Nebraska sweeps Kansas in spring match as DBK era begins

The Bob Devaney Sports Center was a familiar sight on Saturday night: another Husker Volleyball sweep in front of a sold-out crowd.

Although, this spring match against Kansas was a spot-the-difference game. The answers? One new head coach, four talented freshmen, two potential liberos and one aptly named arena. 

The match was part of the first-ever Husker Games. The teams agreed to play four sets no matter the outcome, and Nebraska beat Kansas in all: 25-20, 25-18, 25-21, 25-22. 

“At first it felt really weird,” senior middle blocker Rebekah Allick said. “I was telling Olivia (Mauch) that being out there going through technically old experiences, but with the missing piece, without John Cook, you see him walking out, having his pep talk, and it's like something is missing. And then it started to feel like home again.” 

Saturday’s match was Dani Busboom Kelly’s first time stepping onto the court as Nebraska’s head coach. Busboom Kelly succeeded her former coach John Cook, who announced his retirement in January. 

“It was more (being) excited and just grateful to be here, a place where you can sell out a spring game, and it's a big deal to people to get in,” Busboom Kelly said. 

Busboom Kelly was a former Nebraska assistant coach as well. She made her homecoming after eight seasons as Louisville’s head coach, leading the Cardinals to two NCAA championship matches, three NCAA semifinals and four ACC titles. 

“Having a coach like Dani who has so much confidence in the team and so much trust in her players, it really inspires you as a player,” junior middle blocker Andi Jackson said. “Even though there were nerves, it was also so much confidence going out there, because we knew we had it in us.” 

The match also featured the debuts of four of the six Husker freshmen: setter Campbell Flynn, opposite hitter Ryan Hunter, libero Keri Leimbach and outside hitter Teraya Sigler. Middle blockers Kenna Cogill and Manaia Ogbechie will be joining the Huskers in the summer. 

“I wasn't very nervous at all,” Hunter said. “I was kind of really excited to be on the court with my sisters. I took it all in.” 

Hunter hit .563 and tied with Jackson for the lead in kills, with 11 each. Despite injuring her ACL last spring, Hunter certainly let her presence be known on the court. 

Nebraska freshman opposite hitter Ryan Hunter (18) spikes the ball during the fourth set of the spring match against Kansas on Saturday, April 27, 2025, at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. Hunter racked up 11 kills and hit .563 in her first match as a Husker. Photo by Izzy Lewis.

“I'm so proud of Ryan,” Jackson said. “She's worked so hard to get to this point, especially coming off of an injury that she had, you would never be able to tell. And so I'm really proud of her for her adversity.” 

The question of Nebraska’s next libero was still left in the air as junior Laney Choboy and sophomore Olivia Mauch both donned the black jersey for two sets each. Choboy had 18 digs and Mauch had 12. 

The entirety of Saturday’s match stood on the legacy of Cook. His legendary 25-year-run of the program led the University of Nebraska Board of Regents to approve the naming of John Cook Arena at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. 

“Coach (Cook) built an empire,” Allick said. “He made a program so attractive that it will bring some of the greatest athletes in the nation, regardless of who's in charge. And now, the matter of who's in charge, that kind of is the cherry on top. Truly, yes, Dani has added a lot. But regardless, we're going to try and go out there and demolish.” 

As the Huskers adjusted to new lineups, they also tried out some new plays, much to their benefit. A backrow attack from Jackson prepped by junior setter Bergen Reilly and junior outside hitter Harper Murray’s jump serve were fresh and electric ways of scoring points for the Huskers. 

“It'll be a smaller crowd in Ord, and so I think we'll be able to focus on stuff technically speaking, and run more of those offensive plays (and) different things that we have to offer this season,” Allick said. “Playing here in Devaney was great. It really is, honestly, the definition of jumping off in the deep end.” 

The Huskers have another opportunity to preview the 2025 season. Nebraska will play its second spring match against South Dakota State at Ord High School on Saturday, May 2 at 2 p.m. Tickets for the match sold out in 27 minutes.

Published in UNLimited Sports, read here.