Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Y Omaha Supernovas are always very fun to watch, and
they have been winning a lot of games lately, on
a bit of a winning streak here, and in fact,
they've only dropped one game since the very beginning of February.
Really playing their best volleyball right now, and they're back
at home taking on the Indian Night that is going
to be Saturday at six o'clock nationally televised game. One
(00:21):
of the players is somebody who definitely notes a thing
or two about Nebraska, thing or two about Omaha, and
a thing or two about volleyball. How about Ali baiton
Horse joning us on the phone line, Ali, thanks so
much for being on our.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Show today, Hi, thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Okay, So this is very very fascinating, right professional volleyball,
and I just every time I go to a Supernova's game,
I am just so impressed with the crowd, the energy,
and it just feels like such a first rate experience.
How can you describe playing here in Omaha professionally and
what those Supernova's games are like in person?
Speaker 3 (00:56):
It's definitely unlike anywhere else. I think we have the
biggest crowd. We definitely have the biggest crowds in PBF,
and it's just amazing. I've obviously played at Nebraska in college,
and the fans are unlike anywhere else. I've been everywhere
around the country playing volleyball, and it's just unreal how
much people love volleyball here, and just the support is
incredible and it's just so amazing to play in front
of them.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
I got a couple of things that I want to
talk to you about before we get to this matchup
with Indy, and how the season is going right now.
You played for John Cook. You mentioned you played for
the Huskers for a few seasons. I just like, in
your mind, did you think or expect to see John
Cook retire after this past season.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
I think he's accomplished so much, and obviously it's been
a legacy for not only Nebraska volleyball, but just the
sport of volleyball in general. I think he has had
a lot of great years. And I don't know if
I necessarily saw it coming exactly when it did, but
I think I had.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
A feeling it would be coming within.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
A couple of years, you know, Okay, Well, this is
why you talk to people who know a thing or
two about what's going on out there now. Ali, the
new coaches, Danny Busboom, Kelly Wh's go obviously got a
Nebraska heritage played for the Huskers as well. It just
feels like you can't go too far without seeing players
that are in some way connected to this Nebraska program.
So what is it about Husker volleyball that makes it
(02:16):
the premier program in the entire country?
Speaker 3 (02:18):
I mean, just think about it. I mean, just coming
into the program, I knew just to the Ridge tradition
and culture that I was about to be a part of.
And just you see that with all the alumni that
come back to every game and just the amount of
people that show up for every single match. It's sold
out for so many matches, and yeah, it's just a
really highly competitive team who's all constantly winning and making
(02:41):
it to the championship year after year in the final
fours and just doing really well and obviously just a
really high level team. So I think just they've had
like obviously John Cook has been a huge part of that,
and just recruiting the right people, and I think Danny
Bussom's going to do a great job taking over.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
We're speaking with Ali Baitenhorse. She is playing for the
Supernovas right now. In the Omaha Supernovas went to Nebraska,
you got all this experience, You get brought in and
you get to play for the Supernovas. What was that
experience like as you wrapped up your career actually at
USC to finish your collegiate career, but then you know
(03:19):
the way that the season operates. You guys are finishing
up the college season in the fall, heading into the winter,
and we start playing Pro Volleyball Federation Volleyball in January.
Take me through that last little bit of your college
career and then learning about where you would play professionally.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Yeah, I mean I think I finished college strongly, and obviously.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
It was a great experience.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
But yeah, the whole draft was so interesting. It was
I had no clue I was going to end up here.
It was just all a very fluid situation. So when
I heard my name get called that I was coming
to Omaha, it was just amazing. And my phone was
blowing up, obviously because I had a lot of family
and friends here and like I said, I played at Nebraska,
so it's just really amazing to you just kind of
have that homecoming and yeah, like you said, we start
(04:01):
season immediately, so I essentially haven't really had a real
break since August. So it's that's been a challenge having
back to back seasons, but it's been really fun and
just being back in Omaha is really great.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
So, yeah, you talk about the family, you have quite
an interesting family tree and history of volleyball, athletics and everything.
