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Lauren Cook joins Husker program after standout year at UCLA
COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL
By Bob Hamar
bob.hamar@theindependent.com
Lauren Cook is out to prove that you can come home again.
The former Lincoln Pius X prep standout, who was also named the American Volleyball Association’s freshman of the year this past season at UCLA, enrolled in classes Monday at Nebraska.
UCLA released her from her scholarship, so she will be able to play for the Huskers in spring matches this year and will be eligible to play for her father and Nebraska coach John Cook in the fall.
Lauren will have three years of eligibility remaining, but Coach Cook said there is a possibility of her taking a redshirt season in 2010. He said Lauren will be a walk-on and will not be on scholarship next season.
“We’ve made no promises,” John Cook said. “We don’t know if she’ll play next year. She’s willing to do whatever role that we decide will give our team the best chance next year, the year after and so on.
“That’s what really made me believe as a dad and a coach that this was not a volleyball decision. This was about where she wants to spend her college career and her academics. I really admire her about that.”
Lauren said her decision to leave UCLA involved academics and the feeling that she just didn’t belong in Los Angeles.
“The biggest thing for me was academics,” she said. “It’s my bad for not looking into this before I committed to UCLA, but they just weren’t able to offer me the major I want which is event planning. It just so happened that recently Nebraska has added that major.”
The move has been in the works for some time. Lauren said she had the feeling during the season that she didn’t belong in Los Angeles, but tried to put it out of her mind and concentrate on volleyball.
After the season ended, that feeling just became stronger. That’s when she seriously began thinking about joining her father’s program. The family conversations became even more serious during Christmas break.
John said he and his wife, Wendy, told Lauren if she was going to leave UCLA she had to go back and do it the right way.
That’s what she did. Lauren said UCLA coach Andy Banachowski was supportive of her decision.
“I just told Andy how I felt,” she said. “I just described how they didn’t have my major. I apologized that I didn’t look into it before committing. He understands. He’s a great guy. He gave me a lot of support and taught me a lot the past season.
“I think he’s disappointed. He wishes I could still be there, but he understands.”
Adding another twist to the story was the fact that Banachowski ended his storied 43-year career at UCLA on Monday. The school announced that the longtime coach was retiring with a career mark of 1,106-301.
“I am grateful to UCLA for allowing me to be the head coach of the women’s volleyball team for all these years,” Banachowski said in a statement released by the school. “I have always realized that there would come a time for this wonderful journey called coaching to come to an end, and I have decided to retire when my contract expires at the end of this school year.”
Lauren certainly made her mark in her brief career at UCLA. She helped the Bruins to a 24-9 record and a No. 14 final ranking. She averaged 10.69 assists per game and was named the Pac-10 freshman of the year.
Lauren was a three-time all-state selection at Lincoln Pius X High School and the Andi Collins Award winner for the nation’s top high school senior setter in 2008. But at that point in time, she didn’t want to join the Husker program.
“I was worried that I was looked at as John Cook’s daughter,” she said. “I did want to go make a name for myself and tell people I’m Lauren Cook. I’m not John Cook’s daughter. When I was at UCLA I realized I kind of have my own path and I’m not attached to his name anymore.”
John Cook said he understood his daughter’s decision to go to UCLA. He said it was a lot like when she decided to play for coach Jake Moore at Pius.
“My recollection is she wanted to come to Nebraska, then a point in junior year she came home said not coming Nebraska,” John Cook said. “It reminded me of when she was in eighth grade. She came home one day and said, ‘I’m going to Pius.’ I don’t know why. We had never discussed it.”
Broekhuis joins program
Morgan Broekhuis, a 6-foot-5 setter/rightside hitter, has enrolled at Nebraska and will be going through winter conditioning and spring practices with the Huskers.
Broekhuis led Colorado Springs Christian to a perfect 30-0 record this past season as her team won its fourth straight state championship.
Broekhuis was rated the No. 2 recruit in the nation last fall by Prepvolleyball. com.
James leaves team
Cook also announced Monday that outside hitter Kaitlynn James was forced to end her volleyball career because of injuries. She will remain at Nebraska on scholarship.
“Because of my injury, I can’t participate in volleyball, but will stay involved with Nebraska volleyball as much as possible,” James said in a statement. “I have learned so much through this program over the last two years and wanted the chance to thank the best college volleyball fans in the country. For my teammates and the coaching staff, I wish them the best of luck in the spring and next season.”
James, a redshirt freshman outside hitter, appeared in seven matches last season, averaging 0.56 kills and 0.44 digs per game. James took a medical redshirt season in 2008 following shoulder surgery.
“This is a tough day for us because Kaitlynn has given so much to Nebraska volleyball over the last two years,” John Cook said. “Kaitlynn has a great passion for the sport and for her teammates, and I think we all have great respect for the work she has done to overcome injuries. She provided a great example of hard work and perseverance.”
