North Platte, Neb. – North Platte cut the deficit to one early in the second half, but Cloud County Community College never relinquished the lead to earn the 73-63 win inside the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium on Saturday.

Alex Harper paced the Knights with 15 points on 6-of-18 shooting from the field, while Trey Summers chipped in 14 points off the bench.

Daniel Nwauzu connected from downtown to help the Knights take a 4-2 lead inside the opening minute of the first half. Cloud County countered with a 12-2 run to stretch their lead into double digits with 14:01 to play.

North Platte slowly cut into the deficit using a 10-2 rally to narrow the margin to four. The Thunderbirds went back to work using a 12-4 run to help take a 30-18 lead into the halftime break.

Knights made the most of their offensive possessions to open the second half on a 12-4 run. A layup halted the rally, but North Platte continued to challenge the Thunderbirds. A 7-4 spurt over the next 2:37 cut the margin to one on a jumper by Harper.

Cloud County countered with a 14-0 run over the next four minutes to reclaim a double-digit lead. Over the final nine minutes the Knights cut the deficit to seven twice, but the Thunderbirds held on to the momentum and closed the game out at the free throw line.

North Platte (2-5) returns to the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium on Nov. 22. Tip is set for 7 p.m. against the Comets of Western Iowa Tech Community College.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731852940574.jpeg" alt="Mo Diao dunks the ball in the second half against Cloud County Community College on Saturday. (Daniel Stinman, North Platte Community College)" />
 <figcaption>Mo Diao dunks the ball in the second half against Cloud County Community College on Saturday. (Daniel Stinman, North Platte Community College)</figcaption>
 </figure>NPCC AthleticsNorth Platte, Neb. – North Platte cut the deficit to one early in the second half, but Cloud County Community College never relinquished the lead to earn the 73-63 win inside the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium on Saturday.Alex Harper paced the Knights with 15 points on 6-of-18 shooting from the field, while Trey Summers chipped in 14 points off the bench.Daniel Nwauzu connected from downtown to help the Knights take a 4-2 lead inside the opening minute of the first half. Cloud County countered with a 12-2 run to stretch their lead into double digits with 14:01 to play.North Platte slowly cut into the deficit using a 10-2 rally to narrow the margin to four. The Thunderbirds went back to work using a 12-4 run to help take a 30-18 lead into the halftime break.Knights made the most of their offensive possessions to open the second half on a 12-4 run. A layup halted the rally, but North Platte continued to challenge the Thunderbirds. A 7-4 spurt over the next 2:37 cut the margin to one on a jumper by Harper.Cloud County countered with a 14-0 run over the next four minutes to reclaim a double-digit lead. Over the final nine minutes the Knights cut the deficit to seven twice, but the Thunderbirds held on to the momentum and closed the game out at the free throw line.North Platte (2-5) returns to the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium on Nov. 22. Tip is set for 7 p.m. against the Comets of Western Iowa Tech Community College.

Knights fall to Cloud County at home

North Platte, Neb. –&nbsp;Madison Cheleen&nbsp;led the Knights with 11 points, but a fourth quarter rally helped lift the Hawks of Northeast Community College to a 51-44 win on Saturday.

Cheleen scored six of her 11 points in the first half, while&nbsp;Zaily Mazarin&nbsp;and&nbsp;Nariah Golden&nbsp;each finished the game with eight points apiece. North Platte forced 23 turnovers but managed only nine points in transition.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Trailing 35-32, Northeast outscored the Knights 19-9 in the final ten minutes to earn the come from behind win. The Hawks opened the quarter with an 8-0 run, before the Knights rallied back to knot the game up at 40-40 with 6:16 remaining.

Northeast used an 11-2 run over the next 2:35 to take their largest lead of the game, 51-42. North Platte went cold from the field until Mazarin connected on a baseline jumper inside the final minute. Northeast managed to maintain possession in the closing seconds to earn the win.

Knights finished the game shooting 22.4 percent (15-67) from the field, while connecting on 7-of-30 from long range. Northeast shot 40.8 percent from the field, while generating 22 bench points in the win.

The Knights jumped out to an 8-0 lead on back-to-back three pointers from Cheleen. Mia Wiederin broke up the run with an inbound jumper from the baseline, but the Knights lead stretched to 13-2 with 4:08 remaining in the first quarter. Hawks closed the period on an 8-2 run to cut the margin to five at the quarter break.

Hawks stretched their run into the early minutes of the second quarter to knot the game up at 17 on a three from Aaliyah Jones. The black and gold traded baskets with the Hawks over the final six minutes as teams remained deadlocked at the halftime break.

Knights (3-3) return to the road for the Iowa Central Community College Classic beginning on Friday. North Platte will open with the Tritons of Iowa Central at 5 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731852858260.jpeg" alt="Kateria Gooden attempts the jumper in the third quarter against Northeast Community College on Saturday. (Daniel Stinman, North Platte Community College)" />
 <figcaption>Kateria Gooden attempts the jumper in the third quarter against Northeast Community College on Saturday. (Daniel Stinman, North Platte Community College)</figcaption>
 </figure>NPCC AthleticsNorth Platte, Neb. –&nbsp;Madison Cheleen&nbsp;led the Knights with 11 points, but a fourth quarter rally helped lift the Hawks of Northeast Community College to a 51-44 win on Saturday.Cheleen scored six of her 11 points in the first half, while&nbsp;Zaily Mazarin&nbsp;and&nbsp;Nariah Golden&nbsp;each finished the game with eight points apiece. North Platte forced 23 turnovers but managed only nine points in transition.&nbsp;&nbsp;Trailing 35-32, Northeast outscored the Knights 19-9 in the final ten minutes to earn the come from behind win. The Hawks opened the quarter with an 8-0 run, before the Knights rallied back to knot the game up at 40-40 with 6:16 remaining.Northeast used an 11-2 run over the next 2:35 to take their largest lead of the game, 51-42. North Platte went cold from the field until Mazarin connected on a baseline jumper inside the final minute. Northeast managed to maintain possession in the closing seconds to earn the win.Knights finished the game shooting 22.4 percent (15-67) from the field, while connecting on 7-of-30 from long range. Northeast shot 40.8 percent from the field, while generating 22 bench points in the win.The Knights jumped out to an 8-0 lead on back-to-back three pointers from Cheleen. Mia Wiederin broke up the run with an inbound jumper from the baseline, but the Knights lead stretched to 13-2 with 4:08 remaining in the first quarter. Hawks closed the period on an 8-2 run to cut the margin to five at the quarter break.Hawks stretched their run into the early minutes of the second quarter to knot the game up at 17 on a three from Aaliyah Jones. The black and gold traded baskets with the Hawks over the final six minutes as teams remained deadlocked at the halftime break.Knights (3-3) return to the road for the Iowa Central Community College Classic beginning on Friday. North Platte will open with the Tritons of Iowa Central at 5 p.m.

 Fourth quarter surge lifts Hawks past Knights

Kearney, Neb.&nbsp;– The 23rd/27th-ranked Fort Hays State Tigers scored 24 first half points and broke up a 26-yard Hail Mary to hold off Nebraska Kearney,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lopers.com/sports/football/stats/2024/fort-hays-state/boxscore/7879">27-20</a>, Saturday afternoon at Ron &amp; Carol Cope Stadium.

This was the 70th all-time meeting between the two longtime rivals as well as the 2024 season finale for both. Hays (8-3) came in ranked eighth in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/football/d2/regional-rankings">NCAA Region rankings</a>&nbsp;but its best chance at the postseason is likely a Texas bowl game. With their third straight win, the Tigers also beat the Lopers (5-6) for the 11th time in the last 12 meetings. Finally, UNK went 3-3 in one-score games this season; they were 1-3 in such contests in 2023.&nbsp;On "Senior Day" things did not go well for UNK in the first half. The Tigers had three long touchdown drives (85, 75, and 75 yards) as well as booting a 30-yard field goal right before half. Meanwhile the Lopers first four drives resulted in three punts and a lost fumble at the Hays 25-yard line.&nbsp;

"Obviously we didn't play very well in the first half in any phase. We were teetering and on the brink of getting run out of the gym," said UNK head coach&nbsp;Ryan Held. "At halftime, we talked about how hard we've fought all year. These guys just kept fighting … we easily could've folded but our 26 seniors did a great job. It came down to the last play so what more can you ask for."

The Lopers more than got off the mat in the second half as they outscored Hays 20-3, out gained the Tigers by 75 yards and returned a block punt 16 yards for six points. That all setup a "Hail Mary" on the&nbsp;final play. Unfortunately, a scrambling&nbsp;Reagan Jones&nbsp;(Wichita) saw his pass into the back of the end zone broken up as Lopers and Tigers were bunched together near the end line.&nbsp;

"Gosh, we're so close. That the hardest part … how close we are. Because this league is really, really good," said Held. "I think we've earned the respect of people in this league. We got picked last and didn't finish last."

The comeback started on the first drive of the second half as UNK marched 60 yards in 11 plays. Jones converted 4th &amp; 1 from the Tigers 34-yard line with a short run and then hit senior receiver&nbsp;Stephen Lewis&nbsp;(Gardendale, Ala.) from nine yards out four plays later. The deficit was then cut to 10 when senior linebacker&nbsp;David Lilly&nbsp;(Wahoo) blocked a punt by Grand Island senior Parker Janky and returned it 16 yards for another TD. It marked the Lopers sixth blocked kick of the fall.

On the Tigers very next play from scrimmage, a scrambling Caleb Heavner tossed a pass to tight end Cale Formaney near midfield. Senior safety&nbsp;Jamere Jones&nbsp;(Frederick, Md.) managed a pass breakup as they were falling to the ground with junior safety&nbsp;Chandler Brown&nbsp;(Whittier, Calif.) Johnny on the spot for his second pick of the fall. However, UNK's drive stalled when a "trick play" was blown up right away and resulted in a 12-yard intentional grounding penalty.&nbsp;

"We tried a couple of trick plays and almost hit on one of them. We were trying to be aggressive. I didn't want to leave anything on the shelf," said Held.

The Lopers next three drives didn't yield any points either as they resulted in two punts and a failed fourth down conversion. However, the defense got another three-and-out with senior backer&nbsp;Devin Guggia&nbsp;(Santa Clarita, Calif.) recording a 16-yard sack. That helped UNK set up at the Tigers 48-yard line with Jones rushing from four yards out and a 24-20 deficit with 6:31 remaining.

The Tigers then had its best drive of the second half, going 60 yards in 11 plays that featured six straight runs by MIAA rushing leader Shane Watts. Using its final two timeouts, UNK forced Carson Ardnt to make a 33-yard field goal with 59 seconds left. The Tigers also could've gone for it on 4th and 4 from the Loper 15-yard line.

On the final drive of 2024, Jones completed passes of 13, 18, seven and 21-yards to give the Lopers a chance. The completions were sandwiched around a holding call. After senior&nbsp;Reggie Anderson&nbsp;(Gaithersburg, Md.) got a first down, UNK "clocked it" to setup the Hail Mary. Safety Mason Perez was one of several Tigers around a bunch of Lopers to break up the pass.

"I'm just so happy these guys kept fighting. Because as a head coach, that's all you can ask for," said Held. "It didn't look good there for a minute. We gave ourselves a chance in the end."

Watts finished with 175 yards on 30 carries while also having four grabs for 43 yards and a score. Next, receivers Jayden Horace (10 recep., 113 yards) and Ryan Allen (eight recep., 108 yards) reached the Century mark as Heavner was 25 of 36 for 294 yards, two TD's and that one INT. He also rushed for 26 yards and a score.

For UNK, Jones was 16 of 29 for 178 yards and totaled 33 yards on nine carries. Junior back&nbsp;Isaiah Harris&nbsp;(Millard South) ran hard and had 63 yards on 15 totes with graduate receiver&nbsp;Shane Dailey Jr.&nbsp;(Bellevue) at 92 yards on seven grabs. Finally, junior back&nbsp;Zane Schawang&nbsp;(Waverly) had nine touches for 35 yards. Defensively, junior backer&nbsp;Anthony Hebert&nbsp;(Corona, Calif.) and Guggia had nine tackles apiece, Jones finished with eight with Lilly at seven and senior end&nbsp;Quillan Felton&nbsp;(Lithonia, Ga.) at six.

