Cook Must Be Thankful Volleyball Transformed Itself

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Randy York N-Sider

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Without asking John Cook directly, I would be willing to bet that Nebraska’s legendary coach is thankful, if not relieved, to see Nebraska Volleyball continue to transform itself inside the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

This past weekend showcased Exhibit A and Exhibit B to describe Cook’s top-ranked team rising to beat Wisconsin and Minnesota, two top four-rated teams that were eager to duplicate a sweep of the Huskers in a similar home-court scenario last year.

What was the difference between losing two matches in 2015 and winning both in 2016? A number of things, but after talking to several season ticket holders and former Huskers attending three reunions to celebrate 1986, 1996 and 2006 Final Four teams, I'm willing to go out on a limb and say this – the Devaney Center is becoming more and more like the suffocating atmosphere of the old NU Coliseum.

Thanksgiving is coming early this year for Cook, his staff and ticketholders who hearken back to replicate the Coliseum’s indescribable edge that allowed the Huskers to lose an average of one home match per season in a 3½ decade span.

Team Seeks to Become NU Volleyball’s Only Back-to-Back National Champions

Cook once was guarded in leaving that trap door for opponents to double the capacity of his home venue. It’s worked out well enough, however, to win a national championship last December and place the Huskers at the front of the line for what could become Nebraska volleyball’s only back-to-back national titles in school history.

In my mind, this past weekend elevated Nebraska’s home-court volleyball advantage. Fans packed into their seats, cheered loud, acted proud and created electricity with a definitive competitive edge to it. The Huskers host Illinois Friday at 6 p.m. and Northwestern Saturday at 7 p.m. Loyal Husker season ticket holders will make sure Nebraska’s home-court momentum will continue at the Devaney Center.

In the meantime, The N-Sider offers up some interesting thoughts gleaned from last weekend’s blockbuster reunions in Lincoln. My favorite story came from Karen Dahlgren Schonewise, who described the difference between playing at the 4,000-seat Coliseum (pictured below), compared to the Devaney Center accommodating 8,500 fans, including standing-room-only ticketholders.

Game Day at the Coliseum 'A Bit Different' Than the Bob Devaney Sports Center

Schonewise said game day in the 1980s at the Coliseum was "a bit different" than it is inside the Devaney in 2016. In 1986, well before renovation, the Coliseum “was a long open gym with no seating on the main level,” Schonewise told me, “so the players were in charge of game day set-up. This included setting up the net system as well as the score table and benches. We also set up several rows of chairs for the spectators on the south side of the court.

“We were on our own for food because there were no pre-game meals for home matches,” Schoenwise said. “Our locker room was in the basement, and it was a very basic room. It was long and narrow, and each locker had a piece of masking tape with our name on it. There were gray benches down the middle. We didn’t have a film room, so when we watched tape, it was in Coach (Terry) Pettit's office. Most of us sat on the floor. The facilities are amazing now and show the level of support that Nebraska has for the volleyball program.”

Tisha (Delaney) Vandemore, the All-America setter on the Huskers’ 1986 volleyball team, called Nebraska’s work ethic and mental conditioning unparalleled. “Getting to a Final Four did not come easy and was not without emotional and physical pain,” said Vandemore, a Festus, Mo., native who now lives in Charlotte, N.C. “It was a true gift to experience and learn. They are unique in that they stay with you for a lifetime. We carry these lessons on with us in the work field, in families, as parents, and in building new friendships. I’m profoundly proud to watch the tradition of excellence in Husker Nation continue and the positive impact we make on others, not only in Lincoln but around the world. We’re Nebraska, and we’re one!”  

Amanda (Gates) Sjuts, a captain and middle blocker on Nebraska’s 2006 national championship team, called the weekend fast and furious without much down time. “The tradition with Nebraska volleyball is special, and there truly is nothing like it,” Sjuts said. “Once a Husker, always a Husker. The strong bond and friendships created in this group solidify the amazing turnout for the weekend. This program is filled with years of memories, victories and outstanding talent. It is evident that the Husker N, the tradition and the friendships live on well past our days on the court. What a special experience it was to be a part of, and it would not be possible without the state of Nebraska, the fans, the support staff and the coaches, past and present.”

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