Best of the Midwest Track and Field results

#1 Creighton Preparatory School Vs. #4 North Platte&nbsp;

4-0, Creighton Prep moves on to championship match

2-0, Millard South advances to the championship match

<h2>Boy's District A-2 Soccer</h2>#1 Creighton Preparatory School Vs. #4 North Platte&nbsp;4-0, Creighton Prep moves on to championship match&nbsp;<h2>Girl's District A-3 Soccer</h2>#2 Millard South Vs. #3 North Platte2-0, Millard South advances to the championship match

Area District results

Story by UNK Athletic Communications&nbsp;

Kearney, Neb. –&nbsp;Junior&nbsp;Juliana Botero Molina&nbsp;will represent Nebraska-Kearney at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncaa.com/news/golf-women/article/2024-04-29/ncaa-division-ii-womens-golf-committee-announces-2024-championship-field" target="_blank">2024 NCAA Central Regional</a>&nbsp;May 6-8 in Bartlesville, Okla.

The regional field consists of nine teams from the MIAA, Great American Conference (GAC) and Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) as well as six individuals not from one of those squads. The regional committee uses a varsity of criteria from the regular season, including head-to-head competition and tournament finish, to determine the selections.

UNK was hoping to make the cut for a third straight year but just missed out. Next spring, the regional field expands to 18 teams.

The 2024 D2 NCAA women's golf field features 48 teams and 24 individuals competing at four regional sites (Bartlesville, Okla., Carmel, Ind., Cleveland, Tenn., and Stockton, Calif.). The top three Central teams, along with the top two individuals not on those teams, move on to the NCAA Championships May 21-25 in Orlando.

The 2024 MIAA Champion, Botero Molina has a 76.19 season stroke average which would set a new school record. Half of her 21 rounds have been between 71-75 and she joins Ana Summers (2015 &amp; 2016) and Sara Wissing (2009 &amp; 2010) as Lopers to individually qualify for regional play.

Rogers State will host the regional at the Hillcrest Country Club. UNK took part in the “Pre-Regional” meet at the course back in Sept. 2023 with Botero Molina tying for 16th&nbsp;place (150; 75-75).

Central Regional FieldTeams:1. Henderson State, Ark.&nbsp;[Great American Conference auto bid]2. Central Missouri&nbsp;[Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association auto bid]3. Southwestern Oklahoma State4. Rogers State5. Augustana&nbsp;[Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference auto bid]6. Northeastern State7. Minnesota State8. Central Oklahoma9. Harding, Ark.

5. Paige Hoffman, Northwest Missouri State

Story by UNK Athletic Communications&nbsp;Kearney, Neb. –&nbsp;Junior&nbsp;Juliana Botero Molina&nbsp;will represent Nebraska-Kearney at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncaa.com/news/golf-women/article/2024-04-29/ncaa-division-ii-womens-golf-committee-announces-2024-championship-field" target="_blank">2024 NCAA Central Regional</a>&nbsp;May 6-8 in Bartlesville, Okla.The regional field consists of nine teams from the MIAA, Great American Conference (GAC) and Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) as well as six individuals not from one of those squads. The regional committee uses a varsity of criteria from the regular season, including head-to-head competition and tournament finish, to determine the selections.UNK was hoping to make the cut for a third straight year but just missed out. Next spring, the regional field expands to 18 teams.The 2024 D2 NCAA women's golf field features 48 teams and 24 individuals competing at four regional sites (Bartlesville, Okla., Carmel, Ind., Cleveland, Tenn., and Stockton, Calif.). The top three Central teams, along with the top two individuals not on those teams, move on to the NCAA Championships May 21-25 in Orlando.The 2024 MIAA Champion, Botero Molina has a 76.19 season stroke average which would set a new school record. Half of her 21 rounds have been between 71-75 and she joins Ana Summers (2015 &amp; 2016) and Sara Wissing (2009 &amp; 2010) as Lopers to individually qualify for regional play.Rogers State will host the regional at the Hillcrest Country Club. UNK took part in the “Pre-Regional” meet at the course back in Sept. 2023 with Botero Molina tying for 16th&nbsp;place (150; 75-75).Central Regional FieldTeams:1. Henderson State, Ark.&nbsp;[Great American Conference auto bid]2. Central Missouri&nbsp;[Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association auto bid]3. Southwestern Oklahoma State4. Rogers State5. Augustana&nbsp;[Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference auto bid]6. Northeastern State7. Minnesota State8. Central Oklahoma9. Harding, Ark.Individuals:1. Morgan&nbsp;Brasser, Fort Hays State2. Juliana Botero Molina, UNK3. Morgan Becker, Oklahoma Baptist4. Ellen Spigner, Arkansas Tech5. Paige Hoffman, Northwest Missouri State6. Carly Moon, Winona State, Minn.

Lopers just miss the cut; field greatly expands in 2025

Story by MPCC Athletic Communications

Spearfish, S.D. – The Mid-Plains Community College men’s team continued their dominance as they brought home the team championship Saturday in Spearfish, S.D. The women’s team took home sixth in the overall standings.

"I am pleased with the performance of our student-athletes,” said Aukai Kaai, MPCC Rodeo Team roughstock coach. “There are several opportunities for our athletes to make the college finals. It will all come down to the short round in Lincoln this weekend."

The men continued to show why they are the best in the region as Kahiwa Augustiro placed first in bull riding, third in bareback and third in steer wrestling to claim the All-Around title.

Jackson Lunn rode to a second-place finish in bareback while Cinch Painter brought home a second-place finish in steer wrestling.

Team ropers Ryan Shepherd and partner Joey Boote (Dakota State University) secured the top spot in team roping while Clay Meyer and Sage Dieter finished fourth.

Emily Leach grabbed a first-place finish in breakaway while barrel racer Maggie Underhill notched a third-place finish in the average.

The MPCC rodeo team will round out the regular season at the Cornhusker Stampede in Lincoln, Neb. May 3-4.

Story by MPCC Athletic CommunicationsSpearfish, S.D. – The Mid-Plains Community College men’s team continued their dominance as they brought home the team championship Saturday in Spearfish, S.D. The women’s team took home sixth in the overall standings."I am pleased with the performance of our student-athletes,” said Aukai Kaai, MPCC Rodeo Team roughstock coach. “There are several opportunities for our athletes to make the college finals. It will all come down to the short round in Lincoln this weekend."The men continued to show why they are the best in the region as Kahiwa Augustiro placed first in bull riding, third in bareback and third in steer wrestling to claim the All-Around title.Jackson Lunn rode to a second-place finish in bareback while Cinch Painter brought home a second-place finish in steer wrestling.Team ropers Ryan Shepherd and partner Joey Boote (Dakota State University) secured the top spot in team roping while Clay Meyer and Sage Dieter finished fourth.Emily Leach grabbed a first-place finish in breakaway while barrel racer Maggie Underhill notched a third-place finish in the average.The MPCC rodeo team will round out the regular season at the Cornhusker Stampede in Lincoln, Neb. May 3-4.

Augustiro wins All-Around title at Will Lantis Yellow Jacket Stampede

Story by NU Athletic Communications

“I want to express our gratitude for all the people that came to help. Knowing that everyone in the state is going to help moving forward. My thoughts and prayers are with the people that were affected. Obviously in the game, Demitrius (Bell) went down with a significant injury. Blye Hill looks like maybe a semi-significant injury. Both to the patellas, I don’t know long term. I hate to speak until the MRIs are done and all that. It looks like it could be somewhat significant for each. From a football perspective, that hurts, from a personal perspective, they really hurt. I know both guys are tremendous competitors and young players and they’ll bounce back and be great. Just wanted to start with that. I thought the crowd, for an early game, for everything that happened yesterday, to have over 60,000 people there – what a great message in recruiting, what a great message to our team. Hopefully, we brought people some joy today on a dark day after yesterday.”

On if the offense showed what he wanted to see

“There were some explosive plays, there were some extended drives, there were some big plays. I have to watch the film to see who did what. Obviously, sometimes, some players are matched up against a player that’s older than them or better than them, but I thought there was a lot of positive energy in terms of the way the offense conducted itself – got in and out of the no huddle, sometimes got in a huddle. Just the overall feel from the field felt really good. Those are the things I was looking for. Obviously the two turnovers back-to-back, I didn’t like, but I’m happy that the defense made those plays. I felt for the rest of the game, that some plays were made that we have to make.

On if the game was a summary of Dylan Raiola’s spring season

“That’s a great question. I don’t know how to answer that, to be honest with you. I don’t get tongue twisted very often. Dylan’s had a very good spring. The plays I liked – I was up doing the TV at one point – one where we kicked a field goal that we missed, you could see that he so badly wanted to throw the ball back across the middle of the field as he was scrambling and he didn’t. The one scramble probably ends in a sack, but he has two hands on the ball, he’s running. It’s going to be the little things with Dylan, not the big things. He’s got a great feel for the game, he’s got a big arm. He’s calm. It’s going to be the little things – protecting the football, taking three, managing the game. It just felt like he did a lot of those things. He hasn’t done all of them. He’s grown as the spring has gone on. He, like the rest of our players, had a chance today to just improve on what they did last week, and I thought, in a lot of ways, he did.

“I think the thing with Jaylen is his ball skills just continue to improve. It’s really a credit to Marcus (Satterfield) and Garret (McGuire). They’ve introduced drills that I’ve always been against. Deep down, I’m just a d-line coach. They do pat and go and all these drills and I’m against them, and the guys have just bought in and gotten better and better and better. From the first scrimmage to this scrimmage, the ball skills, the catching of the football has just improved. I think Jaylen is one of the prime guys with that. It’s one thing when the guys have great speed, but when you’re a triple jumper and when you’re a long jumper – he has such athleticism and mobility. He can track balls, he’s loose, he can track it over his shoulder. He plays hard. When the quarterbacks get outside the pocket, he can turn up. To be honest with you, Dylan has the ability to get outside of the pocket and make those throws. Heinrich (Haarberg) can throw the ball 75 yards. So (Jaylen) has the feeling of ‘I can turn up on these plays.’ Danny (Kaelin) – I don’t know if you saw him get outside of the pocket and throw one downfield. He has a big-time arm and can do it as well. It’s contagious. Jaylen has been one of the most improved players on the team. His becoming a receiver is just growing exponentially.

“I felt bad for him. I think he thought the kicker was the same color jersey as him. I was watching that on tv. The kickoff return is hard to tell because it’s not live, but I watched the tv replay up there, and I think Koby (Bretz) grabbed his flag and that's it. Jacory’s dynamic, and he’s tough. He’s still learning a lot. They jumped offsides, and he took off before the ball was snapped because he saw them jump offsides, so he’s really a smart player. He’s really, really competitive, really fast, and if he can bring just a little bit of that kick return dynamic to our team, that changes things. He can play all three spots because he is quick and fast and can catch the ball across the middle.”

On Dylan Raiola’s ability to make throws

"I’m not going to compare the guys. I don’t know if I can prepare to do that. I think the thing that Dylan has done really well this spring as a young player is sometimes young quarterbacks can pass on– ‘oh that guy is kind of covered– where as Dylan knows the ball’s supposed to go there and he’s going to throw it there. He’ll throw it on his back shoulder. He’ll throw it where he needs to throw it and then trust those guys to make those plays. You can’t play quarterback and receiver. You can only play quarterback. You gotta throw the ball away from the defender and let the guys go make the plays. I think all of our quarterbacks have done that, but you saw that today from him. To your point, I thought that was a big time catch. The four verticals to (Alex) Bullock, that’s the kind of thing we do pretty well. We are a pretty good four vertical team. I think later on when I was up in the TV booth, did we hit (Nate) Boerkircher down on the seam, I think? Heinrich (Haarberg) did, so we do that well, but the in-cuts and controlling in the middle of the field is really important to us. I think one of the major keys to that Mitch (Sherman), is throwing the ball below the chin so the ball is in a catchable space but if there’s a tip it’s not up in the air. That’s what happened on the triple slant interception, the ball was a little bit behind, a little bit high. Red zone tips equal picks. To me, we’re just constantly evolving those areas but Dylan has a great feel for that. The thing he does is he just trusted that the ball was supposed to go there. I’m gonna put it there where the defender isn’t and let the guy make those plays, and those guys made those plays.”

