- VOLLEYBALL CONTINUES TO REACH NEW HEIGHTS ACROSS NEBRASKA.

IF THAT'S EVEN POSSIBLE.

AND AS WE ENTER THE 25-26 SEASON, TWO OF THE NATION'S PREMIER PROGRAMS BEGIN A NEW ERA.

NEBRASKA AND CREIGHTON MADE HEADLINES IN THE OFF SEASON WITH BIG COACHING CHANGES, AND ALSO WITH THE HUSKERS RANKED NUMBER ONE IN THE PRESEASON AND THE BLUE JAYS AT NUMBER 12.

EXPECTATIONS ARE SKY HIGH, ADDED THE RISE OF PRO VOLLEYBALL WITH STARS LIKE JORDAN LARSON LEADING THE CHARGE, AND THE STATE'S IMPACT ON THIS SPORT HAS NEVER BEEN GREATER.

TONIGHT, WE PREVIEW WHAT'S NEXT ON THE STATE VOLLEYBALL.

(intense music) - AND WELCOME TO THE STATE OF VOLLEYBALL 2025.

PLEASED TO BE JOINED NOW BY THE NEW HEAD COACH OF NEBRASKA VOLLEYBALL, DANI BUSBOOM KELLY.

AND I'M CURIOUS, THIS IS PROBABLY THE FIFTH TIME I'VE SEEN YOU PRESEASON AND EVENTS, INTERVIEWS, MEDIA DAY.

HOW MUCH MORE JUST CAN BE A PERCENTAGE?

HOW MUCH MORE ARE YOU DOING AT NEBRASKA THAN WHAT YOU DID IN LOUISVILLE?

- MEDIA WISE?

LIKE 75% MORE.

I FEEL LIKE THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AT LOUISVILLE, THE MEDIA STARTED GETTING INVOLVED, AND THAT WAS GREAT.

BUT IT'S NOTHING LIKE HERE, THAT'S FOR SURE.

-[LARRY] HAS IT BEEN SURPRISED HOW MUCH IT WAS AND HOW MUCH IT IS?

-[DANI] YES.

AND I WAS EVEN TALKING TO OUR SID ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS AN ASSISTANT HERE, AND HOW MUCH BIGGER IT'S EVEN GOTTEN SINCE THEN.

AND THEN IT WAS HUGE.

SO I THINK IT'S JUST CONTINUES TO GET BIGGER AND BIGGER.

-[LARRY] I GUESS.

I MEAN, IT'S INDICATIVE OF HOW POPULAR THE SPORT IS IN THE STATE, RIGHT?

- YES, 100%.

JUST THE POPULARITY AND PEOPLE CARE AND THEY WANT TO BE INFORMED.

IT'S A GREAT THING.

TIME CONSUMING, BUT IT'S GREAT.

- ALL RIGHT.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE RIGHT SIDE.

WHAT DO YOU HAVE SOME OPTIONS THERE.

WHAT QUALITIES ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?

WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM THAT RIGHT SIDE POSITION?

- YOU KNOW, NUMBER ONE, SOME CONSISTENCY.

YOU KNOW, NUMBER TWO, A GREAT BLOCKER.

AND NUMBER THREE, YOU GOT TO BE ABLE TO KILL A HIGH BALL AND OUT OF SYSTEM AND TAKE SOME PRESSURE OFF OUR OUTSIDE HITTERS.

SO THOSE ARE PROBABLY THREE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS.

AND YOU KNOW ANYBODY OR ANY OF THOSE RIGHT SIDE OPTIONS WE HAVE ARE GREAT PEOPLE, GREAT TEAMMATES.

SO I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT THAT ASPECT.

IT'S MORE JUST WHO'S EFFICIENT AND WHO IS CONFIDENT TO TAKE A SWING IN A BIG MOMENT.

- DO THEY EACH DO DIFFERENT THINGS OR CAN YOU FIND ALL OF THAT IN ONE PERSON?

- WE CAN FIND ALL OF IT IN ONE PERSON.

WHAT'S HARD IS I THINK THEY ALL CAN DO ALL OF IT.

SO, THEY'RE ALL VERY TALENTED AND ARE HAVING GREAT PRESEASON.

-[LARRY] IS THIS A PROBLEM?

DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH BALLS.

-[DANI] OH, NO, WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH BALLS.

-[LARRY] RIGHT.

SO SPEAKING OF THAT, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE LEFT SIDE BECAUSE AGAIN, SO MUCH TALENT OVER THERE.

DO YOU PLAN ON GOING IN WITH THE SOLID NUMBER TWO BEHIND HARPER?

- YOU KNOW, HONESTLY, I THINK HARPER'S GETTING PUSHED A LOT THIS YEAR, WHICH IS GREAT FOR HER AND FOR OUR TEAM.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'LL BE A SOLID NUMBER TWO.

I THINK THERE ARE ALL FOUR OF THE OUTSIDES ARE PLAYING GREAT.

AND YOU CAN TELL THE THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT SKYLER PIERCE SHE'S PUT IN THIS SUMMER.

THEY LOOK GREAT.

AND THEN TAYLOR, YOU KNOW, IS PLAYING BETTER THAN SHE WAS IN THE SPRING.

SO IT'S PRETTY AWESOME JUST TO SEE THEM BATTLE IT OUT.

AND EVERYDAY AFTER PRACTICE YOU'RE LIKE, OH, I WONDER WHAT THE STATS LOOK LIKE BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL PLAYING SO WELL.

IT'S HARD TO REALLY SAY WHO'S BETTER THAN THE OTHER UNTIL YOU LOOK AT THE STATS.

-[LARRY] DOES THAT GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A QUICK HOOK OR.

