL received from CBS Sports and streaming platform Twitch in 2020.
Additionally, last year, the WNBA signed an 11-year media rights deal with Disney, Amazon, and NBCUniversal that was not only worth $2.2 billion, but allowed it to keep negotiating with existing broadcast partners like Scripps—which is seeking a long-term agreement after averaging more than 1 million viewers per game last season. The WNBA’s new pact will bring the league more than $200 million per season, or roughly four times the $50 million it receives annually from its current broadcast rights.
“It’s creating more visibility for our athletes and helping us grow our fan base and attract a broader audience,” Shana Stephenson, chief brand officer for the reigning WNBA champion New York Liberty, told ADWEEK at the Deep Blue summit. “If you really look at engagement and the commitment of our fans and the loyalty of our fans, that’s where the investment really shows up, and that’s where it really makes a lot of sense.”
Outside the U.S., soccer’s U.K.-based Women’s Super League (WSL) struck a five-year, $86.7 million deal with Sky Sports and the BBC last year that, at more than $17 million per year, exceeds the $9 million to $10.6 million annual value of the league’s last media cycle.
So why weren’t broadcasters so generous previously?
“It’s called sexism, just say it,” said Sue Bird, a Deep Blue partner and chief strategy officer who’ll be enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame later this year.
A multi-time Olympic gold medalist with Team USA and WNBA champion with the Seattle Storm, Bird is now part of the ownership groups of both the Storm and the NWSL’s Gotham FC. As the value of women’s sports media deals rises and conditions within the leagues themselves change, Bird observes it in the context of the greater sports landscape.
Nebraska is once again taking the collegiate volleyball world by storm, entering the 2025 NCAA Tournament as the No. 1 overall seed. So it’s no surprise the Huskers dominated some of the sport’s top honors announced on Tuesday.
AVCA West All-Region Team
Bergen Reilly
Bergen Reilly sets the ball to a slide attack. | Amarillo Mullen
Junior setter Bergen Reilly showcased Nebraska’s excellence on multiple levels. She was one of five Huskers named to the AVCA West All-Region Team, which is an impressive accomplishment on its own. This marks her third straight year earning All-Region recognition, and she has continued her high-level play this season. Thanks in part to Reilly’s elite setting, Nebraska is on track to break the single-season school record with a .353 team hitting percentage. That mark leads the nation and is the best posted by any Big Ten team since Penn State in 2009.
This set is ridiculous. Happened in Nebraska’s season opener in August. Turned out to be a sign of what was to come during Bergen Reilly’s junior campaign.
Reilly’s standout season did not end there. She was also named the AVCA West Region Player of the Year, becoming the fourth Husker and the third in a row to earn the honor, joining Kelly Hunter (2017), Merritt Beason (2023) and Lexi Rodriguez (2024). She continues to collect accolades this season as the 2025 Big Ten Setter of the Year and a First-Team All-Big Ten selection. She also earned the 2025 Big Ten Volleyball Player of the Year, the first time she has received that award.
Rebekah Allick
Rebekah Allick (5) celebrates a Husker point in set two. | Amarillo Mullen
Senior middle blocker Rebekah Allick is putting together one of the strongest seasons of her Husker career. She continues to be a reliable presence on both sides of the net, contributing efficient offense while anchoring Nebraska’s front-row defense. Her play earned her All-Big Ten First Team honors for the first time, a deserved recognition after years of consistent contributions.
Allick has also climbed into rare company in the program’s rally-scoring era. With 536 career blocks, she now ranks fifth all-time at Nebraska, a mark that also places her fifth among active Division I players. Her presence at the net has been a integral part of Nebraska’s identity this season, and she continues to rise to the moment when it matters most.
Laney Choboy
Laney Choboy receives a Michigan serve. | Amarillo Mullen
Junior libero Laney Choboy has been the steady heartbeat of Nebraska’s backcourt all season. She’s the one holding things down defensively, reading attacks and keeping rallies alive with the kind of confidence and toughness every championship team needs. Her efforts earned her a spot on the All-Big Ten Second Team.
Relive all of Laney Choboy’s great saves on this play 🤯
Choboy has already totaled 276 digs on the year and counting, a testament to just how reliable she is in big moments. She’s delivered several standout performances, including a career-best 20 digs against Illinois and another strong night with 15 at Minnesota. When the Huskers need a spark on defense, she’s almost always the one providing it.