“I think he’s an NFL fullback, but I also think he’s a dynamic wideout too, and I think it’s a credit to Corey (Campbell) that the way that Janiran’s really continued to improve his body, but he’s in that 218 range, and so to me, he is a true weapon. He’s a guy that we could conceivably play at wideout for 10 plays in a row, or we could motion in and he’ll block defensive ends. He carried the football for us last year, but what I love is you see the perimeter screen game that we have going on, but to have a 220 pound wideout out there blocking their nickel, that helps. Then you put (Isaiah) Neyor and Jahmal (Banks) out there. You have some big men on the perimeter, so I’m really pleased with what Janiran’s done, and I think he’ll continue to evolve, and you’ll see him line up in a lot of different places in the offense.”

On how Thomas Fidone is moving this spring

“He’s a pretty explosive guy. He’s four five. I think the biggest thing with Thomas is at the end of the season, I said to Thomas. I was like, ‘What a great fall we had,’ meaning him. Like us. We had. He’s like, ‘What do you mean?’ What I love about Thomas Fidone is he’s never happy. He’s never happy, and it’s because he wants to be great. He wants to be the best tight end in the world, and he’s always trying to get better, but my point was, coming off two ACL’s, to get through a spring, a fall camp and a season healthy, that’s what he needed because now, instead of rehabbing this winter, he’s lifting, and he’s in the 260 range at four five, with 35 inch arms, 34 inch arms. He’s a physical freak and he’s loyal. Every team in the country’s trying to get him to leave and go there, and he’s a Nebraska Cornhusker through and through. I love that guy, and I love his approach, and it’s so good for our players to see a guy who’s so obsessed with being great and never happy. But at the same time, to your point, he just had to have a true off-season. He just had to have weightlifting, where he’s not rehabbing, and now I think you’re starting to really see what he can do.”

"Minimal warmups like (Marques Buford Jr.) and Giff (Isacc Gifford) and Ty (Robinson) and Nash (Hutmacher) and I told Tommi (Hill) not to and then typical Tommi Hill he’s out there the whole first series playing corner. He’s just like ‘let me get a series coach.’ And I’m like alright go get a series. And I love that guy, his competitive nature. Bryce (Benhart) and Ben Scott and other guys who played we kind of set numbers for them. Let’s get this guy three series. Let’s get this guy four. It’s kind of hard because we’re so thin and then with D-Bell (Demetrius Bell) we’re really thin. Jaidyn Doss, he played both ways for us. I don’t know if you saw that, he played corner, he played wideout so Jaidyn is a guy we think is really really special and we are just trying to foster many different talents for him.”

On strides Heinrich Haarberg has made since last season

“You saw a lot of this. He still had the ability to tuck the ball down and run. He’s truly a dual threat at a quarterback who can change the game. I love him taking what’s there. I love him being explosive, pushing the ball down the field, deep balls down the field. Elite ball in the middle of the field. I also love him moving in the pocket – Taking check downs, taking a bad play and getting out of it. I think it’s really, really important in our job. You guys haven’t asked the question yet of when you’re going to name a starter. I went to dinner with Eric Crouch. Eric tells me his entire freshman year here, he couldn’t sleep Friday night because on Saturday morning, they’d go to breakfast and Coach Gill (Turner Gill) would tell them who was starting that week. That’s Nebraska. What I love is that we’re going to focus on Dylan Raiola. I get that. But you can see the improvement in Heinrich (Haarberg). You can see Danny (Kaelin), as a true freshman, go out there and complete 60% of his balls, or whatever he did today. I want the quarterback play to be great. Each guy from there has to bring their own sensibility. Dylan kind of makes these types of plays, and &nbsp;Heinrich kind of makes these types of plays. I really believe that it’s going to take all of us to play pretty well at quarterback in the Big Ten. We have aspirations of regaining Nebraska’s place of winning national championships. How many games is it now to win a national championship? Between Big Ten, playoffs and the championship game, if you don’t have a bye, it’s 15 or 16 games, yes? play one quarterback. I think watching Heinrich blossom and getting better, and watching Danny and watching Dylan. You know Luke (Longval) and Jack (Woche) went out there and moved the football. I just want the quarterback play to be good and I think it’s a credit to Glenn (Thomas). He’s done really well.”&nbsp;

On if Rhule came to the conclusion that they’re set on the quarterback position

“I would say we would always, always, always look for quarterbacks. If there’s a quarterback that comes along, we would always take another quarterback. I think we have our starter sitting in that room. Let me say that. I think we have three guys that we believe in, but if a young player comes along or a depth player comes along – I don’t go looking in the portal, but I’m also not stupid when things come across to us. Scott Fitterer was the GM when I was in Carolina. He used to say, from the Seahawks, “We’re in on every trade.” He just would explore everything, but I think we have quarterbacks capable of winning for us. I think the quarterback play’s significantly improved from last season, and that’s kind of where we’re at.”

On the plan for the next few days with the transfer portal deadline on May 1

“What I do at the end of every spring, is I have a team meeting on Monday, and then they meet with their position coach, then they all meet with me over the course of however many days. I’ll be available Monday, I’ll be available Tuesday. I’ve had so many guys already come and talk to me. As you can tell, there’s a lot of tampering going on in college football. I’ve had guys, like I said earlier in a press conference, guys showing me their phones. If a player is urgent and they’re trying to make a decision about going in the portal, then they’ll sign up early for their meeting with me. A lot of guys, most of the team is probably pretty set, they’ll sign up with me later in the week or next week. That’s kind of on them. We have our process, we meet with every single player, go through where they stand right now. We can’t make promises for the future. I think the biggest thing that I’d say is, wanting them to always understand – everyone is going to have your back, everyone is going to tell you what you want to hear when things are going well. When you’re one of the top players and they’re trying to get you into the portal, when you’re Demitrius (Bell) or Blye (Hill) and you’re laying there, and you have tears running down your face and you don’t know what’s going to happen to you, who has your back then? I’m an open, open, open book. We talk to every single guy regardless, but a guy who’s trying to make a decision on the portal, they can come talk to us. I wouldn’t forget that we do a great job here of graduating players. We don’t slow down graduations. If they’ve graduated, they can still go in the portal. In training camp, they can go in the portal. It’s kind of an open conversation the whole time. We’re going to leave here and recruit. We’re going to recruit tomorrow and then go honor the student-athletes at Night at the Lied tomorrow night, then Monday/Tuesday, we’ll start the process.”

“Today, I saw a burst in him. I haven’t seen that long run from him in the other scrimmages. Maybe it was blocked better, maybe Tony (White) didn’t blitz as much today. I didn’t tell Tony what he could or couldn’t do. It was great to see that from Dante. He’s had a good spring, but you saw a burst. When I stand down there, you could see a level of acceleration into contact in that long run down the left sideline. Some really good things. You have a pretty deep running back room. You saw Maurice Mazzccua – I saw a spin move that he made that was a fantastic run. Big fan of Kenneth Williams. I think Kenneth is a guy that’s going to play here in some different ways. Dante, Emmett (Johnson) – I kind of sidelined Emmett at one point, said ‘that’s enough from you.’ During practice this week, Rahmir (Johnson) took a lot of reps in one of the practices, and he looked good in the no-huddle stuff that we’re doing. We get Gabe Ervin Jr. back, I think it’s a deep room. We’ll have to do a good job as coaches of figuring out what each guy does well. I think we have a good feel for it, but I was really pleased to see some of the things that Dante did today. Just a flash and a burst that maybe I hadn’t felt as the spring has gone on.”

“It is what it is. It is what it is. They’re going to call D-Bell (Demitrius Bell) and say ‘come here, come there,’ but when he’s hurt, who’s there with him? We are. I just have to coach them all like they’re my younger brother. I don’t like to say sons. I coach them all like they’re my younger brother. I’m hard on them probably, like an older brother is, but I try to give them advice, I try to listen to them. Help them through this. Sometimes they offer you so much money, you’ve got to leave. Coaches complain about it. My assistant coaches do the same thing to me – ‘hey, coach, I got this offer to go there.’ I just want them all to be successful. It’s a sad state. I’ll just say that. It’s a sad state. But it is what it is. And you know what? A lot of people want to come here too. A lot of people want to stay here. Roster numbers are certainly not going to be our issue in terms of having enough good players. I hope everyone saw that today. You saw a lot of guys flashing and doing some things. Maybe I’m thinking through three scrimmages, but we have a lot of depth. Keelan Smith made some big time catches down the stretch. I think we have a lot of guys that can make plays.”

“I was in the stadium. We had recruiting going on. I know some of my neighbors out there in Waverly and some of you were kind enough to even check on us as those things happened. I didn’t even realize what was happening. I was in the middle of recruiting and your phone is kind of going off, but everyone is in the building. My daughter called me – she’s in Omaha in school – she’s in the shelter. I went out to the Waverly road and my neighbors were affected. I talked to some friends. I talked to Eric Crouch, up there in Elkhorn and they were affected. But I was here. Obviously, we weren’t directly affected, but it’s just a sad thing to see.”

