It’s almost showtime in Husker Nation, and the vibe is electric. From watching some of Nebraska’s biggest names hit the pro stage to now circling the calendar for a fresh chapter back home as Dani Bubsoom Kelly makes her Nebraska debut. Just a few days ago, the big reveal came: Nebraska’s spring volleyball clash with Kansas is set for Saturday, April 26, and yep, it’s goin’ live on BTN! Kickoff’s slid back to 7 p.m., giving fans a little extra time to grab their snacks and Husker gear. All eyes will be on Dani Busboom Kelly, who’s about to make her first official appearance as Nebraska’s head coach. After a 33-3 season and an NCAA Semis run, the bar is sky-high… and Dani’s stepping right into that spotlight.

But that’s not all — it’s not just volleyball bringing the heat. The entire Husker Games lineup is packed like your favorite game-day plate: football vibes at Memorial, soccer action at Hibner Stadium, behind-the-scenes peeks at the Osborne Legacy Complex, a massive gear sale, and of course, a Food Truck Festival that’s already calling our names. And while it’s all exciting, Dani has also got the Big 10 season to worry about. After all, she made it clear all the way back in February that her goal for the Huskers this season will be to “be in the hunt, win the Big Ten, be in Final Fours, winning national championships.”

And now, she’s opening up about those pre-game jitters and even tossed in a heartfelt ask to her squad — a little help from her stars as she tries to be on top of a rather hectic schedule before diving into Big Ten waters for the first time.

On the Volleyball State podcast, Lincoln Arneal didn’t hold back and asked Dani Busboom Kelly with a grin, “One of the challenges that you face coming ahead too is the schedule that John left you. Have you had a chance to thank him for the schedule?” Dani’s response was peak new-coach energy: “Yeah, well I already tried to get out of some of those games and it couldn’t happen. I was like, are you kidding me? Like Pitt, Stanford, and Kentucky, right? First three games, that’s, I can’t get away from them.”

Co-host Jeff Sheldon shot back. “Yeah, was China busy?” he asked, referring to the time Cook made waves by making Nebraska the first college volleyball team to visit the Asian country. “Could you not play Italy to start the season?” he added, and you could almost hear Dani laughing as she said, “I know!” The way she laid it out, this schedule’s got boss-level vibes right out of the gate. Dani then added, “I had known about the Pitt and Stanford thing because of the AVCA, but I didn’t know that Nebraska was playing Kentucky.” And when she saw it? Yep, she said it straight: “Really John, Kentucky again?”

She’s been keeping it super real with her squad too. “I’ve been telling the team like ‘You guys have no idea. Like we gotta win these games. Like that, it’s a big deal to me to beat those opponents,’” she said.  This isn’t just a warm-up stretch—it’s a straight-up challenge, and Dani’s ready to rise, fire, and maybe throw in a few dramatic sighs along the way.

Let’s rewind to early February when things got spicy in Husker volleyball land. Lincoln Arneal dropped a little volleyball bomb on X that had fans absolutely losing it. He posted, “During an interview on @VolleyballPod, John Cook said Nebraska will play Kentucky in Nashville this fall. Tennessee and Purdue will also participate in the event at Bridgestone Arena.” But wait—plot twist! That wasn’t even the whole scoop.

He followed it up with, “That means Dani Busboom Kelly will face familiar rivals Pitt and UK early in her NU stint.” Like… talk about jumping into the deep end! And the real kicker? Her first official showdown as head coach will be against none other than the Pittsburgh Panthers at the 2025 AVCA First Serve, hosted at Pinnacle Bank Arena from August 22–24. First game. Big lights. Familiar faces. But Dani’s not in this alone—John Cook’s already slid in with some legendary mentor energy, giving her a few wise words that might help her steady those first-match nerves.

John Cook gives Dani Busboom Kelly some crucial advice!

John Cook didn’t hold back when chatting with Ana Bellinghausen, saying, “I’ve heard this 10,000 times since our season ended: Coach, great season, but we don’t like how it ended. We thought we were going to win a national championship. Well, so did I.” And just like that, he captured the mood across Husker Nation—a bittersweet mix of pride and the sting of coming oh-so-close. The man’s got four NCAA titles, but the bar’s still sky-high, and fans? They’re not letting up.

Now with the coaching crown passed on to Dani Busboom Kelly, Cook was real about the storm she’s stepping into. “People have no idea how much pressure there is on our players,” he said, adding that Dani will need to navigate that weight without letting it crush the locker room vibe. “Pressure is a privilege, but we also can’t let that get to us and get to our players.” He’s not just throwing clichés either—he’s seen that pressure build championship squads and burn ‘em out. That’s the tightrope Dani’s gotta walk now.

But hey, if anyone’s built for this wild ride, it’s Busboom Kelly. She already turned Louisville into a national force, became part of the first-ever all-women NCAA final, and had the title within reach. Coach Cook knows she’s got the fire, saying she’ll need to “balance that and keep it where that pressure doesn’t eat everybody up”—and yeah, it’s not easy. But with her grit and history-making swagger, the Huskers might just be in the best hands possible. Let the new era begin.