The Texas Longhorns just wiped the floor with Nebraska in the NCAA women's volleyball national championship to win a second straight national title, and the Cornhuskers' postgame press conference isn't sitting well with some fans.
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Namely, a clip of Nebraska head coach John Cook throwing shade at Texas' use of the transfer portal is going viral. When asked how Texas has set the bar in college volleyball, Cook used his response to take aim at the number of transfer players in the Longhorns' starting lineup.
What a loser pic.twitter.com/D4hEWQNzTy
— Yapp Jenkins🤘🏽🤘🏽 (@YappJenkins) December 18, 2023
"You look at tonight's match," Cook said. "I mean, they've got half their starting team are transfers. They're all fourth- and fifth-year players, except for Ella, the setter, who did a great job. That's how they've been building their teams. That's how they built last year's team. I like what we're doing. I like recruiting kids and trying to make them be great."
Texas, which won the match 3-0, features players including Madisen Skinner (who transferred from Kentucky) and Jenna Wenaas (who transferred from Minnesota). But the Longhorns also have homegrown players such as Asjia O'Neal and Ella Swindle, whom he mentioned.
Plus, Nebraska's Merritt Beason — who was second on the team in total attacks in the national title match — was a transfer from Florida. Oh, AND she was a team captain.
Cook's whining has drawn plenty of responses on X.
I do like John Cook, but come on. Your 2023 captain is a transfer.
Basically, you’re upset bc Madi Skinner chose Texas over a Nebraska transfer. https://t.co/lCQboKszFD
— Le{JEN}d of the Fall (@jenkirk72) December 18, 2023
If anyone sees Nebraska Volleyball coach John Cook today, give that man a hug.
He doesn't seem to be handling things well.
— Geoff Ketchum (@gkketch) December 18, 2023
It's no secret that college sports are changing in the world of NIL (name/image/likeness) and the transfer portal. For Cook to admit he prefers not to accept transfers feels a lot like Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney's position on the portal, which some think is contributing to his slight demise.
No one really cares how you win — whether through the portal or recruiting high school kids — but to whine about the way you don't prefer is a bad look. Instead, Cook should've just given credit to players such as Skinner, who remarkably won her third national title, two at Texas and one at Kentucky.
The press conference didn't stop there, either. Nebraska's Harper Murray said the Cornhuskers would win the next three national titles.
Tough day for Husker Volleyball but the future is bright--no seniors and freshman Harper Murray is confident they will be back. pic.twitter.com/yN1MsqDwij
— Andy Kendeigh (@AKendeighKETV) December 18, 2023
Nebraska was far and away the best team all season. The loss to Texas was just its second all season. And this came during the same season that Nebraska broke the world-record attendance for a women's sporting event, when more than 92,000 fans packed Memorial Stadium to see the Cornhuskers beat Omaha back in August.
Cook, who has won four national titles at Nebraska, could've talked about that or any great moment during Nebraska's season. He instead sourly took aim at Texas. Maybe he should reconsider his words just from looking at the last two national champs.
