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

Area District assignments for Baseball and Soccer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nebraska DiamondFest Fastpitch Softball Tournament Returns for its Second Year

Story by NPCC Athletic Communications

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

South Coach of the YearBilly Engel, Western Nebraska Community College

Omaha World-Herald's All-Midlands Men's Basketball TeamDavion Evans, So., G, North Platte Community CollegeVincent Garrett, Fr., G, Northeast Community CollegeJJ Harris, So., G, Western Nebraska Community CollegeLouie Tucker, Fr., G, McCook Community CollegeBlake Daberkow, So., F, Central Community College

Honorable MentionBryce Baez, So., F, North Platte Community CollegeParker Baumann, Fr., G, North Platte Community CollegePJ Davis, So., G, Central Community CollegeMartel Evans, So., G, McCook Community CollegeBryce Rolle, So., F, Northeast Community CollegeJustin Bolis, Fr., F, Southeast Community CollegeCollin Tarver, Fr., G, Southeast Community CollegeKayden Nation, Fr., W, Western Nebraska Community CollegeWillie Wilson, Fr., G, Western Nebraska Community College

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

Baumann, Baez and Evans receive postseason awards

Story by NU Athletic Communications

Ann Arbor, Mich.&nbsp;- The Nebraska women’s tennis team (13-10, 3-9 Big Ten) defeated the Indiana Hoosiers (6-10, 0-12 Big Ten) 4-1 on Wednesday afternoon at the Varsity Tennis Center and advanced to the second round of the Big Ten Tournament.&nbsp;

The Huskers started the match by getting the doubles point before freshman Maria Taranova earned her 22nd win in singles, and Lacasse defeated Nicole Teodosescu to secure the match point for the Huskers.

The Huskers started with a Court One victory in doubles as Raphaëlle Lacasse and Maja Pietrowicz defeated Li Hsin Lin and Saby Nihalani 6-0. Another victory followed on Court Three for the Huskers when Isabel Adrover Gallego and Lucy Loy defeated Nicole Teodosescu and Elisabeth Dunac 6-3. At the No. 2 spot, Ana Zamburek and Anfisa Danilchenko's match against Lene Mari Hovda and Sarah L'allier was left unfinished at 5-3.&nbsp;

Moving on to singles, Taranova bested Magdalena Swierczynska 6-2, 6-1. With this win, Taranova's record improves to 22-6, making her the winningest freshman in school history. On Court Two, Anfisa Danilchenko won against Elisabeth Dunac 6-3, 6-3. Maja Pietrowicz started strong on Court Four but fell to Li Hsin Lin at 2-6, 6-3, 6-1 to give the Hoosiers one point. At the No. 1 spot, Lacasse won her match against IU’s Nicole Teodosescu 7-5, 6-4 to secure the win for Nebraska. Adrover Gallego’s match against Saby Nihalani 4-6, 6-4 was left unfinished, and Zamburek match with Lene Mari Hovda and was left unfinished at 6-2, 3-6, 3-4..&nbsp;

Up Next, the Huskers will face No. 6 Maryland on Thursday, April 25, at 1 p.m. (CT). In the regular season, the Huskers held the Terrapins even until the match was decided 4-3, Maryland. Live Stats will be available on Huskers.com. The match will be streamed on Big Ten Plus. Additionally, live match updates will be on X/Formerly Twitter @HuskerWTennis.&nbsp;

No. 1 -- Raphaëlle Lacasse (Nebraska) def.&nbsp; Nicole Teodosescu (IU), 7-5, 6-4

No. 2 -- Anfisa Danilchenko (Nebraska) def. Elisabeth Dunac (IU), 6-3, 6-3

No. 3 -- Isabel Adrover Gallego (Nebraska) vs. Saby Nihalani (IU), 4-6, 6-4 (UF)

No. 4 -- Li Hsin Lin (IU) def. Maja Pietrowicz (Nebraska), 2-6, 6-3, 6-1

No. 5 -- Ana Zamburek (Nebraska) vs. Lene Mari Hovda (IU) 6-2, 3-6, 3-4&nbsp;(UF)

No. 6 -- Maria Taranova (Nebraska) def. Magdalena Swierczynska (IU), 6-2, 6-1

No. 1 -- Raphaëlle Lacasse/Maja Pietrowicz (Nebraska) def. Li Hsin Lin/Saby Nihalani (IU), 6-0

No. 2 -- Anfisa Danilchenko/Ana Zamburek (Nebraska) vs. Lene Mari Hovda/Sarah L'allier (IU), (5-3, UF)

No. 3 -- Isabel Adrover Gallego/Lucy Loy (Nebraska) def.&nbsp; Nicole Teodosescu/Elisabeth Dunac (IU), 6-3

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsAnn Arbor, Mich.&nbsp;- The Nebraska women’s tennis team (13-10, 3-9 Big Ten) defeated the Indiana Hoosiers (6-10, 0-12 Big Ten) 4-1 on Wednesday afternoon at the Varsity Tennis Center and advanced to the second round of the Big Ten Tournament.&nbsp;The Huskers started the match by getting the doubles point before freshman Maria Taranova earned her 22nd win in singles, and Lacasse defeated Nicole Teodosescu to secure the match point for the Huskers.The Huskers started with a Court One victory in doubles as Raphaëlle Lacasse and Maja Pietrowicz defeated Li Hsin Lin and Saby Nihalani 6-0. Another victory followed on Court Three for the Huskers when Isabel Adrover Gallego and Lucy Loy defeated Nicole Teodosescu and Elisabeth Dunac 6-3. At the No. 2 spot, Ana Zamburek and Anfisa Danilchenko's match against Lene Mari Hovda and Sarah L'allier was left unfinished at 5-3.&nbsp;Moving on to singles, Taranova bested Magdalena Swierczynska 6-2, 6-1. With this win, Taranova's record improves to 22-6, making her the winningest freshman in school history. On Court Two, Anfisa Danilchenko won against Elisabeth Dunac 6-3, 6-3. Maja Pietrowicz started strong on Court Four but fell to Li Hsin Lin at 2-6, 6-3, 6-1 to give the Hoosiers one point. At the No. 1 spot, Lacasse won her match against IU’s Nicole Teodosescu 7-5, 6-4 to secure the win for Nebraska. Adrover Gallego’s match against Saby Nihalani 4-6, 6-4 was left unfinished, and Zamburek match with Lene Mari Hovda and was left unfinished at 6-2, 3-6, 3-4..&nbsp;Up Next, the Huskers will face No. 6 Maryland on Thursday, April 25, at 1 p.m. (CT). In the regular season, the Huskers held the Terrapins even until the match was decided 4-3, Maryland. Live Stats will be available on Huskers.com. The match will be streamed on Big Ten Plus. Additionally, live match updates will be on X/Formerly Twitter @HuskerWTennis.&nbsp;NEB 4, IU 1SinglesNo. 1 -- Raphaëlle Lacasse (Nebraska) def.&nbsp; Nicole Teodosescu (IU), 7-5, 6-4No. 2 -- Anfisa Danilchenko (Nebraska) def. Elisabeth Dunac (IU), 6-3, 6-3No. 3 -- Isabel Adrover Gallego (Nebraska) vs. Saby Nihalani (IU), 4-6, 6-4 (UF)No. 4 -- Li Hsin Lin (IU) def. Maja Pietrowicz (Nebraska), 2-6, 6-3, 6-1No. 5 -- Ana Zamburek (Nebraska) vs. Lene Mari Hovda (IU) 6-2, 3-6, 3-4&nbsp;(UF)No. 6 -- Maria Taranova (Nebraska) def. Magdalena Swierczynska (IU), 6-2, 6-1DoublesNo. 1 -- Raphaëlle Lacasse/Maja Pietrowicz (Nebraska) def. Li Hsin Lin/Saby Nihalani (IU), 6-0No. 2 -- Anfisa Danilchenko/Ana Zamburek (Nebraska) vs. Lene Mari Hovda/Sarah L'allier (IU), (5-3, UF)No. 3 -- Isabel Adrover Gallego/Lucy Loy (Nebraska) def.&nbsp; Nicole Teodosescu/Elisabeth Dunac (IU), 6-3

Huskers down Hoosiers 4-1, will face Maryland

Story by UNK Athletic Communications&nbsp;

Kearney, Neb. –&nbsp;The&nbsp;Nebraska-Kearney&nbsp;tennis teams split with Northwest Missouri on Wednesday in&nbsp;Maryville, the 17th-ranked women winning&nbsp;<a href="https://lopers.com/sports/womens-tennis/stats/2023-24/-18-northwest-missouri/boxscore/7865" target="_blank">5-2</a>&nbsp;and the men falling to the 45th-ranked Bearcats,&nbsp;<a href="https://lopers.com/sports/mens-tennis/stats/2023-24/-45-northwest-missouri/boxscore/7836" target="_blank">6-1.</a>These&nbsp;duals&nbsp;were moved up a full day to beat the weather. Earlier on Wednesday, the second&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/tennis-women/d2/regional-rankings" target="_blank">Central Region rankings</a>&nbsp;were released, and the 18th-ranked&nbsp;Bearcat&nbsp;women (second) and&nbsp;Lopers&nbsp;(fourth) were both in the top four. UNK (17-4, 5-2) could jump Northwest (20-3, 5--2) in the next rankings after today's win. While the&nbsp;Lopers&nbsp;dropped all three doubles matches for the first time this year, they won four of six singles matches. Three of the wins came in three sets with this effort helping the Blue &amp; Gold end a seven-match losing streak to the 'Cats. The last&nbsp;Loper&nbsp;win in the series came back in April 2017 in Lincoln. &nbsp;At two singles, Colombian senior&nbsp;Melisa Becerra&nbsp;got past 73rd-ranked Tessa Kwakernaak (4-6, 1-6, 6-4) thanks to scoring the final two points in the third set. Earlier, 28th-ranked&nbsp;Jazmin Zamorano&nbsp;was winning at one (6-4, 3-2) before her opponent retired.

Both&nbsp;Becerra&nbsp;and&nbsp;Zamorano&nbsp;(Mexico) now have 128 career wins apiece.Next, Madagascar junior&nbsp;Narindra Ranaivo&nbsp;(6-4, 5-7, 6-2) and Venezuelan freshman&nbsp;Fabiana Gamboa&nbsp;(5-7, 6-4, 6-1) rolled in the third set with Colorado junior&nbsp;Alexis Bernthal&nbsp;having the most dominant win (6-2, 6-4) at six.&nbsp;Ranaivo&nbsp;is now 16-4 and riding a 12-match win streak with&nbsp;Bernthal&nbsp;having won eight straight to move her dual record to 16-3.On the men's side, Egyptian freshman&nbsp;Ahmed Abdelaziz&nbsp;posted a 6-4, 1-0 (10-4) win at five but the 'Cats (13-6, 3-1) took every other match. Working with a new lineup of late, the Lopers fall to 13-9 (3-1). In the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/tennis-men/d2/regional-rankings" target="_blank">region rankings</a>, NW is fourth with UNK sixth.&nbsp;English freshman&nbsp;Andy Brisdon&nbsp;had a chance at six singles but fell in three sets (4-6, 6-1, 1-0; 10-5) with freshman&nbsp;Jip Mens&nbsp;(The Netherlands) and Abdelaziz falling by just a 7-5 score at two doubles to the nation's 35th-ranked pair. Friday's match at Washburn has moved up to a 9 a.m. start to beat the weather. The&nbsp;Ichabods&nbsp;are ranked eighth (men) and 13th (women) nationally. The winner of the women's dual will be the MIAA regular season champion.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Story by UNK Athletic Communications&nbsp;Kearney, Neb. –&nbsp;The&nbsp;Nebraska-Kearney&nbsp;tennis teams split with Northwest Missouri on Wednesday in&nbsp;Maryville, the 17th-ranked women winning&nbsp;<a href="https://lopers.com/sports/womens-tennis/stats/2023-24/-18-northwest-missouri/boxscore/7865" target="_blank">5-2</a>&nbsp;and the men falling to the 45th-ranked Bearcats,&nbsp;<a href="https://lopers.com/sports/mens-tennis/stats/2023-24/-45-northwest-missouri/boxscore/7836" target="_blank">6-1.</a>These&nbsp;duals&nbsp;were moved up a full day to beat the weather. Earlier on Wednesday, the second&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/tennis-women/d2/regional-rankings" target="_blank">Central Region rankings</a>&nbsp;were released, and the 18th-ranked&nbsp;Bearcat&nbsp;women (second) and&nbsp;Lopers&nbsp;(fourth) were both in the top four. UNK (17-4, 5-2) could jump Northwest (20-3, 5--2) in the next rankings after today's win. While the&nbsp;Lopers&nbsp;dropped all three doubles matches for the first time this year, they won four of six singles matches. Three of the wins came in three sets with this effort helping the Blue &amp; Gold end a seven-match losing streak to the 'Cats. The last&nbsp;Loper&nbsp;win in the series came back in April 2017 in Lincoln. &nbsp;At two singles, Colombian senior&nbsp;Melisa Becerra&nbsp;got past 73rd-ranked Tessa Kwakernaak (4-6, 1-6, 6-4) thanks to scoring the final two points in the third set. Earlier, 28th-ranked&nbsp;Jazmin Zamorano&nbsp;was winning at one (6-4, 3-2) before her opponent retired. Both&nbsp;Becerra&nbsp;and&nbsp;Zamorano&nbsp;(Mexico) now have 128 career wins apiece.Next, Madagascar junior&nbsp;Narindra Ranaivo&nbsp;(6-4, 5-7, 6-2) and Venezuelan freshman&nbsp;Fabiana Gamboa&nbsp;(5-7, 6-4, 6-1) rolled in the third set with Colorado junior&nbsp;Alexis Bernthal&nbsp;having the most dominant win (6-2, 6-4) at six.&nbsp;Ranaivo&nbsp;is now 16-4 and riding a 12-match win streak with&nbsp;Bernthal&nbsp;having won eight straight to move her dual record to 16-3.On the men's side, Egyptian freshman&nbsp;Ahmed Abdelaziz&nbsp;posted a 6-4, 1-0 (10-4) win at five but the 'Cats (13-6, 3-1) took every other match. Working with a new lineup of late, the Lopers fall to 13-9 (3-1). In the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/tennis-men/d2/regional-rankings" target="_blank">region rankings</a>, NW is fourth with UNK sixth.&nbsp;English freshman&nbsp;Andy Brisdon&nbsp;had a chance at six singles but fell in three sets (4-6, 6-1, 1-0; 10-5) with freshman&nbsp;Jip Mens&nbsp;(The Netherlands) and Abdelaziz falling by just a 7-5 score at two doubles to the nation's 35th-ranked pair. Friday's match at Washburn has moved up to a 9 a.m. start to beat the weather. The&nbsp;Ichabods&nbsp;are ranked eighth (men) and 13th (women) nationally. The winner of the women's dual will be the MIAA regular season champion.&nbsp; &nbsp;