"We're not down. The resolve was great today, and we'll move forward. We have a lot of good players returning," said Held.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731852790949.jpeg" alt="Reagan Jones (UNK Athletics)" />
 <figcaption>Reagan Jones (UNK Athletics)</figcaption>
 </figure>UNK AthleticsKearney, Neb.&nbsp;– The 23rd/27th-ranked Fort Hays State Tigers scored 24 first half points and broke up a 26-yard Hail Mary to hold off Nebraska Kearney,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lopers.com/sports/football/stats/2024/fort-hays-state/boxscore/7879">27-20</a>, Saturday afternoon at Ron &amp; Carol Cope Stadium.This was the 70th all-time meeting between the two longtime rivals as well as the 2024 season finale for both. Hays (8-3) came in ranked eighth in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/football/d2/regional-rankings">NCAA Region rankings</a>&nbsp;but its best chance at the postseason is likely a Texas bowl game. With their third straight win, the Tigers also beat the Lopers (5-6) for the 11th time in the last 12 meetings. Finally, UNK went 3-3 in one-score games this season; they were 1-3 in such contests in 2023.&nbsp;On "Senior Day" things did not go well for UNK in the first half. The Tigers had three long touchdown drives (85, 75, and 75 yards) as well as booting a 30-yard field goal right before half. Meanwhile the Lopers first four drives resulted in three punts and a lost fumble at the Hays 25-yard line.&nbsp;"Obviously we didn't play very well in the first half in any phase. We were teetering and on the brink of getting run out of the gym," said UNK head coach&nbsp;Ryan Held. "At halftime, we talked about how hard we've fought all year. These guys just kept fighting … we easily could've folded but our 26 seniors did a great job. It came down to the last play so what more can you ask for."The Lopers more than got off the mat in the second half as they outscored Hays 20-3, out gained the Tigers by 75 yards and returned a block punt 16 yards for six points. That all setup a "Hail Mary" on the&nbsp;final play. Unfortunately, a scrambling&nbsp;Reagan Jones&nbsp;(Wichita) saw his pass into the back of the end zone broken up as Lopers and Tigers were bunched together near the end line.&nbsp;"Gosh, we're so close. That the hardest part … how close we are. Because this league is really, really good," said Held. "I think we've earned the respect of people in this league. We got picked last and didn't finish last."The comeback started on the first drive of the second half as UNK marched 60 yards in 11 plays. Jones converted 4th &amp; 1 from the Tigers 34-yard line with a short run and then hit senior receiver&nbsp;Stephen Lewis&nbsp;(Gardendale, Ala.) from nine yards out four plays later. The deficit was then cut to 10 when senior linebacker&nbsp;David Lilly&nbsp;(Wahoo) blocked a punt by Grand Island senior Parker Janky and returned it 16 yards for another TD. It marked the Lopers sixth blocked kick of the fall.On the Tigers very next play from scrimmage, a scrambling Caleb Heavner tossed a pass to tight end Cale Formaney near midfield. Senior safety&nbsp;Jamere Jones&nbsp;(Frederick, Md.) managed a pass breakup as they were falling to the ground with junior safety&nbsp;Chandler Brown&nbsp;(Whittier, Calif.) Johnny on the spot for his second pick of the fall. However, UNK's drive stalled when a "trick play" was blown up right away and resulted in a 12-yard intentional grounding penalty.&nbsp;"We tried a couple of trick plays and almost hit on one of them. We were trying to be aggressive. I didn't want to leave anything on the shelf," said Held.The Lopers next three drives didn't yield any points either as they resulted in two punts and a failed fourth down conversion. However, the defense got another three-and-out with senior backer&nbsp;Devin Guggia&nbsp;(Santa Clarita, Calif.) recording a 16-yard sack. That helped UNK set up at the Tigers 48-yard line with Jones rushing from four yards out and a 24-20 deficit with 6:31 remaining.The Tigers then had its best drive of the second half, going 60 yards in 11 plays that featured six straight runs by MIAA rushing leader Shane Watts. Using its final two timeouts, UNK forced Carson Ardnt to make a 33-yard field goal with 59 seconds left. The Tigers also could've gone for it on 4th and 4 from the Loper 15-yard line.On the final drive of 2024, Jones completed passes of 13, 18, seven and 21-yards to give the Lopers a chance. The completions were sandwiched around a holding call. After senior&nbsp;Reggie Anderson&nbsp;(Gaithersburg, Md.) got a first down, UNK "clocked it" to setup the Hail Mary. Safety Mason Perez was one of several Tigers around a bunch of Lopers to break up the pass."I'm just so happy these guys kept fighting. Because as a head coach, that's all you can ask for," said Held. "It didn't look good there for a minute. We gave ourselves a chance in the end."Watts finished with 175 yards on 30 carries while also having four grabs for 43 yards and a score. Next, receivers Jayden Horace (10 recep., 113 yards) and Ryan Allen (eight recep., 108 yards) reached the Century mark as Heavner was 25 of 36 for 294 yards, two TD's and that one INT. He also rushed for 26 yards and a score.For UNK, Jones was 16 of 29 for 178 yards and totaled 33 yards on nine carries. Junior back&nbsp;Isaiah Harris&nbsp;(Millard South) ran hard and had 63 yards on 15 totes with graduate receiver&nbsp;Shane Dailey Jr.&nbsp;(Bellevue) at 92 yards on seven grabs. Finally, junior back&nbsp;Zane Schawang&nbsp;(Waverly) had nine touches for 35 yards. Defensively, junior backer&nbsp;Anthony Hebert&nbsp;(Corona, Calif.) and Guggia had nine tackles apiece, Jones finished with eight with Lilly at seven and senior end&nbsp;Quillan Felton&nbsp;(Lithonia, Ga.) at six."We're not down. The resolve was great today, and we'll move forward. We have a lot of good players returning," said Held.

Lopers Go 3-3 in One-Score Games; 26 Seniors Bow Out

Kearney, Neb.&nbsp;– Senior guard Elania Watson hit a left wing three with 1:28 remaining and Adams State took advantage of 24 turnovers to down Nebraska Kearney,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lopers.com/boxscore.aspx?path=wbball&amp;id=8044">63-58</a>, Saturday evening in Hays, Kan.

These games are part of a MIAA/RMAC Crossover Tournament. On Friday, the Lopers (4-1) bested Metro State, 74-66, while the Grizzlies (3-2) fell to tourney host Fort Hays State, 77-52. The Tigers faced Metro on Saturday night.

Adams is coming off a 25-9 season in which it made the second round of the NCAA Tournament (South Central Regional). Picked fourth in the RMAC preseason coaches' poll, ASU used a balanced offensive attack and scored 21 points off those turnovers to record its second all-time win over UNK in 24 chances.

In a game with 10 ties and 11 lead changes the Grizzlies used a 20-12 third quarter to take control. Senior guard Angelline Nageak hit three triples in the quarter with freshman forward Taejhuan Hill scoring nine as well. UNK got a bucket from freshman reserve&nbsp;Alex Flattery&nbsp;(Sioux City, Ia.) right before the buzzer to trail 49-42 heading to the fourth.

That's when graduate wing&nbsp;Meg Burns&nbsp;(Ankeny, Ia.) got hot. After Flattery hit a triple to begin the quarter, Burns scored UNK's next 11 points. She followed a layup with three triples that tied the game at 56 all with 4:27 remaining. While Flattery then gave the Lopers a brief lead, ASU tied things up for the final time on two free throws at the 2:16 mark.

Not surprisingly, UNK went back to the well, but Burns missed a left wing three at 1:56. The Grizzlies saw Watson hit her triple and then ASU followed another Burns miss with a mid-range jumper by graduate guard Brooke Rodgers. In the final 41 seconds, UNK missed three more shots and committed its final turnover.

Among Adams starters, Hill had a double double (16 points, 12 rebounds), Nageak had 14 points thanks to that big third with Watson at 14 points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals. Finally, Rodgers led the Grizzly bench with six rebounds, five assists and four points.

Finishing plus 13 on the glass and shooting 32% like ASU did, the Lopers were led by Burns (21 points and Mullen senior wing&nbsp;Samantha Moore&nbsp;(11 rebounds, nine points, two assists, one steal). Burns went 5 of 9 from behind the arc with 10 of Moore's caroms coming on the defensive end. Finally, Flattery had a productive 16 minutes coming off the bench; nine points on 4 of 5 shooting.

The Lopers visit Wayne State Wednesday night. &nbsp;This is the first meeting with the Wildcats (1-1) since Nov. 2019. &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731852590413.jpeg" alt="Meg Burns (UNK Athletics)" />
 <figcaption>Meg Burns (UNK Athletics)</figcaption>
 </figure>UNK AthleticsKearney, Neb.&nbsp;– Senior guard Elania Watson hit a left wing three with 1:28 remaining and Adams State took advantage of 24 turnovers to down Nebraska Kearney,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lopers.com/boxscore.aspx?path=wbball&amp;id=8044">63-58</a>, Saturday evening in Hays, Kan.These games are part of a MIAA/RMAC Crossover Tournament. On Friday, the Lopers (4-1) bested Metro State, 74-66, while the Grizzlies (3-2) fell to tourney host Fort Hays State, 77-52. The Tigers faced Metro on Saturday night.Adams is coming off a 25-9 season in which it made the second round of the NCAA Tournament (South Central Regional). Picked fourth in the RMAC preseason coaches' poll, ASU used a balanced offensive attack and scored 21 points off those turnovers to record its second all-time win over UNK in 24 chances.In a game with 10 ties and 11 lead changes the Grizzlies used a 20-12 third quarter to take control. Senior guard Angelline Nageak hit three triples in the quarter with freshman forward Taejhuan Hill scoring nine as well. UNK got a bucket from freshman reserve&nbsp;Alex Flattery&nbsp;(Sioux City, Ia.) right before the buzzer to trail 49-42 heading to the fourth.That's when graduate wing&nbsp;Meg Burns&nbsp;(Ankeny, Ia.) got hot. After Flattery hit a triple to begin the quarter, Burns scored UNK's next 11 points. She followed a layup with three triples that tied the game at 56 all with 4:27 remaining. While Flattery then gave the Lopers a brief lead, ASU tied things up for the final time on two free throws at the 2:16 mark.Not surprisingly, UNK went back to the well, but Burns missed a left wing three at 1:56. The Grizzlies saw Watson hit her triple and then ASU followed another Burns miss with a mid-range jumper by graduate guard Brooke Rodgers. In the final 41 seconds, UNK missed three more shots and committed its final turnover.Among Adams starters, Hill had a double double (16 points, 12 rebounds), Nageak had 14 points thanks to that big third with Watson at 14 points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals. Finally, Rodgers led the Grizzly bench with six rebounds, five assists and four points.Finishing plus 13 on the glass and shooting 32% like ASU did, the Lopers were led by Burns (21 points and Mullen senior wing&nbsp;Samantha Moore&nbsp;(11 rebounds, nine points, two assists, one steal). Burns went 5 of 9 from behind the arc with 10 of Moore's caroms coming on the defensive end. Finally, Flattery had a productive 16 minutes coming off the bench; nine points on 4 of 5 shooting.The Lopers visit Wayne State Wednesday night. &nbsp;This is the first meeting with the Wildcats (1-1) since Nov. 2019. &nbsp;

Adams State Uses Late Three, Turnovers to Beat UNK

Kearney, Neb. –&nbsp;The sixth-ranked Nebraska Kearney wrestling team used four majors, a tech fall and fall to topple Western Colorado, 33-10, Thursday night in Gunnison, Colo.

The Lopers improve to 2-1 on the young season while the Mountaineers drop to 0-1.

Last November, a UNK "B" squad fell in Gunnison 21-10 based on a tiebreaker. The Lopers easily got their revenge as they built a 13-0 lead and never looked back. Third-ranked&nbsp;Zach Ourada&nbsp;(Omaha Skutt) got the night started with a 17-0 tech fall at 125 pounds. He needed just 2:42 to record a take down and 12-near fall points. Next, Kansas junior&nbsp;Hector Serratos&nbsp;and Colorado sophomore&nbsp;Joseph Airola&nbsp;took the next two classes by a combined tally of 25-1. They both had three takedowns and built up some riding time.

Later, Minnesota redshirt freshman&nbsp;Cael Robb&nbsp;used a first-period takedown to win 4-2 at 157 pounds with North Carolina senior&nbsp;Jacobi Deal&nbsp;having two early takedowns to win 11-7 at 184 pounds. Finally, 3rd-ranked&nbsp;Jackson Kinsella&nbsp;(Creston, Ia.) and top-ranked heavyweight&nbsp;Crew Howard&nbsp;(Clarinda, Ia.) closed the dual out with an 11-2 major and fall in just 26 seconds.

UNK is now off until the annual Younes Hospitality Open Nov. 23 at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds.&nbsp;&nbsp;

