Dani Busboom Kelly wants a fearless Nebraska volleyball team heading into year one

Game one of the Dani Busboom Kelly era is days away. The 2025 Cornhusker volleyball team will start the season ranked No. 1 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll. Ahead of Friday’s season opener, Nebraska Public Media play-by-play voice Larry Punteney spoke with the new head coach about returning to her alma mater with a fearless, player-led mentality.

LARRY PUNTENEY: You inherited a coaching staff, right? So you didn't bring your team in. How have their roles changed and how has that been accepted by the staff?

DANI BUSBOOM KELLY: The staff has been great, phenomenal. I feel very blessed that they all stayed, especially the life changes I was going through with moving and having a baby. If I would have had to hire a whole new staff, it would’ve been wild. So just having them here and explaining to them kind of how their roles are going to change, none of them batted an eye. And they're like, ‘Okay, this sounds great.’ And I feel like we've got a great groove going in practice and with our positions, and all of them are really appreciating learning something new and being challenged in a different way.

PUNTENEY: So you come out of the block ranked No. 1 in the country, and I heard somebody said ‘What do you think about that?’ And your comment was, ‘I had a vote. I voted us No. 1.’ I guess there are different ways to manage expectations. And one is just to embrace it. And that seems like that's the way you've chosen to handle it.

BUSBOOM KELLY: For sure, embrace it. I think our team knows we're – right now before any whistles have been blown – that we're No. 1 on paper. But they're also mature enough to know that that doesn't mean anything, and it can change a lot throughout the year. And I told them, just because we're No. 1 – I believe we're No. 1, top to bottom – but that doesn't necessarily mean our eight starters are No. 1 every night and that another team can't play great and beat us. It's just a number in front of your name. And again, lucky to have a very mature team that's been through this many times.

PUNTENEY: So you're looking for leadership, obviously, and that's one of the key components of having a solid team is player leadership. And I heard you mention earlier that you thought part of the collapse against Penn State (in last year’s Final Four) was there was a lack of leadership. How are you going about rectifying that and creating leaders with this team?

BUSBOOM KELLY: First and foremost, is really showing them, teaching them, talking to them about a player-led team. And making sure they are taking care of details and things themselves. I think that'll go a long way, so in matches there's a little bit more trust, and they understand each other a little bit more. Other than that, there's not a lot that we're doing. It's more putting them in tough situations in practice and seeing who emerges and giving them the floor to speak and giving them the moments to call their own time outs and to make changes in practice.

PUNTENEY: How much does it help that you've walked in their shoes? You've been a Nebraska volleyball player. You understand the pressure from the state, the expectations. We say pressure and expectations, but it's really just more about how the state wants you to do well.

BUSBOOM KELLY: I think it helps a ton that I've been there as a player and a coach at Nebraska before, so I understand it from both sides. Now I get to be the head coach, which is a new role, but I was able to do a lot of that at my previous job at Louisville, building a program. Expectations started to become pretty lofty. So I've been there, and I also have perspective now that I've been a player, a coach and led a great program to high expectations. I'm just doing it here, and I think it makes me pretty relatable and more human to our players.

PUNTENEY: How's it different now than it was when you played?

BUSBOOM KELLY: When I played? Quite a bit different. Social media has really – I just think that's made Nebraska volleyball like a bigger reach. It's not just the state of Nebraska anymore. People are emailing us all the time from all over the country that ‘Harper Murray is my favorite player. We can't wait to see you play in California and we're lifelong Husker fans.’ So I really think it's built, not just this amazing fan base and culture Nebraska, but a nationwide fan base.

PUNTENEY: When the fans watch the Huskers this year, what's one thing that you hope they see that's a reflection of what you've been doing and you've coached?

BUSBOOM KELLY: A lot of joy, and then a lot of risk taking. Just the lack of fear on the court. And that's the way I coach and how I want our players to play. So I hope the fans can see that and hope they give them some grace, especially early. It's like, oh, that maybe didn't work, but we don't know until we try it. And we want to be able to work on those things in high pressure situations.

PUNTENEY: There is as much anticipation for this year's season than I can remember in a long time. Welcome back. Thanks for joining us. Great to see you again.

BUSBOOM KELLY: Thank you. You too.

Editor’s Note: This interview has been edited for time and clarity.