TOKYO (AP) - The tentacles of canceling the Tokyo Olympics - or postponing or staging it in empty venues - would reach into every corner of the globe, much like the spreading virus that now imperils the opening ceremony on July 24.

The International Olympic Committee and local organizers say the games are on, but the clock is ticking.

The fate of the Tokyo Games touches 11,000 Olympic and 4,400 Paralympic athletes, coaches and sports officials, local organizers, the Japanese government and national morale, international broadcasters, fans and world sponsors. Add to this hotels, airlines and taxi drivers - and even 80,000 unpaid volunteers who will miss a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

"I've heard things about possibly the Olympics being canceled, and I think that would stink," J'den Cox, a two-time world champion wrestler and an Olympic bronze medalist in Rio de Janeiro, told The Associated Press. "It would probably break everybody's heart if that were to happen."

The Olympic brand could be damaged, although the Switzerland-based International Olympic Committee may be among the least affected parties financially if the games are called off. The IOC has been resolute in its message, although it has a several-month window to decide.

"Hard to imagine this will be defined by the end of May, but it could be," Dr. Ali Khan. an epidemiologist and dean of the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska, told the AP in an email. "Regardless, numerous sick athletes could not lead to a very interesting games.

"From what we know from numerous other mass-gathering events including sporting events, it is very easy to spread diseases worldwide from such events - from meningitis to Zika," Khan added. "Besides welcoming athletes and spectators with their tiny microbes, there is and may be ongoing disease in Japan."

Kazuhiro Tateda, an expert on infectious diseases and a member of a Japanese government panel, said the virus may not die out quickly.

"Unlike the flu that disappears with warmer weather, the response to the new coronavirus, I think, will have to continue for half a year or a year," Tateda told Japanese broadcaster NHK on Tuesday.

The IOC has ample financial safeguards against cancellation, which has happened only in wartime since the modern Olympics began in 1896. Its latest annual report shows it has almost $2 billion in reserve that could cover running costs until the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

The IOC's annual reports show it paid almost $14.4 million in an insurance premium to protect against canceling the&nbsp;<a href="https://stillmed.olympic.org/media/Document%20Library/OlympicOrg/Documents/IOC-Annual-Report/IOC-Annual-Report-2016.pdf#_ga=2.222436827.1115094057.1583746255-1046768819.1582034366" target="_blank">2016</a>&nbsp;Rio Olympics and $12.8 million for a policy to cover the&nbsp;<a href="https://stillmed.olympic.org/media/Document%20Library/OlympicOrg/Documents/IOC-Annual-Report/IOC-ANNUAL-REPORT-2018.pdf#_ga=2.25187581.1115094057.1583746255-1046768819.1582034366" target="_blank">2018</a>&nbsp;Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

IOC President Thomas Bach was asked last week after an executive board meeting if the insurance premium has risen to as much as $20 million for a Tokyo policy.

"I don't know," he replied. "It wasn't discussed at this EB."

Wolfgang Maennig, an Olympic rowing gold medalist who teaches sports economics at Hamburg University, said the losses will be shared.

"Insurance companies will have to pay a large amount of the losses of the IOC," Maennig said in an email to the AP. "The rest will have to be borne by the IOC."

The IOC controls the Olympics and has wide latitude to act. Its protection is spelled out in the 81-page Host City Contract, signed in 2013 with the city of Tokyo and the Japanese Olympic Committee.

The preamble to the contact states: "the Olympic Games are the exclusive property of the IOC which owns all rights ... to their organization, staging, exploitation, broadcasting, recording, representation, reproduction ... whether now existing or developed in the future, throughout the world in perpetuity."

The contract also specifies that the IOC can terminate and withdraw from the city because of a "state of war, civil disorder, or boycott ... or if the IOC has reasonable grounds to believe, in its sole discretion, that the safety of participants in the games would be seriously threatened or jeopardized for any reason whatsoever."

Victor Matheson, a sports economist at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, said athletes are the most vulnerable. The Olympics feature 33 sports, and many of the smaller ones have a limited following until games time.

"For athletes, their career length isn't long and in many sports success in the Olympics is your one shot at a financial return," Matheson told the AP.

Matheson said losses by hotels and other service businesses are unlikely to be insured. The billions on government spending on venues looks like a risky investment. The loss of the Olympics would negate the difficult-to-calculate goodwill that Japan and Tokyo might have won.

An Irish bookmaker is showing odds leaning slightly toward the Olympics not going forward. Odds are 4-6 it will not open on July 24 in Tokyo, and even that it will.

<a href="https://apnews.com/eb6d9e318b4b95f7e53cd1b617dce123" target="_blank">Tokyo is officially spending $12.6 billion</a>&nbsp;to organize the Olympics, although a national government audit office says it's at least twice that much. The local organizing committee budget of $5.6 billion is private money, with the rest coming from Japanese taxpayers. About $1 billion in the local operating budget is to come from ticket sales, which would be lost if the games go ahead without fans in empty stadiums.

"Some combination of the IOC, the broadcasters, and the insurers will lose big," Matheson said. "That loss is coming out of someone's pocket depending on how all of the contracts are written."

Andrew Zimbalist, who teaches economics at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, said some of the venues, such as the $1.43 billion national stadium, would have "enduring value."

"But virtually none of it would have made the list of the priority public investments," he said in an email to the AP, adding that if the games were canceled, much of the investment would be "wasted."

The IOC has said repeatedly the games will go on, and says it relies on advice from the World Health Organization. The WHO, the U.N. health agency, has so far&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/16cd6173232a01ec04780db3eea4de79" target="_blank">resisted describing the crisis as a "pandemic,"</a>&nbsp;which could force the IOC's hand. But many experts say that threshold has already been met.

More than 113,000 people have been infected worldwide from the virus, far more than those sickened by SARS, MERS or Ebola in recent years. More than 4,000 have died.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the WHO, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks. Those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover. In mainland China, where the virus first exploded, more than 80,000 people have been diagnosed and more than 63,000 so far have recovered.

About 73% of the IOC's income of $5.7 billion in the latest four-year Olympic cycle (2013-2016) was from selling broadcast rights. The U.S. network NBC makes up at least half of the broadcast payments. Another 18% of IOC income is from sponsorships.

NBC parent company Comcast said that because of insurance and the way contracts are written, NBC won't suffer losses if the Olympics are canceled. But Comcast CEO Brian Roberts said the company would miss out on ad-driven profits, which were $250 million for the 2016 Rio Olympics. The ad profits for 2020 are expected to be larger.

NBC signed a deal to pay $4.38 billion for four Olympics - 2014 through 2020. It has a new agreement to pay $7.75 billion for the following six Olympics - 2022 through 2032.

Christopher Chase, an attorney based in New York who specializes in sports, intellectual property and media, said sponsors and broadcasters were unlikely to sue for breach of contracts if the games are not held, or the conditions were changed.

Chase, a partner in the law firm Frankfurt Kurnit, said many such contracts would have "force majeure" or "changed circumstances" clauses that spell out unforeseeable conditions that keep a contract from being fulfilled; these act as a defense for non-performance by either party, but in this case, more likely the event producer.

The IOC, much like other large properties such as FIFA and the NFL, "the last thing they want to do is refund fees or lower the cost of what the sponsorship is," Chase told the AP. "The last thing they want to do is give any money back or charge less. So typically what they try to do is negotiate some kind of make-good or substitute benefits."

Over and above the IOC's major sponsorship deals, local sponsors have paid just over $3 billion to the organizing committee.

"Any party that has already spent money to put people on the ground, flights and hotel rooms and all those types of things, are most likely going to lose out on that," Chase said. "The sponsorship fee may be the least of their concerns."