Story by NU Athletic Communications<div><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/PY0cmVPW-Qhb3tgnY.html" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Rhule Presser Springgame Cam 7" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Opening Statement“I want to express our gratitude for all the people that came to help. Knowing that everyone in the state is going to help moving forward. My thoughts and prayers are with the people that were affected. Obviously in the game, Demitrius (Bell) went down with a significant injury. Blye Hill looks like maybe a semi-significant injury. Both to the patellas, I don’t know long term. I hate to speak until the MRIs are done and all that. It looks like it could be somewhat significant for each. From a football perspective, that hurts, from a personal perspective, they really hurt. I know both guys are tremendous competitors and young players and they’ll bounce back and be great. Just wanted to start with that. I thought the crowd, for an early game, for everything that happened yesterday, to have over 60,000 people there – what a great message in recruiting, what a great message to our team. Hopefully, we brought people some joy today on a dark day after yesterday.”On if the offense showed what he wanted to see“There were some explosive plays, there were some extended drives, there were some big plays. I have to watch the film to see who did what. Obviously, sometimes, some players are matched up against a player that’s older than them or better than them, but I thought there was a lot of positive energy in terms of the way the offense conducted itself – got in and out of the no huddle, sometimes got in a huddle. Just the overall feel from the field felt really good. Those are the things I was looking for. Obviously the two turnovers back-to-back, I didn’t like, but I’m happy that the defense made those plays. I felt for the rest of the game, that some plays were made that we have to make.On if the game was a summary of Dylan Raiola’s spring season“That’s a great question. I don’t know how to answer that, to be honest with you. I don’t get tongue twisted very often. Dylan’s had a very good spring. The plays I liked – I was up doing the TV at one point – one where we kicked a field goal that we missed, you could see that he so badly wanted to throw the ball back across the middle of the field as he was scrambling and he didn’t. The one scramble probably ends in a sack, but he has two hands on the ball, he’s running. It’s going to be the little things with Dylan, not the big things. He’s got a great feel for the game, he’s got a big arm. He’s calm. It’s going to be the little things – protecting the football, taking three, managing the game. It just felt like he did a lot of those things. He hasn’t done all of them. He’s grown as the spring has gone on. He, like the rest of our players, had a chance today to just improve on what they did last week, and I thought, in a lot of ways, he did.<div><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/Kmo1p8Ma-Qhb3tgnY.html" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Dylan Presser Spring Cam 7" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>On showcasing Jaylen Lloyd’s talent“I think the thing with Jaylen is his ball skills just continue to improve. It’s really a credit to Marcus (Satterfield) and Garret (McGuire). They’ve introduced drills that I’ve always been against. Deep down, I’m just a d-line coach. They do pat and go and all these drills and I’m against them, and the guys have just bought in and gotten better and better and better. From the first scrimmage to this scrimmage, the ball skills, the catching of the football has just improved. I think Jaylen is one of the prime guys with that. It’s one thing when the guys have great speed, but when you’re a triple jumper and when you’re a long jumper – he has such athleticism and mobility. He can track balls, he’s loose, he can track it over his shoulder. He plays hard. When the quarterbacks get outside the pocket, he can turn up. To be honest with you, Dylan has the ability to get outside of the pocket and make those throws. Heinrich (Haarberg) can throw the ball 75 yards. So (Jaylen) has the feeling of ‘I can turn up on these plays.’ Danny (Kaelin) – I don’t know if you saw him get outside of the pocket and throw one downfield. He has a big-time arm and can do it as well. It’s contagious. Jaylen has been one of the most improved players on the team. His becoming a receiver is just growing exponentially.<div><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/W1mGPMlT-Qhb3tgnY.html" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Lloyd, Jaylen" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>On Jacory Barney Jr.“I felt bad for him. I think he thought the kicker was the same color jersey as him. I was watching that on tv. The kickoff return is hard to tell because it’s not live, but I watched the tv replay up there, and I think Koby (Bretz) grabbed his flag and that's it. Jacory’s dynamic, and he’s tough. He’s still learning a lot. They jumped offsides, and he took off before the ball was snapped because he saw them jump offsides, so he’s really a smart player. He’s really, really competitive, really fast, and if he can bring just a little bit of that kick return dynamic to our team, that changes things. He can play all three spots because he is quick and fast and can catch the ball across the middle.”On Dylan Raiola’s ability to make throws"I’m not going to compare the guys. I don’t know if I can prepare to do that. I think the thing that Dylan has done really well this spring as a young player is sometimes young quarterbacks can pass on– ‘oh that guy is kind of covered– where as Dylan knows the ball’s supposed to go there and he’s going to throw it there. He’ll throw it on his back shoulder. He’ll throw it where he needs to throw it and then trust those guys to make those plays. You can’t play quarterback and receiver. You can only play quarterback. You gotta throw the ball away from the defender and let the guys go make the plays. I think all of our quarterbacks have done that, but you saw that today from him. To your point, I thought that was a big time catch. The four verticals to (Alex) Bullock, that’s the kind of thing we do pretty well. We are a pretty good four vertical team. I think later on when I was up in the TV booth, did we hit (Nate) Boerkircher down on the seam, I think? Heinrich (Haarberg) did, so we do that well, but the in-cuts and controlling in the middle of the field is really important to us. I think one of the major keys to that Mitch (Sherman), is throwing the ball below the chin so the ball is in a catchable space but if there’s a tip it’s not up in the air. That’s what happened on the triple slant interception, the ball was a little bit behind, a little bit high. Red zone tips equal picks. To me, we’re just constantly evolving those areas but Dylan has a great feel for that. The thing he does is he just trusted that the ball was supposed to go there. I’m gonna put it there where the defender isn’t and let the guy make those plays, and those guys made those plays.”On Janiran Bonner“I think he’s an NFL fullback, but I also think he’s a dynamic wideout too, and I think it’s a credit to Corey (Campbell) that the way that Janiran’s really continued to improve his body, but he’s in that 218 range, and so to me, he is a true weapon. He’s a guy that we could conceivably play at wideout for 10 plays in a row, or we could motion in and he’ll block defensive ends. He carried the football for us last year, but what I love is you see the perimeter screen game that we have going on, but to have a 220 pound wideout out there blocking their nickel, that helps. Then you put (Isaiah) Neyor and Jahmal (Banks) out there. You have some big men on the perimeter, so I’m really pleased with what Janiran’s done, and I think he’ll continue to evolve, and you’ll see him line up in a lot of different places in the offense.”On how Thomas Fidone is moving this spring“He’s a pretty explosive guy. He’s four five. I think the biggest thing with Thomas is at the end of the season, I said to Thomas. I was like, ‘What a great fall we had,’ meaning him. Like us. We had. He’s like, ‘What do you mean?’ What I love about Thomas Fidone is he’s never happy. He’s never happy, and it’s because he wants to be great. He wants to be the best tight end in the world, and he’s always trying to get better, but my point was, coming off two ACL’s, to get through a spring, a fall camp and a season healthy, that’s what he needed because now, instead of rehabbing this winter, he’s lifting, and he’s in the 260 range at four five, with 35 inch arms, 34 inch arms. He’s a physical freak and he’s loyal. Every team in the country’s trying to get him to leave and go there, and he’s a Nebraska Cornhusker through and through. I love that guy, and I love his approach, and it’s so good for our players to see a guy who’s so obsessed with being great and never happy. But at the same time, to your point, he just had to have a true off-season. He just had to have weightlifting, where he’s not rehabbing, and now I think you’re starting to really see what he can do.”On if Rhule was resting veterans today"Minimal warmups like (Marques Buford Jr.) and Giff (Isacc Gifford) and Ty (Robinson) and Nash (Hutmacher) and I told Tommi (Hill) not to and then typical Tommi Hill he’s out there the whole first series playing corner. He’s just like ‘let me get a series coach.’ And I’m like alright go get a series. And I love that guy, his competitive nature. Bryce (Benhart) and Ben Scott and other guys who played we kind of set numbers for them. Let’s get this guy three series. Let’s get this guy four. It’s kind of hard because we’re so thin and then with D-Bell (Demetrius Bell) we’re really thin. Jaidyn Doss, he played both ways for us. I don’t know if you saw that, he played corner, he played wideout so Jaidyn is a guy we think is really really special and we are just trying to foster many different talents for him.”On strides Heinrich Haarberg has made since last season“You saw a lot of this. He still had the ability to tuck the ball down and run. He’s truly a dual threat at a quarterback who can change the game. I love him taking what’s there. I love him being explosive, pushing the ball down the field, deep balls down the field. Elite ball in the middle of the field. I also love him moving in the pocket – Taking check downs, taking a bad play and getting out of it. I think it’s really, really important in our job. You guys haven’t asked the question yet of when you’re going to name a starter. I went to dinner with Eric Crouch. Eric tells me his entire freshman year here, he couldn’t sleep Friday night because on Saturday morning, they’d go to breakfast and Coach Gill (Turner Gill) would tell them who was starting that week. That’s Nebraska. What I love is that we’re going to focus on Dylan Raiola. I get that. But you can see the improvement in Heinrich (Haarberg). You can see Danny (Kaelin), as a true freshman, go out there and complete 60% of his balls, or whatever he did today. I want the quarterback play to be great. Each guy from there has to bring their own sensibility. Dylan kind of makes these types of plays, and &nbsp;Heinrich kind of makes these types of plays. I really believe that it’s going to take all of us to play pretty well at quarterback in the Big Ten. We have aspirations of regaining Nebraska’s place of winning national championships. How many games is it now to win a national championship? Between Big Ten, playoffs and the championship game, if you don’t have a bye, it’s 15 or 16 games, yes? play one quarterback. I think watching Heinrich blossom and getting better, and watching Danny and watching Dylan. You know Luke (Longval) and Jack (Woche) went out there and moved the football. I just want the quarterback play to be good and I think it’s a credit to Glenn (Thomas). He’s done really well.”&nbsp;<div><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/PUZ41hyK-Qhb3tgnY.html" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Heinrich Presser Cam 7" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>On if Rhule came to the conclusion that they’re set on the quarterback position“I would say we would always, always, always look for quarterbacks. If there’s a quarterback that comes along, we would always take another quarterback. I think we have our starter sitting in that room. Let me say that. I think we have three guys that we believe in, but if a young player comes along or a depth player comes along – I don’t go looking in the portal, but I’m also not stupid when things come across to us. Scott Fitterer was the GM when I was in Carolina. He used to say, from the Seahawks, “We’re in on every trade.” He just would explore everything, but I think we have quarterbacks capable of winning for us. I think the quarterback play’s significantly improved from last season, and that’s kind of where we’re at.”On the plan for the next few days with the transfer portal deadline on May 1“What I do at the end of every spring, is I have a team meeting on Monday, and then they meet with their position coach, then they all meet with me over the course of however many days. I’ll be available Monday, I’ll be available Tuesday. I’ve had so many guys already come and talk to me. As you can tell, there’s a lot of tampering going on in college football. I’ve had guys, like I said earlier in a press conference, guys showing me their phones. If a player is urgent and they’re trying to make a decision about going in the portal, then they’ll sign up early for their meeting with me. A lot of guys, most of the team is probably pretty set, they’ll sign up with me later in the week or next week. That’s kind of on them. We have our process, we meet with every single player, go through where they stand right now. We can’t make promises for the future. I think the biggest thing that I’d say is, wanting them to always understand – everyone is going to have your back, everyone is going to tell you what you want to hear when things are going well. When you’re one of the top players and they’re trying to get you into the portal, when you’re Demitrius (Bell) or Blye (Hill) and you’re laying there, and you have tears running down your face and you don’t know what’s going to happen to you, who has your back then? I’m an open, open, open book. We talk to every single guy regardless, but a guy who’s trying to make a decision on the portal, they can come talk to us. I wouldn’t forget that we do a great job here of graduating players. We don’t slow down graduations. If they’ve graduated, they can still go in the portal. In training camp, they can go in the portal. It’s kind of an open conversation the whole time. We’re going to leave here and recruit. We’re going to recruit tomorrow and then go honor the student-athletes at Night at the Lied tomorrow night, then Monday/Tuesday, we’ll start the process.”On Dante Dowdell today“Today, I saw a burst in him. I haven’t seen that long run from him in the other scrimmages. Maybe it was blocked better, maybe Tony (White) didn’t blitz as much today. I didn’t tell Tony what he could or couldn’t do. It was great to see that from Dante. He’s had a good spring, but you saw a burst. When I stand down there, you could see a level of acceleration into contact in that long run down the left sideline. Some really good things. You have a pretty deep running back room. You saw Maurice Mazzccua – I saw a spin move that he made that was a fantastic run. Big fan of Kenneth Williams. I think Kenneth is a guy that’s going to play here in some different ways. Dante, Emmett (Johnson) – I kind of sidelined Emmett at one point, said ‘that’s enough from you.’ During practice this week, Rahmir (Johnson) took a lot of reps in one of the practices, and he looked good in the no-huddle stuff that we’re doing. We get Gabe Ervin Jr. back, I think it’s a deep room. We’ll have to do a good job as coaches of figuring out what each guy does well. I think we have a good feel for it, but I was really pleased to see some of the things that Dante did today. Just a flash and a burst that maybe I hadn’t felt as the spring has gone on.”On level of comfort with tampering“It is what it is. It is what it is. They’re going to call D-Bell (Demitrius Bell) and say ‘come here, come there,’ but when he’s hurt, who’s there with him? We are. I just have to coach them all like they’re my younger brother. I don’t like to say sons. I coach them all like they’re my younger brother. I’m hard on them probably, like an older brother is, but I try to give them advice, I try to listen to them. Help them through this. Sometimes they offer you so much money, you’ve got to leave. Coaches complain about it. My assistant coaches do the same thing to me – ‘hey, coach, I got this offer to go there.’ I just want them all to be successful. It’s a sad state. I’ll just say that. It’s a sad state. But it is what it is. And you know what? A lot of people want to come here too. A lot of people want to stay here. Roster numbers are certainly not going to be our issue in terms of having enough good players. I hope everyone saw that today. You saw a lot of guys flashing and doing some things. Maybe I’m thinking through three scrimmages, but we have a lot of depth. Keelan Smith made some big time catches down the stretch. I think we have a lot of guys that can make plays.”On how close he was to the storms“I was in the stadium. We had recruiting going on. I know some of my neighbors out there in Waverly and some of you were kind enough to even check on us as those things happened. I didn’t even realize what was happening. I was in the middle of recruiting and your phone is kind of going off, but everyone is in the building. My daughter called me – she’s in Omaha in school – she’s in the shelter. I went out to the Waverly road and my neighbors were affected. I talked to some friends. I talked to Eric Crouch, up there in Elkhorn and they were affected. But I was here. Obviously, we weren’t directly affected, but it’s just a sad thing to see.”

Coach Matt Rhule's Spring Game postgame quotes

Will Marshall and Gentry Scheve both produced top-20 finishes to lead the Nebraska men’s golf team to a tie for seventh at the 2024 Big Ten Championship presented by Old National Bank in Columbus, Ohio on Sunday.

Marshall, a fifth-year senior from Elburn, Ill, put together his best tournament finish of the season on the 7,240-yard, par-70 layout at the Scioto Country Club. He closed his conference championship appearance with a final-round 74 (+4) to lead the Huskers on Sunday. Marshall also led NU with an opening-round 73, before adding a 78 on Saturday. He finished with a three-round total of 225 (+15) over 54 holes to tie teammate Gentry Scheve for 19th in a field that featured 70 individuals.

Scheve, a senior from Emporia, Kan., capped his impressive conference tournament performance with a final-round 78 (+8) to match Marshall with a team-best 225 (+15). Scheve’s effort included a second-round 71 (+1) after opening the tournament on Friday with a 76. &nbsp;

The top-20 finishes by Marshall and Scheve marked Nebraska’s best individual Big Ten Tournament showings since Tanner Owen and Jay Cottam tied for 16th in 2019. Nebraska's tie for seventh in the team standings also marked its best conference tournament finish since 2019, when the Huskers took fifth.

With Marshall and Scheve leading the way, the Huskers moved up one spot in the final team standings into a tie for seventh at 904 (300-298-306). Junior Hamish Murray contributed a final-round 76 (+6) while fellow junior Harry Crockett added a 78 (+8) to complete Nebraska's 306 team score on Sunday. Murray (Sydney, Australia) and Crockett (Oxted, England) tied for 52nd overall with three-round totals of 232 (+22). Sophomore Davis Johnson rounded out the Husker contingent in a tie for 57th at 234 (+24).