UNK AthleticsKearney, Neb. –&nbsp;The sixth-ranked Nebraska Kearney wrestling team used four majors, a tech fall and fall to topple Western Colorado, 33-10, Thursday night in Gunnison, Colo.The Lopers improve to 2-1 on the young season while the Mountaineers drop to 0-1.Last November, a UNK "B" squad fell in Gunnison 21-10 based on a tiebreaker. The Lopers easily got their revenge as they built a 13-0 lead and never looked back. Third-ranked&nbsp;Zach Ourada&nbsp;(Omaha Skutt) got the night started with a 17-0 tech fall at 125 pounds. He needed just 2:42 to record a take down and 12-near fall points. Next, Kansas junior&nbsp;Hector Serratos&nbsp;and Colorado sophomore&nbsp;Joseph Airola&nbsp;took the next two classes by a combined tally of 25-1. They both had three takedowns and built up some riding time.Later, Minnesota redshirt freshman&nbsp;Cael Robb&nbsp;used a first-period takedown to win 4-2 at 157 pounds with North Carolina senior&nbsp;Jacobi Deal&nbsp;having two early takedowns to win 11-7 at 184 pounds. Finally, 3rd-ranked&nbsp;Jackson Kinsella&nbsp;(Creston, Ia.) and top-ranked heavyweight&nbsp;Crew Howard&nbsp;(Clarinda, Ia.) closed the dual out with an 11-2 major and fall in just 26 seconds.UNK is now off until the annual Younes Hospitality Open Nov. 23 at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds.&nbsp;&nbsp;<div><style type="text/css">
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<table class="tg"><thead>
 <tr>
 <th class="tg-1547">Weight</th>
 <th class="tg-1547">Summary</th>
 <th class="tg-1547">WCU</th>
 <th class="tg-1547">UNK</th>
 </tr></thead>
<tbody>
 <tr>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">125</td>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">#3 <a href="https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/membership/ViewProfile.jsp?TIM=1731641616434&twSessionId=yhzobpuesw&twId=139656009">Zach Ourada</a> over <a href="https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/membership/ViewProfile.jsp?TIM=1731641616434&twSessionId=yhzobpuesw&twId=973617009">Roberto Estrada</a> (Western Colorado) (TF 17-0; 2:42)</td>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">0</td>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">5</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">133</td>
 <td class="tg-v47d"><a href="https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/membership/ViewProfile.jsp?TIM=1731641616434&twSessionId=yhzobpuesw&twId=791020096">Hector Serratos</a> over <a href="https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/membership/ViewProfile.jsp?TIM=1731641616434&twSessionId=yhzobpuesw&twId=1867881009">Devin Gomez</a> (Western Colorado) (MD 11-0)</td>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">0</td>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">4</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">141</td>
 <td class="tg-v47d"><a href="https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/membership/ViewProfile.jsp?TIM=1731641616434&twSessionId=yhzobpuesw&twId=1279038135">Joseph Airola</a> over <a href="https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/membership/ViewProfile.jsp?TIM=1731641616434&twSessionId=yhzobpuesw&twId=76925009">Eyan Chavez</a> (Western Colorado) (MD 14-1)</td>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">0</td>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">4</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">149</td>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">#5 <a href="https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/membership/ViewProfile.jsp?TIM=1731641616434&twSessionId=yhzobpuesw&twId=40130009">Dean Noble</a> (Western Colorado) over <a href="https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/membership/ViewProfile.jsp?TIM=1731641616434&twSessionId=yhzobpuesw&twId=1558884009">Brody Arrants</a> (Fall 3:51)</td>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">6</td>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">0</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">157</td>
 <td class="tg-v47d"><a href="https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/membership/ViewProfile.jsp?TIM=1731641616434&twSessionId=yhzobpuesw&twId=103610009">Cael Robb</a> over <a href="https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/membership/ViewProfile.jsp?TIM=1731641616434&twSessionId=yhzobpuesw&twId=833215096">Vincent Cabral</a> (Western Colorado) (Dec 4-2)</td>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">0</td>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">3</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">165</td>
 <td class="tg-v47d"><a href="https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/membership/ViewProfile.jsp?TIM=1731641616434&twSessionId=yhzobpuesw&twId=974281009">Trenton Munoz</a> over <a href="https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/membership/ViewProfile.jsp?TIM=1731641616434&twSessionId=yhzobpuesw&twId=345877009">Walker Heckendorf</a> (Western Colorado) (MD 10-0)</td>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">0</td>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">4</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">174</td>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">#3 <a href="https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/membership/ViewProfile.jsp?TIM=1731641616434&twSessionId=yhzobpuesw&twId=1797000132">Cole Hernandez</a> (Western Colorado) over #10 <a href="https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/membership/ViewProfile.jsp?TIM=1731641616434&twSessionId=yhzobpuesw&twId=8548071">Kaden Hart</a> (MD 17-5)</td>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">4</td>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">0</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">184</td>
 <td class="tg-v47d"><a href="https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/membership/ViewProfile.jsp?TIM=1731641616434&twSessionId=yhzobpuesw&twId=378370132">Jacobi Deal</a> over <a href="https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/membership/ViewProfile.jsp?TIM=1731641616434&twSessionId=yhzobpuesw&twId=163398009">Hunter Richardson</a> (Western Colorado) (Dec 11-7)</td>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">0</td>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">3</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">197</td>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">#3 <a href="https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/membership/ViewProfile.jsp?TIM=1731641616434&twSessionId=yhzobpuesw&twId=336883096">Jackson Kinsella</a> over <a href="https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/membership/ViewProfile.jsp?TIM=1731641616434&twSessionId=yhzobpuesw&twId=121073009">Sage Harrison</a> (Western Colorado) (MD 11-2)</td>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">0</td>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">4</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">285</td>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">#1 <a href="https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/membership/ViewProfile.jsp?TIM=1731641616434&twSessionId=yhzobpuesw&twId=1301448009">Crew Howard</a> over <a href="https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/membership/ViewProfile.jsp?TIM=1731641616434&twSessionId=yhzobpuesw&twId=890178138">Riley Dean-Butt</a> (Western Colorado) (Fall 0:26)</td>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">0</td>
 <td class="tg-ktyi">6</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td class="tg-zr06" colspan="2"></td>
 <td class="tg-dgl5">10</td>
 <td class="tg-dgl5">33</td>
 </tr>
</tbody></table></div>

Lopers Topple the Mountaineers; Home Meet Nov. 23

Kearney, Neb. –&nbsp;Dakota State shot 60 percent in the second half and senior post Colby Dillenbeck scored the winning bucket with 14 seconds left as the Trojans got past Nebraska Kearney,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lopers.com/boxscore.aspx?path=mbball&amp;id=8165">78-76</a>, Thursday night at the Health &amp; Sports Center.&nbsp;This was the home opener for the Lopers (0-3) who've lost three games by a total of eight points.

For Madison, S.D.-based DSU (4-3), this was an exhibition contest per NAIA rules.&nbsp;&nbsp;Lefty graduate guard&nbsp;Allen Taylor&nbsp;(Bradley, Ark.) hit three threes over a 1:43 span to trim a six-point deficit to two, 74-72. A Taylor steal then led to a layup by redshirt junior forward&nbsp;Kendrick Gilbert&nbsp;(St. Louis) with 2:37 left. Two free throws from graduate forward&nbsp;Chase Thompson&nbsp;(Omaha Westside) tied things up for the third and final time, 76-76, with 1:04 remaining. Both teams missed shots and then DSU called a timeout. That led to Dillenbeck scoring in the paint; the Trojans had a 42-28 advantage as well a plus six rebounding margin.

UNK had a chance to win or tie the game but a three by Taylor hit iron and then a Gilbert putback attempt was blocked by freshman guard Tyler Beckwith. The Lopers did get another crack but that was about a 55-heave at the buzzer that fell well short.

"They came out in the second half and found the right guys. They shot the ball really well .. they were pretty uncontested, so we had some breakdowns defensively," said Loper head coach&nbsp;Marty Levinson. "Once they see a couple of those go in, they start feeling good and they executed their motion offense."

The Lopers led by many as 14 in the first half and were up 39-29 at the break. A putback bucket by Taylor initially was counted at the end of the half but later waved off. DSU was just 2 of 11 from behind the arc in the half but made 6 of 9 from downtown over the final 20 minutes. They also were 7 of 9 at the line and limited UNK to 7 of 29 triple shooting.

"We wore down a little bit and they took advantage of some matchups. They also have eight games under their belt and we're still a new team," said Levinson.

Using 14 different players, the Trojans were led by Dillenbeck (17 points, six rebounds, two steals), Tietz (13 points, six assists) and Beckwith (12 points, seven rebounds). Tietz went 3 of 4 from deep with starting guard Brayden Pankonen close to a double double (10 points, eight rebounds) as well.

Thanks to that late flurry, Taylor had a game-high 21 points thanks to 5 of 12 three-point shooting. He also supplied five steals and three assists. Next, Thompson worked around four fouls to have 15 points with Gilbert at 16 points, seven boards, three dimes and a block. Finally, Mullen redshirt freshman&nbsp;Clayton Moore&nbsp;had five points and five boards coming off the bench.

"This was the first time we've seen a matchup zone like that. That takes away your play calls because they just switch everything," said Levinson. "You have to get some cutters and movement. I felt like we didn't defend well, we didn't read them well and our player and ball movement wasn't very good. That's a recipe for disaster."

UNK is at Wayne State (2-0) next Wednesday. The Wildcats host Barclay (Kan.) College on Friday and Bellevue on Monday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731684506524.jpeg" alt="Allen Taylor (UNK Athletics)" />
 <figcaption>Allen Taylor (UNK Athletics)</figcaption>
 </figure>UNK AthleticsKearney, Neb. –&nbsp;Dakota State shot 60 percent in the second half and senior post Colby Dillenbeck scored the winning bucket with 14 seconds left as the Trojans got past Nebraska Kearney,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lopers.com/boxscore.aspx?path=mbball&amp;id=8165">78-76</a>, Thursday night at the Health &amp; Sports Center.&nbsp;This was the home opener for the Lopers (0-3) who've lost three games by a total of eight points. For Madison, S.D.-based DSU (4-3), this was an exhibition contest per NAIA rules.&nbsp;&nbsp;Lefty graduate guard&nbsp;Allen Taylor&nbsp;(Bradley, Ark.) hit three threes over a 1:43 span to trim a six-point deficit to two, 74-72. A Taylor steal then led to a layup by redshirt junior forward&nbsp;Kendrick Gilbert&nbsp;(St. Louis) with 2:37 left. Two free throws from graduate forward&nbsp;Chase Thompson&nbsp;(Omaha Westside) tied things up for the third and final time, 76-76, with 1:04 remaining. Both teams missed shots and then DSU called a timeout. That led to Dillenbeck scoring in the paint; the Trojans had a 42-28 advantage as well a plus six rebounding margin.UNK had a chance to win or tie the game but a three by Taylor hit iron and then a Gilbert putback attempt was blocked by freshman guard Tyler Beckwith. The Lopers did get another crack but that was about a 55-heave at the buzzer that fell well short."They came out in the second half and found the right guys. They shot the ball really well .. they were pretty uncontested, so we had some breakdowns defensively," said Loper head coach&nbsp;Marty Levinson. "Once they see a couple of those go in, they start feeling good and they executed their motion offense."The Lopers led by many as 14 in the first half and were up 39-29 at the break. A putback bucket by Taylor initially was counted at the end of the half but later waved off. DSU was just 2 of 11 from behind the arc in the half but made 6 of 9 from downtown over the final 20 minutes. They also were 7 of 9 at the line and limited UNK to 7 of 29 triple shooting."We wore down a little bit and they took advantage of some matchups. They also have eight games under their belt and we're still a new team," said Levinson.Using 14 different players, the Trojans were led by Dillenbeck (17 points, six rebounds, two steals), Tietz (13 points, six assists) and Beckwith (12 points, seven rebounds). Tietz went 3 of 4 from deep with starting guard Brayden Pankonen close to a double double (10 points, eight rebounds) as well.Thanks to that late flurry, Taylor had a game-high 21 points thanks to 5 of 12 three-point shooting. He also supplied five steals and three assists. Next, Thompson worked around four fouls to have 15 points with Gilbert at 16 points, seven boards, three dimes and a block. Finally, Mullen redshirt freshman&nbsp;Clayton Moore&nbsp;had five points and five boards coming off the bench."This was the first time we've seen a matchup zone like that. That takes away your play calls because they just switch everything," said Levinson. "You have to get some cutters and movement. I felt like we didn't defend well, we didn't read them well and our player and ball movement wasn't very good. That's a recipe for disaster."UNK is at Wayne State (2-0) next Wednesday. The Wildcats host Barclay (Kan.) College on Friday and Bellevue on Monday.-----------------

UNK Men's Basketball Falls to Dakota State

&nbsp; Kearney, Neb. –&nbsp;The fourth-ranked Nebraska Kearney volleyball team had 29 kills and hit .412 over the final two sets to rally past 26th-ranked Missouri Western (<a href="https://lopers.com/sports/womens-volleyball/stats/2024/missouri-western/boxscore/7974" target="_blank">21-25, -22, 12-25, -21, -11</a>) Thursday night in St. Joseph.&nbsp;The Lopers (27-1, 14-1) sweep the season series from the Griffons (21-6, 11-4) and have earned at least a share of the MIAA regular season title.

UNK finishes the regular season tomorrow at Northwest Missouri while Central Oklahoma (12-2) hosts Washburn and Emporia State this weekend.&nbsp;Mo West took a 2-1 lead after they molly-whopped the Lopers in the third set. They won 25-12 and were up 20-9 at one point. UNK hit just .083 (9-6-36) while MWSU came in at .389 (17-3-50).&nbsp;

The Griffs registered 29 kills over the final two sets as well but hit .240 in the fourth and couldn't keep pace with the Lopers in the fifth. In the fourth, things were all tied at 19 before UNK closed on a 6-2 run. 

The points came via three straight kills by junior middle&nbsp;Abby Rose&nbsp;(Lindsborg, Kan.), another one from sophomore outside&nbsp;Carly Purdy&nbsp;(North Platte), a block and unforced Mo West attack error.&nbsp;Like at Washburn, UNK came out strong in the fifth and then won a late video review. 

A kill from senior outside&nbsp;Asha Regier&nbsp;(Newton, Kan.) made it 6-1 but the Griffs chipped away and were down just 11-9 after two Taylor Russell kills. It then appeared it was just a one-point lead, but a video overturned the call and gave Regier another kill. Finally, the Lopers closed things out thanks to kills by Regier and Rose.&nbsp;

Overall, Mo West hit 27 points higher, had 12 more kills and 11 more digs with UNK having two more blocks and were plus four in the serve game.&nbsp;Rose hit a sparkling .452 (15-1-31) with her 15 kills a new career-high effort. Earlier this year, she had 10 against both Drury and Missouri Southern. She also added five blocks with position mate&nbsp;Mia Berg&nbsp;(Eureka, Mo.) adding a career-high 10 (all assists).&nbsp;

Next, Purdy came off the bench early and had 13 kills and hit .333 with Regier warming up in the fifth set to have 12 kills in a team-best 49 swings. In the back row, libero&nbsp;Alli Wiese&nbsp;(Mattawan, Mich.) had 24 digs and two of UNK's four aces with sophomore DS&nbsp;Lexi Stephens&nbsp;(Ankeny, Ia.) digging up 15 balls.&nbsp;Russell amassed 24 kills, six blocks, two digs and hit .377 to pace Mo West. Also, Holly Heldt (18 digs, 11 kills) had a double double with Emily Loy at 17 kills and libero Anna Weberg at 27 digs.&nbsp;UNK is at Northwest (14-10) tonight at 6 p.m. 