Andi Jackson
Andi Jackson (15) gets a kill on the slide. | Amarillo Mullen
Junior middle blocker Andi Jackson has been one of Nebraska’s most consistent and explosive attackers this season. She continues to elevate her game year after year, earning All-Big Ten First Team honors for the second consecutive season.
Jackson has also established herself as one of the most efficient hitters in the country. Her hitting percentage not only leads the nation but also stands as the best single-season mark in Nebraska volleyball history. Combined with her reliable performance at the net defensively, Jackson has become a foundational piece of the Huskers’ success.
Harper Murray
Nebraska Cornhuskers outside hitter Harper Murray (27) attacks against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the third set. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images
Junior outside hitter Harper Murray has emerged as one of Nebraska’s top offensive threats this season, setting career highs with 3.51 kills per set and a .299 hitting percentage. Her strong play earned her All-Big Ten First Team honors for the first time.
Murray contributes in every phase of the game. She averages 2.14 digs per set, leads the team with 30 aces, and adds 58 blocks, giving her a team-leading 4.16 points per set. Her all-around skill and steady production make her a key piece of the Huskers’ success.
Honorable Mention
Virginia Adriano
Virginia Adriano (9) starts the match with a kill. | Amarillo Mullen
Freshman opposite hitter Virginia Adriano is already giving a glimpse of Nebraska’s future, earning a spot on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in her debut season. Originally from Turin, Italy, Adriano has quickly made an impact on both sides of the net, averaging 2.20 kills per set with a .284 hitting percentage, along with 0.66 blocks per set and 14 service aces.
You can hear the force when Virginia Adriano makes contact with the. ball 😳
She has risen to the occasion in conference matches as well, contributing 2.34 kills per set with a .318 hitting percentage. Beyond her on-court contributions, Adriano’s presence shows the growing opportunities for international athletes in college volleyball, opening doors for future players from around the world. Her all-around play and poise as a freshman indicate she will be a major contributor for the Huskers for years to come.
Taylor Landfair
Taylor Landfair collected seven kills of her own in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. | Amarillo Mullen
Senior outside hitter Taylor Landfair has been a key player for Nebraska this season, hitting a career-best .316 and averaging 2.09 kills per set, which earned her All-Big Ten Second Team honors.
Landfair’s impact goes beyond this season. She was a 2022 AVCA All-American and has appeared in the most career matches of any active Division I player, with 151 contests. She also ranks 20th among active Division I players with 1,517 career kills, reflecting her consistency and durability throughout her Husker career.
Head Coach
Nebraska Cornhuskers volleyball head coach Dani Busboom Kelly is introduced during a break in the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Pinnacle Bank Arena. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images
The players can only go as far as their head coach allows, and Nebraska head coach Kelly Busboom has given them every opportunity to flourish. Busboom was honored as the AVCA West Region Coach of the Year.
In her first year at the helm, Busboom led the Huskers to a perfect 30-0 regular-season record, including a 20-0 mark in Big Ten competition. Her debut earned her AVCA West Region Coach of the Year honors and the Big Ten Coach of the Year award, making her the first coach in program history to capture a conference title in their inaugural season.
Given the dedication and performance of these players, it was clear that Busboom was the coach most deserving of such recognition.
These awards and honors are well-earned, but they also tell a bigger story. The Huskers extended their win streak to 32 with a sweep of Kansas State on Saturday, Dec. 6, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, remaining undefeated. This team is full of talented players who understand what it takes to win.
Week after week, they perform at the highest level, delivering a masterclass in volleyball and making a definitive statement in the collegiate game. Many of these athletes are on their way to becoming Nebraska volleyball legends, leaving a lasting mark on the program.
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LEXINGTON, Ky. – The American Volleyball Coaches Association today released its 2025 AVCA All-Americans. Included in the list are three Gannon players – Bengisu Arslan (Ankara, Turkey/Private Çankaya Doga Anatolian), Lauren Atwell (Mars, Pa./Mars Area), and Sydney Wake (Massillon, Ohio/Jackson). It comes after Gannon had four honorable mention All-Americans a year ago, although all graduated.
The Golden Knights are currently in Sioux Falls, SD preparing for the NCAA Division II Elite Eight. Head coach Matt Darling‘s squad won its second straight Atlantic Regional to advance to the Elite Eight. Gannon is the number seven seed and will face No. 2 seed Concordia-St. Paul, the Central Region champion, at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Makenna Nold of Concordia-St. Paul was named the AVCA Division II Player of the Year.