The Huskers matched No. 88 Rutgers and No. 89 Wisconsin at 904 (+64) in the final team standings.&nbsp;Nebraska ended the tournament three strokes in front of No. 84 Michigan and Penn State (907), five shots ahead of Iowa (909) and nine strokes in front of No. 98 Minnesota (913). The Big Red also beat Maryland (934) by 30 strokes.&nbsp;

No. 44 Northwestern (863) pulled away for the team title at 863 (+23). The Wildcats fired the best final round of the tournament with a 289 (+9) to finish 15 shots ahead of runner-up Illinois (875), after the No. 18 Illini put up Sunday’s second-best round with a 292 (+12). No. 28 Purdue (886), No. 74 Michigan State (889), No. 37 Ohio State (890) and No. 46 Indiana (902) rounded out the teams ahead of the Huskers.&nbsp;

Northwestern’s Daniel Svard (211) captured the conference individual title on the strength of a final-round 68 (-2). Svard managed a one-shot win over runner-up Jackson Buchanan from Illinois who finished at 212 (+2), including an even-par 70 in the final round. Northwestern’s James Imai and Michigan State’s Ashton McCulloch tied for third at 215 (+5).

Svard, Buchanan, Imai, McCulloch, Herman Sekne (Purdue), Neal Shipley (Ohio State) and August Meekhof (Michigan State) claimed spots on the Big Ten All-Championship Team. Sekne added recognition as the conference's Les Bolstad Award winner.

Big Ten ChampionshipApril 26-28, 2024Columbus, OhioScioto Country Club (Par 70, 7,240 Yards)

Final Team Results1. (44) Northwestern - 280-294-289=863 (+23)2. (18) Illinois - 290-296-292=878 (+38)3. (28) Purdue - 288-301-297=886 (+46)4. (74) Michigan State - 286-291-312=889 (+49)5. (37) Ohio State - 291-297--302=890 (+50)6. (46) Indiana - 290-309-303=902 (+62)T7. (89) Wisconsin - 290-303-311=904 (+64)T7. (88) Rutgers - 292-305-307=904 (+64)T7. Nebraska - 300-298-306=904 (+64)T10. (84) Michigan - 305-304-298=907 (+67)T10. Penn State - 294-306-307=907 (+67)12. Iowa - 294-310-305=909 (+69)13. (98) Minnesota - 293-316-304=913 (+73)14. Maryland - 307-316-311=934 (+94)

Final Individual Results1. Daniel Svard, Northwestern - 68-75-68=211 (+1)2. Jackson Buchanan, Illinois - 71-71-70=212 (+2)T3. James Imai, Northwestern - 68-74-73=215 (+5)T3. Ashton McCulloch, Michigan State - 71-69-75=215 (+5)T5. Herman Sekne, Purdue - 73-72-72=217 (+7)T5. Neal Shipley, Ohio State - 74-69-74=217 (+7)T5. August Meekhof, Michigan State - 67-74-76=217 (+7)T8. Hunter Thomson, Michigan - 76-74-69=219 (+9)T8. Ethan Tseng, Northwestern - 71-74-74=219 (+9)10. Cameron Adam, Northwestern - 73-71-76=220 (+10)

Nebraska IndividualsT19. Will Marshall - 73-78-74=225 (+15)T19. Gentry Scheve - 76-71-78=225 (+15)T52. Hamish Murray - 76-80-76=232 (+22)T52. Harry Crockett - 83-71-78=232 (+22)T57. Davis Johnson - 75-78-81=234 (+24)

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsWill Marshall and Gentry Scheve both produced top-20 finishes to lead the Nebraska men’s golf team to a tie for seventh at the 2024 Big Ten Championship presented by Old National Bank in Columbus, Ohio on Sunday.Marshall, a fifth-year senior from Elburn, Ill, put together his best tournament finish of the season on the 7,240-yard, par-70 layout at the Scioto Country Club. He closed his conference championship appearance with a final-round 74 (+4) to lead the Huskers on Sunday. Marshall also led NU with an opening-round 73, before adding a 78 on Saturday. He finished with a three-round total of 225 (+15) over 54 holes to tie teammate Gentry Scheve for 19th in a field that featured 70 individuals.Scheve, a senior from Emporia, Kan., capped his impressive conference tournament performance with a final-round 78 (+8) to match Marshall with a team-best 225 (+15). Scheve’s effort included a second-round 71 (+1) after opening the tournament on Friday with a 76. &nbsp;The top-20 finishes by Marshall and Scheve marked Nebraska’s best individual Big Ten Tournament showings since Tanner Owen and Jay Cottam tied for 16th in 2019. Nebraska's tie for seventh in the team standings also marked its best conference tournament finish since 2019, when the Huskers took fifth.With Marshall and Scheve leading the way, the Huskers moved up one spot in the final team standings into a tie for seventh at 904 (300-298-306). Junior Hamish Murray contributed a final-round 76 (+6) while fellow junior Harry Crockett added a 78 (+8) to complete Nebraska's 306 team score on Sunday. Murray (Sydney, Australia) and Crockett (Oxted, England) tied for 52nd overall with three-round totals of 232 (+22). Sophomore Davis Johnson rounded out the Husker contingent in a tie for 57th at 234 (+24).The Huskers matched No. 88 Rutgers and No. 89 Wisconsin at 904 (+64) in the final team standings.&nbsp;Nebraska ended the tournament three strokes in front of No. 84 Michigan and Penn State (907), five shots ahead of Iowa (909) and nine strokes in front of No. 98 Minnesota (913). The Big Red also beat Maryland (934) by 30 strokes.&nbsp;No. 44 Northwestern (863) pulled away for the team title at 863 (+23). The Wildcats fired the best final round of the tournament with a 289 (+9) to finish 15 shots ahead of runner-up Illinois (875), after the No. 18 Illini put up Sunday’s second-best round with a 292 (+12). No. 28 Purdue (886), No. 74 Michigan State (889), No. 37 Ohio State (890) and No. 46 Indiana (902) rounded out the teams ahead of the Huskers.&nbsp;Northwestern’s Daniel Svard (211) captured the conference individual title on the strength of a final-round 68 (-2). Svard managed a one-shot win over runner-up Jackson Buchanan from Illinois who finished at 212 (+2), including an even-par 70 in the final round. Northwestern’s James Imai and Michigan State’s Ashton McCulloch tied for third at 215 (+5).Svard, Buchanan, Imai, McCulloch, Herman Sekne (Purdue), Neal Shipley (Ohio State) and August Meekhof (Michigan State) claimed spots on the Big Ten All-Championship Team. Sekne added recognition as the conference's Les Bolstad Award winner.Big Ten ChampionshipApril 26-28, 2024Columbus, OhioScioto Country Club (Par 70, 7,240 Yards)Final Team Results1. (44) Northwestern - 280-294-289=863 (+23)2. (18) Illinois - 290-296-292=878 (+38)3. (28) Purdue - 288-301-297=886 (+46)4. (74) Michigan State - 286-291-312=889 (+49)5. (37) Ohio State - 291-297--302=890 (+50)6. (46) Indiana - 290-309-303=902 (+62)T7. (89) Wisconsin - 290-303-311=904 (+64)T7. (88) Rutgers - 292-305-307=904 (+64)T7. Nebraska - 300-298-306=904 (+64)T10. (84) Michigan - 305-304-298=907 (+67)T10. Penn State - 294-306-307=907 (+67)12. Iowa - 294-310-305=909 (+69)13. (98) Minnesota - 293-316-304=913 (+73)14. Maryland - 307-316-311=934 (+94)Final Individual Results1. Daniel Svard, Northwestern - 68-75-68=211 (+1)2. Jackson Buchanan, Illinois - 71-71-70=212 (+2)T3. James Imai, Northwestern - 68-74-73=215 (+5)T3. Ashton McCulloch, Michigan State - 71-69-75=215 (+5)T5. Herman Sekne, Purdue - 73-72-72=217 (+7)T5. Neal Shipley, Ohio State - 74-69-74=217 (+7)T5. August Meekhof, Michigan State - 67-74-76=217 (+7)T8. Hunter Thomson, Michigan - 76-74-69=219 (+9)T8. Ethan Tseng, Northwestern - 71-74-74=219 (+9)10. Cameron Adam, Northwestern - 73-71-76=220 (+10)Nebraska IndividualsT19. Will Marshall - 73-78-74=225 (+15)T19. Gentry Scheve - 76-71-78=225 (+15)T52. Hamish Murray - 76-80-76=232 (+22)T52. Harry Crockett - 83-71-78=232 (+22)T57. Davis Johnson - 75-78-81=234 (+24)

Huskers tie for Seventh at Big Ten Championship

Nebraska won the weekend series but couldn’t complete the sweep, as the Huskers fell 4-1 in the series finale against Iowa on Sunday at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park.

Nebraska (27-14, 10-5 Big Ten) scored a run on two hits and an error, while Iowa (24-17, 10-8 Big Ten) recorded four runs on eight hits.

Tyler Stone doubled and drew a walk, while Case Sanderson had a hit and a walk. Josh Caron drove in the Huskers’ lone run of the game.

Will Walsh dropped to 4-3 on the season, allowing three runs on five hits in 4.2 innings of action. Casey Daiss pitched one inning, giving up one run on a hit. Grant Cleavinger, Evan Borst, Rans Sanders, Kyle Perry and Kyle Froehlich combined to blank the Hawkeyes over the final 3.1 innings, holding Iowa to just two hits.

Iowa grabbed a 1-0 lead in the opening frame after a two-out walk, followed by an RBI double to left field.

A two-out solo homer to the left-field berm doubled the lead for the Hawkeyes in the second inning.

The Huskers plated their lone run of the game behind a pair of hits in the fourth inning. Riley Silva reached on a fielder’s choice, before Stone’s double to right-center had runners on second and third with one out for the Big Red. Caron lifted a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Silva and trimming the deficit to 2-1.

The Hawkeyes got the run back in the next half inning with a two-out solo homer into the Iowa bullpen in the top of the fifth.

Cole Evans opened the bottom of the fifth with a walk and later stole second, before moving to third on a wild pitch. The NU offense couldn’t get a timely two-out hit to bring home Evans and cut into the deficit.

Iowa had a runner on third with one out in the sixth after a leadoff double and a groundout to second. A wild pitch allowed the runner on third to jog on home to give the Hawkeyes a 4-1 advantage.

The Huskers were retired in order over the final three innings to preserve the three-run victory for the Hawkeyes in the series finale.

Nebraska returns to action with a midweek matchup at Creighton on Tuesday, April 30 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsNebraska won the weekend series but couldn’t complete the sweep, as the Huskers fell 4-1 in the series finale against Iowa on Sunday at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park.Nebraska (27-14, 10-5 Big Ten) scored a run on two hits and an error, while Iowa (24-17, 10-8 Big Ten) recorded four runs on eight hits.Tyler Stone doubled and drew a walk, while Case Sanderson had a hit and a walk. Josh Caron drove in the Huskers’ lone run of the game.Will Walsh dropped to 4-3 on the season, allowing three runs on five hits in 4.2 innings of action. Casey Daiss pitched one inning, giving up one run on a hit. Grant Cleavinger, Evan Borst, Rans Sanders, Kyle Perry and Kyle Froehlich combined to blank the Hawkeyes over the final 3.1 innings, holding Iowa to just two hits.Iowa grabbed a 1-0 lead in the opening frame after a two-out walk, followed by an RBI double to left field.A two-out solo homer to the left-field berm doubled the lead for the Hawkeyes in the second inning.The Huskers plated their lone run of the game behind a pair of hits in the fourth inning. Riley Silva reached on a fielder’s choice, before Stone’s double to right-center had runners on second and third with one out for the Big Red. Caron lifted a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Silva and trimming the deficit to 2-1.The Hawkeyes got the run back in the next half inning with a two-out solo homer into the Iowa bullpen in the top of the fifth.Cole Evans opened the bottom of the fifth with a walk and later stole second, before moving to third on a wild pitch. The NU offense couldn’t get a timely two-out hit to bring home Evans and cut into the deficit.Iowa had a runner on third with one out in the sixth after a leadoff double and a groundout to second. A wild pitch allowed the runner on third to jog on home to give the Hawkeyes a 4-1 advantage.The Huskers were retired in order over the final three innings to preserve the three-run victory for the Hawkeyes in the series finale.Nebraska returns to action with a midweek matchup at Creighton on Tuesday, April 30 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha.

