Louisville lands elite assistant as new volleyball coach
Louisville volleyball landed an elite assistant coach from the nation's No. 1 program to lead its team next season. Dani Busboom Kelly, a former Louisville assistant, was named UofL's new coach Sunday.
Kelly will continue to help coach No. 1 Nebraska through the NCAA Tournament over the next three weeks before devoting her energy full time to Louisville.
“We are thrilled to have Dani guiding our volleyball program,” said Louisville Vice President and Athletic Director Tom Jurich. “I was so impressed with her in the one year that she was here on (former UofL coach) Anne Kordes’ staff and I have followed her career closely since then. (Nebraska head coach) John Cook is someone who I really respect and tried to hire while I was at Colorado State. He and many others have provided rave reviews about Dani and I am confident she will be successful here. Everyone I spoke with around the nation has told me she is among the very best in the nation as a recruiter. We will aid her in assembling a terrific staff around her and provide the support she needs for us to succeed on a national stage.”
Kelly won a NCAA title as a player at Nebraska and has been an assistant coach there since 2012. Prior to that she spent a season as an assistant coach at Louisville, helping the Cardinals land the recruiting class that included Katie George and the foundation for Louisville's 2015 ACC championship team.
“I am incredibly humbled to be named the next head coach at Louisville volleyball as I've always considered Louisville one of the top athletic departments in the country,” said Busboom Kelly. “I can't thank President Neville Pinto, Tom Jurich, and Christine Herring enough for having the confidence in me to lead an already tradition-rich program. Five years ago Louisville became my second home and knowing Tom Jurich’s commitment to his programs made this opportunity a dream come true.”
Dani and her husband, Lane Kelly, former Nebraska football player, were married in the summer of 2010.
About Louisville Volleyball
The Cardinals are coming off a 12-18 season and went 7-13 in the ACC to finish 10th. Louisville has made 25 appearances in NCAA including four Sweet Sixteens. Their last appearance was 2015, when they beat Belmont in the first round but fell to Illinois in Cardinal Arena. In all, UofL has 26 Conference Championships (7 in Metro Conference, 9 in Conference USA, 8 in Big East, 1 in the American Conference (AAC) and 1 in ACC.