#18 Women pick up another big Regional Win; #13 Ichabods up next

KEARNEY, NE–&nbsp;The Tri-City Storm’s season ended Wednesday night at the Viaero Center in a 5-3 loss to the Fargo Force. Tri-City dropped three games in the Best-Of-Five series, and was eliminated from the postseason. Vsevolod Logvin (2), and Nolan Roed scored Tri-City’s goals in the loss.Finn McLaughlin scored his first goal of the postseason at 1:26 of Wednesday’s 1st&nbsp;period to give the Force a 1-0 lead in the battle. Michael Neumeier and Michael La Starza each collected an assist on the scoring play. Vsevolod Logvin netted his first goal of the playoffs with under seven minutes to play in the 1st&nbsp;period to bring the game to a 1-1 tie. August Falloon collected an assist on the goal. The Storm outshot the Force by a 13-7 margin during Wednesday’s 1st&nbsp;period, and the 2nd period began in a 1-1 tie. Zam Plante scored his second goal of the series at 10:29 of Wednesday’s 2nd&nbsp;period to give Fargo another lead in the battle. The goal was assisted by Reid Daavettila and Merril Steenari. Jake Fisher scored his first goal of the playoffs at 12:11 of the middle period to increase the Force’s lead to two goals. Mac Swanson and Michael La Starza each recorded an assist on the scoring play. Fargo outshot Tri-City 13-6 in the 2nd period, and carried a 3-1 lead into the 3rd&nbsp;period. Vsevolod Logvin scored his second goal of the night at 9:02 of the final period to bring the Storm back within one goal of the Force’s lead. Blake Steenerson collected an assist on the scoring play. Merril Steenari scored forty-nine seconds later to give Fargo a 4-2 lead in the contest. Mac Swanson collected an assist on the scoring play. The Storm’s final goal of the playoffs was netted by Nolan Roed at 18:07 of the 3rd period. The goal was scored shorthanded, and was Roed’s team-leading fourth goal of the postseason. Gavin Morrissey netted an empty-net goal with under one minute to play to seal Fargo’s 5-3 victory. Thatcher Bernstein made 27 saves on 31 shots in net during the game for Tri-City. Hampton Slukynsky recorded the win in goal for Fargo in a 23-save-on-26-shot performance. Season Tickets to the Storm’s 25th Anniversary Season are on sale now and can be purchased by contacting a member of the Storm Sales Staff at 308-338-8144. Pricing, and the Season Ticket Order Form for the 2024-2025 season, can be found online at&nbsp;<a href="https://stormhockey.com/sports/2022/8/19/season-tickets.aspx" target="_blank">https://stormhockey.com/sports/2022/8/19/season-tickets.aspx</a>. Skate to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.stormhockey.com/" target="_blank">www.StormHockey.com</a>&nbsp;for more information regarding the Tri-City Storm&nbsp;organization. The Tri-City Storm is presented by Viaero Wireless.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Story by Tri-City CommunicationsKEARNEY, NE–&nbsp;The Tri-City Storm’s season ended Wednesday night at the Viaero Center in a 5-3 loss to the Fargo Force. Tri-City dropped three games in the Best-Of-Five series, and was eliminated from the postseason. Vsevolod Logvin (2), and Nolan Roed scored Tri-City’s goals in the loss.Finn McLaughlin scored his first goal of the postseason at 1:26 of Wednesday’s 1st&nbsp;period to give the Force a 1-0 lead in the battle. Michael Neumeier and Michael La Starza each collected an assist on the scoring play. Vsevolod Logvin netted his first goal of the playoffs with under seven minutes to play in the 1st&nbsp;period to bring the game to a 1-1 tie. August Falloon collected an assist on the goal. The Storm outshot the Force by a 13-7 margin during Wednesday’s 1st&nbsp;period, and the 2nd period began in a 1-1 tie. Zam Plante scored his second goal of the series at 10:29 of Wednesday’s 2nd&nbsp;period to give Fargo another lead in the battle. The goal was assisted by Reid Daavettila and Merril Steenari. Jake Fisher scored his first goal of the playoffs at 12:11 of the middle period to increase the Force’s lead to two goals. Mac Swanson and Michael La Starza each recorded an assist on the scoring play. Fargo outshot Tri-City 13-6 in the 2nd period, and carried a 3-1 lead into the 3rd&nbsp;period. Vsevolod Logvin scored his second goal of the night at 9:02 of the final period to bring the Storm back within one goal of the Force’s lead. Blake Steenerson collected an assist on the scoring play. Merril Steenari scored forty-nine seconds later to give Fargo a 4-2 lead in the contest. Mac Swanson collected an assist on the scoring play. The Storm’s final goal of the playoffs was netted by Nolan Roed at 18:07 of the 3rd period. The goal was scored shorthanded, and was Roed’s team-leading fourth goal of the postseason. Gavin Morrissey netted an empty-net goal with under one minute to play to seal Fargo’s 5-3 victory. Thatcher Bernstein made 27 saves on 31 shots in net during the game for Tri-City. Hampton Slukynsky recorded the win in goal for Fargo in a 23-save-on-26-shot performance. Season Tickets to the Storm’s 25th Anniversary Season are on sale now and can be purchased by contacting a member of the Storm Sales Staff at 308-338-8144. Pricing, and the Season Ticket Order Form for the 2024-2025 season, can be found online at&nbsp;<a href="https://stormhockey.com/sports/2022/8/19/season-tickets.aspx" target="_blank">https://stormhockey.com/sports/2022/8/19/season-tickets.aspx</a>. Skate to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.stormhockey.com/" target="_blank">www.StormHockey.com</a>&nbsp;for more information regarding the Tri-City Storm&nbsp;organization. The Tri-City Storm is presented by Viaero Wireless.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Storm’s season ends in 5-3 loss

NEW YORK (AP) — Reggie Bush has been reinstated as the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner more than a decade after Southern California returned the award following an NCAA investigation that found he received what were impermissible benefits during his time with the Trojans, the Heisman Trust announced Wednesday.

“We are thrilled to&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/HeismanTrophy/status/1783139051849085118">welcome Reggie Bush back</a>&nbsp;to the Heisman family in recognition of his collegiate accomplishments,” said Michael Comerford, president of The Heisman Trophy Trust. “We considered the enormous changes in college athletics over the last several years in deciding that now is the right time to reinstate the Trophy for Reggie. We are so happy to welcome him back.”

Bush had won the trophy awarded to the top player in college football after amassing more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage and scoring 18 touchdowns in 2005. His 784 first-place votes were the fifth most in Heisman history.

The Heisman Trust has returned the trophy to Bush and the replica to USC. Bush will be invited to all future Heisman Trophy ceremonies.

“Personally, I’m thrilled to reunite with my fellow Heisman winners and be a part of the storied legacy of the Heisman Trophy, and I’m honored to return to the Heisman family,” Bush said in a statement to ESPN. “I also look forward to working together with the Heisman Trust to advance the values and mission of the organization.”

The USC football program wrote in a social media post,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/uscfb/status/1783133293996814470">“back where it belongs.</a>&nbsp;" The reinstatement of Bush gives USC a total of eight Heisman winners, most of any school.

The Trust said in its statement that its decision followed a “deliberative process” in which it closely monitored changes in the college athletics landscape. That included the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2021 decision that questioned the legality of the NCAA’s amateurism model and opened the door to athlete compensation; the ability of players to be paid for their name, image, and likeness; and the NCAA’s recent proposal to remove the cap on education-related payments.

“Recognizing that the compensation of student athletes is an accepted practice and appears here to stay, these fundamental changes in college athletics led the Trust to decide that now is the right time to return the Trophy to Bush, who unquestionably was the most outstanding college football player of 2005,” the Trust said.

Johnny Manziel, the 2012 Heisman winner from Texas A&amp;M,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/JManziel2/status/1763937014766821689">said on social media</a>&nbsp;last month that he would not participate in Heisman festivities unless Bush got his trophy back. He&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/JManziel2/status/1783127654599991675">thanked the Trust on Wednesday</a>&nbsp;“for doing what’s right and welcoming a storied member of our history back into the fold. There were many voices throughout this process that stood on the table for Reggie simply because of the kind of human being he is. I look forward to being on that stage with you this December (Reggie Bush) you deserve it.”

Among others praising the decision were 2022 winner and the projected No. 1 pick in Thursday's NFL draft,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/CALEBcsw/status/1783122113672429952">Caleb Williams</a>&nbsp;of USC, 2001 winner&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/croucheric/status/1783131968147779800">Eric Crouch</a>&nbsp;of Nebraska and 2011 winner&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/RGIII/status/1783125679975895198">Robert Griffin III</a>&nbsp;of Baylor.

Bush had his award vacated in 2010 after USC was hit with NCAA sanctions when it was found that Bush and his family received money and gifts from fledgling marketing agents who were hoping to represent him.

The NCAA also erased 13 wins in which Bush played, as well as the 55-19 victory over Oklahoma in the Bowl Championship Series title game at the Orange Bowl following the 2004 season.

Bush was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2006 NFL draft, by New Orleans, and he played for five teams over 11 seasons.

NEW YORK (AP) — Reggie Bush has been reinstated as the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner more than a decade after Southern California returned the award following an NCAA investigation that found he received what were impermissible benefits during his time with the Trojans, the Heisman Trust announced Wednesday.“We are thrilled to&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/HeismanTrophy/status/1783139051849085118">welcome Reggie Bush back</a>&nbsp;to the Heisman family in recognition of his collegiate accomplishments,” said Michael Comerford, president of The Heisman Trophy Trust. “We considered the enormous changes in college athletics over the last several years in deciding that now is the right time to reinstate the Trophy for Reggie. We are so happy to welcome him back.”Bush had won the trophy awarded to the top player in college football after amassing more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage and scoring 18 touchdowns in 2005. His 784 first-place votes were the fifth most in Heisman history.The Heisman Trust has returned the trophy to Bush and the replica to USC. Bush will be invited to all future Heisman Trophy ceremonies.“Personally, I’m thrilled to reunite with my fellow Heisman winners and be a part of the storied legacy of the Heisman Trophy, and I’m honored to return to the Heisman family,” Bush said in a statement to ESPN. “I also look forward to working together with the Heisman Trust to advance the values and mission of the organization.”The USC football program wrote in a social media post,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/uscfb/status/1783133293996814470">“back where it belongs.</a>&nbsp;" The reinstatement of Bush gives USC a total of eight Heisman winners, most of any school.The Trust said in its statement that its decision followed a “deliberative process” in which it closely monitored changes in the college athletics landscape. That included the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2021 decision that questioned the legality of the NCAA’s amateurism model and opened the door to athlete compensation; the ability of players to be paid for their name, image, and likeness; and the NCAA’s recent proposal to remove the cap on education-related payments.“Recognizing that the compensation of student athletes is an accepted practice and appears here to stay, these fundamental changes in college athletics led the Trust to decide that now is the right time to return the Trophy to Bush, who unquestionably was the most outstanding college football player of 2005,” the Trust said.Johnny Manziel, the 2012 Heisman winner from Texas A&amp;M,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/JManziel2/status/1763937014766821689">said on social media</a>&nbsp;last month that he would not participate in Heisman festivities unless Bush got his trophy back. He&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/JManziel2/status/1783127654599991675">thanked the Trust on Wednesday</a>&nbsp;“for doing what’s right and welcoming a storied member of our history back into the fold. There were many voices throughout this process that stood on the table for Reggie simply because of the kind of human being he is. I look forward to being on that stage with you this December (Reggie Bush) you deserve it.”Among others praising the decision were 2022 winner and the projected No. 1 pick in Thursday's NFL draft,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/CALEBcsw/status/1783122113672429952">Caleb Williams</a>&nbsp;of USC, 2001 winner&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/croucheric/status/1783131968147779800">Eric Crouch</a>&nbsp;of Nebraska and 2011 winner&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/RGIII/status/1783125679975895198">Robert Griffin III</a>&nbsp;of Baylor.Bush had his award vacated in 2010 after USC was hit with NCAA sanctions when it was found that Bush and his family received money and gifts from fledgling marketing agents who were hoping to represent him.The NCAA also erased 13 wins in which Bush played, as well as the 55-19 victory over Oklahoma in the Bowl Championship Series title game at the Orange Bowl following the 2004 season.Bush was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2006 NFL draft, by New Orleans, and he played for five teams over 11 seasons.

