In 2014, the Huskers reached their third straight regional final after
upsetting No. 3 Washington with the youngest team in school history
and playing the second-toughest schedule in the nation. With only one
senior, the Huskers showed great improvement throughout the season
and finished 23-10, although nine of the 10 losses were to teams that
finished in the top 13 of the final AVCA rankings. Sophomore Kadie
Rolfzen was an All-Big Ten and third-team AVCA All-American for the
second straight season. Junior Kelsey Fien had a breakout season to
earn All-Big Ten honors for the first time in her career. After a rigorous
Big Ten schedule that included seven matches against ranked foes, the
Huskers drew one of their toughest postseason draws in Cook’s tenure.
Despite it, NU swept past a 28-6 Hofstra squad and then beat redhot No. 20 Utah to advance to Seattle. Not many gave the Huskers a
chance to go into Seattle and upset the 31-2 Huskies, but the Big Red’s
schedule had prepared them to do so. And that’s just what NU did in
four sets. It was the second win for the Huskers against a top-five team
in 2014, as NU also beat No. 3 Penn State at the Devaney Center, 3-1.
The Huskers’ NCAA Tournament appearance was their 33rd in a
row, and in doing so, they improved their all-time record to 92-30. The
Huskers have enjoyed unprecedented success under Cook. They have
been to the Sweet 16 in 14 of Cook’s 15 years at the helm, including
12 Elite Eight appearances, five NCAA semifinals and three NCAA final
appearances, with two wins.
In the Huskers’ first year in the Bob Devaney Sports Center in 2013,
Nebraska notched a 26-7 record and second-place finish in the Big Ten
Conference. NU advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight as Kelsey Robinson
was selected as a first-team All-American, Kadie Rolfzen earned thirdteam accolades and Mary Pollmiller and Meghan Haggerty were chosen
as honorable-mention selections. Cook coached Robinson to one of
the most successful seasons in Husker history, as she was selected as
Nebraska’s first Big Ten Player of the Year. Along with Robinson, Rolfzen
and Pollmiller were also honored as All-Big Ten selections.
The Huskers posted a 26-7 record in 2012, a historic season the
marked the final year at the NU Coliseum. The team advanced to the
NCAA Elite Eight as Lauren Cook was named a first-team AVCA AllAmerican, Gina Mancuso and Hannah Werth earned second-team
honors and Meghan Haggerty was as an honorable-mention pick. Cook
guided the Huskers to a 10-5 record against ranked teams and topped
two No. 1 teams during the course of the season. The Huskers also
posted four All-Big Ten picks and seven academic All-Big Ten accolades
in 2012.
During the 2011 season the Huskers made history with their first
Big Ten Conference title, as they won their 32nd overall conference
crown. Nebraska notched a 25-5 record on the year. In addition,
Mancuso was named a first-team AVCA All-American, while Werth,
Morgan Broekhuis and Cook were tabbed honorable-mention picks.
In 2010 the Huskers won their 12th conference title as a member
of the Big 12 with an overall record of 29-3. The team advanced to the
NCAA Elite Eight, while Brooke Delano was named an AVCA first-team
All-American. Lindsey Licht and Werth were second-team picks. Werth
was also tabbed the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, Cook was
named Co-Big 12 Coach of the Year and Lauren Cook was the league’s
newcomer of the year.
During the 2009 season, Nebraska overcame a slow start to play its
best volleyball down the stretch. The Huskers won 10 straight matches
- all by sweep - before falling to eventual NCAA runner-up Texas in the
regional final. NU finished with a 26-7 record and was ranked fifth in
the final AVCA poll. Delano and Sydney Anderson earned AVCA AllAmerica honors, while Kori Cooper repeated as a first-team CoSIDA
Academic All-American.
In 2007, the Huskers set a pair of NCAA single-match attendance
records and won the Big 12 title for the fourth consecutive year. The
Huskers advanced to the NCAA regional final before a loss to Cal ended
a 30-2 season, while a school-record five Huskers earned AVCA AllAmerica awards. Pavan, Houghtelling and Tracy Stalls all earned firstteam CoSIDA Academic All-America honors.