By STEPHEN WADE-AP Sports WritersTOKYO (AP) - The tentacles of canceling the Tokyo Olympics - or postponing or staging it in empty venues - would reach into every corner of the globe, much like the spreading virus that now imperils the opening ceremony on July 24.The International Olympic Committee and local organizers say the games are on, but the clock is ticking.The fate of the Tokyo Games touches 11,000 Olympic and 4,400 Paralympic athletes, coaches and sports officials, local organizers, the Japanese government and national morale, international broadcasters, fans and world sponsors. Add to this hotels, airlines and taxi drivers - and even 80,000 unpaid volunteers who will miss a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."I've heard things about possibly the Olympics being canceled, and I think that would stink," J'den Cox, a two-time world champion wrestler and an Olympic bronze medalist in Rio de Janeiro, told The Associated Press. "It would probably break everybody's heart if that were to happen."The Olympic brand could be damaged, although the Switzerland-based International Olympic Committee may be among the least affected parties financially if the games are called off. The IOC has been resolute in its message, although it has a several-month window to decide."Hard to imagine this will be defined by the end of May, but it could be," Dr. Ali Khan. an epidemiologist and dean of the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska, told the AP in an email. "Regardless, numerous sick athletes could not lead to a very interesting games."From what we know from numerous other mass-gathering events including sporting events, it is very easy to spread diseases worldwide from such events - from meningitis to Zika," Khan added. "Besides welcoming athletes and spectators with their tiny microbes, there is and may be ongoing disease in Japan."Kazuhiro Tateda, an expert on infectious diseases and a member of a Japanese government panel, said the virus may not die out quickly."Unlike the flu that disappears with warmer weather, the response to the new coronavirus, I think, will have to continue for half a year or a year," Tateda told Japanese broadcaster NHK on Tuesday.The IOC has ample financial safeguards against cancellation, which has happened only in wartime since the modern Olympics began in 1896. Its latest annual report shows it has almost $2 billion in reserve that could cover running costs until the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.The IOC's annual reports show it paid almost $14.4 million in an insurance premium to protect against canceling the&nbsp;<a href="https://stillmed.olympic.org/media/Document%20Library/OlympicOrg/Documents/IOC-Annual-Report/IOC-Annual-Report-2016.pdf#_ga=2.222436827.1115094057.1583746255-1046768819.1582034366" target="_blank">2016</a>&nbsp;Rio Olympics and $12.8 million for a policy to cover the&nbsp;<a href="https://stillmed.olympic.org/media/Document%20Library/OlympicOrg/Documents/IOC-Annual-Report/IOC-ANNUAL-REPORT-2018.pdf#_ga=2.25187581.1115094057.1583746255-1046768819.1582034366" target="_blank">2018</a>&nbsp;Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.IOC President Thomas Bach was asked last week after an executive board meeting if the insurance premium has risen to as much as $20 million for a Tokyo policy."I don't know," he replied. "It wasn't discussed at this EB."Wolfgang Maennig, an Olympic rowing gold medalist who teaches sports economics at Hamburg University, said the losses will be shared."Insurance companies will have to pay a large amount of the losses of the IOC," Maennig said in an email to the AP. "The rest will have to be borne by the IOC."The IOC controls the Olympics and has wide latitude to act. Its protection is spelled out in the 81-page Host City Contract, signed in 2013 with the city of Tokyo and the Japanese Olympic Committee.The preamble to the contact states: "the Olympic Games are the exclusive property of the IOC which owns all rights ... to their organization, staging, exploitation, broadcasting, recording, representation, reproduction ... whether now existing or developed in the future, throughout the world in perpetuity."The contract also specifies that the IOC can terminate and withdraw from the city because of a "state of war, civil disorder, or boycott ... or if the IOC has reasonable grounds to believe, in its sole discretion, that the safety of participants in the games would be seriously threatened or jeopardized for any reason whatsoever."Victor Matheson, a sports economist at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, said athletes are the most vulnerable. The Olympics feature 33 sports, and many of the smaller ones have a limited following until games time."For athletes, their career length isn't long and in many sports success in the Olympics is your one shot at a financial return," Matheson told the AP.Matheson said losses by hotels and other service businesses are unlikely to be insured. The billions on government spending on venues looks like a risky investment. The loss of the Olympics would negate the difficult-to-calculate goodwill that Japan and Tokyo might have won.An Irish bookmaker is showing odds leaning slightly toward the Olympics not going forward. Odds are 4-6 it will not open on July 24 in Tokyo, and even that it will.<a href="https://apnews.com/eb6d9e318b4b95f7e53cd1b617dce123" target="_blank">Tokyo is officially spending $12.6 billion</a>&nbsp;to organize the Olympics, although a national government audit office says it's at least twice that much. The local organizing committee budget of $5.6 billion is private money, with the rest coming from Japanese taxpayers. About $1 billion in the local operating budget is to come from ticket sales, which would be lost if the games go ahead without fans in empty stadiums."Some combination of the IOC, the broadcasters, and the insurers will lose big," Matheson said. "That loss is coming out of someone's pocket depending on how all of the contracts are written."Andrew Zimbalist, who teaches economics at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, said some of the venues, such as the $1.43 billion national stadium, would have "enduring value.""But virtually none of it would have made the list of the priority public investments," he said in an email to the AP, adding that if the games were canceled, much of the investment would be "wasted."The IOC has said repeatedly the games will go on, and says it relies on advice from the World Health Organization. The WHO, the U.N. health agency, has so far&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/16cd6173232a01ec04780db3eea4de79" target="_blank">resisted describing the crisis as a "pandemic,"</a>&nbsp;which could force the IOC's hand. But many experts say that threshold has already been met.More than 113,000 people have been infected worldwide from the virus, far more than those sickened by SARS, MERS or Ebola in recent years. More than 4,000 have died.For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the WHO, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks. Those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover. In mainland China, where the virus first exploded, more than 80,000 people have been diagnosed and more than 63,000 so far have recovered.About 73% of the IOC's income of $5.7 billion in the latest four-year Olympic cycle (2013-2016) was from selling broadcast rights. The U.S. network NBC makes up at least half of the broadcast payments. Another 18% of IOC income is from sponsorships.NBC parent company Comcast said that because of insurance and the way contracts are written, NBC won't suffer losses if the Olympics are canceled. But Comcast CEO Brian Roberts said the company would miss out on ad-driven profits, which were $250 million for the 2016 Rio Olympics. The ad profits for 2020 are expected to be larger.NBC signed a deal to pay $4.38 billion for four Olympics - 2014 through 2020. It has a new agreement to pay $7.75 billion for the following six Olympics - 2022 through 2032.Christopher Chase, an attorney based in New York who specializes in sports, intellectual property and media, said sponsors and broadcasters were unlikely to sue for breach of contracts if the games are not held, or the conditions were changed.Chase, a partner in the law firm Frankfurt Kurnit, said many such contracts would have "force majeure" or "changed circumstances" clauses that spell out unforeseeable conditions that keep a contract from being fulfilled; these act as a defense for non-performance by either party, but in this case, more likely the event producer.The IOC, much like other large properties such as FIFA and the NFL, "the last thing they want to do is refund fees or lower the cost of what the sponsorship is," Chase told the AP. "The last thing they want to do is give any money back or charge less. So typically what they try to do is negotiate some kind of make-good or substitute benefits."Over and above the IOC's major sponsorship deals, local sponsors have paid just over $3 billion to the organizing committee."Any party that has already spent money to put people on the ground, flights and hotel rooms and all those types of things, are most likely going to lose out on that," Chase said. "The sponsorship fee may be the least of their concerns."

