Nebraska prep earns volleyball silver medal

Dana Becker

Nebraska prep earns volleyball silver medal image

Sara Diggins

Natalie Wardlow, a former Nebraska high school volleyball standout and future Wisconsin Badger, was a member of the recent United States team that finished second at the 2025 Girls U19 World Championship.

The U.S. team fell to Bulgaria in the finals in four sets. The event took place in Osijek, Croatia.

Members of the team covered all parts of the country, with Wardlow being the lone player from Nebraska. She was an alternate for the squad, with this being her second year on it.

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The 6-foot-4 middle blocker out of Lincoln Southeast High School in Lincoln, Nebraska, was ranked as the No. 17 player in the Class of 2025 by PrepDig and the 18th by Prepvolleyball.com.

Wardlow is a two-time All-American and all-tournament team selection, earning the No. 1 spot in Nebraska for her position by Nebraska PreDig, along with being the second-ranked player overall.

Her father, Brian Wardlow, competed in track and field at Northwest Missouri State.

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Dana Becker

Dana Becker is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He has been a sports writer since 2000, covering high school sports, the Big 12 and more for On SI, The Fort Dodge Messenger, Mason City Globe-Gazette, Cedar Rapids Gazette and others.