For Nikki Scott, Lecturer and Clinical Educator, volleyball was never just about what happened on the court. It was about the people beside her, the work it took to get better and the shared feeling of reaching a goal together. Those lessons have stayed with her long after her playing days ended and continue to shape the way she teaches, mentors, and works with others at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
Nikki, a former Loper volleyball standout, has been named to the University of Nebraska at Kearney’s 2026 Athletic Hall of Fame class. During her career as a middle hitter from 2006-09, she helped UNK put together a 126-20 record. She earned two American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American honors, was named the 2009 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Player of the Year and was a three-time first-team All-RMAC selection. Those accomplishments speak to how talented Nikki was as an athlete, but her impact did not end when she left the court.
Today, Nikki is a lecturer and clinical supervisor in the Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders at UNL. She joined the department in 2016 and works in the Barkley Speech Language and Hearing Clinic, where she helps teach the Augmentative and Alternative Communication Lab. Her work is centered around people. She works with students who are learning how to become clinicians, collaborates with colleagues and supports clients and families as they navigate communication challenges. In many ways, the setting is different from a volleyball court, but Nikki sees a familiar connection between the two.
“I love the teamwork aspect of volleyball and my job now,” she said. “Currently, I collaborate with people all day, every day, and love working toward a goal together whether it is colleagues, students, or clients and families.” For Nikki, teamwork is more than a skill listed on a résumé. It is something she has experienced throughout her life and something she continues to value in the people around her. Volleyball taught her that everyone has a role to play, and that reaching a common goal often depends on trusting and supporting the people beside you. That same mindset is evident in her work at Barkley. As a clinical educator, Nikki can help students grow into professionals while continuing to learn from the clients, families and colleagues she works with every day.
Her clinical background includes working with children and young adults with a variety of medical and speech-related diagnoses. At the Children's Respite Care Clinic in Omaha, she developed the Augmentative and Alternative Communication Evaluation and Treatment Clinic. Those experiences helped prepare her for the role she now has in helping future speech-language pathologists develop their clinical skills. Nikki's journey also gives her a unique perspective when she talks to students about making the most of their time in school. Her advice is not complicated, but it carries the perspective of someone who has experienced the highs, challenges and demands of being a student-athlete.
“My piece of advice is to enjoy it all!” Nikki said. “Give your best effort and try to truly enjoy the process.” It is advice that seems fitting for someone whose own journey has taken her from a successful collegiate volleyball career to a meaningful career helping others. The Hall of Fame recognition celebrates what Nikki accomplished on the court, but her story does not end there.
Nikki's story is a reminder that the things we learn through the experiences we value most can stay with us for a lifetime. For her, volleyball taught her the importance of showing up, trusting others and working together. Today, those lessons are reflected in the way she teaches, mentors and serves others at Barkley. As she returns to UNK this fall to be honored among the university's most accomplished athletes, Scott has an opportunity to celebrate not only where she has been, but also where those lessons have taken her.
