“He refused to give up on me even when I made it nearly impossible not to,” said an emotional Harper Murray, following John Cook‘s announcement to retire as Nebraska’s head volleyball coach. The opposite hitter’s statement made it clear that the 4x national title-winning coach went out of his way to help his athletes navigate through troubled times. But what the fans might not know is that Coach Cook also made sure his colleagues reached their true potential.
In recent years, the Nebraska volleyball program has reached heights not seen before. Not only that, but the school has also helped to create a community around the sport, which has helped to create records. For example, the 92,003 fans who filled the Memorial Stadium in 2023 to watch the match between Nebraska and Oregon created history by becoming the largest-ever crowd in women’s sports. But some seasoned volleyball pundits believe that such milestones wouldn’t have been achieved if it weren’t for Coach Cook letting his staff take on greater roles in the team to make the program one of the winnigest teams in the US.
Former Creighton head volleyball coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth was all praise for John Cook during a recent interview. In a YouTube upload by Nebraska Public Media, Booth talked about how the former Huskers coach empowered his colleagues through being comfortable in his own position. The ex-Creighton boss noted that even though Cook and Nebraska were winning impressively, the coach kept thinking about how to push the boundaries further and help the assistant coaches in the process.
“I think John was thinking, even though we’re winning, but how do we get bigger crowds? How do we do something unique? How do we expand this to, you know, thinking outside the box, and I think he did that. He pushed the limit on coaches’ salaries, which is great,” Booth lauded Cook for using his platform and the Huskers’ form to elevate his peers as well. A lot of that, Kirsten believes, came from the Nebraska coach giving the staff members more space to spread their wings.
Credits: Instagram/Huskers Volleyball
Booth said, “He utilized his staff in ways that I think people learned from, meaning he let them do a lot, and I think that shows humility when you’re comfortable,” highlighting how Cook wasn’t afraid to place his confidence in the assistant coach’s abilities. “A lot of times, you know, in the last couple of years, Jalen would lead a timeout. Well, you have to be confident to be able to do that, and I think he showed a lot of coaches that letting people do things doesn’t mean that you don’t know what you’re doing,” Booth reminded us of how assistant coach Reyes’ extensive role perfectly complemented Cook’s.
But she also claimed that all of John’s actions were focused on helping his beloved sport reach newer heights. “His big thing was to grow the sport of volleyball. The low-hanging example is the Memorial Stadium game. That is outside-the-box thinking,” she said. “What Nebraska Volleyball has done, and the way they’ve filled up stands, is they have been the framework of what can happen nationally for NCAA and now for pro,” the former Bluejays coach admitted that Cook has been the harbinger of a new era in volleyball in general.
And all that extra space that Cook gave his assistant coaches did pay off incredibly. With a career record of 883-176 (.834), John is the fifth-best winning NCAA coach of all time. A 3x AVCA Division I National Coach of the Year, Cook was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017. He has won more matches than any other coach in the 21st century, and his 8 NCAA Finals appearances are a testament to his wisdom as a top-tier volleyball coach.
It’s not difficult to see why Booth was so head-over-heels about the former Huskers’ boss. A new chapter to add to the big plans that Nebraska has to pay its dues to its ex-coach?
Despite “Last Ride“, John Cook will stick around for longer
Cook took over the Huskers as a onetime NCAA title-winning program, and brought 4 more national titles to Lincoln, cementing the school as one of the best in the country. Naturally, such an incredible achievement warrants tipping the hat. With that in mind, Nebraska is gearing up to release The Last Ride with John Cook on August 10, a documentary that will capture the life and works of the iconic volleyball coach. “It celebrates a man whose impact transcended the game of volleyball, shaping generations of athletes and redefining the game’s place in American sports culture,” noted a preview report.
NCAA, College League, USA Basketball: Illinois at Nebraska Jan 30, 2025 Lincoln, Nebraska, USA Nebraska Cornhuskers volleyball head coach Dani Busboom Kelly and former coach John Cook embrace while being recognized during a break in the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Lincoln Pinnacle Bank Arena Nebraska USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xDylanxWidgerx 20250130_lbm_oz8_056
But while the video documentary might be considered a final adieu to Cook, the coach isn’t done with the Huskers just yet. Coach Cook will forever be a part of Nebraska, with the school’s Board of Regents deciding to erect a bronze statue in honor of the former coach and introducing the John Cook Arena inside the Bob Devaney Sports Center.
What better way to witness his former student, Dani Busboom Kelly, continue to build the Huskers’ legacy? Coach Cook, who noted that the former Louisville coach was the “right person” for the job after his retirement, extensively lauded the appointment of DBK. Do you think Kelly will be able to do justice to the incredible heirloom she was handed down in the form of the Nebraska Huskers volleyball?
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