Martens Family Honored at North Platte Match

The family of former Husker volleyball player Melinda Martens was honored prior to Sunday's match in North Platte. A North Platte native who played at Nebraska from 1977 to 1980, Martens helped the Huskers to three Big Eight titles in her career.

"She valued her relationship with Nebraska volleyball and was one of the most loyal players that I ever had the opportunity to coach," former Nebraska Head Coach Terry Pettit said. "She valued the opportunity that Nebraska volleyball gave her, and even more important, she wanted to do what she could to make sure that other young women had the same opportunity."

After serving as a graduate assistant at NU, Martens was an assistant coach at the University of Pennsylvania before returning to North Platte in 1985 to serve as the sophomore volleyball coach. She also played and coached volleyball in the Air Force, earning MVP honors at the European National Tournament when she was stationed in Germany.

She passed away in 2002, and the Martens family is creating a scholarship that will be awarded annually to a North Platte High School graduating senior volleyball player who will continue to play volleyball at the college level. In addition, her estate has helped the Husker volleyball program display and celebrate the past, present and future accomplishments of Husker athletes inside the NU Coliseum. A plaque honoring Martens' contributions will be permanantly displayed at the NU Coliseum.