It’s wild to think it’s already been almost four months since John Cook officially stepped away from the Nebraska volleyball sidelines, but let’s be real, it still feels like he’s just taking a timeout. His fingerprints are everywhere; from packed arenas to championship banners fluttering like proud red whispers in the rafters. “I’ve been here for 25 years. That’s a long time to do something. It’s been a great run,” Cook said, and what a run it was. With 32 seasons under his coaching belt; seven in Wisconsin and 25 pure gold ones in Nebraska, he stacked up four national titles, a dozen trips to the NCAA Semis, and enough conference bling to make any trophy case blush. His career record?
A jaw-dropping 883-176, sitting comfortably among the sport’s elite. Nebraska alone? 722 wins, just 103 losses. That’s .875 winning magic. As Nebraska’s AD Troy Dannen put it, the man didn’t just elevate an already stellar program; he changed the game. “John Cook leaves a legacy of excellence… behind his vision, Nebraska volleyball has become arguably the most successful women’s program in the country.” And now, John Cook spills the tea on turning down a massive coaching gig while he was still building his volleyball empire at Nebraska.
When John Cook sat down for a little heart-to-heart with the folks at Journal Star, the big question came flying in: “How many times in the past 20 years did a college try to hire you away from Nebraska?” And with that signature cool and calm Cook charm, he didn’t flinch. He just grinned and dropped the truth bomb we didn’t see coming: “None. Well, (the United States national team) a couple of times tried to hire me, for the men and the women. That’s the only one.” Not even a whisper from other programs could shake his loyalty to that red-and-white heartbeat of Nebraska volleyball.
And honestly? He kinda gets it. In his own words, “I think in volleyball they just think, ‘Oh, he’s already one of the highest-paid coaches, so we don’t want to pay that.’” Translation? Cook’s résumé was so stacked, and his Nebraska legacy so golden, that it probably scared off most other suitors from even making a move. Why poke the lion when he’s already ruling his pride?
This story is developing…
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