Panini NIL: Two Nebraska Volleyball Stars Drafted to Pro League

Written by: Kara Gates

The Pro Volleyball Federation marked its inaugural season in 2024, triggering a massive change in the world of professional volleyball. The 2024 PVF Draft marked another big moment, specifically for Huskers volleyball. Two Nebraska standouts heard their names called at the draft.

Going first overall to Atlanta was No. 13 Merritt Beason, who is having an incredible senior season in 2024-25. Believe it or not, Beason almost didn’t even play volleyball: She originally considered trying out for cheerleading when she was younger because volleyball was almost unheard of in her hometown (Gardendale, AL).

“Volleyball wasn’t a big thing,” Beason said. “I didn’t even know you could play volleyball at a young age. I didn’t grow up watching it.”

Well, now she’s one of the biggest names in college volleyball and the No. 1 pick in the second ever pro draft. Crazy how things turn out.

Another Husker who turned pro was fellow senior Lindsay Krause. She went to Omaha as the No. 19 overall pick. Krause has also been putting on a standout performance in 2024-25, which she attributes to her hard-working mentality.

“You don’t play to have everything handed to you,” Krause said. “That’s why we’re such high-performing athletes, because we’re driven. We have inside motivators. The competition is what fuels me. It would be ridiculous to shy away from that competition just because of the idea that you might not win.”

It will certainly be thrilling to watch these two young stars make a name for themselves in the PVF against some of the best players in the country. Be sure to stop by the Panini America NIL portal and pick up trading cards from their college days — those cards are sure to become even more valuable soon enough.