Nebraska Volleyball Coach Dani Busboom Kelly to Light Cornhusker State Games Cauldron on Opening Night

Prominent Nebraska athletes litter the former torch lighters list, including a number of Husker volleyball players. Busboom Kelly, besides being the fourth coach in program history, helped Nebraska to a national title in 2006 as a libero.

Other Nebraska volleyball players to light the cauldron for the Cornhusker State Games include Rebekah Allick, Nicklin Hames, Amber & Kadie Rolfzen, Sarah Pavan, Jordan Larson, Kim Behrends-Buckendahl, Angie Oxley, and Allison Weston.

The lighting ceremony will be the latest in a busy summer for Busboom Kelly and the Cornhusker program. She took over for John Cook earlier this year, when Cook retired after 25 years at the helm. Since then, the Huskers have gone through a beach volleyball season, played a match at the Devaney Center and another in Ord, and signed multiple players to aid the team this fall.

Nebraska's season begins with the AVCA First Serve Showcase at Pinnacle Bank Arena Aug. 22 and 24, taking on Pittsburgh and Stanford.

The 2025 Cornhusker State Games run July 10-20, with events in communities statewide. This year’s Games will also be featured in ESPN’s “50 States in 50 Days” series.

Below are past torch lighters for the Cornhusker State Games.

• 2024 Josiah Allick & Rebekah Allick
• 2023 Nicklin Hames
• 2022 Jordy Bahl
• 2021 Alex Gordon
• 2020 Eric Crouch
• 2019 Elizabeth & Kaylee Jones
• 2018 Danny Woodhead
• 2017 Pete Kostelnick
• 2016 Amber & Kadie Rolfzen
• 2015 Lolo Jones & Jordan Burroughs
• 2014 Jack Hoffman
• 2013 Jed Ortmeyer
• 2012 Erika Anschutz
• 2011 Alex Henery
• 2010 Scott Shanle
• 2009 Cory Schlesinger
• 2008 Eric Piatkowski
• 2007 Sarah Pavan & Jordan Larson
• 2006 Curt Tomasevicz
• 2005 Joba Chamberlain, Johnny Dorn & Andy Gerch
• 2004 Russ Hochstein
• 2003 Rulon Gardner
• 2002 Jeff Leise
• 2001 Kim Behrends-Buckendahl & Angie Oxley
• 2000 Heather Brink-Rennerfeldt
• 1999 Jay Novacek
• 1998 Erick Strickland
• 1997 Jeremy Sonnenfeld
• 1996 Angee Henry & Teri Steer
• 1995 Allison Weston
• 1994 Dennis Harrison
• 1993 Karen Jennings
• 1992 Kim Oden
• 1991 Todd Eisner & Rich King
• 1990 Tom Rathman
• 1989 Bob Boozer & Kelly Vejraska
• 1988 Scott Johnson
• 1987 Diane Beideck & Tom Haase
• 1986 Julie Vollertsen
• 1985 Jim Hartung

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