Reggie Bush is reinstated as 2005 Heisman Trophy winner, with organizers citing NIL rule changes

KEARNEY, NE.&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Tri-City Storm is set to host Game #3 of the 2024 Western Conference Semifinals tonight at the Viaero Center against the Fargo Force after dropping the opening two games of the series at Scheels Arena. The Storm must fight off elimination tonight to guarantee tomorrow night’s Game #4 of the Best-Of-Five playoff series. Tomorrow’s “If Necessary” Game will also be played at the Viaero Center. Tickets to tonight’s playoff game in Kearney may be purchased online by skating to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.stormhockey.com/" target="_blank">www.StormHockey.com</a>, or by calling the Viaero Center Box Office during Box Office Hours at 308-338-8144. Puck drop for tonight’s battle between the Storm and the Force is set for 7:05pm CT. Tri-City (2-3) (#4 Seed) returns home to the Viaero Center tonight following consecutive losses on the road against Fargo at Scheels Arena to open the Best-Of-Five Western Conference Semifinals series. The Storm suffered two 3-1 losses on the road and now faces elimination for the third time this postseason in tonight’s game. Ryan Smith and Nick Roukounakis netted goals for Tri-City during the road trip. The Storm has been outscored 6-2, and outshot 73-43 through the first two games of the series. The Storm’s powerplay is 0/3, and Tri-City’s penalty kill is 2/5 entering Game #3 tonight. Tri-City tied the regular season series against Fargo with a final head-to-head record of 3-2-0-1. The Storm captured five of a possible six points against the Force in a three-game home series at the Viaero Center March 15th-18th, 2024. Scoring leaders for Tri-City through the opening five games of the postseason include Artemi Nizameyev (3), Jake Rozzi (3), Nolan Roed (3), Owen Beckner (3), August Falloon (2), and Nick Roukounakis (2).Fargo (2-0) (#1 Seed) posted consecutive two-goal victories over Tri-City at Scheels Arena to take a two-game lead in this year’s Western Conference Semifinals series. The Force swept the Storm in last year’s Conference Semifinals Round, and has advanced past the Storm in three previous postseason battles over the past seven seasons. Fargo’s powerplay is 3/5, and the Force’s penalty kill is 3/3 through the first two games of the series. Goal scorers for the Force to this point in the postseason include Michael La Starza (2), Mac Swanson (1), Michael Quinn (1), Zam Plante (1), and Tate Taylor (1). Fargo enters tonight’s road game only one win away from advancing to play the Sioux City Musketeers in the Western Conference Final round of the 2024 Clark Cup Playoffs. Tonight’s playoff game is set to begin at&nbsp;7:05pm&nbsp;CT, and will be streamed on&nbsp;<a href="https://flosports.link/3pkG3Ge" target="_blank">FloHockey</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://mixlr.com/tri-city-storm/" target="_blank">Storm Radio</a>. Tickets to postseason games at the Viaero Center may be purchased online by skating to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.stormhockey.com/" target="_blank">www.StormHockey.com</a>, or by calling the Viaero Center Box Office at 308-338-8144. Viaero Wireless is the presenting sponsor of the Tri-City Storm.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Story by Tri-City CommunicationsKEARNEY, NE.&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Tri-City Storm is set to host Game #3 of the 2024 Western Conference Semifinals tonight at the Viaero Center against the Fargo Force after dropping the opening two games of the series at Scheels Arena. The Storm must fight off elimination tonight to guarantee tomorrow night’s Game #4 of the Best-Of-Five playoff series. Tomorrow’s “If Necessary” Game will also be played at the Viaero Center. Tickets to tonight’s playoff game in Kearney may be purchased online by skating to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.stormhockey.com/" target="_blank">www.StormHockey.com</a>, or by calling the Viaero Center Box Office during Box Office Hours at 308-338-8144. Puck drop for tonight’s battle between the Storm and the Force is set for 7:05pm CT. Tri-City (2-3) (#4 Seed) returns home to the Viaero Center tonight following consecutive losses on the road against Fargo at Scheels Arena to open the Best-Of-Five Western Conference Semifinals series. The Storm suffered two 3-1 losses on the road and now faces elimination for the third time this postseason in tonight’s game. Ryan Smith and Nick Roukounakis netted goals for Tri-City during the road trip. The Storm has been outscored 6-2, and outshot 73-43 through the first two games of the series. The Storm’s powerplay is 0/3, and Tri-City’s penalty kill is 2/5 entering Game #3 tonight. Tri-City tied the regular season series against Fargo with a final head-to-head record of 3-2-0-1. The Storm captured five of a possible six points against the Force in a three-game home series at the Viaero Center March 15th-18th, 2024. Scoring leaders for Tri-City through the opening five games of the postseason include Artemi Nizameyev (3), Jake Rozzi (3), Nolan Roed (3), Owen Beckner (3), August Falloon (2), and Nick Roukounakis (2).Fargo (2-0) (#1 Seed) posted consecutive two-goal victories over Tri-City at Scheels Arena to take a two-game lead in this year’s Western Conference Semifinals series. The Force swept the Storm in last year’s Conference Semifinals Round, and has advanced past the Storm in three previous postseason battles over the past seven seasons. Fargo’s powerplay is 3/5, and the Force’s penalty kill is 3/3 through the first two games of the series. Goal scorers for the Force to this point in the postseason include Michael La Starza (2), Mac Swanson (1), Michael Quinn (1), Zam Plante (1), and Tate Taylor (1). Fargo enters tonight’s road game only one win away from advancing to play the Sioux City Musketeers in the Western Conference Final round of the 2024 Clark Cup Playoffs. Tonight’s playoff game is set to begin at&nbsp;7:05pm&nbsp;CT, and will be streamed on&nbsp;<a href="https://flosports.link/3pkG3Ge" target="_blank">FloHockey</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://mixlr.com/tri-city-storm/" target="_blank">Storm Radio</a>. Tickets to postseason games at the Viaero Center may be purchased online by skating to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.stormhockey.com/" target="_blank">www.StormHockey.com</a>, or by calling the Viaero Center Box Office at 308-338-8144. Viaero Wireless is the presenting sponsor of the Tri-City Storm.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Storm set to host Conference Semifinals Game at Viaero Center

Story by Supernovas Athletic Communications&nbsp;

SAN DIEGO, CA. -&nbsp;The&nbsp;Omaha Supernovas (12-7)&nbsp;fell to the San Diego Mojo (8-9) in a 25-19, 17-25, 22-25, 25-21, 8-15 five-set thriller Tuesday night at Viejas Arena. The result means the Supernovas and Mojo have split the season series at two wins apiece with each team winning its home matches.

Olympian and Supernovas’ outside hitter&nbsp;Bethania de la Cruz&nbsp;led the team with 15 kills and a season-high 19 digs. She also added one block and her league-leading 26th ace of the season. Recent Omaha signee and opposite&nbsp;Stephanie Samedy&nbsp;made her Supernovas debut, adding 12 kills on a .206 clip with 10 digs for a double-double. The Minnesota graduate also earned a block and her first ace.&nbsp;

Team captain&nbsp;Brooke Nuneviller&nbsp;excelled off the bench on Tuesday, recording 10 kills on a .307 hitting percentage with 10 digs for her first double-double since April 4 when Omaha beat Columbus. Rookie&nbsp;Paige Briggs&nbsp;chipped in eight kills in her second career pro start.&nbsp;Jess Schaben-Lansman&nbsp;added seven kills.&nbsp;

Hristina Vuchkova&nbsp;led the middle blockers with six kills, three blocks and three digs.&nbsp;Tori Dixon&nbsp;and&nbsp;Sophie Davis&nbsp;each tallied one kill, but it was Davis who earned two blocks compared to Dixon’s one.&nbsp;

Setters&nbsp;Sydney Hilley&nbsp;and&nbsp;Natalia Valentín-Anderson&nbsp;each saw playing time as Valentín-Anderson finished with a team-high 29 assists and nine digs. Hilley added 22 assists and 11 digs. Libero&nbsp;Kendall White&nbsp;posted 15 digs and six assists.&nbsp;

The Supernovas hit .155 with 10 blocks and three aces.&nbsp;

Mojo hitter Temi Thomas-Ailara continued her good fortunes against Omaha with a match-high 22 kills and 17 digs. Two more Mojo players reached double-digit kills as opposite and lefty Willow Johnson recorded 14 kills and 15 digs while Lindsay Vander Weide totaled 11 kills and 14 digs.&nbsp;

San Diego hit .184 with a franchise-record 20 blocks and three aces.&nbsp;

Set 1:&nbsp;The Supernovas came firing out of the gate with a 6-2 lead as Schaben-Lansman chipped in a couple kills while Omaha took advantage of some Mojo hitting errors. San Diego rallied with a 3-0 run, but Briggs answered with back-to-back kills and Vuchkova won a net battle to increase the lead to 9-5. Lewis and Stone tallied consecutive kills. A 6-0 run followed to open up the set as Schaben-Lansman, de la Cruz, Vuchkova and a Briggs ace occurred in the sequence. A 3-0 Mojo run halted the momentum as Thomas-Ailara hammered down two kills. A four-hit violation ended the run, but a Thomas-Ailara kill and consecutive blocks cut the lead to 16-13. De la Cruz came up with a block and Briggs delivered her fourth kill of the set to go ahead 19-15. De la Cruz later added two more kills to give Omaha set point. A reaching over the net violation on San Diego clinched the 25-19 set one win for the Supernovas.&nbsp;

Omaha hit .174 with two blocks and one ace. Briggs and Schaben-Lansman led the offense with four kills apiece. De la Cruz added three while Vuchkova had a pair of kills.&nbsp;

San Diego hit .143 with four blocks and zero aces. Thomas-Ailara continued her effectiveness against the Supernovas with a team-high four kills in the set.&nbsp;

Set 2:&nbsp;Alison&nbsp;Bastianelli led the Mojo charge with two kills to put San Diego up 4-1. Vander Weide posted a solo block and a Johnson kill from the right pin put the lead to 6-1 Mojo to force an Omaha timeout. Briggs and Vuchkova buried back-to-back blocks. The Mojo answered with consecutive blocks of their own to hold the lead. A Vander Weide kill and ace from Johnson extended the lead to 10-3. Schaben-Lansman and Vuchkova tallied kills to make it 10-6. San Diego held the lead at 14-8, but Omaha regrouped for a 4-0 run including a trio of de la Cruz kills and a Dixon block to put the Mojo lead at 14-12. Johnson hit a crafty shot from the pin to end the Supernovas’ rally. Vander Weide came up with another block and kill to put the Mojo up 18-14. Vuchkova found the floor for a kill to keep the Mojo lead at six. Johnson used a low angle for a kill to give the Mojo set point. Thomas-Ailara finished off the set by tooling off the block to give the Mojo a 25-17 set win.&nbsp;

San Diego hit .256 with five blocks and two aces. Thomas Ailara led the Mojo with five kills while Johnson, Bastianelli, and Vander Weide each posted three.&nbsp;

Omaha hit .119 with three blocks and zero aces. De la Cruz added four kills in the set with Vuchkova and Schaben-Lansman each chipping in three.&nbsp;

Set 3:&nbsp;The woes for Omaha continued as action began in the third set with San Diego shooting out to a 5-1 lead with a Thomas-Ailara ace and two kills from Johnson. A Mojo service error ended the rally, but San Diego answered with a 4-0 run as a Ronika Stone middle attack forced a timeout at 9-2 Mojo. Briggs ended the rally with her second kill. Trailing 11-4, the Supernovas went to the bench as recent signee and opposite Samedy made her Omaha debu. She earned her first kill as a Supernovas two points later. Thomas-Ailara secured a block and kill in back-to-back points to extend the Mojo lead back to 14-6. The Supernovas gained momentum behind the bench reinforcements, building a 6-2 run behind a Samedy kill and ace to make it 16-12. Two-straight blocks from San Diego extended the lead back to 20-14, but Omaha rallied for a 4-0 run with de la Cruz, Nuneviller and Samedy each recording a kill. Thomas-Ailara hammered another kill. Samedy earned two more kills to make the score 24-22 Mojo, but the Minnesota graduate committed a service error to give the Mojo a 25-22 set win.&nbsp;

San Diego hit .135 with five more blocks and one ace. Thomas Ailara stacked five more kills to her total with Johnson and Vander Weide each adding three.&nbsp;

Omaha hit .140 with two blocks and one ace. Samedy paced the offense with six kills on a .417 clip in her debut set with Briggs adding three kills before being taken out for Nuneviller.&nbsp;

Set 4:&nbsp;The Supernovas gained their first lead since the first set with the opening two points which included one of Davis' two blocks. San Diego took advantage of two Omaha errors to tie the set up at two, but de la Cruz earned consecutive kills. Nuneviller added her first kill of the set a few points later. De la Cruz delivered another kill to make it 10-8 Omaha. Nuneviller began a 5-0 run for Omaha with a back-row kill and later secured a block. A de la Cruz service error ended the run, but the damage was done as the Supernovas led 15-9. Nuneviller added two more kills to her set total to make it 18-12 Omaha. The Mojo rallied for a 4-0 run as Johnson added a kill and the Supernovas committed a pair of hitting errors to cut the lead down to 20-18 forcing an Omaha timeout. De la Cruz got a touch for her sixth kill of the set to end the run. She followed that point by securing her league-leading 26th ace of the season. Samedy added another kill to stamp a 3-0 run and force a San Diego timeout with a 23-18 lead. Nuneviller tooled a block to make it set point Omaha before she terminated her sixth kill of the set to give the Supernovas a 25-21 set win and force a decisive fifth.

Omaha hit .213 with a pair of blocks and once ace. Nuneviller and de la Cruz were the dynamic duo as each tallied six kills in the set while Samedy added three.&nbsp;

San Diego recorded a clip of .098 with four more blocks and zero aces. Johnson earned four of the team’s nine kills in the set.&nbsp;

Set 5:&nbsp;Thomas-Ailara reentered the match and made her presence known with two kills off the bat to give San Diego a quick 3-1 lead. Samedy and Nuneviller recorded back-to-back kills to tie it up. Johnson put down another kill which was followed by an Omaha double hit to give the Mojo a two-point lead again. The two teams rallied back and forth, but San Diego gained the upper hand with a 5-0 run behind four kills and a block from Thomas-Ailara to make it 12-6 Mojo. A service error ended the run, but the Mojo’s 20th block gave them match point. Davis recorded a block, but Thomas-Ailara ended the match with her 22nd kill.&nbsp;

The Supernovas are back at home for their next match on Friday, April 26 with Omaha hosting the Grand Rapids Rise at the CHI Health Center. First serve is set for 8:30 p.m. CDT with Omaha making its debut on CBS Sports Network. Fans can also listen to all the action on the Supernovas Radio Network led by the flagship station 93.7 The Ticket.&nbsp;