The Bearcats were off tonight as they host Fort Hays State on Saturday.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731684261357.jpeg" alt="Carly Purdy (UNK Athletics)" />
 <figcaption>Carly Purdy (UNK Athletics)</figcaption>
 </figure>UNK Athletics&nbsp; Kearney, Neb. –&nbsp;The fourth-ranked Nebraska Kearney volleyball team had 29 kills and hit .412 over the final two sets to rally past 26th-ranked Missouri Western (<a href="https://lopers.com/sports/womens-volleyball/stats/2024/missouri-western/boxscore/7974" target="_blank">21-25, -22, 12-25, -21, -11</a>) Thursday night in St. Joseph.&nbsp;The Lopers (27-1, 14-1) sweep the season series from the Griffons (21-6, 11-4) and have earned at least a share of the MIAA regular season title. UNK finishes the regular season tomorrow at Northwest Missouri while Central Oklahoma (12-2) hosts Washburn and Emporia State this weekend.&nbsp;Mo West took a 2-1 lead after they molly-whopped the Lopers in the third set. They won 25-12 and were up 20-9 at one point. UNK hit just .083 (9-6-36) while MWSU came in at .389 (17-3-50).&nbsp;The Griffs registered 29 kills over the final two sets as well but hit .240 in the fourth and couldn't keep pace with the Lopers in the fifth. In the fourth, things were all tied at 19 before UNK closed on a 6-2 run. The points came via three straight kills by junior middle&nbsp;Abby Rose&nbsp;(Lindsborg, Kan.), another one from sophomore outside&nbsp;Carly Purdy&nbsp;(North Platte), a block and unforced Mo West attack error.&nbsp;Like at Washburn, UNK came out strong in the fifth and then won a late video review. A kill from senior outside&nbsp;Asha Regier&nbsp;(Newton, Kan.) made it 6-1 but the Griffs chipped away and were down just 11-9 after two Taylor Russell kills. It then appeared it was just a one-point lead, but a video overturned the call and gave Regier another kill. Finally, the Lopers closed things out thanks to kills by Regier and Rose.&nbsp;Overall, Mo West hit 27 points higher, had 12 more kills and 11 more digs with UNK having two more blocks and were plus four in the serve game.&nbsp;Rose hit a sparkling .452 (15-1-31) with her 15 kills a new career-high effort. Earlier this year, she had 10 against both Drury and Missouri Southern. She also added five blocks with position mate&nbsp;Mia Berg&nbsp;(Eureka, Mo.) adding a career-high 10 (all assists).&nbsp;Next, Purdy came off the bench early and had 13 kills and hit .333 with Regier warming up in the fifth set to have 12 kills in a team-best 49 swings. In the back row, libero&nbsp;Alli Wiese&nbsp;(Mattawan, Mich.) had 24 digs and two of UNK's four aces with sophomore DS&nbsp;Lexi Stephens&nbsp;(Ankeny, Ia.) digging up 15 balls.&nbsp;Russell amassed 24 kills, six blocks, two digs and hit .377 to pace Mo West. Also, Holly Heldt (18 digs, 11 kills) had a double double with Emily Loy at 17 kills and libero Anna Weberg at 27 digs.&nbsp;UNK is at Northwest (14-10) tonight at 6 p.m. The Bearcats were off tonight as they host Fort Hays State on Saturday.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

#4 Lopers Secure a Piece of the MIAA Title With 3-2 Comeback in St. Joe

OMAHA, Neb. – The Omaha Supernovas,&nbsp;Nebraska’s professional volleyball team and first Pro Volleyball Federation Champions, are excited to release a brand-new customizable ticket package for the 2025 season, which is set to begin with&nbsp;Banner Night&nbsp;when Omaha hosts the Atlanta Vibe on Friday, January 10 at 7 p.m. at the&nbsp;CHI Health Center. &nbsp;

Fans now have the flexibility to create their own Supernovas experience with a customizable half-season ticket plan. Choose any seven of the team’s 14 home matches and even select different seats for each game, with prices starting as low as $14 per match.&nbsp;

Get the best seats before single-match tickets go on sale! View the half-season package&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001IClnHkSW7Eq9ffvNmL19fvHZT2EJvTO2ev0eiubBb3QKflPvqPXTQtiGjEUYB82hyev-zchiaXfUjZVX4Q06T7ie_tG1u3ljTPGwIUH8K9EdcbK4L5q44uTZDuqmWf0FgtEosvYdTb7o3FcUVUhDjfyrkOjyHoIq0fE274DJxwSTIpOeJdmdp0G74B4xI-r0LAMUxFtIUc8=&amp;c=Cu4DLaN-ndNPT0DbmY90b90aafs6Umix0TXRuYb3alReszXqALb_9Q==&amp;ch=0l3Me7Pnz7O_TC2E89mTZs4lwnZQUR6WawSERIIvhLuTP1MTLi5Row==">here</a>.&nbsp;

Full-season tickets are also still available for the 2025 season, offering the lowest per-match rate and amazing benefits. Learn more and secure the hottest ticket in professional volleyball&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001IClnHkSW7Eq9ffvNmL19fvHZT2EJvTO2ev0eiubBb3QKflPvqPXTQs9zfPT95U7qo_oCenbJ-7HVwB3ariEB13bAz2-Hzb0Q1xul7ZJlCbbCLzYB7g59yZcNJYEGEOsIhN9zLm_0IySl81HX_issmVBTi1oDiWUkUwvNq03vf2UufZg_WzrnXy7f7COuzocK&amp;c=Cu4DLaN-ndNPT0DbmY90b90aafs6Umix0TXRuYb3alReszXqALb_9Q==&amp;ch=0l3Me7Pnz7O_TC2E89mTZs4lwnZQUR6WawSERIIvhLuTP1MTLi5Row==">here</a>.&nbsp;

The Supernovas are coming off a magical season in which the franchise swept the Grand Rapids Rise on Saturday, May 18 at the CHI Health Center to be crowned the first-ever PVF Champions.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Omaha’s support was a key highlight in the inaugural season as the Supernovas hosted seven crowds of 10,000 or more across its 12 home matches. That includes the U.S. record for the most attended professional volleyball match with 12,090 spectators packing CHI on March 16, 2024.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Supernovas reloaded its roster in the offseason to defend its title, resigning team captain&nbsp;Brooke Nuneviller, superstar setter&nbsp;Natalia Valentín-Anderson&nbsp;and homegrown rookie&nbsp;Sophie Davis. That also includes pulling away reigning Rookie of the Year&nbsp;Reagan Cooper&nbsp;as well as welcoming back a trio of former Nebraska middle blockers&nbsp;Briana Holman, Kayla Caffey&nbsp;and&nbsp;Kaitlyn Hord. &nbsp;

Check out the Supernovas full&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001IClnHkSW7Eq9ffvNmL19fvHZT2EJvTO2ev0eiubBb3QKflPvqPXTQltYWBk7HeLrpcFgw3AUc7zDUcKMS2M9NbsRIODcERDfWgT9dz-VU1dA328aOWrEQ40KE9o4ltHVOT0W5PqHtah2wIYf1Sa3LhPxerLm7jAAV6IQatB96jhDkhGzgCICXb_pVEwaCHc7tg6U69UaNQs=&amp;c=Cu4DLaN-ndNPT0DbmY90b90aafs6Umix0TXRuYb3alReszXqALb_9Q==&amp;ch=0l3Me7Pnz7O_TC2E89mTZs4lwnZQUR6WawSERIIvhLuTP1MTLi5Row==">2025 schedule.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

For any questions regarding the season ticket purchase process, please visit the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001IClnHkSW7Eq9ffvNmL19fvHZT2EJvTO2ev0eiubBb3QKflPvqPXTQizWwVO_3dHrgaCazU0u0sxFLS8fPdna5cBhOWCFz4bSrXiXH9geeZ3hfJkqAXh3mEJNdSnzL28_CTDOa-w0CqAigMeiEjsjJvaRm_HON9Oq26ISZWaF8Mk=&amp;c=Cu4DLaN-ndNPT0DbmY90b90aafs6Umix0TXRuYb3alReszXqALb_9Q==&amp;ch=0l3Me7Pnz7O_TC2E89mTZs4lwnZQUR6WawSERIIvhLuTP1MTLi5Row==">Supernovas Ticket FAQ page</a>&nbsp;or by calling 402-502-5268.&nbsp;&nbsp;

To receive Supernovas updates, news and ticket information, download the official Supernovas App by clicking this&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001IClnHkSW7Eq9ffvNmL19fvHZT2EJvTO2ev0eiubBb3QKflPvqPXTQiaMW4ZDqngoI-GOD_t_FOnpT6ZODENIKVpEmA5_SoOd9sIwir9DhdgcMc8Hpv3ilCXA2_i6fVDmzzUmvabWO11B2dgMT3-w8Fwd1kaMbtVgjMsSfEvzhuyAYLQSkR1cOw==&amp;c=Cu4DLaN-ndNPT0DbmY90b90aafs6Umix0TXRuYb3alReszXqALb_9Q==&amp;ch=0l3Me7Pnz7O_TC2E89mTZs4lwnZQUR6WawSERIIvhLuTP1MTLi5Row==">link</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

To celebrate being the inaugural PVF champions, fans will be able to see the Supernovas and championship trophy as part of the official Championship Trophy Tour. Please click this&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001IClnHkSW7Eq9ffvNmL19fvHZT2EJvTO2ev0eiubBb3QKflPvqPXTQnoapQuIXTmBBcRIdW6f3Hbvg-GaghRHgd5y2QklK14vZqcFLDoPyH_2ZpJgUudnzT0kw3xORlVU6vJCUXnky5UyJWkm4IcUYEv7NtMv-FSlkCl5vhoCNLHPoQSaB41N-CzIqsJe8p7I&amp;c=Cu4DLaN-ndNPT0DbmY90b90aafs6Umix0TXRuYb3alReszXqALb_9Q==&amp;ch=0l3Me7Pnz7O_TC2E89mTZs4lwnZQUR6WawSERIIvhLuTP1MTLi5Row==">link</a>&nbsp;to see where the Supernovas are this fall!&nbsp;&nbsp;

ABOUT OMAHA SUPERNOVAS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Omaha Supernovas are the premier home of professional volleyball, boasting the No. 1 Pro Volleyball average attendance in the world. The Supernovas 2025 season will begin in January. The team is owned by global music sensation Jason Derulo and entrepreneur Danny White, Founder of City+Ventures, an investment and business acceleration organization headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

ABOUT PRO VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Pro Volleyball Federation is the leading professional volleyball league in the United States. PVF sets the standard for the sport, offering the largest number of franchises, unmatched attendance, extensive broadcast coverage and substantial championship prize money. It combines top-tier talent, including NCAA stars and international athletes, with cutting-edge production and technology to provide fans with an unmatched viewing experience. As a vital link between collegiate volleyball and the professional stage, PVF is dedicated to shaping the future of the sport and increasing visibility for its athletes. For more information, visit ProVolleyball.com.&nbsp;

Geoff ExstromOmaha SupernovasOMAHA, Neb. – The Omaha Supernovas,&nbsp;Nebraska’s professional volleyball team and first Pro Volleyball Federation Champions, are excited to release a brand-new customizable ticket package for the 2025 season, which is set to begin with&nbsp;Banner Night&nbsp;when Omaha hosts the Atlanta Vibe on Friday, January 10 at 7 p.m. at the&nbsp;CHI Health Center. &nbsp;Fans now have the flexibility to create their own Supernovas experience with a customizable half-season ticket plan. Choose any seven of the team’s 14 home matches and even select different seats for each game, with prices starting as low as $14 per match.&nbsp;Get the best seats before single-match tickets go on sale! View the half-season package&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001IClnHkSW7Eq9ffvNmL19fvHZT2EJvTO2ev0eiubBb3QKflPvqPXTQtiGjEUYB82hyev-zchiaXfUjZVX4Q06T7ie_tG1u3ljTPGwIUH8K9EdcbK4L5q44uTZDuqmWf0FgtEosvYdTb7o3FcUVUhDjfyrkOjyHoIq0fE274DJxwSTIpOeJdmdp0G74B4xI-r0LAMUxFtIUc8=&amp;c=Cu4DLaN-ndNPT0DbmY90b90aafs6Umix0TXRuYb3alReszXqALb_9Q==&amp;ch=0l3Me7Pnz7O_TC2E89mTZs4lwnZQUR6WawSERIIvhLuTP1MTLi5Row==">here</a>.&nbsp;Full-season tickets are also still available for the 2025 season, offering the lowest per-match rate and amazing benefits. Learn more and secure the hottest ticket in professional volleyball&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001IClnHkSW7Eq9ffvNmL19fvHZT2EJvTO2ev0eiubBb3QKflPvqPXTQs9zfPT95U7qo_oCenbJ-7HVwB3ariEB13bAz2-Hzb0Q1xul7ZJlCbbCLzYB7g59yZcNJYEGEOsIhN9zLm_0IySl81HX_issmVBTi1oDiWUkUwvNq03vf2UufZg_WzrnXy7f7COuzocK&amp;c=Cu4DLaN-ndNPT0DbmY90b90aafs6Umix0TXRuYb3alReszXqALb_9Q==&amp;ch=0l3Me7Pnz7O_TC2E89mTZs4lwnZQUR6WawSERIIvhLuTP1MTLi5Row==">here</a>.&nbsp;The Supernovas are coming off a magical season in which the franchise swept the Grand Rapids Rise on Saturday, May 18 at the CHI Health Center to be crowned the first-ever PVF Champions.&nbsp;&nbsp;Omaha’s support was a key highlight in the inaugural season as the Supernovas hosted seven crowds of 10,000 or more across its 12 home matches. That includes the U.S. record for the most attended professional volleyball match with 12,090 spectators packing CHI on March 16, 2024.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Supernovas reloaded its roster in the offseason to defend its title, resigning team captain&nbsp;Brooke Nuneviller, superstar setter&nbsp;Natalia Valentín-Anderson&nbsp;and homegrown rookie&nbsp;Sophie Davis. That also includes pulling away reigning Rookie of the Year&nbsp;Reagan Cooper&nbsp;as well as welcoming back a trio of former Nebraska middle blockers&nbsp;Briana Holman, Kayla Caffey&nbsp;and&nbsp;Kaitlyn Hord. &nbsp;Check out the Supernovas full&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001IClnHkSW7Eq9ffvNmL19fvHZT2EJvTO2ev0eiubBb3QKflPvqPXTQltYWBk7HeLrpcFgw3AUc7zDUcKMS2M9NbsRIODcERDfWgT9dz-VU1dA328aOWrEQ40KE9o4ltHVOT0W5PqHtah2wIYf1Sa3LhPxerLm7jAAV6IQatB96jhDkhGzgCICXb_pVEwaCHc7tg6U69UaNQs=&amp;c=Cu4DLaN-ndNPT0DbmY90b90aafs6Umix0TXRuYb3alReszXqALb_9Q==&amp;ch=0l3Me7Pnz7O_TC2E89mTZs4lwnZQUR6WawSERIIvhLuTP1MTLi5Row==">2025 schedule.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;For any questions regarding the season ticket purchase process, please visit the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001IClnHkSW7Eq9ffvNmL19fvHZT2EJvTO2ev0eiubBb3QKflPvqPXTQizWwVO_3dHrgaCazU0u0sxFLS8fPdna5cBhOWCFz4bSrXiXH9geeZ3hfJkqAXh3mEJNdSnzL28_CTDOa-w0CqAigMeiEjsjJvaRm_HON9Oq26ISZWaF8Mk=&amp;c=Cu4DLaN-ndNPT0DbmY90b90aafs6Umix0TXRuYb3alReszXqALb_9Q==&amp;ch=0l3Me7Pnz7O_TC2E89mTZs4lwnZQUR6WawSERIIvhLuTP1MTLi5Row==">Supernovas Ticket FAQ page</a>&nbsp;or by calling 402-502-5268.&nbsp;&nbsp;To receive Supernovas updates, news and ticket information, download the official Supernovas App by clicking this&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001IClnHkSW7Eq9ffvNmL19fvHZT2EJvTO2ev0eiubBb3QKflPvqPXTQiaMW4ZDqngoI-GOD_t_FOnpT6ZODENIKVpEmA5_SoOd9sIwir9DhdgcMc8Hpv3ilCXA2_i6fVDmzzUmvabWO11B2dgMT3-w8Fwd1kaMbtVgjMsSfEvzhuyAYLQSkR1cOw==&amp;c=Cu4DLaN-ndNPT0DbmY90b90aafs6Umix0TXRuYb3alReszXqALb_9Q==&amp;ch=0l3Me7Pnz7O_TC2E89mTZs4lwnZQUR6WawSERIIvhLuTP1MTLi5Row==">link</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;To celebrate being the inaugural PVF champions, fans will be able to see the Supernovas and championship trophy as part of the official Championship Trophy Tour. Please click this&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001IClnHkSW7Eq9ffvNmL19fvHZT2EJvTO2ev0eiubBb3QKflPvqPXTQnoapQuIXTmBBcRIdW6f3Hbvg-GaghRHgd5y2QklK14vZqcFLDoPyH_2ZpJgUudnzT0kw3xORlVU6vJCUXnky5UyJWkm4IcUYEv7NtMv-FSlkCl5vhoCNLHPoQSaB41N-CzIqsJe8p7I&amp;c=Cu4DLaN-ndNPT0DbmY90b90aafs6Umix0TXRuYb3alReszXqALb_9Q==&amp;ch=0l3Me7Pnz7O_TC2E89mTZs4lwnZQUR6WawSERIIvhLuTP1MTLi5Row==">link</a>&nbsp;to see where the Supernovas are this fall!&nbsp;&nbsp;ABOUT OMAHA SUPERNOVAS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Omaha Supernovas are the premier home of professional volleyball, boasting the No. 1 Pro Volleyball average attendance in the world. The Supernovas 2025 season will begin in January. The team is owned by global music sensation Jason Derulo and entrepreneur Danny White, Founder of City+Ventures, an investment and business acceleration organization headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ABOUT PRO VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pro Volleyball Federation is the leading professional volleyball league in the United States. PVF sets the standard for the sport, offering the largest number of franchises, unmatched attendance, extensive broadcast coverage and substantial championship prize money. It combines top-tier talent, including NCAA stars and international athletes, with cutting-edge production and technology to provide fans with an unmatched viewing experience. As a vital link between collegiate volleyball and the professional stage, PVF is dedicated to shaping the future of the sport and increasing visibility for its athletes. For more information, visit ProVolleyball.com.&nbsp;

