John Cook (born 1956) is currently the head coach for the Nebraska Cornhuskers women's volleyball team, entering his 11th season as head coach in 2010. He led the Huskers to two NCAA Women's Volleyball Championships, in 2000 by defeating the Wisconsin Badgers, and in 2006 by defeating Stanford. He is a two time winner of the AVCA National Coach of the Year award. Through the 2010 season Cook has a 336–29 record at Nebraska. Prior to becoming head coach at Nebraska, Cook had a successful stint 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 announced in January, 2010 that she had transferred to Nebraska.
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John Cook succeeded Terry Pettit in 2000 as the coach at Nebraska. Thus far, Cook has guided the Huskers to 2 NCAA National Championships in 2000 and 2006, a NCAA National Runner-up finish in 2005, 5 Final Four appearances in 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, and 2008, and 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. In his first ten years as head coach at Nebraska, he has guided the Huskers to a 310–26 overall record and a 39–8 NCAA tournament record.
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.
| 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) |
Under Cook, Nebraska has won at least a share of every 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 |
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.