“It’s definitely been a dream job since I got into coaching,” Dani Busboom Kelly admitted in April that coming to Lincoln was always the ultimate goal, especially with her being a Nebraska fan herself. After 25 years at the helm, iconic coach John Cook finally retired earlier this year, handing over the baton to his former student. Naturally, it was a seminal moment in DBK’s life. But for the athletes like Harper Murray, sceptical thoughts (not too much) hovered overhead.
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Ever since Harper became a Husker volleyball player, she has formed a strong bond with her former coach. After the team’s defeat to the Longhorns at the 2023 NCAA final, Murray was subjected to a lot of flak thanks to her controversial comment about winning three championships in three consecutive years. She went into depression, but Coach Cook helped her return to light once again. No wonder, the OH considered her former coach as a “father figure“. But while some would speculate that having to part ways with such a character would affect Murray, she seems to be adjusting to the new era quite well.
The Huskers emphatically started off the 2025 season as they decimated Kansas and South Dakota State in the Spring games. Naturally, the junior couldn’t be happier to be part of DBK’s new job. In the post-game interview after trouncing SDSU, in a YouTube upload by Hail Varsity from May 3, Harper Murray could be heard talking about how things are coming along under Dani Busboom Kelly. “With Dani having things be a little bit different. Practice plans were different, the way we run warm-ups and everything is different,” the volleyball star said.
However, with John Cook at the helm for so long, things had become more like a routine. Everyone knew how the coach liked to do things. Naturally, it’s been a bit to get used to the change. “We’re still adjusting, but we’re super excited for the fall,” Murray said about how the squad is getting acquainted with DBK’s methods. But Kelly, known for her efficient training methods, knows the team would manage to pull off something incredible.
Harper Murray is in safe hands