Story by Supernovas Athletic Communications&nbsp;SAN DIEGO, CA. -&nbsp;The&nbsp;Omaha Supernovas (12-7)&nbsp;fell to the San Diego Mojo (8-9) in a 25-19, 17-25, 22-25, 25-21, 8-15 five-set thriller Tuesday night at Viejas Arena. The result means the Supernovas and Mojo have split the season series at two wins apiece with each team winning its home matches.Olympian and Supernovas’ outside hitter&nbsp;Bethania de la Cruz&nbsp;led the team with 15 kills and a season-high 19 digs. She also added one block and her league-leading 26th ace of the season. Recent Omaha signee and opposite&nbsp;Stephanie Samedy&nbsp;made her Supernovas debut, adding 12 kills on a .206 clip with 10 digs for a double-double. The Minnesota graduate also earned a block and her first ace.&nbsp;Team captain&nbsp;Brooke Nuneviller&nbsp;excelled off the bench on Tuesday, recording 10 kills on a .307 hitting percentage with 10 digs for her first double-double since April 4 when Omaha beat Columbus. Rookie&nbsp;Paige Briggs&nbsp;chipped in eight kills in her second career pro start.&nbsp;Jess Schaben-Lansman&nbsp;added seven kills.&nbsp;Hristina Vuchkova&nbsp;led the middle blockers with six kills, three blocks and three digs.&nbsp;Tori Dixon&nbsp;and&nbsp;Sophie Davis&nbsp;each tallied one kill, but it was Davis who earned two blocks compared to Dixon’s one.&nbsp;Setters&nbsp;Sydney Hilley&nbsp;and&nbsp;Natalia Valentín-Anderson&nbsp;each saw playing time as Valentín-Anderson finished with a team-high 29 assists and nine digs. Hilley added 22 assists and 11 digs. Libero&nbsp;Kendall White&nbsp;posted 15 digs and six assists.&nbsp;The Supernovas hit .155 with 10 blocks and three aces.&nbsp;Mojo hitter Temi Thomas-Ailara continued her good fortunes against Omaha with a match-high 22 kills and 17 digs. Two more Mojo players reached double-digit kills as opposite and lefty Willow Johnson recorded 14 kills and 15 digs while Lindsay Vander Weide totaled 11 kills and 14 digs.&nbsp;San Diego hit .184 with a franchise-record 20 blocks and three aces.&nbsp;Set 1:&nbsp;The Supernovas came firing out of the gate with a 6-2 lead as Schaben-Lansman chipped in a couple kills while Omaha took advantage of some Mojo hitting errors. San Diego rallied with a 3-0 run, but Briggs answered with back-to-back kills and Vuchkova won a net battle to increase the lead to 9-5. Lewis and Stone tallied consecutive kills. A 6-0 run followed to open up the set as Schaben-Lansman, de la Cruz, Vuchkova and a Briggs ace occurred in the sequence. A 3-0 Mojo run halted the momentum as Thomas-Ailara hammered down two kills. A four-hit violation ended the run, but a Thomas-Ailara kill and consecutive blocks cut the lead to 16-13. De la Cruz came up with a block and Briggs delivered her fourth kill of the set to go ahead 19-15. De la Cruz later added two more kills to give Omaha set point. A reaching over the net violation on San Diego clinched the 25-19 set one win for the Supernovas.&nbsp;Omaha hit .174 with two blocks and one ace. Briggs and Schaben-Lansman led the offense with four kills apiece. De la Cruz added three while Vuchkova had a pair of kills.&nbsp;San Diego hit .143 with four blocks and zero aces. Thomas-Ailara continued her effectiveness against the Supernovas with a team-high four kills in the set.&nbsp;Set 2:&nbsp;Alison&nbsp;Bastianelli led the Mojo charge with two kills to put San Diego up 4-1. Vander Weide posted a solo block and a Johnson kill from the right pin put the lead to 6-1 Mojo to force an Omaha timeout. Briggs and Vuchkova buried back-to-back blocks. The Mojo answered with consecutive blocks of their own to hold the lead. A Vander Weide kill and ace from Johnson extended the lead to 10-3. Schaben-Lansman and Vuchkova tallied kills to make it 10-6. San Diego held the lead at 14-8, but Omaha regrouped for a 4-0 run including a trio of de la Cruz kills and a Dixon block to put the Mojo lead at 14-12. Johnson hit a crafty shot from the pin to end the Supernovas’ rally. Vander Weide came up with another block and kill to put the Mojo up 18-14. Vuchkova found the floor for a kill to keep the Mojo lead at six. Johnson used a low angle for a kill to give the Mojo set point. Thomas-Ailara finished off the set by tooling off the block to give the Mojo a 25-17 set win.&nbsp;San Diego hit .256 with five blocks and two aces. Thomas Ailara led the Mojo with five kills while Johnson, Bastianelli, and Vander Weide each posted three.&nbsp;Omaha hit .119 with three blocks and zero aces. De la Cruz added four kills in the set with Vuchkova and Schaben-Lansman each chipping in three.&nbsp;Set 3:&nbsp;The woes for Omaha continued as action began in the third set with San Diego shooting out to a 5-1 lead with a Thomas-Ailara ace and two kills from Johnson. A Mojo service error ended the rally, but San Diego answered with a 4-0 run as a Ronika Stone middle attack forced a timeout at 9-2 Mojo. Briggs ended the rally with her second kill. Trailing 11-4, the Supernovas went to the bench as recent signee and opposite Samedy made her Omaha debu. She earned her first kill as a Supernovas two points later. Thomas-Ailara secured a block and kill in back-to-back points to extend the Mojo lead back to 14-6. The Supernovas gained momentum behind the bench reinforcements, building a 6-2 run behind a Samedy kill and ace to make it 16-12. Two-straight blocks from San Diego extended the lead back to 20-14, but Omaha rallied for a 4-0 run with de la Cruz, Nuneviller and Samedy each recording a kill. Thomas-Ailara hammered another kill. Samedy earned two more kills to make the score 24-22 Mojo, but the Minnesota graduate committed a service error to give the Mojo a 25-22 set win.&nbsp;San Diego hit .135 with five more blocks and one ace. Thomas Ailara stacked five more kills to her total with Johnson and Vander Weide each adding three.&nbsp;Omaha hit .140 with two blocks and one ace. Samedy paced the offense with six kills on a .417 clip in her debut set with Briggs adding three kills before being taken out for Nuneviller.&nbsp;Set 4:&nbsp;The Supernovas gained their first lead since the first set with the opening two points which included one of Davis' two blocks. San Diego took advantage of two Omaha errors to tie the set up at two, but de la Cruz earned consecutive kills. Nuneviller added her first kill of the set a few points later. De la Cruz delivered another kill to make it 10-8 Omaha. Nuneviller began a 5-0 run for Omaha with a back-row kill and later secured a block. A de la Cruz service error ended the run, but the damage was done as the Supernovas led 15-9. Nuneviller added two more kills to her set total to make it 18-12 Omaha. The Mojo rallied for a 4-0 run as Johnson added a kill and the Supernovas committed a pair of hitting errors to cut the lead down to 20-18 forcing an Omaha timeout. De la Cruz got a touch for her sixth kill of the set to end the run. She followed that point by securing her league-leading 26th ace of the season. Samedy added another kill to stamp a 3-0 run and force a San Diego timeout with a 23-18 lead. Nuneviller tooled a block to make it set point Omaha before she terminated her sixth kill of the set to give the Supernovas a 25-21 set win and force a decisive fifth.Omaha hit .213 with a pair of blocks and once ace. Nuneviller and de la Cruz were the dynamic duo as each tallied six kills in the set while Samedy added three.&nbsp;San Diego recorded a clip of .098 with four more blocks and zero aces. Johnson earned four of the team’s nine kills in the set.&nbsp;Set 5:&nbsp;Thomas-Ailara reentered the match and made her presence known with two kills off the bat to give San Diego a quick 3-1 lead. Samedy and Nuneviller recorded back-to-back kills to tie it up. Johnson put down another kill which was followed by an Omaha double hit to give the Mojo a two-point lead again. The two teams rallied back and forth, but San Diego gained the upper hand with a 5-0 run behind four kills and a block from Thomas-Ailara to make it 12-6 Mojo. A service error ended the run, but the Mojo’s 20th block gave them match point. Davis recorded a block, but Thomas-Ailara ended the match with her 22nd kill.&nbsp;The Supernovas are back at home for their next match on Friday, April 26 with Omaha hosting the Grand Rapids Rise at the CHI Health Center. First serve is set for 8:30 p.m. CDT with Omaha making its debut on CBS Sports Network. Fans can also listen to all the action on the Supernovas Radio Network led by the flagship station 93.7 The Ticket.&nbsp;

Omaha falls to San Diego in five sets as Samedy Makes Supernovas Debut

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Thank you for the opportunity! <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachMattRhule?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CoachMattRhule</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Callaghan_NEB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Callaghan_NEB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/HuskerCoachTW?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HuskerCoachTW</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Rob_Dvoracek?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Rob_Dvoracek</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachEJbarthel?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CoachEJbarthel</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/HuskerFootball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HuskerFootball</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GBR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GBR</a> <a href="https://t.co/DuQrAXe1Au">pic.twitter.com/DuQrAXe1Au</a>&mdash; Vincent Genatone (@genatone_v) <a href="https://twitter.com/genatone_v/status/1782910443041780088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Huskers add former North Platte High superstar Vince Genatone

High School Baseball - North Platte High School Vs. Aurora first pitch at 4:00

The Nebraska women’s gymnastics team will add Nya Kraus to the 2024-25 roster, the team announced Monday.&nbsp;

Kraus, a sophomore, was previously a member of the Lindenwood gymnastics team and competed in every meet for the Lions, including four in the all-around. Kraus earned NQS of 9.835 on bars, 9.880 on beam and 9.830 on floor. Her beam NQS was the highest on the team, and she was in the lineup on the event in every meet.&nbsp;

“I believe Nya will be an excellent addition to our team, and we are excited to welcome her to Lincoln,” Head Coach Heather Brink said. “She has proven her abilities and consistency in her first two years of competition. Nya is not only a talented athlete, but an awesome person and teammate. I know the experience at Lindenwood is important to her and she will always cherish it, but we are excited for what is to come. I have full confidence that Nya will excel as a Husker, and I’m looking forward to watching her shine.”

The Saskatchewan, Canada, native represented Lindenwood on beam at the second round of the NCAA Championships in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Over the course of the season, she earned two beam event titles and scored a 9.900 three times, which ties the third-highest score in Lion history.

Kraus was named a First-Team All-MIC honoree and posted impressive scores on bars (9.875) and beam (9.900) at the conference championships. On Jan. 17, she was named the MIC gymnast of the week.

Kraus helped Lindenwood gymnastics to a 8-4 record in its final season as a program and will have two years of eligibility with the Huskers.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsThe Nebraska women’s gymnastics team will add Nya Kraus to the 2024-25 roster, the team announced Monday.&nbsp;Kraus, a sophomore, was previously a member of the Lindenwood gymnastics team and competed in every meet for the Lions, including four in the all-around. Kraus earned NQS of 9.835 on bars, 9.880 on beam and 9.830 on floor. Her beam NQS was the highest on the team, and she was in the lineup on the event in every meet.&nbsp;“I believe Nya will be an excellent addition to our team, and we are excited to welcome her to Lincoln,” Head Coach Heather Brink said. “She has proven her abilities and consistency in her first two years of competition. Nya is not only a talented athlete, but an awesome person and teammate. I know the experience at Lindenwood is important to her and she will always cherish it, but we are excited for what is to come. I have full confidence that Nya will excel as a Husker, and I’m looking forward to watching her shine.”The Saskatchewan, Canada, native represented Lindenwood on beam at the second round of the NCAA Championships in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Over the course of the season, she earned two beam event titles and scored a 9.900 three times, which ties the third-highest score in Lion history.Kraus was named a First-Team All-MIC honoree and posted impressive scores on bars (9.875) and beam (9.900) at the conference championships. On Jan. 17, she was named the MIC gymnast of the week.Kraus helped Lindenwood gymnastics to a 8-4 record in its final season as a program and will have two years of eligibility with the Huskers.

Huskers add Transfer Nya Kraus for 2024-25

Nebraska men’s basketball coach Fred Hoiberg has announced that&nbsp;Connor Essegian&nbsp;(pronounced eh-SEE-jin) will join the Husker basketball program for the 2024-25 season. Essegian, a 6-foot-4, 195-pound guard from Fort Wayne, Ind., spent the last two years at Wisconsin and will have two years of eligibility remaining.

Hoiberg said that Essegian’s combination of shooting ability and Big Ten Conference experience made him an ideal fit for the Huskers.

“As we build our roster, Connor’s skillset fits what we are looking for,” Hoiberg said. “He has performed at a high level in the Big Ten and was one of the top freshmen in the conference two years ago when he set a school record for 3-pointers by a freshman. Connor is an outstanding shooter and has that confidence that good shooters have. He’s been on successful teams at both the high school and college level and the experience he has gained playing in the Big Ten the past two years should help him make the transition to our system.

Essegian played in 33 games for the Badgers in 2023-24, averaging 3.2 points per game, as Wisconsin went 22-14 and reached the NCAA Tournament. Essegian posted a pair of double-figure efforts, a season-high 15- point effort at Rutgers and 12 points, including a season-high four 3-pointers in a win over the Huskers in Madison.

Essegian was one of the best freshmen in the Big Ten in 2022-23, as he helped Wisconsin to 20 wins and an NIT semifinal appearance. He was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team as he played in all 35 games, including 19 starts, and averaged 11.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. He was third on the team in scoring and became just the fourth Wisconsin freshman in the last 25 years to average double figures. Essegian set a school record for a freshman with 69 3-pointers while he was 10th&nbsp;in the Big Ten in 3-pointers per game while shooting nearly 36 percent from beyond the arc.&nbsp; He reached double figures 24 times, including a pair of 20-point efforts. Essegian had a season-high 24 points at Michigan after having 23 points, including 9-of-10 from the foul line, in the first matchup with the Wolverines. Essegian recorded his first career double-double at Indiana with 14 points and 11 rebounds and had 17 points against Kansas in the 2022 Battle 4 Atlantis as well as an 18-point effort, with four 3-pointers at Penn State.

Essegian was a prolific scorer during his career at Central Noble High School in Fort Wayne, totaling 2,526 points to finish 10th all-time in the state of Indiana. As a senior, he led Central Noble to the Class 2A state basketball title game, averaging 26.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game, while shooting 43 percent from 3-point range. He was a finalist for Mr. Basketball and an all-state selection as Central Noble went 28-3 as a senior. His 2526 points broke a school record which had stood for 44 years. During his junior season, he led the Cougars to a 20-1 season averaging 24.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.3 steals per game, while shooting better than 41 percent from 3-point range. That season featured a school-record 44 points during an 81-71 victory against Churubusco in the conference tournament quarterfinals. Essegian led Central Noble to its first NECC Tournament title in 50 years during his sophomore season, averaging 24.0 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game. His 648 points that season was the highest single-season scoring total in Noble county history.

