“When I Win, the Whole World Celebrates… But When I’m Heartbroken, Only He’s There for Me”: Bergen Reilly’s Emotional Tribute to Caleb Jacobsen Reveals the Hidden Heart of Nebraska’s Power Couple
Just five minutes after Nebraska’s thrilling five-set victory over Wisconsin on January 7, 2026, Bergen Reilly stood at the post-match press conference podium, still catching her breath, red jersey soaked with sweat, and delivered words that stopped the entire volleyball world in its tracks.
A reporter had asked the standard question about who she wanted to thank after her masterful 58-assist, 15-dig performance that propelled the No. 1 Huskers to a crucial early-season road win.
Everyone expected the usual shout-outs: Coach Dani Busboom Kelly, teammates Harper Murray and Andi Jackson, the raucous Nebraska fans who traveled to Madison.
Instead, Reilly’s eyes softened, she glanced toward the tunnel where players’ families wait, and said quietly: “When I win, the whole world celebrates with me… but when I’m heartbroken, only he’s there for me.”
She paused, voice trembling. “Caleb Jacobsen. Thank you for always being my safe place.”
The room went silent. Cameras zoomed in as tears welled in the junior setter’s eyes.
In that raw, unscripted moment, what fans had long viewed as college volleyball’s picture-perfect “power couple” suddenly revealed its deeper, more intimate truth—one forged not just in shared glory, but in quiet nights of pain, unseen sacrifices, and unwavering presence when the spotlight vanished.
Bergen Reilly and Caleb Jacobsen have been together since their senior year of high school in South Dakota. She was already a national phenom, committed to Nebraska as the top-ranked setter in her class.
He was a standout basketball player at Sioux Falls Christian, headed to play Division I hoops at South Dakota State. To outsiders, their relationship looked effortless: two elite athletes, mutual respect for each other’s grind, Instagram posts from games, and the occasional joint appearance at charity events.
But Reilly’s words painted a far more profound portrait—one where Jacobsen wasn’t just a supportive boyfriend, but the anchor who held her together through the darkest stretches of her meteoric career.
Those who know them best say the real strength of their bond emerged during Reilly’s freshman year at Nebraska in 2023-24. The pressure was immense: stepping in as starting setter for one of the most storied programs in college sports, replacing an All-American, with national championship expectations from day one.
The Huskers reached the NCAA final but fell to Texas in a heartbreaking sweep. Reilly, just 18, absorbed much of the blame in online forums—critics questioning her decision-making, her leadership, even her emotion on the court.
“That loss crushed her,” a close teammate later shared anonymously. “She smiled for the cameras, did every interview, but when she got back to her apartment, she broke down. Caleb drove from Brookings that night—three hours each way—just to hold her while she cried. He didn’t say much.
He just let her feel it.”
Similar stories emerged from the 2025 season. Despite guiding Nebraska to a 33-1 record, a third straight Big Ten title, and individual honors that made her the most decorated setter in the country, the Elite Eight loss to Texas A&M stung deeply.
Reilly battled the flu in that match yet still posted 58 assists, willing her team to fight. When the final point dropped, cameras caught her collapsing in tears on the court.
Again, Jacobsen was there—not in the spotlight, not seeking credit, but waiting in the tunnel with a quiet hug and a long drive home to Lincoln.
“He’s never missed a home match,” Reilly’s mother, Lisa, once said in an interview. “Even when his own basketball season was in full swing, he’d find a way. Road games were harder, but he’d stream every point and call her the second it ended—win or lose.”
Jacobsen’s own athletic journey added another layer of sacrifice. A 6-foot-6 forward, he averaged double figures at South Dakota State before transferring to Nebraska after the 2024-25 season to be closer to Reilly.
The move meant adjusting to a new system, competing for minutes on a deeper roster, and accepting a reduced role. Yet friends say he never complained.
“Caleb’s always been about putting her first,” one former SDSU teammate noted. “Basketball is his passion, but Bergen’s dreams became their dreams. He knew the stage she was on was bigger, and he was okay standing in the shadows so she could shine.”
Reilly’s tribute resonated because it humanized a player often celebrated for superhuman poise. On the court, she’s the conductor—calm under pressure, dissecting defenses with pinpoint sets, elevating hitters like Harper Murray to career-best seasons. Off the court, she’s polished in interviews, gracious in victory, resilient in defeat.
But her words revealed the cost of that composure. The flu-stricken Regional Final. The national runner-up finish as a freshman. The relentless scrutiny that comes with wearing the Nebraska “N” on your chest. Through all of it, the world saw the unbreakable setter.
Only Jacobsen saw the moments she wasn’t unbreakable.
Fans flooded social media with reactions. #BergenAndCaleb trended nationwide as old photos resurfaced: the two at high school prom, celebrating her commitment to Nebraska, quiet moments in the stands.
One viral clip showed Jacobsen in the Devaney Center student section last season, jumping alone in celebration after a crucial Reilly ace—then immediately checking his phone to text her congratulations.
Reilly later expanded on her comments in a short Instagram post: a black-and-white photo of Jacobsen’s hand intertwined with hers, captioned simply: “You see me when no one else does.
Thank you for every late-night drive, every silent hug, every ‘I’m proud of you’ when I couldn’t say it to myself. I love you.”
The post garnered over 200,000 likes in hours, with comments from teammates, opponents, and legends alike. Harper Murray wrote: “This is real love. So happy you have him, Berg.” Karch Kiraly, fresh off his own headline-making defense of Murray, added: “Beautiful words for a beautiful partnership.”
For a program defined by family-like bonds—where players call each other sisters and coaches emphasize life beyond volleyball—Reilly’s vulnerability struck a chord. Head coach Dani Busboom Kelly addressed it in practice the next day: “What Bergen shared reminds us why we do this.
The wins are amazing, but the people who stay when it’s hard? That’s everything.”
As Nebraska barrels toward another potential national title run in 2026, with Reilly now a senior leader and preseason favorite for National Player of the Year, the spotlight on her game will only intensify. But her press conference moment shifted the narrative forever.
No longer just half of a “power couple,” Bergen Reilly and Caleb Jacobsen are now the embodiment of something rarer in elite sports: a partnership where glory is shared, but pain is carried together.
In a world that celebrates the highlights, Reilly reminded everyone that the real victories often happen in the quiet moments—when the arena empties, the cameras turn off, and only one person remains.
For Bergen Reilly, that person has always been Caleb Jacobsen. And now, the whole world knows why.