Can you kind of walk us through that in what
that meant as you were kind of growing up and realized, Hey,
I might be pretty good at this volleyball thing.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Yeah, So I actually my first love was actually basketball.
My dad was she played basketball at Nebraska Wesleyan, so
he was my first coach. And then I think my
sister got into volleyball and.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
I was like, oh, let me try this.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
So then I ended up playing volleyball and basketball for
a long time at the same time. And I just
really started to fall in love with volleyball practice. I
found myself not enjoying going to basketball practice, and yeah,
I just started to kind of see myself doing well
in junior high and club, and I just think I
started to learn it really quickly.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
And yeah, I played at a really.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Great club at Houston Juniors, and then I got recruited
pretty young because the recruiting rules were a lot different
back in the day. I actually had my first offer
from Nebraska when I was fourteen. Wow.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
So yeah, it was just it was pretty great. And yeah,
love and volleyball.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Still obviously obviously, and things are going well. Ali Baitenhorse
joining us. So Ali, Yeah, you got the Nebraska tize,
You went down to Texas heavily recruited in a really,
you know, big metropolitan area. You come to Nebraska, you
have a great career, you went to USC to finish up.
Now you're playing for the Supernovas and you know you're
(05:37):
a rookie. It's one of those things that you know,
you don't really know what the difference is between the
collegiate and the pro game. I will talk about your
season right now, but can you try to describe to
us non professional volleyballers what the difference is in either
the style or just the skill level of what you
saw when you were playing for Nebraska and USC in
the Big Ten versus what you're seeing now in Pro
(05:58):
Volleyball Federation.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
I would say overall, I think college really prepares you
for the pro level, especially just playing at such a
highly competitive team like Nebraska.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
I think it really set.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Me up well, not only physically but mentally. You just
kind of have that challenges and just play at such
a high level and at a pretty young age.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
So I think going into.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
Pro it's obviously really high competition and it's essentially our job.
So you know, I have to come in every day
and work super.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
Hard and you never know what your role is going
to be.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
You just have to focus on what you can control.
And as a rookie, it's been a really smooth transition.
I think our team has like a really great culture.
But yeah, it's a job and I've came in and yeah,
I'm just hoping to make more of an attact on
the court.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
So you uh, it's interesting, you know you are you're
an outside hitter. So if people are you know, trying
to think about you know, you're gonna put some uh
some passes away, You're going to score some points, get
some kills for the team. You are what six five ish?
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Is that about right?
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Yeah? Almost? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (07:05):
Okay, so so about six'. Five Brook, nunnevilla who we've
had on the, show, ALSO i think we could consider
her an outside hitter and she's sitting like five nine
ish five nine sound about right for?
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Her, YEAH i think.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
So, Okay so between the two of, you and it's
kind of interesting because you, know you've really come on
the last couple of, matches but you, know in, practice
what's that like for your setters and what's it like
for your? Team because those are two completely different looks
for the. Opposition you coming in attacking with the you,
know these really long arms and this you, know big,
athleticism Where Brooke nunnevilla, is you, know she really has
(07:40):
to kind of elevate and have the kind of control
in the air very differently than maybe you. Would can
you explain kind of how different it is for your
team when you're being the focal point versus maybe somebody
Like Brook.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
Nunneviller. YEAH i, MEAN i think everyone's a little, different
and everyone's kind of different, Heights BUT i think our
setters do a really good job of kind of adjusting
sets to everyone's. LIKABILITY i don't know how else to word,
that but, YEAH i think we're used to seeing players
of all, heights AND i think just sport of, volleyball
you see people that are just so tall nowadays and
(08:14):
you see people that are a little bit more, Undersized
AND i.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
Think everyone has their own.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
Unique special parts of their game and special skills that they.
Have SO i Think brooke does a really good job
of maximizing her height and just she jumps super, high
so that. Helps AND i think just it's definitely a
different look for.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
Sure definitely a big height.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
Difference So, ali you, know as a rookie your, season you,
know we've saw you kind of sporadically there for a.
