The Nebraska Cornhuskers may be on a massive 20+ game winning streak. However, despite not losing a single conference game his year, a meeting with the Wisconsin Badgers always makes Nebraska volleyball fans nervous. After all, with 13 wins to 10, Wisconsin has historically had the upper hand over Nebraska. So maybe that’s why coach John Cook had an interesting answer when asked about last year’s triumph against the Badgers.

On October 21, 2023, the Huskers were finally able to stem the tide after losing 10 games in a row against the Badgers. Although they lost their following clash at home three days later, it was a landmark victory. So naturally, during the upcoming Huskers vs. Badgers pre-game press conference, a reporter brought up last year’s game. However, Cook was rather blunt with his answer.

“Have you taken just a chance to think back at how important last year’s match was against them here?” the report asked about their first victory against Wisconsin since 2017. However, John Cook said “no,” followed by a smirk. “I don’t have time to think about all that stuff. I’m just trying to keep my head above water every day right now,” the Nebraska Volleyball coach added.

While last year’s game may have marked a turning point in their rivalry, John Cook is focused on taking on the Badgers in less than 24 hours. “Last year’s last year, and now we don’t think about it. It’s just trying to get better right now, trying to get better and get our team prepared and be ready to give a great effort,” explained the 68-year-old veteran coach.

And the five-time Big 10 winning coach is right to worry about Wisconsin. Since 2017, they’ve won a national championship and two Big 10 titles and broken several viewership and attendance records. Yet, the Huskers have won only 2 of the 13 matches they played against the Badgers during the same period. Cook knows the upcoming clash won’t be an easy one.

There’s a lot at stake for Nebraska volleyball’s second match of the season against the Badgers

Wisconsin has already strung together five wins since losing to the Huskers at home on November 1. Nebraska’s rival team has showcased exceptional blocking and a low error rate in the following matches. In their victory against Penn State on November 9, the Badgers didn’t just sweep their opponents; Penn State couldn’t even block a single swing by the Wisconsin team.

While a five-match winning streak is indeed impressive, it’s Nebraska volleyball who have far more to lose. The defending Big 10 champions will be putting their 24-game seasonal win streak on the line against their arch-rivals. And if you think that’s a lot, then you should know about Nebraska’s win streak at home. The Huskers have won the last 40 matches at Bob Devaney Sports Center.

Yet, despite the high-stakes match, these stats also speak of NU’s current form. The women’s sports attendance record-holding team has had a similarly low error rate to their opponents. In fact, during their clash with Minnesota, the red and white brigade made zero service errors. While the ever-humble John Cook “didn’t make a big deal about it,” it was quite a significant achievement.

After losing the NCAA finals against the Texas Longhorns last season, the Huskers are on a mission to earn their sixth NCAA title. So while Wisconsin has emerged as Nebraska volleyball’s kryptonite in the last decade, Coach Cook and his team don’t plan to let the Badgers succeed in avenging their previous loss.