- YES.

- DOES IT.

- YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THAT'S GONNA BE A STRENGTH OF OUR TEAM IS WE WANT TO MAKE A BIG RUN IN DECEMBER, AND YOU'LL HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR TEAM UNDERSTANDS WE'RE NOT AFRAID TO TAKE RISKS AND MAKE CHANGES.

AND IT COULD BE FOR A CERTAIN TEAM.

IT COULD BE FOR A CERTAIN MOMENT.

THEY NEED TO BE READY, BECAUSE I'M NOT AFRAID TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES OR TRY SOMETHING OR TAKE A COUPLE RISKS.

-[LARRY] AND I'M GUESSING, GIVEN WHAT WE SAW OUT OF CAMPBELL FLYNN IN ORD, THAT APPLIES TO THE SETTER POSITION AS WELL.

-[DANI] YES.

I MEAN, SETTER IS ALWAYS UNIQUE.

YOU KNOW, YOU WANT YOUR SETTER TO FEEL LIKE A QUARTERBACK AND THAT THEY HAVE A LONG LEASH AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET PULLED FOR MISTAKES.

SO I THINK IT'S MORE GOING TO BE, A GAME PLAN GOING INTO THAT MATCH THAN, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY'S NOT PLAYING WELL AND THEY'RE GETTING PULLED.

- RIGHT.

AND I MEAN, YOU YOU MENTIONED IT BEFORE, BUT DO YOU THINK THIS COULD BE A MATCHUP SITUATION OR WHAT DO WE NEED AGAINST THIS TEAM.

DO WE NEED A BIGGER BLOCK.

DO IT.

LIKE IS THAT PART OF THE QUESTION?

- DEFINITELY I THINK SO.

AND JUST YOU KNOW, CHANGING UP THE THE ENERGY OR WE NEED TO GIVE CERTAIN PLAYERS SOME BREAKS OR CERTAIN PLAYERS AREN'T FEELING THEIR BEST.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S AGAIN GOING TO BE A STRENGTH OF OUR TEAM.

IT FEELS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE SICKNESS STARTS TO HIT IN NOVEMBER.

AND YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS WE HAVE SIX HEALTHY PLAYERS, WE ARE PROBABLY GOING TO BE OKAY.

- YOU INHERITED A COACHING STAFF, RIGHT?

SO YOU DIDN'T BRING YOUR TEAM IN.

MESKE OBVIOUSLY TOOK OVER THE JOB AT LOUISVILLE.

HOW HAVE THEIR ROLES CHANGED AND HOW HAS THAT BEEN ACCEPTED BY THE BY THE STAFF?

- THE STAFF HAS BEEN A GREAT, YOU KNOW, PHENOMENAL.

I FEEL VERY BLESSED THAT THEY ALL STAYED, ESPECIALLY THE LIFE THAT CHANGES I WAS GOING THROUGH WITH MOVING AND HAVING A BABY.

AND IF I HAD TO HIRE A WHOLE NEW STAFF, I WOULD HAVE BEEN WILD.

SO JUST HAVING THEM HERE AND, EXPLAINING TO THEM KIND OF HOW THEIR ROLES ARE GOING TO CHANGE AND NONE OF THEM BATTED AN EYE AND THEY'RE LIKE, OKAY, THIS SOUNDS GREAT.

AND I FEEL LIKE WE'RE WE'VE GOT A GREAT GROOVE GOING IN PRACTICE AND WITH OUR POSITIONS AND, I THINK ALL OF THEM ARE REALLY APPRECIATING LEARNING SOMETHING NEW AND BEING CHALLENGED IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

-[LARRY] I NOTICED.

IN ORD YOU WERE OUT THERE WITH THE SETTERS PRE ARE YOU TAKING OVER THE SETTERS NOW?

- YES.

- DO YOU LIKE THAT?

OBVIOUSLY.

- YEAH THAT'S WHAT I DID FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS.

LOUISVILLE AND I FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT IT'S THE RIGHT MOVE TO HAVE THE HEAD COACH, ESPECIALLY IF THE HEAD COACH HAS THE TOOLS TO COACH THE SETTERS, TO HAVE THEM VERY INVOLVED IN THE SETTER POSITION.

-[LARRY] YEAH.

SO YOU COME OUT OF THE BLOCK RANKED NUMBER ONE IN THE COUNTRY.

AND I HEARD SOMEBODY SAID, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT.

AND YOUR COMMENT WAS I HAD A VOTE.

I VOTED US NUMBER ONE.

I GUESS THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS TO MANAGE EXPECTATIONS AND ONE IS JUST TO EMBRACE IT.

AND THAT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S THE WAY YOU'VE CHOSEN TO HANDLE IT.

- FOR SURE.

EMBRACE IT.

I THINK OUR TEAM KNOWS WHERE RIGHT NOW, WHEN FOR ANY WHISTLES HAVE BEEN BLOWN THAT WERE NUMBER ONE ON PAPER, BUT THEY'RE ALSO MATURE ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING AND IT CAN CHANGE A LOT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

AND I TOLD THEM JUST BECAUSE WE'RE NUMBER ONE, RIGHT, OR I BELIEVE WE'RE NUMBER ONE TOP TO BOTTOM, BUT THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN OUR EIGHT STARTERS ARE NUMBER ONE EVERY NIGHT AND THAT ANOTHER TEAM CAN'T PLAY GREAT AND BEAT US.

THIS IS JUST THE NUMBER IN FRONT OF YOUR NAME.

AND AGAIN, LUCKY TO HAVE A VERY MATURE TEAM THAT'S BEEN THROUGH THIS MANY TIMES.

