The 2 groups that performed within the NCAA nationwide volleyball championship match have been noteworthy within the offseason.
Begin with Twenty third-year Texas coach Jerritt Elliott, who has received back-to-back NCAA nationwide championships.
He not too long ago set a brand new normal for volleyball teaching compensation.
Elliott, who received his first NCAA title at Texas in 2012, signed a brand new contract extension to maintain him guiding the Longhorns via 2029. His complete compensation of $800,000, excluding efficiency bonuses, makes him the highest-paid school volleyball coach. Beforehand, Nebraska coach John Cook dinner was on the high of the game with a base pay of $750,000 for 2024.
Elliott signed his contract, obtained via an open information request, on February 26 and was introduced by Texas on March 11.
The brand new deal lowers his base pay from $557,500 to $500,000. Nonetheless, Elliott will obtain $300,000 in 2024 for “Skilled Providers Funds.” This contains sublicensing mental property in addition to for private and media appearances. These clauses are extra frequent in soccer and basketball teaching contracts however are a novelty within the volleyball world. The funds improve yearly to a most of $425,000 in 2029. The bottom pay doesn’t change throughout the identical timeframe.
The contract additionally incorporates one other wrinkle: The extra funds don’t go on to Elliott however somewhat to DREJ, Inc., a company entity registered within the State of Texas. (The company was shaped on February 23, three days earlier than he signed the extension.) Elliott is listed because the company’s registered agent.
DREJ, Inc., is about up as an S-Corp, permitting it to go its taxable earnings, credit, deductions, and losses on to its shareholders. Whereas they require extra accounting paperwork, S-Corps are sometimes arrange as a tax planning automobile, which permits people to decrease their tax burden.
With the brand new contract, Elliott additionally acquired a brand new title of Director of Volleyball along with Head Volleyball Coach. Based mostly on the contract language, he’ll function the pinnacle coach of Texas’ indoor staff and oversee the second-year seashore program and coach Stein Metzger.
Elliott will obtain bonuses based mostly on every program’s efficiency. He can obtain a most efficiency bonus of 37 % of his base wage for marks equivalent to convention titles or advancing within the postseason. He may obtain as much as a 30 % improve for metrics met by the seashore program. If Elliott have been to max out his efficiency bonuses, he might earn as a lot as $1.135 million in 2024.
The contract additionally incorporates non-monetary compensation, equivalent to a proportion of the web proceeds from camps, membership membership and partner journey. The extension added that the college will present him with a automobile.
Huskers decided
The staff Texas confronted within the national-championship match is decided to make it again to the ultimate.
Nebraska returned to spring follow two weeks in the past and sophomore setter Bergen Reilly mentioned the loss to finish the season was the elephant within the room.
“We’re simply studying the right way to get that one recreation higher,” Reilly mentioned. “We have been one recreation away. We’re simply actually specializing in nailing down the basics and so we are able to get only one recreation higher this yr.”
Nebraska returns virtually all of final yr’s staff and has much more excellent freshmen — together with outdoors hitter Skyler Pierce and defensive specialist Olivia Mauch — coming in.
Coach John Cook dinner mentioned he desires the Huskers to stay hungry. He cited the examples of reverse Merritt Beason and libero Lexi Rodriguez, who served as captains final yr. They each earned All-American awards in December however nonetheless have room to develop.
“These two can get higher and take all people with them,” Cook dinner mentioned. “We’re getting higher as a staff as a result of they’ve the largest problem on enchancment and since they’re already at such a excessive degree. The opposite large focus is how these guys get higher. And they also have targets they’ve set and issues they’re engaged on and so they’re held accountable to it on daily basis.”
Cook dinner mentioned Nebraska is making offensive changes, together with dashing up the timing, discovering a greater rhythm and terminating extra out of system. They may seemingly obtain a lift from incoming switch Taylor Landfair, the 6-foot-6 outdoors hitter who was the 2022 Large Ten participant of the yr at Minnesota, and 6-4 center Layla Blackwell from San Diego.
Reilly was named the highest setter within the Large Ten final yr.
“I bought all of these freshman jitters out of the best way, simply type of being petrified of being a freshman,” she mentioned. Now, I’m nailing down my offense, and I’m simply working what I wish to run.”
Even with the exodus of three transfers between semesters, the Huskers nonetheless have sufficient our bodies in follow to play six-on-six. Ally Batenhorst, who will likely be leaving for USC after she finishes her diploma in Could, continues to be figuring out with the staff, and center blocker Bekka Allick and setter Kennedi Orr returned to follow after sitting out the seashore season.
Cook dinner mentioned despite the fact that your entire staff isn’t taking part in collectively but, it’s higher than the choice. In previous years, the Huskers have had to make use of follow gamers to scrimmage or not play any spring matches as a result of they didn’t have sufficient our bodies to area a full staff.
Along with the spring match towards Denver on Could 4, the Huskers may also play a closed scrimmage on April 20 towards an undisclosed staff.
“It’s simply very nice having this large of a gaggle within the final couple of years,” Cook dinner mentioned. I believe it actually, actually helps jumpstart us for the 2024 season.”
Murray cited for DUI, 4 different costs
Nebraska sophomore outdoors hitter Harper Murray was cited with aggravated driving underneath the affect early on Friday morning, April 5, in keeping with the Lincoln Police Division. Murray was a second-team VolleyballMag.com All-American as a freshman after being second on the staff in kills and main in aces.
Murray, 19, was pulled over for suspected driving underneath the affect round 12:45 a.m., in keeping with a police report. A breath check registered a blood alcohol degree of .169, greater than twice the authorized restrict.
She was additionally charged with careless driving, minor in possession, possession of a pretend identification and obstruction of a peace officer.
A press release launched Friday evening from the Nebraska athletic division learn: “The Nebraska Athletic Division is conscious of the incident. We’re awaiting extra data and can have no extra remark presently.”
On Wednesday, NU assistant coach Kelly Hunter mentioned Murray continues to be working towards with the staff this week. She mentioned they have been attempting to assist Murray via the difficult time.
“She’s a younger grownup, a younger youngster, who wants assist, and so we’re right here to help her,” Hunter mentioned.
Murray was one of many standouts throughout Nebraska’s run to the nationwide championship match final yr. The 6-foot-2 outdoors hitter began each match, averaging 3.2 kills per set on a .237 hitting proportion. She was the Large Ten freshman of the yr.