“It’s really, really hard“- Last month, Dani Busboom Kelly didn’t hesitate to admit that collegiate athletes have to bear a lot of pressure on their shoulders, balancing studies and their sports careers. She’s not wrong. Throw into the mix the fact that the students have to live away from their families, and you have the perfect recipe for a quick burnout. Obviously, the Huskers’ head coach can’t complain when her athletes feel like they deserve a break.
In a post by Hail Varsity on X from October 10, Dani Busboom Kelly confessed that she was completely in the dark about some of the Huskers’ stars’ pre-game plans. Canadian singer-dancer Tate McRae arrived at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on October 9 as part of her ongoing Miss Possessive Tour, and some Huskers stars, including Harper Murray and Campbell Flynn, weren’t going to miss the opportunity. In the post-match presser following the triumph over Washington, DBK revealed with a smirk about how she wasn’t in the loop about Murray & Co.’s plans to catch the “Greedy” star in her natural habitat.
“I didn’t know they were going untill I saw it on social media,” Busboom Kelly didn’t beat around the bush about her poor knowledge about the players’ whereabouts one day before the match. “I was like, ‘There is a game tomorrow’,” the Huskers’ boss went on. However, while she was a little surprised by the students’ trip to Omaha, Dani also pointed out that youngsters are liable to bend the rules from time to time to cut themselves some slack from the intense volleyball season.
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“But, you know, they’re in college, and I want them to enjoy things, especially when, you know, really funny events come through Lincoln or Omaha,” Busboom Kelly was all about her players letting their hair down. “I’m glad they went and enjoyed it,” she laid out the bottom line: If you’re going to a concert and hitting a .400-plus the next day like Murray did against Friday’s opponents, you’re good on Dani Busboom Kelly’s books.
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The Nebraska Huskers are currently riding high on a 15-0 overall (5-0 Big Ten) record. The latest addition to the winning streak came on Friday, when Busboom Kelly’s girls swept Washington 3-0 at home. With the next match against Purdue slated for the road, the win over Washington will undoubtedly act as a special morale booster. However, the coach wasn’t aware of how her team was preparing to greet the Huskies at the “Bob”.
But the preparations paid off impressively, nonetheless. The Huskers posted a 25-14, 25-18, 25-16 scoreline in front of 8,769 fans at the John Cook Arena in the Bob Devaney Sports Center on October 10. OH Harper Murray bagged a match-high 12 kills, 7 digs, three blocks, and hit .407. The three other athletes who accompanied Murray – Campbell Flynn, Kenna Cogill, and Keri Leimbach – didn’t play. Obviously, Busboom Kelly didn’t have a lot to complain about. Then again, she knows perfectly well how important it is for the players to keep their spirits up by bonding over off-court activities.
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Dani Busboom Kelly wants the team together, on and off the volleyball court
The 2025 season will be extra special for the Huskers. Nebraska hasn’t won the NCAA title since 2017, and Busboom Kelly’s maiden run as the program’s head coach is looking promising to break that drought. With the legendary John Cook stepping down from the role this January, many fans were worried whether the ex-Louisville coach would be able to fill the former’s big shoes. So far, she’s proving with gusto that she’s more than capable of doing so. So, what gives?
Busboom Kelly admitted before the start of the season that she had a lot of options to choose from to make her team. While the depth in the roster is definitely something every coach loves to have, Dani’s focus on helping her team establish solid chemistry among themselves has also helped immensely. With that in mind, the coach and the athletes treated themselves to several outings during their preseason training camp in Hawaii. Then, in August, the entire Huskers family spent a lake day, showing off their waterboarding skills.
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