Saturday, December 10
LOUISVILLE, KY
4:00 p.m.
University of Louisville
vs
Oregon
No. 1 Louisville Set to Face No. 3 Oregon in Elite Eight
December 09, 2022 | Women's Volleyball
The Cards play at the KFC Yum! Center on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The No. 1 University of Louisville volleyball team hosts its final NCAA Tournament match this postseason as it faces off against No. 3 Oregon on Saturday, Dec. 10 at 4 p.m. ET at the KFC Yum! Center.
The No. 2 seeded Cardinals move on to their second straight Elite Eight appearance and third appearance in program history after sweeping No. 4-ranked Baylor on Thursday afternoon. The matchup against the Ducks marks the first meeting between the two teams in program history.
About the Cards
The Cardinals enter the Elite Eight after three straight sweeps of Samford, Purdue, and Baylor. The sweep against Baylor was the fifth straight for the Cards and the 21st of the season. UofL moved to 29-2 (17-1 ACC). As a team, the Cardinals finished with 44 kills hitting .269, 10 blocks, and six aces, while the Bears totaled 29 kills hitting .098, 28 assists, and 39 digs. The outside hitter duo of Anna DeBeer and Claire Chaussee led the Cards with 11 kills apiece. DeBeer added eight digs and two blocks, while Chaussee added 12 digs, a block, and an ace. Phekran Kong registered seven kills hitting .467 and had a team-high five blocks and Amaya Tillman added four blocks. Raquel Lazaro totaled a match-high 38 assists, adding two aces and four blocks. Elena Scott chipped in 14 digs, making it her 23rd match registering double-digit digs this season, and three aces.
About the Ducks
The Ducks enter the Elite Eight after beating Loyola Marymount, Arkansas, and Nebraska. The five-set thriller against Nebraska lasted for almost three hours, with Oregon winning 14-25, 26-24, 22-25, 32-30, 15-11. The Huskers rallied from behind in the fourth by scoring three straight points to lead 25-24, but the Ducks fought off four match points to win on an overpass. Mimi Colyer, the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, led Oregon offensively with 26 kills and added one ace, three blocks, and 13 digs. Brooke Nuneviller recorded 16 kills, two blocks, and 15 digs. Setter Hannah Pukis had 57 assists, two aces, one block, and 20 digs.
Team Rankings
As a team, Louisville is ranked first in the ACC in hitting percentage (.293) and opponent hitting percentage (.145), first in blocks (310 total) and blocks per set (3.01), second in service aces per set (1.68), and third in kills per set (13.10).
Cardinals in the ACC Rankings
Aiko Jones – 3rd in service aces with 0.41 aces/set
Anna DeBeer – 4th in service aces with 0.39 aces/set
Raquel Lazaro – 5th in assists with 10.02 assists/set
Amaya Tillman – 1st in blocks with 1.49 blocks/set, 4th in hitting % with 0.361
PK Kong – 2nd in blocks with 1.32 blocks/set
Louisville, Ky. | KFC Yum! Center
Dec. 9, 2022
Louisville Head Coach Dani Busboom Kelly
(Opening statement)
"We're really thankful to be here. Oregon is a really, really good team and when the backet was drawn, I was thinking I don't want to see Oregon in our regional and then I saw them in there. They've been playing well. I would call them red hot, I think they've won their last 16 matches, so it's definitely going to be a challenge tomorrow night. Very thankful to be here at the Yum Center where we can have our home crowd and just feel really comfortable. We are excited for the opportunity tomorrow."
(What problems does Oregon create that you have to prepare for)
"They have two of the best outside hitters in the country. They run a really fast offense that's always a challenge for anybody. It's a challenge for us. Luckily the way the regionals are set up now, we have a day in between, so we'll have a day to prepare, so that will be very, very helpful. But I'd say they are a fast offense, their outsides and the fact that you have to prep for multiple players. You saw yesterday they had two players come off the bench and have amazing games, so that adds more prep. So you're not just prepping for three or four starters, you're prepping for six or seven."
