Big Ten volleyball head coaches reflect on John Cook's legacy ahead of 2025 season

USA Today

2 days ago

Rick Pizzo of the Big Ten Network continued Volleyball Media Days on Tuesday by interviewing head coaches across the conference. Pizzo asked each of them their thoughts on John Cook now that he's retired.
Each coach spoke praise of the Nebraska legend, emphasizing how he helped the sport become what it is today. Even Nebraska's new head coach Dani Busboom Kelly reflected on her time with Cook, both as a player and an assistant coach.
"It's been a ton," she said. "His mentorship, friendship. Just what he's done for the sport of volleyball, always pushing it forward and never giving up. He's not afraid to go out there and keep pushing the envelope over and over again."
Cook's impact has been felt in Nebraska and across the nation, the biggest reflection of that being the Huskers' match against Omaha at Memorial Stadium in 2023, with 92,003 fans in attendance.
"We wouldn't be here without John [Cook]," Illinois head and former Nebraska assistant coach Chris Tamas said. "You talk about the stadium match. It could probably only happen in one place in the country. To have the turnout they do with their fans every single match, a lot of that is John's drive."
Under Cook's tenure, the Huskers wrangled four national championships, 12 Final Four appearances, nine Big 12 titles, five Big Ten titles and 722 total wins, the most by a D-I coach this century.
"They were never satisfied with where they were at," Minnesota head coach Keegan Cook said. "Always thinking about growth. Always thinking about doing something that hadn't been done before, and just being merciless in that space, not getting distracted from making his program the best it could possibly be."
Cook was also a leader in the sport, helping it grow across the decades with 11 of the 12 biggest crowds in NCAA women's volleyball history featuring Nebraska.
"For volleyball, he's been incredible for the growth of the game," Northwestern head coach Tim Nollan said. "He was such a pillar for a long time, bringing the sport forward and pushing it to new heights. We're still going to be talking about him for 10 years."
His impact was also felt among the coaches across the conference who respected not only his coaching but also his sportsmanship.
"I always respected John for the success he had," Maryland head coach Adam Hughes said. "But anytime we went there, he always checked on me before the game, shook my hand. He always wanted to know how I was doing, how the kids were doing. It just speaks volumes as to who he is."
With his retirement, Cook leaves behind a legacy that will still be felt for years to come. For Nebraska, the team enters a new era, one that both Cook and Terry Pettit built.
"He's one of the greats of the game," Penn State head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley said. "He's made a huge impact on the sport across the country, and I think he'll continue to do that. I'm sure he'll be on TV. But you can't replace coaches like him, and I was lucky enough to be around him."
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