“I will never be able to put into words how appreciative I am of him,” Harper Murray could hardly keep a straight face when she had to bid goodbye to her longtime mentor in January this year. When John Cook announced his decision to depart from the Lincoln campus, it was a shocker for the athletes and fans alike. However, it seems like Murray should rest easy, knowing that the new management under Dani Busboom Kelly is equally appreciative of her place in the Huskers’ roster.
The 7x AVCA All-American star’s honors speak for themselves. Harper was also a crucial driving force behind the Huskers’ Big Ten triumph and NCAA campaign last year as well. Naturally, having her on the team would be something that could play out to Kelly’s benefit as she embarks on her first season as the head coach of her alma mater. And the former Louisville coach wants to make sure her opposite hitter knows she’s valued enough.
In an X post by the official BigTenPlus handle from July 28, snippets from the Huskers’ B1G Volleyball Media Days were shared. In the video that accompanies the social media update, Kelly can be heard lauding Harper for the latter’s resilience and desire to get back to her A-game despite fumbling on the way. “I think Harper really embodies a lot of what this team is hoping to accomplish,” the head coach said, with both Murray and Rebekah Allick sitting next to her.
“Get through hard times, rise up, and come out even better than you were before. I just thought she has done the work, and is a great spokesperson for our program,” Kelly went on, with solemn appreciation of the 6’2″ Nebraska Junior. Allick nodded in silent agreement, and Murray couldn’t stop herself from ginning subtly. Once Kelly was done talking, it was evident that the student-athlete was overwhelmed by her words. But Murray also felt that her coach was on the same emotional plane. And she couldn’t help but ask the Huskers’ boss silently, her mouth away from the mic, “Are you crying?” Dani assured Murray that she wasn’t, the two shared a chuckle, and moved on to the next question.
“Are you crying?”
Harper Murray pokes fun at coach Dani Busboom Kelly at B1G Volleyball Media Days
Watch more here https://t.co/8gjLPYhbLL#B1GFirstServe pic.twitter.com/OobHvnc2GM
— B1G+ (@BigTenPlus) July 28, 2025
But it’s not like Kelly’s lavish recommendation for Harper is unfounded. The Ann Arbor, Michigan, native arrived in Lincoln in 2023 and immediately suffered heartbreak in her freshman year. The Huskers reached the NCAA D1 Volleyball Championship final, but were swept aside by Texas in straight sets to finish as the runner-ups. Murray was devastated, but her grit oozed out in the post-match presser, where she claimed that Nebraska would win the next three national championships. And that’s when all hell was let loose.
It didn’t take long before trolls took to social media platforms to sneer at her flamboyant comment. “Making that comment just opened up like a whole new world of hate that I never thought I was going to get. I just got a bunch of hate comments, a lot of DMs,” Murray confessed in 2024 on how she was exposed to a lot of jeers by haters. Her chaotic downward spiral to cope with the woes further contributed to her misery. And yet, she bounced back.
Murray finished the 2024 NCAA season by leading the team with 3.40 kills per set and posting a team-high 39 service aces. She also recorded 2.43 digs per set and bagged nine double-doubles. In the NCAA regional semifinal against Dayton, she posted a career-high 22 kills with a season-high 16 digs, four aces, and four blocks. Easy to see why Dani Busboom Kelly thinks the world of the opposite hitter.
But the new head coach isn’t going to let off her player with just a few kind words. Instead, Kelly wants Murray to undertake greater responsibilities than before.
Dani Busboom Kelly’s strategy hinges on more pivot points than only on Murray
With the Huskers having waved goodbye to both Merritt Beason and Lexi Rodriguez after the 2024 season, both of whom served as the team captains, there’s now a void that Kelly needs to fill immediately. Given how highly she thinks of Murray, it’s only normal to see the coach turn to the star to help the newcomers and the rest of the squad navigate their way through the competitive NCAA volleyball scene. But while talking to HuskersOnline backstage during the B1G Media Day, Harper noted she wouldn’t be the only one undertaking the leadership role.
NCAA, College League, USA Womens Volleyball: Illinois at Nebraska Oct 25, 2024 Lincoln, NE, USA Nebraska Cornhuskers outside hitter Harper Murray 27 sets against Illinois Fighting Illini outside hitter Laynie Smith 23 during the third set at Bob Devaney Sports Center. Lincoln Bob Devaney Sports Center NE USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xDylanxWidgerx 20241025_tbs_oz8_306
“I think different people are going to look to different people for leadership…It might be a little bit overwhelming at times, but I think that’s what’s so special about it. We have so many people that can lead,” the volleyball celebrity said. Well, if anyone knew that things would be different under Dani Busboom Kelly, it was Harper.
In an interview with Hail Varsity in May, Murray admitted that life under the new coach has been different from what it was with John Cook. “With Dani having things be a little bit different. Practice plans were different, the way we run warm-ups and everything is different,” she didn’t hesitate to point out how the two coaches had different ways of handling things.
Truth be told, Kelly does have a lot of options, in regard to both who she wants to pair with Murray and who she would depend on to lead the team. While Bergen Reilly won her teammates’ confidence, the coach noted that she thought freshman Campbell Flynn also had a lot of potential to grow as the team captain.
All things considered, how do you foresee the Huskers’ 2025 season unfolding under the new management? Share your thoughts!
The post “Are You Crying?”: Dani Busboom Kelly’s Emotional Confession Earns Harper Murray’s Earnest Reaction appeared first on EssentiallySports.