Tentacles of Olympic cancellation would reach around globe

Story and photo by Philip Senff NPCC Sports Information Coordinator

The North Platte Community College softball team hosted Iowa Western Community College Sunday at Dowhower softball complex in North Platte. The Knights struggled to get any momentum going offensively against the Reivers and IWCC won both games 6-3 and 12-0

The Knights fell behind early in the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader after IWCC jumped out to three run lead in the first inning. After falling behind 5-0 in the third inning, the Knights bounced back in the bottom half of the inning with a three-run homerun by Kayleigh Bucio, of Rialto, Ca. After cutting the lead to two runs in the third, NPCC was unable to add to the scoreboard and IWCC came away with the 6-3 win.

The Knights were led offensively by Bucio who finished the game one for three from the plate with three RBI. Taylar Coleman, of North Platte took the mound for NPCC allowing six runs on eight hits while striking out six and walking four.

The second game was dominated by IWCC pitching as the Reiver pitchers combined to pitch a five-inning no-hitter while striking out four Knights. IWCC came out strong scoring 12 runs in the first three innings. With the bats cold, the Knights fell in the final game of Sunday’s doubleheader 12-0. Knights pitchers gave up 12 runs on seven hits while striking out three.

“IWCC’s pitchers hit spots and kept us off balance all day,” said NPCC coach Janelle Higgins. “Defensively, we were caught on our heels throughout the day, giving up four unearned runs in game one and nine in game two. If we take away the errors, we have two different ball games. Today’s injuries to Cundiff and Mata also hurt as it forced us to change our infield around as well.”

With the losses, NPCC drops to 4-8 on the season. The Knights have a chance to bounce back against Northwest Kansas Technical College when they next travel to Goodland, Ks next Sunday.

Story and photo by Philip Senff NPCC Sports Information CoordinatorThe North Platte Community College softball team hosted Iowa Western Community College Sunday at Dowhower softball complex in North Platte. The Knights struggled to get any momentum going offensively against the Reivers and IWCC won both games 6-3 and 12-0The Knights fell behind early in the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader after IWCC jumped out to three run lead in the first inning. After falling behind 5-0 in the third inning, the Knights bounced back in the bottom half of the inning with a three-run homerun by Kayleigh Bucio, of Rialto, Ca. After cutting the lead to two runs in the third, NPCC was unable to add to the scoreboard and IWCC came away with the 6-3 win.The Knights were led offensively by Bucio who finished the game one for three from the plate with three RBI. Taylar Coleman, of North Platte took the mound for NPCC allowing six runs on eight hits while striking out six and walking four.The second game was dominated by IWCC pitching as the Reiver pitchers combined to pitch a five-inning no-hitter while striking out four Knights. IWCC came out strong scoring 12 runs in the first three innings. With the bats cold, the Knights fell in the final game of Sunday’s doubleheader 12-0. Knights pitchers gave up 12 runs on seven hits while striking out three.“IWCC’s pitchers hit spots and kept us off balance all day,” said NPCC coach Janelle Higgins. “Defensively, we were caught on our heels throughout the day, giving up four unearned runs in game one and nine in game two. If we take away the errors, we have two different ball games. Today’s injuries to Cundiff and Mata also hurt as it forced us to change our infield around as well.”With the losses, NPCC drops to 4-8 on the season. The Knights have a chance to bounce back against Northwest Kansas Technical College when they next travel to Goodland, Ks next Sunday.

IWCC takes both games in Sunday doubleheader

Story by NU Athletic Communications

PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- The fourth-ranked Nebraska wrestling team finished in second place with 132 points at the 2020 Big Ten Championships, the program's best-ever finish as a member of the Big Ten conference and its best conference championships finish since tying for first at the 2009 Big 12 Championships. NU finished behind Iowa, which scored 157.5 points.  

The Huskers were led by Eric Schultz (197, who placed second at 197 pounds. In the title bout, No. 2 seed Schultz was matched up against No. 1 seed Kollin Moore (Ohio State). Moore handed Schultz the latter's lone dual meet loss of the season in Lincoln on Feb. 2 and proved his mettle once again, topping Schultz 4-1 on Sunday to capture his third career Big Ten title. 

Schultz's second-place finish capped off a day which saw eight Huskers compete in the consolation semifinals. When all was said and done, the entire Nebraska lineup clinched automatic bids to the 2020 NCAA Championships, the first time the program has accomplished that feat since 2016. 

Alex Thomsen (125) was the first Husker in action on Sunday, taking on Michigan's Jack Medley. It was a closely-contested bout throughout, with Medley coming out on top 2-1 after the second tiebreaker period. Thomsen then met Liam Cronin (Indiana) in the fifth-place match. The two grapplers were knotted at three points apiece after the first period, but Cronin finished with a flurry, pinning Thomsen in the second period. Thomsen finished sixth in his first career Big Ten Championships appearance. 

Ridge Lovett (133) needed to win his seventh-place match on Sunday to secure an automatic bid to the 2020 NCAA Championships and he did so in dramatic fashion. Lovett scored the match-winning takedown as time expired to defeat Michigan's Joey Silva 4-3. 

Chad Red Jr. (141) was up next for Nebraska, taking on Iowa's Max Murin in the consolation semifinals. Red topped Murin 6-2 in Iowa City, Iowa, back on Jan. 18 and emerged victorious again on Sunday, winning 3-1 in sudden victory. The Husker junior advanced to the third-place match, where he took on Wisconsin's Tristan Moran. Moran defeated Red 9-4 on Jan. 12 but Red got revenge on Sunday, defeating Moran by major decision (12-3) to secure a third-place finish at 141.  

Collin Purinton (149) also won his consolation semifinal match, an 8-3 decision over Michigan's Kanen Storr. Purinton squared off against Brayton Lee (Minnesota) in the third-place match, winning a hard-fought 3-0 decision to finish third at 149 pounds. 

Peyton Robb (157) advanced to the third place match when Michigan State's Jake Tucker medically forfeited. Matched up against Illinois' Eric Barone, Robb earned a 5-4 victory to cap his first Big Ten Championships appearance with a third-place finish. 

Isaiah White (165) took care of business in his consolation semifinal bout, defeating Danny Braunagel (Illinois) 11-4 before meeting Ethan Smith (Ohio State) in the third-place match. White had defeated Smith on three previous occasions this season and added a fourth victory on Sunday, winning a 3-2 decision to become the fourth Husker to finish in third place. 

Mikey Labriola (174) met Dylan Lydy (Purdue) for the third time this season with a trip to the third-place match on the line. Labriola defeated Lydy in the second tiebreaker period at both the 2019 Big Ten Championships and 2019 NCAA Championships, but it was Lydy winning in the second tiebreaker this time around, by a final score of 5-3. Labriola then met Devin Skatzka (Minnesota) in the fifth-place match. Skatzka got the best of Labriola in the quarterfinals and did so again on Sunday, defeating Labriola by decision, 8-3. 

Taylor Venz (184) pinned Rocky Jordan (OSU) before facing Abe Assad (Iowa) in the third-place match. Assad defeated Venz 6-4 on Jan. 18 but the roles were reversed on Sunday, with Venz winning by the same score, making it five Big Red grapplers who finished third.

Iowa's Tony Cassioppi pinned David Jensen (HWT) but Jensen rebounded against Gary Traub (Ohio State). Jensen topped Traub 8-3 back on Feb. 2 and earned a similar result on Sunday, winning 6-0 to finish in fifth place.   

The Huskers now have two weeks to prepare before heading to Minneapolis, Minn., for the 2020 NCAA Championships, which will take place March 19-21 at U.S. Bank Stadium.  