(On what they saw in the Oregon/Nebraska matchup and the plan for blocking that quick offense)
Aiko Jones, R/Senior, Opposite
"Just like Dani said, Oregon runs a fast offense – faster than ours, so it's different that what we see in the gym every day and that's something that always takes a little time to adjust to, so for blocking I think going into today's practice and tomorrow I'm focusing on getting up faster than maybe I normally do on an every day basis and that's going to be a key to our defense and our offense as being able to slow down their really good outsides at the net. And just trying to be solid and good and setting up a good defensive scheme for other people behind me.
Phekran Kong, Junior, Middle Blocker
"I'd have to agree with Aiko, with their faster offense, we're going to have to get up sooner and that's something that's hard to adjust to and as a middle and moving pin to pin, there are a lot of things that are going on, so as a blocker I always try to think first get to the ball and at least try and touch it. But now it's probably more like try and beat the ball. But we've really got to have just a little bit of a faster mindset going into tomorrow."
(On the coaching staff's preparation)
Aiko Jones, R/Senior, Opposite
"I have never heard of a staff that better prepares their team for a game. When we go into games, we feel like we know what the other team is going to do before they even do it and then if they switch to their plan B, we're like 'Oh, this person is going there, this person is going there,' and then it happens. It makes the game kind of feel so much easier. I know Dani said it yesterday, but it's spot on. We go into a game and we talk about winning the pre-whistle – expecting what we know is going to happen and then it's easier to adjust when they do something that's maybe not on the scout. They put a lot of time in that. Everyone scouts a different part of the game, so when we come together and we sit in film and we have the entire game plan of our opponents sitting in front of us. I know that's one of the reasons why we are in this Elite Eight is because we out-prep every team that we play and our coaches are really good at that."
(On comparing Oregon to other teams faced this year)
Dani Busboom Kelly, Head Coach
"Pitt, who we play every year a couple of times runs a really fast offense. Luckily we have prepared for this type of speed, it's just going to be different hitters. I definitely would compare their speed to Pitt and we start slow against Pitt often and so it will be a good challenge for us to start out strong."
(How do you prepare for an emotional match in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament against a team coming in with a lot of adrenaline and momentum?)
Dani Busboom Kelly, Head Coach
"We feel like we've prepared for that all season. We've had a lot of emotional matches and we talk about being even-keeled almost every day and talk about the look in our eyes and looking at each other, and that gives us a lot of comfort. I think it's on the coaches to stay loose and confident and then that bleeds into the players. It's not really us telling them, it's us modeling what we want them to be like on the court."
(For the players, how are you feeling going into this game with a chance to go to your second Final Four in a row?)
Aiko Jones, Redshirt Senior, Outside Hitter
"Nervous in a good way, the good jitters. I was telling Dani when we walked in here that walking into the arena brings so many emotions, not just from last year. Walking in and seeing that blue Sport Court and seeing all the NCAA signage, it makes you realize that this is a big moment and just realizing that and soaking that in but also realizing that it's do or die and that tomorrow determines a lot for the rest of our season and the rest of some of our careers. This is big, but the only way you get through it and get through it well is if you embrace it and that's what we try to do. Everyone that was here last year, that's what we try and encourage the younger ones to do is just to soak this up because nothing compares."
Phekran Kong, Junior, Middle Blocker
"I would agree with Aiko. The nerves are there, but it comes from more of a place of excitement, because this is such a cool place to be with such great people. I guess the feeling I compare it to the most is… the only time you find yourself playing on sport court in a big arena with a lot of lights is when you're back in club. During those club days, that's when volleyball was just so fun and carefree, so that's what gets me through these times. As nervous as it can be – if you lose, you're done and you've got to work hard – but it's just so fun and cool to be here, so we're just soaking it up and feeling all the feels."
