Husker volleyball coach John Cook gives updates on Caffey's status, thoughts on Akana's transfer and more
Nebraska head volleyball coach John Cook joined Lauren Cook West on their monthly podcast ‘Kicking Back with the Cooks’ to give off-season updates.
Cook gave his thoughts for the first time on defensive specialist Keonilei Akana‘s decision to transfer, updates on Kaitlyn Hord and Maggie Mendelson‘s arrival, setter Kennedi Orr and middle blocker Kayla Caffey‘s eligibility status.
Portal reactions
The head coach of 23 years was shocked by Akana’s decision to transfer. The Hawaii native started both her seasons with Nebraska and was a staple on defense and at the service line. Akana, who transferred to Texas, was the Huskers best server and one of the best in the Big Ten.
“I did not see this one coming at all,” Cook said. “She played in our spring match, she had a great spring, she had a great beach season. We had a wonderful time in Hawaii with her family. We had a big luau with them. In this day in age, I don’t understand a lot of these guys transferring but some make sense.”
Cook used Husker middle blocker Callie Schwarzenbach as an example that makes sense. Schwarzenbach is playing her fifth season at Long Beach State and will get her master degree.
She hadn’t started regularly for the Huskers in two seasons. Her former head coach said he understood why she wanted to try something new.
“With Keonilei, I don’t know, it didn’t make sense but she said she wanted to be a starting libero somewhere so maybe she thinks she’ll be able to do that at Texas,” Cook said. “And there’s nothing I can do about it. I get a text and they’re off.
“Our team’s bummed, we’re bummed,” he continued. “She’s got to find whatever she’s looking for and I guess it wasn’t here at Nebraska.”
Nebraska volleyball off-season storylines to watch
Hord, the Huskers’ newest addition, is another example of a player whose decision to transfer makes sense to Cook.
The 6-foot-4 middle blocker moved on from Penn State after head coach Russ Rose retired and a majority of the players hit the portal. Hord will also earn her masters at Nebraska.
She moved to Lincoln at the beginning of May and has been hard at work getting back into shape after not having a spring season.
“I think she’s really fired up,” Cook said. “She’s really happy. She wants to get to work. And that’s what you want to see in players. They’re just chopping at the bit to get going.”
Summer updates
Setter Kennedi Orr is working hard to get back into shape but in a different way.
Orr missed the end of beach volleyball season and the beginning of spring with a minor injury. She played a handful of plays during the Huskers’ spring match against Kansas in April.
Cook said he didn’t want to risk something happening to Orr during the match. He wanted her to play more than she did but the flow of the game and the close sets didn’t allow it.
“If she can stay healthy, she has the keys to the program,” Cook said. “This summer will be key for her because she’s got to be in the gym every day. She’s got to really work hard and recondition herself to get ready to go through a long fall season.”
While Orr is putting in the work with the Huskers’ staff, libero Lexi Rodriquez and middle blocker Bekka Allick are playing for the U.S. Women’s U21 National Team at the Pan Am Cup. Their team has advanced to the semifinals on Saturday.
Cook said both players have a plan that will allow them to rest up and get integrated back into Nebraska volleyball.
Two-sport athlete freshman Maggie Mendelson arrived on campus in June but is with the women’s basketball program for a few weeks before joining the volleyball team.
“Maggie has to integrate in and she’s going to come in and start with basketball in June,” Cook said. “This will be great because she’ll get to play volleyball and recallibrate for volleyball as she goes into our two-a-days. She’s somebody that could potentially play as a freshman.”
Two other important things happening this summer are: the official announcement of Kayla Caffey’s return or not and the release of Nebraska’s schedule.
Cook said he and Caffey have not made their official decision on whether she will play in 2022 but the final decision will be made by July 1. There is paperwork due then.
The Big Ten has not released its schedule yet. However, the Huskers head coach expects there to be a build up at the end of the season, similar to last season’s schedule.
He said he hopes to have the schedule by the next podcast which will be out in the beginning of July.
After he spends some time in Wyoming with his horses, Cook will go to three big volleyball recruiting camps in Columbus, Ohio, Orlando and Indianapolis in June and July.
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