Supernovas Release New Customizable Ticket Package 

Kearney, Neb.&nbsp;– Redshirt sophomore reserve post&nbsp;Bailee Sobczak&nbsp;had 23 points and 14 rebounds to help Nebraska Kearney roll past the College of St. Mary,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lopers.com/sports/womens-basketball/stats/2024-25/college-of-saint-mary/boxscore/8042">117-44</a>, Tuesday night at the Health &amp; Sports Center.

This was the home opener for the Lopers (3-0) and an exhibition game for the Flames (1-2) per NAIA rules.

With three newcomers redshirting and two out with injuries, UNK suited up just 10 players. However, all 10 Lopers who suited up scored at least three points with the team setting a school-record for shots in a game (95). The previous mark of 92 was set back in 1989 against then-NAIA Oral Roberts. The Golden Eagles have since moved into Division I.

"When you schedule these games, you're not envisioning having only 10 players in uniform. What you're hoping to see is different lineups and let the young kids play," said UNK head coach&nbsp;Drew Johnson. "However, we had some young players decide to redshirt which I think was the right decision. Just wanted to get out of there tonight healthy and happy."

Sobczak (Rapid City, S.D.) finished 11 of 18 from the field with 11 of her caroms coming on the offensive end. She previously had 23 points in a win over Newman with this being her third career double double. Finally, Sobczak had 17 boards in a win over Washburn this past January and was the team leader in o-boards for the season (99).

"She's come a long way in the past 18 months, just watching her come out of that redshirt year. She's going to wish she put a couple of those shots in the first time, versus having to go get it and finish again," said Johnson. "Bailee is relentless on the offensive glass, she plays really, really hard and kind of a change up from what&nbsp;Kia Wilson&nbsp;does."

The 117 points scored marks the 29th Century effort in program history and is third most on that list. UNK tallied 124 vs. Manhattan (Kan.) Christian in Dec. 2019 and 124 vs. York in Dec. 2017. Next, the margin of victory (73) ranks sixth, the 50 field goals trails only 54 in that York game, the 60 rebounds rank seventh and the assist tally (28) tied for 10th."It's another scout and they played five out and we're going to see some of that this weekend. You get something out of it even if there wasn't a bunch of young kids to sub in and out," said Johnson.

Besides Sobczak's production, UNK got 16 points, seven assists, seven rebounds and four steals from senior wing&nbsp;Samantha Moore&nbsp;(Mullen), 11 points, nine rebounds, five steals and three dimes from junior point guard&nbsp;Jillian Aschoff&nbsp;(Lincoln Pius) and 12 points and two o-boards from Serbian sophomore&nbsp;Tara Biocanin. She previously played at ORU.

For CSM, guard Aleigha Jackson went for 19 points on 7 of 21 shooting.

The competition ratches up as the Lopers face former RMAC rivals Metro State (Fri.) and Adams State (Sat.) this Saturday in Hays.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731513829987.jpeg" alt="Bailee Sobczak (UNK Athletics)" />
 <figcaption>Bailee Sobczak (UNK Athletics)</figcaption>
 </figure>UNK AthleticsKearney, Neb.&nbsp;– Redshirt sophomore reserve post&nbsp;Bailee Sobczak&nbsp;had 23 points and 14 rebounds to help Nebraska Kearney roll past the College of St. Mary,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lopers.com/sports/womens-basketball/stats/2024-25/college-of-saint-mary/boxscore/8042">117-44</a>, Tuesday night at the Health &amp; Sports Center.This was the home opener for the Lopers (3-0) and an exhibition game for the Flames (1-2) per NAIA rules.With three newcomers redshirting and two out with injuries, UNK suited up just 10 players. However, all 10 Lopers who suited up scored at least three points with the team setting a school-record for shots in a game (95). The previous mark of 92 was set back in 1989 against then-NAIA Oral Roberts. The Golden Eagles have since moved into Division I."When you schedule these games, you're not envisioning having only 10 players in uniform. What you're hoping to see is different lineups and let the young kids play," said UNK head coach&nbsp;Drew Johnson. "However, we had some young players decide to redshirt which I think was the right decision. Just wanted to get out of there tonight healthy and happy."Sobczak (Rapid City, S.D.) finished 11 of 18 from the field with 11 of her caroms coming on the offensive end. She previously had 23 points in a win over Newman with this being her third career double double. Finally, Sobczak had 17 boards in a win over Washburn this past January and was the team leader in o-boards for the season (99)."She's come a long way in the past 18 months, just watching her come out of that redshirt year. She's going to wish she put a couple of those shots in the first time, versus having to go get it and finish again," said Johnson. "Bailee is relentless on the offensive glass, she plays really, really hard and kind of a change up from what&nbsp;Kia Wilson&nbsp;does."The 117 points scored marks the 29th Century effort in program history and is third most on that list. UNK tallied 124 vs. Manhattan (Kan.) Christian in Dec. 2019 and 124 vs. York in Dec. 2017. Next, the margin of victory (73) ranks sixth, the 50 field goals trails only 54 in that York game, the 60 rebounds rank seventh and the assist tally (28) tied for 10th."It's another scout and they played five out and we're going to see some of that this weekend. You get something out of it even if there wasn't a bunch of young kids to sub in and out," said Johnson.Besides Sobczak's production, UNK got 16 points, seven assists, seven rebounds and four steals from senior wing&nbsp;Samantha Moore&nbsp;(Mullen), 11 points, nine rebounds, five steals and three dimes from junior point guard&nbsp;Jillian Aschoff&nbsp;(Lincoln Pius) and 12 points and two o-boards from Serbian sophomore&nbsp;Tara Biocanin. She previously played at ORU.For CSM, guard Aleigha Jackson went for 19 points on 7 of 21 shooting.The competition ratches up as the Lopers face former RMAC rivals Metro State (Fri.) and Adams State (Sat.) this Saturday in Hays.

UNK Easily Extinguishes the Flames

Great Bend, Kan. – Justus Michael led the Knights with 21 points, but a strong second half propelled No. 2 Barton Community College to a 93-74 win on Tuesday night.

“I thought we played 30 minutes of really good basketball,” said head coach Jacob Brandl. “Unfortunately, you can’t have bad minutes against a team of that caliber.”

Michael connected on 8-of-18 of his shots from the field, while Mo Diao chipped in 18 points, seven rebounds and three blocks in 32 minutes.

North Platte connected on 61.5 percent (8-13) from long range in the opening half. Barton relied on their bench in the opening twenty minutes to take a 46-40 lead into the halftime break.

The Cougars extended the margin into double digits after an 8-3 run with 9:36 remaining in the first half. Itai Alinsky halted the run by connecting from long range, but Barton continued to maintain a three-possession advantage.

A 6-0 run chipped away at the Barton lead after a three pointer from Trey Summers with 6:24 remaining. Barton pushed their lead back into double digits until a late 5-0 run cut the deficit to six at the break.

The Cougars lead grew to 56-42 in the opening minutes of the second half. Back-to-back buckets from Mo Diao helped ignite the North Platte offense. Trailing 60-51, the Knights launched a 10-4 run to cut the deficit to three on a three pointer by Alex Harper with 8:24 remaining.

Barton countered with their own 14-5 run to regain a double-digit lead over the next four minutes. North Platte was limited down the stretch while the Cougars put their finishing touches on their win.

Knights (2-4) return to the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium on Saturday to take on Cloud County Community College. Tip against the Thunderbirds is set for 4 p.m.

NPCC AthleticsGreat Bend, Kan. – Justus Michael led the Knights with 21 points, but a strong second half propelled No. 2 Barton Community College to a 93-74 win on Tuesday night.“I thought we played 30 minutes of really good basketball,” said head coach Jacob Brandl. “Unfortunately, you can’t have bad minutes against a team of that caliber.”Michael connected on 8-of-18 of his shots from the field, while Mo Diao chipped in 18 points, seven rebounds and three blocks in 32 minutes.North Platte connected on 61.5 percent (8-13) from long range in the opening half. Barton relied on their bench in the opening twenty minutes to take a 46-40 lead into the halftime break.The Cougars extended the margin into double digits after an 8-3 run with 9:36 remaining in the first half. Itai Alinsky halted the run by connecting from long range, but Barton continued to maintain a three-possession advantage.A 6-0 run chipped away at the Barton lead after a three pointer from Trey Summers with 6:24 remaining. Barton pushed their lead back into double digits until a late 5-0 run cut the deficit to six at the break.The Cougars lead grew to 56-42 in the opening minutes of the second half. Back-to-back buckets from Mo Diao helped ignite the North Platte offense. Trailing 60-51, the Knights launched a 10-4 run to cut the deficit to three on a three pointer by Alex Harper with 8:24 remaining.Barton countered with their own 14-5 run to regain a double-digit lead over the next four minutes. North Platte was limited down the stretch while the Cougars put their finishing touches on their win.Knights (2-4) return to the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium on Saturday to take on Cloud County Community College. Tip against the Thunderbirds is set for 4 p.m.

 Knights wrap up road trip with loss to Barton

Kearney, Neb. –&nbsp;The 30th-ranked Nebraska Kearney men's cross country team is headed back to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncaa.com/news/cross-country-women/article/2024-11-11/ncaa-division-ii-mens-and-womens-cross-country-championships-qualifiers">NCAA Championships</a>&nbsp;for the third time in four years with junior&nbsp;Ella Buhlke&nbsp;representing the Loper women.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;men's team&nbsp;and Buhlke (Central City) received at-large berths to the meet which will be held Nov. 23 in Sacramento (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.visitsacramento.com/sportscommission/events/ncaa-cross-country/course-maps/">Arcade Creek Course at Haggin Oaks Golf Complex</a>).

The field consists&nbsp;of&nbsp;34 teams per gender, 24 that automatically qualify (top three in each of eight regional meets) while the remaining 10 are at large selections.&nbsp;A minimum of 24 additional individuals were selected to participate in each championship through an automatic qualifier and at-large selection process.​The UNK men grinded its way through another successful season, overcoming injuries and illness along the way. The veteran squad was fifth out of 31 teams at last Saturday's NCAA Regional meet in Joplin and finished third in the 12-team MIAA Championships Oct. 26 in St. Joseph. During the regular season, the Lopers had four top four finishes, placing ahead of their peers to rack up quality "wins".

