Dani Busboom Kelly, The New Nebraska Volleyball Head Coach 2025

The Nebraska Director of Athletics Troy Dannen announced Dani Busboom Kelly as the New Nebraska Volleyball Head Coach on January 29, 2025, after John Cook retired after 25 seasons. She is the fourth head coach of the Nebraska women’s Volleyball team, and she was the national champion player and assistant coach.

She has eight years of experience building Louisville University volleyball into a shining star. Kelly has won two national championships for Nebraska’s volleyball team, one when she was an athlete player in 2006 and one as an assistant coach in 2015. 

One question that comes to our mind is why Nebraska announced a new coach for 2025 because John Cook was the best head coach. John Cook has announced his retirement; that is why they named Dani Busboom Kelly as Head Coach for season 2025.

Meet Dani Busboom Kelly, The New Nebraska Volleyball Head Coach 2025

Kelly was born on May 5, 1985, in Cortland, Nebraska and started her sports journey at Adams Freeman High School. When she was growing up as a basketball player, she got two championship titles.

She played for Nebraska from 2003 to 2006 as a setter and libero. She started his coaching career with the Tennessee Lady Volunteers volleyball team in 2009–2010. In 2011, she joined the Louisville volleyball team as an assistant coach, and in 2012, she joined Nebraska as an assistant coach and served till 2026. In 2017, Dani joined Louisville as a head coach. now she is the Head coach of the huskers.

Awards:

• 2016 AVCA Assistant Coach of the Year
• 2017 AVCA East Region Coach of the Year
• 2018 Coach USA Collegiate National Team – Europe Gold Medal
• 2019 USA High Performance Coach
• 2020 ACC Coach of the Year
• 2020 AVCA East Region Coach of the Year
• 2021 ACC Coach of the Year
• 2021 AVCA East Region Coach of the Year
• 2021 AVCA National Coach of the Year
• 2022 AVCA East Region Coach of the Year
• 2022 AVCA Coach of the Year

Louisville Cardinals (2017–2024)

The coach led Louisville in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) for 8 seasons:

• Best Season:
  • 2021: 32–1 overall, undefeated in conference (18–0), made it to the NCAA national semifinal.
• Other Highlights:
  • 2022 & 2024: Finished as NCAA runner-up (made it to the championship match).
  • Finished 1st in the ACC multiple times.
  • Never had fewer than 22 wins in a full season.
• Record at Louisville:
  • Overall: 203–44 (.822 win percentage)
  • Conference: 121–21 (.852 win percentage)