Aiko Jones, Redshirt Senior, Outside Hitter
"Going off of that, I think we play our best volleyball when we're having a good time. It's easier to do well when the people around you are doing well, when you look around and everyone's smiling, and when you can laugh at your sometimes egregious errors. If we're not having fun, you can tell and Dani always tells us that someone needs to go out there and start smiling, or we're not going to win this game. In soaking all this up and embracing this big moment, we have more fun, and we play so much better."
(Dani, you've been on this stage before as a player, as an assistant coach, as a head coach. This is a big picture question, how did your time at Nebraska help you get to this moment? What have you learned as a player, as an assistant and working with John (Cook)?)
Dani Busboom Kelly, Head Coach
"I definitely realize how hard it is and to not take it for granted. Details matter. Looking back, I think I have a great perspective, because I know what it feels like as a player and as a coach. I can really relate to what they're feeling. Then we can play off of each other. With John (Cook) and learning from him, details are so important and it's so hard. Every single day is so important to this journey. I am really proud of our team for understanding that and knowing you are one game away from losing that host seed or losing that ACC Championship. Every single practice is very, very important. We talk a lot about quality over quantity, so we take every rep in the weight room or the gym really seriously."
(Is there one specific lesson from him (John Cook) that you have drawn to over the years?)
"Not really anything specific. I think John is really great at running a program and managing a program. I can't really point to one specific thing. It's more how he manages people on a day-to-day basis."
(What would it mean to you to go to the Final Four in Omaha (Nebraska), where your career began?)
"It would be amazing. We were there in the bubble, that was a different type of tournament. Obviously, we didn't make the Final Four that year, but we had an opportunity to. It would mean a lot to be back there. I won there as a player and an assistant coach. It would be pretty full circle to win as a head coach."
(Have you talked to the team about all of it? Just the memories you have as a player winning there.)
"Not really. We're making new memories."
Dani Busboom Kelly
(You have built this program to have such a big volleyball presence in this city so what has that kind of been like?)
"Yeah, it's pretty amazing and I felt like that last year when we were in Freedom Hall. We always say we're never going to have an opportunity like this again and we're so lucky to get this, and then to have it again a second year in a row and have it be different because we're the Yum! (Center) is pretty incredible. I hope they understand and we understand as a staff just how hard it is and that's why you really have to enjoy it every minute and not take it for granted and have fun and be really thankful to the people around us that have helped us get here. So, it's been pretty amazing to look back and think that we are hosting for the second year in a row a regional final.
Aiko Jones, Redshirt Senior, Outside Hitter
"It's unreal to think about when I first talked to Dani (Busboom Kelly) or to think about when Dani came on a home visit to Jamaica. For me it's a little different than PK (Kong) because I was just focused on going to the United States to play Division I, that was the thing for me. My goal was obviously how far can I get in this sport. So, to think that tomorrow will be my second straight Elite Eight and third overall, and we're hosting, that is absolutely insane. Five years ago, if you'd asked me if I saw myself here, the answer would've been heck no, I'm just going to have a good time. It's crazy to see the growth, but also crazy to feel the growth because going into yesterday's game felt so different than it did last year or even in 2019. It's crazy to feel how different it feels and to know that we belong here. I always think back to 2019 when it was kind of like we are not supposed to be here. We were in Texas, and we did not think this was happening, everyone knows we're not supposed to be here, and this is going to be so fun. Ever since then it's like we belong here, we are supposed to be here. If we didn't have the opportunity to practice today, it would have been a disappointment, but five years ago it was, 'we had a great year, good job everyone, see you in January.' So, it's crazy to live through that transition and have people buy into the program. I will follow Dani anywhere she goes. I think we have something special here and we really love it."
PK Kong
(Journey over your time at Louisville and how the program has been built)
"Around the time that committed to Louisville, I knew what I was signing up for with the coaches and the types of players I was going to run into, because I picked here, they're awesome people some players. I didn't realize what kind of program they would transform themselves into because the year they were at Texas was my senior year of high school. I was like 'wow, looking at the scores thinking they're really doing this thing right now.' To come in the next year and to see how Dani and her staff just develop each other, how the players work hard day in and day out and have a fun time while doing it. It's just been super cool to be a part of. Coming into college, it's a bigger stage and there are a lot more things to get done. I never knew how far this program would go and I truly didn't think I'd be sitting here about to play in an Elite Eight after doing it last year. I don't know, there's just so many heights to be reached and I can't imagine doing that anywhere else."
