Nebraska volleyball is so popular, its arena is being expanded

Nebraska volleyball is so successful, its home court at John Cook Arena will be expanded to 10,000 seats ahead of the 2026 season.

The Nebraska Athletic Fund released renderings and details for the plan earlier this week. The addition of about 2,000 seats also means there will be a ‘comprehensive reseating of season tickets,’ according to the school fundraising site.

‘To ensure Nebraska Volleyball remains a leader both on and off the court, we are taking proactive steps to strengthen our foundation. The expansion of John Cook Arena in the Bob Devaney Sports Center to over 10,000 seats will allow us to continue to grow the game and give more fans the opportunity to experience Nebraska Volleyball,’ the Nebraska Athletic Fund website reads. ‘We must embrace the evolution of intercollegiate athletics and find ways to preserve our financial model.’

Some of the upgrades listed on the website for the expanded arena include:

• New and improved seats with cupholders in each seat.
• New centralized student section to enhance the impact of crowd noise on opponents.
• New and improved seating courtside, in a new loge box and the Libero Club, which will replace VIP seats in the back row of the 100 level.
• Additional ADA seating with new vantage points and easier access from around the concourse.

Nebraska volleyball is wildly popular and entered the 2025 NCAA women’s volleyball tournament as the No. 1 overall seed. After sweeping its opponents in the first two rounds, Nebraska faced Kansas in Friday’s Sweet 16.