Series sweep eludes Huskers

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The sixth quarterback selected in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/nfl-draft-2024-updates">2024 NFL draft</a>&nbsp;was No. 1 in the Denver Broncos' eyes.

The Broncos bypassed a bevy of blue-chip defenders to draft former Oregon quarterback Bo Nix with the 12th pick Thursday night.

“He stood out in a lot of areas,” coach Sean Payton said. “His arm strength, we saw it at his pro day, but then even in the private workout was very good. And he’s super smart.”

Denver has churned through 13 starting quarterbacks since Peyton Manning retired as a Super Bowl champion following the 2015 season. None of the signal-callers who have followed him has been able to lead Denver back to the playoffs.

Their eight-year playoff drought is exacerbated by seven straight losing seasons and watching Patrick Mahomes lead division rival Kansas City to three Super Bowl parades in five years, including the past two.

There was plenty of speculation the Broncos would have to move up to get in on the quarterback run, but they've already unloaded three first-round draft picks since 2022, including two in the Russell Wilson trade that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denver-broncos-sean-payton-nfl-draft-2605ee521f58b7d3ebb1d2e4647c4578">didn't work out</a>.

Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye went 1-2-3 as expected, and when the New York Giants bypassed a QB at No. 6, Payton felt good about the three QB-needy teams — Minnesota, Denver and Las Vegas — all being set to get their man.

Then, the Atlanta Falcons pulled off the stunner of Round 1, selecting Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 even though they just signed Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract.

“New York would have been the surprise team and if New York took a quarterback, then there's three waiting for two,” Payton said. “And so once New York cleared, I'm sure every team we're talking about felt like all right. And then Atlanta takes a quarterback and that's the fun part about this draft. You can't dive into everyone's draft room to know how they feel about someone.”

The Falcons' move threw teams for a loop and the Broncos sweated it out when the Vikings swapped the No. 11 pick for the New York Jets' 10th overall selection. They exhaled when the Vikings took QB J.J. McCarthy and the Jets took an offensive tackle.

"We could have moved a couple of picks back and maybe gotten a couple of picks,” general manager George Paton said. “But at the end of the day, 'This was our guy. Let's just take him. Let's not overthink it.' And we would have been sick if we lost him just for, you know, a couple of fifth-round picks or what have you.”

So, ultimately, the Broncos stood pat and didn't have to part with any picks to get the quarterback they wanted, one whom Payton acknowledged was “bigger than I thought he was” at 6-foot-2 and 217 pounds.

Half of the top dozen selections were quarterbacks for the first time ever.

“I wasn't shocked. I think the six of us, we're all capable of playing at the next level,” Nix said. “It's going to be fun to watch everybody and see how they develop. I wasn't shocked at all because I think this class of quarterbacks was very strong.”

Nix joins a quarterback room that includes newly acquired&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jets-broncos-zach-wilson-0f36a1ec7cd75358ccdd7d51f19791ee">Zach Wilson</a>, whom the Broncos traded for Monday after the 2021 second overall pick had three disappointing seasons with the New York Jets.

Also on the roster is Jarrett Stidham, who split his two starts last season after coach Sean Payton benched Russell Wilson, and Ben DiNucci.

“They're all going to compete,” Payton said. “Bill (Parcells) taught me a long time ago, let's just let them play and we've got to maximize the reps that we have and let them develop, and that stuff will sort itself out."

“Well, I know everybody has to compete, I know everybody has to go to work,” Nix said. “We haven't had any conversations thus far past draft prep. But I just can't wait to get around the locker room, I can't wait to get around the guys, meet all my new teammates, meet coaches and get to work.”

Russell Wilson signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but remains the highest-paid player on Denver's roster because the Broncos will pay $37.79 million of his $39 million salary in 2024. That's on top of the $85 million in dead cap charges they'll absorb over the next two years.

After three solid seasons at Auburn, Nix had two terrific seasons at Oregon, where he threw for 74 touchdowns with 10 interceptions and he completed almost 75% of his passes in 27 games.

Because he capitalized on the extra year the NCAA granted athletes because of the pandemic, Nix played in a whopping 61 college games.

Now he's ready to lead Denver out of its nearly decade-long doldrums.

He thanked the Broncos for “putting their beliefs in me.”

Nix is the first player the Broncos have selected in the first round since 2021, when they chose cornerback Patrick Surtain II with the ninth overall pick.

Story by Arnie Stapleton AP Pro Football Writer<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714133460248.jpeg" alt="Oregon quarterback Bo Nix looks to pass against Washington during the first half of the Pac-12 championship NCAA college football game Dec. 1, 2023, in Las Vegas. The Denver Broncos drafted former Nix with the 12th pick in the NFL draft Thursday night, April 25, 2024." />
 <figcaption>Oregon quarterback Bo Nix looks to pass against Washington during the first half of the Pac-12 championship NCAA college football game Dec. 1, 2023, in Las Vegas. The Denver Broncos drafted former Nix with the 12th pick in the NFL draft Thursday night, April 25, 2024.</figcaption>
 </figure>ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The sixth quarterback selected in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/nfl-draft-2024-updates">2024 NFL draft</a>&nbsp;was No. 1 in the Denver Broncos' eyes.The Broncos bypassed a bevy of blue-chip defenders to draft former Oregon quarterback Bo Nix with the 12th pick Thursday night.“He stood out in a lot of areas,” coach Sean Payton said. “His arm strength, we saw it at his pro day, but then even in the private workout was very good. And he’s super smart.”Denver has churned through 13 starting quarterbacks since Peyton Manning retired as a Super Bowl champion following the 2015 season. None of the signal-callers who have followed him has been able to lead Denver back to the playoffs.Their eight-year playoff drought is exacerbated by seven straight losing seasons and watching Patrick Mahomes lead division rival Kansas City to three Super Bowl parades in five years, including the past two.There was plenty of speculation the Broncos would have to move up to get in on the quarterback run, but they've already unloaded three first-round draft picks since 2022, including two in the Russell Wilson trade that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denver-broncos-sean-payton-nfl-draft-2605ee521f58b7d3ebb1d2e4647c4578">didn't work out</a>.Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye went 1-2-3 as expected, and when the New York Giants bypassed a QB at No. 6, Payton felt good about the three QB-needy teams — Minnesota, Denver and Las Vegas — all being set to get their man.Then, the Atlanta Falcons pulled off the stunner of Round 1, selecting Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 even though they just signed Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract.“New York would have been the surprise team and if New York took a quarterback, then there's three waiting for two,” Payton said. “And so once New York cleared, I'm sure every team we're talking about felt like all right. And then Atlanta takes a quarterback and that's the fun part about this draft. You can't dive into everyone's draft room to know how they feel about someone.”The Falcons' move threw teams for a loop and the Broncos sweated it out when the Vikings swapped the No. 11 pick for the New York Jets' 10th overall selection. They exhaled when the Vikings took QB J.J. McCarthy and the Jets took an offensive tackle."We could have moved a couple of picks back and maybe gotten a couple of picks,” general manager George Paton said. “But at the end of the day, 'This was our guy. Let's just take him. Let's not overthink it.' And we would have been sick if we lost him just for, you know, a couple of fifth-round picks or what have you.”So, ultimately, the Broncos stood pat and didn't have to part with any picks to get the quarterback they wanted, one whom Payton acknowledged was “bigger than I thought he was” at 6-foot-2 and 217 pounds.Half of the top dozen selections were quarterbacks for the first time ever.“I wasn't shocked. I think the six of us, we're all capable of playing at the next level,” Nix said. “It's going to be fun to watch everybody and see how they develop. I wasn't shocked at all because I think this class of quarterbacks was very strong.”Nix joins a quarterback room that includes newly acquired&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jets-broncos-zach-wilson-0f36a1ec7cd75358ccdd7d51f19791ee">Zach Wilson</a>, whom the Broncos traded for Monday after the 2021 second overall pick had three disappointing seasons with the New York Jets.Also on the roster is Jarrett Stidham, who split his two starts last season after coach Sean Payton benched Russell Wilson, and Ben DiNucci.“They're all going to compete,” Payton said. “Bill (Parcells) taught me a long time ago, let's just let them play and we've got to maximize the reps that we have and let them develop, and that stuff will sort itself out."Nix knows that.“Well, I know everybody has to compete, I know everybody has to go to work,” Nix said. “We haven't had any conversations thus far past draft prep. But I just can't wait to get around the locker room, I can't wait to get around the guys, meet all my new teammates, meet coaches and get to work.”Russell Wilson signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but remains the highest-paid player on Denver's roster because the Broncos will pay $37.79 million of his $39 million salary in 2024. That's on top of the $85 million in dead cap charges they'll absorb over the next two years.After three solid seasons at Auburn, Nix had two terrific seasons at Oregon, where he threw for 74 touchdowns with 10 interceptions and he completed almost 75% of his passes in 27 games.Because he capitalized on the extra year the NCAA granted athletes because of the pandemic, Nix played in a whopping 61 college games.Now he's ready to lead Denver out of its nearly decade-long doldrums.He thanked the Broncos for “putting their beliefs in me.”Nix is the first player the Broncos have selected in the first round since 2021, when they chose cornerback Patrick Surtain II with the ninth overall pick.

Broncos select former Oregon QB Bo Nix with the 12th pick in the NFL draft

Lincoln, Neb. | Hawks Field at Haymarket Park

Pitching: RHP Brett Sears (7-0, 1.58 ERA) vs. TBD

Radio: Huskers Radio Network, Huskers.com, Huskers App

Saturday, April 27 – 1:17 p.m. CT

Pitching: RHP Mason McConnaughey (4-3, 3.41 ERA) vs. TBD

Pitching: LHP Will Walsh (4-2, 4.97 ERA) vs. TBD

• All three games of this weekend’s series vs. Iowa can be seen on B1G+, while Saturday’s game will be broadcast on BTN with Shane Sparks and Jeff Leise on the call.

• Fans can also listen to Dave Gustafson and Ben McLaughlin call the action this weekend on the Huskers Radio Network.

• Every game this season can be heard for free on Huskers.com and the Official Nebraska Huskers App for both iOS and android devices.

• Through 49 all-time meetings, the Hawkeyes hold a slim 26-23 advantage over the Huskers in the all-time series.

• Iowa swept the three-game series over the Big Red last season in Iowa City.

• In their last meeting in Lincoln, the Hawkeyes took two of three games from the Huskers, including Garrett Anglim’s three-homer game in Nebraska’s 12-1 run-rule victory over Iowa.

Middle-Third Production Boosting the Big Red

• Nebraska has been successful the second time through the lineup on the mound and in the batter’s box, outscoring opponents 114-49 in the middle-third innings this season.

• The Huskers hold a 45-16 advantage in the fourth inning, while outscoring opponents 28-14 in the fifth inning and 41-19 in the sixth inning.

• The Husker offense is hitting .311 at the plate with 54 extra-base hits and 107 RBI in the fourth through sixth innings, while the NU pitching staff is limiting opponents to a .234 hitting clip and a 3.47 ERA in the middle-third innings.

• The Westphalia, Iowa, native allowed just three runs on seven hits to Maryland across seven innings last Friday, notching his ninth consecutive quality start for the Huskers.

• The nine consecutive quality starts are the most by a Nebraska hurler since at least 1999, and the longest active streak by any starting pitcher in Division I.

• The right-hander has punched out 68 batters with only 12 walks, posting a 5.7 strikeout-to-walk ratio over that span, which ranks second in the Big Ten behind teammate Will Walsh (6.0).

• Sears has allowed four-or-fewer hits in seven of his 10 outings, as opponents are hitting just .155 (37-for-239) against the senior.

• Ben Columbus has seen his offensive production begin to take shape since the first week of April.

• After just five hits in Nebraska’s first 29 games this season, Columbus has hit 13-of-30 (.433) at the plate with a double, four home runs, 12 RBI and eight runs scored. The double and four homers are all of his extra-base hits this season and his first four career homers with the Big Red.

Brumbaugh Sets the Tone in Leadoff Spot

• Cayden Brumbaugh is hitting .345 in the leadoff spot with 14 extra-base hits and 18 RBI, recording knocks in nine of his last 12 games.

• The Edmond, Okla., native posted a pair of three-hit games against the Terrapins last weekend, and over his last four games has gone 8-for-18 (.444) with four doubles and seven RBI.

• Brumbaugh’s 39 hits are the second most on the Huskers this season, while the sophomore’s 13 multi-hit games lead the Big Red.

Stone’s Strong Impact in Return to NU Lineup

• Tyler Stone is hitting .337 for the Huskers with six doubles, six home runs and 23 RBI, recording knocks in six of his last seven games.