(What is it like having a coach in Dani who's been there, done that and has seen just about everything?)
Aiko Jones, Redshirt Senior, Outside Hitter
"She's so cool."
Phekran Kong, Junior, Middle Blocker
"She's a badass. It's really comforting, because Dani has been our exact shoes before, so it's really nice to get here with somebody you can relate to. I did want to go to a school that had a female head coach – all three of my top schools had female head coaches – because they have played at that level, and they just relate to you a little more in ways that you can't explain. It's just so cool seeing people that you used to look up to live out their dreams and help you do the same."
Aiko Jones, Redshirt Senior, Outside Hitter
"Also, you have a coach who has won more than one national championship at different levels of their career. You walk into tournament games and they're showing the history of the NCAA Tournament and past highlights and you see a picture and you're like, 'Dani's in that picture.' It's kind of crazy because this is the same coach who comes to practice every day and tells you how much she loves to coach you, and it's like 'You've won it all, why (would you keep going)?' But she comes in every day and tells us we're going to see how far we can get and we're going to grind today. She's had what we all are trying to get, but she still gives her all every day and pours into us. She knows how we feel every day because we want it, and she wanted it. She's just really cool."
(What goes through your mind when you hear your athletes say those things about you?)
Dani Busboom Kelly, Head Coach
"First of all, I'm flattered they think I'm cool. They do keep me up to speed on what's hip. It means a lot to be able to mentor amazing women and to see them grow. You get into coaching, in my opinion, for two reasons: to compete at the highest level you can and to change people's lives. When you're doing both of those at the same time and you're winning, that's the bonus. I'm just thankful that we've recruited a great group that really trusts each other and trusts us."
The No. 2 seeded Cardinals move on to their second straight Elite Eight appearance and third appearance in program history after sweeping No. 4-ranked Baylor on Thursday afternoon. The matchup against the Ducks marks the first meeting between the two teams in program history.
About the Cards
The Cardinals enter the Elite Eight after three straight sweeps of Samford, Purdue, and Baylor. The sweep against Baylor was the fifth straight for the Cards and the 21st of the season. UofL moved to 29-2 (17-1 ACC). As a team, the Cardinals finished with 44 kills hitting .269, 10 blocks, and six aces, while the Bears totaled 29 kills hitting .098, 28 assists, and 39 digs. The outside hitter duo of Anna DeBeer and Claire Chaussee led the Cards with 11 kills apiece. DeBeer added eight digs and two blocks, while Chaussee added 12 digs, a block, and an ace. Phekran Kong registered seven kills hitting .467 and had a team-high five blocks and Amaya Tillman added four blocks. Raquel Lazaro totaled a match-high 38 assists, adding two aces and four blocks. Elena Scott chipped in 14 digs, making it her 23rd match registering double-digit digs this season, and three aces.
About the Ducks
The Ducks enter the Elite Eight after beating Loyola Marymount, Arkansas, and Nebraska. The five-set thriller against Nebraska lasted for almost three hours, with Oregon winning 14-25, 26-24, 22-25, 32-30, 15-11. The Huskers rallied from behind in the fourth by scoring three straight points to lead 25-24, but the Ducks fought off four match points to win on an overpass. Mimi Colyer, the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, led Oregon offensively with 26 kills and added one ace, three blocks, and 13 digs. Brooke Nuneviller recorded 16 kills, two blocks, and 15 digs. Setter Hannah Pukis had 57 assists, two aces, one block, and 20 digs.
Team Rankings
As a team, Louisville is ranked first in the ACC in hitting percentage (.293) and opponent hitting percentage (.145), first in blocks (310 total) and blocks per set (3.01), second in service aces per set (1.68), and third in kills per set (13.10).
