By bagging a 3-2 win on the road against Creighton, Dani Busboom Kelly‘s Huskers improved to a 9-0 record. Now, as Nebraska heads to its final non-conference match of the season, it would seem like the new management has things firmly under control. Considering the deep roster the Nebraska volleyball team has, fans can’t help but ponder if the head coach has decided on a steady starting lineup. However, Busboom Kelly isn’t looking to have a hard and fast rule just yet.

It was a hard-fought battle for the Huskers against the Bluejays tonight at the CHI Health Center. After five gruelling sets, the visitors secured a 3-2 (25-17, 21-25, 25-18, 24-26, and 15-9) victory, but the fans couldn’t help but notice how Busboom Kelly gave Olivia Mauch her second straight start of the season. It wasn’t too surprising, considering how former coach John Cook noted his astonishment at the sophomore’s incredible skills. But another start for Mauch meant Laney Choboy had to wait at the benches yet again. Obviously, Nebraska fans want to know if this will be the norm going forward, but the coach isn’t so sure herself.

In the post-match presser, on September 15, Coach Busboom Kelly could be heard addressing the lineup issue. When a reporter asked the former Louisville coach about the thought process behind giving a start to Olivia at the match, Dani tried to brush aside the libero debate, saying, “You know, again, it’s funny. People are like, ‘Who’s starting? Laney or Liv?’ And in my mind they’re both starters and we need both of them as bad as the other.” Instead, the coach insisted that Mauch got her second start purely because of a strategic reason.

“I thought our passing had been a little shaky the last couple games and just not confident so I thought maybe Liv could steady that out and I thought she did a great job,” Dani noted that she gave Mauch the opportunity just to make sure her team didn’t squander the momentum. However, she went on to underscore that while she put her faith in Olivia, she also knows well what Choboy brings to the table.

“You know Laney’s defensive mindset and her mentality back there is something this team desperately needs so I thought she had one of her best games tonight too,” Busboom Kelly once again said about her decision to give the junior some play time against Creighton. “They’re both starters to me I know one has to wear the jersey but they’re both equally important to this team and our success,” the 40-year-old couldn’t stop circling back to the fact that she continues to have a difficult time choosing her starting lineup.

But, let’s be honest, Mauch did make sure the chances that came her way were made use of to the fullest. Against GCU at Nebraska’s home, Mauch bagged nine digs, while against Creighton, she posted a career-high 16 digs. But then again, Choboy is an accomplished athlete in her own right, and keeping her off the team for too long shouldn’t be a decision to sit well with Busboom Kelly. Well, while the situation might be too difficult for the fans, the head coach had probably prepared herself for such dilemmas beforehand.

Dani Busboom Kelly’s lineup woes isn’t ending anytime soon

Many would posit that Dani has been lucky in her new job. After taking over the rein of the Nebraska volleyball program from John Cook, Busboom Kelly didn’t lose a single athlete to the transfer portal. Moreover, many of the assistant coaches from the previous management also decided to stay back and help the 40-year-old in her maiden season as the head coach of her alma mater. To make things more complicated on the roster department, the final five athletes recruited by the former coach, John Cook, also had tremendous potential, while red-shirt athletes also announced their decision to make a comeback.

Under such circumstances, there was only one possibility regarding the lineup: Busboom Kelly getting spoiled for choices. In July, while talking to Terry Pettit, Coach Cook’s predecessor, Dani said, “Well, you know, Taylor Landfair is back. And Skylar Pierce is back. She redshirted last year. And then we have Teraya Siegler, who’s a freshman, who was here in the spring. So I’ve gotten to work with all three of them quite a bit… they’re very different in their skill set. But they’re all very talented. And, again, I think it’s going to be a difficult decision,” highlighting how she’s struggling to decide upon who to add in lineup with Harper Murray.

But so far, it does seem like the Huskers are navigating through the rocky waters with grace. Nebraska faces Arizona and finally begins its Big Ten campaign of the 2025 season. Do you think Dani Busboom Kelly will find a solid solution to her problems by then? Who would be your choice for the Huskers’ starting lineup? Tell us your thoughts in a comment!