“The opportunity to come home to Nebraska is more than a dream come true,” is what Dani Busboom Kelly said when she officially took the reins as the Huskers’ head coach back in January—and now, that dream’s about to meet game time. With the Big Ten’s 2025 volleyball schedule officially out in the open, Dani’s first season is shaping up to be a wild ride. Nebraska’s got double dips with Michigan, Michigan State, and Penn State, and they’ll host squads like Illinois, Iowa, and Oregon right at home in Lincoln. Road trips? Oh yeah—Wisconsin, UCLA, and USC are on the horizon, so pack those bags and get ready for some serious time-zone hopping.

But with all that hype, there’s one curveball that’s got Dani raising an eyebrow—the NCAA’s new libero rule. With fan-favorite Lexi Rodriguez out of the mix, Dani’s leaning toward a one-libero system this season. She’s not one to just toss in extra players because the rulebook allows it—this coach is all about what works best on the floor. A new era’s beginning in Husker Nation, and Dani’s steering it with brains, heart, and that trademark Nebraska grit.

In a video dropped by Hail Varsity on April 23, Nebraska’s new head coach Dani Busboom Kelly got real about that shiny new NCAA rule that lets teams roll out two liberos. And while the update’s got some coaches buzzing with ideas, Dani’s not jumping in just yet. She kept it one hundred and said, “I would always consider anything, but that would not be my choice. You know, if you have two great liberos or three, you’re going to find, I think, big roles. And I think that’s where it’s interesting.”

Dani Busboom Kelly continued, “What’s a bigger role? Is it a three-rotation DS or just serve receiving? I think that’s, as coaches, what you’re trying to figure out. But I think I’d prefer just to have the consistency of one libero, but always open to trying.” So yeah, she’s definitely not slamming the door shut, but you can tell Dani’s leaning into that classic keep-it-steady vibe. For her, it’s about the flow, the rhythm, the chemistry out there on the hardwood—and sometimes, too many puzzle pieces can just make the picture fuzzy.

Well, well, the NCAA’s been stirring the volleyball pot a bit—first, by waving goodbye to the ol’ double contact rule. Yup, players can now tap that ball twice—just don’t send it over the net on the second touch. Coaches like Emily Kohan are vibing with it, calling it a win for fairness and flow. No more referee roulette deciding your fate mid-set. And then came rule number two: say hello to the two-libero twist.

Now, teams can roll out two liberos in a single set, rotating in and out like clockwork (but only one on court at a time, of course). It’s got players like Kate Yoshimoto spinning wild strategy dreams—think one for serve receive, the other for digging deep. And as for Nebraska? Things are getting a bit real with Lexi Rodriguez off to the next chapter. Filling those shoes won’t be easy, and coach Dani Busboom Kelly’s already getting honest about it.

Dani Busboom Kelly makes a confession about the seniors’ absence on the team!

When Hail Varsity tossed the mic Dani Busboom Kelly’s way like, “What’s up this spring, kind of taking the other one under the wing?”—she didn’t dodge, didn’t dress it up. Dani Busboom Kelly just laid it all out. “Yeah, part of this spring that’s new for this team is the leadership roles that Merritt and Lexi have been told played and that they’re absent now.” And you can feel it—like, truly feel it. That Lexi-and-Merritt-sized gap is real. Dani even kept it real, saying, “There has been moments where it’s been… I don’t want to like—‘power struggles’ has a negative connotation. But that’s kind of what it is.”

The team’s been deep in their discovery era—figuring out who’s ready to hold the huddle, bring the juice, and keep the court locked in. But instead of panicking, the squad’s rising. Dani Busboom Kelly’s been hyped watching it all unfold, giving big love with, “The team’s done a really good job of having those conversations with each other and trying to figure out what works best for them.” It’s not all coach-driven either, the players are calling their own number. “They’ve taken the reins on most of that,” she added, and that says everything. Growth mode: activated.

And if we rewind just a bit to December? That senior night had all the feels. Lexi Rodriguez and Merritt Beason took their final bow in Husker red, and not a single dry eye in the Devaney. Coach John Cook went full on heartstring mode—roses, framed jerseys, the works. It was one of those nights, the kind you bottle up and carry with you, long after the last whistle blows.