Arslan is now a two-time AVCA Honorable Mention All-American after previously earning the honor in 2022. The native of Ankara, Turkey was earlier named to the AVCA All-Atlantic Region team for the second time and is also a D2CCA All-Atlantic Region selection.
Gannon’s setter was chosen the PSAC West Athlete of the Year and is now a three-time All-PSAC West selection. She was a first team choice in 2022 and 2025 and was named to the second team in 2024. In addition, she was the 2022 PSAC West Freshman of the Year.
Arslan enters the Elite Eight with has 1,3759 assists, the second-highest season total. In fact, she now owns three of the top nine season assists totals, in the process boosting her career total to 4,481 assists. That is also good for second all-time. She leads the PSAC in assists per set (11.18), good for 10th in Division II.
She also stands second on the team in service aces (46) and third in digs with 298. She now has 1,140 career digs. She is tied for seventh in career service aces (175), along with seventh in sets played (457) and tied for eighth in matches played (128).
Atwell and Wake are first-time AVCA All-Americans, with Atwell the force at the net and Wake emerging as Gannon’s top hitter. Both were previously named first team AVCA All-Atlantic Region performers and second team D2CCA All-Atlantic Region selections. They were both also named to the All-PSAC West first team.
A 6-foot-3 middle blocker, Atwell leads the Golden Knights with 105 blocks, with team highs of 28 solo blocks and 77 block assists, while tied for in kills with 260. She ranks ninth in the PSAC in blocks per set. The junior also leads the team in hitting percentage at .333, good for fourth in the PSAC. She has moved up to fourth in career blocks with 365.
Wake entered her junior season with 82 career kills but the 5-foot-11 middle blocker has exploded for a team-high 347 kills and is second in hitting percentage at .298. She is also third in total blocks with 66 and fifth in digs with 133.
All three players were named to the Atlantic Regional All-Tournament Team last weekend.
CANYON, Texas – West Texas A&M’s Emma Becker, Currie Marusak and Taytum Stow earned the highest honor a Division II volleyball student-athlete can receive on Wednesday as the trip of Lady Buffs were tabbed All-Americans.
Stow was named a Second Team honoree by the American Volleyball Coaches Association with Becker and Marusak claiming Honorable Mention accolades. Stow was also named to the D2CCA Third Team All-American squad.
Becker earned her third straight AVCA All-American honors as the Liberty Hill, Texas product registered 348 kills with a .212 attack percentage to go along with 17 assists, 10 service aces, 266 digs and 65 total blocks for a total of 396.5 points to average 3.51 per set. Becker was a First Team All-Lone Star Conference selection.
Marusak becomes the 33rd All-American in WT Volleyball history as she led the way offensively for the Lady Buffs during her senior campaign in 2025. The Amarillo High School alum had a team-best 410 kills on 1,008 swings for an attack percentage of .254 to go along with 14 aces, 282 digs and 49.0 blocks for a team-leading 452.0 points to average 4.00 per set as she was named to the All-Lone Star Conference First Team as well as the LSC Championship All-Tournament Team.
Stow, the three-time Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Year, became one of the top players in Division II Volleyball during her storied career. The Hereford, Texas product is now a four-time All-American as she set new school all-time marks in total blocks and solo blocks this season while leading the Lady Buffs to the program’s 32nd NCAA Tournament. Stow tallied 290 kills with an attack percentage of .396 to go along with 19 service aces, 72 digs and an incredible 155 total blocks to average 1.37 per set.
CEDARVILLE, Ohio – Madelyn Hensley has been named the 2025 NCCAA AVCA National Player of the Year.
She heads up the seven-player All-America First Team which includes Kaley Matney while Haley Koch earned a spot on the second team.
Hensley, a 6-foot-2 junior outside hitter from Dover, Delaware, joins CU Hall of Fame setter Kelsey Jones (2004) as the only Lady Jackets to be the NCCAA Player of the Year.
Hensley led Cedarville to a 24-6 record and the G-MAC South Division title with a 14-1 mark.
She was first in the NCCAA at 3.84 kills per set and ranked second in points (4.33).
Matney, a 5-9 senior setter from Fort Wayne, Indiana, topped the NCCAA at 11.10 assists per set.
Koch, a six-foot senior middle hitter from Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, rated sixth in the NCCAA in hitting percentage (.375) and seventh in blocks (1.08).
Additionally, Koch, Matney, Paige Hale, Sydney Low, and Cassi Shields were recognized as NCCAA Scholar-Athletes which includes juniors, seniors, and graduate students who maintain a minimum 3.40 cumulative grade point average.
