He was the head women's volleyball coach at Nebraska from 1977 to 1999, where he led the Cornhuskers to the school's first NCAA national championship in 1995 by defeating Texas in the final.
Terry Pettit was Nebraska's second head coach, and from 1977 to 1999 he built the Cornhuskers into a national power.
Pettit was the recipient of the USA Volleyball All-Time Great Coach Award in 2004.
In December 2013 Pettit authored a second book, "A Fresh Season – Insights Into Coaching, Leadership and Volleyball."
To mark the occasion of the team's move to the newly renovated facility, Terry Pettit was honored with a court-naming ceremony during the match against Villanova University.