The former Lincoln Pius X prep standout, who was also named the American Volleyball Association’s freshman of the year this past season at UCLA, enrolled in classes Monday at Nebraska.
UCLA released her from her scholarship, so she will be able to play for the Huskers in spring matches this year and will be eligible to play for her father and Nebraska coach John Cook in the fall.
Lauren will have three years of eligibility remaining, but Coach Cook said there is a possibility of her taking a redshirt season in 2010. He said Lauren will be a walk-on and will not be on scholarship next season.
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| Lauren Cook, daughter of Nebraska head coach John Cook and the NCAA Freshman of the Year this past season for UCLA, talks about how excited her mom is now that she is a student at NU during a press conference Monday in Lincoln.(World-Herald News Service/Jeff Beiermann) |
“That’s what really made me believe as a dad and a coach that this was not a volleyball decision. This was about where she wants to spend her college career and her academics. I really admire her about that.”
Lauren said her decision to leave UCLA involved academics and the feeling that she just didn’t belong in Los Angeles.
“The biggest thing for me was academics,” she said. “It’s my bad for not looking into this before I committed to UCLA, but they just weren’t able to offer me the major I want which is event planning. It just so happened that recently Nebraska has added that major.”
The move has been in the works for some time. Lauren said she had the feeling during the season that she didn’t belong in Los Angeles, but tried to put it out of her mind and concentrate on volleyball.
After the season ended, that feeling just became stronger. That’s when she seriously began thinking about joining her father’s program. The family conversations became even more serious during Christmas break.
John said he and his wife, Wendy, told Lauren if she was going to leave UCLA she had to go back and do it the right way.
That’s what she did. Lauren said UCLA coach Andy Banachowski was supportive of her decision.
“I just told Andy how I felt,” she said. “I just described how they didn’t have my major. I apologized that I didn’t look into it before committing. He understands. He’s a great guy. He gave me a lot of support and taught me a lot the past season.
“I think he’s disappointed. He wishes I could still be there, but he understands.”
Adding another twist to the story was the fact that Banachowski ended his storied 43-year career at UCLA on Monday. The school announced that the longtime coach was retiring with a career mark of 1,106-301.
“I am grateful to UCLA for allowing me to be the head coach of the women’s volleyball team for all these years,” Banachowski said in a statement released by the school. “I have always realized that there would come a time for this wonderful journey called coaching to come to an end, and I have decided to retire when my contract expires at the end of this school year.”
Lauren certainly made her mark in her brief career at UCLA. She helped the Bruins to a 24-9 record and a No. 14 final ranking. She averaged 10.69 assists per game and was named the Pac-10 freshman of the year.
Lauren was a three-time all-state selection at Lincoln Pius X High School and the Andi Collins Award winner for the nation’s top high school senior setter in 2008. But at that point in time, she didn’t want to join the Husker program.
“I was worried that I was looked at as John Cook’s daughter,” she said. “I did want to go make a name for myself and tell people I’m Lauren Cook. I’m not John Cook’s daughter. When I was at UCLA I realized I kind of have my own path and I’m not attached to his name anymore.”
John Cook said he understood his daughter’s decision to go to UCLA. He said it was a lot like when she decided to play for coach Jake Moore at Pius.
“My recollection is she wanted to come to Nebraska, then a point in junior year she came home said not coming Nebraska,” John Cook said. “It reminded me of when she was in eighth grade. She came home one day and said, ‘I’m going to Pius.’ I don’t know why. We had never discussed it.”
Broekhuis joins program
Morgan Broekhuis, a 6-foot-5 setter/rightside hitter, has enrolled at Nebraska and will be going through winter conditioning and spring practices with the Huskers.
Broekhuis led Colorado Springs Christian to a perfect 30-0 record this past season as her team won its fourth straight state championship.
Broekhuis was rated the No. 2 recruit in the nation last fall by Prepvolleyball. com.
James leaves team
Cook also announced Monday that outside hitter Kaitlynn James was forced to end her volleyball career because of injuries. She will remain at Nebraska on scholarship.
“Because of my injury, I can’t participate in volleyball, but will stay involved with Nebraska volleyball as much as possible,” James said in a statement. “I have learned so much through this program over the last two years and wanted the chance to thank the best college volleyball fans in the country. For my teammates and the coaching staff, I wish them the best of luck in the spring and next season.”
James, a redshirt freshman outside hitter, appeared in seven matches last season, averaging 0.56 kills and 0.44 digs per game. James took a medical redshirt season in 2008 following shoulder surgery.
“This is a tough day for us because Kaitlynn has given so much to Nebraska volleyball over the last two years,” John Cook said. “Kaitlynn has a great passion for the sport and for her teammates, and I think we all have great respect for the work she has done to overcome injuries. She provided a great example of hard work and perseverance.”
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| No. 11 NU women thriving outside spotlight |
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