The team's top seven finishers the past two weeks have been All-MIAA seniors&nbsp;Payton Davis&nbsp;(David City Aquinas),&nbsp;Sam Lueders&nbsp;(Blair), and&nbsp;Brett Schoenhofer&nbsp;(Andover, Kan.), senior&nbsp;Zach Van Brocklin&nbsp;(Cortland), All-MIAA junior&nbsp;Nick Abdalla&nbsp;(Omaha South), sophomores&nbsp;Evan Caudy&nbsp;(North Platte) and&nbsp;Juan Garcia&nbsp;(Grand Island), and redshirt freshman&nbsp;Mesuidi Ejerso&nbsp;(South Sioux City).The 26th-ranked UNK women just missed out on qualifying for the second time in program history, but Buhkle joins Kaci Lickteig (2006) and Morgan Benesch (2015 &amp; 2016) as Lopers to qualify as an individual. She earned both All-Region and All-MIAA this fall and had three top 14 finishes during the regular&nbsp;season.&nbsp;

The meet will be aired live at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncaa.com/liveschedule/2024/11/23">ncaa.com</a>&nbsp;

UNK AthleticsKearney, Neb. –&nbsp;The 30th-ranked Nebraska Kearney men's cross country team is headed back to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncaa.com/news/cross-country-women/article/2024-11-11/ncaa-division-ii-mens-and-womens-cross-country-championships-qualifiers">NCAA Championships</a>&nbsp;for the third time in four years with junior&nbsp;Ella Buhlke&nbsp;representing the Loper women.&nbsp;The&nbsp;men's team&nbsp;and Buhlke (Central City) received at-large berths to the meet which will be held Nov. 23 in Sacramento (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.visitsacramento.com/sportscommission/events/ncaa-cross-country/course-maps/">Arcade Creek Course at Haggin Oaks Golf Complex</a>). The field consists&nbsp;of&nbsp;34 teams per gender, 24 that automatically qualify (top three in each of eight regional meets) while the remaining 10 are at large selections.&nbsp;A minimum of 24 additional individuals were selected to participate in each championship through an automatic qualifier and at-large selection process.​The UNK men grinded its way through another successful season, overcoming injuries and illness along the way. The veteran squad was fifth out of 31 teams at last Saturday's NCAA Regional meet in Joplin and finished third in the 12-team MIAA Championships Oct. 26 in St. Joseph. During the regular season, the Lopers had four top four finishes, placing ahead of their peers to rack up quality "wins".The team's top seven finishers the past two weeks have been All-MIAA seniors&nbsp;Payton Davis&nbsp;(David City Aquinas),&nbsp;Sam Lueders&nbsp;(Blair), and&nbsp;Brett Schoenhofer&nbsp;(Andover, Kan.), senior&nbsp;Zach Van Brocklin&nbsp;(Cortland), All-MIAA junior&nbsp;Nick Abdalla&nbsp;(Omaha South), sophomores&nbsp;Evan Caudy&nbsp;(North Platte) and&nbsp;Juan Garcia&nbsp;(Grand Island), and redshirt freshman&nbsp;Mesuidi Ejerso&nbsp;(South Sioux City).The 26th-ranked UNK women just missed out on qualifying for the second time in program history, but Buhkle joins Kaci Lickteig (2006) and Morgan Benesch (2015 &amp; 2016) as Lopers to qualify as an individual. She earned both All-Region and All-MIAA this fall and had three top 14 finishes during the regular&nbsp;season.&nbsp;The meet will be aired live at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncaa.com/liveschedule/2024/11/23">ncaa.com</a>&nbsp;

Lopers to Run in Sacramento Nov. 23

Kearney, Neb. –&nbsp;Junior Aidyn Woodall scored her team-leading fifth goal of the year and 21st-ranked Missouri Western State recorded its 12th shut out to get past Nebraska Kearney,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lopers.com/sports/womens-soccer/stats/2024/missouri-western/boxscore/7927">1-0,</a>&nbsp;in an MIAA Tournament game Sunday afternoon in St. Joseph.

The second-seed Griffons (15-1-3) advanced to next weekend's semifinals while the Lopers end a historic season at 8-6-5. This was their third-ever post-season appearance and first since 2015.Earlier this year at Cope Stadium the two teams were even until Mo West struck in the 81st minute to win 1-0. Seven of their wins have now come by that score. 

Today it didn't take the Griffs nearly as long to go ahead as Woodall found the back of the net at 5:58.

Mo West kept the ball in UNK territory for most of the first half and at the six-minute mark sent a ball towards the Loper goal with some traffic in front. Keeper&nbsp;Susie Bovaird&nbsp;(Lincoln NE) tried to corral the ball, but it deflected to a wide-open Woodall, a 2024 third-team All-MIAA selection.

The Griffs also have the Keeper of the Year (Keeley Kroonenberg) and Defender of the Year (Lauren Nyland). They didn't allow UNK a shot or corner over the first 45 with the offense providing five shots and two corners. UNK altered its lineup to start the second half and had the Griffs on their heels but couldn't get a ball past Kroonenberg who now has 0.42 goals against average for the season.

Senior&nbsp;Katie Pagel&nbsp;(Aurora, Colo.) had a shot go wide of the goal early in the half with UNK's best offensive chance occurring with just four minutes left. First-team pick&nbsp;Hanna Schimmer&nbsp;(Council Bluffs, Ia.) got loose at midfield and sent a perfect cross to Pagel who was streaking down the right side of the field. Unfortunately, Kroonenberg was there to make a diving save. On the other side of the field, Bovaird had several big saves, six in all, to give UNK a chance to tie things up.

Senior defender&nbsp;Dolcie Hanlon&nbsp;(Grand Junction, Colo.) went all 90 thus playing all 1,710 minutes, this fall. She finishes her career with the third most minutes (6,391) in school history while tying the mark for games played (73/Marika Van Brocklin; 2014-17) and games started (72/Sarah Talcott; 2010-13 &amp; Molly Willis; 2016-19).

Team wise, UNK set new records for shots (251), shots per game (13.2), shots on goal (127), and shots on goal per game (6.7) while ranking second in points (68), points per game (3.6), goals (26), goals per game (1.4) and wins. The 2013 squad went 8-8-3 with the 2012 Lopers 9-7-2. Finally, Schimmer set new Loper standards for goals (10), PK's (three), shots (66), and shots on goal (36) with Bovaird logging a goalie-best 1,668 season minutes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731335472519.jpeg" alt="Dolcie Hanlon (UNK Athletics)" />
 <figcaption>Dolcie Hanlon (UNK Athletics)</figcaption>
 </figure>UNK AthleticsKearney, Neb. –&nbsp;Junior Aidyn Woodall scored her team-leading fifth goal of the year and 21st-ranked Missouri Western State recorded its 12th shut out to get past Nebraska Kearney,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lopers.com/sports/womens-soccer/stats/2024/missouri-western/boxscore/7927">1-0,</a>&nbsp;in an MIAA Tournament game Sunday afternoon in St. Joseph.The second-seed Griffons (15-1-3) advanced to next weekend's semifinals while the Lopers end a historic season at 8-6-5. This was their third-ever post-season appearance and first since 2015.Earlier this year at Cope Stadium the two teams were even until Mo West struck in the 81st minute to win 1-0. Seven of their wins have now come by that score. Today it didn't take the Griffs nearly as long to go ahead as Woodall found the back of the net at 5:58.Mo West kept the ball in UNK territory for most of the first half and at the six-minute mark sent a ball towards the Loper goal with some traffic in front. Keeper&nbsp;Susie Bovaird&nbsp;(Lincoln NE) tried to corral the ball, but it deflected to a wide-open Woodall, a 2024 third-team All-MIAA selection.The Griffs also have the Keeper of the Year (Keeley Kroonenberg) and Defender of the Year (Lauren Nyland). They didn't allow UNK a shot or corner over the first 45 with the offense providing five shots and two corners. UNK altered its lineup to start the second half and had the Griffs on their heels but couldn't get a ball past Kroonenberg who now has 0.42 goals against average for the season.Senior&nbsp;Katie Pagel&nbsp;(Aurora, Colo.) had a shot go wide of the goal early in the half with UNK's best offensive chance occurring with just four minutes left. First-team pick&nbsp;Hanna Schimmer&nbsp;(Council Bluffs, Ia.) got loose at midfield and sent a perfect cross to Pagel who was streaking down the right side of the field. Unfortunately, Kroonenberg was there to make a diving save. On the other side of the field, Bovaird had several big saves, six in all, to give UNK a chance to tie things up.Senior defender&nbsp;Dolcie Hanlon&nbsp;(Grand Junction, Colo.) went all 90 thus playing all 1,710 minutes, this fall. She finishes her career with the third most minutes (6,391) in school history while tying the mark for games played (73/Marika Van Brocklin; 2014-17) and games started (72/Sarah Talcott; 2010-13 &amp; Molly Willis; 2016-19).Team wise, UNK set new records for shots (251), shots per game (13.2), shots on goal (127), and shots on goal per game (6.7) while ranking second in points (68), points per game (3.6), goals (26), goals per game (1.4) and wins. The 2013 squad went 8-8-3 with the 2012 Lopers 9-7-2. Finally, Schimmer set new Loper standards for goals (10), PK's (three), shots (66), and shots on goal (36) with Bovaird logging a goalie-best 1,668 season minutes.

Lopers End Historic Season at 8-6-5; Hanlon Ties Two School Marks

LINCOLN, Neb. –&nbsp;The Heartland Havoc Wrestling Tournament is set to take place November 9-10 at the Sandhills Global Event Center in Lincoln, bringing together 395 wrestlers so far from Nebraska and surrounding states, including Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, Wyoming and South Dakota, for individual and dual competition. Individual competition will be held on Saturday, with duals taking place on Sunday.

Individual registration remains open until Thursday, November 7, at 10 p.m. and can be completed online&nbsp;<a href="https://b8oyr9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0013rCsOmIBDY-mPf54PUlUP5U0pg_F8jpWVJX58rp-CpXJe9rUO5XogZX3BEkjL83QJKX2TcJI7GLXeRMKFqfxA8ryBtZVyXE8BuuZQUgT_Zt-eo4Oro4ZOvPScbWiL9EISXztBi4NF20bOEMGS-arly3JIezk8ARROa7jzAaOMoeniqPFzEi57iVlH75C5F2j&amp;c=RRiJXInhwVEkpf8KMlrB8e3LU0u5qsRuo7mUyirpSvPuQFZazbHAQA==&amp;ch=BAr1JfBqI1SuoOkMv1EK1tZX-P4vtOdWh_Bs1jNM9bgWIrLXYMEZVg==" target="_blank">HERE</a>. Walk-in registration is only allowed at Sandhills Global Event Center during weigh-ins. Medals will be awarded in each bracket, and team awards will go to the top two teams.

Spectator admission is $10 for adults, $5 for students, and free for ages four and younger. Concessions will be available on-site.

Contact Wrestling Director David Charroin at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:csgwrestling@gmail.com" target="_blank">csgwrestling@gmail.com</a>&nbsp;with any questions pertaining to Satellite weigh-ins and registration. If you wish to speak with David, please include your phone number in the email. For more information on the website, please visit NebraskaSportsCouncil.com or contact the Nebraska Sports Council office at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:info@nebraskasportscouncil.com" target="_blank">info@nebraskasportscouncil.com</a>.

For updates on the event,&nbsp;<a href="https://b8oyr9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0013rCsOmIBDY-mPf54PUlUP5U0pg_F8jpWVJX58rp-CpXJe9rUO5XogQv6hFQPM6r4NVVIbANh7tHeg1zPFDFpAUZ99aZU_-FnOCkfw94dE3EhGViuK_taNkFl__H1IYieTCR7xWXH8wGFxzbU2gAbH8rqAVkYSHyWCscrWPtvc_JAD6ngzP3E4A==&amp;c=RRiJXInhwVEkpf8KMlrB8e3LU0u5qsRuo7mUyirpSvPuQFZazbHAQA==&amp;ch=BAr1JfBqI1SuoOkMv1EK1tZX-P4vtOdWh_Bs1jNM9bgWIrLXYMEZVg==" target="_blank">LIKE</a>&nbsp;Heartland Havoc Wrestling on Facebook.

Heartland Havoc is hosted by the Nebraska Sports Council. Special thanks to our sponsors and contributors: IMT Insurance, presenting partner; Sandhills Global Event Center, host facility; Trophies Plus, award contributor.

Nebraska Sports CouncilLINCOLN, Neb. –&nbsp;The Heartland Havoc Wrestling Tournament is set to take place November 9-10 at the Sandhills Global Event Center in Lincoln, bringing together 395 wrestlers so far from Nebraska and surrounding states, including Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, Wyoming and South Dakota, for individual and dual competition. Individual competition will be held on Saturday, with duals taking place on Sunday.Individual registration remains open until Thursday, November 7, at 10 p.m. and can be completed online&nbsp;<a href="https://b8oyr9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0013rCsOmIBDY-mPf54PUlUP5U0pg_F8jpWVJX58rp-CpXJe9rUO5XogZX3BEkjL83QJKX2TcJI7GLXeRMKFqfxA8ryBtZVyXE8BuuZQUgT_Zt-eo4Oro4ZOvPScbWiL9EISXztBi4NF20bOEMGS-arly3JIezk8ARROa7jzAaOMoeniqPFzEi57iVlH75C5F2j&amp;c=RRiJXInhwVEkpf8KMlrB8e3LU0u5qsRuo7mUyirpSvPuQFZazbHAQA==&amp;ch=BAr1JfBqI1SuoOkMv1EK1tZX-P4vtOdWh_Bs1jNM9bgWIrLXYMEZVg==" target="_blank">HERE</a>. Walk-in registration is only allowed at Sandhills Global Event Center during weigh-ins. Medals will be awarded in each bracket, and team awards will go to the top two teams.Spectator admission is $10 for adults, $5 for students, and free for ages four and younger. Concessions will be available on-site.Contact Wrestling Director David Charroin at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:csgwrestling@gmail.com" target="_blank">csgwrestling@gmail.com</a>&nbsp;with any questions pertaining to Satellite weigh-ins and registration. If you wish to speak with David, please include your phone number in the email. For more information on the website, please visit NebraskaSportsCouncil.com or contact the Nebraska Sports Council office at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:info@nebraskasportscouncil.com" target="_blank">info@nebraskasportscouncil.com</a>.For updates on the event,&nbsp;<a href="https://b8oyr9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0013rCsOmIBDY-mPf54PUlUP5U0pg_F8jpWVJX58rp-CpXJe9rUO5XogQv6hFQPM6r4NVVIbANh7tHeg1zPFDFpAUZ99aZU_-FnOCkfw94dE3EhGViuK_taNkFl__H1IYieTCR7xWXH8wGFxzbU2gAbH8rqAVkYSHyWCscrWPtvc_JAD6ngzP3E4A==&amp;c=RRiJXInhwVEkpf8KMlrB8e3LU0u5qsRuo7mUyirpSvPuQFZazbHAQA==&amp;ch=BAr1JfBqI1SuoOkMv1EK1tZX-P4vtOdWh_Bs1jNM9bgWIrLXYMEZVg==" target="_blank">LIKE</a>&nbsp;Heartland Havoc Wrestling on Facebook.Heartland Havoc is hosted by the Nebraska Sports Council. Special thanks to our sponsors and contributors: IMT Insurance, presenting partner; Sandhills Global Event Center, host facility; Trophies Plus, award contributor.