Piscataway, N.J. (Rutgers Athletic Center) 

125 Pounds: No. 10 Alex Thomsen -- 6th place

First Round: Alex Thomsen (NEB) dec. Liam Cronin (Indiana, 17-12 

Quarterfinals: Devin Schroder (PUR) tech. fall Alex Thomsen (NEB, 15-0  

Second Cons. Round: Alex Thomsen (NEB) major dec. Eric Barnett (WIS, 11-3  

Third Cons. Round: Alex Thomsen (NEB) dec. Logan Griffin (MSU, 5-2

Cons. Semifinals: Jack Medley (MICH) dec. Alex Thomsen (NEB, 2-1 TB2

5th-Place Match: Liam Cronin (IND) pinned Alex Thomsen (NEB) (4:09)

133 Pounds: No. 6 Ridge Lovett -- 7th place 

First Round: Ridge Lovett (NEB) pinned Boo Dryden (MINN) (0:33)

Quarterfinals: Austin DeSanto (Iowa) dec. Ridge Lovett (NEB, 1-0

Second Cons. Round: Ridge Lovett (NEB) pinned Travis Ford-Melton (PUR) (4:29)

Third Cons. Round: Sammy Alvarez (RU) dec. Ridge Lovett (NEB, 9-3 

7th-Place Match: Ridge Lovett (NEB) dec. Joey Silva (MICH, 4-3

141 Pounds: No. 4 Chad Red Jr. -- 3rd place

First Round: Chad Red Jr. (NEB) major dec. Eddie Bolivar (IND, 12-2  

Quarterfinals: Chad Red Jr. (NEB) dec. Tristan Moran (WIS, 10-4

Semifinals: Nick Lee (PSU) dec. Chad Red Jr., 7-5 

Cons. Semifinals: Chad Red Jr. (NEB) dec. Max Murin (IOWA, 3-1 SV

3rd-Place Match: Chad Red Jr. (NEB) major dec. Tristan Moran (WIS, 12-3 

149 Pounds: No. 7 Collin Purinton -- 3rd place 

First Round: Collin Purinton (NEB) pinned Griffin Parriott (PUR) (8:59) 

Quarterfinals: Pat Lugo (IOWA) major dec. Collin Purinton (NEB, 12-2 

Second Cons. Round: Collin Purinton (NEB) dec. Jarod Verkleeren (PSU, 5-2

Third Cons. Round: Collin Purinton (NEB) dec. Alex Hrisopoulos (MSU, 6-3

Cons. Semifinals: Collin Purinton (NEB) dec. Kanen Storr (MICH, 8-3

3rd-Place Match: Collin Purinton (NEB) dec. Brayton Lee (MINN, 3-0

157 Pounds: No. 7 Peyton Robb -- 3rd place 

First Round: Peyton Robb (NEB) major dec. Jahi Jones (MD, 14-3

Quarterfinals: Peyton Robb (NEB) dec. Kaleb Young (IOWA, 3-2

Semifinals: Kendall Coleman (PUR) dec. Peyton Robb (NEB, 3-2

Cons. Semifinals: Peyton Robb (NEB) over Jake Tucker (MSU, M FOR

3rd-Place Match: Peyton Robb (NEB) dec. Eric Barone (ILL, 5-4

165 Pounds: No. 4 Isaiah White -- 3rd place 

First Round: Isaiah White (NEB) pinned Nate Limmex (PUR) (6:02) 

Quarterfinals: Isaiah White (NEB) dec. Ethan Smith (OSU, 5-2

Semifinals: Vincenzo Joseph (PSU) dec. Isaiah White (NEB, 6-3 

Cons. Semifinals: Isaiah White (NEB) dec. Danny Braunagel (ILL, 11-4

3rd-Place Match: Isaiah White (NEB) dec. Ethan Smith (OSU, 3-2

174 Pounds: No. 5 Mikey Labriola -- 6th place 

First Round: Mikey Labriola (NEB) pinned Max Maylor (MICH) (0:33) 

Quarterfinals: Devin Skatzka (MINN) dec. Mikey Labriola (NEB, 6-2

Second Cons. Round: Mikey Labriola (NEB) tech. fall Willie Scott (RU, 18-3

Third Cons. Round: Mikey Labriola (NEB) major dec. Layne Malczewski (MSU, 17-7 

Cons. Semifinals: Dylan Lydy (PUR) dec. Mikey Labriola (NEB, 5-3 TB2

5th-Place Match: Devin Skatzka (MINN) dec. Mikey Labriola (NEB, 8-3

184 Pounds: No. 4 Taylor Venz -- 3rd place 

First Round: Taylor Venz (NEB) tech. fall Jake Hinz (IND, 18-0  

Quarterfinals: Taylor Venz (NEB) dec. Billy Janzer (RU, 9-3 

Semifinals: Aaron Brooks (PSU) pinned Taylor Venz (NEB) (4:00)

Cons. Semifinals: Taylor Venz (NEB) pinned Rocky Jordan (OSU) (3:37)

3rd-Place Match: Taylor Venz (NEB) dec. Abe Assad (Iowa, 6-4

197 Pounds: No. 2 Eric Schultz -- 2nd place 

Quarterfinals: Eric Schultz (NEB) pinned Hunter Ritter (MINN) (2:52) 

Semifinals: Eric Schultz dec. Shakur Rasheed (PSU, 4-3

Championship: Kollin Moore (OSU) dec. Eric Schultz (NEB, 4-1

285 Pounds: No. 5 David Jensen -- 5th place   

First Round: David Jensen (NEB) dec. Jake Kleimola (IND, 7-3

Quarterfinals: Trent Hillger (WIS) dec. David Jensen (NEB, 7-2

Second Cons. Round: David Jensen (NEB) dec. Christian Rebottaro (MSU, 5-0

Third Cons. Round: David Jensen (NEB) dec. Luke Luffman (ILL, 6-1

Cons. Semifinals: Tony Cassioppi (IOWA) pinned David Jensen (NEB) (2:55)