The 2005 campaign was a special one for the Nebraska program.
The Husk ers advanced to the national title match for the fifth time in
school history and finished with a 33-2 mark. Nebraska led the nation
in blocking (4.12 per game) and ranked in the top 10 nationally in
assists, kills and hitting percentage. Four Huskers earned AVCA AllAmerica honors, while Houghtelling was named AVCA National Player
of the Year.
Cook also has been instrumental in helping to expand the program’s
visibility throughout the state and the Midwest. Nebraska played a
regular-season match in North Platte in 2004, and the team has played
exhibition matches in Scottsbluff, Ogallala, Wayne, Grand Island and
Norfolk over the last decade. In addition, Cook’s efforts have helped
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2015 NEBRASKA VOLLEYBALL
the lineup went 30-2 and was ranked No. 1 heading into the NCAA
Tournament. The Huskers led the nation in both opponent hitting
percentage (.103) and blocks per game (4.02) before falling to twotime defending NCAA champion USC in five sets in the regional final.
Three Huskers earned AVCA All-America honors, while Pavan was
chosen as the AVCA National Freshman of the Year. That group of
Huskers became the centerpiece of Nebraska’s consecutive NCAA finals
teams in 2005 and 2006.
Nebraska enjoy one of the most extensive multi-media packages in the
country, as every match is carried live on a state-wide radio network
and nearly every contest is shown either live on television or streamed
live on the Internet.
“It is a reflection of Nebraska volleyball and the program, and not
about one person or one player,” Cook said when accepting the AVCA
Coach-of-the-Year Award in 2005. “We’re trying to be a leader in the
sport. We’re trying to take risks and dream big, and fortunately I’m
surrounded by a lot of people who have that vision. I’m really proud of
what we’re doing to try and enhance the sport.”
Three Straight 30-Win Seasons
Cook immediately started to create his own legacy after taking
over for Pettit. In his first season at the helm, Cook was named the
AVCA National Coach of the Year after guiding the Huskers to a 34-0
record and the 2000 national championship. The Huskers, who became
just the second team in NCAA history to cap an undefeated season
with a national title, were ranked No. 1 in the AVCA/USA Today Top
25 poll for 14 straight weeks. Greichaly Cepero earned AVCA National
Player-of-the-Year honors. Three Huskers claimed AVCA All-America
certificates, and five Nebraska players were named to the All-Big 12
teams. Laura Pilakowski earned CoSIDA Academic All-America honors,
and a conference-best seven Huskers earned academic All-Big 12
recognition.
In 2001, Cook’s second season, Nebraska fell just two wins short of
capturing another NCAA title. The Huskers, who were ranked either No.
1 or No. 2 in the AVCA poll all season, went 20-0 in the Big 12 and Cook
was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year. NU finished the season with
a 31-2 record after falling to eventual national champion Stanford in
the NCAA semifinals.
Nebraska placed four players on the AVCA All-America teams, while
right side hitter Nancy Metcalf was selected as an NCAA Top Ten Award
winner and was also named the CoSIDA Academic All-American of the
Year. Pilakowski and Cepero joined Metcalf on the CoSIDA Academic AllAmerica teams, as Pilakowski earned second-team honors and Cepero
received third-team recognition.
In Cook’s third season, the Huskers continued their remarkable
success. NU finished the season ranked fifth in the AVCA poll with a 31-2
record to secure its third straight 30-win season. Nebraska produced
the most dominant conference season in school history, going 20-0 and
losing just two sets en route to winning the league championship for
the third straight year. Cepero and Amber Holmquist again earned firstteam AVCA All-America honors, and Pilakowski was recognized on the
second team. Pilakowski was named a first-team CoSIDA Academic AllAmerican, and Holmquist was a second-team pick. Cepero, Holmquist
and Pilakowski shared Big 12 Player-of-the-Year accolades.
Cook faced perhaps his greatest coaching challenge at Nebraska in
2003, when the Huskers had to replace three All-Americans and their
first-ever libero. That season, Cook opted to run a 6-2 (two-setter)
offense to utilize as many players as possible. NU went on to finish the
season with a 28-5 record and an appearance in the Sweet 16.
