Coach John Cook‘s team is out of the NCAA Championship. However, the true impact of the man who has been a coach for 25 years will be felt in the finals. Why? One of the teams playing in this year’s National Championship final game is led by Cook’s protégé. Louisville volleyball’s coach, Dani Busboom Kelly, built her career at Nebraska before making her mark at Louisville.

During the post-match conference, a reporter asked what Coach Cook felt about his impact and Kelly’s ascendance. While the ever-humble coach didn’t talk about his impact, he had nothing but praise for Coach Dani. “I think she’s done one of the greatest turnarounds of any college volleyball program,” Coach Cook said about his former assistant coach.

Dani Busboom Kelly served as the Nebraska Huskers assistant coach under John Cook for five years, starting in 2012. During her time, the assistant coach helped the Huskers win their fifth NCAA title. After transferring to Louisville as the Cardinals’ head coach, Kelly has continued to shine. “Coming here to Louisville and getting to the Final Four, playing for a national championship. Now she’s gonna get to do it again,” Cook said in praise of the former Huskers defensive specialist.

While Dani Busboom Kelly remains an NCAA rival head coach, Cook has helped nurture Kelly’s talent since 2006. Despite the disappointing end to Nebraska’s NCAA campaign, the veteran coach of 25 years couldn’t help but feel pride in the former Husker, who has elevated the Louisville volleyball program. In fact, Coach Cook even compared Kelly’s girls against their fellow finalists.

“I mean, Penn State has been great,” explained John Cook, as the program is the second most successful one in college volleyball history with seven national titles. However, the former Coach of the Year noted that Dani Busboom Kelly didn’t have that privilege. “She came here, and it wasn’t a power program, and she’s done an amazing job,” added the coach. And it’s difficult to argue the Nebraska coach’s point.

The Dani Busboom Kelly and John Cook’s message ahead of the finals

The Louisville Cardinals have soared under Coach Kelly. The NCAA championship-winning assistant coach immediately made her impact felt when she joined the Cards as their head coach in 2017. Just a few years after she took the reins, Dani Busboom Kelly took Louisville to their first-ever NCAA semifinals in 2021. However, that’s not all.

In 2021, the Cardinals also registered an undefeated 32-0 season under Kelly. In 2022, she helped the Louisville volleyball program another first after getting the team to their second straight Final Four appearance. And although they didn’t make it to the final four in 2023, this year Dani Busboom Kelly has the chance to make NCAA volleyball history.

“I think the historic thing is there’s finally a female is gonna win a national championship,” said the Nebraska coach. With women at the helm of both the Nittany Lions and the Louisville Cardinals, no matter who wins, history will be made. However, John Cook probably hoped that his former assistant coach would succeed where he could not.

“Everybody’s full speed to go, and it should be a great match, but I hope people appreciate what she’s (Dani Busboom Kelly) done here,” added Coach Cook. The NCAA finals are scheduled for Sunday, December 22 at 3 p.m. ET. Only time will tell if Dani Busboom Kelly succeeds in creating history once again for the Louisville Cardinals.