5th-Place Match: David Jensen (NEB) dec. Gary Traub (OSU, 6-0      

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsPISCATAWAY, N.J. -- The fourth-ranked Nebraska wrestling team finished in second place with 132 points at the 2020 Big Ten Championships, the program's best-ever finish as a member of the Big Ten conference and its best conference championships finish since tying for first at the 2009 Big 12 Championships. NU finished behind Iowa, which scored 157.5 points. The Huskers were led by Eric Schultz (197, who placed second at 197 pounds. In the title bout, No. 2 seed Schultz was matched up against No. 1 seed Kollin Moore (Ohio State). Moore handed Schultz the latter's lone dual meet loss of the season in Lincoln on Feb. 2 and proved his mettle once again, topping Schultz 4-1 on Sunday to capture his third career Big Ten title. Schultz's second-place finish capped off a day which saw eight Huskers compete in the consolation semifinals. When all was said and done, the entire Nebraska lineup clinched automatic bids to the 2020 NCAA Championships, the first time the program has accomplished that feat since 2016. Alex Thomsen (125) was the first Husker in action on Sunday, taking on Michigan's Jack Medley. It was a closely-contested bout throughout, with Medley coming out on top 2-1 after the second tiebreaker period. Thomsen then met Liam Cronin (Indiana) in the fifth-place match. The two grapplers were knotted at three points apiece after the first period, but Cronin finished with a flurry, pinning Thomsen in the second period. Thomsen finished sixth in his first career Big Ten Championships appearance. Ridge Lovett (133) needed to win his seventh-place match on Sunday to secure an automatic bid to the 2020 NCAA Championships and he did so in dramatic fashion. Lovett scored the match-winning takedown as time expired to defeat Michigan's Joey Silva 4-3. Chad Red Jr. (141) was up next for Nebraska, taking on Iowa's Max Murin in the consolation semifinals. Red topped Murin 6-2 in Iowa City, Iowa, back on Jan. 18 and emerged victorious again on Sunday, winning 3-1 in sudden victory. The Husker junior advanced to the third-place match, where he took on Wisconsin's Tristan Moran. Moran defeated Red 9-4 on Jan. 12 but Red got revenge on Sunday, defeating Moran by major decision (12-3) to secure a third-place finish at 141. Collin Purinton (149) also won his consolation semifinal match, an 8-3 decision over Michigan's Kanen Storr. Purinton squared off against Brayton Lee (Minnesota) in the third-place match, winning a hard-fought 3-0 decision to finish third at 149 pounds. Peyton Robb (157) advanced to the third place match when Michigan State's Jake Tucker medically forfeited. Matched up against Illinois' Eric Barone, Robb earned a 5-4 victory to cap his first Big Ten Championships appearance with a third-place finish. Isaiah White (165) took care of business in his consolation semifinal bout, defeating Danny Braunagel (Illinois) 11-4 before meeting Ethan Smith (Ohio State) in the third-place match. White had defeated Smith on three previous occasions this season and added a fourth victory on Sunday, winning a 3-2 decision to become the fourth Husker to finish in third place. Mikey Labriola (174) met Dylan Lydy (Purdue) for the third time this season with a trip to the third-place match on the line. Labriola defeated Lydy in the second tiebreaker period at both the 2019 Big Ten Championships and 2019 NCAA Championships, but it was Lydy winning in the second tiebreaker this time around, by a final score of 5-3. Labriola then met Devin Skatzka (Minnesota) in the fifth-place match. Skatzka got the best of Labriola in the quarterfinals and did so again on Sunday, defeating Labriola by decision, 8-3. Taylor Venz (184) pinned Rocky Jordan (OSU) before facing Abe Assad (Iowa) in the third-place match. Assad defeated Venz 6-4 on Jan. 18 but the roles were reversed on Sunday, with Venz winning by the same score, making it five Big Red grapplers who finished third.Iowa's Tony Cassioppi pinned David Jensen (HWT) but Jensen rebounded against Gary Traub (Ohio State). Jensen topped Traub 8-3 back on Feb. 2 and earned a similar result on Sunday, winning 6-0 to finish in fifth place. The Huskers now have two weeks to prepare before heading to Minneapolis, Minn., for the 2020 NCAA Championships, which will take place March 19-21 at U.S. Bank Stadium. Big Ten Championships Sessions III &amp; IV March 8, 2020Piscataway, N.J. (Rutgers Athletic Center) 125 Pounds: No. 10 Alex Thomsen -- 6th placeFirst Round: Alex Thomsen (NEB) dec. Liam Cronin (Indiana, 17-12 Quarterfinals: Devin Schroder (PUR) tech. fall Alex Thomsen (NEB, 15-0 Second Cons. Round: Alex Thomsen (NEB) major dec. Eric Barnett (WIS, 11-3 Third Cons. Round: Alex Thomsen (NEB) dec. Logan Griffin (MSU, 5-2Cons. Semifinals: Jack Medley (MICH) dec. Alex Thomsen (NEB, 2-1 TB25th-Place Match: Liam Cronin (IND) pinned Alex Thomsen (NEB) (4:09)133 Pounds: No. 6 Ridge Lovett -- 7th place First Round: Ridge Lovett (NEB) pinned Boo Dryden (MINN) (0:33)Quarterfinals: Austin DeSanto (Iowa) dec. Ridge Lovett (NEB, 1-0Second Cons. Round: Ridge Lovett (NEB) pinned Travis Ford-Melton (PUR) (4:29)Third Cons. Round: Sammy Alvarez (RU) dec. Ridge Lovett (NEB, 9-3 7th-Place Match: Ridge Lovett (NEB) dec. Joey Silva (MICH, 4-3141 Pounds: No. 4 Chad Red Jr. -- 3rd placeFirst Round: Chad Red Jr. (NEB) major dec. Eddie Bolivar (IND, 12-2 Quarterfinals: Chad Red Jr. (NEB) dec. Tristan Moran (WIS, 10-4Semifinals: Nick Lee (PSU) dec. Chad Red Jr., 7-5 Cons. Semifinals: Chad Red Jr. (NEB) dec. Max Murin (IOWA, 3-1 SV3rd-Place Match: Chad Red Jr. (NEB) major dec. Tristan Moran (WIS, 12-3 149 Pounds: No. 7 Collin Purinton -- 3rd place First Round: Collin Purinton (NEB) pinned Griffin Parriott (PUR) (8:59) Quarterfinals: Pat Lugo (IOWA) major dec. Collin Purinton (NEB, 12-2 Second Cons. Round: Collin Purinton (NEB) dec. Jarod Verkleeren (PSU, 5-2Third Cons. Round: Collin Purinton (NEB) dec. Alex Hrisopoulos (MSU, 6-3Cons. Semifinals: Collin Purinton (NEB) dec. Kanen Storr (MICH, 8-33rd-Place Match: Collin Purinton (NEB) dec. Brayton Lee (MINN, 3-0157 Pounds: No. 7 Peyton Robb -- 3rd place First Round: Peyton Robb (NEB) major dec. Jahi Jones (MD, 14-3Quarterfinals: Peyton Robb (NEB) dec. Kaleb Young (IOWA, 3-2Semifinals: Kendall Coleman (PUR) dec. Peyton Robb (NEB, 3-2Cons. Semifinals: Peyton Robb (NEB) over Jake Tucker (MSU, M FOR3rd-Place Match: Peyton Robb (NEB) dec. Eric Barone (ILL, 5-4165 Pounds: No. 4 Isaiah White -- 3rd place First Round: Isaiah White (NEB) pinned Nate Limmex (PUR) (6:02) Quarterfinals: Isaiah White (NEB) dec. Ethan Smith (OSU, 5-2Semifinals: Vincenzo Joseph (PSU) dec. Isaiah White (NEB, 6-3 Cons. Semifinals: Isaiah White (NEB) dec. Danny Braunagel (ILL, 11-43rd-Place Match: Isaiah White (NEB) dec. Ethan Smith (OSU, 3-2174 Pounds: No. 5 Mikey Labriola -- 6th place First Round: Mikey Labriola (NEB) pinned Max Maylor (MICH) (0:33) Quarterfinals: Devin Skatzka (MINN) dec. Mikey Labriola (NEB, 6-2Second Cons. Round: Mikey Labriola (NEB) tech. fall Willie Scott (RU, 18-3Third Cons. Round: Mikey Labriola (NEB) major dec. Layne Malczewski (MSU, 17-7 Cons. Semifinals: Dylan Lydy (PUR) dec. Mikey Labriola (NEB, 5-3 TB25th-Place Match: Devin Skatzka (MINN) dec. Mikey Labriola (NEB, 8-3184 Pounds: No. 4 Taylor Venz -- 3rd place First Round: Taylor Venz (NEB) tech. fall Jake Hinz (IND, 18-0 Quarterfinals: Taylor Venz (NEB) dec. Billy Janzer (RU, 9-3 Semifinals: Aaron Brooks (PSU) pinned Taylor Venz (NEB) (4:00)Cons. Semifinals: Taylor Venz (NEB) pinned Rocky Jordan (OSU) (3:37)3rd-Place Match: Taylor Venz (NEB) dec. Abe Assad (Iowa, 6-4197 Pounds: No. 2 Eric Schultz -- 2nd place First Round: BYEQuarterfinals: Eric Schultz (NEB) pinned Hunter Ritter (MINN) (2:52) Semifinals: Eric Schultz dec. Shakur Rasheed (PSU, 4-3Championship: Kollin Moore (OSU) dec. Eric Schultz (NEB, 4-1285 Pounds: No. 5 David Jensen -- 5th place First Round: David Jensen (NEB) dec. Jake Kleimola (IND, 7-3Quarterfinals: Trent Hillger (WIS) dec. David Jensen (NEB, 7-2Second Cons. Round: David Jensen (NEB) dec. Christian Rebottaro (MSU, 5-0Third Cons. Round: David Jensen (NEB) dec. Luke Luffman (ILL, 6-1Cons. Semifinals: Tony Cassioppi (IOWA) pinned David Jensen (NEB) (2:55)5th-Place Match: David Jensen (NEB) dec. Gary Traub (OSU, 6-0 Team Scores (Points): 1. Iowa (157.5) 2. Nebraska (132)3. Ohio State (112)4. Penn State (107)5. Purdue (83)6. Northwestern (79.5)7. Michigan (73)8. Minnesota (63.5)9. Wisconsin (62.5)10. Michigan State (57)11. Illinois (49)12. Rutgers (25.5)13. Indiana (14.5)14. Maryland (0)

Huskers Finish Second at Big Ten Championships

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska players Cam Mack and Dachon Burke are suspended indefinitely and will miss the Cornhuskers' regular-season finale at Minnesota on Sunday.