• The Scottsdale, Ariz., native has posted back-to-back three-hit games against Maryland and Kansas, and over his last seven games is 10-for- 21 (.476) with a pair of home runs and six RBI.

• At home, Stone is batting .390 (16-for-41) with an OPS of 1.029, including hits in 13 of Nebraska’s 17 home games this season.

Sanderson Finds Success Throughout NU Lineup

• Freshman Case Sanderson is hitting .348 at the plate and has found success throughout the lineup for the Huskers, appearing in seven different spots in the lineup for the NU offense.

• The freshman is 17th nationally with a .521 on-base percentage and has totaled a double, a triple, two homers, 13 RBI and 17 runs scored this season.

• The freshman has hit .333 or better in six of the seven spots he’s appeared in this season, while seeing most of his action in the leadoff spot with 18 at-bats.

• Cole Evans is hitting .280 with seven doubles, three home runs, and 32 RBI across 38 games, including 33 starts, while Rhett Stokes holds a .310 batting average with eight doubles and 10 RBI.

• Dylan Carey has hits in eight of his last nine games and leads the Big Red with 12 doubles, raising his batting average from .236 to .266.

• Garrett Anglim has posted knocks in four of his last five games, hitting .281 this season with five doubles, two homers and 20 RBI. Joshua Overbeek is batting .284 with five extra-base hits and 27 runs scored.

• Casey Daiss has a team-high four saves with a 1.80 ERA for the Huskers across 15.0 innings of work. Daiss has allowed just one earned run over his last 10 appearances dating back to the first weekend of the season vs. Oklahoma.

• Jalen Worthley is 2-0 with a 2.95 ERA and a trio of saves across a bullpen-high 21.1 innings, making a team-high seven multi-inning relief appearances for NU. The southpaw has punched out 17 batters while issuing just four walks.

• Kyle Perry’s 18 relief appearances lead all NU relievers as the senior is 1-1 with a career-high tying three saves. Rans Sanders has a 3.18 ERA across 11.1 innings and a pair of saves.

• Evan Borst is limiting opponents to a .139 batting average (5-for-36) this season, while posting 11 strikeouts over 10.2 innings of work.

• Kyle Froehlich has appeared in 11 games for the Huskers, punching out 12 batters across 11.2 innings, while Tucker Timmerman leads all Nebraska freshmen with 14 relief appearances.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsApril 26-28, 2024Lincoln, Neb. | Hawks Field at Haymarket ParkFriday, April 26 – 6:05 p.m. CTPitching: RHP Brett Sears (7-0, 1.58 ERA) vs. TBDTV/Streaming: B1G+Radio: Huskers Radio Network, Huskers.com, Huskers AppSaturday, April 27 – 1:17 p.m. CTPitching: RHP Mason McConnaughey (4-3, 3.41 ERA) vs. TBDTV/Streaming: BTNRadio: Huskers Radio Network, Huskers.com, Huskers AppSunday, April 28 – 1:05 p.m. CTPitching: LHP Will Walsh (4-2, 4.97 ERA) vs. TBDTV/Streaming: B1G+Radio: Huskers Radio Network, Huskers.com, Huskers AppFollow the Game• All three games of this weekend’s series vs. Iowa can be seen on B1G+, while Saturday’s game will be broadcast on BTN with Shane Sparks and Jeff Leise on the call.• Fans can also listen to Dave Gustafson and Ben McLaughlin call the action this weekend on the Huskers Radio Network.• Every game this season can be heard for free on Huskers.com and the Official Nebraska Huskers App for both iOS and android devices.Nebraska vs. Iowa• Through 49 all-time meetings, the Hawkeyes hold a slim 26-23 advantage over the Huskers in the all-time series.• Iowa swept the three-game series over the Big Red last season in Iowa City.• In their last meeting in Lincoln, the Hawkeyes took two of three games from the Huskers, including Garrett Anglim’s three-homer game in Nebraska’s 12-1 run-rule victory over Iowa.Middle-Third Production Boosting the Big Red• Nebraska has been successful the second time through the lineup on the mound and in the batter’s box, outscoring opponents 114-49 in the middle-third innings this season.• The Huskers hold a 45-16 advantage in the fourth inning, while outscoring opponents 28-14 in the fifth inning and 41-19 in the sixth inning.• The Husker offense is hitting .311 at the plate with 54 extra-base hits and 107 RBI in the fourth through sixth innings, while the NU pitching staff is limiting opponents to a .234 hitting clip and a 3.47 ERA in the middle-third innings.Sears With Quality Starts• The Westphalia, Iowa, native allowed just three runs on seven hits to Maryland across seven innings last Friday, notching his ninth consecutive quality start for the Huskers.• The nine consecutive quality starts are the most by a Nebraska hurler since at least 1999, and the longest active streak by any starting pitcher in Division I.• The right-hander has punched out 68 batters with only 12 walks, posting a 5.7 strikeout-to-walk ratio over that span, which ranks second in the Big Ten behind teammate Will Walsh (6.0).• Sears has allowed four-or-fewer hits in seven of his 10 outings, as opponents are hitting just .155 (37-for-239) against the senior.Columbus Heating Up at the Plate• Ben Columbus has seen his offensive production begin to take shape since the first week of April.• After just five hits in Nebraska’s first 29 games this season, Columbus has hit 13-of-30 (.433) at the plate with a double, four home runs, 12 RBI and eight runs scored. The double and four homers are all of his extra-base hits this season and his first four career homers with the Big Red.Brumbaugh Sets the Tone in Leadoff Spot• Cayden Brumbaugh is hitting .345 in the leadoff spot with 14 extra-base hits and 18 RBI, recording knocks in nine of his last 12 games.• The Edmond, Okla., native posted a pair of three-hit games against the Terrapins last weekend, and over his last four games has gone 8-for-18 (.444) with four doubles and seven RBI.• Brumbaugh’s 39 hits are the second most on the Huskers this season, while the sophomore’s 13 multi-hit games lead the Big Red.Stone’s Strong Impact in Return to NU Lineup• Tyler Stone is hitting .337 for the Huskers with six doubles, six home runs and 23 RBI, recording knocks in six of his last seven games.• The Scottsdale, Ariz., native has posted back-to-back three-hit games against Maryland and Kansas, and over his last seven games is 10-for- 21 (.476) with a pair of home runs and six RBI.• At home, Stone is batting .390 (16-for-41) with an OPS of 1.029, including hits in 13 of Nebraska’s 17 home games this season.Sanderson Finds Success Throughout NU Lineup• Freshman Case Sanderson is hitting .348 at the plate and has found success throughout the lineup for the Huskers, appearing in seven different spots in the lineup for the NU offense.• The freshman is 17th nationally with a .521 on-base percentage and has totaled a double, a triple, two homers, 13 RBI and 17 runs scored this season.• The freshman has hit .333 or better in six of the seven spots he’s appeared in this season, while seeing most of his action in the leadoff spot with 18 at-bats.Bats in the Nebraska Lineup• Cole Evans is hitting .280 with seven doubles, three home runs, and 32 RBI across 38 games, including 33 starts, while Rhett Stokes holds a .310 batting average with eight doubles and 10 RBI.• Dylan Carey has hits in eight of his last nine games and leads the Big Red with 12 doubles, raising his batting average from .236 to .266.• Garrett Anglim has posted knocks in four of his last five games, hitting .281 this season with five doubles, two homers and 20 RBI. Joshua Overbeek is batting .284 with five extra-base hits and 27 runs scored.Huskers in the Pen• Casey Daiss has a team-high four saves with a 1.80 ERA for the Huskers across 15.0 innings of work. Daiss has allowed just one earned run over his last 10 appearances dating back to the first weekend of the season vs. Oklahoma.• Jalen Worthley is 2-0 with a 2.95 ERA and a trio of saves across a bullpen-high 21.1 innings, making a team-high seven multi-inning relief appearances for NU. The southpaw has punched out 17 batters while issuing just four walks.• Kyle Perry’s 18 relief appearances lead all NU relievers as the senior is 1-1 with a career-high tying three saves. Rans Sanders has a 3.18 ERA across 11.1 innings and a pair of saves.• Evan Borst is limiting opponents to a .139 batting average (5-for-36) this season, while posting 11 strikeouts over 10.2 innings of work.• Kyle Froehlich has appeared in 11 games for the Huskers, punching out 12 batters across 11.2 innings, while Tucker Timmerman leads all Nebraska freshmen with 14 relief appearances.

Husker Baseball Vs. Iowa Preview & Notes

The Nebraska men’s tennis team (16-9, 5-4 Big Ten) is set for a 2024 Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals rematch, after being seeded No. 5 in the tournament, slated to face No. 4 seed Illinois (16-8, 6-3 Big Ten) on Friday, April 26, at 11 a.m. (CT). The 2024 Big Ten Tournament is being hosted by Northwestern in Evanston, Ill., with play beginning April 25, and the championship concluding on April 28.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sidearmstats.com/northwestern/mtennis/xlive.htm" target="_blank">Live stats</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bigtenplus.com/en-int/schedule?date=2024-04-26&amp;cat3=21475" target="_blank">stream</a>&nbsp;will be available, as well as updates on Twitter/X&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/HuskerMTennis" target="_blank">@HuskerMTennis</a>.

Although the Huskers had a strong finish to the regular season with a 7-0 sweep of Penn State on senior day, the Big Red are in a familiar position, heading into the postseason. For the second year in a row, Nebraska heads to the Big Ten tournament with a No. 5 conference tournament seed, a 5-4 Big Ten record, and a quarterfinals matchup against No. 4 Illinois. The last two meetings against the Fighting Illini have been 2-4 losses, as the Big Red seek a different outcome to advance to the Big Ten semifinals.

Scouting #26 Illinois (16-8, 6-3 Big Ten)/Series History:

The Huskers are coming off a split weekend at home, after falling to top-ranked Ohio State and defeating Penn State, 7-0. The senior day sweep improved the Huskers’ record to 16-9 (5-4 Big Ten) to conclude the regular season. The 16th win marks a program best since 2009. The Huskers concluded home play with an 11-3 record when playing at Dillon. Head Coach Peter Kobelt has led the team to a program record most wins from a first-year coach, all-time.

On April 23, Calvin Mueller was ranked at No. 80 in singles, and the Big Red were ranked by ITA at No. 59 with a 16-9 record. On April 24, Mueller was named Big Ten Player of the Week for the second time this season and the third in his career. The junior claimed the award after a 2-0 weekend against ranked conference opponents. The honor was also the third for the Big Red this season, having earned two-straight Big Ten honors in January. Shepp was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Jan. 17 and Calvin Mueller on Jan. 24. Both Shepp and Mueller were recognized for their perfect 4-0 weeks and straight-set victories.

Stay tuned to the Husker Men’s Tennis&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/HuskerMTennis?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank">social media</a>&nbsp;channels to keep up with match updates and content as available.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsThe Nebraska men’s tennis team (16-9, 5-4 Big Ten) is set for a 2024 Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals rematch, after being seeded No. 5 in the tournament, slated to face No. 4 seed Illinois (16-8, 6-3 Big Ten) on Friday, April 26, at 11 a.m. (CT). The 2024 Big Ten Tournament is being hosted by Northwestern in Evanston, Ill., with play beginning April 25, and the championship concluding on April 28.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sidearmstats.com/northwestern/mtennis/xlive.htm" target="_blank">Live stats</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bigtenplus.com/en-int/schedule?date=2024-04-26&amp;cat3=21475" target="_blank">stream</a>&nbsp;will be available, as well as updates on Twitter/X&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/HuskerMTennis" target="_blank">@HuskerMTennis</a>.Although the Huskers had a strong finish to the regular season with a 7-0 sweep of Penn State on senior day, the Big Red are in a familiar position, heading into the postseason. For the second year in a row, Nebraska heads to the Big Ten tournament with a No. 5 conference tournament seed, a 5-4 Big Ten record, and a quarterfinals matchup against No. 4 Illinois. The last two meetings against the Fighting Illini have been 2-4 losses, as the Big Red seek a different outcome to advance to the Big Ten semifinals.Scouting #26 Illinois (16-8, 6-3 Big Ten)/Series History:<ul>
 <li>The Fighting Illini concluded the 2023-24 regular season with a 16-8 (6-3 Big Ten) record, coming off their most recent 4-0 victory over Indiana.</li><li>Illinois ended last season with a 19-11 record and a national ranking of No. 32.</li><li>As of April 23, ranked Fighting Illini include No. 27 Karlis Ozolins, No. 42 Hunter Heck and No. 99 Kenta Miyoshi in singles. Ranked Orange and Blue doubles duos are No. 9 Hunter Heck and Karlis Ozolins, and No. 43 Lucas Horve and Oliver Okonkwo.</li><li>Head Coach Brad Dancer is in his 18th season in the role with Illinois. Dancer led the Orange and Blue to a Big Ten Tournament Title in 2021 and has coached Fighting Illini into the NCAA Tournament in 16 of his 18 seasons.</li><li>Series History: 13-1 ILL; Since their first matchup in 2014, the Big Red have gone 1-13 against the Fighting Illini.</li>
 </ul>The Huskers are coming off a split weekend at home, after falling to top-ranked Ohio State and defeating Penn State, 7-0. The senior day sweep improved the Huskers’ record to 16-9 (5-4 Big Ten) to conclude the regular season. The 16th win marks a program best since 2009. The Huskers concluded home play with an 11-3 record when playing at Dillon. Head Coach Peter Kobelt has led the team to a program record most wins from a first-year coach, all-time.On April 23, Calvin Mueller was ranked at No. 80 in singles, and the Big Red were ranked by ITA at No. 59 with a 16-9 record. On April 24, Mueller was named Big Ten Player of the Week for the second time this season and the third in his career. The junior claimed the award after a 2-0 weekend against ranked conference opponents. The honor was also the third for the Big Red this season, having earned two-straight Big Ten honors in January. Shepp was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Jan. 17 and Calvin Mueller on Jan. 24. Both Shepp and Mueller were recognized for their perfect 4-0 weeks and straight-set victories.Stay tuned to the Husker Men’s Tennis&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/HuskerMTennis?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank">social media</a>&nbsp;channels to keep up with match updates and content as available.