While but on the thirteenth of this month At indy
and then down In, orlando one of the other top
contenders in this, league you had incredible. Games twenty two
kills in that game Against. Orlando what has been that
adjustment period for? You in what's been the difference these
(08:58):
last couple of matches as you kind of are finding
yourself here at the professional.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
LEVEL i think as far as just coming in and
doing my, JOB i think every day in.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Practice you, know OBVIOUSLY i haven't really.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
Been in the starting lineup the past few, weeks.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
But this possibly OBVIOUSLY i.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
Was but, YEAH i think we've all through, college you,
know you kind of learn to accept your role and just.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Work hard every. Day in practice and do what you've
got to, do.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
And whenever the team needs, you you're going to come
in and do what you do bus and trust your.
Training AND i THINK i just came out. There WHEN
i had the opportunity to be out, THERE i took
it and it was kind of my time to. Shine
so it was a lot of.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
Fun we can people expect because that Same Indian night
team from the, thirteenth they're actually coming to town This
saturday at six o'clock to take on the Super. Nova's
what can people expect if they're trying to make the trip.
THERE i hear a big crowd is.
Speaker 3 (09:49):
Expected oh, YEAH i think they're doing a bunch of
promoting for the, game so it's going to be super.
Fun but, YEAH i think it's going to be a packed.
House we haven't had a home game in a, while
LIKE i, said we've been on the. Road but that's
gonna be a highly competitive. Team we obviously just played,
them so we are gonna have to adjust and stay.
Focused but definitely lots of. Energy it always is AT
(10:10):
I so we're super.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Excited, well we're.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
Gonna be super excited to See ali baiton horse in
the Entire Omaha supernova's take On indy at six o'clock On, Saturday,
Ali bait And. Horse this was. Awesome thanks so much
for talking to us today and good luck the rest
of the. Season always fun cheering on Former.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
Huskers thank you so. MUCH i appreciate. It emery's songer
Y Omaha Supernovas are always very fun to watch, and
they have been winning a lot of games lately, on
a bit of a winning streak here, and in fact,
they've only dropped one game since the very beginning of February.
Really playing their best volleyball right now, and they're back
at home taking on the Indian Night that is going
to be Saturday at six o'clock nationally televised game. One
(00:21):
of the players is somebody who definitely notes a thing
or two about Nebraska, thing or two about Omaha, and
a thing or two about volleyball. How about Ali baiton
Horse joning us on the phone line, Ali, thanks so
much for being on our.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Show today, Hi, thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Okay, So this is very very fascinating, right professional volleyball,
and I just every time I go to a Supernova's game,
I am just so impressed with the crowd, the energy,
and it just feels like such a first rate experience.
How can you describe playing here in Omaha professionally and
what those Supernova's games are like in person?
Speaker 3 (00:56):
It's definitely unlike anywhere else. I think we have the
biggest crowd. We definitely have the biggest crowds in PBF,
and it's just amazing. I've obviously played at Nebraska in college,
and the fans are unlike anywhere else. I've been everywhere
around the country playing volleyball, and it's just unreal how
much people love volleyball here, and just the support is
incredible and it's just so amazing to play in front
of them.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
I got a couple of things that I want to
talk to you about before we get to this matchup
with Indy, and how the season is going right now.
You played for John Cook. You mentioned you played for
the Huskers for a few seasons. I just like, in
your mind, did you think or expect to see John
Cook retire after this past season.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
I think he's accomplished so much, and obviously it's been
a legacy for not only Nebraska volleyball, but just the
sport of volleyball in general. I think he has had
a lot of great years. And I don't know if
I necessarily saw it coming exactly when it did, but
I think I had.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
A feeling it would be coming within.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
A couple of years, you know, Okay, Well, this is
why you talk to people who know a thing or
two about what's going on out there now. Ali, the
new coaches, Danny Busboom, Kelly Wh's go obviously got a
Nebraska heritage played for the Huskers as well. It just
feels like you can't go too far without seeing players
that are in some way connected to this Nebraska program.