The 2004 season may have been one of Cook’s best coaching jobs,
as a youthful squad that featured five freshmen and sophomores in
Building the Badgers
Cook, who served as an assistant under Pettit for three seasons from
1988 to 1991, took over the Nebraska head coaching job after serving
as associate head coach during the 1999 season. Before returning
to Nebraska in 1999, Cook led Wisconsin to six straight postseason
appearances in seven seasons as the Badgers’ head coach.
Cook’s accomplishments at Wisconsin earned him praise as one of
the game’s top young coaches. Cook built the Badgers into a top-10
program during his seven-year career in Madison, which included backto-back trips to the NCAA regional finals in 1997 and 1998.
In his final match at Wisconsin, Cook’s Badgers fell to the Huskers in
a three-hour, five-set battle in the 1998 Pacific Regional Championship
in the NU Coliseum. Wisconsin ended the season ranked seventh in the
final USA Today/AVCA Coaches Poll with a 30-5 record.
Cook compiled a 161-73 ledger at the helm of the Badgers,
including an 89-51 league mark in one of the nation’s toughest
conferences. He was named the Big Ten Co-Coach and AVCA District 2
Coach of the Year in 1997 after leading the Badgers to a share of the Big
Ten title with a 19-1 mark and school-best 30-3 overall record.
In his seven years at Wisconsin, the Badgers advanced to six straight
postseason tournaments, qualifying for the NCAA Tournament in 1993,
1994, 1996, 1997 and 1998. In 1995, Wisconsin won the National
Invitational Volleyball Championship with a perfect 6-0 record.
During his tenure at UW, he coached four AVCA All-Americans, nine
AVCA All-District award winners, 11 All-Big Ten honorees and two Big
Ten Freshmen of the Year. He also coached 21 academic All-Big Ten
selections.
Other Coaching Experiences
Cook also brings Olympic and championship experience to the
Husker staff. As the first assistant coach with the U.S. Men’s National
Volleyball team, Cook aided the United States to a bronze medal in the
1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. The team’s defensive coordinator,
he was also in charge of scouting and supervising the team’s flexibility,
strength and conditioning programs. For his Olympic coaching
experience, Cook was honored in June of 1993 at the NACDA/USOC
Collegiate Coaches Recognition Awards Luncheon. He also served as the
head coach of the Women’s National Volleyball Training Team in 2004.
During his first tenure at Nebraska (1989-91), the Huskers
advanced to the NCAA semifinals two of the three seasons, including
a runner-up finish in 1989. Nebraska went 36-0 in conference play,
capturing three Big Eight Conference titles. During that time, he
served as Pettit’s recruiting coordinator, chief scout and strength and
conditioning coordinator. Cook was also the liaison with the academic
advising center.
In the U.S. Olympic Festival competition, Cook served as head coach
of the bronze medal-winning North team in 1989 and was also an
assistant coach with the third-place West team in 1987.
A co-founder of the San Diego Volleyball Club, Cook served as a
coach with the club from 1986 to 1988. The club won two Southern
California Regional Championships and finished among the final four
teams twice in the USVBA Junior Olympics for girls 18 and under.
Cook also served as the head assistant coach at the University of
California-San Diego from 1983 to 1984, where he aided the Tritons
to an NCAA Division III national championship in 1984 and a secondplace national finish in 1983. Cook’s coaching credentials also include
leading Francis Parker High School in San Diego to two California state
championships. During his six-year coaching stint from 1981 to 1988,
he had an overall record of 162-18, including a 90-match winning
streak.
A well known speaker on volleyball skills, Cook travels around the
nation participating in clinics. During his stay at Wisconsin, he served as
the host of the Badger Coaching Symposium every spring.
A graduate of the University of San Diego, Cook earned his
bachelor’s degree in history in 1979. He completed his master’s degree
in teaching and coaching effectiveness from San Diego State in 1991.
Cook and his wife Wendy, a former two-time All-America setter at
San Diego State, are the parents of two children, Lauren and Taylor.
Lauren completed her senior season at Nebraska in 2012.