The NCAA women’s college volleyball transfer portal opened on December 7, with hundreds of athletes entering.
Numerous Division I players with Indiana high school roots have entered the transfer portal.
The current transfer window for athletes closes on January 5, with another window opening in May.
The women’s college volleyball transfer portal officially opened Dec. 7, and hundreds of names entered.
Here is a list of the Indiana products at the Division I level who are on the move. We’ll be updating this list as they find their new homes.
The portal window closes Jan. 5. The spring window is set for May 1-15.
Email Brian Haenchen (bhaenchen@usatodayco.com) or Aaron Ferguson (aferguson@usatodayco.com) with portal-related updates.
Molly Beatty, Central Michigan (Herron)
A 5-foot-11 setter, Beatty logged 46 sets over 19 matches, totaling 204 assists, five aces, 44 digs, seven blocks and a kill. She notched a career-high 24 assists at Milwaukee in September. Beatty has three years of eligibility remaining.
Elena Chappell, New Hampshire (Zionsville)
A 2025 Zionsville grad, the 6-foot middle appeared in four matches for the Wildcats.
Reese Dunkle, Stanford (Center Grove)
A record-setting middle for the Trojans, the 6-3 Dunkle redshirted in her first season with the Cardinal.
Raegan Durbin, Middle Tennessee State (Western Boone)
An explosive pin hitter, Durbin was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman Team after collecting 339 digs, 254 digs, 27 total blocks and 37 service aces. She clocked 24-plus kills in three matches, including a career-high 26 terminations vs. Delaware, the fifth-best performance in CUSA this season.
Lauren Evans, Butler (Carmel)
Evans, a defensive specialist, appeared in 29 matches for a second consecutive season. She totaled 447 digs (717 career), 93 assists (152 career) and 36 aces (67 career). The former Greyhound has two years of eligibility remaining.
Addy Frye, Providence (Traders Point Christian)
Frye, a junior outside hitter and defensive specialist, played two seasons at Providence, accumulating 110 digs, 23 aces and 13 assists over 36 matches (119 sets).
Morgan Gaerte, Notre Dame (Angola)
Gaerte garnered first team All-ACC and AVCA Midwest Region first team plaudits in her second season with the Irish. She started all 28 matches, tallying 497 kills — the most by a Notre Dame player since 2008 and third most overall — 183 digs, 68 total blocks and 36 aces. She set a school record with 34 kills vs. Illinois and registered double-digit kills in 22 straight matches — the second longest streak in program history.
Lilly Howell, Charlotte (Muncie Burris)
The freshman right side appeared in seven matches, picking up 12 kills, two aces, nine digs and 15 total blocks.
Audrey Hudson, Wright State (Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger)
Hudson was limited to five matches by injury last season as a freshman. She returned this season, totaling 42 sets over 18 matches. She posted 35 kills, four assists, an ace, 68 digs and a block.
Bella Humphrey, Auburn (McCutcheon)
The sophomore libero totaled 11 digs, 11 aces and four assists over 19 matches (59 sets) in her two seasons with the Tigers.
Ava Hunter, Loyola Chicago (Hamilton Southeastern)
The freshman appeared in 72 sets nad made 10 starts over 21 matches. She totaled 10 kills, 414 assists, 14 aces, 130 digs and four blocks
Aniya Kennedy, Ball State (LaPorte)
A redshirt junior outside hitter/opposite, Kennedy did not appear in any matches this fall. She had 749 kills, 89 digs, 100 blocks, three assists and an ace in her two seasons at Ball State.
Maddie Kmetz, Western Michigan (Andrean)
A redshirt junior setter, Kmetz appeared in 19 matches in 2025, registering 39 assists, 106 digs, a block and a kill.
Kaleigh Meritt, Samford (Evansville Reitz)
The redshirt junior outside hits the portal with 1,143 career kills (.228 hit%), 766 digs, 107 total blocks and 78 aces to her name. She’s also tallied 29 assists.
Ava Smith, Florida Gulf Coast (Park Tudor)
The 2022 Park Tudor graduate has seen action in two of her three seasons at FGCU, recording 215 kills, 48 digs, 47 blocks and six assists over her 44 matches played (130 sets).
Alaleh Tolliver, Butler (North Central)
A 5-10 sophomore from Indianapolis, Tolliver appeared in 56 matches across her two seasons, picking up 572 kills, 65 aces, 23 assists, 438 digs and 58 blocks.
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