Nebraska men’s basketball coach Fred Hoiberg has announced that&nbsp;Connor Essegian&nbsp;(pronounced eh-SEE-jin) will join the Husker basketball program for the 2024-25 season. Essegian, a 6-foot-4, 195-pound guard from Fort Wayne, Ind., spent the last two years at Wisconsin and will have two years of eligibility remaining.Hoiberg said that Essegian’s combination of shooting ability and Big Ten Conference experience made him an ideal fit for the Huskers.“As we build our roster, Connor’s skillset fits what we are looking for,” Hoiberg said. “He has performed at a high level in the Big Ten and was one of the top freshmen in the conference two years ago when he set a school record for 3-pointers by a freshman. Connor is an outstanding shooter and has that confidence that good shooters have. He’s been on successful teams at both the high school and college level and the experience he has gained playing in the Big Ten the past two years should help him make the transition to our system.Essegian played in 33 games for the Badgers in 2023-24, averaging 3.2 points per game, as Wisconsin went 22-14 and reached the NCAA Tournament. Essegian posted a pair of double-figure efforts, a season-high 15- point effort at Rutgers and 12 points, including a season-high four 3-pointers in a win over the Huskers in Madison.Essegian was one of the best freshmen in the Big Ten in 2022-23, as he helped Wisconsin to 20 wins and an NIT semifinal appearance. He was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team as he played in all 35 games, including 19 starts, and averaged 11.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. He was third on the team in scoring and became just the fourth Wisconsin freshman in the last 25 years to average double figures. Essegian set a school record for a freshman with 69 3-pointers while he was 10th&nbsp;in the Big Ten in 3-pointers per game while shooting nearly 36 percent from beyond the arc.&nbsp; He reached double figures 24 times, including a pair of 20-point efforts. Essegian had a season-high 24 points at Michigan after having 23 points, including 9-of-10 from the foul line, in the first matchup with the Wolverines. Essegian recorded his first career double-double at Indiana with 14 points and 11 rebounds and had 17 points against Kansas in the 2022 Battle 4 Atlantis as well as an 18-point effort, with four 3-pointers at Penn State.Essegian was a prolific scorer during his career at Central Noble High School in Fort Wayne, totaling 2,526 points to finish 10th all-time in the state of Indiana. As a senior, he led Central Noble to the Class 2A state basketball title game, averaging 26.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game, while shooting 43 percent from 3-point range. He was a finalist for Mr. Basketball and an all-state selection as Central Noble went 28-3 as a senior. His 2526 points broke a school record which had stood for 44 years. During his junior season, he led the Cougars to a 20-1 season averaging 24.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.3 steals per game, while shooting better than 41 percent from 3-point range. That season featured a school-record 44 points during an 81-71 victory against Churubusco in the conference tournament quarterfinals. Essegian led Central Noble to its first NECC Tournament title in 50 years during his sophomore season, averaging 24.0 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game. His 648 points that season was the highest single-season scoring total in Noble county history.

Huskers add Connor Essegian to 2024-25 Basketball roster

FARGO, ND–&nbsp;The Tri-City Storm dropped the second game of the team’s Western Conference Semifinal series against the Fargo Force Monday night at Scheels Arena by a final score of 3-1. The Storm have now dropped each of the first two games in the Best-Of-Five series. Nick Roukounakis scored Tri-City’s only goal of the contest in the opening minute of the 1st&nbsp;period. The Storm now returns home for Game #3 of the series at the Viaero Center on Wednesday night. Puck drop for the playoff matchup between the Storm and the Force is scheduled for 7:05pm CT.Nick Roukounakis opened the scoring forty-six seconds into Monday’s opening period with his second goal of the postseason. Zach Bade collected an assist on the goal. Tri-City was outshot by an 11 to 8 margin during the 1st&nbsp;period, but carried a one-goal lead into Monday’s middle period. The Force netted two goals during Monday’s 2nd period to take a one-goal advantage into the 3rd&nbsp;period. Michael Quinn scored his first goal of the postseason twenty-five seconds into the period to bring the game to a 1-1 tie. Mac Swanson and Brasen Boser each collected an assist on the scoring play. Tate Taylor scored his first goal of the playoffs at 7:39 of the 2nd&nbsp;period to give Fargo a 2-1 lead in the battle. Jake Fisher and Brasen Boser each recorded an assist on Taylor’s powerplay goal. Fargo outshot Tri-City 16-4 during the 2nd&nbsp;period, and carried a 2-1 lead into Monday’s 3rd&nbsp;period. The only goal of Monday’s 3rd period was scored by Mac Swanson into an empty net with less than a minute to play. The goal was netted at 19:23 of the period, and was assisted by Brasen Boser. The Storm outshot the Force 7-6 during the 3rd&nbsp;period, but was outshot by an overall margin of 33-19. Tri-City fell by a final score of 3-1, and will now face elimination for the third time this postseason in Game #3 of the series at the Viaero Center on Wednesday night. Thatcher Bernstein made 30 saves on 32 shots in his postseason debut for Tri-City in net. Hampton Slukynsky won the game for Fargo in net in an 18-save-on-19-shot performance. Tickets to Wednesday’s playoff game at the Viaero Center may be purchased online by skating to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.stormhockey.com/" target="_blank">www.StormHockey.com</a>, or by calling the Viaero Center Box Office during Box Office hours at 308-338-8144. All non-first-row seats are available for only $7 per game. Glass tickets are $15 for Adults, and $12 for Kids. Season Tickets to the Storm’s 25th Anniversary Season are on sale now and can be purchased by contacting a member of the Storm Sales Staff at 308-338-8144. Pricing, and the Season Ticket Order Form for the 2024-2025 season, can be found online at&nbsp;<a href="https://stormhockey.com/sports/2022/8/19/season-tickets.aspx" target="_blank">https://stormhockey.com/sports/2022/8/19/season-tickets.aspx</a>.The Storm hits the ice again on Wednesday, April 24th, in a playoff game at the Viaero Center against the Fargo Force. Puck drop for the matchup is scheduled for 7:05pm CT. Skate to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.stormhockey.com/" target="_blank">www.StormHockey.com</a>for playoff tickets and more information regarding the Tri-City Storm&nbsp;organization. The Tri-City Storm is presented by Viaero Wireless.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Story by Tri-City CommunicationsFARGO, ND–&nbsp;The Tri-City Storm dropped the second game of the team’s Western Conference Semifinal series against the Fargo Force Monday night at Scheels Arena by a final score of 3-1. The Storm have now dropped each of the first two games in the Best-Of-Five series. Nick Roukounakis scored Tri-City’s only goal of the contest in the opening minute of the 1st&nbsp;period. The Storm now returns home for Game #3 of the series at the Viaero Center on Wednesday night. Puck drop for the playoff matchup between the Storm and the Force is scheduled for 7:05pm CT.Nick Roukounakis opened the scoring forty-six seconds into Monday’s opening period with his second goal of the postseason. Zach Bade collected an assist on the goal. Tri-City was outshot by an 11 to 8 margin during the 1st&nbsp;period, but carried a one-goal lead into Monday’s middle period. The Force netted two goals during Monday’s 2nd period to take a one-goal advantage into the 3rd&nbsp;period. Michael Quinn scored his first goal of the postseason twenty-five seconds into the period to bring the game to a 1-1 tie. Mac Swanson and Brasen Boser each collected an assist on the scoring play. Tate Taylor scored his first goal of the playoffs at 7:39 of the 2nd&nbsp;period to give Fargo a 2-1 lead in the battle. Jake Fisher and Brasen Boser each recorded an assist on Taylor’s powerplay goal. Fargo outshot Tri-City 16-4 during the 2nd&nbsp;period, and carried a 2-1 lead into Monday’s 3rd&nbsp;period. The only goal of Monday’s 3rd period was scored by Mac Swanson into an empty net with less than a minute to play. The goal was netted at 19:23 of the period, and was assisted by Brasen Boser. The Storm outshot the Force 7-6 during the 3rd&nbsp;period, but was outshot by an overall margin of 33-19. Tri-City fell by a final score of 3-1, and will now face elimination for the third time this postseason in Game #3 of the series at the Viaero Center on Wednesday night. Thatcher Bernstein made 30 saves on 32 shots in his postseason debut for Tri-City in net. Hampton Slukynsky won the game for Fargo in net in an 18-save-on-19-shot performance. Tickets to Wednesday’s playoff game at the Viaero Center may be purchased online by skating to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.stormhockey.com/" target="_blank">www.StormHockey.com</a>, or by calling the Viaero Center Box Office during Box Office hours at 308-338-8144. All non-first-row seats are available for only $7 per game. Glass tickets are $15 for Adults, and $12 for Kids. Season Tickets to the Storm’s 25th Anniversary Season are on sale now and can be purchased by contacting a member of the Storm Sales Staff at 308-338-8144. Pricing, and the Season Ticket Order Form for the 2024-2025 season, can be found online at&nbsp;<a href="https://stormhockey.com/sports/2022/8/19/season-tickets.aspx" target="_blank">https://stormhockey.com/sports/2022/8/19/season-tickets.aspx</a>.The Storm hits the ice again on Wednesday, April 24th, in a playoff game at the Viaero Center against the Fargo Force. Puck drop for the matchup is scheduled for 7:05pm CT. Skate to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.stormhockey.com/" target="_blank">www.StormHockey.com</a>for playoff tickets and more information regarding the Tri-City Storm&nbsp;organization. The Tri-City Storm is presented by Viaero Wireless.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Storm drops Game #2 of Conference Semifinals

2024-25 CSO All-Star Game rosters

Michaela Vavrova produced Nebraska's best individual round for the third consecutive day, posting a one-over-par 73 to finish with a three-round total of 220 (+4) to lead the Huskers at the Big Ten Women's Golf Championship in Havre de Grace, Md., Sunday.

Vavrova, a senior from Bojnice, Slovakia, was three-over through the first six holes on Sunday, but rebounded for three birdies, six pars and one bogey over the final 10 holes on the 6,314-yard, par-72 layout of the Bulle Rock Golf Course. She tied for 28th to lead the Huskers in the 84-golfer field.

Kelli Ann Strand contributed a 74 to produce NU's second-best round of the day and second-best individual finish. The sophomore from Challis, Idaho, put together a 54-hole score of 224 to tie for 40th. Strand was four-over through the first nine holes before bouncing back to play the back nine at two-under-par.

Lindsey Thiele and Lena Hassert contributed rounds of 76 to Nebraska's 299 (+11) final-round team score in the six-count-four format. Thiele, a senior from Wahoo, Neb., closed the tournament in a tie for 55th at 229 (+13). Hassert, a junior from Kreuzau, Germany, pitched in her first counting score of the tournament for the Huskers on her way to a 71st-place finish at 234 (+18).

Junior Miu Takahashi managed a final-round 78 to end the tournament in a tie for 49th at 227 (+11), while freshman Arden Louchheim settled for an 80 on Sunday to tie for 72nd overall at 236 (+20).

Nebraska finished at 893 (+29) overall through three rounds to finish 10th in the 14-team Big Ten Championship field. The Huskers finished five strokes ahead of Illinois and Rutgers, who tied for 11th at 898 (+34), while Penn State and Iowa rounded out the field in a tie for 13th nine strokes back of Nebraska at 902 (+38).

The team race went down to the wire despite Michigan State entering the final round with an 11-stroke advantage over Indiana. The Spartans battled their way to a final-round 295 (+7), giving the Hoosiers just enough space to surge to the conference title with a 283 (-5). Indiana (856) won the championship by one stroke, as Michigan State closed at 857 (-7). Northwestern took third at 863 (-1), while Purdue and Michigan tied for fourth at even-par 864.

Ohio State (872), Maryland (873), Wisconsin (882) and Minnesota (884) rounded out the group of schools ahead of the Huskers.

Minnesota's Isabella McCauley put up the best round of the tournament with a final-round 64 (-8) to storm to top of the individual leader board alongside Michigan's Monet Chun and Indiana's Caroline Craig. All three golfers finished with a 54-hole total of 209 (-7). Indiana's Caroline Smith (211) and Northwestern's Lauryn Nguyen (211) rounded out the top five individuals in a tie for fourth.

The selection show for NCAA Division I Women's Golf Regionals will be held on Wednesday, April 24. The selections will air live on the GOLF Channel from 1 to 2 p.m. (CT).&nbsp;

Big Ten ChampionshipApril 19-21, 2024Havre de Grace, MarylandBulle Rock Golf Course (Par 72, 6,314 Yards)

Final Team Results1. Indiana - 288-285-283=856 (-8)2. Michigan State - 279-283-295=857 (-7)3. Northwestern - 287-295-281=863 (-1)T4. Purdue - 292-289-283=864 (E)T4. Michigan - 288-287-289=864 (E)6. Ohio State - 298-288-286=872 (+8)7. Maryland - 298-287-288=873 (+9)8. Wisconsin - 295-294-293=882 (+18)9. Minnesota - 301-296-287=884 (+20)10. Nebraska - 301-293-299=893 (+29)T11. Rutgers - 305-295-297=898 (+34)T11. Illinois - 301-297-300=898 (+34)T13. Penn State - 310-294-298=902 (+38)T13. Iowa - 300-298-304=902 (+38)

Final Individual ResultsT1. Isabella McCauley, Minnesota - 74-71-64=209 (-7)T1. Monet Chun, Michigan - 73-66-70=209 (-7)T1. Caroline Craig, Indiana - 69-69-71=209 (-7)T4. Carolina Smith, Indiana - 73-71-67=211 (-5)T4. Lauryn Nguyen, Northwestern - 67-74-70=211 (-5)6. Katie Lu, Michigan State - 70-68-74=212 (-4)T7. Hailey Borja, Michigan - 71-73-70=214 (-2)T7. Isabel Sy, Illinois - 70-70-74=214 (-2)T7. Paula Balanzategui, Michigan State - 67-72-75=214 (-2)T10. Ashley Yun, Northwestern - 75-72-68=215 (-1)T10. Leigha Devine, Rutgers - 73-71-71=215 (-1)T10. Momo Sugiyama, Purdue - 71-73-71=215 (-1)T10. Kary Hollenbaugh, Ohio State - 75-68-72=215 (-1)

Nebraska IndividualsT28. Michaela Vavrova - 74-73-73=220 (+4)T40. Kelli Ann Strand - 76-74-74=224 (+8)T49. Miu Takahashi - 76-73-78=227 (+11)T55. Lindsey Thiele - 80-73-76=229 (+13)71. Lena Hassert - 81-77-76=234 (+18)T72. Arden Louchheim - 75-81-80=236 (+20)

