LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — In eight seasons as the University of Louisville volleyball coach, Dani Busboom Kelly took the Cardinals to eight NCAA Tournaments and two national runner-up finishes.

Her squad battled Penn State for the national title at the KFC Yum! Center last month, falling in four sets. The best was yet to come.

But there was always a fear that one day she would return to the program where Busboom Kelly earned legendary status as a player — the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

On Wednesday, that opportunity materialized.

Nebraska coach John Cook announced his retirement as the head of the program where he won four national titles in 25 seasons. Minutes later, it was announced that Busboom Kelly was leaving UofL to follow Cook at her alma mater.

"Louisville will always hold a special place in my heart," Busboom Kelly in a news release from U of L. "I have loved the athletic department, the city, and most importantly, the people, since I first arrived here as an assistant in 2011.

"The past eight seasons have been unbelievable, and we have been so proud to be Cardinals. From ACC Championships to Final Fours, we accomplished more than I ever dreamed of, thanks to the unwavering trust of our current and former players.

"I can't thank the volleyball staff and support staff enough for believing in us and pushing us to dream bigger. I am grateful to Josh Heird and Amy Calabrese for loving the sport of volleyball and for aligning with our vision for Louisville. And thank you to Card Nation! We could not have done anything without you!"

With five national titles, Nebraska trails only Stanford (9) and Penn State (8) in that category. The Cornhuskers led the nation in attendance this season with an average crowd of 8,713. Louisville was third in that category with 6,368.

But the biggest allure was Busboom Kelly's tie to the program as a former player and assistant coach. She was a team captain who set several program records and starred on Nebraska's 2006 NCAA title team. She was the starting libero for that squad.

She was born in Cortland, Nebraska, where she excelled as a high school athlete in volleyball and track. Her husband, Lane Kelly, played football for the Cornhuskers.

“The opportunity to come home to Nebraska is more than a dream come true,” Busboom Kelly said in a Nebraska press release.

“I want to thank Troy Dannen, Dr. Jeffrey Gold, and Kristen Brown for their trust in me to continue the legacy of Nebraska volleyball. A huge thank you to John Cook. I would not be here without his mentorship and support. I’ve gotten chills listening to the roars in the Coliseum and now Devaney since I was nine years old.

"Nebraska is the greatest place in the world to play volleyball and I am honored to be a part of it once again! My family and I can’t wait to get to work and bring more championships home. Go Big Red!”

"Card Nation will be forever grateful to Dani for what she did in elevating Louisville Volleyball to be among the nation's elite programs," U of L athletic director Josh Heird said in a news release.

"During her tenure, she was an incredible ambassador for the sport, for our athletics department and for the university. We know just what a tremendous person, coach, and leader she is and that it would take something truly special for Dani, Lane and their family to leave us. I want to thank Dani for all she did for us, and we wish her the very best."

Heird quickly announced that associate head coach Dan Meske would lead the UofL program as the permanent head coach, pending approval by the school's athletics association.

"I am thrilled to promote Dan Meske to the role of Head Coach," Heird said. "Throughout his tenure, Dan has had several opportunities to leave UofL for other head coaching roles, but he has stayed committed to making UofL one of the elite programs in the country. I am supremely confident in his ability to lead this program into the future in the same manner he has already helped guide us to where we are today during his time as the associate head coach.

"Dan is a proven leader, teacher, and program builder that will keep us on a national championship trajectory. If formally approved by ULAA, we look forward to welcoming Dan as our head coach, along with his wife, Laurel and their three sons, Ryne, Maddox and Hendricks."

"I am incredibly proud and humbled to be the head coach of Louisville Volleyball," said Meske. "My last eight seasons in the 'Ville have been the best of my life, and I'd like to thank Josh Heird and Amy Calabrese for this amazing opportunity to continue to serve our athletes.  Anyone who follows our program knows that there is a joy and love for each other and for the game within Louisville Volleyball, and I plan to keep it that way.  Go Cards!"

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