#5 Huskers face #4 Illinois in Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals

Ann Arbor, Mich. -&nbsp;Behind two doubles victories and three singles wins, the Nebraska women’s tennis team (14-8, 4-10 Big Ten) defeated No. 50 Maryland (xx, xx Big Ten) 4-2 in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament, advancing to tomorrow’s quarterfinals.&nbsp;

Action against the Terrapins started with doubles play. On Court One, Raphaelle Lacasse and Maja Pietrowicz defeated No. 73 Minorka Miranda and Maria Budin 6-4, and Isabel Adrover Gallego and Lucy Loy topped&nbsp;Diya Challa and Aida Eissa on Court Three,&nbsp;6-3. Ana Zamburek and Anfisa Danilchenko’s match was abandoned at 5-4, and the teams moved on to singles competition.&nbsp;

In singles, Maryland evened the score at 1-1 as Adrover Gallego was defeated by Kallista Liu 6-3, 6-1, on Court Three. On Court Four, Pietrowicz battled, but lost to Budin 7-5, 7-5. Then the Huskers evened the score 2-2 as Zamburek forced a third set and topped Challa 1-6, 6-4, 6-2, on Court Five. Maria Taranova regained the lead for the Huskers as she defeated Eissa 6-3, 7-6 (6). Clinching the overall match for the Big Red was Danilchenko topping Miranda 7-5, 0-6, 6-3 on Court Two. Lacasse’s match on Court One against No. 77 Selma Cadar was abandoned 2-6, 7-6 (4), 3-2.&nbsp;

Up next, Nebraska will face Northwestern on Friday April, 25 at 1 p.m. (CT) in the Big Ten Quarterfinals. Live stats and streaming information can be found on huskers.com.&nbsp;

No. 11 Nebraska 4, No. 6 Maryland 2

No. 1 -- No. 77 Selma Cadar (UMD) vs.&nbsp; Raphaëlle Lacasse (NEB), 2-6, 7-6 (4), 3-2 UF

No. 2 -- Anfisa Danilchenko (Nebraska) d. Minorka Miranda (UMD), 7-5, 0-6, 6-3

No. 3 -- Kallista Liu (UMD) d. Isabel Adrover Gallego (Nebraska), 6-3, 6-1

No. 4 -- Maria Budin (UMD) d. Maja Pietrowicz (Nebraska), 7-5, 7-5

No. 5 -- Ana Zamburek (Nebraska) d. Diay Challa (UMD), 1-6, 6-4, 6-2

No. 6 -- Maria Taranova (Nebraska) d. Aida Eissa (UMD), 6-3, 7-6 (6)

No. 1 -- Raphaëlle Lacasse/Maja Pietrowicz (Nebraska) d. Minorka Miranda/Maria Budin (UMD), 6-4

No. 2 -- Anfisa Danilchenko/Ana Zamburek (Nebraska) vs. Selma Cadar/Kallista Liu (UMD), 5-4 abandoned

No. 3 -- Isabel Adrover Gallego/Lucy Loy (Nebraska) d. Diya Challa/Aida Eissa (UMD), 6-3

Order of Completion: Doubles 1-3; Singles 3-4-5-6-2

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsAnn Arbor, Mich. -&nbsp;Behind two doubles victories and three singles wins, the Nebraska women’s tennis team (14-8, 4-10 Big Ten) defeated No. 50 Maryland (xx, xx Big Ten) 4-2 in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament, advancing to tomorrow’s quarterfinals.&nbsp;Action against the Terrapins started with doubles play. On Court One, Raphaelle Lacasse and Maja Pietrowicz defeated No. 73 Minorka Miranda and Maria Budin 6-4, and Isabel Adrover Gallego and Lucy Loy topped&nbsp;Diya Challa and Aida Eissa on Court Three,&nbsp;6-3. Ana Zamburek and Anfisa Danilchenko’s match was abandoned at 5-4, and the teams moved on to singles competition.&nbsp;In singles, Maryland evened the score at 1-1 as Adrover Gallego was defeated by Kallista Liu 6-3, 6-1, on Court Three. On Court Four, Pietrowicz battled, but lost to Budin 7-5, 7-5. Then the Huskers evened the score 2-2 as Zamburek forced a third set and topped Challa 1-6, 6-4, 6-2, on Court Five. Maria Taranova regained the lead for the Huskers as she defeated Eissa 6-3, 7-6 (6). Clinching the overall match for the Big Red was Danilchenko topping Miranda 7-5, 0-6, 6-3 on Court Two. Lacasse’s match on Court One against No. 77 Selma Cadar was abandoned 2-6, 7-6 (4), 3-2.&nbsp;Up next, Nebraska will face Northwestern on Friday April, 25 at 1 p.m. (CT) in the Big Ten Quarterfinals. Live stats and streaming information can be found on huskers.com.&nbsp;No. 11 Nebraska 4, No. 6 Maryland 2SinglesNo. 1 -- No. 77 Selma Cadar (UMD) vs.&nbsp; Raphaëlle Lacasse (NEB), 2-6, 7-6 (4), 3-2 UFNo. 2 -- Anfisa Danilchenko (Nebraska) d. Minorka Miranda (UMD), 7-5, 0-6, 6-3No. 3 -- Kallista Liu (UMD) d. Isabel Adrover Gallego (Nebraska), 6-3, 6-1No. 4 -- Maria Budin (UMD) d. Maja Pietrowicz (Nebraska), 7-5, 7-5No. 5 -- Ana Zamburek (Nebraska) d. Diay Challa (UMD), 1-6, 6-4, 6-2No. 6 -- Maria Taranova (Nebraska) d. Aida Eissa (UMD), 6-3, 7-6 (6)DoublesNo. 1 -- Raphaëlle Lacasse/Maja Pietrowicz (Nebraska) d. Minorka Miranda/Maria Budin (UMD), 6-4No. 2 -- Anfisa Danilchenko/Ana Zamburek (Nebraska) vs. Selma Cadar/Kallista Liu (UMD), 5-4 abandonedNo. 3 -- Isabel Adrover Gallego/Lucy Loy (Nebraska) d. Diya Challa/Aida Eissa (UMD), 6-3Order of Completion: Doubles 1-3; Singles 3-4-5-6-2

Huskers down Terrapins, advance to B1G Quarterfinals 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714132813919.png" alt="Baseball District B-3" />
 <figcaption>Baseball District B-3</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714132915118.png" alt="Baseball District C-1" />
 <figcaption>Baseball District C-1</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714133017000.png" alt="Boys Soccer District A-2" />
 <figcaption>Boys Soccer District A-2</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714133065333.png" alt="Girls Soccer District A-3" />
 <figcaption>Girls Soccer District A-3</figcaption>
 </figure>

Area District assignments for Baseball and Soccer

KEARNEY, Neb. –&nbsp;The Nebraska DiamondFest Fastpitch softball tournament is set to return for its second year, taking place at Patriot and Harvey Parks. This year, the tournament will host 36 teams from various parts of Nebraska, competing for gold and silver medals in each division.

The tournament features teams from 18 different Nebraska towns, including North Platte and Lincoln, across divisions including 8U, 10U, 12U, 14U, and 16U/18U. With over 400 players and coaches, the event showcases the talent of girls fastpitch softball in the state.

Spectators can access schedules and real-time score updates&nbsp;<a href="https://b8oyr9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001cwLULcv61aJO0VPWYAlxlXIA2dmMN4ew2BXnhP1leNmcvNy7NWr1i1Bwh2DVUAqcNQvt1fWbGVr9J4DoVh3aIfDLJqeCLPW9MFszaReMYeJtXThIOThCGai_qhjEwgoFh10t19kuqAZYY1oqeoyEWGE9_FXvWpXj88UZMmNJ7VDX6PvtIPMJpuBcQktqk961WVQx0FtFovNhEbDMz-qU03rCVoBedyziW4QqKy2a_3aFAkgEXTubA9PcieVWWoJB3D0wcFebX_U4KZbHqWz37g==&amp;c=8ta8odqvDCETSpcCI9vUnnApXK9OXU9tS0foL_YJVPNNUKbmJeQlAw==&amp;ch=WEgqMzTCPXQ9_Sa5nW4N7AdLRAqCsb9P3_q1c2C9e_htntE60GlxkQ==" target="_blank">HERE</a>&nbsp;or via the Tourney Machine app. Additional tournament information, including weather updates and photos, will be available on the&nbsp;<a href="https://b8oyr9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001cwLULcv61aJO0VPWYAlxlXIA2dmMN4ew2BXnhP1leNmcvNy7NWr1i41UTPchcxWSOQyrmkoHRkN7W9LvrBnSWUGe3mKIx-IAKnPe1bGh6ZGKe1Bb3fdgpmauUtvxhKbgJ1aeSQ-PmNmJkYXUEi1CDPpSzKXZW-sE_yhv4Gp8oYPyYOMAcDcEgBHLxej1dU5Xbllt5a_gsC4=&amp;c=8ta8odqvDCETSpcCI9vUnnApXK9OXU9tS0foL_YJVPNNUKbmJeQlAw==&amp;ch=WEgqMzTCPXQ9_Sa5nW4N7AdLRAqCsb9P3_q1c2C9e_htntE60GlxkQ==" target="_blank">Nebraska DiamondFest Facebook page</a>.

Organized by the Nebraska Sports Council, with support from presenting sponsor Kearney Visitors Bureau, along with Kearney Parks and Recreation and the Kearney Competitive Girls Softball Association, the event aims to promote athleticism and camaraderie within the community. Sayler Screenprinting serves as the official apparel partner, with Younes Hospitality providing lodging for participants. Local contributors include Angus Burgers &amp; Shakes, John Deere | AKRS Equipment, NDOT Highway Safety Office, Walmart-Kearney, and the Nebraska State Fair.

The Nebraska Sports Council, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is dedicated to providing quality competition for amateur athletes and promoting active, healthy lifestyle choices through events like the Nebraska DiamondFest Fastpitch Softball Tournament.

For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://b8oyr9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001cwLULcv61aJO0VPWYAlxlXIA2dmMN4ew2BXnhP1leNmcvNy7NWr1i8DgwADC0hW11wHtis_CbIm9YMK8EYrnftzLa6VuSonauS9JPdGMiyQsajo18Mf27WgPdTTg3Hku1uO1hP21egxRPuie7Qe-8dAnPRdGFCkUkxNKtqhWCps5Hc59L2JwnJnzjufDveSQI0BvAducnEVDmPsUFoXWAtY1k5tu-co0&amp;c=8ta8odqvDCETSpcCI9vUnnApXK9OXU9tS0foL_YJVPNNUKbmJeQlAw==&amp;ch=WEgqMzTCPXQ9_Sa5nW4N7AdLRAqCsb9P3_q1c2C9e_htntE60GlxkQ==" target="_blank">NebraskaDiamondFest.com</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://b8oyr9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001cwLULcv61aJO0VPWYAlxlXIA2dmMN4ew2BXnhP1leNmcvNy7NWr1i9vkXzEVlFgvM1aa-TrDI-xrwHE6IoV0Df30vwZNCeiNDUp6o74n-HxLL2VYxwZNnJNe7Yhum7oCv0O66bJxUT6In8sOaJ31b6U4T1sVGiIh0wyf4RUSh5A=&amp;c=8ta8odqvDCETSpcCI9vUnnApXK9OXU9tS0foL_YJVPNNUKbmJeQlAw==&amp;ch=WEgqMzTCPXQ9_Sa5nW4N7AdLRAqCsb9P3_q1c2C9e_htntE60GlxkQ==" target="_blank">NebraskaSportsCouncil.com</a>.

