OMAHA, Neb. – The Omaha Supernovas, the world’s leading professional volleyball franchise, are honored to welcome volleyball legend and four-time collegiate national champion John Cook as Co-Owner and General Manager of the organization.
“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,” said Cook. “I’ve spent my career helping grow the game at the college level, and now I have the chance to take that knowledge and apply it in a new way, with the world’s leading professional volleyball franchise. The energy around our sport has never been higher, and the Supernovas are at the forefront of that momentum. There’s no better place than Nebraska, and no better organization than the Supernovas, to help take this sport to the next level.”
In what marks the most monumental signing in professional volleyball history, Cook will help lead all team operations, including player and coaching staff signings, as the Supernovas prepare for the free agency period, slated to begin Thursday, August 7 at 4 p.m. CDT, and build toward a run at the MLV Championship, with regular season action set to start in January 2026.
Cook will report to and collaborate closely with Team President Diane Mendenhall, whose continued leadership of the front office and external operations has helped propel the Supernovas to No. 1 in the world in professional volleyball average attendance for two consecutive seasons.
The foundation of this reunion was laid 25 years ago, when Cook hired Mendenhall as he took the reins of Nebraska Volleyball in 2000, first-ever Director of Operations, making her just the third person in NCAA history to hold a dedicated operations role in volleyball.
“I’ve always cherished my relationship with Coach Cook, and it’s incredibly special to be reuniting with him,” said. Mendenhall. “It’s a full-circle moment, as he was the one who brought me to Nebraska when he took over volleyball program in 2000. I was there with him from the beginning and saw firsthand how he built it into the national powerhouse we see today. Being part of that foundation shaped how we approached building the Supernovas, and we leaned on that same blueprint at the pro level. His, vision, experience, and winning mentality is unmatched, and I’m thrilled to be working alongside Coach Cook again as he helps elevate Major League Volleyball to stand shoulder to shoulder with the world’s most elite professional sports leagues.”
One of the most successful coaches in collegiate athletics history, Cook announced his retirement from Nebraska Volleyball in January after 25 years in Lincoln and 32 seasons as a college head coach. In 2000, Cook took the reins from legendary coach Terry Pettit, who had an instrumental role in building the Supernovas’ 2024 championship-winning roster and continues to have a meaningful influence on the franchise today. Cook went on to transform the Huskers into a national powerhouse, elevating the sport of volleyball in Nebraska and across the country.
His ambitious vision for the program led to Nebraska’s move to the Devaney Center in 2013, creating one of the sport’s most electric home venues while expanding the team’s reach through annual spring exhibitions across the state. In 2023, Cook helped orchestrate one of the biggest spectacles in sports history: Volleyball Day in Nebraska, which drew 92,003 fans to Memorial Stadium, earning worldwide recognition and setting a global record for the largest-attended women’s sporting event. The event also marked one of the Supernovas’ first major public appearances, where Mendenhall and the franchise were recognized during the festivities.
Cook compiled an 883–176 (.834) career record, the fifth-best winning percentage in NCAA Division I volleyball history. He led Nebraska to four national championships, 12 NCAA Semifinal appearances, nine Big 12 titles, and five Big Ten titles. He is also one of only three coaches in history to earn the AVCA National Coach of the Year award three times.
A hallmark of Cook’s coaching philosophy was elite player acquisition and development. Over his career, he mentored five future Olympians, three AVCA National Players of the Year, 72 AVCA All-Americans, and 10 conference players of the year.
