LINCOLN, Neb. - A new chapter in the history book of Husker Volleyball is about to begin.

From Cortland, NE., the fourth head coach of Husker Volleyball, is Dani Busbom-Kelly. The Devaney Center was packed on Thursday afternoon, as Nebraska welcomed home one of their own. 

Athletic Director Troy Dannen saying, DBK checked all the boxes.

“Number one is character, number to is integrity… She has represented herself her entire life. There is no question she brought those two things,” Dannen said. “Next was ambition. That was the move to Louisville. You want someone that’s ambitious, and lastly, hire a winner. Because what do winners do? They win.”

Busboom-Kelly spent the last eight years turning Louisville into a yearly powerhouse in college volleyball, but before that, she was a national champion Husker and an assistant coach - Now, she’ll get to realize a dream. Leading the program, she claims her alma mater.

“Very humbled and grateful to be here living another dream of mine, representing another terrific athletics department and a state that means so much to me and my family,” Busboom-Kelly said.

Busboom-Kelly is no stranger to the shoes she has to fill - John Cook is winningest volleyball coach of century, but Busboom-Kelly says, in more ways than one, expectations remain the same.

“The expectations aren’t changing… We expect to be in the hunt for the Big Ten, be in Final Four’s and winning National Championships,” Busboom-Kelly said. “We want our players to leave here loving the sport of volleyball… The expectation is for our players to have an unbelievable experience and usually that leads to success.”

The past week has also meant a lot of change for the players, but as Rebekah Allick says the program is in good hands.

“I was scared, because at first it was ‘I’m [John Cook] retiring, I’m leaving’ and then shortly it was ‘Dani’s coming’ and there was this relief,” Allick said. “She even called us the same day and I told her ‘I’, happy it’s you’… It was a relief, she’s bene through a change in college for John Cook. She’s played here, she’s from here, I truly believe we’re in really good hands.”