2025 continues to be a great year for NCAA volleyball icon-turned-coach Dani Busboom Kelly. On January 29, the former Louisville coach landed what she told Sports Illustrated was her “dream job” as the Nebraska Huskers’ head coach. “It got really serious after Christmas… It was like, wow, this might happen,” the 40-year-old added. While it took another month, DBK revealed something else around the time she became head coach.
Kelly mentioned that she and her husband, Lane Kelly, were expecting their second child. Lane Kelly and Dani Busboom Kelly had their first child, Boone Kelly, in April 2022. DBK didn’t give the exact date, and her personal life took a backseat amid the transition at Nebraska volleyball. Then came the big moment, when Nebraska played two spring games under Kelly. Now, after passing her first tests as head coach, the suspense is finally over.
“Jett arrived this week and is doing great! Boone is very proud to be a big brother, and we are all looking forward to the adventures as a family of 4!” Dani Busboom Kelly posted on Instagram. Although the NCAA Championship runner-up didn’t reveal Jett’s birthday, she shared an adorable snapshot on May 22.
In the picture, Jett’s elder brother Boone, who recently turned 3, held his baby brother with a smile. Meanwhile, baby Jett slept calmly, all wrapped in a cozy white blanket. And that’s all DBK and her husband shared about the newest addition to the family. Although the NCAA volleyball tagged her husband on the post, Lane Kelly didn’t make any further social media posts.
However, we do know that things fell into place exactly like Dani Busboom Kelly and her husband had planned. While DBK had to move to Louisville, Kentucky, to coach the Cardinals, she is a Nebraska native. DBK and her husband wanted to be in Nebraska when she gave birth to their second child. Needless to say, the Nebraska volleyball community went gaga over the news.
The volleyball community was elated for Dani Busboom Kelly
Volleyball fans flooded the comments section of Kelly’s Instagram post. Yet, it wasn’t just the fans; active and former Huskers came in droves to congratulate Kelly. Even the official Huskers’ volleyball page wished their new head coach. In fact, the Huskers VB’s comment: “Hi Jett! Congratulations, Dani and Lane!” became the most liked one with 81 reactions.
Is it surprising? Absolutely not! After all, the Nebraska Huskers don’t see Dani Busboom Kelly just as their new coach; they see her as family. “We are excited to welcome Dani and her family back to Lincoln to continue our tradition of excellence in our volleyball program,” NU’s Athletic Director Troy Dannen said when Kelly officially joined the Huskers. However, Kelly and Husker go way back.
Nebraska volleyball is the cornerstone of Kelly’s entire career. DBK first joined NU as a player under former head coach John Cook. DBK reached the pinnacle of NCAA volleyball as a player when she won the national championship under Cook’s tutelage in 2006. Kelly returned to the Huskers as an assistant coach and won the title again in 2015. So it’s no wonder, Huskers both old and new were stoked to hear the news.
“The cutest family,” commented current Huskers setter Bergen Reilly. Former Huskers stars who went on to win Olympic and World Championship medals joined the current generation. “How cute!! Congrats, Dani and Lane!!” commented Olympic gold medalist libero Justine Wong-Orantes. Fellow, Husker, and Olympian Sarah Pavan also commented on Dani Busboom Kelly’s post.
“Congratulations!!!” said the 2019 beach volleyball world championship-winning Nebraska VB alumni. Safe to say, Kelly’s Nebraska volleyball family was thrilled for the head coach. Another person who would be similarly thrilled is Kelly’s mother, Bonnie Busboom. DBK’s mother, who still lives in Cortland, Nebraska, cried tears of joy when she heard her daughter would return to Nebraska.
“I’ve been in tears, off and on, the whole time. Of course, happy tears, not sad tears,” Kelly’s mom said in February, as per Huskers Illustrated. It may be safe to assume that she was over the moon at the news of her grandchild’s birth. Family was another reason Dani Busboom Kelly decided to take the Nebraska job without much hesitation.
“Personal life always plays into it a little bit, and having my second child and seeing my husband was a hair concerned about having two young kids with no family nearby,” Kelly told SI about her decision to answer Cook and Dannen’s call to take the reins at Nebraska. Yet, as much as Nebraska loves Dani Busboom Kelly, the entire volleyball community was happy for her.
The post Nebraska Volleyball and Others Come Together as Dani Busboom Kelly Drops Another Major Update appeared first on EssentiallySports.
