“I went hard, and now it’s Dani’s turn,” John Cook told Hurrdat Sports in April, roughly two months after his shocking retirement. Yet, that’s easier said than done even for the multiple-time NCAA finalist coach and Cook’s former mentee. While they had set up the succession before Cook stepped down, it all happened within a week. Naturally, the transition was also sudden.

“I mean, we found out within a span of two minutes that the coach was leaving and Danny was coming,” Nebraska’s summer captain Bergen Reilly said earlier this year. Besides questions on Cook’s sudden departure, another topic that came up time and again was how the Huskers were adjusting to DBK’s style of coaching. And while the players have given their take, DBK revealed her definitive opinion on the cusp of her debut season as the Huskers’ head coach.

During a chat with 1011 News Sports Director Kevin Sjuts, DBK answered how receptive the players have been to her coaching style. “Yeah, super receptive. I think they’re excited about the fast pace. They love to obviously play six-on-six,” Dani Busboom Kelly told Sjuts. She was also glad about the fact that players co-operated during her pregnancy and the birth of her second child.

“They also are probably appreciative that I want to get home to a family. So when we get in the gym, we’re very particular about what we’re doing and time management while we’re in practice, so there’s not a lot of wasting time,” the coach said in the interview. It’s safe to say that DBK got the right impression of the players’ reaction, considering Harper Murray’s statement.

“It’s been super fun. She’s open to more ideas. She’s very… she’s laid-back,” the 20-year-old told HuskerOnline at the Big Ten Volleyball Media Days. What’s more? With training officially kicking off, Dani Busboom Kelly and the girls will get one last chance to refine their new moves ahead of the 2025 season.

What Dani Busboom Kelly expects from the AVCA First Serve

While DBK has kept the foundation John Cook built throughout his 25 years at Nebraska, she’s made multiple changes as well. While it did take time for them to adjust, the two spring games against Kansas and Illinois in April showed the Huskers have new tricks up their sleeves. DBK also proved why John Cook chose her, as she led Nebraska to two flawless victories.

However, the upcoming AVCA First Serve showcase will be their true test, and the Huskers are treating it like so. The First Serve is the season opener and will give Dani Busboom Kelly’s squad the perfect opportunity to get their feet wet. “Oh, we’re going to learn a ton. And that’s the beauty of that First Serve. You’re playing early, but you’re playing great competition,” DBK said during the Big Ten Media Days.

The fact that their first opponents are Pittsburgh and Stanford only makes things better. After all, Pittsburgh was last year’s NCAA Tournament semifinalist and lost to Dani Busboom Kelly’s Louisville Cardinals. Naturally, this will be the perfect opportunity to see if she can do it again with Nebraska. Thankfully, the Huskers are brimming with confidence.

“We’re pretty good,” Dani Busboom Kelly told 1011 News. After honing their craft throughout the offseason, DBK is looking forward to a season full of growth and fine-tuning. “I really think the team that’s out on the court in August will be much different than the team in December,” she added. Now, only time will tell if that will be enough to give Nebraska its 6th NCAA title.

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