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What’s Next for John Cook and Nebraska

by Feb 4, 2025Nebraska Volleyball

What’s Next for John Cook and Nebraska
Photo Credit: Brandon Tiedemann

John Cook sent shockwaves through the volleyball world and beyond when he announced his retirement last week.

The cowboy is riding off into the sunset — just not right now. He may be stepping down as Nebraska’s head volleyball coach, but Cook isn’t planning to retire to his ranch in Wyoming any time soon.

“I have asked John to stay on,” athletic director Troy Dannen said after Cook’s farewell press conference. “We’re working through a contract with him to be, the terminology is probably special assistant to the athletic director, for a lot of reasons. One, just his leadership and his ability to teach leadership. We need that. We need that for our student-athletes, and not just the volleyball team. I have some projects on the board. College athletics is dramatically changing, and his experience in what college athletics and how the evolution has taken place.

“But then moving forward, in a lot of ways, he is the philosophical leader of the state. He spoke this morning; he spoke twice yesterday before he met with the with the team. People trust his voice, and he can help me, and he can help the department a lot in guiding us forward and how do we make sure as we evolve, it’s consistent with the culture of the state.”

Cook also wants to be present to help his protégé, Dani Busboom Kelly, experience as smooth of a transition as possible as she succeeds him as Nebraska’s head coach.

“Whenever Dani asks for me, I’m there, and I’m going to help out with the athletic department with Troy,” Cook said. “We haven’t got that far yet, but I want to still be involved and help out any way I can. If they need me to coach linebackers, I’ll do that.

“But Dani, I want to help her with the transition, because there are some unique things here … Then I’m going to be here for whatever they need, and I’ll take the cues from her and Kelly [Hunter] and Jaylen [Reyes] and Lindsay [Peterson] and the players, whatever they need. I want to be here for them and whatever I can do to help this athletic department, because I’m really excited for where this place is going, and the leadership that Troy and his team are providing. This is an awesome place to be around right now.”

Reyes and Hunter both signed new contracts for the 2025 season to remain on Busboom Kelly’s staff, and Cook indicated Peterson, his longtime right-hand women as director of operations, will remain in her role as well. Cook said it was Busboom Kelly’s call — she was on Nebraska’s staff during Hunter’s playing days and has built a relationship with Reyes through coaching at USA Volleyball camps.

“I think it was just a natural thing, and it’s going to keep consistency with our team and what we’re doing, and allow Dani to really not have to work on the day-to-day things right now and figure all that out,” Cook said. “Just think if she was bringing in a whole new staff that doesn’t know anything; man, that would be a big hill to start climbing. So this is going to be a great transition for her, and allow her to hit the ground running.”

Cook choosing to stick around as a sounding board and source of support for Busboom Kelly falls in line with what he believes is his greatest accomplishment. It’s not the national championships, the attendance records or even the stadium match.

“I’ve thought a lot about it, and it always comes back to this: I get to hand off this program to a former player, somebody from Nebraska … This is the greatest accomplishment is somebody who’s played here gets to be the head coach here, and that validates that I’ve done some pretty cool things coaching and having these guys play here, and their experience that they want to come back and be coaches and keep this going,” Cook said. “To me, that’s my greatest accomplishment.”

While he considers handing off the program to an alumna his greatest accomplishment, it sits atop an extensive list. The successful transition from the Coliseum to the Devaney Center while maintaining the sellout streak is among the others, and moving forward, Nebraska is looking to better accommodate the demand he’s created with decades of excellence by expanding the Devaney Center seating.

Nebraska will open the 2025 season at Pinnacle Bank Arena in the AVCA First Serve Showcase, but a permanent move to the Bank is not in Nebraska’s plans. Instead, Dannen said they’ve found a way to add 1,500 more seats to the Devaney Center for the 2026 season, with a goal of expanding to a capacity of 10,000.

“I asked Coach about PBA, what are your thoughts on it?” Dannen said. “[Devaney] is the greatest home court advantage. The players have their locker room, the players practice there. It is their building, they own it, they’re there 24/7. It is the largest dedicated volleyball arena in the country, and it’s a great advantage for us. So continue to enhance it, grow it. Now that Dani’s coming in, Dani, what do you want? Let’s put your mark on it. What do you want in here? And that’ll that’s conversation we’ll have as time evolves.”

While Cook still plans to be around the game and university he loves, retirement will provide more time to spend with his family and pursue his hobbies — like roping. Cook made sure during his press conference to include a plug for the John Cook Roping Classic, scheduled for April 12 and 13 at the Sandhills Global Event Center in Lincoln. He spoke passionately about the event which will include pro and amateur divisions and a day devoted to teaching kids about roping. Proceeds will go to the UNL Rodeo Scholarship fund.

On Thursday, Nebraska will introduce Busboom Kelly as the next coach of Nebraska volleyball. That won’t be the end of Cook’s story in Lincoln, however. He may be stepping back, but he isn’t riding off just yet.

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