- SO YOU'RE LOOKING FOR LEADERSHIP OBVIOUSLY.

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE KEY COMPONENTS OF HAVING A SOLID TEAM IS PLAYER LEADERSHIP.

AND I HEARD YOU MENTIONED EARLIER THAT YOU SAW PART OF THE COLLAPSE AGAINST PENN STATE.

WAS THERE WAS A LACK OF LEADERSHIP.

HOW ARE YOU GOING ABOUT RECTIFYING THAT AND CREATING LEADERS WITH THIS TEAM?

- OH YEAH, FIRST AND FOREMOST IS REALLY SHOWING THEM, TEACHING THEM, TALKING TO THEM ABOUT A PLAYER LED TEAM AND MAKING SURE THEY ARE TAKING CARE OF DETAILS AND THINGS THEMSELVES.

I THINK THAT WILL GO A LONG WAYS.

SO IN MATCHES THERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE TRUST IN.

THEY UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER A LITTLE BIT MORE.

OTHER THAN THAT, THERE'S NOT A LOT THAT WE'RE DOING.

IT'S MORE PUTTING THEM IN TOUGH SITUATIONS IN PRACTICE AND SEEING WHO EMERGES AND GIVING THEM THE FLOOR TO SPEAK AND, GIVING THEM THE MOMENTS TO CALL THEIR OWN TIMEOUTS AND TO MAKE CHANGES IN PRACTICE.

-[LARRY] DOES IT HAVE TO BE ORGANIC?

I THINK SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE BEST TEAMS I'VE BEEN ON AND THE BEST TEAMS I'VE COACHED HAS BEEN ORGANIC LEADERS AND YOU KNOW, NOTHING'S BEEN FORCED.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE THEME IS ALWAYS INTERESTING.

YOU KNOW SOME YEARS YOU HAVE A GREAT THEME.

SOME YEARS IT'S FOUR.

SO YOU KNOW IT'S OKAY IF THERE'S NOT THIS UNDERLYING THEME.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE THIS THE LEADERSHIP IS OKAY IF WE DON'T GO INTO THE SEASON SAYING, THIS IS OUR LEADER, WE CAN WAIT AND KIND OF SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

-[LARRY] HOW MUCH DOES IT HELP THAT YOU'VE WALKED IN THEIR SHOES LIKE YOU'VE BEEN IN NEBRASKA?

VOLLEYBALL PLAYER YOU UNDERSTAND THE PRESSURE FROM THE STATE, THE EXPECTATIONS.

AND REALLY WE SAY PRESSURE AND EXPECTATIONS, BUT IT'S REALLY JUST MORE ABOUT HOW THE STATE WANTS YOU TO DO WELL.

-[DANI] YEAH, I THINK IT HELPS A TON.

THAT I'VE BEEN THERE AS A PLAYER AND A COACH AT NEBRASKA BEFORE, SO I UNDERSTAND IT FROM BOTH SIDES.

NOW I GET TO BE THE HEAD COACH, WHICH IS A NEW ROLE, BUT I WAS ABLE TO DO A LOT OF THAT AT MY PREVIOUS JOB AT LOUISVILLE, BUILDING A PROGRAM AND WHERE EXPECTATIONS STARTED TO BECOME PRETTY LOFTY.

SO I'VE BEEN THERE, AND I ALSO HAVE PERSPECTIVE NOW THAT I'VE BEEN A PLAYER, A COACH LED A GREAT PROGRAM TO HIGH EXPECTATIONS, AND I'M JUST DOING IT HERE, AND I THINK IT MAKES IT PRETTY RELATABLE AND MORE HUMAN TO OUR PLAYERS.

-[LARRY] HOW'S IT DIFFERENT NOW THAN IT WAS WHEN YOU PLAYED?

- WHEN I PLAYED, YOU KNOW, QUITE A BIT DIFFERENT WITH, I THINK THE SOCIAL MEDIA HAS REALLY I JUST THINK THAT'S MADE NEBRASKA VOLLEYBALL LIKE A BIGGER REACH.

IT'S NOT JUST THE STATE OF NEBRASKA ANYMORE.

THERE'S PEOPLE EMAILING US ALL THE TIME FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

YOU KNOW THAT HARPER MURRAY'S MY FAVORITE PLAYER.

WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU PLAY.

AND CALIFORNIA AND WE'RE LIFELONG HUSKER FANS.

SO I, I REALLY THINK IT'S BUILT NOT JUST THIS AMAZING FAN BASE AND CULTURE IN NEBRASKA, BUT AND A NATIONWIDE FAN BASE.

- I THINK THE EARLY, THE EARLY DIALOG WAS THIS, THIS IS GOING TO LOOK DIFFERENT.

IT'S GOING TO BE FASTER.

THE OFFENSE IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT.

YOU'VE KIND OF TEMPERED, YOU KNOW, THOSE COMMENTS AND SAID IT'S MAYBE A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THAT MUCH.

-[DANI] YEAH.

- WHAT WILL BE DIFFERENT.

WHAT WILL PEOPLE NOTICE?

- I DO YOU THINK THEY'LL NOTICE A LITTLE BIT OF A FASTER OFFENSE BUT NOT TO SOMEBODY WHO HASN'T WATCHED NEBRASKA VOLLEYBALL FOR YEARS.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT THAT MUCH QUICKER THAN EVEN LAST YEAR.

I DO THINK THEY'LL NOTICE US FORCING THE BALL TO THE MIDDLES A LOT MORE AND YOU KNOW, ANDI JACKSON, BECCA ALLICK AND OUR TWO FRESHMEN MIDDLES ARE THEY ALL CAN SCORE.

