John Cook, Legendary Volleyball Coach at Nebraska, Announces His Retirement

The Cornhuskers boss won four national championships.

John Cook before No. 4 Nebraska's 3–0 win over Omaha on Aug. 30, 2023. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

After 25 years with Nebraska, legendary women's volleyball coach John Cook is calling it a career.

Cook is retiring from the Cornhuskers effective immediately, he announced Wednesday afternoon.

"I’ve been here for 25 years. That’s a long time to do something. It’s been a great run,” Cook said in a Nebraska release. "I’ve had the opportunity to work with some great coaches and staff over the years, and I’m forever grateful for how hard they worked and for how much they gave to Nebraska volleyball."

Cook is among the most successful coaches in college volleyball history, and helped turn the sport into a substantial television draw (particularly on the nascent Big Ten Network). He steered the Cornhuskers to national championships in 2000, '06, '15 and '17, and retires with a career record of 883–176 between Nebraska and Wisconsin.

A former Cook player—Louisville coach Dani Busboom Kelly—will replace him. Busboom Kelly has led the Cardinals to four ACC championships; Louisville was the national runner-up in 2024 under her guidance.

"For me personally, the greatest accomplishment in coaching is seeing former players go into coaching or other careers and taking the lessons they’ve learned from being a Nebraska volleyball player and applying it to their everyday lives. There is no greater reward in coaching than that," Cook said.

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