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Foecke Living her Dream, On and Off the Court

As Mikaela Foecke walked off the court following Team USA’s 4-1 defeat of Korea on Tuesday, she was greeted with the shrieks of young fans, desperate to grab her attention. “Mikaela!,” one girl shouted. “Can I take a picture with you?” Foecke smiled and paused for a picture with the eager young fan.

It’s no surprise that Foecke, one of the most celebrated players in Nebraska volleyball history, would have a mob of people wanting to talk with her directly following Team USA’s first match since their return to Lincoln. Fans, teammates, coaches and reporters alike, all waited patiently to talk to the local legend. She gracefully made time for all of them, in what has been a frenzied few weeks for her.

Just this past Saturday, Foecke got married. Less than 24 hours later, she was at Pinnacle Bank Arena, practicing with Team USA for their upcoming matches in the FIVB Volleyball Nation’s League Tournament. Foecke told reporters Tuesday night that getting back into the swing of things was “tough” but she was able to manage.

“I just tried to hang in there, be mentally tough and grind,” the 6-foot-3 outside hitter said.

It was also a special match for Foecke in that it was her first time playing volleyball in Lincoln again after her career at NU ended in December.

“I think that just being back in Lincoln is an unbelievable feeling and knowing that we have an opportunity to play in front of Husker fans again is just so satisfying,” Foecke said.

The reception Foecke received Tuesday night at PBA was enormous. When the public address announcer introduced her during the starting lineups, the crowd roared at a decibel level that wasn’t matched the rest of the night. Foecke told reporters after the game that it felt like she was back at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

“It was just honestly so great to be back in Husker nation,” Foecke said.

On the night, Foecke had a total of eight kills and one ace. According to team USA head coach Karch Kiraly, she’s been an incredible asset during her brief time with the squad.

“She has all the tools. She can serve, pass, hit, block (and) defend,” Kiraly said. “She has all those tools. She connects well with people. She’s a good teammate. She plays very even and poised. She’s a steadying influence. There are a lot of things to like about her.”

Kiraly isn’t the only person glad to have Foecke on Team USA. Another former Husker great and current team USA teammate, Jordan Larson, expressed how impressed she’s been with how smoothly Foecke’s transition has been from college to the international game.

“She’s awesome,” Larson said. “She held her own, those serves aren’t easy. She’s like a rock… she’s just really consistent. She reminds me a lot of myself kind of at that young age, just willing to grind and grind it out. It’s really awesome to play next to her.”

Before meeting with a small group of local reporters for her post-match interview, Foecke dug out her wedding ring from a small case that she kept in her backpack. She put on the ring, looked up and smiled. “Long time, no see” Foecke joked.

It’s only been a short amount of time since her Nebraska career came to an end back in December, but a lot has changed in her personal and professional life. However, one thing remains the same – in Nebraska, Foecke is the queen and this is her court.

(Photo – Kenny Larabee)

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