Coach Fred Hoiberg cited unspecified violations of team rules.

Mack will miss a second straight game. Lincoln police ticketed him Wednesday for negligent driving after he struck a vehicle from behind and left the scene.

Mack has started 25 games and averages 12 points, 6.4 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals. Burke has started 27 games and averages 12 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals.

The Huskers (7-23, 2-17) are last in the Big Ten and have dropped 15 straight games, the longest losing streak among Power Five conference teams.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska players Cam Mack and Dachon Burke are suspended indefinitely and will miss the Cornhuskers' regular-season finale at Minnesota on Sunday.Coach Fred Hoiberg cited unspecified violations of team rules.Mack will miss a second straight game. Lincoln police ticketed him Wednesday for negligent driving after he struck a vehicle from behind and left the scene.Mack has started 25 games and averages 12 points, 6.4 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals. Burke has started 27 games and averages 12 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals.The Huskers (7-23, 2-17) are last in the Big Ten and have dropped 15 straight games, the longest losing streak among Power Five conference teams.

Cornhuskers' Cam Mack, Dachon Burke suspended indefinitely

Nebraska Athletics and the Husker Sports Network are excited to announce the addition of Jeremiah Sirles and an expanded role for Lauren (Cook) West on the broadcast team. Sirles, an offensive lineman for the Huskers from 2009 to 2013, retired from the NFL earlier this week after playing for the San Diego Chargers, Minnesota Vikings, Carolina Panthers and Buffalo Bills.  West, an All-American setter for the Huskers from 2010 to 2012, has provided color commentary for Nebraska Volleyball radio broadcasts for three seasons and will be taking on an expanded role with the Husker Sports Network as she enters her fourth season.

Sirles will host the live-stream pregame show "Countdown Live" which can be seen on Facebook, Huskers.com and Twitch prior to each Nebraska Football game for the 2020 season. The live-stream began during the 2019 season to gave fans a live look inside the stadium and had over 750,000 views. Sirles will also host a new HSN podcast series, "Life-N-Football", featuring in-depth conversations with former Husker athletes. New episodes will release monthly starting in July, with the first episode featuring Ameer Abdullah. In addition to these duties, Sirles will be featured on future social media content series and will make appearances on Sports Nightly with hosts Greg Sharpe and Ben McLaughlin.

West will continue her role with Husker Sports Network as the color commentator for Nebraska Volleyball during the 2020 season. West will also serve as host of the social media content series "Player Spotlight", which will let fans get to know current Nebraska student-athletes and will be featured on sport-specific social channels throughout the year. West will continue hosting the monthly HSN podcast series "Conversation with the Cooks" with her father, Head Volleyball Coach John Cook. In addition to these duties, West will be featured on future social media content series and make appearances on Sports Nightly throughout the year.

Fans can stay up to date with Jeremiah and Lauren's projects with the Husker Sports Network by following @HuskerSports on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram as well as subscribing to Husker Sports on any podcast service or at Huskers.com/podcasts.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsNebraska Athletics and the Husker Sports Network are excited to announce the addition of Jeremiah Sirles and an expanded role for Lauren (Cook) West on the broadcast team. Sirles, an offensive lineman for the Huskers from 2009 to 2013, retired from the NFL earlier this week after playing for the San Diego Chargers, Minnesota Vikings, Carolina Panthers and Buffalo Bills. West, an All-American setter for the Huskers from 2010 to 2012, has provided color commentary for Nebraska Volleyball radio broadcasts for three seasons and will be taking on an expanded role with the Husker Sports Network as she enters her fourth season.Sirles will host the live-stream pregame show "Countdown Live" which can be seen on Facebook, Huskers.com and Twitch prior to each Nebraska Football game for the 2020 season. The live-stream began during the 2019 season to gave fans a live look inside the stadium and had over 750,000 views. Sirles will also host a new HSN podcast series, "Life-N-Football", featuring in-depth conversations with former Husker athletes. New episodes will release monthly starting in July, with the first episode featuring Ameer Abdullah. In addition to these duties, Sirles will be featured on future social media content series and will make appearances on Sports Nightly with hosts Greg Sharpe and Ben McLaughlin.West will continue her role with Husker Sports Network as the color commentator for Nebraska Volleyball during the 2020 season. West will also serve as host of the social media content series "Player Spotlight", which will let fans get to know current Nebraska student-athletes and will be featured on sport-specific social channels throughout the year. West will continue hosting the monthly HSN podcast series "Conversation with the Cooks" with her father, Head Volleyball Coach John Cook. In addition to these duties, West will be featured on future social media content series and make appearances on Sports Nightly throughout the year.Fans can stay up to date with Jeremiah and Lauren's projects with the Husker Sports Network by following @HuskerSports on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram as well as subscribing to Husker Sports on any podcast service or at Huskers.com/podcasts.

Sirles to Join HSN and Lauren (Cook) West Expands Role

2020 State Wrestling (Archive) 

Sydney Mullin, the Knights Middle Back for the past two years has signed with Hastings College to continue her Volleyball career.&nbsp; Mullin, a Maxwell graduate, is excited to remain in the area and continue playing volleyball at a high level.&nbsp; While a member of the Knights, Mullin helped the team earn two Region IX championships. This past year Mullin was named to the All Region IX team and All Region IX tournament team.

During her Career as a Knight Mullin racked up 576 Kills for a .201 hitting percentage. She also had 43 aces.&nbsp;

Sydney Mullin, the Knights Middle Back for the past two years has signed with Hastings College to continue her Volleyball career.&nbsp; Mullin, a Maxwell graduate, is excited to remain in the area and continue playing volleyball at a high level.&nbsp; While a member of the Knights, Mullin helped the team earn two Region IX championships. This past year Mullin was named to the All Region IX team and All Region IX tournament team.During her Career as a Knight Mullin racked up 576 Kills for a .201 hitting percentage. She also had 43 aces.&nbsp;<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/770060287&color=%232a1bd9&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe></div>

Knights Mullin signs with Hastings College 

Story by Heather Johnson, North Platte Community College Communications

Janelle Higgins, head softball coach and student success coach for North Platte Community College, has been nominated as a Woman of Achievement. She will be recognized at an award ceremony from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday at the Holiday Inn Express in North Platte.

The Woman of Achievement program is sponsored by The North Platte Telegraph and NebraskaLand National Bank every year to recognize outstanding women in the community.

Higgins was nominated in the category of Education based on her commitment to developing well-rounded student athletes on her team. According to her nomination letter, Higgins teaches her team valuable lessons in respect, hard work, success and how to have fun.

She is adamant about making sure her players are not only reaching their academic potential and achieving success on the field, but that they are also learning the importance of citizenship. She makes sure they give back to the community that supports them, and she leads by example.