Cardinals in the ACC Rankings
Aiko Jones – 3rd in service aces with 0.41 aces/set
Anna DeBeer – 4th in service aces with 0.39 aces/set
Raquel Lazaro – 5th in assists with 10.02 assists/set
Amaya Tillman – 1st in blocks with 1.49 blocks/set, 4th in hitting % with 0.361
PK Kong – 2nd in blocks with 1.32 blocks/set
What They Said
Louisville Volleyball Pre-NCAA Elite Eight Press ConferenceLouisville, Ky. | KFC Yum! Center
Dec. 9, 2022
Louisville Head Coach Dani Busboom Kelly
(Opening statement)
"We're really thankful to be here. Oregon is a really, really good team and when the backet was drawn, I was thinking I don't want to see Oregon in our regional and then I saw them in there. They've been playing well. I would call them red hot, I think they've won their last 16 matches, so it's definitely going to be a challenge tomorrow night. Very thankful to be here at the Yum Center where we can have our home crowd and just feel really comfortable. We are excited for the opportunity tomorrow."
(What problems does Oregon create that you have to prepare for)
"They have two of the best outside hitters in the country. They run a really fast offense that's always a challenge for anybody. It's a challenge for us. Luckily the way the regionals are set up now, we have a day in between, so we'll have a day to prepare, so that will be very, very helpful. But I'd say they are a fast offense, their outsides and the fact that you have to prep for multiple players. You saw yesterday they had two players come off the bench and have amazing games, so that adds more prep. So you're not just prepping for three or four starters, you're prepping for six or seven."
(On what they saw in the Oregon/Nebraska matchup and the plan for blocking that quick offense)
Aiko Jones, R/Senior, Opposite
"Just like Dani said, Oregon runs a fast offense – faster than ours, so it's different that what we see in the gym every day and that's something that always takes a little time to adjust to, so for blocking I think going into today's practice and tomorrow I'm focusing on getting up faster than maybe I normally do on an every day basis and that's going to be a key to our defense and our offense as being able to slow down their really good outsides at the net. And just trying to be solid and good and setting up a good defensive scheme for other people behind me.
Phekran Kong, Junior, Middle Blocker
"I'd have to agree with Aiko, with their faster offense, we're going to have to get up sooner and that's something that's hard to adjust to and as a middle and moving pin to pin, there are a lot of things that are going on, so as a blocker I always try to think first get to the ball and at least try and touch it. But now it's probably more like try and beat the ball. But we've really got to have just a little bit of a faster mindset going into tomorrow."
(On the coaching staff's preparation)
Aiko Jones, R/Senior, Opposite
"I have never heard of a staff that better prepares their team for a game. When we go into games, we feel like we know what the other team is going to do before they even do it and then if they switch to their plan B, we're like 'Oh, this person is going there, this person is going there,' and then it happens. It makes the game kind of feel so much easier. I know Dani said it yesterday, but it's spot on. We go into a game and we talk about winning the pre-whistle – expecting what we know is going to happen and then it's easier to adjust when they do something that's maybe not on the scout. They put a lot of time in that. Everyone scouts a different part of the game, so when we come together and we sit in film and we have the entire game plan of our opponents sitting in front of us. I know that's one of the reasons why we are in this Elite Eight is because we out-prep every team that we play and our coaches are really good at that."
(On comparing Oregon to other teams faced this year)
Dani Busboom Kelly, Head Coach
"Pitt, who we play every year a couple of times runs a really fast offense. Luckily we have prepared for this type of speed, it's just going to be different hitters. I definitely would compare their speed to Pitt and we start slow against Pitt often and so it will be a good challenge for us to start out strong."
(How do you prepare for an emotional match in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament against a team coming in with a lot of adrenaline and momentum?)
