Nebraska women's volleyball coach John Cook is one of the most accomplished coaches in the sport, and his new contract includes a pay raise, but also something unexpected: money to help buy a horse.
Nebraska announced Wednesday that Cook signed a new five-year contract that will see him through Jan. 31, 2029. Cook will earn an annual salary of $825,000 ($75,000 annually in increases) and will be eligible for bonuses if the team achieves certain athletic performance goals. The contract also includes a deferred compensation agreement. In addition, he will receive a $70,000 retention bonus on July 1, 2024.
The retention bonus will help Cook acquire the horse.
“When (athletic director) Troy (Dannen) and I discussed my contract, I suggested that it would mean a lot to me if the Nebraska athletic department would help me purchase a horse in Central Nebraska that I have my eye on, rather than have my salary increase year over year like some coaches do,” Cook said in a statement.
Cook added that the horse, known as 415, was born and raised on the Pitzer Ranch in Erickson, Nebraska, and is a “once in a lifetime winner.”
“Troy liked my idea, and while I wasn't able to put it specifically in the contract, my retention bonus will go towards the No. 415 car. I'm honored that Troy supported my idea and it means a lot to me,” Cook said.
That seems like a small price to pay for one of the most successful coaches in women's volleyball.
Nebraska has the best winning percentage, winning four NCAA championships and 13 conference titles since Cook took over as head coach in 2000. Cornhuskers fans broke national and international attendance records for a women's sporting event when a crowd of 92,003 packed the team's Memorial Stadium for “Volleyball Day” against the Omaha Mavericks in August.
The Cornhuskers went 33-2 last season and lost to Texas in the national championship game. The team opens the 2024 season on Aug. 30 against Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
Cook will be looking to win another U.S. championship, but will he also be an award-winning owner?
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nebraska volleyball coach John Cook buys horses with new contract