Nebraska softball is headed to 2026 NCAA Tournament following stellar season

NEBRASKA SOFTBALL COMES INTO THIS WEEKEND RANKED SIXTH IN THE COUNTRY WITH MULTIPLE WINS THIS YEAR OVER TOP FIVE OPPONENTS. IT’S A TEAM THAT HEAD COACH RON RIVERA SAYS JUST LOVES PLAYING FOR EACH OTHER WITH. MORE FROM RUSHVILLE. HERE’S KETV NEWSWATCH LAUREN MICHELSON, WHO SAT DOWN WITH THE LONG TIME HEAD COACH. WHAT IS IT THAT SEPARATES THIS GROUP FROM EVEN LAST YEAR’S TEAM THAT WAS LOADED WITH A LOT OF THE SAME TALENT? THE BELIEF. IT’S LAST YEAR, AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WE HAD IT. IT WAS GROWING AND GAINING GROUND AS WE WENT THROUGH THE SEASON. BUT IT WASN’T UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR LIKE WHEN WE WERE IN KNOXVILLE, THAT WE KNEW WE COULD PLAY WITH ANYBODY IN THE COUNTRY. I THINK WE STARTED THIS SEASON KNOWING THAT ERA IS TOP TEN NATIONALLY, LED BY TWO HOMEGROWN PLAYERS IN ALEXIS JENSEN AND JORDY BALL. HOW HAS ALEXIS MADE NEBRASKA BETTER THIS SEASON? I SAID BEFORE THE SEASON STARTED THAT SHE WAS KIND OF OUR X-FACTOR BECAUSE WE HAD SO MANY OF OUR PLAYERS RETURNING THAT IT HAD REALLY GOOD SEASONS. BUT TO ME, IT’S LIKE SHE GETS OUT THERE AND DOES WHAT WE BELIEVE SHE CAN DO. WE’VE GOT A REALLY GOOD CHANCE TO EVEN HAVE A MORE SPECIAL SEASON. WHAT JORDY’S DONE AND THE SEASON SHE’S HAVING AGAIN. HOW HAVE YOU CONTINUED TO SEE HER BLOSSOM INTO ONE HECK OF AN ATHLETE? TO SEE HER NOT ONLY BE THE COMPETITOR AND THE ATHLETE, I MEAN THE PURE ATHLETE THAT SHE IS, BUT SHE’S JUST I MEAN, SHE’S JUST REALLY GROWING INTO BEING A MORE KNOWING HOW TO BRING THAT COMPETITOR OUT, BUT ALSO JUST KNOWING HOW TO FIND HER JOY AND JUST THE MOMENT OF, OF THE GAMES TOO. AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, SHE’S GROWN A LOT THERE. AND I DON’T MEAN TO STATE THIS LIKE SHE COULD NEVER RELAX AND JUST ENJOY THE GAME, BUT SHE’S SUCH A FIERCE COMPETITOR THAT FINDING THAT BALANCE IS A LITTLE BIT TRICKY, RIGHT? THIS TEAM HAS THE MAKINGS ON THE OUTSIDE TO DO SOMETHING THAT HASN’T BEEN DONE IN 13 YEARS. MAKE IT TO THE WOMEN’S COLLEGE WORLD SERIES. WHY DO YOU BELIEVE NEBRASKA HAS WHAT IT TAKES TO GET BACK THERE? FIRST OF ALL, THE HEART THEY HAVE FOR EACH OTHER. THEY DON’T WANT TO LET EACH OTHER DOWN. THEY WANT TO LIFT EACH OTHER UP. THEY’RE TALENTED. THEY’RE COMPETITIVE. THEY’RE DRIVEN. THEY’RE FOCUS