Dani Busboom Kelly named next Nebraska volleyball head coach
Dani Busboom Kelly is returning to her alma mater as the next head coach of Nebraska volleyball. On Wednesday, legendary head coach John Cook announced his retirement after 25 seasons less than an hour before the Huskers named his successor.
Busboom Kelly agreed to a six-year contract to become NU’s fourth head coach in history.
“The opportunity to come home to Nebraska is more than a dream come true,” Busboom Kelly said in a statement. “I want to thank Troy Dannen, Dr. Jeffrey Gold, and Kristen Brown for their trust in me to continue the legacy of Nebraska volleyball. A huge thank you to John Cook. I would not be here without his mentorship and support.
“I’ve gotten chills listening to the roars in the Coliseum and now Devaney since I was nine years old. Nebraska is the greatest place in the world to play volleyball and I am honored to be a part of it once again! My family and I can’t wait to get to work and bring more championships home. Go Big Red!”
Why Busboom Kelly was the obvious choice
Busboom Kelly has strong ties to Nebraska and has been the top candidate for Cook’s successor.
The Cortland, Neb., native played at NU from 2003-2006 and was an assistant coach under Cook from 2012-16. She helped the Huskers win a national title in 2016.
Louisville named the former setter/libero as its head coach in 2017. She led the Cardinals to a 203-44 record over eight seasons. Her 120-15 record over the last four years marks the nation’s second-best winning percentage (.889) during that span.
Busboom Kelly has been married to former Nebraska football player Lane Kelly for nearly 15 years. They have a son, Boone, together.
DBK’s accomplishments
Busboom Kelly led Louisville to its first Final Four in 2022 and has been to the NCAA Semifinals every season since. The Cardinals have advanced to two national championship games in the last three seasons.
Most recently, UL lost to Penn State in four sets on their home court in the national championship. Louisville also won four ACC conference championships in eight seasons.
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Busboom Kelly helped take Louisville volleyball to new heights on and off the court. The Cardinals advanced to three NCAA semifinals and two finals games in the last three seasons. But they also set attendance records and began playing more and more matches in the KFC Yum! Center to accommodate for fan interest.
RELATED: Nebraska volleyball head coach John Cook retires after 25 seasons
She developed All-Americans such as setter Tori Dilfer, middle blocker Anna Stevenson, outside hitter Claire Chaussee, outside hitter Anna DeBeer, libero Elena Scott and more. Dilfer and Stevenson were Louisville’s first-ever AVCA All-American first-team honorees in 2021.
As a Nebraska assistant coach from 2012-16, Busboom Kelly helped NU to a 134-30 record, five NCAA Regional Final appearances and a national title. She was an assistant at Tennessee from 2009-10 and an assistant coach at Louisville in 2011.
“We are excited to welcome Dani and her family back to Lincoln to continue our tradition of excellence in our volleyball program,” Dannen said. “She has demonstrated outstanding leadership at the highest levels of the sport and I am confident that our program will remain among the nation’s elite for years to come.
“This is a special place that needs an exceptional coach, and we have her. Welcome to Dani and her family!”