SO WE'RE GOING TO GET THEM THE BALL A LOT.

MAYBE A LITTLE MORE SET.

THEY WILL CHANGE THINGS UP, YOU KNOW, WITH RUNNING DIFFERENT COMBOS.

BUT THIS ISN'T GOING TO BE AN EVERY PLAY TYPE THING.

IT'S GOING TO BE, A ONCE IN A WHILE.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'LL NOTICE A WAY DIFFERENT OFFENSE.

THEY'RE GOING TO SEE SOME TWEAKS AND SEE SOME FUN THINGS, BUT NOT EVERY PLAY.

- WELL I'LL TELL YOU THE D BALL TO ANDI.

-[DANI] YEAH.

-[LARRY] THAT LIT UP TWITTER.

I'M SURE WE'LL SEE.

- I HOPE WE GET TO SEE THAT AGAIN.

YEAH THAT WAS THE PERFECT SITUATION.

YOU KNOW SHE MADE HER SERVE.

WE GOT AN EASY BALL BACK SO WE CAN GET HER A GREAT SET.

SO THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN.

AND SHE MIGHT SERVE 20 TIMES AND WE NEVER EVEN GET THE CHANCE TO SET HER, SO.

-[LARRY] YEAH.

OKAY.

QUICK ANSWER.

WHEN THE FANS WATCH THE HUSKERS THIS YEAR, WHAT'S ONE THING THAT YOU HOPE THEY SEE THAT'S A REFLECTION OF WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING AND YOU'VE COACHED.

- A LOT OF JOY.

AND THEN I GET A LOT OF RISK TAKING.

SO AGAIN FIRING THE BALL TO THE MIDDLE AND JUST THE LACK OF FEAR ON THE COURT.

AND THAT'S THE WAY I COACH AND HOW I WANT OUR PLAYERS TO PLAY.

SO I HOPE THE FANS CAN SEE THAT AND HOPEFULLY GIVE THEM SOME GRACE, ESPECIALLY EARLY.

IT'S LIKE, OH, THAT MAYBE DIDN'T WORK, BUT WE DON'T KNOW UNTIL WE TRY IT.

AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO WORK ON THOSE THINGS IN HIGH PRESSURE SITUATIONS.

-[LARRY] THERE IS AS MUCH ANTICIPATION FOR THIS YEAR'S SEASON THAN I CAN REMEMBER IN A LONG TIME.

WELCOME BACK.

-THANK YOU.

- THANKS FOR JOINING US.

GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

- THANK YOU.

YOU TOO.

AND WELCOME BACK TO STATE VOLLEYBALL.

JOINED NOW BY ANOTHER FIRST YEAR HEAD COACH AND BRIAN ROSEN OF CREIGHTON.

CONGRATULATIONS.

- THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

- YEAH I'M GUESSING THREE YEARS AGO.

FOUR YEARS AGO NOW, WHEN YOU TOOK THE ASSISTANT JOB, YOU HAD NO IDEA THIS WOULD BE OPEN IN THREE YEARS.

NO IDEA THIS WOULD BE OPEN IN 10 TO 20 YEARS.

HONESTLY, I JUST KNOW THAT THIS WAS AN INCREDIBLE PROGRAM AND I JUST WANTED TO LEARN FROM COACH BOOTH IN THIS PROGRAM, AND, I SO TO BE WHERE I AM RIGHT NOW IS NOT SOMETHING I SAW BEFORE, BUT I JUST FEEL JUST INCREDIBLY BLESSED TO BE HERE.

- WHEN KIRSTEN GAVE YOU THE NEWS, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

- I HAD, YOU KNOW, SOME NOTES.

SHE HAD TOLD ME BEFORE THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT SHE WAS LOOKING INTO.

AND, THAT IF SHE DID LOOK INTO IT, THAT SHE SAW ME IN THIS ROLE.

AND THEN I WAS LIKE, OKAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'LL HAPPEN, BUT PROBABLY NOT.

AND THEN IT GOT A LITTLE MORE SERIOUS AND A LITTLE MORE SERIOUS.

AND SO WHEN IT FINALLY HAPPENED, AS IT WAS, IT WAS SAD TEARS AT FIRST BECAUSE SHE'S JUST SUCH A GREAT FRIEND OF MINE.

AND, THE BIGGEST THING WAS THAT WE GET TO STILL BE FRIENDS.

AND SHE'S NOT GOING ANYWHERE.

SHE'S RIGHT HERE IN OMAHA -[LARRY] TAKING OVER.

AND A FAMILIAR ENVIRONMENT IS CERTAINLY COMFORTING, BUT I IMAGINE THINGS STILL CHANGE FOR YOU.

WHAT'S BEEN THE BIGGEST CHANGE FOR YOU?

-[BRIAN] JUST, YOU KNOW, BEING THE DECISION MAKER.

I THINK WHEN IT FIRST HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, WE WERE IN THE SPRING SEASON STILL, AND WE WERE IN PRACTICE MODE.

SO I'VE RUN THE PRACTICE THIS YEAR FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS SO THAT I THINK, OUR PLAYERS FELT REALLY COMFORTABLE WITH.

I FELT REALLY COMFORTABLE WITH.

SO I THINK THAT TRANSITION WAS SO HELPFUL.

SO THE TIMING OF WHEN SHE LEFT, I THINK, ALLOWED OUR TEAM TO LIKE, TAKE A BREATH OF LIKE, OKAY, THAT'S STILL FEELS VERY NORMAL.

YOU KNOW, I TOLD THE TEAM THAT AND LIKE, WHERE IT'S GOING TO START FEELING DIFFERENT IS WHEN WE DO INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS, YOU KNOW, THE MAIN PERSON IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT.

