Sometimes it takes a little extra time to execute an artistic vision.
Even though Megan Hodges verbally committed to Nebraska on Monday evening, she didn’t share the news on her social media until Wednesday morning. The reason? She wanted to get the perfect announcement photo.
The extra wait wouldn’t have been a big deal, but NU associate head coach Jaylen Reyes posted his traditional “Boom” tweet at 3:30 a.m. Central Tuesday, indicating that a commit was incoming. As the rest of Husker Nation waited to find out who the newest addition was, Hodges carried out her plan.
Hodges wanted to take her commitment pictures at the beach at sunset, but by the time she told the Huskers she wanted to join their program, it was already dark out. So Hodges made the short trip from her home in Orange County, California, to the coast with a friend on Tuesday evening. When she got home and selected the right photos, it was already 10 p.m., so she opted to wait until Wednesday morning to post the announcement.
“It’s an important photo, it’s going everywhere,” Hodges said Wednesday afternoon. “It’s been stressful, exciting — all the emotions, but overall, probably the best 48 hours of my life.”
As someone who has covered some of Hodges matches, I can 100% confirm that Megan Hodges is a force on the right side. Nebraska continues to crush it when it comes to recruiting.
— Set Point (@Set_PointIE) June 17, 2026
Hodges is the Huskers’ third commitment of the 2028 cycle and their third Top 10 commit. She is ranked No. 6 by PrepDig and No. 3 by PrepVolleyball and VB Adrenaline. She is joined in the class by middle blocker Shayla Rautenberg of Milford and setter Josalyn Samuels of Harrisburg, South Dakota.
She has strong ties with her two other classmates. Hodges won a gold medal with Rautenberg at the 2025 NORCECA U19 Pan American Cup and Samuels was her roommate in Colorado Springs during tryouts for the team. In addition, she has connections with most of the 2027 class through club matches and the National Developmental Training Program.
After setting up calls on Sunday night after 9 p.m., the stressful part of Monday came through the handful of phone calls Hodges navigated. She had an idea of the schools she really wanted to talk to — Nebraska, Texas, Texas A&M and Louisville.
The Huskers were the last to connect with Hodges, but she immediately made a connection with the four coaches on the call. She said she felt at ease talking with Dani Busboom Kelly, Jaylen Reyes, Kelly Hunter and Brennan Hagar.
“It was a call where I felt like it wasn’t super awkward, and I wasn’t extremely nervous,” Hodges said. “I was more myself on that call than I was on a lot of others, so that made me feel a lot more comfortable, and I feel like that gave me clarity in the fact that I think that Nebraska could be the place.”
The message from the NU coaches also aligned with her vision for her college career. The 6-foot-5 Hodges can play all three front-row spots and the Huskers didn’t pigeonhole her into one position. They were open to allow her to develop and find out what works best for her to achieve her highest potential.
Megan Hodges with the match-winner for San Juan Hills 25-20 first set vs Los Alamitos pic.twitter.com/ww4qVPVz0U
— Steve Fryer (@SteveFryer) October 23, 2025
While she started at middle blocker, she switched to the pins after winning the 15 Open national championship with Tstreet Volleyball Club at the 2024 Girls Junior National Championship. Hodges was only playing three rotations as a middle blocker and was on the bench when the final point was scored. She didn’t like being off the court during crucial stretches, so she opted to switch and become a six-rotation player.
While she is most comfortable playing middle blocker, she’s proven the last few years that she is a dangerous attacker on both pins and can handle the defensive responsibilities of being a back-row player.
“I want to be on the court the entire time, that’s the goal, and having the freedom to be able for that opportunity even to be there is incredible,” she said.
Last year, Hodges led San Juan Hills High School with 381 kills and added 73 blocks and 38 aces. She helped the Stallions reach the Southern Section Division 1 semifinals and was named a sophomore All-American by MaxPreps.
When she plays middle blocker, Hodges said she tries to emulate current Nebraska senior Andi Jackson. At the pins, she tries to model her game off Ella Olson, who is committed to play indoor and beach volleyball at Texas and has been her teammate since they were 11.
“When I’m playing middle, I want to be like Andi Jackson — that girl’s a beast. She’s so fun to watch and moves so well,” Hodges said. “(Olson) is such an incredible athlete and player, and I model my game after her because she is so amazing.”
Both of Hodges’s parents were collegiate athletes. Her mother, Shelly, played volleyball at Cornell, and her father, Craig, played basketball at George Mason. In addition, her sister, Macky, swims for Indiana. She has family in Minnesota who texted her saying they were looking forward to making the trip to Nebraska to watch her play.
Hodges attended the Dream Team camp in Lincoln last summer and got her first taste of Husker fans last year when she attended the two matches NU played in Los Angeles against UCLA and USC.
“It was unreal. You see videos and you see pictures of when they’re playing up at the Bob (Devaney Sports Center), and the football stadium and it’s crazy,” she said. “But when you’re there in person, and we aren’t even in Nebraska, and these games are sold out, it was insane.”
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