Omaha Skutt volleyball makes history with sixth straight state title
OMAHA, Neb. (BVM) — Staring down history and embracing the pressure that comes with being considered arguably the best high school volleyball team in the country, the Omaha Skutt SkyHawks lived up to their sky-high expectations.
A four-set victory over the Norris Titans on Nov. 7 gave Skutt its sixth consecutive NSAA Class B state championship, tying the all-class state record for most consecutive state titles. The SkyHawks joined Shickley (1987-92) and Bellevue West (1992-97) as the state’s only other schools to accomplish the feat while leaving their own indelible mark as one of the greatest dynasties in the history of Nebraska high school sports.
Even for a player as decorated as senior All-American University of Nebraska commit Lindsay Krause, who won a gold medal with the United States youth national team at last year’s U18 World Championships, it’s not easy to fully grasp the scale of Skutt’s success.
“It’s weird to think about,” Krause said. “I feel like the immensity of it hasn’t really hit me yet. … It feels amazing, I’m so proud of us, but I guess how great that is hasn’t really sunk in.”
For 10th-year head coach Renee Saunders, the SkyHawks’ accomplishments over the past six years still feel somewhat surreal, but the reality of what Skutt has achieved has started to set in.
“I was sitting in the gym the other day and I looked up at the banners and to see those big consecutive numbers and it hit me like it’s a pretty phenomenal feat that we just accomplished,” Saunders said. “The ability to do that six times is crazy. … It’s a little bit surreal for me when I put into perspective my career here and (think about) what we’ve done in the past six years and the amount of team play it takes to get there. It’s multiple kids working hard together to reach their goal and I think that our culture is a big testament to that.”
To win six consecutive state titles is a remarkable accomplishment in any state. But it’s considerably more difficult to fathom a program achieving such a feat in Nebraska, which has become known as one of the country’s top producers of volleyball talent and is home to the most successful Division I college program in the country.
“We’re not doing it in just any state,” Saunders said. “We’re doing it in probably one of the greatest volleyball states in the country. … I think that’s what makes it even more surreal for me. I’m an Omaha kid, grew up in Nebraska and played at Nebraska, so I’ve seen volleyball develop in the state. And I remember that Bellevue West team that had six (state titles) and now every team in Nebraska is as good as those teams.”
But no team has been able to reach Skutt’s level over the past six seasons, and the SkyHawks’ run to a sixth straight state title was their most dominant run since the 2016 season when they went 44-0. Their only loss this fall took place Sept. 26 at Lincoln Southwest after they had won their first 12 matches of the season.
“We kind of took that loss as our one learning opportunity because I think we all collectively knew as a team that even though we were winning all of our matches at the beginning of the season, we still kind of weren’t at the spot that we knew could play yet,” Krause said.
“We didn’t really know who we were as a team or how we were going to work well as a team, but as soon as I think that loss hit us, right after that it was like we were a completely different team and it really helped us in the long run.”
Skutt won its final 23 matches and dropped only two sets the rest of the season.
“We learned a lot of things in that game and I’d rather than an L and learn and finish the season with a W than not take an L and not finish the season with a W,” Saunders said. “I really don’t know if we win state if we don’t learn from that loss. I think it was good for us.”
Skutt captured its sixth straight state title. (Courtesy: Renee Saunders)
While Skutt made state history as a team, both Krause and fellow senior Allie Gray left their mark individually over the past years as two of the best to ever play for the SkyHawks. Gray, a 5-11 setter who’s committed to Arizona State, was named a third-team Under Armour All-American after breaking her school’s record for assists (3,452), many of which went to Krause, a first-team Under Armour All-American who set numerous SkyHawk records. The 6-foot-3 future Cornhusker broke school records for service aces in a match (13), season service aces (89), career kills (1,542), season kills (498), kills in a match (30) season hitting efficiency (.486) and career hitting efficiency (.426).
“It feels great to be able to accomplish those things but I do know that I wouldn’t be able to accomplish any of those kill records I have without the All-American setter I had on my team,” Krause said. “She’s amazing. … I love the thought that I got to leave my mark on a program. I always want to go in somewhere and leave it better than it was when I got there. I feel like I did that with Skutt Catholic and I was really happy to be a part of it.”
“They’ve literally taken SkyHawk volleyball to a different level,” Saunders said of Gray and Krause. “Now we’ve just got to find a way to maintain it.”
Maintaining a consistently high level of success is what Skutt has been able to do better than anyone in the state. The graduation of Krause, Gray and five other seniors will create a significant void that Saunders will have to try and fill next season as the SkyHawks aim to keep their place at the top. But with groundwork having long been laid for Skutt’s sustained success, Saunders won’t expect anything less than the best from the six-time defending state champs.
“I think we have a great group of returning kids that are going to be great leaders who will continue our culture and I think we’re going to be OK,” Saunders said. “I think we’re going to be able to do it. I probably want No. 7 more than I wanted No. 6. I always tell people I want to enjoy it for a little bit, but I’d be lying to you if the next day I wasn’t thinking about what we need to do to get No. 7.”
