The Nebraska Cornhuskers volleyball team, like the Nebraska football team, has spent the last few weeks getting ready for next season with some spring practices. While there’s plenty of excitement over the 2024 season after the way last year ended, there’s also a bit of a dark cloud over John Cook’s squad.
Harper Murray was cited for driving under the influence and minor in possession. Since that citation came, there have been some questions about what is going to happen with the talented player. What we do know is that she’s still on the team.
However, there’s some questions as to whether or not she’ll be around with the team long term is still an open question. In fact, it was a question that was asked of Cook again on Saturday.
“Let’s move on," Cook told reporters on Saturday. "This isn’t about Harper. This is about Nebraska volleyball." He did eventually add that he talks to Murray every day, like he does with the rest of his players. "She’s focused on being a student-athlete right now and taking care of that," Cook added.
It appears this is going to be a situation that’s going to go on for a while. It can be argued that she’d be better sticking with the team and having that structure.
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John Cook says he has a hard time remembering a spring where the competitive fire is burning as hard as it is right now. The #Huskers players explain why.https://t.co/qRvBCn7SSP
— World-Herald Huskers (@OWHhuskers) April 20, 2024
On a more positive note for the Nebraska volleyball team, Cook said on Saturday that his team is more locked in than he remembers any other team in the spring. That’s undoubtedly good news, considering that they have unfinished business in trying to win a national title after losing last year's title game.
Nice nod from Rhule to the media attention around #Huskers football here. "I mean this sincerely, 'You're going to get covered here.' Sometimes kids will say, 'I'm thinking about this (other place).' Go play in front of 25,000 people and play in obscurity."
— Brian Christopherson (@Husker247BC) April 20, 2024
Pointed to how often…
The Nebraska football team held another scrimmage on Saturday and after the big practice, head coach Matt Rhule talked quite a bit about why kids come to Nebraska and why they stay. Among the reasons for both is that they are paid a lot of attention once they join the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
That can certainly be bad in some regards. But kids who want to get ready for the next level in every way, can learn how to deal with the spotlight better here than they may elsewhere. It was a well thought out recruiting pitch. Both for current Huskers and potential future members of the team as well.
Final | Nebraska 2, Maryland 11
— Nebraska Baseball (@HuskerBaseball) April 20, 2024
Coming into Saturday there had been some hope that the Nebraska baseball team had turned things around with a win over Maryland on Friday. However they followed up that win with a blowout loss on Saturday night.
The Nebraska Cornhuskers lost 11-2, continuing a tough April.