Dani Busboom Kelly, Head Coach
"We feel like we've prepared for that all season. We've had a lot of emotional matches and we talk about being even-keeled almost every day and talk about the look in our eyes and looking at each other, and that gives us a lot of comfort. I think it's on the coaches to stay loose and confident and then that bleeds into the players. It's not really us telling them, it's us modeling what we want them to be like on the court."
(For the players, how are you feeling going into this game with a chance to go to your second Final Four in a row?)
Aiko Jones, Redshirt Senior, Outside Hitter
"Nervous in a good way, the good jitters. I was telling Dani when we walked in here that walking into the arena brings so many emotions, not just from last year. Walking in and seeing that blue Sport Court and seeing all the NCAA signage, it makes you realize that this is a big moment and just realizing that and soaking that in but also realizing that it's do or die and that tomorrow determines a lot for the rest of our season and the rest of some of our careers. This is big, but the only way you get through it and get through it well is if you embrace it and that's what we try to do. Everyone that was here last year, that's what we try and encourage the younger ones to do is just to soak this up because nothing compares."
Phekran Kong, Junior, Middle Blocker
"I would agree with Aiko. The nerves are there, but it comes from more of a place of excitement, because this is such a cool place to be with such great people. I guess the feeling I compare it to the most is… the only time you find yourself playing on sport court in a big arena with a lot of lights is when you're back in club. During those club days, that's when volleyball was just so fun and carefree, so that's what gets me through these times. As nervous as it can be – if you lose, you're done and you've got to work hard – but it's just so fun and cool to be here, so we're just soaking it up and feeling all the feels."
Aiko Jones, Redshirt Senior, Outside Hitter
"Going off of that, I think we play our best volleyball when we're having a good time. It's easier to do well when the people around you are doing well, when you look around and everyone's smiling, and when you can laugh at your sometimes egregious errors. If we're not having fun, you can tell and Dani always tells us that someone needs to go out there and start smiling, or we're not going to win this game. In soaking all this up and embracing this big moment, we have more fun, and we play so much better."
(Dani, you've been on this stage before as a player, as an assistant coach, as a head coach. This is a big picture question, how did your time at Nebraska help you get to this moment? What have you learned as a player, as an assistant and working with John (Cook)?)
Dani Busboom Kelly, Head Coach
"I definitely realize how hard it is and to not take it for granted. Details matter. Looking back, I think I have a great perspective, because I know what it feels like as a player and as a coach. I can really relate to what they're feeling. Then we can play off of each other. With John (Cook) and learning from him, details are so important and it's so hard. Every single day is so important to this journey. I am really proud of our team for understanding that and knowing you are one game away from losing that host seed or losing that ACC Championship. Every single practice is very, very important. We talk a lot about quality over quantity, so we take every rep in the weight room or the gym really seriously."
(Is there one specific lesson from him (John Cook) that you have drawn to over the years?)
"Not really anything specific. I think John is really great at running a program and managing a program. I can't really point to one specific thing. It's more how he manages people on a day-to-day basis."
(What would it mean to you to go to the Final Four in Omaha (Nebraska), where your career began?)
"It would be amazing. We were there in the bubble, that was a different type of tournament. Obviously, we didn't make the Final Four that year, but we had an opportunity to. It would mean a lot to be back there. I won there as a player and an assistant coach. It would be pretty full circle to win as a head coach."
(Have you talked to the team about all of it? Just the memories you have as a player winning there.)
"Not really. We're making new memories."
Dani Busboom Kelly
(You have built this program to have such a big volleyball presence in this city so what has that kind of been like?)
"Yeah, it's pretty amazing and I felt like that last year when we were in Freedom Hall. We always say we're never going to have an opportunity like this again and we're so lucky to get this, and then to have it again a second year in a row and have it be different because we're the Yum! (Center) is pretty incredible. I hope they understand and we understand as a staff just how hard it is and that's why you really have to enjoy it every minute and not take it for granted and have fun and be really thankful to the people around us that have helped us get here. So, it's been pretty amazing to look back and think that we are hosting for the second year in a row a regional final.
