With game one of the Busboom Kelly era on tap, Husker fans share their hopes for the future and reminisce on the Cook era

Change is in the air, but the expectations are the same.

Nebraska volleyball fans are chomping at the bit to see their beloved Huskers under new leadership.

When the Cornhuskers face off with Pittsburgh at 6 p.m. CT Friday, it will be head coach Dani Busboom Kelly’s first match leading the program. She returns to her alma mater where she won a national championship as a player and as an assistant coach.

Busboom Kelly takes the reins from four-time national champion coach John Cook, and is looking to maintain the winning tradition while also putting her own mark on the program. During last week’s alumni match, fans shared what the John Cook era meant to them and their aspirations for the future of Big Red volleyball.

Ellasyn Kotinek is from Wymore in southeast Nebraska. Kotinek said John Cook made sure to take care of his players.

“I think that the John Cook era, he treated his team like his family, and I really appreciated that about him,” Kotinek said. “And for [Busboom Kelly], I really hope that it's about the same. And I think she's really going to care for the team as much as John Cook did.”

Natalie Nielsen is from Akron, Iowa, which is north of Sioux City and on the border of South Dakota. Nielsen said Cook’s dedication to the game helped inspire her to compete.

“Growing up, I have always been a Nebraska fan. John Cook's time at Nebraska, to me, is kind of what got me into volleyball,” Nielsen said. “I played volleyball through high school, and so it was just really cool to be able to idolize the girls who were playing, and obviously, that was because they had such great coaching in John Cook.”

She now plays basketball for Southwest Minnesota State University.

Jenna Schafer from Columbus said Cook expanded the great tradition of Nebraska volleyball. Schafer hopes for a new banner to hang in the Bob Devaney Sports Center sooner than later.

“I think the new era, I hope that they win a title,” Schafer said. “I think the players deserve it, especially Harper Murray. [Her] whole story is so inspiring to us Husker fans.”

Jayven Brandt grew up in Kearney and now lives in Omaha. Cook didn’t just bolster the winning ways of NU volleyball, Brandt said he rewrote the playbook for sustained success and class.

“Truthfully, I think John kind of defined what it means, not only to have kind of a championship mindset and a tradition of excellence for the sport, but I think he also instilled that you can do so with positivity and grace,” Brandt said. “We have a reputation for, obviously, the trophies in the cupboard, but also how we treat our fans, no matter how big the rivalry.”

Brandt added that Busboom Kelly is well equipped to carry the torch.

“I think Dani has all the pieces to make this program her own while continuing that tradition of excellence. I think she is the perfect fit to take on that legacy,” Brandt said. “It's definitely a huge responsibility to take over, but I think she is up for it. And I think the fans are fully behind her.”

Michelle Wallace of North Platte has watched Husker volleyball her entire life. Wallace agrees that Busboom Kelly is ready to manage the program but also hopes for some infrastructure upgrades.

“For the future, I think it would be great if they would build something bigger than ‘The Bob,’ because it's really hard to get tickets as a fan,” Wallace said. “Other than that, I am just excited to see what the future holds for Dani and the Huskers.”

Curtis Basnett grew up in Ravenna, north of Kearney, but lives in Lincoln. Basnett said he enjoyed watching Coach Cook evolve through the years.

“He had to make a lot of changes, to see how to react to different generations of women coming up and playing. It's very different attitudes and personalities and [him] being able to adapt to that was really cool to see,” Basnett said. “And you could tell he was a certain coach at the beginning and a different coach at the end, but that excellence was still pretty high and paramount through it all.”

It’s exciting to watch Busboom Kelly inherit traditions while also putting “her twist on things,” Basnett said. With that optimism, he added the expectation is for the Huskers to win a national championship.

Kim Zwiener from Lincoln agreed that Coach Cook adapted over time.

“The last couple of years, having more fun with the girls was so fun to see,” Zwiener said. “He was always the steady voice. He was very diplomatic and treated it like a business, but also had fun with the girls, so I really liked that.”

Having a woman lead the program will bring a new perspective, Zwiener added.

“I think that Dani being a female is also going to help our program evolve,” Zwiener said, “because of her experience with being a female and being able to really get into the minds of the girls. So I think that we are destined to have a really great year this year and a future ahead of us.”

The Dani Busboom Kelly era starts up at 6 p.m. CT Friday against the No. 3 ranked Pitt Panthers. As a part of the American Volleyball Coaches Association First Serve Showcase, that match will be played at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln’s Haymarket District. Fox will carry the broadcast.

The schedule doesn’t get much easier after that. The preseason No. 1 Huskers will serve it up with No. 6 Stanford at 2:30 p.m. CT on Sunday. The Nebraska-Stanford match will also be at Pinnacle Bank Arena, with ESPN handling the broadcast duties.

Follow Nebraska Public Media’s coverage of college volleyball:

• Nebraska Volleyball landing page and broadcast schedule
• Dani Busboom Kelly wants a fearless Nebraska volleyball team heading into year one
• Creighton volleyball coach feeling at ease going into his first season
• Passing the Torch | The Last Ride with John Cook
• From Coach to Papa: Family time a priority in the next chapter of John Cook's life
• How John Cook went from a California kid to a Nebraska cowboy and coaching legend
• Dani Busboom Kelly’s hiring sparked joy in Husker Nation. It meant even more in one small Nebraska town