AND AS WE MAKE DECISIONS FOR PLAYING TIME AND THINGS LIKE THAT, LIKE THAT WILL BE DIFFERENT.

AND DOING INTERVIEWS LIKE THIS IS DIFFERENT.

AND SO, SO DEFINITELY LIKE WHERE I'VE MANAGED MY TIME HAS FELT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

BUT AS FAR AS, LIKE WHO I AM AS A COACH AND WANTING TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AS HAS BEEN THE SAME.

- SO YOU LOSE NORAH SIS, YOU LOSE KENDRA WAIT.

OBVIOUSLY YOU DON'T REPLACE PLAYERS OF THAT, BUT WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO FIND PRODUCTION OUTSIDE OF AVA?

- WE FEEL GREAT ABOUT WHERE WE ARE.

AVA MARTIN COMES BACK.

SHE'S REALLY, REALLY GOOD TOO.

MULTI ALL-AMERICA.

AND SHE WON A GOLD WITH USA THIS SUMMER.

SO SHE BRINGS US THE PRESENCE AND THE LEADERSHIP TO OUR GYM, JAYA JOHNSON WAS HUGE FOR US ALL SEASON.

WHAT I LOVE IS SHE PLAYED HER BEST AT THE END OF THE YEAR.

I MEAN, IN THAT TEXAS MATCH AND EVEN IN THE PENN STATE MATCH, SHE WAS INCREDIBLE.

SHE'S SUCH A PRESENCE AT THE NET.

AND WE'VE TALKED TO HER AND SHE WANTS A BIGGER LOAD THIS YEAR AND KNOWS THAT SHE'S READY FOR IT.

WE HAVE TWO, OUTSIDES, RIGHT NOW, LIKE, REALLY FIGHTING FOR THAT OTHER SPOT AND DESTINY AND ABBEY AND, YOU KNOW, AS WE LOOK TO THE PENN STATE MATCH HERE, COMING UP, LIKE, THAT'LL BE ONE, ONE POSITION.

THAT'S REALLY CLOSE RIGHT NOW.

IN THE MIDDLE, WE FEEL GREAT AS WELL.

WE HAVE THREE INCREDIBLE MIDDLES HERE.

KIARA COMES BACK FOR HER SIXTH YEAR.

SHE'S GETTING ALMOST AS OLD AS WE ARE.

SO, WE ARE FORTUNATE SHE GOT A COVID YEAR AND HAD, A REDSHIRT YEAR.

AND SO.

SO KIARA COMES BACK IN THE MIDDLE, WE BRING IN ELOISE BRANDEWIE.

A TRANSFER WITH TWO YEARS OF STARTING EXPERIENCE AT OHIO STATE.

AND THEN OUR WORDS NO ONE GOT TO SEE LAST YEAR.

SHE'S A REDSHIRT FRESHMAN.

INCREDIBLE SIZE, PHYSICALITY.

GREW UP ON A FARM.

AND SHE'S JUST, THAT KIND OF CULTURE.

AND SHE BRINGS JUST, A GREAT PRESENCE FOR US AT THE NET.

- YOU OPEN UP WITH PENN STATE, YOU HAVE TEXAS, YOU HAVE KANSAS.

FIRST THREE GAMES, ALL RANKED TEAMS.

HAVE YOU SENT KIRSTEN THANK YOU LETTER YET?

- YEAH.

AND SHE'LL JUST ADD TO IT.

I JOKINGLY SAY LIKE THAT WAS HER GOING AWAY PRESENT TO ME.

BUT, WE MADE ALL THOSE DECISIONS TOGETHER.

AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING I REALLY APPRECIATED ABOUT OUR RELATIONSHIP.

EVEN WHEN I WAS THE ASSISTANT, SHE REALLY LOOKED TO US TO HELP HER WITH THOSE THINGS.

SO WHEN, WHEN WE GOT THE CALL FOR THE FIRST SERVE, LIKE, DO WE WANT TO DO THIS?

LIKE WE WERE ALL IN?

- WHEN PEOPLE SEE THIS TEAM PLAY IN DECEMBER, WHAT DO YOU HOPE THEY SEE THAT WOULD BE INDICATIVE OF YOUR MARK ON THIS TEAM?

- I JUST THINK THAT THEY'RE RELENTLESS TO EVERYTHING.

AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE SEEN IN THE GYM ALREADY, THROUGH THIS PRESEASON THAT POINTS ARE HARD IN OUR GYM.

WE'RE RUNNING DOWN EVERYTHING.

WE'RE GETTING TOUCHES ON BLOCKS, ON DIGS.

LIKE I WANT FANS OR THE AVERAGE SPECTATOR THAT JUST TURNS ON ONE OF OUR MATCHES TO BE LIKE, WOW.

LIKE THEY JUST GO AFTER EVERYTHING.

THEY'RE SCRAPPY TO SHOW A LOT OF GRIT.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE WANT.

LIKE OUR TEAM TO BE KNOWN FOR, IS THAT THEY JUST LEAVE IT ALL OUT THERE.

- THANKS FOR JOINING US.

- ABSOLUTELY.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

- HEY, HAVE A GREAT SEASON.

- AND WELCOME BACK TO STATE OF VOLLEYBALL 2025.

WE'VE SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST.

NOW JOINED BY HUSKERS ILLUSTRATED VOLLEYBALL BEAT WRITER LINCOLN ARNEAL WHO ALSO HAS THE VOLLEYBALL STATE PODCAST ALONG WITH JEFF SHELDON.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

- YOU BET.

NICE TO BE HERE.

- IT'S BEEN A REALLY.

