Morgan Burke was just a kid when her mom and grandma first took her to a Creighton volleyball match. As soon as the game started, Burke was completely consumed by the action, her eyes glued to the court from start to finish.
“The girl did not take her eyes off (the match),” Burke’s mom, Stacey, told The Michigan Daily. “You could tell she was laser focused thinking ‘I want to do this. I want to be this. This is what I want to do.’ … She was just all in. It wasn’t like, ‘Oh, I want to go for the cotton candy or the hot dog.’ It was, ‘I want to be there for that game.’ ”
Her family would later point to that day as the moment Morgan fell in love with volleyball.
In Nebraska, volleyball isn’t just a sport, it’s a part of the state’s DNA. Nebraska volleyball’s storied history stems from the lack of professional sports teams in the state. Volleyball is such a such a large part of Nebraskan culture that the Cornhuskers made history by selling out Memorial Stadium last season.
In Michigan volleyball’s history, no Nebraska native had ever worn the Block ‘M’ — that is, until Morgan.
From the very beginning, the now-sophomore setter’s love for the game was evident, especially when she played for her YMCA team, Flower Power. While many of her teammates were there to simply have fun, Morgan was determined to improve, and it was clear from that start that she was serious about pursuing volleyball. She wanted to live up the reputation her state holds in the sport, while also carving out her own path.
“That was when they were still trying to put two and two together and learn how to do a platform and, learning how to do an overhand serve, and all the things,” Stacey said. “ … Two of my girlfriends were the coaches of that team, and they to this day, they’re like, ‘We’re not surprised.’ She was amazing then, she just had it.”
Morgan recalls those early days vividly, especially the pink tie-dye shirts her team wore for their games. From the start, volleyball was the one sport that grabbed her attention, and even as a kid, she knew it was something she wanted to pursue further. Watching Nebraska volleyball win national championships when she was younger only made her more determined
As Morgan’s love for volleyball grew, so did her skill. At Skutt Catholic High School, Morgan played an important role in winning four state championships — an improbable feat in the volleyball state — contributing to the program’s dominant streak of nine consecutive state titles. Not only did she contribute, but she was a catalyst. Her senior season alone — as an outside hitter, not her primary position of setter — was a showcase of her talent: 505 kills, 66 aces, 36 blocks and 430 digs. Morgan’s 505 kills set the single-season record at Skutt Catholic, a record that still holds.
A huge part of Morgan’s success came from her high school coach, Renee Saunders, who still remains an influential figure in her life. Saunders’ impact shaped Morgan’s work ethic and approach to the game. Saunders has a unique coaching style and runs her program much like a college team, preparing Morgan to suit up for the Wolverines.
Saunders’ coaching certainly helped Morgan improve her game. But perhaps more importantly, her advice on dealing with challenging situations had the greatest impact on Morgan’s life.
“Whether it was constructive feedback, if it was technical feedback, if it was good news, bad news, whatever it was, she was always really receptive and really coachable,” Saunders told The Daily. “And when she would get down on herself, I felt like we had a good enough relationship that I could talk her through it.”
While Saunders’ influence on Morgan was clear during their time together at Skutt, it extended far beyond her time in high school.
Although Saunders played an important role for Morgan, growing up in Nebraska played an even bigger one. And as her high school career concluded, she had an important decision to make: stay in Nebraska, close to home, or step into the unknown and venture out of state. For most people, staying in Nebraska would’ve been the obvious choice, but for Morgan, the idea of leaving was the clear frontrunner.
“I knew I wanted to go outside of Nebraska,” Morgan said. “I wanted to experience new things. I’ve been there all my life. I can always go back home. … I knew I wanted to play in the Big Ten. I grew up watching Big Ten volleyball and seeing it on the TV.”
For Morgan, college wasn’t just about volleyball; it was about finding a school where she could challenge herself both in the classroom and on the court.
And while her family bleeds Cornhusker red, they saw the value in Morgan crossing state lines. Even though Nebraska had been their home for two decades, Morgan’s dad, Patrick, knew that the world was bigger than one state, and he hoped his children would get to experience that.
“I don’t think the Cornhuskers exist in Morgan’s mind anymore,” Patrick told The Daily. “I think it’s all about being a Wolverine. … She couldn’t have picked a better school.”
Now, Morgan takes a lot of pride in representing her state when Michigan faces Nebraska. One of her most unforgettable moments in college came when she returned home to play against the Cornhuskers against her former teammate Lindsay Krause in the Bob Devaney Sports Center, the site of all her high school championship wins.
As she stepped back onto the court where she had won four titles — this time representing Michigan — the moment felt surreal. Saunders made sure to show up for her former players, wearing Skutt gear to remain unbiased. Surrounded by family and her volleyball family, it was a full-circle experience that reminded her just how special her connection to both the sport and Nebraska truly is.
“I try to acknowledge (the full-circle moment),” Morgan said. “But also I’m here to play volleyball. I’m here to do my job. … Ultimately, I want to make my family proud. I want to make my state proud.”
Patrick feels that pride, especially when he watches his daughter compete back in Nebraska. Although her on-court accomplishments bring him great pride, Patrick finds his pride shining the brightest when Morgan signs any autograph and takes any picture, becoming an inspiration. For him, seeing her play back home is a reminder of how far she’s come, how much she’s accomplished and the history she has made as a Nebraskan on the Wolverines roster.
“When (former Michigan coach Mark Rosen) recruited Morgan, that was one of the first things that he had said,” Patrick said. “He had made the comment, he goes, ‘This is kind of interesting, Morgan. You’re the first person from Nebraska that’s ever played at Michigan,’ and so I think it’s unbelievable. You can only be a first one time and Morgan gets that availability.”
Volleyball has always been more than just a sport to Morgan — it’s a connection to the places and people who shaped her. Now, as she steps onto the court in maize and blue, she carries something deeper than a jersey. She carries the spirit of where she came from, a reminder of the volleyball culture that shaped her.
Morgan Burke’s journey from Omaha to Ann Arbor is one of passion and pride. As the first Nebraska native to ever play volleyball for Michigan, she’s not just representing the Wolverines in a sport she loves, she’s representing and carrying a piece of Nebraska with her.