HEARTLAND HAVOC November 9-10, 2024

Story by NU Athletic Communications&nbsp;

The No. 13 Husker Rifle team will continue its season at home against No. 15 UTEP on Sunday, Nov. 2. The match will be held at Big Shots Rifle Range (399 Sun Valley Blvd, Lincoln, NE 68528) and is slated to start at 8 a.m. (central). Attendance is free for fans, and breakfast and signed posters will be provided while supplies last. This is the only home meet for the Huskers during the 2024-25 season.NU comes into the match at 5-3 after a loss at No. 6 TCU, 4,728-4,686 on Saturday, Nov 2. Against the Horned Frogs, freshman Maddy Moyer had another impressive day, tying the second-highest air rifle score in team history with a mark of 597. The Big Red also posted a season-high team score of 2,373 in the air rifle in the loss.

The Huskers have captured an impressive season so far in 2024. Junior Emma Rhode currently holds the second highest smallbore score in the nation and in Nebraska history, with a mark of 593 in NU’s win at Memphis in the season opener. Rhode has also recorded six first-place finishes, with three in the smallbore and three in the aggregate. The freshmen have earned their share of achievements as well. Alivia Perkins tied the second-highest air rifle score in team history with a score of 597 on Oct. 12. Maddy Moyer fired a personal best in the smallbore with a score of 587 in the Nebraska’s dual with Memphis and Navy on Oct. 20. As a team, the Huskers posted a season-high mark of 2,373 in the air rifle in their loss at TCU on Nov. 2.

“Coming off a tough loss at TCU last weekend, I’ve been impressed with the way the girls have bounced back this week in practice,” said Coach Richard Clark. “We’ve been pushing hard and have continued to see great things day in and day out. A focused week of practice with the added comfort of getting to host UTEP here at home makes me very excited to watch the girls compete this weekend.”&nbsp;

UTEP enters the match coming off a 4,728-4,681 loss at No. 4 Murray State. Nebraska has faced UTEP 25 times since 2000, and have won 20 of those matches. NU most recently defeated UTEP, 4,702-2,617, on Oct. 12, 2024.&nbsp;

Following the match with UTEP, the Huskers will head to Columbus, Ohio, to face off against No. 9 Ohio State on Saturday, Nov. 16. The Big Red will then travel to Akron, Ohio, on Sunday, Nov. 17 to take on No. 12 Akron in their final match of the fall.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Story by NU Athletic Communications&nbsp;The No. 13 Husker Rifle team will continue its season at home against No. 15 UTEP on Sunday, Nov. 2. The match will be held at Big Shots Rifle Range (399 Sun Valley Blvd, Lincoln, NE 68528) and is slated to start at 8 a.m. (central). Attendance is free for fans, and breakfast and signed posters will be provided while supplies last. This is the only home meet for the Huskers during the 2024-25 season.NU comes into the match at 5-3 after a loss at No. 6 TCU, 4,728-4,686 on Saturday, Nov 2. Against the Horned Frogs, freshman Maddy Moyer had another impressive day, tying the second-highest air rifle score in team history with a mark of 597. The Big Red also posted a season-high team score of 2,373 in the air rifle in the loss.The Huskers have captured an impressive season so far in 2024. Junior Emma Rhode currently holds the second highest smallbore score in the nation and in Nebraska history, with a mark of 593 in NU’s win at Memphis in the season opener. Rhode has also recorded six first-place finishes, with three in the smallbore and three in the aggregate. The freshmen have earned their share of achievements as well. Alivia Perkins tied the second-highest air rifle score in team history with a score of 597 on Oct. 12. Maddy Moyer fired a personal best in the smallbore with a score of 587 in the Nebraska’s dual with Memphis and Navy on Oct. 20. As a team, the Huskers posted a season-high mark of 2,373 in the air rifle in their loss at TCU on Nov. 2.“Coming off a tough loss at TCU last weekend, I’ve been impressed with the way the girls have bounced back this week in practice,” said Coach Richard Clark. “We’ve been pushing hard and have continued to see great things day in and day out. A focused week of practice with the added comfort of getting to host UTEP here at home makes me very excited to watch the girls compete this weekend.”&nbsp;UTEP enters the match coming off a 4,728-4,681 loss at No. 4 Murray State. Nebraska has faced UTEP 25 times since 2000, and have won 20 of those matches. NU most recently defeated UTEP, 4,702-2,617, on Oct. 12, 2024.&nbsp;Following the match with UTEP, the Huskers will head to Columbus, Ohio, to face off against No. 9 Ohio State on Saturday, Nov. 16. The Big Red will then travel to Akron, Ohio, on Sunday, Nov. 17 to take on No. 12 Akron in their final match of the fall.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Huskers host first home match on Sunday

Story by NU Athletic Communications

EUGENE, Ore. - The No. 2 Nebraska volleyball team swept No. 12 Oregon 25-12, 26-24, 25-18 for its 20th straight in front of an Oregon school-record crowd of 8,566 at Matthew Knight Arena on Thursday night. 

The Huskers (23-1, 13-0 B1G) got 14 kills and 10 digs from Harper Murray, who hit .414 and also had an ace. Taylor Landfair added 13 kills and hit .407, and Merritt Beason and Andi Jackson each tallied six kills. 

Bergen Reilly had 33 assists and nine digs as the Huskers hit .278 for the match. Nebraska was stout defensively once again, holding the Ducks (17-5, 9-4 B1G) to .133 hitting. 

Nebraska had four aces with no errors with Olivia Mauch serving two of them. Oregon had three aces and made six service errors. It was the first time since Sept. 16, 2017 that Nebraska didn't commit a service error. 

NU had the edge in kills (44-37) and digs (52-38), while Oregon had one more block (7-6). 

With her team-leading 14 digs, Lexi Rodriguez claimed sole possession of second place in school history with 1,720 career digs, passing Kayla Banwarth (1,706). Justine Wong-Orantes is the school record holder with 1,890. 

Mimi Colyer had 13 kills to lead the Ducks. 

Set 1: Nebraska took a 4-0 lead, but Oregon fought back to tie the score at 6-6. Back-to-back kills by Murray, two by Landfair and one by Jackson made it 11-6 Big Red. Landfair added three more kills and a block with Allick as the Huskers built an 18-8 advantage. After Oregon scored three in a row, a service error by the Ducks preceded an ace by Mauch, a block by Allick and Beason and a kill by Murray that made it 22-11 Huskers. A kill by Jackson and a solo block by the sophomore middle blocker gave the Huskers a 25-12 win. NU hit .476 in set one and held Oregon to -.031. 

Set 2: Oregon led 8-6 when Murray and Jackson pounded kills, and Murray served an ace for a 10-8 Husker lead. Reilly dumped a kill before Beason tallied another to make it 13-10. But the Ducks ran off three straight points to even the score at 14-14. After a Husker timeout, Murray tooled a block and the Ducks hit long twice to put NU back in front, 17-14. The Ducks rallied to tie the score at 19-19, but Jackson terminated a kill and Allick and Landfair combined for a block and a 21-19 advantage. Landfair ended a long rally with a kill to make it 22-20, but the Ducks came right back to even the score at 22-22 after a kill and a Husker hitting error. After an NU timeout, Landfair posted her eighth kill, but Colyer answered for the Ducks. The Ducks then hit long to give NU set point, 24-23, but a kill by Oregon tied it 24-24. Oregon hit wide to give the Big Red another set point chance, and Murray ended the set at 26-24 with her ninth kill. 

Set 3: Oregon led 6-4 when Kennedi Orr served a 4-0 run to put the Huskers up 8-6. Reilly dumped two kills, and Allick and Landfair each posted one. After Oregon tied the score at 8-8, Landfair earned a sideout kill and Reilly served an ace before an Oregon error made it 11-8. The Ducks came back with a 3-0 run to make it 11-11, but Beason terminated and Mauch served her second ace before Oregon hit wide for a 14-11 Husker edge. After an Oregon timeout, Reilly set Beason for back-to-back kills, and Allick and Beason stuffed a Duck attack for a 17-11 lead. After Oregon got within 17-13, Allick recorded a solo block, and three Murray kills put the Huskers up 22-15. Nebraska finished off a 25-18 win with three kills by Landfair. 

Up Next: Nebraska will play at Washington on Saturday at 9:30 p.m. (CT) on Big Ten Network and the Huskers Radio Network. 

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsEUGENE, Ore. - The No. 2 Nebraska volleyball team swept No. 12 Oregon 25-12, 26-24, 25-18 for its 20th straight in front of an Oregon school-record crowd of 8,566 at Matthew Knight Arena on Thursday night. The Huskers (23-1, 13-0 B1G) got 14 kills and 10 digs from Harper Murray, who hit .414 and also had an ace. Taylor Landfair added 13 kills and hit .407, and Merritt Beason and Andi Jackson each tallied six kills. Bergen Reilly had 33 assists and nine digs as the Huskers hit .278 for the match. Nebraska was stout defensively once again, holding the Ducks (17-5, 9-4 B1G) to .133 hitting. Nebraska had four aces with no errors with Olivia Mauch serving two of them. Oregon had three aces and made six service errors. It was the first time since Sept. 16, 2017 that Nebraska didn't commit a service error. NU had the edge in kills (44-37) and digs (52-38), while Oregon had one more block (7-6). With her team-leading 14 digs, Lexi Rodriguez claimed sole possession of second place in school history with 1,720 career digs, passing Kayla Banwarth (1,706). Justine Wong-Orantes is the school record holder with 1,890. Mimi Colyer had 13 kills to lead the Ducks. Set 1: Nebraska took a 4-0 lead, but Oregon fought back to tie the score at 6-6. Back-to-back kills by Murray, two by Landfair and one by Jackson made it 11-6 Big Red. Landfair added three more kills and a block with Allick as the Huskers built an 18-8 advantage. After Oregon scored three in a row, a service error by the Ducks preceded an ace by Mauch, a block by Allick and Beason and a kill by Murray that made it 22-11 Huskers. A kill by Jackson and a solo block by the sophomore middle blocker gave the Huskers a 25-12 win. NU hit .476 in set one and held Oregon to -.031. Set 2: Oregon led 8-6 when Murray and Jackson pounded kills, and Murray served an ace for a 10-8 Husker lead. Reilly dumped a kill before Beason tallied another to make it 13-10. But the Ducks ran off three straight points to even the score at 14-14. After a Husker timeout, Murray tooled a block and the Ducks hit long twice to put NU back in front, 17-14. The Ducks rallied to tie the score at 19-19, but Jackson terminated a kill and Allick and Landfair combined for a block and a 21-19 advantage. Landfair ended a long rally with a kill to make it 22-20, but the Ducks came right back to even the score at 22-22 after a kill and a Husker hitting error. After an NU timeout, Landfair posted her eighth kill, but Colyer answered for the Ducks. The Ducks then hit long to give NU set point, 24-23, but a kill by Oregon tied it 24-24. Oregon hit wide to give the Big Red another set point chance, and Murray ended the set at 26-24 with her ninth kill. Set 3: Oregon led 6-4 when Kennedi Orr served a 4-0 run to put the Huskers up 8-6. Reilly dumped two kills, and Allick and Landfair each posted one. After Oregon tied the score at 8-8, Landfair earned a sideout kill and Reilly served an ace before an Oregon error made it 11-8. The Ducks came back with a 3-0 run to make it 11-11, but Beason terminated and Mauch served her second ace before Oregon hit wide for a 14-11 Husker edge. After an Oregon timeout, Reilly set Beason for back-to-back kills, and Allick and Beason stuffed a Duck attack for a 17-11 lead. After Oregon got within 17-13, Allick recorded a solo block, and three Murray kills put the Huskers up 22-15. Nebraska finished off a 25-18 win with three kills by Landfair. Up Next: Nebraska will play at Washington on Saturday at 9:30 p.m. (CT) on Big Ten Network and the Huskers Radio Network.

Huskers sweep No. 12 Oregon

Story by NPCC Athletic Communications

North Platte, Neb. – Knights women’s basketball fell to McCook Community College, 57-56, at the Peter and Dolores Graff Events Center on Tuesday night.

It was a tightly contested game from start to finish, North Platte took an early 4-0 lead after a pair of free throws from Zaily Marazin. The Indians went on to outscore the Knights over the final 5:41 of the quarter to take a 14-10 lead into the quarter break.

McCook stretched their lead to 18-10 after a short run to open the second quarter. North Platte slowly chipped away at the deficit as they narrowed the margin to 22-20 with 1:07 to play. McCook would not relinquish their lead in the final minute, as they built a 24-20 advantage headed into the halftime break.

North Platte battled back to retake the lead on a bucket from Jada Thompson with 5:09 to play in the third quarter. The game remained within one possession until McCook built a four-point edge with 6:23 to play in the final quarter.

The margin was pushed to five, but the Knights cut the deficit to one on a three from Marazin with four seconds to play. North Platte would receive one final opportunity to earn the win with a strong inbound play, but the shot was just off the mark clinching the win for the Indians.

North Platte connected on 33.3 percent of their shots from the floor and just 12-of-23 from the free throw line. McCook won the rebounding battle, 40-37, while shooting 32.7 percent from the field.

Knights (2-1) host Eastern Wyoming College for their home opener on Friday. Tip is set for 5 p.m. inside the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium.

