“Being in the gym with these guys, they’re so competitive. They’re always talking smack to each other, and they’ll make little comments to me sometimes,” Kelly (Hunter) Natter said about Harper Murray and the current Huskers’ squad. Natter, who has spent six years as Nebraska’s assistant coach under Dani Busboom Kelly, will go up against the girls on August 16. Yet, hyping up the Alumni Scrimmage wasn’t the only thing Natter did while talking to the media.

As one who helped shape the Nebraska Huskers under John Cook for so long, the two-time All-American was the perfect candidate to answer how DBK fared when she first arrived at Nebraska. While it’s a common question, her conference partner Harper Murray answered it a while ago; the outside hitter didn’t see the transition from Natter’s unique perspective. And the assistant coach did reveal something new about Coach Kelly’s difficulties.

While John Cook said, “I went hard, and now it’s Dani’s turn,” coming back to Nebraska as the head coach was a challenge. “I think at first, she kind of would just explain to us, ‘I want everyone’s opinion. We’re all going to plan, practice together, and truly collaborate.'” Kelly (Hunter) Natter recalled what Dani Busboom Kelly said in the video Hail Varsity uploaded on YouTube. It was all about familiarization.

“She was like, ‘Okay, what do you guys think we should do today?’ And we were just trying to feel her out while she was also asking for our opinion,” explained Natter. Despite the players and staff having faith in DBK, she didn’t just slot herself into the system John Cook had built. DBK injected her own method while keeping Cook’s foundations intact. Naturally, there were growing pains.

Harper Murray revealed how the players felt in May. “Practice plans were different; the way we run warm-ups and everything is different… We’re still adjusting, but we’re super excited for the fall,” Murray said in May. However, around six months after John Cook’s departure, things look much different.

Harper Murray on Dani Busboom Kelly’s change

While John Cook’s ability to adapt to the changing landscape of college volleyball earned him success throughout 25 seasons, he knew it was time for real change. Coach Cook had won almost every award the NCAA and AVCA had to offer and knew someone more hungry is what Nebraska needed. And so he handpicked none other than the former Huskers assistant coach to lead the charge.

Although the change Dani Busboom Kelly brought with her created some challenges, everyone adapted. “Now I think we’re on the same page for sure,” Natter told the media, and it’s not just her. Harper Murray was the first to know of Coach Cook’s departure. It took her a while to get over the shock of John Cook, her father figure, leaving the team.

Yet, during the Big Ten Volleyball Media Days, Murray revealed that maybe change was exactly what the Huskers needed. “All love to John, but I think maybe we did need a little bit of a change… Dani’s been able to bring that out of all of us. It’s been super fun. She’s open to more ideas,” the outside hitter told HuskerOnline last month.

So, as the present Nebraska Huskers squad gets ready to face the alumni, Dani Busboom Kelly and the girls are in sync. In fact, the August 16 clash will be a crucial test that’ll help DBK fine-tune everything before the AVCA First Serve Showcase.