So what is it about Husker volleyball that makes it
(02:16):
the premier program in the entire country?
Speaker 3 (02:18):
I mean, just think about it. I mean, just coming
into the program, I knew just to the Ridge tradition
and culture that I was about to be a part of.
And just you see that with all the alumni that
come back to every game and just the amount of
people that show up for every single match. It's sold
out for so many matches, and yeah, it's just a
really highly competitive team who's all constantly winning and making
(02:41):
it to the championship year after year in the final
fours and just doing really well and obviously just a
really high level team. So I think just they've had
like obviously John Cook has been a huge part of that,
and just recruiting the right people, and I think Danny
Bussom's going to do a great job taking over.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
We're speaking with Ali Baitenhorse. She is playing for the
Supernovas right now. In the Omaha Supernovas went to Nebraska,
you got all this experience, You get brought in and
you get to play for the Supernovas. What was that
experience like as you wrapped up your career actually at
USC to finish your collegiate career, but then you know
(03:19):
the way that the season operates. You guys are finishing
up the college season in the fall, heading into the winter,
and we start playing Pro Volleyball Federation Volleyball in January.
Take me through that last little bit of your college
career and then learning about where you would play professionally.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Yeah, I mean I think I finished college strongly, and obviously.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
It was a great experience.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
But yeah, the whole draft was so interesting. It was
I had no clue I was going to end up here.
It was just all a very fluid situation. So when
I heard my name get called that I was coming
to Omaha, it was just amazing. And my phone was
blowing up, obviously because I had a lot of family
and friends here and like I said, I played at Nebraska,
so it's just really amazing to you just kind of
have that homecoming and yeah, like you said, we start
(04:01):
season immediately, so I essentially haven't really had a real
break since August. So it's that's been a challenge having
back to back seasons, but it's been really fun and
just being back in Omaha is really great.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
So, yeah, you talk about the family, you have quite
an interesting family tree and history of volleyball, athletics and everything.
Can you kind of walk us through that in what
that meant as you were kind of growing up and realized, Hey,
I might be pretty good at this volleyball thing.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Yeah, So I actually my first love was actually basketball.
My dad was she played basketball at Nebraska Wesleyan, so
he was my first coach. And then I think my
sister got into volleyball and.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
I was like, oh, let me try this.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
So then I ended up playing volleyball and basketball for
a long time at the same time. And I just
really started to fall in love with volleyball practice. I
found myself not enjoying going to basketball practice, and yeah,
I just started to kind of see myself doing well
in junior high and club, and I just think I
started to learn it really quickly.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
And yeah, I played at a really.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Great club at Houston Juniors, and then I got recruited
pretty young because the recruiting rules were a lot different
back in the day. I actually had my first offer
from Nebraska when I was fourteen. Wow.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
So yeah, it was just it was pretty great. And yeah,
love and volleyball.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Still obviously obviously, and things are going well. Ali Baitenhorse
joining us. So Ali, Yeah, you got the Nebraska tize,
You went down to Texas heavily recruited in a really,
you know, big metropolitan area. You come to Nebraska, you
have a great career, you went to USC to finish up.
Now you're playing for the Supernovas and you know you're
(05:37):
a rookie. It's one of those things that you know,
you don't really know what the difference is between the
collegiate and the pro game. I will talk about your
season right now, but can you try to describe to
us non professional volleyballers what the difference is in either
the style or just the skill level of what you
saw when you were playing for Nebraska and USC in
the Big Ten versus what you're seeing now in Pro
(05:58):
Volleyball Federation.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
I would say overall, I think college really prepares you
for the pro level, especially just playing at such a
highly competitive team like Nebraska.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
I think it really set.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Me up well, not only physically but mentally. You just
kind of have that challenges and just play at such
a high level and at a pretty young age.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
So I think going into.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
Pro it's obviously really high competition and it's essentially our job.