SLOW OFF SEASON FOR YOU.

THERE'S BEEN REALLY NOTHING TO COVER.

- I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT HERE TODAY.

YEAH.

SAME THING JUST RUN IT BACK.

RIGHT.

-[LARRY] EXACTLY.

SO MUCH HAS CHANGED NOT ONLY AT NEBRASKA BUT AT CREIGHTON AND PRO VOLLEYBALL.

AND I WANT TO GET TO ALL OF THAT.

BUT MAYBE AT A HIGH LEVEL, JUST START WITH, YOU KNOW, CASUAL FANS HAVE BEEN KEEPING UP WITH THIS.

WHAT'S SOMETHING THEY MIGHT KNOW ABOUT EACH ONE OF THESE PROGRAMS?

NEBRASKA AND CREIGHTON.

THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, MAY NOT BE AWARE OF CURRENTLY.

- I THINK THAT IT'S I MEAN THE HEADLINERS CHANGE.

YOU GOT NEW HEAD COACHES AT BOTH NEBRASKA AND CREIGHTON.

BUT I THINK THEY HAVE SUCH STRONG CULTURES LEFT IN PLACE BY THE PREVIOUS REGIME THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SKIP A BEAT, TOO.

I THINK THERE ARE SOME TALENT TURNOVER.

THE PLAYER TURNS OVER A LITTLE BIT EVERY YEAR OR TWO, BUT THE CULTURE IS STILL STRONG AND I THINK THEY'RE STILL GOING TO BE PLAYERS FOR BOTH CONFERENCE CROWNS THAT THEY'RE CHASING.

-[LARRY] YEAH.

SO LET'S START WITH NEBRASKA.

WHAT DO YOU.

WHAT KIND OF DEVELOPMENT PLAYER DEVELOP MAYBE UNDERLYING THEME DO YOU SEE WITH NEBRASKA THAT'S GOING TO BECOME A MAJOR TALKING POINT IN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER?

- I THINK IT'S THEIR DEPTH.

I MEAN, THEY HAVE 17 PLAYERS ON THE ROSTER, ONE OF THE LARGEST THAT THEY'VE HAD IN ALMOST A DECADE.

AND THE FRESHMAN CLASS THAT'S COMING IN IS REALLY GOING TO ELEVATE NEBRASKA, TOO.

I MEAN, YOU MAY NOT SEE ONE PERSON START EVERY SINGLE MATCH AT A POSITION ALL YEAR BECAUSE THEY HAVE THAT DEPTH AND PLAYERS THAT CAN GIVE THEM DIFFERENT LOOKS AND REALLY ELEVATE THEM TO A DIFFERENT LEVEL.

- I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT FOR FANS THIS YEAR.

- YEAH.

- BECAUSE I THINK, YOU KNOW, DBK WAS JUST SAYING YOU MAY NOT SEE THE SAME STARTER WEEK IN AND SHE WILL PROBABLY HAVE A VERY QUICK HOOK.

-[LINCOLN] YEAH.

THAT'S ONE THING SHE DEVELOPED AT LOUISVILLE WAS A REPUTATION JUST TO TRY A LITTLE THINGS EXPERIMENT A BIT TOO.

SO I THINK THAT AS LONG AS THE PLAYERS BUY INTO THAT AND SHE'S CONSISTENT WITH WHY SHE'S MAKING CHANGES AND COMMUNICATE THAT TO THEM, I THINK THAT'LL BE A REAL STRENGTH FOR NEBRASKA.

- YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S LIKE AT THE MACRO LEVEL.

AT THE MICRO LEVEL, IT'S THAT SAME APPROACH WHERE SHE'S LETTING HER PLAYERS BE FREE, LIKE GO EXPERIMENT, GO BE AGGRESSIVE, TAKE CHANCES.

- YEAH.

WE HEARD THAT FROM TAYLOR LANGFAIR EARLIER THIS OFFSEASON TOO ABOUT HOW SHE WANTS DANI WANTS THEM TO TAKE MORE RISK WITH THE HIT LINE, GO HIGH HANDS, DO SOME JAM SHOTS.

SO REALLY I MEAN, AND SHE'S OKAY, IF YOU'RE TRYING THAT, IF YOU'RE TAKING THOSE RISKS AND IT'S WITHIN THE SYSTEM, IT REALLY SETS THEM UP FOR SUCCESS AND AND TO BE MORE VARIABLE AS WELL TOO.

-[LARRY] AND WE'LL FIND OUT WHERE THEY ARE EARLY.

-[LINCOLN] YEAH.

YEAH.

THEY GOT THOSE THREE BIG MATCHES IN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS AGAINST TOP TEN TEAMS.

AND I THINK, I THINK A TEAM LIKE NEBRASKA, WITH ALL OF THEIR EXPERIENCE THEY HAVE RETURNING, IT'LL BE A GOOD TEST BECAUSE THEY WANT TO THEY WANT TO SET THE BAR HIGH EARLY AND THEY'LL GET SOME TESTS TO DO THAT.

- WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT DANI'S APPROACH OF EMBRACING THE NUMBER ONE RANKING AND SAYING, HEY, I GO TO THIS NUMBER ONE, TOO.

-[LINCOLN] I THINK THAT'S GREAT TOO.

THAT'S THE WAY THAT DANI IS.

SHE'S JUST SHE'S VERY MATTER OF FACT, VERY DIRECT, BUT DOESN'T IN A VERY DISARMING WAY TOO, IS ALL LIKE, YEAH, WE'RE NUMBER ONE RIGHT NOW.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE GOING TO BE NUMBER ONE IN DECEMBER WHERE WE WANT TO BE NUMBER ONE.

