After her standout collegiate career, former Nebraska Volleyball star Merritt Beason has risen to national prominence as one of the country’s top players. However, her journey with the Omaha Supernovas hit a bump when her team suffered its first loss of the season, falling to the Atlanta Vibe on Friday, January 16.
Beason was drafted as the number one pick by the Atlanta Vibe in the 2024 Pro Volleyball Federation draft, where she averaged 2.69 kills and 2.08 digs per set across 71 sets, adding 16 aces and 23 blocks.
Former Nebraska Volleyball Player Merritt Beason On Facing Her Old Team
After her rookie pro season with the Vibe, Beason would go on to join the Omaha Supernovas, returning to Nebraska, a place she considers her second home. Beason’s move was largely because of former Nebraska head coach and now co-owner and general manager of the Supernovas, John Cook, who persuaded the former Husker to join the team.
In a press conference after the Supernovas lost to the Vibe, Beason spoke about how it was to face her former teammates:
“I tried not to look at it as like, I was playing my old team. A lot of them I’m still really close with, so it was nice to see them and just give them a hug. I haven’t seen them since our season ended. But I think I tried my best, if anything, I think I had an advantage because I played against them every single day, last year. But yeah, just looked at it as another match.” she said.
Eager for redemption, Beason and the Supernovas set their sights on their upcoming clash with the Orlando Valkyries at the CHI Health Center, scheduled for Sunday, January 18th.
Nebraska Volleyball Legend John Cook On Joining Omaha
Cook served as head coach of the Nebraska Volleyball team for 25 seasons, leading the program to multiple titles, including four NCAA Championships, nine Big 12 titles, and five Big Ten titles. He also earned multiple Coach of the Year honors, including AVCA National Coach of the Year in 2000, 2005, and 2023.
After retiring from coaching in 2025, Cook joined the Omaha Supernovas as co-owner and general manager, and had this to say on his new venture, as per Sports Illustrated:
“After more than 30 years of coaching, I knew I wanted the next chapter to be just as impactful and becoming the General Manager of the Omaha Supernovas is exactly that opportunity,” he said.
Dani Busboom Kelly stepped into Cook’s shoes as head coach and has elevated the program even further, guiding the team to an undefeated regular season and a berth in the NCAA regionals.