Aiko Jones, Redshirt Senior, Outside Hitter
"It's unreal to think about when I first talked to Dani (Busboom Kelly) or to think about when Dani came on a home visit to Jamaica. For me it's a little different than PK (Kong) because I was just focused on going to the United States to play Division I, that was the thing for me. My goal was obviously how far can I get in this sport. So, to think that tomorrow will be my second straight Elite Eight and third overall, and we're hosting, that is absolutely insane. Five years ago, if you'd asked me if I saw myself here, the answer would've been heck no, I'm just going to have a good time. It's crazy to see the growth, but also crazy to feel the growth because going into yesterday's game felt so different than it did last year or even in 2019. It's crazy to feel how different it feels and to know that we belong here. I always think back to 2019 when it was kind of like we are not supposed to be here. We were in Texas, and we did not think this was happening, everyone knows we're not supposed to be here, and this is going to be so fun. Ever since then it's like we belong here, we are supposed to be here. If we didn't have the opportunity to practice today, it would have been a disappointment, but five years ago it was, 'we had a great year, good job everyone, see you in January.' So, it's crazy to live through that transition and have people buy into the program. I will follow Dani anywhere she goes. I think we have something special here and we really love it."
PK Kong
(Journey over your time at Louisville and how the program has been built)
"Around the time that committed to Louisville, I knew what I was signing up for with the coaches and the types of players I was going to run into, because I picked here, they're awesome people some players. I didn't realize what kind of program they would transform themselves into because the year they were at Texas was my senior year of high school. I was like 'wow, looking at the scores thinking they're really doing this thing right now.' To come in the next year and to see how Dani and her staff just develop each other, how the players work hard day in and day out and have a fun time while doing it. It's just been super cool to be a part of. Coming into college, it's a bigger stage and there are a lot more things to get done. I never knew how far this program would go and I truly didn't think I'd be sitting here about to play in an Elite Eight after doing it last year. I don't know, there's just so many heights to be reached and I can't imagine doing that anywhere else."
(What is it like having a coach in Dani who's been there, done that and has seen just about everything?)
Aiko Jones, Redshirt Senior, Outside Hitter
"She's so cool."
Phekran Kong, Junior, Middle Blocker
"She's a badass. It's really comforting, because Dani has been our exact shoes before, so it's really nice to get here with somebody you can relate to. I did want to go to a school that had a female head coach – all three of my top schools had female head coaches – because they have played at that level, and they just relate to you a little more in ways that you can't explain. It's just so cool seeing people that you used to look up to live out their dreams and help you do the same."
Aiko Jones, Redshirt Senior, Outside Hitter
"Also, you have a coach who has won more than one national championship at different levels of their career. You walk into tournament games and they're showing the history of the NCAA Tournament and past highlights and you see a picture and you're like, 'Dani's in that picture.' It's kind of crazy because this is the same coach who comes to practice every day and tells you how much she loves to coach you, and it's like 'You've won it all, why (would you keep going)?' But she comes in every day and tells us we're going to see how far we can get and we're going to grind today. She's had what we all are trying to get, but she still gives her all every day and pours into us. She knows how we feel every day because we want it, and she wanted it. She's just really cool."
(What goes through your mind when you hear your athletes say those things about you?)
Dani Busboom Kelly, Head Coach
"First of all, I'm flattered they think I'm cool. They do keep me up to speed on what's hip. It means a lot to be able to mentor amazing women and to see them grow. You get into coaching, in my opinion, for two reasons: to compete at the highest level you can and to change people's lives. When you're doing both of those at the same time and you're winning, that's the bonus. I'm just thankful that we've recruited a great group that really trusts each other and trusts us."
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
OPP
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
L/DS
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's VolleyballVB: Highlights vs. Boston College
Saturday, September 27
VB: Highlights vs. Western Kentucky
Tuesday, September 23
VB: Highlights vs. Rice
Sunday, September 14
VB: Highlights vs. Northern Iowa
Sunday, September 14
