A Husker Homecoming
By: Emersyn Courtney
Dani Busboom Kelly gives a speech for the first time as the Nebraska Womens Volleyball Head Coach on Feb. 6 at the Devaney Sports Complex.
Former standout Nebraska volleyball player Dani Busboom Kelly returns home to lead the Huskers and take over the iconic volleyball program.
Four-time national title-winning John Cook, who announced his retirement from the program after an incredible 25-season career, selected Busboom Kelly (DBK) as his successor.
Busboom Kelly is a true homegrown Husker, being born and raised in Nebraska. She attended Freeman High School where she excelled as a hitter and setter. As a Husker, she transitioned to a new role as the libero; a position she hesitated with, but later embraced and played lights out for her team. She helped lead the team to a national championship in 2006.
Busboom Kelly is taking over the legacy of Coach John Cook, but
she has an already widely known coaching legacy. DBK was the head coach at
Louisville for eight seasons, where she revamped a struggling program.
She took the Cardinals to the NCAA tournament all eight seasons while coaching and advanced to the Final Four twice. Thanks to Busboom Kelly’s leadership, the program at Louisville is now one of the most dominant programs in college volleyball, coming just short of the National Championship last year.
Coach DBK handed the program down to her lifelong assistant coach at Louisville,
Dan Meske, before coming home to Nebraska.
Busboom Kelly said, “I’m proud to be back and be a part of the Husker family.”
“I know she’s expressed how committed she is to the team,” outside hitter Harper Murray said. The team is really embracing her and welcoming her with open arms.
The Huskers official debut was Aug. 22, and they started the season off with a bang facing No. 3 seed Pittsburgh. The DBK era is just getting started, and is
expected to bring big things and even bigger wins.