Story by NPCC Athletic CommunicationsNorth Platte, Neb. – Knights women’s basketball fell to McCook Community College, 57-56, at the Peter and Dolores Graff Events Center on Tuesday night.It was a tightly contested game from start to finish, North Platte took an early 4-0 lead after a pair of free throws from Zaily Marazin. The Indians went on to outscore the Knights over the final 5:41 of the quarter to take a 14-10 lead into the quarter break.McCook stretched their lead to 18-10 after a short run to open the second quarter. North Platte slowly chipped away at the deficit as they narrowed the margin to 22-20 with 1:07 to play. McCook would not relinquish their lead in the final minute, as they built a 24-20 advantage headed into the halftime break.North Platte battled back to retake the lead on a bucket from Jada Thompson with 5:09 to play in the third quarter. The game remained within one possession until McCook built a four-point edge with 6:23 to play in the final quarter.The margin was pushed to five, but the Knights cut the deficit to one on a three from Marazin with four seconds to play. North Platte would receive one final opportunity to earn the win with a strong inbound play, but the shot was just off the mark clinching the win for the Indians.North Platte connected on 33.3 percent of their shots from the floor and just 12-of-23 from the free throw line. McCook won the rebounding battle, 40-37, while shooting 32.7 percent from the field.Knights (2-1) host Eastern Wyoming College for their home opener on Friday. Tip is set for 5 p.m. inside the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium.

Knights fall to McCook in early season rivalry game

North Platte, Neb. – North Platte Community College men's basketball fell in their home opener to Colby Community College, 78-72, on Tuesday night.

"I thought we played hard tonight," said head coach Jacob Brandl. "The season is young, and we will learn from our mistakes and get better."

Sedrick Nari led the way with 19 points, seven rebounds and three assists, while Mo Diao finished with 16 points and six rebounds.

North Platte trailed early before a baseline jumper from Alex Harper sparked a 6-0 run to give the black and gold a three-point edge. Colby battled back to retake the lead on a 5-0 run while teams traded baskets for the next nine minutes.

A three by Nari pushed the Knights lead to 22-21, but the Trojans rallied to take a four-point lead with 3:11 remaining in the half. North Platte closed the half on an 11-2 run to take a 35-30 lead into the halftime break.

Colby erased the deficit in the opening minutes of the second half. A mid-range jumper by Diao halted the rally as teams exchanged buckets and the lead for the next ten minutes.

A Trojan transition layup ignited a 7-2 run with just under six minutes to play. A pair of free throws from Nari and a three-point play from Harper knotted the game up at 60-60 with 5:16 remaining. Colby continued to hold the momentum down the stretch, as they held off one final rally in the final minute to clinch the victory.

Knights shot 40.3 percent from the field, including 15-of-19 from the free throw line, while Colby finished the night shooting 39.7 percent from the field, including 51.6 percent from field goal range in the second half.&nbsp;

Knights (1-2) return to the road for the two-day Garden City Classic. North Platte will open with Dodge City Community College at 3:30 p.m. on Friday.

Story by NPCC Athletic CommunicationsNorth Platte, Neb. – North Platte Community College men's basketball fell in their home opener to Colby Community College, 78-72, on Tuesday night."I thought we played hard tonight," said head coach Jacob Brandl. "The season is young, and we will learn from our mistakes and get better."Sedrick Nari led the way with 19 points, seven rebounds and three assists, while Mo Diao finished with 16 points and six rebounds.North Platte trailed early before a baseline jumper from Alex Harper sparked a 6-0 run to give the black and gold a three-point edge. Colby battled back to retake the lead on a 5-0 run while teams traded baskets for the next nine minutes.A three by Nari pushed the Knights lead to 22-21, but the Trojans rallied to take a four-point lead with 3:11 remaining in the half. North Platte closed the half on an 11-2 run to take a 35-30 lead into the halftime break.Colby erased the deficit in the opening minutes of the second half. A mid-range jumper by Diao halted the rally as teams exchanged buckets and the lead for the next ten minutes.A Trojan transition layup ignited a 7-2 run with just under six minutes to play. A pair of free throws from Nari and a three-point play from Harper knotted the game up at 60-60 with 5:16 remaining. Colby continued to hold the momentum down the stretch, as they held off one final rally in the final minute to clinch the victory.Knights shot 40.3 percent from the field, including 15-of-19 from the free throw line, while Colby finished the night shooting 39.7 percent from the field, including 51.6 percent from field goal range in the second half.&nbsp;Knights (1-2) return to the road for the two-day Garden City Classic. North Platte will open with Dodge City Community College at 3:30 p.m. on Friday.

Knights fall in home opener to Trojans

Story by NU Athletic Communications&nbsp;

Lincoln -&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/brice-williams">Brice Williams</a>&nbsp;scored a game-high 27 points, while&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/connor-essegian">Connor Essegian</a>&nbsp;had seven of his 13 points off the bench in a decisive second-half run, as Nebraska defeated the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley, 87-67 on Monday night at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Williams carried the Huskers (1-0) with 19 first-half points, and Nebraska eventually built a 15-point second half lead before UTRGV came back. The Vaqueros fought back and got to within 69-65 on K.T. Raimey’s basket with 5:52 left before Essegian took over.&nbsp;

The 6-foot-4 guard started a 12-0 Husker spurt with seven unanswered points, as he hit a 3-pointer and then connected on two free throws on the next possession to push the lead to nine with 4:13 left. Essegian then capped a personal 7-0 spurt with a driving layup to extend the lead to double figures with 3:52 left. NU, which got six straight stops, eventually extended the margin to 81-65 after a&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/juwan-gary">Juwan Gary</a>&nbsp;basket with 2:40 left.&nbsp;

The Big Red had four players in double-digits, as&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/rollie-worster">Rollie Worster</a>&nbsp;had 18 points, nine rebounds and four steals while&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/andrew-morgan">Andrew Morgan</a>&nbsp;added 10 markers.&nbsp;

Nebraska held the Vaqueros to 38% shooting and forced 20 turnovers which led to 26 Husker points.&nbsp;

Williams got the Huskers going early, scoring the first eight points of the night in the 2:51 span and NU lead 14-6 before UTRGV came back. The Vaqueros, who hit eight 3-pointers in the first half used a 10-4 spurt to take a 22-21 lead on a Howie Fleming Jr. free throw with 8:01 left in the half.

The teams would trade the lead back and forth, and Nebraska trailed 29-28 before the Huskers took control. NU ran off ran off six straight points to take a 34-29 lead on a&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/gavin-griffiths">Gavin Griffiths</a>&nbsp;basket with 3:45 left in the half.&nbsp; UTRGV pulled within 34-32, but Williams scored Nebraska’s final eight points of the half, as the Huskers took a 42-36 lead into the break.

NU opened the second half with a 15-8 spurt to stretch the lead to 15, at 59-44 after Worster's jumper with 14:35 remaining before UTRGV mounted a comeback.&nbsp;

The Big Red will continue the three-game homestand, as they take on Bethune-Cookman on Saturday, Nov. 9. Tip is set for 7 p.m. (CT) at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tickets are still available for the matchup by visiting&nbsp;Huskers.com/Tickets.

Story by NU Athletic Communications&nbsp;Lincoln -&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/brice-williams">Brice Williams</a>&nbsp;scored a game-high 27 points, while&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/connor-essegian">Connor Essegian</a>&nbsp;had seven of his 13 points off the bench in a decisive second-half run, as Nebraska defeated the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley, 87-67 on Monday night at Pinnacle Bank Arena.Williams carried the Huskers (1-0) with 19 first-half points, and Nebraska eventually built a 15-point second half lead before UTRGV came back. The Vaqueros fought back and got to within 69-65 on K.T. Raimey’s basket with 5:52 left before Essegian took over.&nbsp;The 6-foot-4 guard started a 12-0 Husker spurt with seven unanswered points, as he hit a 3-pointer and then connected on two free throws on the next possession to push the lead to nine with 4:13 left. Essegian then capped a personal 7-0 spurt with a driving layup to extend the lead to double figures with 3:52 left. NU, which got six straight stops, eventually extended the margin to 81-65 after a&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/juwan-gary">Juwan Gary</a>&nbsp;basket with 2:40 left.&nbsp;The Big Red had four players in double-digits, as&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/rollie-worster">Rollie Worster</a>&nbsp;had 18 points, nine rebounds and four steals while&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/andrew-morgan">Andrew Morgan</a>&nbsp;added 10 markers.&nbsp;Nebraska held the Vaqueros to 38% shooting and forced 20 turnovers which led to 26 Husker points.&nbsp;Williams got the Huskers going early, scoring the first eight points of the night in the 2:51 span and NU lead 14-6 before UTRGV came back. The Vaqueros, who hit eight 3-pointers in the first half used a 10-4 spurt to take a 22-21 lead on a Howie Fleming Jr. free throw with 8:01 left in the half.The teams would trade the lead back and forth, and Nebraska trailed 29-28 before the Huskers took control. NU ran off ran off six straight points to take a 34-29 lead on a&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/gavin-griffiths">Gavin Griffiths</a>&nbsp;basket with 3:45 left in the half.&nbsp; UTRGV pulled within 34-32, but Williams scored Nebraska’s final eight points of the half, as the Huskers took a 42-36 lead into the break.NU opened the second half with a 15-8 spurt to stretch the lead to 15, at 59-44 after Worster's jumper with 14:35 remaining before UTRGV mounted a comeback.&nbsp;Raimey led UTRGV (0-1) with 14 points.The Big Red will continue the three-game homestand, as they take on Bethune-Cookman on Saturday, Nov. 9. Tip is set for 7 p.m. (CT) at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tickets are still available for the matchup by visiting&nbsp;Huskers.com/Tickets.

Huskers open season with 87-67 Win

Lincoln&nbsp;- Alexis Markowski set the school career record with her 41st double-double to lead six Huskers scoring in double figures, as the No. 23 Nebraska women's basketball team rolled to an 88-48 season-opening win over Omaha on Monday afternoon at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Playing in front of 8,106 fans in a noon tip-off at PBA on opening day of the college basketball season, the Huskers got team highs of 14 points and 11 rebounds in just 21 minutes from the three-time All-Big Ten center Markowski. The Lisa Leslie and Naismith Trophy candidate hit 7-of-8 shots from the floor while adding two assists and a block for the Big Red.

Markowski's 10th rebound to secure the record-setting double-double came on a hustle play when she dove to the floor near the three-point line and passed the ball ahead while lying on her back to create an uncontested transition layup for teammate Natalie Potts with 6:45 left in the game.

Markowski added an offensive rebound and a putback 45 seconds later to end her day with six minutes left and Nebraska leading 75-36.

Potts, the 2024 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, matched Markowski with 14 points while hitting 6-of-8 shots including a buzzer-beating three-pointer to end the first half. The 6-2 sophomore added six rebounds while helping set the tone for the Huskers with stifling defense in the opening 20 minutes. Potts' three-pointer to close the half gave Nebraska a 47-15 lead at the break and put her in double figures with 10 first-half points.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsLincoln&nbsp;- Alexis Markowski set the school career record with her 41st double-double to lead six Huskers scoring in double figures, as the No. 23 Nebraska women's basketball team rolled to an 88-48 season-opening win over Omaha on Monday afternoon at Pinnacle Bank Arena.Playing in front of 8,106 fans in a noon tip-off at PBA on opening day of the college basketball season, the Huskers got team highs of 14 points and 11 rebounds in just 21 minutes from the three-time All-Big Ten center Markowski. The Lisa Leslie and Naismith Trophy candidate hit 7-of-8 shots from the floor while adding two assists and a block for the Big Red.Markowski's 10th rebound to secure the record-setting double-double came on a hustle play when she dove to the floor near the three-point line and passed the ball ahead while lying on her back to create an uncontested transition layup for teammate Natalie Potts with 6:45 left in the game.Markowski added an offensive rebound and a putback 45 seconds later to end her day with six minutes left and Nebraska leading 75-36.Potts, the 2024 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, matched Markowski with 14 points while hitting 6-of-8 shots including a buzzer-beating three-pointer to end the first half. The 6-2 sophomore added six rebounds while helping set the tone for the Huskers with stifling defense in the opening 20 minutes. Potts' three-pointer to close the half gave Nebraska a 47-15 lead at the break and put her in double figures with 10 first-half points.Logan Nissley added 12 points in just 11 minutes off the bench, scoring on four three-point possessions despite hitting just one three-pointer while going 3-for-3 from the field and 5-for-5 from the free throw line. The sophomore guard, who was a member of the Big Ten All-Freshman team a year ago, added three assists, two steals and a block.Freshman Petra Bozan contributed 12 points of her own in just 12 minutes. The 6-3 forward/center from Croatia went 5-for-7 from the field, including 2-for-2 from three-point range, while grabbing four rebounds for the Big Red.Allison Weidner pitched in 11 points, three rebounds and two steals in her return to the starting lineup after a 55-game absence following a pair of season-ending knee injuries. Weidner hit 4-of-7 shots from the field while joining Potts and freshman guard Britt Prince in suffocating the Mavs with pressure defense.Prince put six Huskers in double figures with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting in her regular-season collegiate debut. The 5-11 guard out of Elkhorn North High School also dished out a game-high five assists and added two steals.As a team, Nebraska hit 57.6 percent (34-59) of its shots from the field, including 5-of-15 (.333) three-pointers. The Big Red also knocked down 15-of-20 free throws. The Huskers won the rebounding battle, 38-30, and claimed the turnover war, 24-20.The Huskers jumped out to an 18-2 lead, before the Mavs cut the margin to 21-11 at the end of the first quarter. Nebraska then posted a dominant 26-4 margin in the second quarter to take a 47-15 lead to halftime. The Big Red won the third quarter 17-15, before closing out the win with a 24-18 edge in the final period.Omaha's Alana Powell led all scorers with 15 points off the bench on 6-of-9 shooting, while Grace Cave put two Mavs in double figures with 11 points.&nbsp;Nebraska returns to home action on Saturday, when the Huskers take on Southeastern Louisiana. Tip-off with the Lady Lions is set for 1 p.m. (CT) with tickets available now at Huskers.com. The game will be available to subscribers of B1G+ and can be heard on the Huskers Radio Network. SLU features three returning All-Southland Conference players and have averaged 20 wins over the last two years, including a trip to the 2023 NCAA Tournament under conference coach-of-the-year Ayla Guzzardo.