John Cook Reflects on Nebraska Star’s Bench-Crashing Save That Left Volleyball Community Stunned: “Took the Hit”

Nebraska has done it again and this time, it’s history in the making! The No. 3 Huskers advanced to the NCAA Semifinals with a 3-0 dismantling of No. 7 Wisconsin on Sunday, which energized an audience of 8,743 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. The first set? A nail-biting 26-24 showdown. The second? Clean sweep for them as they take it 25-17. And in the third, just when it seemed that Wisconsin may rally to make it interesting and get it back to 15-11, Nebraska took over, winning 14 of the last 20 points to seal the 25-21 victory.

It was sheer determination and tenacity on the court, and the Huskers not only beat the Badgers in all three matches in the season, but they also fought their way into the NCAA Semifinals for the second year in a row and the seventh time in the last ten years. Oh, and let’s not forget—it’s their 18th semifinal appearance in program history, 12 of those under John Cook. And now, Nebraska’s head coach John Cook has weighed in on the incredible bench-crashing save by a Husker star that left the entire volleyball world speechless!

In a recent video shared by Inside Nebraska on YouTube, John Cook sat down with Lexi Rodriguez and Harper Murray after the Badgers vs Nebraska game. During the conversation, a journalist asked Coach Cook, “Coach, Laney kind of dove at you again in the third set. Were you a little more prepared this year than last year?”

With a chuckle, Cook responded, “Yeah. I was ready because I knew she was going. I was going to take the hit and not let her hit the… because it was right there in the corner of the scorers table. I’m not letting her hit this thing. I took the hit. I was ready.”

Cook, being Cook, always has the players’ best interest in mind, whether it’s on or off the court. Fans were buzzing over Laney Choboy’s epic bench-crashing save, with one fan even commenting, “OMG I guess that’s for a reason you know 👏👏👏👏👏 I gat your back ❤️.” Cook’s commitment to protecting his players extends beyond the game.

Whether it’s diving to shield them from any potential injury or supporting them in their broader athletic journeys, Cook truly lifts up his players. He often states, “Best players we’ve had at Nebraska have been multi-sport athletes in high school. So let them play other sports.” But the appreciation did not end there, as many other users came through to the comment section to celebrate the wonderful save made by Choboy.

Volleyball community stunned with Nebraska star’s save!

One user could not resist leaving a comment on this post and said, “Choboy, you never seize to amaze me!👏👏👏👏❤️.” Seriously, picture this: a high-stakes, intensely battled third set where every single point counts. Amidst the chaos, Nebraska’s star player rushes to save the ball from hitting the ground, colliding with the coach mid-play, only to pop back up and get right back into the action—eventually leading to a crucial win. It’s truly jaw-dropping, as another user echoed the sentiment, saying, “LANEY IS A BEAST!!! 🔥🔥🔥.”

Laney, a sophomore, quickly made a name for herself during her freshman year at Nebraska. She played in 34 matches and had a dig per set of 1.82, 37 set assists, and 14 service aces. Her standout performance earned her a spot on the Ameritas Players Challenge All-Tournament Team, showcasing her talent and dedication. One user couldn’t help but drop a comment, saying, “Choboy ballin’ as usual,” which perfectly describe her gaming style with those casual, playful moves and key moments.

Nebraska’s game was on fire during this match. They had three players with double figure kills, Taylor Landfair being the most productive player with thirteen kills in the match. While, Andi Jackson and Harper Murray added ten kills each and, the team ended with .210 hitting efficiency. The defense was just as strong, allowing Wisconsin to hit only .126 on the night. Nebraska out-blocked the Badgers 12-9, Jackson had five of those.

On the defense, Lexi Rodriguez had overall match digs of 17 and Harper Murray dug 12 to get a double digit. And of course, the save of the match by Laney Choboy became the talk of the town. This fan could not help but shower all the love and wrote, “Might very well be the toughest one 🥺.”