Nebraska Volleyball Hires Tyler Hildebrand

Tyler Hildebrand was hired to the Nebraska volleyball staff as an associate head coach taking the space Kayla Banwarth created when she took the Ole Miss head coaching job in December. Tyler was an assistant coach for Nebraska in 2017 when we won a championship. Since then he served as the director of coaching for USA Volleyball Beach National Team. He will report to Nebraska in August after the Tokyo Olympics.

Until August Kelly Hunter will serve in an assistant coach position. Hunter was a graduate assistant in the 2019 season for the Huskers. She will coach the beach season with Jaylen Reyes as well as work on recruiting. We don’t know what Hunter will do when Hildebrand arrives in August.

While Coach Hildebrand isn’t physically in Nebraska until August, I expect his impact never really stopped since he joined the staff in 2017. Coach Cook describes him as a positive influencer on all those around. Coach Cook used Hildebrand as an advisor through the years.

Hildebrand was a setter as a player at Long Beach State and the National Team. He has had different responsibilities as a coach to include coaching setting, defense and blocking.

Hildebrand is the first to hold the associate head coach title during John Cook’s time at Nebraska. Coach Cook commented that this title does not mean Hildebrand is his replacement. He also did not state that he is retiring. I believe all that at face value and don’t think there is a retirement announcement coming soon.

Tyler Hildebrand is a more experienced coach than most of the hires John Cook as had in his time at Nebraska. I expect the reason he was named Associate rather than Assistant has more to do with his experience, place/time in the volleyball world and knowledge of coaching than with his future job placement.

Most assistant coaches are highly experienced players with some coaching experience when they come to Nebraska. Tyler is both an experienced player and has more coaching experience than those before him.

I’m sure Tyler and Coach Cook talked about the goals Tyler and his family have for their future in volleyball but I don’t think that means he is the next Nebraska head coach. He is someone’s next head coach, but no more likely Nebraska than 200 other D1 schools around the country.

Regardless of the longer term future, the near future, next year, looks good with him on the sidelines. He is a great addition to the coaching staff.