For Nebraska's Dani Busboom Kelly, home is where you hang a banner - ESPN

DANI BUSBOOM KELLY started wearing blazers for her biggest volleyball matches long before she took over as coach of the best program in the country.

Back in 2019, years prior to her return home to Nebraska, Busboom Kelly, in her third year as Louisville head coach, laid out an array of Cardinal red jackets for her mother's input.

Bonnie Busboom ticked off her approval until she disapproved. I don't know what I think about that one.

She surveyed the red sequin blazer in front of her. It struck her as audacious, brash. Her daughter's team at that time was fine but unremarkable. Certainly not accustomed to splashy wins or deep tournament runs. Should the coach be peacocking around in sequins?

I like it. But I don't know about wearing it.

From the new coach at top-seeded Nebraska to the star transfer at Texas to the colorful hair ties across NCAA volleyball, «Game On: Journey to the NCAA Championship» features the biggest stories in the NCAA volleyball tournament. Watch now

Busboom Kelly seemed on board with her mother's logic. She told her team she wouldn't break it out for a big match because she couldn't tolerate losing in sequins. Until No. 2-seeded Texas came along in the third round of the NCAA tournament.

«Then she walked out with that red sequin blazer on,» Bonnie says. «And I just thought, 'Dani Busboom, what are you doing?'»

Here's what: She was putting Louisville — and her own head coaching bona fides — on the map.

The Longhorns were riding a 13-year run of reaching the regional finals; the Cardinals had never made the Elite Eight. Louisville put an end to both streaks that day, winning in five sets, and Bonnie tried to imagine what must've gone through Texas coach Jerritt Elliott's head when he caught sight of