Nebraska Volleyball Focused on Putting Banners, Not Names, on the Walls in Devaney

Dani Busboom Kelly didn't set out to have a theme for the 2025 season.

While her predecessor liked to establish a slogan each year, such as 2024's "Race for the Roses" and "Our Roots Run Deep" in 2021, Busboom Kelly wants a theme to come naturally. After working with her team during the preseason, Busboom Kelly developed the motto of "banner, not a name" as the theme for the Huskers.

Busboom Kelly said this year’s team should be focused on hanging a banner in the Bob Devaney Sports Center rather than having their name put on the wall in recognition of an All-American award.

"Sometimes we get obsessed with being All-American or the individual accolades, instead of the goal to win a national championship," she said. "It's huge for this team because they'll be players that could be All-Americans, but they might not get as many sets as they have in the past, or maybe we're switching things up.

"There are a lot of things out of our control when it comes to being an All-American. It feels way more in our control if we can win a National Championship."

The Huskers' motto was on display on Sunday as they rallied after dropping the first two sets against No. 7 Kentucky.

Nebraska DS/Libero Olivia Mauch during the Red-White Scrimmage on Saturday. — Nebraska sophomore Olivia Mauch stepped into the libero role after the second set against Kentucky on Sunday. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

NU made several lineup adjustments, most noticeably inserting Olivia Mauch at libero. They also changed opposites with Virginia Adriano entering the match, while Skyler Pierce filled in for her in one rotation of serve receive when the spot was on at the left pin. Finally, the Huskers adjusted their game plan and began setting Harper Murray more from the back row.

All the changes cumulatively helped NU rally to earn a reverse sweep against the Wildcats. One of the first players to run off the sidelines to celebrate match point was the starting libero Laney Choboy, who played defensive specialist for the final three sets.

Murray said they frequently discuss the importance of having a team-centered mentality.

"We're team-first, and people are ready to make changes," she said. "People are ready to go in and do what's best for the team. If that's getting subbed out and having to be a cheerleader on the bench, that's what's going to happen. Everyone's going to do it with a smile on their face, because we always push team first."

In the first two weeks of the season, the Huskers have adjusted their lineup every match. Sometimes, making plans ahead of time, like against Lipscomb, where the staff wanted to get a lot of players' match experience, or in the flow of a match, like against Kentucky.

Busboom Kelly said she usually makes substitutions based on her gut, but she also consults with the assistant coaches to verify those feelings. Sometimes they might have her hold off on the changes, but often they will agree with her assessment. For example, they hadn't discussed or practiced putting Pierce in for the one rotation, but it felt right in the moment.

Making those changes isn't always about having different personnel on the court. After swapping liberos, both Choboy and Mauch played together in the back row, but in different positions. The move forced Kentucky to alter its serving strategy. The Wildcats targeted Choboy early in the match, but to keep forcing her to pass, they would have to serve into a different zone.

Nebraska outside hitter Harper Murray finds an unguarded net and scores an easy kill during the first set of the AVCA First Serve. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

While Mauch finished Sunday's match in the libero jersey, it doesn't mean she will begin in the same position when the Huskers return to the court on Friday against Wright State. Bubsoom Kelly said she's a big believer that you don't lose a starting position based on one performance, and she will continue to evaluate both Choboy and Mauch as the season progresses.

"We're going to continue to need them both playing great all season," she said. "I was really, really proud of both of them, because I thought it was a tough situation, and they handled it mentally, really, really well, and that paid off physically."

Busboom Kelly said one of the most critical tasks for the coaching staff is to get the players to trust them that when they make lineup changes, they are doing so in the best interest of the team. Against the Wildcasts, she said the entire team maintained positive body language even after they fell behind and made adjustments.

"That's a sign of a great team, and they're starting to buy into that it's going to take all of us to be where we want to be in December," she said. "I've been really, really impressed with the way they've handled pressure."

Murray said it shouldn't be too hard to get buy-in from the players because they see the talent in the practice gym every day, and the second unit often wins drills against the starters.

"Everyone has their own strength," the junior outside hitter said. "We're just lucky that we have that deep of a roster and we're able to make changes like that because not a lot of schools can do that in moments when they need it."

More From Nebraska On SI

Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.