Former Husker Christina Houghtelling Excited for DBK, Next Chapter of NU Volleyball

In 24 hours, the Nebraska volleyball team will play what arguably could be considered one of their toughest matches of the year. The reasoning behind that is because the team staring at them from across the net is littered with a bunch of pro volleyball players with zero college eligibility left.

The alumni match is a new wrinkle for Nebraska volleyball under first-year coach Dani Busboom Kelly, and it makes a whole lot of sense. Why wouldn't a former Husker want to bring back a bunch of other former Huskers to test her team before the gauntlet of a regular season in the Big Ten Conference?

The alumni squad will be headlined by four-time Olympic medalist Jordan Larson, who won the national championship with DBK at Nebraska in 2006. That team is also represented by two-time All-American outside hitter Gina Mancuso-Prososki, who comes from the same era as Busboom Kelly and Larson. However, there is one former Husker from that same era who isn't tossing on the knee pads again, but she will be watching the alumni match and the 2025 season intently.

We're talking about two-time AVCA All-American and 2005 AVCA National Player of the Year Christina Houghtelling.

The Husker legend couldn't be happier about how the coaching transition has gone in Lincoln, despite her own fond memories of becoming the best player in college volleyball under the tutelage of John Cook.

"I could not be more thrilled about it," Houghtelling said of Busboom Kelly being named Nebraska's next volleyball coach. "I do feel this kind of peace in my heart. I really do think that she's the best fit. She's homegrown. She knows what it means to play for the name on the chest. Me being able to play with her — I came in with her, just seeing her grit and her understanding of the game, her IQ and willingness to take risks is just insane."

Nebraska volleyball coach Dani Busboom Kelly at 2025 Big Ten Media Days in Chicago. | Ryan Kuttler

DBK coming to LNK wasn't as much of a risk as it was a dream scenario for all involved parties. Cook was ready to move on to his next chapter in life after decades of keeping Nebraska volleyball in the upper echelon. Busboom Kelly was ready to call Nebraska home again, and it sure seems like she's going to be sticking around for a while after building Louisville into a national power in her previous stop. Now, she has the full trust of her team and her alumni base.

"I trusted her as a teammate, so it's easy for me to say that, but it does feel like there really was no other choice," Houghtelling said. "I guess there could have been other choices, but no better fit. Just the way it all worked out...I just don't see any lull in the program, I only see it going up."

The only hitch — Nebraska can't go up. They picked up 40 first place votes en route to being crowned the No. 1 team in the country to start the season. The only other team to receive first-place votes is conference rival Penn State with 21. What can happen, however, is a shift in the team's identity from the top rung of college volleyball.

For years, including Houghtelling's time in Lincoln, the team was run by a John Cook who didn't smile a whole lot. He was determined, focused, and he pushed his players harder than they've ever been pushed in their volleyball careers. Practices were both intense and tense. Back then, it brought the best out of them in 2006, culminating in a national championship, but as we all saw near the end of Cook's time as head coach, he mellowed out and became more of a player's coach.

"He was a different coach than when he was coaching us versus how he ended," Houghtelling said. "I've heard him say, I think she'll relate to the players a little bit more. Coach Cook was great. He helped transform me. It wasn't always just peaks; there were lows, too. I am just really grateful for my experience, and I loved it."

And Houghtelling expects the transition to DBK to be seamless.

"She's going to bring this youthful energy, and I love that she's got young kids, and Lane's back there with her," she said. "She'll bring something new, a little more vibrant out of the girls. Not that they weren't — they were already at such a high level, so it's just finding little bits and pieces so you can put yourself over the top."

As we all know, John Cook's on to his next chapter, which is serving as co-owner and general manager of the Omaha Supernovas. It's not like he fled the state or the sport, and Houghtelling says it's a great fit for him now that he's passed the torch to the right person in Lincoln.

Houghtelling also praised how Cook adapted near the end of his coaching career at Nebraska. Whether it's dealing with the "wild, wild west" of NIL or the increasing sensitivity of dealing with his players, she thought he weaved through a tough climate well.

John Cook departs with four national championships and the most wins of any D1 volleyball coach this century. — Near the end of his tenure, both the players and fans saw a softer side of Cook, which led to his signature cowboy hat in his final years. | Amarillo Mullen

"I love that even grandkids have softened him a little bit," Houghtelling joked. "I always thought he did a really good job of making those adjustments. Just being an older generation coach, I can't imagine how hard it was to keep up with all the changes and all the generational changes that kept coming. I was impressed that he did lighten up, and that he did have a little more fun. I was shocked when he said he was going to retire, but when everything fell into place, I couldn't imagine it going another way."

Saturday's alumni match will be one last preview of the 2025 team with a heck of a splash from the past, given how stacked the alumni roster is. Even Busboom Kelly admitted this week that she hopes the match at least goes four sets. It wouldn't shock anyone in attendance if it goes five given the competitive nature of the nation's top-ranked team and arguably the top-ranked volleyball alumni base.

Although Houghtelling said it will be great to watch her former teammates in action Saturday, she said most of her focus will be on a current Husker that she had the chance to help develop — Andi Jackson. Houghtelling worked with Jackson on her game before she committed to Nebraska, and it's that personal connection that is now tying a former Husker great back to the program more than ever.

Nebraska volleyball players (l-r) Lexi Rodriguez, Bergen Reilly, Andi Jackson, and Harper Murray celebrate a point. — Andi Jackson embraces her teammates to celebrate a point during the annual Red-White Scrimmage. | Nebraska Athletics

"I know she's not my kid, and I didn't coach her for very long but I was just a part of her journey," Houghtelling said. I feel the most a part of Nebraska volleyball as I ever have since I left. Our youngest, she's two and she doesn't even know she's watching Nebraska volleyball, but literally any time the TV's on or we're watching any sort of sport she just starts chanting Go Big Red. Our son, he knows Andi, so it's really cool to be able to see that."

Whether it's the kiddos or adults in the Houghtelling household, their home will be brimming with support for both teams involved in Saturday's alumni match. Houghtelling said it will help her relive some old memories with the team, but also create some new ones as she continues to follow Jackson's journey as a Husker.

"I do feel like since she came on board a couple of years ago that we have been invested at a different level," Houghtelling said. "I do feel so much more invested in a way that I haven't been since I played."

First serve for Saturday's alumni match is set for 6 p.m. CDT and will be broadcast on Nebraska Public Media.

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