LINCOLN, Neb. — John Cook, the long-standing head coach of the Nebraska women’s volleyball team, announced his retirement on Wednesday after a distinguished career spanning 25 seasons, which included four national championships and the accomplishment of winning over 700 matches. The program’s assistant coach, Dani Busboom Kelly, has been appointed as his successor.
At 68 years old, Cook assumed the head coaching position at Nebraska in 2000, following a successful seven-year tenure at Wisconsin. Over the course of his career, he amassed an impressive record of 883 wins against 176 losses, marking a .834 winning percentage that ranks fifth in Division I history. At Nebraska, his record was even more remarkable, standing at 722 wins to 103 losses, boasting the highest winning percentage of .875 in the nation over the last quarter-century.
Under Cook’s leadership, the Cornhuskers captured national titles in the years 2000, 2006, 2015, and 2017. Additionally, he guided the team to 12 NCAA semifinal appearances, secured nine Big 12 championships, and clinched five Big Ten titles. Cook also had the honor of coaching five Olympians and was instrumental in organizing a historic outdoor volleyball match at Memorial Stadium in 2023, which attracted a staggering 92,003 spectators. Throughout his illustrious career, he received the national coach of the year accolade in 2000, 2005, and 2023.
Dani Busboom Kelly, who hails from the nearby town of Cortland, played for Nebraska from 2003 to 2006 and served as an assistant coach under Cook from 2012 to 2016. Since becoming head coach at Louisville in 2017, she led her team to four Atlantic Coast Conference championships and guided the Cardinals to two NCAA title matches in the last three years, achieving a record of 203 wins and 44 losses in her eight seasons. The University of Louisville announced that associate head coach Dan Meske would step in to fill her position.
At the age of 39, Busboom Kelly was a key player on the Nebraska 2006 national championship team and had also contributed as an assistant coach when the team won the national title in 2015. Her experience as a player and coach in high-stakes environments positions her well to take the helm of the Cornhuskers’ program.
