The journey of Julie Rhule, wife of University of Nebraska head football coach Matt Rhule, is a profound narrative that extends far beyond the sidelines of Memorial Stadium. Her story is one of quiet strength, intentional identity, and remarkable resilience, forged through nearly 25 years of marriage to a man in one of the most publicly scrutinized professions.

While headlines often focus on her husband’s multi-million dollar contracts and the pressure of rebuilding storied football programs, Julie has masterfully carved a life of substance—building careers, raising a family, and embedding herself in communities, all while navigating the relentless “here today, gone tomorrow” uncertainty of coaching life.

Her life offers a compelling blueprint for maintaining individuality within a high-profile partnership, demonstrating that behind the intense world of competitive football lies a human story of partnership, sacrifice, and unwavering support.

Humble Beginnings: The Foundation of a Partnership

Long before “Coach Rhule” became a household name in college football, Matt was a Penn State linebacker and Julie was Julie Nibert, a student from Montoursville, Pennsylvania. Their origin story is refreshingly ordinary, a testament to their grounded nature. They met not in a glamorous setting, but while working summer jobs—Julie as a waitress and Matt as a fry cook at a Chili’s restaurant. This shared experience of hard work and humble service laid a foundational respect that would underpin their relationship for decades to come.

Julie’s upbringing on a 300-acre farm and orchard in central Pennsylvania instilled in her a formidable work ethic from an early age. She started working young, selling fruit, and learned the tangible results of diligence and care—a value system she would carry into every aspect of her adult life. She and Matt married in 2001, beginning a partnership that would be defined by constant motion and mutual support.

The Constant in a World of Change: Navigating a Career on the Move

Matt Rhule’s coaching ascent—from volunteer assistant to head coach at Temple, Baylor, the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, and now Nebraska—is a public record. Less documented is the domestic orchestration required to make that ascent possible. Julie has been the chief executive officer of the Rhule family, managing the logistics, emotions, and stability of their home through countless transitions.

The family’s moves read like a cross-country tour: New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Waco, Charlotte, and finally Lincoln, Nebraska. With each relocation came a new city, new schools for their three children—Bryant, Vivienne, and Leona—and the heartbreaking but routine task of saying goodbye to established friendships and community ties.

Julie has reframed this nomadic existence not as a burden, but as an adventure and an education for her family. She tells her children, “We’re getting to go and experience another part of the country with different cultures, different customs, different people… This is going to benefit you unbelievably later on in your life”. This perspective turns potential instability into a lesson in adaptability and empathy, a gift she consciously gives to her children.

Carving a Professional Identity: The Dietitian and the Entrepreneur

Despite the demands of being a coach’s wife, Julie has steadfastly maintained her own professional identity. She is a registered dietitian, a career path that reflects her lifelong interest in health, wellness, and science. She has worked professionally, including with Sodexo and at Temple University in Philadelphia, where she educated the community on nutrition and healthy living. This work is not merely a job; it’s an extension of her values, focusing on holistic well-being and education.

Her most significant public venture into entrepreneurship came with the family’s move to Lincoln. Seeing an opportunity to plant a flag and invest deeply in their new community, Julie opened a Drybar franchise in the city’s SouthPointe Pavilions in 2024. Drybar, a salon concept focusing exclusively on blowouts and styling, represented more than a business opportunity for Julie.

In an interview, she explained her motivation: “The timing was right… This was the chance to kind of do something for myself for the first time, and really kind of capture this moment—really sort of lay down roots in a community that I want to call home for a very long time”.

This move was a powerful statement. In the volatile world of football coaching, where tenure is never guaranteed, Julie’s six-figure investment in a brick-and-mortar business signaled a profound commitment to Lincoln and a declaration of her own ambition. Matt Rhule himself has acknowledged the imbalance in their sacrifices, stating, “Julie is way more impressive than me… She has sacrificed to allow me to climb the coaching ladder. She’s done all these different things to put my career and our family first”.

Facing the Ultimate Challenge: A Family’s Private Struggle

The Rhule family’s resilience has been tested far beyond the football field. In late 2025, they faced a heart-shattering personal challenge that put sports into stark perspective. While the family has largely kept the details private, heartfelt messages from the community and fans referenced “fighting for his daughter” and a diagnosis that required immense strength. An outpouring of public support followed, with fans offering “love and prayers” and acknowledging the family’s difficult moment.

This period highlighted the dichotomy of their life: navigating an intensely public career while dealing with the most private of family hardships. It underscored the reality that behind the coach’s visor on the sideline and the supportive smile in the suite is a family facing the same profound joys and trials as any other, albeit under a brighter, more unforgiving spotlight.

The Philosophy of a Modern Coach’s Wife

Julie Rhule represents a new archetype of the coach’s spouse. She is neither a detached figurehead nor merely a supportive appendage. She is an active partner, a professional, and a community builder. Her philosophy centers on several key pillars:

• Community over Competition: Whether through her business or community involvement, Julie focuses on building connections and supporting other women and local initiatives.

• Leading by Example: She has spoken about her desire to show her daughters, Vivienne and Leona, that women can pursue their dreams and build something of their own at any stage of life.

• Creating Stability: In an unstable profession, she has become the family’s anchor, providing the consistency and normalcy that allows her husband to focus and her children to thrive.

Matt Rhule’s successes at Temple and Baylor, where he turned struggling programs into conference champions, and now his ongoing rebuild at Nebraska, are often credited to his leadership and culture-building. However, that culture starts at home. The family-first environment Julie cultivates—rooted in faith, humility, and perseverance—is the bedrock upon which Matt’s professional philosophy is built. Her ability to manage the home front allows him to be fully present in his demanding role, a dynamic he openly acknowledges and appreciates.

Conclusion: A Legacy Defined by Grace and Strength

Julie Rhule’s story is still being written. The Drybar in Lincoln is more than a salon; it’s a symbol of her investment, her independence, and her faith in the community that has embraced her family. Her journey from a Pennsylvania farm, to a Penn State waitress, to a dietitian, and now to a business owner in Nebraska, all while raising a family and supporting a high-pressure career, is a masterclass in grace under pressure.

In a sports culture that often reduces partners to accessories, Julie Rhule stands as a compelling counter-narrative. She has mastered the delicate balance of being her husband’s strongest supporter without ever losing herself in his shadow. She has taken the unpredictable, often disruptive path of a football life and woven from it a story of purpose, identity, and profound resilience.

Her legacy, both within her family and in the communities she touches, will undoubtedly outlast any win-loss record. It is a legacy built not on headlines, but on the quiet, daily work of building a home, a business, and a life of authentic meaning—proving that the strongest foundations are often laid by the hands we seldom see, but always feel.