Olivia Mauk, a freshman on the Nebraska volleyball team, was among those affected by the tornado that struck the area Friday.
Mauch's family home in Bennington was severely damaged in the storm. The family estimates recovery will take at least nine months, and others in the community face an even longer road to recovery.
Mauch has been practicing with the team this spring after graduating from high school in December.
“It was crazy,” Mauch said Wednesday. “You know, a tornado hit my house on the lake. It was just weird. I went home Saturday and I didn't realize how bad it was until I got home. Parents. said that many people came and helped.
The Nebraska routine helped Mauch take his mind off what his family was going through for a few hours.
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“The girls were very comforting to me,” Mauch said.
Mauch, who is looking to earn playing time this season as a defensive specialist, feels that the players at Nebraska are so good that he has already improved a lot since high school.
“I feel so much better,” she said.
She is excited to experience the atmosphere of Nebraska's spring game against Denver on Saturday at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. She says her family will also be attending.
Contact the writer at 402-473-7435 or bwagner@journalstar.com. On Twitter: @LJSSportsWagner.