Six Husker players appear in a political ad supporting the anti-abortion amendment

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Five University of Nebraska softball players and a volleyball player appear in a new ad supporting an anti-abortion ballot measure.

“Nebraska, it’s time to come off the bench,” softball star Jordyn Bahl says in the ad.

Volleyball player Rebekah Allick then says, “Out-of-state activists are pushing for a radical change, Initiative 439.”

Initiative 439 would provide a constitutional right to abortion until the fetus is viable or when necessary to protect the patient's health or life.

The Husker players support Initiative 434, which would amend the Nebraska Constitution to ban second- and third-trimester abortions, except for medical emergencies, incest and sexual assault.

OPINION POLL: Which abortion choice initiative in Nebraska will you support?

This corresponds to current state law.

Softball players Abbie Squier, Lauren Camenzind, Hannah Camenzind and Malia Thoms also appear in the ad.

A University of Nebraska-Lincoln student, Emma Redler, believes student-athletes should stay out of politics because of their influence, especially when it involves such a controversial issue.

She worries that students will listen to players without doing their own research.

“Because they are so well known, they have so much influence and so on,” she said. “So people will see that, and if they really respect her, they will follow that.”

SEE ALSO: Dueling abortion proposals face November vote in Nebraska

Kevin Smith, a political science professor at UNL, said student-athletes have the same right to speak about their views as any other student.

He doesn't think the ad will have much of an impact, but believes it could prompt some voters to consider the issue.

“Student-athletes tend to be prominent figures on campus. So when they talk about a topic, that's probably a topic that other students are likely to talk about,” he said. “I don’t think it will have much of a persuasive effect in moving large groups of students to one side or the other.”

SEE ALSO: Some voters in Nebraska are confused by abortion initiatives. Here's what you should know:

Students said they get most of their information through social media.

But sophomore Jasmin Juarez said the ad was a good way to get voters' attention.

“I feel like social media is having a really big impact on this year’s election,” she said. “I think this ad is a good way to get information out to those who don't do their research and don't know what they're about to get into.”