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsMichaela Vavrova produced Nebraska's best individual round for the third consecutive day, posting a one-over-par 73 to finish with a three-round total of 220 (+4) to lead the Huskers at the Big Ten Women's Golf Championship in Havre de Grace, Md., Sunday.Vavrova, a senior from Bojnice, Slovakia, was three-over through the first six holes on Sunday, but rebounded for three birdies, six pars and one bogey over the final 10 holes on the 6,314-yard, par-72 layout of the Bulle Rock Golf Course. She tied for 28th to lead the Huskers in the 84-golfer field.Kelli Ann Strand contributed a 74 to produce NU's second-best round of the day and second-best individual finish. The sophomore from Challis, Idaho, put together a 54-hole score of 224 to tie for 40th. Strand was four-over through the first nine holes before bouncing back to play the back nine at two-under-par.Lindsey Thiele and Lena Hassert contributed rounds of 76 to Nebraska's 299 (+11) final-round team score in the six-count-four format. Thiele, a senior from Wahoo, Neb., closed the tournament in a tie for 55th at 229 (+13). Hassert, a junior from Kreuzau, Germany, pitched in her first counting score of the tournament for the Huskers on her way to a 71st-place finish at 234 (+18).Junior Miu Takahashi managed a final-round 78 to end the tournament in a tie for 49th at 227 (+11), while freshman Arden Louchheim settled for an 80 on Sunday to tie for 72nd overall at 236 (+20).Nebraska finished at 893 (+29) overall through three rounds to finish 10th in the 14-team Big Ten Championship field. The Huskers finished five strokes ahead of Illinois and Rutgers, who tied for 11th at 898 (+34), while Penn State and Iowa rounded out the field in a tie for 13th nine strokes back of Nebraska at 902 (+38).The team race went down to the wire despite Michigan State entering the final round with an 11-stroke advantage over Indiana. The Spartans battled their way to a final-round 295 (+7), giving the Hoosiers just enough space to surge to the conference title with a 283 (-5). Indiana (856) won the championship by one stroke, as Michigan State closed at 857 (-7). Northwestern took third at 863 (-1), while Purdue and Michigan tied for fourth at even-par 864.Ohio State (872), Maryland (873), Wisconsin (882) and Minnesota (884) rounded out the group of schools ahead of the Huskers.Minnesota's Isabella McCauley put up the best round of the tournament with a final-round 64 (-8) to storm to top of the individual leader board alongside Michigan's Monet Chun and Indiana's Caroline Craig. All three golfers finished with a 54-hole total of 209 (-7). Indiana's Caroline Smith (211) and Northwestern's Lauryn Nguyen (211) rounded out the top five individuals in a tie for fourth.The selection show for NCAA Division I Women's Golf Regionals will be held on Wednesday, April 24. The selections will air live on the GOLF Channel from 1 to 2 p.m. (CT).&nbsp;Big Ten ChampionshipApril 19-21, 2024Havre de Grace, MarylandBulle Rock Golf Course (Par 72, 6,314 Yards)Final Team Results1. Indiana - 288-285-283=856 (-8)2. Michigan State - 279-283-295=857 (-7)3. Northwestern - 287-295-281=863 (-1)T4. Purdue - 292-289-283=864 (E)T4. Michigan - 288-287-289=864 (E)6. Ohio State - 298-288-286=872 (+8)7. Maryland - 298-287-288=873 (+9)8. Wisconsin - 295-294-293=882 (+18)9. Minnesota - 301-296-287=884 (+20)10. Nebraska - 301-293-299=893 (+29)T11. Rutgers - 305-295-297=898 (+34)T11. Illinois - 301-297-300=898 (+34)T13. Penn State - 310-294-298=902 (+38)T13. Iowa - 300-298-304=902 (+38)Final Individual ResultsT1. Isabella McCauley, Minnesota - 74-71-64=209 (-7)T1. Monet Chun, Michigan - 73-66-70=209 (-7)T1. Caroline Craig, Indiana - 69-69-71=209 (-7)T4. Carolina Smith, Indiana - 73-71-67=211 (-5)T4. Lauryn Nguyen, Northwestern - 67-74-70=211 (-5)6. Katie Lu, Michigan State - 70-68-74=212 (-4)T7. Hailey Borja, Michigan - 71-73-70=214 (-2)T7. Isabel Sy, Illinois - 70-70-74=214 (-2)T7. Paula Balanzategui, Michigan State - 67-72-75=214 (-2)T10. Ashley Yun, Northwestern - 75-72-68=215 (-1)T10. Leigha Devine, Rutgers - 73-71-71=215 (-1)T10. Momo Sugiyama, Purdue - 71-73-71=215 (-1)T10. Kary Hollenbaugh, Ohio State - 75-68-72=215 (-1)Nebraska IndividualsT28. Michaela Vavrova - 74-73-73=220 (+4)T40. Kelli Ann Strand - 76-74-74=224 (+8)T49. Miu Takahashi - 76-73-78=227 (+11)T55. Lindsey Thiele - 80-73-76=229 (+13)71. Lena Hassert - 81-77-76=234 (+18)T72. Arden Louchheim - 75-81-80=236 (+20)

Huskers take 10th at Big Ten Championship

Story by NU Athletic Communications&nbsp;

Nebraska matched its season high in runs for the third time this season in a 16-4 thrashing of Maryland in the rubber match on Sunday afternoon at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park.

Nebraska (25-12, 8-4 Big Ten) totaled 16 runs on 16 hits, while Maryland (25-16, 6-9 Big Ten) had four runs on six hits and four errors.

Cayden Brumbaugh fell a homer away from the cycle, going 3-for-4 with a double, triple, three RBI and three runs scored. Tyler Stone had a 3-for-5 afternoon with a home run and two RBI. Riley Silva drove in three runs and tallied two hits, while Cole Evans and Joshua Overbeek recorded two hits apiece. Ben Columbus, Garrett Anglim, Case Sanderson and Dylan Carey tallied a hit each.

Will Walsh improved to 4-2 on the season in a 5.1-inning performance, becoming the first NU pitcher to go five-plus innings in a start on Sunday. Walsh allowed four runs on six hits and struck out seven Terrapins across 5.1 innings.

Kyle Froehlich tossed 0.2 innings in relief, recording a pair of strikeouts along the way. Kyle Perry pitched a shutout inning in the seventh to close out the run-rule victory.

The Huskers wasted no time jumping on the Terrapins on Sunday, as Stone drilled a 381-foot two-run homer down the right-field line to give the Big Red a 2-0 lead after the opening frame.

A solo homer in the top of the second trimmed the NU lead in half, before the Husker offense tacked on a trio of runs on three hits and a Terrapin error to extend the lead to 5-1 through two. Sanderson drew a full-count walk, while Evans blooped a first-pitch single to right to place runners on first and third with no outs.

Sanderson scored via a passed ball on a play where Carey struck out, Evans stole second and then advanced to third on an error from the Maryland pitcher receiving the baseball. Back-to-back RBI singles from Brumbaugh and Silva gave the Huskers a four-run advantage.

Nebraska piled on five runs with seven hits and a couple errors from the Terrapins to grow the lead to 10-1 in the fourth. Five straight hits to start the inning had the Huskers out front by eight. Carey led off the inning and scored on a play where Overbeek reached on a bunt single and took second after a wild throw from the Terrapins.

Brumbaugh followed Overbeek with an RBI triple down the left-field line, while an infield RBI single by Silva plated Brumbaugh. Silva took second on the play after an errant throw by the Terps, and Columbus continued the hitting parade for the NU offense with an RBI single to right to score Silva.

Maryland finally recorded an out after five straight hits from the NU offense. A two-out double to left-center by Sanderson placed runners on second and third, while Evans singled deep into the hole at shortstop for an RBI single to bring home Columbus.

Walsh sat down the Terrapins in order in the fifth, before Brumbaugh’s RBI double to left expanded the lead 10 for the Big Red.

The Terrapin offense came to life in the top of the sixth with four hits, including a trio of RBI singles to make it a seven-run game heading into the bottom of the sixth.

The Huskers answered with five more runs on two hits and error to enlarge the lead to 16-4. Caron opened the inning with a hit by pitch, while four straight walks from the Maryland pitching staff kept the bases loaded for the NU offense and added two more runs.

Silva lifted an 0-1 pitch to left for a sacrifice fly to score Evans. A wild throw from the Terps on the sacrifice fly moved runners to second and third on the play, setting up Anglim’s two-RBI single to left field to make it a 16-4 game through six innings.

Perry took the mound in the seventh and retired the Terrapins in order to preserve the 16-4 run-rule win for the Huskers.

Nebraska continues its homestand this week, welcoming Kansas to Hawks Field at Haymarket Park on Tuesday, April 23. First pitch between the Huskers and Jayhawks is set for 6:05 p.m.

Story by NU Athletic Communications&nbsp;Nebraska matched its season high in runs for the third time this season in a 16-4 thrashing of Maryland in the rubber match on Sunday afternoon at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park.Nebraska (25-12, 8-4 Big Ten) totaled 16 runs on 16 hits, while Maryland (25-16, 6-9 Big Ten) had four runs on six hits and four errors.Cayden Brumbaugh fell a homer away from the cycle, going 3-for-4 with a double, triple, three RBI and three runs scored. Tyler Stone had a 3-for-5 afternoon with a home run and two RBI. Riley Silva drove in three runs and tallied two hits, while Cole Evans and Joshua Overbeek recorded two hits apiece. Ben Columbus, Garrett Anglim, Case Sanderson and Dylan Carey tallied a hit each.Will Walsh improved to 4-2 on the season in a 5.1-inning performance, becoming the first NU pitcher to go five-plus innings in a start on Sunday. Walsh allowed four runs on six hits and struck out seven Terrapins across 5.1 innings.Kyle Froehlich tossed 0.2 innings in relief, recording a pair of strikeouts along the way. Kyle Perry pitched a shutout inning in the seventh to close out the run-rule victory.The Huskers wasted no time jumping on the Terrapins on Sunday, as Stone drilled a 381-foot two-run homer down the right-field line to give the Big Red a 2-0 lead after the opening frame.A solo homer in the top of the second trimmed the NU lead in half, before the Husker offense tacked on a trio of runs on three hits and a Terrapin error to extend the lead to 5-1 through two. Sanderson drew a full-count walk, while Evans blooped a first-pitch single to right to place runners on first and third with no outs.Sanderson scored via a passed ball on a play where Carey struck out, Evans stole second and then advanced to third on an error from the Maryland pitcher receiving the baseball. Back-to-back RBI singles from Brumbaugh and Silva gave the Huskers a four-run advantage.Nebraska piled on five runs with seven hits and a couple errors from the Terrapins to grow the lead to 10-1 in the fourth. Five straight hits to start the inning had the Huskers out front by eight. Carey led off the inning and scored on a play where Overbeek reached on a bunt single and took second after a wild throw from the Terrapins.Brumbaugh followed Overbeek with an RBI triple down the left-field line, while an infield RBI single by Silva plated Brumbaugh. Silva took second on the play after an errant throw by the Terps, and Columbus continued the hitting parade for the NU offense with an RBI single to right to score Silva.Maryland finally recorded an out after five straight hits from the NU offense. A two-out double to left-center by Sanderson placed runners on second and third, while Evans singled deep into the hole at shortstop for an RBI single to bring home Columbus.Walsh sat down the Terrapins in order in the fifth, before Brumbaugh’s RBI double to left expanded the lead 10 for the Big Red.The Terrapin offense came to life in the top of the sixth with four hits, including a trio of RBI singles to make it a seven-run game heading into the bottom of the sixth.The Huskers answered with five more runs on two hits and error to enlarge the lead to 16-4. Caron opened the inning with a hit by pitch, while four straight walks from the Maryland pitching staff kept the bases loaded for the NU offense and added two more runs.Silva lifted an 0-1 pitch to left for a sacrifice fly to score Evans. A wild throw from the Terps on the sacrifice fly moved runners to second and third on the play, setting up Anglim’s two-RBI single to left field to make it a 16-4 game through six innings.Perry took the mound in the seventh and retired the Terrapins in order to preserve the 16-4 run-rule win for the Huskers.Nebraska continues its homestand this week, welcoming Kansas to Hawks Field at Haymarket Park on Tuesday, April 23. First pitch between the Huskers and Jayhawks is set for 6:05 p.m.

Huskers clinch series in dominant fashion

Lincoln, Neb. -&nbsp;NU dominated today’s conference match and claimed the most victories for the program since 2009, as the #58 Nebraska men’s tennis team (16-9, 5-4 Big Ten) closed out the regular season with a 7-0 sweep of Penn State (5-19, 1-8 Big Ten) on Senior Day.&nbsp;

Highlighting the day was seniors Rudi Christiansen, Shunya Maruyama and Nic Wiedenhorn each winning their matches, and No. 119 Calvin Mueller claiming his fifth ranked win, and 26th of the season, defeating No. 79 Miko Eala 6-4, 3-6, 1-0 (10-5).

The Big Ten matchup began with doubles at the Sid and Hazel Dillon Tennis Center. On Court One, #85 Anton Shepp and Wiedenhorn had a dominant match against Miko Eala and Stefan Simeunovic, defeating the Nittany Lions, 6-1. At No. 3 doubles, Leo Linquet and Maruyama finished next, taking down Ari Cotoulas and Alexander Sterin, 6-2, to clinch the doubles point. Calvin Mueller and Lars Johann competed at No. 2 doubles, but their match against Nolan Ranger and Jack Martuccio was abandoned at 4-5.

The Big Red began singles with the lead, and five Huskers took their first sets. Chrisitansen was the first to finish, defeating Ritvik Nadikude, 6-1, 6-0, in the No. 6 slot. Roni Hietaranta played the No. 5 singles slot and took down Alexander Sterin, 6-0, 6-3. On Court Three, Maruyama clinched the match win for the Big Red, defeating Nolan Ranger, 6-2, 6-3. Johann was next to finish, playing Jack Martuccio in the No. 4 slot, and winning, 6-2, 7-5. On Court One, #119 Mueller had yet another ranked upset win, defeating #79 Miko Eala, 6-4, 3-6, 1-0 (10-5). At No. 2 singles, Shepp rallied to come back and secure the 7-0 sweep for the Big Red, taking down Stefan Simeunovic, 1-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-1).&nbsp;

The senior day sweep improved the Huskers’ record to 16-9 (5-4 Big Ten) to conclude the regular season. The 16th win marks a program best since 2009. Mueller’s win at No. 1 singles was his fifth ranked win, finishing the regular season with a perfect 5-0 record against ranked conference opponents. Defeating Eala also notched the junior’s 26th singles win of the season, to tie Toby Boyer for fifth place on the single-season victories record list. Maruyama earned his 19th singles win of the season on Court Three, and his 18th doubles win, after defeating Cotoulas and Sterin. Concluding the regular season with a 5-4 conference record sets the Big Red up to be the No. 5 seed in the Big Ten Tournament. The Huskers concluded home play with an 11-3 record when playing at Dillon. Head Coach Peter Kobelt has led the team to a program record most wins from a first-year coach, all-time.