Higgins seeks out opportunities to volunteer, organizes charitable events and demonstrates leadership and compassion at every turn. Over the years, that has included scraping and painting outbuildings at the Lincoln County Historical Museum, helping with an old-fashioned baseball game at Scouts Rest Ranch and cleaning up trails at Potter’s Pasture.

Higgins and her team also helped organize a Campfire Race at Potter’s Pasture and directed traffic, set up and cleaned up after the Doggy Dash run.

Every year, they assist the college’s rodeo team with its hometown rodeo at the Wild West Arena by grilling food for the concession stand, selling concessions and handing out programs.

Her team organizes a “Strike Out Childhood Cancer”- event in conjunction with its home games against McCook. Admission is a container of Play-Doh, which is donated to Children’s Hospital and Medical Center in Omaha.

Higgins often invites children with cancer to throw out the first pitch at the team’s games. She is also involved with the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, which aims to improve the quality of life for children battling pediatric brain tumors and other childhood cancers by pairing them with local teams, clubs and community groups.

If Higgins hears a child is being bullied at school, she has her team eat lunch with and attend recess with that child to make him or her feel special and loved.

Higgins’ team can be found boxing up food for the Salvation Army’s holiday food drives and conducting haunted trail and haunted village fundraisers in conjunction with Whitetail Screen Print and the Lincoln County Historical Museum.

Every year, they organize a three-on-three basketball tourney and balloon release in memory of former NPCC basketball player Samson Charles Bidan who died in a kayaking accident.

Higgins’ volunteerism isn’t limited to activities with the softball team, however. She is also on the board of directors for the Court Appointed Special Advocates of Lincoln County, which provides support and advocates for abused and neglected children within the court system.

Higgins volunteers to cheer on and hand out water to athletes in local triathlons and participates in an annual NEBRASKAland Days Cowboy Kickball competition to raise money for rodeo team scholarships.

She also gives back as a member of the North Platte Jaycees through various fundraisers and coat and toy drives. Higgins has been involved with the TeamMates Mentoring program, Double Dips Dine Out for the Rape and Domestic Abuse Program and has hosted a benefit softball game between the North Platte police and fire departments.

Tickets for the Women of Achievement banquet will be available at the door. They can also be purchased through The North Platte Telegraph at a cost of $25 per person or $165 for a table of eight.

Story by Heather Johnson, North Platte Community College CommunicationsJanelle Higgins, head softball coach and student success coach for North Platte Community College, has been nominated as a Woman of Achievement. She will be recognized at an award ceremony from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday at the Holiday Inn Express in North Platte.The Woman of Achievement program is sponsored by The North Platte Telegraph and NebraskaLand National Bank every year to recognize outstanding women in the community.Higgins was nominated in the category of Education based on her commitment to developing well-rounded student athletes on her team. According to her nomination letter, Higgins teaches her team valuable lessons in respect, hard work, success and how to have fun.She is adamant about making sure her players are not only reaching their academic potential and achieving success on the field, but that they are also learning the importance of citizenship. She makes sure they give back to the community that supports them, and she leads by example.Higgins seeks out opportunities to volunteer, organizes charitable events and demonstrates leadership and compassion at every turn. Over the years, that has included scraping and painting outbuildings at the Lincoln County Historical Museum, helping with an old-fashioned baseball game at Scouts Rest Ranch and cleaning up trails at Potter’s Pasture.Higgins and her team also helped organize a Campfire Race at Potter’s Pasture and directed traffic, set up and cleaned up after the Doggy Dash run.Every year, they assist the college’s rodeo team with its hometown rodeo at the Wild West Arena by grilling food for the concession stand, selling concessions and handing out programs.Her team organizes a “Strike Out Childhood Cancer”- event in conjunction with its home games against McCook. Admission is a container of Play-Doh, which is donated to Children’s Hospital and Medical Center in Omaha.Higgins often invites children with cancer to throw out the first pitch at the team’s games. She is also involved with the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, which aims to improve the quality of life for children battling pediatric brain tumors and other childhood cancers by pairing them with local teams, clubs and community groups.If Higgins hears a child is being bullied at school, she has her team eat lunch with and attend recess with that child to make him or her feel special and loved.Higgins’ team can be found boxing up food for the Salvation Army’s holiday food drives and conducting haunted trail and haunted village fundraisers in conjunction with Whitetail Screen Print and the Lincoln County Historical Museum.Every year, they organize a three-on-three basketball tourney and balloon release in memory of former NPCC basketball player Samson Charles Bidan who died in a kayaking accident.Higgins’ volunteerism isn’t limited to activities with the softball team, however. She is also on the board of directors for the Court Appointed Special Advocates of Lincoln County, which provides support and advocates for abused and neglected children within the court system.Higgins volunteers to cheer on and hand out water to athletes in local triathlons and participates in an annual NEBRASKAland Days Cowboy Kickball competition to raise money for rodeo team scholarships.She also gives back as a member of the North Platte Jaycees through various fundraisers and coat and toy drives. Higgins has been involved with the TeamMates Mentoring program, Double Dips Dine Out for the Rape and Domestic Abuse Program and has hosted a benefit softball game between the North Platte police and fire departments.Tickets for the Women of Achievement banquet will be available at the door. They can also be purchased through The North Platte Telegraph at a cost of $25 per person or $165 for a table of eight.

NPCC softball coach nominated as Woman of Achievement

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska receiver JD Spielman has gone home to deal with an unspecified health matter and probably will miss all of spring practice.

"Everyone's focus right now is on JD's well-being and providing him with the appropriate support," coach Scott Frost said Monday. "We anticipate JD returning to the team in time for summer conditioning."

Spielman is from Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and going into his senior year. He led the Cornhuskers with 49 catches for 898 yards and five touchdowns last season. He's the first Nebraska player with three 800-yard receiving seasons.

Nebraska also announced kicker Barret Pickering and receiver Jaevon McQuitty are leaving football, and walk-on kicker Matt Waldoch has left the team to focus on academics. Pickering and McQuitty had been injured.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska receiver JD Spielman has gone home to deal with an unspecified health matter and probably will miss all of spring practice."Everyone's focus right now is on JD's well-being and providing him with the appropriate support," coach Scott Frost said Monday. "We anticipate JD returning to the team in time for summer conditioning."Spielman is from Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and going into his senior year. He led the Cornhuskers with 49 catches for 898 yards and five touchdowns last season. He's the first Nebraska player with three 800-yard receiving seasons.Nebraska also announced kicker Barret Pickering and receiver Jaevon McQuitty are leaving football, and walk-on kicker Matt Waldoch has left the team to focus on academics. Pickering and McQuitty had been injured.

Huskers' Spielman out for spring to deal with health issue

Story by Philip Senff North Platte Sports Information Coordinator

The North Platte Community College softball team picked up two more wins Sunday to finish the weekend 4-0 against North Community College. The Knights defeated the Hawks 17-12 and 8-1 in Sunday afternoon's games.

Just like the later game Saturday, NPCC found themselves in a big hole early to start the day. The Knights scored first after a leadoff triple by&nbsp;<a href="https://npccknights.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=2429">Brittany Bui</a>, of Lakewood, Co. But Northeast CC came firing back, scoring three runs in the second inning and four in the third.

The Knights bats came alive in the bottom of the third though as they scored nine runs in the inning to take a 9-7 lead into the fourth inning. NPCC added a run in the fourth and fifth innings, followed by another huge offensive output in the sixth inning which saw the Knights score another five runs.

NPCC held off a late run by the Hawks in the seventh inning to come away with the 17-12 win.&nbsp;<a href="https://npccknights.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=2433">Taylar Coleman</a>, of North Platte, picked up the win after pitching five and a third innings while allowing three earned runs on seven hits. Coleman finished with four strikeouts and two walks.