BUT I MEAN, IT'S JUST SHE'S VERY DIRECT AND HONEST ABOUT IT TOO, AND DOES IT IN A VERY, LIKE I SAID, DISARMING WAY.

- WHAT DO YOU THINK ENDS UP HAPPENING WITH THE SETTER POSITION?

- I THINK I MEAN, I THINK IT'S BERGEN'S TO LOSE.

I MEAN, CAMPBELL FLYNN BRINGS A LOT OF EXCITING POTENTIAL TO THAT WITH HER HEIGHT, WITH HER SIZE AND BEING LEFT HANDED.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, JUST A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS YOU CAN DO THERE.

BUT I THINK BERGEN REILLY HAS PROVEN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THAT SHE CAN BE PERFORMED AT ELITE LEVEL.

I MEAN, SHE'S BEEN TO BACK TO BACK FINAL FOUR, THE NATIONAL TITLE MATCH.

AND I THINK HER GAME IS GOING TO BE ELEVATED BY BOTH HAVING DANI COACHING HER AND HAVING CAMPBELL PUSH HER A LITTLE BIT, TOO.

SO I THINK THIS IS BERGEN'S, SYSTEM TO RUN TO, AND WE'LL SEE GOOD THINGS FROM HER BECAUSE OF THE SUPPORT SYSTEM SHE HAS AROUND HER.

-[LARRY] OKAY.

REAL QUICK RESPONSES IN THE NEXT THREE POSITIONS.

OKAY.

RIGHT SIDE RIDDLE.

WHO WINS THAT?

- ALLIE SCZECH TO START.

BUT I THINK WE SEE VIRGINIA ADRIANO DOWN THE ROAD.

- LIBERAL.

- I'LL GO, LANEY CHOBOY.

- WOW.

OKAY.

- YEAH.

- WHO IS THE WHO IS THE OTHER LEFT SIDE?

ALONG WITH HARPER MURRAY.

-[LINCOLN] AGAIN?

I THINK WE'LL GET WE'LL SEE THINGS.

I THINK BY THE END OF THE YEAR, IT'LL BE TERAYA SIGLER.

-[LARRY] OH, REALLY?

-[LINCOLN] YEAH.

-[LARRY] THE FRESHMAN.

-[LINCOLN] I THINK I LIKE HER SIX ROTATIONS.

I LIKE HER PHYSICAL MESS AT THE NET.

YEAH.

-[LARRY] ALL RIGHT SO LET'S SWITCH GEARS NOW HERE.

LET'S JUMP OVER THE BLUE STATE.

TO CREIGHTON.

BOY YOU TALK ABOUT TOUGH OPENING SCHEDULES.

I MEAN FOR FOR NOT AN EXPERIENCED TEAM COMING BACK.

THIS IS.

TOUGH.

-[LINCOLN] YEAH.

WELL, HERE'S THE DEFENDING NATIONAL CHAMPIONS WHO ADDED ONE OF THE BEST TRANSFER PORTAL ADDITIONS.

SO, GOOD LUCK.

BUT, I MEAN, AT LEAST THEY'LL HAVE SOMEWHAT OF A FRIENDLY CROWD, I THINK, PLAYING IN LINCOLN.

SO, THAT'LL BE.

AND THEN THEY GO UP TO WISCONSIN AND PLAY A COUPLE OF COUPLE OF TOUGH MATCHES UP THERE, TOO.

SO THEY'LL BE TESTED EARLIER.

THEY'LL FIND OUT THEIR MEDDLE.

I, LIKE YOU SAID, THERE'S A LOT MORE TURNOVER OVER THERE.

THEY LOST A LITTLE BIT MORE.

SO THEY'LL DO A LOT MORE LEARNING.

BUT I DON'T KNOW MAYBE A LITTLE BIT TOUGHER PATH FORWARD.

- WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT HOW IT MIGHT CHANGE UNDER DANI BUSBOOM KELLY.

HOW DO YOU THINK IT CHANGES FOR CREIGHTON AND BRIAN ROSEN?

- AGAIN I DON'T KNOW IF IT'LL CHANGE A LOT TOO BECAUSE THE SYSTEM STAY THE SAME AND BOOTH REALLY DID A GREAT JOB OF BUILDING THAT CULTURE TOO.

I MEAN, ANGIE OXLEY BEHRENS IS THERE AS AN ASSISTANT COACH.

AND REALLY, THEY HAVE THAT STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE THAT THEY'VE BUILT UP OVER WINNING THE BIG EAST OVER A NUMBER THE PAST DECADE.

SO I THINK THAT, AGAIN, IT'S JUST IT'S NEW ENERGY AND IT'S A DIFFERENT, I'VE SEEN BRIAN COACH A LITTLE BIT TOO WHO DON'T KNOW HIM EXTREMELY WELL.

BUT I THINK HE'S VERY HIGHLY THOUGHT OF IN THE COACHING WORLD, TOO.

AND KIRSTEN REALLY TRUSTED HIM TOO SO I THINK THAT, AGAIN, THERE MAY BE SOME NEW ENERGY AND HE'LL KIND OF BRING THAT JUST THAT THAT'LL HAPPEN REGARDLESS OF WHO'S IN THERE AS A WITH THE COACHING CHANGE.

- I LOVE THE IZZY ASHBURN AD.

-[LINCOLN] YEAH.

I MEAN IT'S AS A SETTER COACH.

- YEAH, I THINK TOO I MEAN SHE'S FAMILIAR WITH KIND OF THE STYLE OF PLAY TOO.

AND SHE'S FAMILIAR WITH THAT TOO.

