Compliments from Cook as Huskers prepare for semis battle with Pitt

By Joey Johnston for VolleyballMag.com

TAMPA — Nebraska’s Big Red contingent has landed at the NCAA Division I Volleyball Championship. Saying the Huskers travel well is like saying the Gulf of Mexico sunsets are sort of pretty.

The fandemonium remains an incredible sight.

Or is that … inc-RED-ible?

But even though the bandwagon has long been filled to the brim and some paint this weekend as a Nebraska coronation, it’s actually a fierce competition.

No one knows that better than Nebraska coach John Cook, who will lead his top-ranked Huskers (32-1) into Thursday night’s national semifinal against the Pittsburgh Panthers (29-4).

That’s why Cook had his players locked-in and prepared Wednesday morning as they took the court for a public practice that included a few hundred (you guessed it) red-clad onlookers.

Cook told his players it was the best pre-final four practice he had seen from his program.

“There’s so much going on here and it has gotten more (busy) every year,’’ Cook said. “It’s hard to stay focused on why we’re here. These guys had to get up this morning and go to a morning practice. We don’t practice in the…