John Cook (coach)
John Cook (born 1956) is currently the head coach for the Nebraska Cornhuskers women's volleyball team, in his 16th season as head coach in 2015. He has led the Huskers to three NCAA Women's Volleyball Championships, in 2000 by defeating Wisconsin, in 2006 by defeating Stanford, and in 2015 by defeating Texas. He is a two-time winner of the AVCA National Coach of the Year award. Entering the 2016 season, Cook has an overall record of 468-62 at Nebraska. Prior to becoming head coach at Nebraska, Cook served as head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers women's volleyball team, compiling a 161–73 record over seven seasons.
Cook graduated from the University of San Diego, earning his bachelor's degree in history in 1979. He completed his master's degree in teaching and coaching effectiveness from San Diego State in 1991.
Cook and his wife Wendy, a former two-time All-America setter at San Diego State, are the parents of two children, Lauren and Taylor. Lauren was the starting setter for UCLA during the 2009 season and garnered National Freshman of the Year honors.[1] She transferred to Nebraska in 2010 and finished her career there in 2012.[2]
John Cook was hired in 1992 to coach the Wisconsin Badgers Women's Volleyball team. In 7 years as head coach he had a record of 161-73 before resigning to accept the Nebraska position. He was named the Big Ten Co-Coach and AVCA District 2 Coach of the Year after leading the Badgers to a share of the 1997 Big 10 title with a 19-1 mark and school-record 30-3 overall record. In his seven years as head coach, the Badgers advanced to six straight postseason tournaments. Wisconsin qualified for the NCAA tournament in 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997 and 1998. In 1995, Wisconsin won the National Invitational Volleyball Championship with a perfect 6-0 record. During his tenure at UW, he coached four All-Americans, nine AVCA All-District award winners, 11 All-Big Ten honorees and two Big Ten Freshmen of the Year. He also coached 21 Academic All-Big 10 selections during his seven seasons.
Cook succeeded Terry Pettit in 2000 as the coach at Nebraska. Cook has guided the Huskers to 3 NCAA National Championships in 2000, 2006, and 2015 alongside a NCAA National Runner-up finish in 2005, 6 Final Four appearances in 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2008, and 2015, with NCAA Tournament appearances in each of his years as coach. Cook was named the AVCA Division I National Coach of the Year in 2000 and 2005, the AVCA Central Region Coach of the Year in 1997 (Wisconsin), 2000, 2005, and 2008 as well as the Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year in 2001, 2005, and 2008. He was also awarded the USA Volleyball All-Time Great Coach Award in 2008. Entering the 2015 season, Cook has an overall record of 597-131; he was 436-58 through 15 seasons in Nebraska.
At Nebraska, Cook has coached three AVCA National Players of the Year (Greichaly Cepero in 2000, Christina Houghtelling in 2005 and Sarah Pavan in 2006). Pavan also won the Honda-Broderick Cup in 2007 as the Collegiate Female Athlete of the Year.
Nebraska results under Cook
NCAA results
| Year | Record | NCAA Finish (National Seed) |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 34–0 | National Champions (1) |
| 2001 | 31–2 | National Semifinal (2) |
| 2002 | 31–2 | Regional Final (3) |
| 2003 | 28–5 | Regional Semifinal (9) |
| 2004 | 30–2 | Regional Final (1) |
| 2005 | 33–2 | National Runner-Up (1) |
| 2006 | 33–1 | National Champions (1) |
| 2007 | 30–2 | Regional Final (2) |
| 2008 | 31–3 | National Semifinal (4) |
| 2009 | 26–7 | Regional Final (10) |
| 2010 | 29–3 | Regional Semifinal (2) |
| 2011 | 25-5 | Second Round (2) |
| 2012 | 26–7 | Regional Final (4) |
| 2013 | 26–7 | Regional Final (8) |
| 2014 | 23-10 | Regional Final (14) |
| 2015 | 32-4 | National Champions (4) |
Big 12 results
Under Cook, Nebraska has won at least a share the Big 12 title in nine of his eleven seasons.
| Year | Conference Record | Finish |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 20–0 | 1st |
| 2001 | 20–0 | 1st |
| 2002 | 20–0 | 1st |
| 2003 | 17–3 | 2nd |
| 2004 | 20–0 | 1st |
| 2005 | 19–1 | 1st |
| 2006 | 19–1 | 1st |
| 2007 | 19–1 | 1st (co) |
| 2008 | 18–2 | 1st (co) |
| 2009 | 16–4 | 3rd |
| 2010 | 19–1 | 1st |
Big Ten results
| Year | Conference Record | Finish |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 17-3 | 1st |
| 2012 | 15-5 | 2nd (co) |
| 2013 | 16-4 | 2nd |
| 2014 | 14-6 | 4th |
| 2015 | 17-3 | 2nd |
| 2016 | 18-2 | 1st |
California-San Diego
Cook also served as the head assistant coach at the University of California, San Diego from 1983 to 1984, where he aided the Tritons to an NCAA Division III national championship in 1984 and a second-place national finish in 1983. Cook’s coaching credentials also include leading Francis Parker High School in San Diego to two California state championships. During his six-year coaching stint from 1981 to 1988, he had a .900 winning percentage with an overall record of 162–18, including a 90-match winning streak.
Awards and honors
- 2008: AVCA Central Region Coach of the Year, Big 12 Coach of the Year, Volleyball Magazine Coach of the Year, USA Volleyball All-Time Great Coach
- 2005: AVCA Coach of the Year, Big 12 Coach of the Year, AVCA Central Region Coach of the Year
- 2001: Big 12 Coach of the Year
- 2000: AVCA Coach of the Year, Central Region Coach of the Year
- 1997: Big Ten co-Coach of the Year (at Wisconsin)