LOVB Nebraska this week announced a new partnership with the TeamMates Mentoring Program.
The professional volleyball team from Omaha made the announcement on Monday, saying in a statement that the TeamMates logo will appear on the net tape at every LOVB Nebraska home match. The placement aims to increase visibility for TeamMates and its mentoring mission while putting the organizations’ shared values at the center of the court.
“As a coach, I saw how consistent support and encouragement helped young people build confidence,” Kirsten Bernthal Booth, president of business operations for LOVB Nebraska, said in the release. “TeamMates mentors provide that support for students in communities across Nebraska. We’re proud to partner with an organization whose work reflects the relationships and sense of belonging we want to build through LOVB Nebraska.”
TeamMates was founded in 1991 by Tom and Nancy Osborne to help students reach their full potential through mentoring. Its emphasis on consistent encouragement and connection aligns with LOVB Nebraska’s commitment to building a professional team that reflects the people, values and communities of the state, the press release said.
The two organizations also have ties to Nebraska athletics. TeamMates began in Lincoln with 22 Husker football players mentoring local middle school students. Today, the organization serves students in communities across Nebraska and five other states. LOVB Nebraska’s roster for the 2026-27 season includes four former Husker volleyball alumnae: Jordan Larson, Lexi Rodriguez, Rebekah Allick and Lindsay Krause Wildeman.
“At TeamMates, we firmly believe that any student who wants a mentor, deserves a mentor,” TeamMates Director of Operations Vicky Howick said in the release. “Students need an additional caring, consistent, trusting adult in their life to help them reach their full potential. We are grateful to partner with an organization that values those connections and takes pride in community impact. Our hope is that this partnership inspires more people to help take one more student off the waiting list and become a mentor.”