A little over a week ago, John Cook was speaking about the future of Nebraska. While discussing the transfer portal drama that affected colleges like Purdue, Cook explained the steps NU has taken toward player retention. “We’re just going to try to build a great culture that players want to be a part of…” said Cook. So no one, including ex-Husker star Lexi Rodriguez, expected him to retire.
Yet, in an announcement that caught every Nebraska Huskers fan off guard, John Cook announced that his time with Big Red has come to an end. After 25 seasons and multiple national and conference title victories, Coach Cook decided to step away from the sport. Unfortunately for Rodriguez, the timing couldn’t be worse, as she had posted about her plans to ask the coach for a special favor.
The offer Lexi Rodriguez never got to make
Just hours ahead of the Huskers volleyball page dropping the news of Cook’s announcement, Rodriguez had posted to TikTok. In her post, the LOVB Omaha player floated an idea to her followers seeking a second opinion. “Thinking about how to ask Coach Cook if we can do an alumni game, hahaha,” the 23-year-old wrote in the closed captions.
“Do we think he’d go for it,” the Huskers record-setting Libero wrote in the caption, and her followers agreed. Unfortunately, the 2024 AVCA Regional Player of the Year never had the chance to formally ask her former coach about the reunion match. The title of the song Lexi Rodriguez used in the video, No Promises by the Cheat Codes, took on another layer of meaning.
That’s because John Cook was no longer in a position to make any promises to the senior who graduated in 2024. So instead of making the offer to get the likes of Merritt Beason, Lindsey Krause, and others once again, Rodriguez wrote a heartfelt farewell to Coach Cook. “Thank you for taking a chance on me, coach; your belief was so valuable in my career,” wrote the college volleyball icon. However, her idea may not be completely dead in the water.
John Cook’s replacement has a Nebraska connection
While the 68-year-old may have stepped away from Nebraska and coaching, a worthy replacement will take the helm at Huskers volleyball. Coach Cook’s replacement, Dani Busboom Kelly, needs no introduction after featuring in the historic 2024 NCAA finals, where she had a chance to become the first female NCAA title-winning coach.
While the honor ultimately went to Penn State’s Katie Schumacher-Cawley, DBK took Louisville to their second NCAA final in three years. A former national title-winning Nebraska player and later assistant coach to John Cook, DBK is already familiar with the program. While she hasn’t trained the likes of Lexi Rodriguez, it won’t be surprising to see the new head coach honor the wishes of another fellow Huskers star.
However, doing so may take time. The pressure will be on for Kelly in her first season as the head coach of Nebraska volleyball. While NU’s Athletic Director Troy Dannen said hiring Dani Busboom Kelly was a “no-brainer,” she has some big shoes to fill. So Lexi Rodriguez’s dream of playing with her fellow graduates from the class of 2024 may have to sit on the back burner for a while.
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