Up next, the Huskers head to Evanston, Ill., for the Big Ten Tournament. Seeded at No. 5, the Big Red will take on No. 4 Illinois on Friday, April 26, with first serve set for 11 a.m. (CT). Live stats will be available on Huskers.com, as well as live updates and content posted on X/Twitter at<a href="https://twitter.com/HuskerMTennis?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank">@HuskerMTennis</a>.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsLincoln, Neb. -&nbsp;NU dominated today’s conference match and claimed the most victories for the program since 2009, as the #58 Nebraska men’s tennis team (16-9, 5-4 Big Ten) closed out the regular season with a 7-0 sweep of Penn State (5-19, 1-8 Big Ten) on Senior Day.&nbsp;Highlighting the day was seniors Rudi Christiansen, Shunya Maruyama and Nic Wiedenhorn each winning their matches, and No. 119 Calvin Mueller claiming his fifth ranked win, and 26th of the season, defeating No. 79 Miko Eala 6-4, 3-6, 1-0 (10-5).The Big Ten matchup began with doubles at the Sid and Hazel Dillon Tennis Center. On Court One, #85 Anton Shepp and Wiedenhorn had a dominant match against Miko Eala and Stefan Simeunovic, defeating the Nittany Lions, 6-1. At No. 3 doubles, Leo Linquet and Maruyama finished next, taking down Ari Cotoulas and Alexander Sterin, 6-2, to clinch the doubles point. Calvin Mueller and Lars Johann competed at No. 2 doubles, but their match against Nolan Ranger and Jack Martuccio was abandoned at 4-5.The Big Red began singles with the lead, and five Huskers took their first sets. Chrisitansen was the first to finish, defeating Ritvik Nadikude, 6-1, 6-0, in the No. 6 slot. Roni Hietaranta played the No. 5 singles slot and took down Alexander Sterin, 6-0, 6-3. On Court Three, Maruyama clinched the match win for the Big Red, defeating Nolan Ranger, 6-2, 6-3. Johann was next to finish, playing Jack Martuccio in the No. 4 slot, and winning, 6-2, 7-5. On Court One, #119 Mueller had yet another ranked upset win, defeating #79 Miko Eala, 6-4, 3-6, 1-0 (10-5). At No. 2 singles, Shepp rallied to come back and secure the 7-0 sweep for the Big Red, taking down Stefan Simeunovic, 1-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-1).&nbsp;The senior day sweep improved the Huskers’ record to 16-9 (5-4 Big Ten) to conclude the regular season. The 16th win marks a program best since 2009. Mueller’s win at No. 1 singles was his fifth ranked win, finishing the regular season with a perfect 5-0 record against ranked conference opponents. Defeating Eala also notched the junior’s 26th singles win of the season, to tie Toby Boyer for fifth place on the single-season victories record list. Maruyama earned his 19th singles win of the season on Court Three, and his 18th doubles win, after defeating Cotoulas and Sterin. Concluding the regular season with a 5-4 conference record sets the Big Red up to be the No. 5 seed in the Big Ten Tournament. The Huskers concluded home play with an 11-3 record when playing at Dillon. Head Coach Peter Kobelt has led the team to a program record most wins from a first-year coach, all-time.Up next, the Huskers head to Evanston, Ill., for the Big Ten Tournament. Seeded at No. 5, the Big Red will take on No. 4 Illinois on Friday, April 26, with first serve set for 11 a.m. (CT). Live stats will be available on Huskers.com, as well as live updates and content posted on X/Twitter at<a href="https://twitter.com/HuskerMTennis?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank">@HuskerMTennis</a>.

Huskers sweep Penn State on Senior Day

Nebraska defensive coordinator Tony White met with members of the media following Thursday’s practice.

He discussed the linebacker room and replacing Nick Henrich and Luke Reimer.

“Without those two guys, you’ve got guys like Mikai (Gbayor), you’ve got Javin (Wright) – Buddha – (John) Bullock. Last year he learned how to play safety and linebacker. So far this spring, he has really stepped it up. He is a linebacker. I think you can see in the speed of how he’s playing in practice, how comfortable he’s starting to get. He’s just seeing things a little faster, he’s a little bit more aggressive on the ball. Then you’ve got those other guys starting to show up – Jacob Bower is doing a really nice job, he’s starting to flash and show. Gage Stenger, Stefon Thompson, he’s worked himself into shape. He knows the defense and he’s starting to put things together. You’ve got a lot of guys who are starting to come up, but again, it’s all about the buildup to Saturday. Because Saturday is just like a game and that’s where you really get a chance to say ‘this is who I am.’"

He spoke on the defensive standard, his and his staff’s intensity and how the players handled it.

“You’re never good enough. The really cool thing – after the scrimmage, when we came back and watched it, coaches got on me because it wasn’t good enough. It just wasn’t good enough. We went back and we looked, because this group of guys in the locker room, they do what you ask. These guys are blue collar. They make coaching fun. I looked at it and we went back as a defensive staff and asked ‘how can we do this?’ We tweaked some things on defense and explained to them. I apologized and said ‘hey guys, this is my fault. This is what we want to look like, this is what we want to do’ and showed them, actually showed them. Tuesday, they went out there and they ran around with their hair on fire, and I was like ‘wow.’ I think everybody was like ‘holy cow, what’s going on?’ Then today, to start off, they had the same attitude toward it. I had to apologize to the guys. It was my fault. It was really fun to watch those guys – Jimari (Butler), (John) Bullock, Giff (Isaac Gifford), those guys, go out there with a little chip on their shoulder and fly around. You’re never good enough. You’re always tweaking something, trying to challenge somebody. You’re always trying to make sure that guys are getting better. When coach jumped us for that, it was a great thing. We were able to redefine some things.”

White also talked about how the veteran players handled his intensity, and what it says about the culture that they also took accountability.&nbsp;

“That’s 100% those guys. They’ll do whatever is asked of them. I can’t talk enough about those guys. When I apologized to them and we showed them, they went out and they did it. They started to do it. It was really neat for them to do it on Tuesday and then go out there today and have that same attitude. Now, what coaching is is fixing things, making adjustments, seeing why certain guys did something, but really working on the confidence. Really working on the ‘when you step on that grass, you just let it go. Let it go and go play.’

The Huskers will continue their spring season with a scrimmage on Saturday. The annual Red-White Spring game presented by FNBO is scheduled for Saturday, April 27 at 11 a.m. (CT). Tickets can be purchased on huskers.com or by calling the ticket office at 800-8-BIG RED.

Story by NU Athletic Communications<div><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/t0B1UdN9-Qhb3tgnY.html" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="White Psr 4-18-24 Cam 1" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Nebraska defensive coordinator Tony White met with members of the media following Thursday’s practice.He discussed the linebacker room and replacing Nick Henrich and Luke Reimer.“Without those two guys, you’ve got guys like Mikai (Gbayor), you’ve got Javin (Wright) – Buddha – (John) Bullock. Last year he learned how to play safety and linebacker. So far this spring, he has really stepped it up. He is a linebacker. I think you can see in the speed of how he’s playing in practice, how comfortable he’s starting to get. He’s just seeing things a little faster, he’s a little bit more aggressive on the ball. Then you’ve got those other guys starting to show up – Jacob Bower is doing a really nice job, he’s starting to flash and show. Gage Stenger, Stefon Thompson, he’s worked himself into shape. He knows the defense and he’s starting to put things together. You’ve got a lot of guys who are starting to come up, but again, it’s all about the buildup to Saturday. Because Saturday is just like a game and that’s where you really get a chance to say ‘this is who I am.’"He spoke on the defensive standard, his and his staff’s intensity and how the players handled it.“You’re never good enough. The really cool thing – after the scrimmage, when we came back and watched it, coaches got on me because it wasn’t good enough. It just wasn’t good enough. We went back and we looked, because this group of guys in the locker room, they do what you ask. These guys are blue collar. They make coaching fun. I looked at it and we went back as a defensive staff and asked ‘how can we do this?’ We tweaked some things on defense and explained to them. I apologized and said ‘hey guys, this is my fault. This is what we want to look like, this is what we want to do’ and showed them, actually showed them. Tuesday, they went out there and they ran around with their hair on fire, and I was like ‘wow.’ I think everybody was like ‘holy cow, what’s going on?’ Then today, to start off, they had the same attitude toward it. I had to apologize to the guys. It was my fault. It was really fun to watch those guys – Jimari (Butler), (John) Bullock, Giff (Isaac Gifford), those guys, go out there with a little chip on their shoulder and fly around. You’re never good enough. You’re always tweaking something, trying to challenge somebody. You’re always trying to make sure that guys are getting better. When coach jumped us for that, it was a great thing. We were able to redefine some things.”White also talked about how the veteran players handled his intensity, and what it says about the culture that they also took accountability.&nbsp;“That’s 100% those guys. They’ll do whatever is asked of them. I can’t talk enough about those guys. When I apologized to them and we showed them, they went out and they did it. They started to do it. It was really neat for them to do it on Tuesday and then go out there today and have that same attitude. Now, what coaching is is fixing things, making adjustments, seeing why certain guys did something, but really working on the confidence. Really working on the ‘when you step on that grass, you just let it go. Let it go and go play.’The Huskers will continue their spring season with a scrimmage on Saturday. The annual Red-White Spring game presented by FNBO is scheduled for Saturday, April 27 at 11 a.m. (CT). Tickets can be purchased on huskers.com or by calling the ticket office at 800-8-BIG RED.<div><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/S6qyNbkZ-Qhb3tgnY.html" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Dvorcek Psr 4-18-24 Cam 1" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><div><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/FjYpw9eL-Qhb3tgnY.html" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Gbayor, Mikai" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><div><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/Sh1DzLSj-Qhb3tgnY.html" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Van Poppel Psr 4-18-24 Cam 1" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><div><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/GWzhWnLc-Qhb3tgnY.html" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Borders 4-18-24 Cam 1" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

Huskers DC Tony White speaks on Defensive intensity

The Nebraska softball team travels to Ann Arbor this weekend for a pivotal three-game series with Michigan in a battle of two of the top three teams in the Big Ten standings.

Michigan (30-14) enters the weekend in second place in the Big Ten standings with an 11-3 conference record. Nebraska (25-16) is third in the standings with an 8-3 Big Ten record. In addition to trying to improve their conference standing, Michigan and Nebraska are also looking to strengthen their position for a potential at-large NCAA Tournament berth.&nbsp;

Both the Huskers and Wolverines are in the top 50 of the NCAA RPI and each school has claimed its highest RPI ranking of the season this week. Nebraska is No. 44 in the RPI heading into Friday’s game after a season-high ranking of No. 43 on Tuesday. Michigan brings a season-high RPI ranking of 50 into this weekend’s series.

Including this weekend’s series, Nebraska has three challenging weekend series remaining on its conference schedule. After taking on second-place Michigan this weekend, the Huskers will host league-leading Northwestern next weekend. NU then closes the regular season with a three-game series at Minnesota, which is fifth in the Big Ten standings.

Fans can watch Friday’s game on FS1 or the Fox Sports app. The final two games will air on Big Ten+, with subscriptions starting at $9.99 per month. A free radio broadcast of every game this season will be available on Huskers.com or the official Huskers app.

Offense Ranks Highly in School HistoryNebraska boasts one of the top offenses in school history this season. The Huskers rank seventh nationally in doubles (76), 28th in home runs (46) and 30th in scoring (6.1 runs per game).

Huskers Showing Comeback Ability in 2024Nebraska has shown a knack for coming from behind this season. The Huskers have trailed in 15 of their 25 wins, including nine times when Nebraska came back from a multi-run deficit.

Nebraska Leading the Big Ten in Extra-Base HitsNebraska has hit 76 doubles, five triples and 46 home runs for a total of 127 extra-base hits this season. That total leads the Big Ten and two Huskers rank in the top five in extra-base hits.

Kinney Pitching Well Despite Increased WorkloadKaylin Kinney has pitched in 31 of Nebraska’s 41 games (76 percent), ranking 15th nationally in appearances. Kinney has pitched in 13 of Nebraska’s last 14 games and in 10 of the Huskers’ 11 Big Ten Conference games. She has started 14 games and thrown 122.2 innings this season after combining for 14 starts and 114.1 innings in her first three seasons.

Billie Andrews Breaks Husker Home Run RecordBillie Andrews ranks 10th nationally in home runs per game (0.4) with 15 homers in 37 games. She is Nebraska’s all-time home run leader with 58 career homers.

Billie Andrews Becomes second Husker In 40-40 ClubBillie Andrews has joined Jennifer Lizama as the only players in program history to hit 40 career home runs and steal 40 career bases. With three more stolen bases, Andrews would become the first Husker with 50 career home runs and 50 career stolen bases.

Billie Andrews Moving Into Big Ten Record BookBillie Andrews’ production at the plate is leaving its mark in the Big Ten record book. Andrews already finds herself on the Big Ten’s all-time home runs list and she is also looking for a place on the Big Ten’s career slugging percentage top 10.

Billie Andrews Among Nation’s Extra-Base Hit LeadersBillie Andrews ranks third in school history with 96 career extra-base hits, including 26 this season. Forty-three percent of her career hits have gone for extra bases.

Scouting Michigan (30-14, 11-3)Michigan won its 30th game of the season Wednesday, defeating in-state rival Michigan State, 5-1. The Wolverines are 30-14 and have won six straight games. Michigan is in second place in the Big Ten standings with an 11-3 conference record. The Wolverines have swept every Big Ten series with the exception of Northwestern in the first weekend of April, when the first-place Wildcats swept Michigan.

Nebraska and Michigan share seven common opponents this season in Cal State Fullerton, Illinois, Long Beach State, Maine, Northern Colorado, Sacramento State and UCLA. The Huskers posted a 9-2 record against that group while Michigan went 5-4.

Michigan is 10-0 at home as the Wolverines are one of only 14 teams with a perfect home record in 2024. Dating back to last year Michigan has won 12 straight home games.

The Wolverine offense has come alive over the second half of the season. In the first 19 games this season, Michigan averaged only 3.0 runs per game. But in the last 26 games, the Wolverines have averaged 6.9 runs per game. Michigan is hitting .336 as a team in conference play, the second-best batting average in the Big Ten.

Defensively, Michigan is allowing 3.2 runs per game while posting a 2.81 team ERA and .968 fielding percentage. The Wolverines lead the Big Ten with 277 strikeouts and rank second in the conference in ERA and opponent batting average (.233).