Offensively, the Knights were dominate throughout the entire lineup. They were led by Megan Hernandez-Below, of Broomfield, Co., who finished the game two for three with two doubles and three runs batted in. NPCC finished the game with 18 hits compared to nine for Northeast CC.

The second game was another dominating pitching performance for NPCC.&nbsp;<a href="https://npccknights.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=2471">Chloe Sutherland</a>, of Portland, Or., picked up the win for the Knights after going three and a third innings while giving up just one earned run on four hits. Sutherland finished with five strikeouts and just one walk. Coleman entered the game in relief and pitched three and two thirds innings of scoreless ball. She finished with three strikeouts and no walks.

After falling behind 1-0 in the first inning,&nbsp;<a href="https://npccknights.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=2441">Sienna Pfaff</a>, of Salem, Ut., brought the crowd to their feet with a grand slam in the second inning. The Knights led 6-1 after two innings. NPCC added two more runs in the third inning which turned out to be the final runs of the game as the Knights won 8-1.

Along with Pfaff,&nbsp;<a href="https://npccknights.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=2434">Domonique Contreras</a>, of Brighton, Co., helped lead the Knights from the plate as she finished three for three with one run batted in and a stolen base.

"It was great to get four wins this weekend, and to see our team fight for all four," said coach&nbsp;<a href="https://npccknights.com/coaches.aspx?rc=439">Janelle Higgins</a>. "It's still very early in the season but the fixes we are seeing as a coaching staff are certainly fixable. Our athletes fought hard and showed we can come back and win."

After finishing the weekend 4-0 against Northeast CC, NPCC improves to 4-4 on the season. Thursday's scheduled games against Hastings College have been postponed so the Knights next play at Northeastern Junior College Friday, March 6.

Story by Philip Senff North Platte Sports Information CoordinatorThe North Platte Community College softball team picked up two more wins Sunday to finish the weekend 4-0 against North Community College. The Knights defeated the Hawks 17-12 and 8-1 in Sunday afternoon's games.Just like the later game Saturday, NPCC found themselves in a big hole early to start the day. The Knights scored first after a leadoff triple by&nbsp;<a href="https://npccknights.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=2429">Brittany Bui</a>, of Lakewood, Co. But Northeast CC came firing back, scoring three runs in the second inning and four in the third.The Knights bats came alive in the bottom of the third though as they scored nine runs in the inning to take a 9-7 lead into the fourth inning. NPCC added a run in the fourth and fifth innings, followed by another huge offensive output in the sixth inning which saw the Knights score another five runs.NPCC held off a late run by the Hawks in the seventh inning to come away with the 17-12 win.&nbsp;<a href="https://npccknights.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=2433">Taylar Coleman</a>, of North Platte, picked up the win after pitching five and a third innings while allowing three earned runs on seven hits. Coleman finished with four strikeouts and two walks.Offensively, the Knights were dominate throughout the entire lineup. They were led by Megan Hernandez-Below, of Broomfield, Co., who finished the game two for three with two doubles and three runs batted in. NPCC finished the game with 18 hits compared to nine for Northeast CC.The second game was another dominating pitching performance for NPCC.&nbsp;<a href="https://npccknights.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=2471">Chloe Sutherland</a>, of Portland, Or., picked up the win for the Knights after going three and a third innings while giving up just one earned run on four hits. Sutherland finished with five strikeouts and just one walk. Coleman entered the game in relief and pitched three and two thirds innings of scoreless ball. She finished with three strikeouts and no walks.After falling behind 1-0 in the first inning,&nbsp;<a href="https://npccknights.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=2441">Sienna Pfaff</a>, of Salem, Ut., brought the crowd to their feet with a grand slam in the second inning. The Knights led 6-1 after two innings. NPCC added two more runs in the third inning which turned out to be the final runs of the game as the Knights won 8-1.Along with Pfaff,&nbsp;<a href="https://npccknights.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=2434">Domonique Contreras</a>, of Brighton, Co., helped lead the Knights from the plate as she finished three for three with one run batted in and a stolen base."It was great to get four wins this weekend, and to see our team fight for all four," said coach&nbsp;<a href="https://npccknights.com/coaches.aspx?rc=439">Janelle Higgins</a>. "It's still very early in the season but the fixes we are seeing as a coaching staff are certainly fixable. Our athletes fought hard and showed we can come back and win."After finishing the weekend 4-0 against Northeast CC, NPCC improves to 4-4 on the season. Thursday's scheduled games against Hastings College have been postponed so the Knights next play at Northeastern Junior College Friday, March 6.

NPCC bats stay hot against Northeast CC

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TICKETS START AT ONLY $24 PLUS FEE’S. LIMITED FOUR PACKS AVAILABLE FOR ONLY $20 A TICKET PLUS FEES. VIP SEATING ALSO AVAILABLE!&nbsp;



Where: Heartland Events Center&nbsp;When: Friday, April 10th&nbsp;TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY MARCH 6th at 10AM&nbsp;FEATURING UNDEFEATED FORMER OLYMPIAN AND CURRENT USBA SUPER WELTERWEIGHT TITLE HOLDER Charles Conwell2015 PAM AMERICAN GAMES AND FORMER OLYMPIC BOXER -- Antonio Vargas,&nbsp;UNDEFEATED WELTERWEIGHT SENSATION JaNelson Bocachica!&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;LOCAL UNDERCARDS TO BE NAMED.&nbsp;TICKETS START AT ONLY $24 PLUS FEE’S. LIMITED FOUR PACKS AVAILABLE FOR ONLY $20 A TICKET PLUS FEES. VIP SEATING ALSO AVAILABLE!&nbsp;

Showtime Boxing returns to GI

With an alumni base that includes more than half of current Major League Baseball players, American Legion Baseball is one of the most prominent and tradition rich athletic leagues in existence. Each year youth people, ages 13-19, participate.

Since its inception in 1925, the league has had millions of players, including countless who have gone to play in college and professional baseball, with 81 inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

With an alumni base that includes more than half of current Major League Baseball players, American Legion Baseball is one of the most prominent and tradition rich athletic leagues in existence. Each year youth people, ages 13-19, participate.Since its inception in 1925, the league has had millions of players, including countless who have gone to play in college and professional baseball, with 81 inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.<figure>
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NP First Nationals signups!!! 

Story by Philip Senff, Sports Information Coordinator NPCC

McCook, NE – The North Platte Community College men’s basketball team fell to McCook Community College Tuesday night 86-71 in the regular season finale.

The Knights fell behind early and saw the Indians take a commanding 25-point lead into halftime. NPCC fought back in the second half but fell short of the victory as MCC finished with the 15-point win.

NPCC finished the night shooting 44 percent from the field while MCC finished at 51 percent. The Indians controlled the paint also as they outrebounded the Knights 46-26.

Story by Philip Senff, Sports Information Coordinator NPCCMcCook, NE – The North Platte Community College men’s basketball team fell to McCook Community College Tuesday night 86-71 in the regular season finale.The Knights fell behind early and saw the Indians take a commanding 25-point lead into halftime. NPCC fought back in the second half but fell short of the victory as MCC finished with the 15-point win.NPCC finished the night shooting 44 percent from the field while MCC finished at 51 percent. The Indians controlled the paint also as they outrebounded the Knights 46-26.The Knights finished with three scorers in double digits. Danillo Matovic, of Novi Sad, Serbia, led the way with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while DaVonte Tharpe, of Macon, Ga., finished with 18 points and Luke Christen, of Anselmo, had 14 points.With the loss, NPCC drops to 8-19 on the season. Next up for the Knights is the first round of the District IX Tournament. The game will take place Saturday, however, the opponent and location are yet to be determined.