Nebraska Sports CouncilKEARNEY, Neb. –&nbsp;The Nebraska DiamondFest Fastpitch softball tournament is set to return for its second year, taking place at Patriot and Harvey Parks. This year, the tournament will host 36 teams from various parts of Nebraska, competing for gold and silver medals in each division.The tournament features teams from 18 different Nebraska towns, including North Platte and Lincoln, across divisions including 8U, 10U, 12U, 14U, and 16U/18U. With over 400 players and coaches, the event showcases the talent of girls fastpitch softball in the state.Spectators can access schedules and real-time score updates&nbsp;<a href="https://b8oyr9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001cwLULcv61aJO0VPWYAlxlXIA2dmMN4ew2BXnhP1leNmcvNy7NWr1i1Bwh2DVUAqcNQvt1fWbGVr9J4DoVh3aIfDLJqeCLPW9MFszaReMYeJtXThIOThCGai_qhjEwgoFh10t19kuqAZYY1oqeoyEWGE9_FXvWpXj88UZMmNJ7VDX6PvtIPMJpuBcQktqk961WVQx0FtFovNhEbDMz-qU03rCVoBedyziW4QqKy2a_3aFAkgEXTubA9PcieVWWoJB3D0wcFebX_U4KZbHqWz37g==&amp;c=8ta8odqvDCETSpcCI9vUnnApXK9OXU9tS0foL_YJVPNNUKbmJeQlAw==&amp;ch=WEgqMzTCPXQ9_Sa5nW4N7AdLRAqCsb9P3_q1c2C9e_htntE60GlxkQ==" target="_blank">HERE</a>&nbsp;or via the Tourney Machine app. Additional tournament information, including weather updates and photos, will be available on the&nbsp;<a href="https://b8oyr9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001cwLULcv61aJO0VPWYAlxlXIA2dmMN4ew2BXnhP1leNmcvNy7NWr1i41UTPchcxWSOQyrmkoHRkN7W9LvrBnSWUGe3mKIx-IAKnPe1bGh6ZGKe1Bb3fdgpmauUtvxhKbgJ1aeSQ-PmNmJkYXUEi1CDPpSzKXZW-sE_yhv4Gp8oYPyYOMAcDcEgBHLxej1dU5Xbllt5a_gsC4=&amp;c=8ta8odqvDCETSpcCI9vUnnApXK9OXU9tS0foL_YJVPNNUKbmJeQlAw==&amp;ch=WEgqMzTCPXQ9_Sa5nW4N7AdLRAqCsb9P3_q1c2C9e_htntE60GlxkQ==" target="_blank">Nebraska DiamondFest Facebook page</a>.Organized by the Nebraska Sports Council, with support from presenting sponsor Kearney Visitors Bureau, along with Kearney Parks and Recreation and the Kearney Competitive Girls Softball Association, the event aims to promote athleticism and camaraderie within the community. Sayler Screenprinting serves as the official apparel partner, with Younes Hospitality providing lodging for participants. Local contributors include Angus Burgers &amp; Shakes, John Deere | AKRS Equipment, NDOT Highway Safety Office, Walmart-Kearney, and the Nebraska State Fair.The Nebraska Sports Council, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is dedicated to providing quality competition for amateur athletes and promoting active, healthy lifestyle choices through events like the Nebraska DiamondFest Fastpitch Softball Tournament.For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://b8oyr9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001cwLULcv61aJO0VPWYAlxlXIA2dmMN4ew2BXnhP1leNmcvNy7NWr1i8DgwADC0hW11wHtis_CbIm9YMK8EYrnftzLa6VuSonauS9JPdGMiyQsajo18Mf27WgPdTTg3Hku1uO1hP21egxRPuie7Qe-8dAnPRdGFCkUkxNKtqhWCps5Hc59L2JwnJnzjufDveSQI0BvAducnEVDmPsUFoXWAtY1k5tu-co0&amp;c=8ta8odqvDCETSpcCI9vUnnApXK9OXU9tS0foL_YJVPNNUKbmJeQlAw==&amp;ch=WEgqMzTCPXQ9_Sa5nW4N7AdLRAqCsb9P3_q1c2C9e_htntE60GlxkQ==" target="_blank">NebraskaDiamondFest.com</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://b8oyr9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001cwLULcv61aJO0VPWYAlxlXIA2dmMN4ew2BXnhP1leNmcvNy7NWr1i9vkXzEVlFgvM1aa-TrDI-xrwHE6IoV0Df30vwZNCeiNDUp6o74n-HxLL2VYxwZNnJNe7Yhum7oCv0O66bJxUT6In8sOaJ31b6U4T1sVGiIh0wyf4RUSh5A=&amp;c=8ta8odqvDCETSpcCI9vUnnApXK9OXU9tS0foL_YJVPNNUKbmJeQlAw==&amp;ch=WEgqMzTCPXQ9_Sa5nW4N7AdLRAqCsb9P3_q1c2C9e_htntE60GlxkQ==" target="_blank">NebraskaSportsCouncil.com</a>.

Nebraska DiamondFest Fastpitch Softball Tournament Returns for its Second Year

Story by NPCC Athletic Communications

North Platte, Neb. – A trio of North Platte Community College men’s basketball student-athletes garner Region IX, Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference and postseason honors from the Omaha World-Herald.

Parker Baumann and Bryce Baez were named to the Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference team, while Davion Evans received honorable mention accolades from the conference.&nbsp;Additionally, all three student-athletes were named to the Omaha World-Herald's All-Midlands men's basketball team, while Baez and Evans received Region IX South honors at the conclusion of the 2023-24 season.

Evans finished the season ranked second in the region in points per game (16.3) and tenth in three-point shooting (33.3%). He scored in double figures 18 times during his 21 game appearances this past season.

Baez, who averaged 12.3 points per game, finished 15th in the region in that category. The native of Burlington, Iowa closed out the season ranked seventh in region in total rebounds (197) and third with a 79.8 percent free throw percentage.

Baumann appeared in all 29 games averaging 14.2 point per contest. The freshman guard finished the season second on the team in scoring and seventh in region. He also closed out the season eighth in the region in steals (1.2) and 13th in rebounds per game (5.6).

Kade Erickson of North Platte Community College and John Ritzdorf of Central Community College were named NCCAC Co-Coaches of the Year. Erickson stepped into the interim role on December 12 and guided the Knights to a 5-1 conference record to help North Platte claim the NCCAC title.

Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference TeamParker Baumann, Fr., G, &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; North Platte Community CollegeBryce Baez, So., F, North Platte Community CollegeBlake Daberkow, So., F, Central Community CollegePJ Davis, So., G, Central Community CollegeFrank Keller, Fr., F, Central Community CollegeBryan Akanmu, RFr., W, McCook Community CollegeMartel Evans, So., G, McCook Community CollegeLouie Tucker, Fr., G, McCook Community CollegeJustin Bolis, Fr., F, Southeast Community CollegeCollin Tarver, Fr., G Southeast Community College

Honorable MentionDavion Evans, So., G, North Platte Community CollegeRadek Pulsipher, So., G, Southeast Community College

Coach-of-the YearKade Erickson, North Platte Community CollegeJohn Ritzdorf, Central Community College

All-Region IX South TeamFirst TeamLateef Patrick, Fr., G, Trinidad State CollegeJalen Foy, So., F, Northeastern Junior CollegeJJ Harris, So., G, Western Nebraska Community College

Second TeamAnthony Harris, So., F, Otero Junior CollegeKeliese Frye, So., F, Trinidad State CollegeWillie Wilson, Fr., G, Western Nebraska Community College

Third TeamDeng Diew, Fr., F, Northeastern Junior CollegeLouie Tucker, Fr., G, McCook Community CollegeTay Mosher, So., F, Otero Junior College

Honorable MentionMartel Evans, So., G, McCook Community CollegeDavion Evans, So., G, North Platte Community CollegeBryce Baez, So., F, North Platte Community CollegeSean Lindsay, Fr., G, Lamar Community College

South Coach of the YearBilly Engel, Western Nebraska Community College

Story by NPCC Athletic CommunicationsNorth Platte, Neb. – A trio of North Platte Community College men’s basketball student-athletes garner Region IX, Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference and postseason honors from the Omaha World-Herald.Parker Baumann and Bryce Baez were named to the Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference team, while Davion Evans received honorable mention accolades from the conference.&nbsp;Additionally, all three student-athletes were named to the Omaha World-Herald's All-Midlands men's basketball team, while Baez and Evans received Region IX South honors at the conclusion of the 2023-24 season.Evans finished the season ranked second in the region in points per game (16.3) and tenth in three-point shooting (33.3%). He scored in double figures 18 times during his 21 game appearances this past season.Baez, who averaged 12.3 points per game, finished 15th in the region in that category. The native of Burlington, Iowa closed out the season ranked seventh in region in total rebounds (197) and third with a 79.8 percent free throw percentage.Baumann appeared in all 29 games averaging 14.2 point per contest. The freshman guard finished the season second on the team in scoring and seventh in region. He also closed out the season eighth in the region in steals (1.2) and 13th in rebounds per game (5.6).Kade Erickson of North Platte Community College and John Ritzdorf of Central Community College were named NCCAC Co-Coaches of the Year. Erickson stepped into the interim role on December 12 and guided the Knights to a 5-1 conference record to help North Platte claim the NCCAC title.Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference TeamParker Baumann, Fr., G, &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; North Platte Community CollegeBryce Baez, So., F, North Platte Community CollegeBlake Daberkow, So., F, Central Community CollegePJ Davis, So., G, Central Community CollegeFrank Keller, Fr., F, Central Community CollegeBryan Akanmu, RFr., W, McCook Community CollegeMartel Evans, So., G, McCook Community CollegeLouie Tucker, Fr., G, McCook Community CollegeJustin Bolis, Fr., F, Southeast Community CollegeCollin Tarver, Fr., G Southeast Community CollegeHonorable MentionDavion Evans, So., G, North Platte Community CollegeRadek Pulsipher, So., G, Southeast Community CollegeCoach-of-the YearKade Erickson, North Platte Community CollegeJohn Ritzdorf, Central Community CollegeAll-Region IX South TeamFirst TeamLateef Patrick, Fr., G, Trinidad State CollegeJalen Foy, So., F, Northeastern Junior CollegeJJ Harris, So., G, Western Nebraska Community CollegeSecond TeamAnthony Harris, So., F, Otero Junior CollegeKeliese Frye, So., F, Trinidad State CollegeWillie Wilson, Fr., G, Western Nebraska Community CollegeThird TeamDeng Diew, Fr., F, Northeastern Junior CollegeLouie Tucker, Fr., G, McCook Community CollegeTay Mosher, So., F, Otero Junior CollegeHonorable MentionMartel Evans, So., G, McCook Community CollegeDavion Evans, So., G, North Platte Community CollegeBryce Baez, So., F, North Platte Community CollegeSean Lindsay, Fr., G, Lamar Community CollegeSouth Coach of the YearBilly Engel, Western Nebraska Community CollegeOmaha World-Herald's All-Midlands Men's Basketball TeamDavion Evans, So., G, North Platte Community CollegeVincent Garrett, Fr., G, Northeast Community CollegeJJ Harris, So., G, Western Nebraska Community CollegeLouie Tucker, Fr., G, McCook Community CollegeBlake Daberkow, So., F, Central Community CollegeHonorable MentionBryce Baez, So., F, North Platte Community CollegeParker Baumann, Fr., G, North Platte Community CollegePJ Davis, So., G, Central Community CollegeMartel Evans, So., G, McCook Community CollegeBryce Rolle, So., F, Northeast Community CollegeJustin Bolis, Fr., F, Southeast Community CollegeCollin Tarver, Fr., G, Southeast Community CollegeKayden Nation, Fr., W, Western Nebraska Community CollegeWillie Wilson, Fr., G, Western Nebraska Community College