“I would not be here without his mentorship and support,” said Dani Busboom Kelly on her former mentor, John Cook, after accepting the job of Nebraska’s new head coach in January. Like DBK, many of the Huskers’ stars, current and former, share the same sentiment about the legendary volleyball coach. Lucky for Merritt Beason, though, her collab with the veteran coach isn’t coming to an end right now, despite both of them having bid adieu to the Lincoln campus.

In just two years of playing in the Huskers’ stripes, Beason amassed a resume that can make even the most seasoned players jealous with its length. Undoubtedly, Coach Cook’s contribution behind those numerous All-American and AVCA honors cannot be overstated. Now, as Merritt waits for the next chapter of her volleyball journey to unfold, the opposite hitter feels like she’s starting the whole thing from square one.

Beason finished her NCAA career after helping the Huskers secure their second straight Big Ten title in 2024. After a heartbreaking loss to Penn State in the Final Four, the Huskers’ dream of winning the national title was crushed. Just days later, Beason was recruited by PVF’s Atlanta Vibe as the No. 1 pick for her maiden pro season. And now, she will play her next for the Omaha Supernovas, and wait for it, under the tutelage of John Cook once again! In an X post from August 10 by the official Supernovas handle, Merritt shared how eerie it felt for her to interact with the former boss once again on the courtside.

Only a few days ago, Cook was announced as the new General Manager for the pro volleyball side. Naturally, for Beason, on her return to Nebraska, it was a joyous reunion, but with its fair share of strangeness to it. On being asked about her conversation with Cook, Beason said, chuckling, “They were kind of weird because I felt like I was getting recruited again, which I never thought was going to happen, but it was really cool. Definitely like a full circle moment.”

Merritt came to Lincoln after two years playing in Florida. Referring to that transfer portal experience from 2023, Beason stated further on what it was like to be called upon by the ex-Huskers coach, “I felt like two years ago when I was in the portal, it was very similar to that.” She also admitted that the fact that Cook would be involved with the Superovas made her decision easier.

“Super excited that he’s involved and that was definitely a big piece for me when making the decision also,” Merritt Beason said. But she also couldn’t help but underscore how it would be different to see Cook in a role other than being her coach.

“I really don’t know what to call him anymore. He’s technically not a coach, but that’s what he is to me,” Beason stated on how her relationship with John Cook at the MLV team would look. However, the 6-foot-4 is just happy to be back in the state, which helped rekindle her love for volleyball. “Obviously, I’m super excited to come back. It was something I missed this past season, just the support of Nebraska as a whole and the fan base,” she said. “I wanted to get back in Nebraska. It’s so cliche, but there is no place like Nebraska and playing here is such a unique experience.”

But Cook won’t be the first familiar face from her alma mater that Merritt got to reunite with in recent days.

The return to Nebraska could help Merritt Beason’s new venture

On Saturday, the Huskers showed off their new squad and snippets of Dani Busboom Kelly’s coaching wisdom via the Red-White Scrimmage, a unique intrasquad match that saw the lineups getting mixed up for every set. During the match, Beason showed up at the John Cook Arena in the Bob Devaney Sports Center to have a gander at the new roster. It was a delightful surprise for her former teammates, and Harper Murray could hardly keep a lid on her emotions.

But she also noted that DBK has a deep roster, which might cause a few issues of its own. “They have so much depth, so I have no idea who she’s going to decide to put out there because they’re all really, really good players,” Beason noted as the one thing she’s eager to see how the new coach handles as the Huskers’ top woman.

But her close attention to the Nebraska team or close proximity to the former coach could also be beneficial for Merritt as she looks to go from just a player to a possible future coach of her own. In June, it was revealed that Merritt Beason would coach the Gardendale High School Rockets during her spare time. Maybe John Coo will have a few special tips to share from his former squad captain? Who knows!