Back in October 2024, Harper Murray shared a super fun montage, showcasing heartwarming moments from the court. With an adorable snap of her sister, Kendall Murray, giving Harper a piggyback ride to this sweet hug with Michigan’s Carly Greskovics, it had it all. But the real showstopper? A pic of Harper and Coach Cook with their faces printed on her jersey! It’s such a twist, and Husker Nation couldn’t help but share it!

Hail Varsity dropped it on X with the caption, “This might be the best thing we’ve seen all year. @jcook2 🤝@harpermurray4.” The bond between the 68-year-old coach and Harper is indeed special and it dates back to the days when Harper was still in school. Just weeks back, Harper had posted a letter written to him by Coach Cook after a volleyball camp when she was just 11. “Harper – Thank you for coming to camp. One of the best learners I have coached. Know that you will always have a locker at Nebraska. Hope you can see a match here sometime – Until then dream big! PS: You look great in red–John,” the letter dated 7/10/16 read.

Harper has lived up to the expectation and her bond with the coach has only got stronger. So much so that Harper has created a TikTok account for Cook which is actually operated by Harper from the coach’s phone. They star together in multiple TikTok videos. And according to Harper, “He’s always asking what we’re going to do next. He loves it.” From putting the coach to serve test to Harper yelling at him, the platform has several moments showcasing them. Recently Harper added one more to it.

Harper Murray posted a TikTok video a day ago, which was a hilarious prank on all her coaches Jordan Larson, Jaylen Reyes, Kelly (Hunter) Natter, Lindsay Peterson, and the legend, Coach John Cook. In the video, she FaceTimed her coaches, but here’s the kicker—she had her laptop set up with a video of a guy just staring blankly at the camera, while she used her back camera for the call. When Jordan Larson finally answered the call, she remained silent before responding, “Harperrr.”

The confusion on the coaches’ faces was priceless! Jaylen Reyes just sat there looking at the screen until his screen froze, and the rest either burst into laughter, hung up the phone, or uttered that familiar ‘huh?’ look. But plot twist—guess who didn’t pick up her call? Yup, Coach Cook. Harper couldn’t resist spilling the tea in her caption: “GUYS @coachjohncook1 WOULDNT ANSWER MY CALLS. I’ll try again with him tho.” Though the coach did not pick up her phone on the video, he always had Harper’s back during her most trying times.

Last spring Harper struggled with her emotional health. Two legal incidents of DUI and shoplifting only made matters worse. While she was healing from her bruised mind, the coach’s support was vital. “The connection that he has with Harper is extremely special,” Nebraska’s former co-captain Lexi Rodriguez said. “I think anyone can see it, whether you’re on the court or not.” Cook stood up for her like the father she lost 13 years ago. Harper brings out a soft side in Cook that few have seen. He cares for her like a daughter.

“It’s unconditional love,” said Cook, a four-time national champion coach in his 25th season at Nebraska. “That’s really what it is. In this day and age, with this generation, you’ve got to have that if you’re going to coach.” Interestingly, if the Huskers want to request the coach for something, say an adjustment to their uniforms or a tweak in the schedule, it’s Harper who has to approach Cook. “You ask” teammates tell her, she said, “because he’ll say yes to you.” Cook doesn’t say that Murray is his favorite. But the Huskers know it is true. Indeed Cook is special. But Harper also recently shared a heartfelt moment with one of her coaches, showing how deep her connection goes.

Harper Murray gets emotional for a coach!

Well, it’s no longer hush-hush—Olympic champ and Nebraska Huskers assistant coach Jordan Larson has officially stepped down from her post. The information came out on Monday and the Huskers head coach John Cook clearly could not mask his feelings.

“While I am disappointed we won’t have her on staff anymore, I am thankful to Jordan for all that she has done,” he said. And now? The fan-favorite outside hitter Harper Murray is stepping in with nothing more than love and appreciation for her former coach.

Harper isn’t just a star on the court—she’s got a heart full of appreciation and she’s making sure the world knows just how much Larson meant to her journey. Turns out, “part of the reason” she went with NU was because she was a huge fan of Jordan Larson. She only wished to continue the grand tradition Larson created and nothing could have been more shocking for her in 2023 when Jordan joined the coaching staff.

“The day I found out Jordan would be joining our staff two years ago, I cried on the court during practice,” she revealed. And now, with Larson stepping down? Harper’s feeling all the emotions, but if there’s one clear thing—it’s just how deep her connection runs with her coaches!