Husker scorekeeper retires after 39 years

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - For thousands of fans, a Husker Volleyball game is a spectacle of color and sound. But Pat Spencer, in the middle of the sideline table, sees it all a little differently--and mostly in the rearview mirror.

“Oh awesome memories, awesome memories,” Spencer said.

Spencer has stood guard over home games for 39 years, keeping track of the official scoresheet, making stats like kills, timeouts and substitutions.

Sometimes in the heat of the moment it gets a little frenzied, but for Spencer, it’s always been a labor of love.

“I think it’s the best sport. there’s always something going on,” Spencer said. “There’s action. The entire team is always involved.”

So much has changed over Husker Volleyball’s past four decades: coaches, players and even scoring methods. Of course, there was a move from the Coliseum to the Devaney.

“I did not want to come to Devaney in the first place,” Spencer said. “It was way too big and it wasn’t the same, but they’ve made it pretty intimate. We were at the coliseum, and the coliseum was very special.”

But through all that time, one thing has remained constant: Pat Spencer.

Soon, she is going to retire. She said it just feels like the right time. Win or lose, Spencer said she was always cheering on the Huskers under the table. As she looks back on her time there, she’s just happy to have been part of the action.

“It’s pretty surreal,” Spencer said. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every moment that we’ve done this.”

Spencer said she plans to continue cheering on the Huskers in the seasons to come, just as a fan.

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