SO I THINK THAT THAT AGAIN, SHE'S COMING OFF OF A CAREER WHERE SHE JUST PLAYED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE PLAYING AT A HIGH LEVEL, MATCHES THAT SHE CAN MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS WITH THE PLAYERS.

- OKAY, ONE MORE SHIFT.

LET'S GO TO PRO VOLLEYBALL IN THE STATE BECAUSE BOY HAS THERE BEEN SOME NEWS THERE.

- BEEN A BUSY MONTH.

- YEAH, LET'S START WITH NEBRASKA'S FORMER COACH.

I'M FORGETTING HIS NAME BUT HE START.

HE'S TAKEN OVER.

- JOHN COOK, EH.

- JOHN COOK.

-YES.

JOHN COOK.

I'VE HEARD A LOT OF STUFF.

STORIES ABOUT HIM ON TO COWBOYS OF WYOMING.

BUT, YEAH, IT'S KIND OF.

YOU THOUGHT HE WAS GONNA RETIRE?

NOPE.

HE'S COMING BACK.

HE'S PUT TOGETHER, I THOUGHT, A VERY GOOD ROSTER FOR THE OMAHA SUPERNOVAS.

AND ALSO GOING TO BE PART OWNER TO SO.

-[LARRY] WOW.

- YOU KNOW, HE'S NOT SITTING BACK AND JUST DOING HIS HORSE THING.

HE'S BEING ACTIVE, TOO.

AND I THINK THAT HE'S REALLY IT WAS REALLY AGGRESSIVE TO START THE FREE AGENCY, PERIOD.

GET SOME REALLY HIGH LEVEL PLAYERS TO COME BACK TO OMAHA.

-[LARRY] AND MAYBE ONE OF THE BIGGEST FAN FAVORITES OVER THE YEARS AT NEBRASKA IS COMING BACK TO PLAY.

-[LINCOLN] YES.

- MERRITT BEASON COMING BACK.

THAT'S NEWS.

-[LINCOLN] YEAH I MEAN THAT WAS I THINK THAT WAS ONE OF THEIR FIRST ADDITIONS THAT THEY ANNOUNCED TO I MEAN SHE SHE WAS DRAFTED NUMBER ONE OVERALL BY ATLANTA, HAD A FAIRLY GOOD, ROOKIE SEASON TOO.

I MEAN, IT'S ALSO A LOT TO ASK PHYSICALLY TO PLAY A COLLEGE SEASON, THEN GO PLAY A PRO SEASON RIGHT OFF.

SO HOPEFULLY SHE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE A LITTLE MORE PHYSICAL RECOVERY TIME BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT SEASON.

BUT REALLY IMPRESSIVE.

AND I THINK THAT'LL GET THE CROWD GOING IT UP.

MAYBE THEY COULD SELL OUT.

SELL OUT?

CHI HEALTH CENTER TOO.

THAT'S BEEN THEIR GOAL.

-[LARRY] WOW.

AND JORDAN LARSON.

- YEAH.

TAKING OVER A DIFFERENT ROLE.

- YEAH, I THINK WE DO.

I MEAN, EVENTUALLY I THINK THAT SHE'S LOOKING LONG TERM TOO.

I THINK SHE'LL PLAY THIS YEAR FOR LOVE.

NEBRASKA.

AND I'LL LOVE NEBRASKA, NOT LOVE OMAHA ANYMORE.

BUT I THINK SHE'S LOOKING LONG TERM.

AND WHAT SHE COULD DO, I THINK, SHE WON'T REALLY HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES THIS YEAR.

BUT AGAIN, JUST WANTS TO IMPROVE THE GAME AND BUILD IT.

AND LOOKING FORWARD.

- CAN CREATE AND MAKE THE ELITE EIGHT.

- THIS YEAR I THINK IT'S GONNA BE TOUGH.

IT'S GONNA BE TOUGH.

I MEAN, AVA MARTIN HAS THE TALENT TO DO THAT.

IF SHE GETS HOT, SHE CAN.

IT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHERE THEY LAND ON THE NEW TRANSFER CENTER.

IF SHE CAN REALLY SEAMLESSLY TRANSITION IN, THEY CAN, BUT, I WOULD NOT PUT MONEY ON THAT RIGHT NOW.

- AND WILL NEBRASKA WIN AT ALL?

- I THINK SO, I THINK THIS IS THE YEAR THEY HAVE THEY HAVE THE RIGHT EXPERIENCE, THE RIGHT VETERAN, A LOT OF DIFFERENT MAKERS COMING IN.

AND I THINK DANI JUST BRINGS A DIFFERENT ENERGY AND EXCITEMENT AND LEVEL OF COMFORT TO THOSE.

SHE REMOVES A LOT OF THE PRESSURE.

AND, YOU KNOW, LAST TIME I WAS IN KANSAS CITY, THEY WON.

LAST TIME NEBRASKA HAD A COACHING CHANGE, THEY WON.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S IN THE STARS OR WHAT, BUT IT'S LOOKING GOOD.

-[LARRY] MAKE SURE YOU CHECK OUT HIS PODCAST VOLLEYBALL STATE.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

LINCOLN ARNEAL - THANKS LARRY.

THE SHOWCASE AND THE SPECTACLE OF VOLLEYBALL IN THIS STATE JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER EVERY YEAR.

A SPECIAL THANKS TO DANI BUSBOOM KELLY, TO BRIAN ROSEN AND TO LINCOLN ARNEAL FOR JOINING US ON THE STATE OF VOLLEYBALL.

I'M LARRY PUNTENEY, AND WE'LL SEE YOU VERY SOON RIGHT INTO YOUR HOME FOR VOLLEYBALL HERE ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

(intense music)