So you know, I have to come in every day
and work super.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
Hard and you never know what your role is going
to be.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
You just have to focus on what you can control.
And as a rookie, it's been a really smooth transition.
I think our team has like a really great culture.
But yeah, it's a job and I've came in and yeah,
I'm just hoping to make more of an attact on
the court.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
So you uh, it's interesting, you know you are you're
an outside hitter. So if people are you know, trying
to think about you know, you're gonna put some uh
some passes away, You're going to score some points, get
some kills for the team. You are what six five ish?
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Is that about right?
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Yeah? Almost? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (07:05):
Okay, so so about six'. Five Brook, nunnevilla who we've
had on the, show, ALSO i think we could consider
her an outside hitter and she's sitting like five nine
ish five nine sound about right for?
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Her, YEAH i think.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
So, Okay so between the two of, you and it's
kind of interesting because you, know you've really come on
the last couple of, matches but you, know in, practice
what's that like for your setters and what's it like
for your? Team because those are two completely different looks
for the. Opposition you coming in attacking with the you,
know these really long arms and this you, know big,
athleticism Where Brooke nunnevilla, is you, know she really has
(07:40):
to kind of elevate and have the kind of control
in the air very differently than maybe you. Would can
you explain kind of how different it is for your
team when you're being the focal point versus maybe somebody
Like Brook.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
Nunneviller. YEAH i, MEAN i think everyone's a little, different
and everyone's kind of different, Heights BUT i think our
setters do a really good job of kind of adjusting
sets to everyone's. LIKABILITY i don't know how else to word,
that but, YEAH i think we're used to seeing players
of all, heights AND i think just sport of, volleyball
you see people that are just so tall nowadays and
(08:14):
you see people that are a little bit more, Undersized
AND i.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
Think everyone has their own.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
Unique special parts of their game and special skills that they.
Have SO i Think brooke does a really good job
of maximizing her height and just she jumps super, high
so that. Helps AND i think just it's definitely a
different look for.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
Sure definitely a big height.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
Difference So, ali you, know as a rookie your, season you,
know we've saw you kind of sporadically there for a.
While but on the thirteenth of this month At indy
and then down In, orlando one of the other top
contenders in this, league you had incredible. Games twenty two
kills in that game Against. Orlando what has been that
adjustment period for? You in what's been the difference these
(08:58):
last couple of matches as you kind of are finding
yourself here at the professional.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
LEVEL i think as far as just coming in and
doing my, JOB i think every day in.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Practice you, know OBVIOUSLY i haven't really.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
Been in the starting lineup the past few, weeks.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
But this possibly OBVIOUSLY i.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
Was but, YEAH i think we've all through, college you,
know you kind of learn to accept your role and just.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Work hard every. Day in practice and do what you've
got to, do.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
And whenever the team needs, you you're going to come
in and do what you do bus and trust your.
Training AND i THINK i just came out. There WHEN
i had the opportunity to be out, THERE i took
it and it was kind of my time to. Shine
so it was a lot of.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
Fun we can people expect because that Same Indian night
team from the, thirteenth they're actually coming to town This
saturday at six o'clock to take on the Super. Nova's
what can people expect if they're trying to make the trip.
THERE i hear a big crowd is.
Speaker 3 (09:49):
Expected oh, YEAH i think they're doing a bunch of
promoting for the, game so it's going to be super.
Fun but, YEAH i think it's going to be a packed.
House we haven't had a home game in a, while
LIKE i, said we've been on the. Road but that's
gonna be a highly competitive. Team we obviously just played,
them so we are gonna have to adjust and stay.
Focused but definitely lots of. Energy it always is AT
(10:10):
I so we're super.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Excited, well we're.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
Gonna be super excited to See ali baiton horse in
the Entire Omaha supernova's take On indy at six o'clock On, Saturday,
Ali bait And. Horse this was. Awesome thanks so much
for talking to us today and good luck the rest
of the. Season always fun cheering on Former.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
Huskers thank you so. MUCH i appreciate. It emery's songer
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