Coach Cook’s Philosophy: Dream Big
When John Cook took over the reins of the Nebraska volleyball program, the challenge facing him was daunting. Cook replaced one of the sport’s legendary coaches in Terry Pettit, who won 694
matches and guided the Huskers to 18 consecutive NCAA appearances and six national semifinals.
Cook, who left an emerging power in Wisconsin to guide the tradition-rich Husker program, had his own vision for Nebraska volleyball. He saw a
program that had even more potential to grow.
His goals included consistently selling out home matches at the NU Coliseum, expanding the media exposure for his program and most
importantly, continuing the tradition of athletic and academic excellence started by Pettit nearly a quarter of a century earlier. His vision
catapulted the program to a new phase in 2013 as the Devaney Center underwent a $20 million renovation and became the new home for
Nebraska volleyball. Moving to the Devaney Center increased the capacity crowd for Nebraska volleyball matches from 4,125 at the Coliseum
to nearly 8,000 in addition to 400 standing-room-only tickets. In addition, five suites that give a private and expansive view of the action
were built on the south side of the building and student seating was drastically increased.
Cook’s vision is for the Huskers to remain at the forefront of college volleyball to enhance the sport at both the local and national levels.
Nebraska enters 2015 with an NCAA-record 188 regular-season consecutive sellouts - the longest sellout streak in NCAA women’s athletics.
Since the move to the Devaney Center in 2013, the Huskers have led the nation in attendance both seasons.
Cook saw the long-range potential of building the audience across the state. He also believed Nebraska could shine by hosting the
sport’s championship in the largest setting college volleyball had ever seen.
When others saw risks, Cook saw opportunities. In 2006, Cook’s dream was realized, as the Husker Nation had an opportunity
to see Nebraska raise the bar in college volleyball. From record-setting, sold-out crowds at the Qwest Center Omaha, to
a team that maximized its potential in winning the school’s third national title, the Huskers enjoyed a remarkable
season.
The Huskers entered the 2006 campaign with many questions, as they were forced to replace three AllAmericans, including AVCA National Player-of-the-Year Christina Houghtelling. With four first-year starters
on the court, including freshmen at setter and middle blocker, and sky-high expectations with the NCAA
Championships in Omaha for the first time, 2006 shaped up to be Cook’s toughest coaching job to date.
Nebraska took on all challenges head-on, going 33-1 and becoming only the third team in NCAA history
to be ranked No. 1 the entire season. The Huskers went on the road and overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat
Minnesota to reach the national semifinals, marking the first time that Nebraska had won a regional outside
the state. That victory set the stage for a watershed moment in college volleyball. Behind sellout crowds of
over 17,000, the Huskers captured the school’s third national title with victories over No. 4 UCLA and No. 2
Stanford. Four players earned AVCA All-America honors, including Sarah Pavan, who became NU’s first HondaBroderick Cup winner.
Two years later, the NCAA Championships returned to Omaha with another Husker team taking center stage. An
all-time NCAA attendance record of 17,430 traveled through a winter storm to witness one of the greatest matches in
Nebraska’s illustrious history. After dropping the first two sets to No. 1 Penn State, Nebraska fought back, winning the next
two sets to hand the Nittany Lions their only set losses of the 2008 season. Although the Huskers were unable to complete the
comeback, the performance symbolized a never-say-quit attitude that fueled the team’s success. Despite losing a pair of performers
to season-ending injuries, the Huskers went 31-3 and won their fifth consecutive conference title. At the Seattle Regional, the
Huskers overcame a 2-0 deficit to send the match to a fifth set and trailed 9-3 in the fifth set before regrouping and earning the school’s
11th trip to the NCAA semifinals. Jordan Larson, Tara Mueller and Sydney Anderson all earned All-America honors, while Larson was
named Big 12 Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first player in conference history to sweep both honors.
Consistent excellence has been a hallmark of Cook’s Nebraska squads. Since taking over the program in 2000, Cook has guided the
Huskers to a pair of national titles, five NCAA semifinal appearances, nine Big 12 titles and one Big Ten championship. His teams have
compiled a 436-58 record, owning one of the nation’s top winning percentages (.883) during his tenure. Cook has also excelled against
ranked teams, co