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsThe Nebraska softball team travels to Ann Arbor this weekend for a pivotal three-game series with Michigan in a battle of two of the top three teams in the Big Ten standings.Michigan (30-14) enters the weekend in second place in the Big Ten standings with an 11-3 conference record. Nebraska (25-16) is third in the standings with an 8-3 Big Ten record. In addition to trying to improve their conference standing, Michigan and Nebraska are also looking to strengthen their position for a potential at-large NCAA Tournament berth.&nbsp;Both the Huskers and Wolverines are in the top 50 of the NCAA RPI and each school has claimed its highest RPI ranking of the season this week. Nebraska is No. 44 in the RPI heading into Friday’s game after a season-high ranking of No. 43 on Tuesday. Michigan brings a season-high RPI ranking of 50 into this weekend’s series.Including this weekend’s series, Nebraska has three challenging weekend series remaining on its conference schedule. After taking on second-place Michigan this weekend, the Huskers will host league-leading Northwestern next weekend. NU then closes the regular season with a three-game series at Minnesota, which is fifth in the Big Ten standings.Fans can watch Friday’s game on FS1 or the Fox Sports app. The final two games will air on Big Ten+, with subscriptions starting at $9.99 per month. A free radio broadcast of every game this season will be available on Huskers.com or the official Huskers app.Leading Off<ul>
 <li>Six of Nebraska’s 24 players (25 percent of the roster) are out for the season with an injury.</li><li>A total of 12 Huskers have missed at least one game due to injury this season.</li><li>Nebraska is averaging 6.1 runs per game this season. Only twice in program history (2015 and 2022) has a Husker team averaged 6.0 runs per game.</li><li>NU leads the Big Ten and ranks seventh nationally with 76 doubles. The Huskers are on pace for 111 doubles this season which would be a Big Ten record.</li><li>Nebraska leads the Big Ten with 127 extra-base hits.</li><li>Nebraska has won four games when trailing after six innings this season, its most such wins in a season this century.</li><li>Billie Andrews is two home runs shy of becoming the sixth player in Big Ten history with 60 career home runs.</li><li>Billie Andrews and Sydney Gray are the only players to win multiple Big Ten Player of the Week awards this season.</li><li>Brooke Andrews enters this weekend’s series with 99 career RBIs.</li><li>Kaylin Kinney is one of only six pitchers nationally with at least 15 wins and four saves this season.</li>
 </ul>Offense Ranks Highly in School HistoryNebraska boasts one of the top offenses in school history this season. The Huskers rank seventh nationally in doubles (76), 28th in home runs (46) and 30th in scoring (6.1 runs per game).<ul>
 <li>With a .300 average that currently ranks seventh in school history, NU is looking to post a .300 batting average for the third straight season and for the seventh time in program history.</li><li>Nebraska also owns a .493 slugging percentage that is on pace to rank fifth in school history.</li><li>The Huskers are averaging 6.1 runs per game. That currently ranks as the second-highest scoring average in school history. Only twice in program history has Nebraska averaged 6.0 runs per game: 2015 (6.9 runs per game) and 2022 (6.0 runs per game).</li><li>Nebraska leads the Big Ten with 127 extra-base hits and is on pace for 164 extra-base hits this season. That extra-base hit total would rank third in school history.</li><li>The Huskers also lead the Big Ten with 76 doubles and are on pace for 111 doubles. The school record for doubles is 94 and the Big Ten doubles record is 110 by Minnesota in 2015.</li>
 </ul>Huskers Showing Comeback Ability in 2024Nebraska has shown a knack for coming from behind this season. The Huskers have trailed in 15 of their 25 wins, including nine times when Nebraska came back from a multi-run deficit.<ul>
 <li>The Huskers have won four times when trailing after six innings this season. Nebraska is 4-10 when trailing after six innings in 2024 after a 3-74 record in the previous five seasons.</li><li>Nebraska’s four wins this season when trailing after six innings match the 2016 team for the most wins when trailing after six innings since at least 2000.</li>
 </ul>Nebraska Leading the Big Ten in Extra-Base HitsNebraska has hit 76 doubles, five triples and 46 home runs for a total of 127 extra-base hits this season. That total leads the Big Ten and two Huskers rank in the top five in extra-base hits.<ul>
 <li>Nebraska leads the Big Ten with 127 extra-base hits. The Huskers lead the conference with 76 doubles and are tied for second with 46 home runs, two shy of the Big Ten lead.</li><li>Individually, Billie Andrews ranks third in the Big Ten with 26 extra-base hits. Ava Bredwell is tied for fifth in the Big Ten with 22 extra-base hits.</li>
 </ul>Kinney Pitching Well Despite Increased WorkloadKaylin Kinney has pitched in 31 of Nebraska’s 41 games (76 percent), ranking 15th nationally in appearances. Kinney has pitched in 13 of Nebraska’s last 14 games and in 10 of the Huskers’ 11 Big Ten Conference games. She has started 14 games and thrown 122.2 innings this season after combining for 14 starts and 114.1 innings in her first three seasons.<ul>
 <li>Kinney is 15-10 this season with four saves. She has earned either the win of the save in 19 of Nebraska’s 25 victories. Kinney has been involved in the decision in 12 of Nebraska’s last 14 games, posting a 7-2 record with three saves during that stretch.</li><li>Kinney ranks 25th nationally in wins and 31st in saves. She is one of only six Division I pitchers with at least 15 wins and four saves this season.</li>
 </ul>Billie Andrews Breaks Husker Home Run RecordBillie Andrews ranks 10th nationally in home runs per game (0.4) with 15 homers in 37 games. She is Nebraska’s all-time home run leader with 58 career homers.<ul>
 <li>Andrews hit the record-breaking 55th home run of her career against Illinois on March 22. Nebraska’s previous home run record was 54, set by Taylor Edwards (2011-14).</li><li>Andrews has also tied another home run record. She has seven games with multiple homers in her career, tying Tristen Edwards (2017-21) for the most multi-homer games in NU history.</li><li>Andrews has 15 home runs this season. She is the first Husker to hit 15 or more home runs in three different seasons and just the second to have two 15-homer seasons.</li><li>Andrews ranks 13th among all active Division I players with 58 career home runs.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Billie Andrews Becomes second Husker In 40-40 ClubBillie Andrews has joined Jennifer Lizama as the only players in program history to hit 40 career home runs and steal 40 career bases. With three more stolen bases, Andrews would become the first Husker with 50 career home runs and 50 career stolen bases.<ul>
 <li>Nationally, there are only nine active Division I players with 40 career home runs and 40 career stolen bases. Of those nine, Andrews is one of only four players who has played her entire career in a power conference.</li>
 </ul>Billie Andrews Moving Into Big Ten Record BookBillie Andrews’ production at the plate is leaving its mark in the Big Ten record book. Andrews already finds herself on the Big Ten’s all-time home runs list and she is also looking for a place on the Big Ten’s career slugging percentage top 10.<ul>
 <li>Andrews’ 58 career home runs rank sixth in Big Ten history. Andrews is on pace to finish her career with 63 home runs, a total that would rank fourth in Big Ten history.</li><li>Andrews’ .683 career slugging percentage currently ranks 10th in Big Ten history.</li><li>Andrews is on pace to hit 20 home runs this season. Andrews is bidding to become just the third player in Big Ten history with two 20-home run seasons. The only two Big Ten players with two 20-home run seasons are Michigan’s Sierra Romero and Samantha Findlay.</li>
 </ul>Billie Andrews Among Nation’s Extra-Base Hit LeadersBillie Andrews ranks third in school history with 96 career extra-base hits, including 26 this season. Forty-three percent of her career hits have gone for extra bases.<ul>
 <li>Andrews ranks 15th nationally with 25 extra-base hits. She ranks seventh in extra-base hits per game (0.70) and fourth among Power Conference players.</li><li>Andrews has at least one extra-base hit in 22 of her 37 games this season. Andrews has also had three games this season with multiple extra-base hits.</li><li>In addition to ranking fourth in extra-base hits per game, Andrews ranks seventh nationally in runs per game (1.2), eighth in home runs per game (0.4) and 24th in slugging percentage (.821). Andrews is one of only seven players nationally - and one of four from a Power Conference - who ranks in the top 25 nationally in each of those three categories.</li><li>Andrews ranks 21st among all active Division I players with 96 career extra-base hits. She ranks ninth in career extra-base hits per game (0.49).</li>
 </ul>Scouting Michigan (30-14, 11-3)Michigan won its 30th game of the season Wednesday, defeating in-state rival Michigan State, 5-1. The Wolverines are 30-14 and have won six straight games. Michigan is in second place in the Big Ten standings with an 11-3 conference record. The Wolverines have swept every Big Ten series with the exception of Northwestern in the first weekend of April, when the first-place Wildcats swept Michigan.Nebraska and Michigan share seven common opponents this season in Cal State Fullerton, Illinois, Long Beach State, Maine, Northern Colorado, Sacramento State and UCLA. The Huskers posted a 9-2 record against that group while Michigan went 5-4.Michigan is 10-0 at home as the Wolverines are one of only 14 teams with a perfect home record in 2024. Dating back to last year Michigan has won 12 straight home games.The Wolverine offense has come alive over the second half of the season. In the first 19 games this season, Michigan averaged only 3.0 runs per game. But in the last 26 games, the Wolverines have averaged 6.9 runs per game. Michigan is hitting .336 as a team in conference play, the second-best batting average in the Big Ten.Defensively, Michigan is allowing 3.2 runs per game while posting a 2.81 team ERA and .968 fielding percentage. The Wolverines lead the Big Ten with 277 strikeouts and rank second in the conference in ERA and opponent batting average (.233).<ul>
 <li>Maddie Erickson is hitting .366 to lead a trio of Michigan starters batting above .300. Erickson also leads the team in hits (52), doubles (11) and RBIs (32) while ranking second in home runs (8) and slugging percentage (.613).</li><li>Ellie Sieler is second on the team with a .362 average, and her 11 sacrifice bunts lead the Big Ten and rank 11th nationally. Sieler has scored a team-high 35 runs while adding six doubles, two triples and four home runs.</li><li>Ella McVey is hitting .303 to round out the three Michigan starters with a .300 average.</li><li>Keke Tholl is batting .281 and leads the Wolverines with 12 home runs and a .620 slugging percentage. She also ranks second on the team with 30 RBIs. Tholl is the reigning co-Big Ten Player of the Week after she went 7-for-12 with five home runs in five games last week.</li><li>Jenissa Conway is one of the top power threats in the Michigan lineup, as she has five doubles, four triples, eight home runs and 26 RBIs.</li><li>Ella Stephenson is the reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Week after she went 8-for-19 (.421) with five runs and five RBIs in five games last week. Stephenson is hitting .244 on the year.</li><li>In the circle, Lauren Derkowski and Erin Hoehn have been the Wolverines’ primary pitchers this season, combining to throw 76 percent of the team’s innings.</li><li>Derkowski is 12-7 with three saves and a 2.37 ERA in 132.2 innings. Derkowski ranks second in the Big Ten in innings and strikeouts (143) and fourth in ERA. Nationally, Derkowski ranks 27th nationally in strikeouts.</li><li>Hoehn is 14-4 with two saves and a 3.14 ERA in 84.2 innings. She leads the team in wins and opponents are hitting just .218 against her.</li><li>Jessica LeBeau (2-2, 2.97 ERA in 37.2 IP), Hannah George (2-1, 2.59 ERA in 24.1 IP) and Emerson Aiken (0-0, 8.40 ERA in 5.0 IP) round out the Michigan staff.</li><li>Bonnie Tholl is in her second season as Michigan’s head coach after previously spending 29 years as a Wolverine assistant coach. Tholl has guided Michigan to a 56-39 record in her two seasons as head coach.</li><li>Overall, Tholl is in her 31st season on the Michigan staff in 2024. She has helped the Wolverines win the 2005 national championship, 22 Big Ten regular-season championships and 10 Big Ten Tournament titles in her time as a Wolverine coach.</li>
 </ul>

Huskers and Wolverines set for Big Ten battle in Ann Arbor

Lincoln, Neb. | Hawks Field at Haymarket Park

Pitching: RHP Brett Sears (6-0, 1.32 ERA) vs. RHP Logan Koester (4-4, 5.83 ERA)

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

Pitching: RHP Mason McConnaughey (4-2, 2.29 ERA) vs. TBD

Pitching: TBD vs. RHP Joey McMannis (0-0, 3.41 ERA)

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsNEBRASKA vs. MARYLANDApril 29-21, 2024Lincoln, Neb. | Hawks Field at Haymarket ParkFriday, April 19 – 6:05 PM CTPitching: RHP Brett Sears (6-0, 1.32 ERA) vs. RHP Logan Koester (4-4, 5.83 ERA)TV/Streaming: B1G+Radio: Huskers Radio Network, Huskers.com, Huskers AppSaturday, April 20 – 2:02 PM CTPitching: RHP Mason McConnaughey (4-2, 2.29 ERA) vs. TBDTV/Streaming: Nebraska Public Media/B1G+Radio: Huskers Radio Network, Huskers.com, Huskers AppSunday, April 21 – 12:05 PM CTPitching: TBD vs. RHP Joey McMannis (0-0, 3.41 ERA)TV/Streaming: B1G+Radio: Huskers Radio Network, Huskers.com, Huskers AppFollow the Game• All three games of this weekend’s series can be seen on B1G+, while Saturday’s game will be broadcast on Nebraska Public Media, with Larry Punteney and Brian Duensing on the call.• Fans can also listen to Dave Gustafson and Ben McLaughlin call the action this weekend on the Huskers Radio Network.• Every game this season can be heard for free on Huskers.com and the Official Nebraska Huskers App for both iOS and android devices.Nebraska vs. Maryland• Through 18 all-time meetings, the Terrapins hold an 11-7 advantage over the Huskers in the all-time series.• Nebraska went 1-4 against Maryland last season after picking up one win in a weekend series in College Park and dropping a pair of games to the Terrapins in the Big Ten Tournament.McConnaughey Named B1G Pitcher of the Week• Sophomore Mason McConnaughey was named the Big Ten’s Pitcher of the Week, the league office announced Monday afternoon.• McConnaughey moved to 4-2 on the season after shutting out the Big Ten’s top offense across seven innings. The sophomore matched his career high with nine strikeouts and worked around six singles, allowing just one Rutgers baserunner to reach third base.• With the seven shutout innings, McConnaughey picked up his second quality start of the season. It also marked Nebraska’s second consecutive weekly accolade after Brett Sears earned recognition last week.Caron Named to Buster Posey Award Watch List• Nebraska catcher Josh Caron was named to the Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award Watch List, the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission announced Thursday afternoon.• Caron is hitting .308 at the plate for the Huskers with eight doubles, a triple, seven home runs and 40 RBI.• The junior has hits in 15 of his last 16 games and leads NU with a dozen multi-hit performances this season.• Caron is one of five catchers nationally this season with a .300-plus batting average and at least 15 extra-base hits and 40 RBI through April 17.Huskers Boast Big Ten’s Top Duo in ERA• Brett Sears (1.32) and Mason McConnaughey (2.29) ranked first and second in the Big Ten this season in ERA, as the duo has combined for 105 strikeouts in 96.2 innings of work.• Nebraska is one of eight teams to hold the top two individual positions in its conference leaders for ERA, joining ECU (AAC), Bryant (America East), Georgetown (Big East), Presbyterian (Big South), William &amp; Mary (CAA), Milwaukee (Horizon) and California Baptist (WAC).Carey, Columbus Heating Up at the Plate• Dylan Carey and Ben Columbus have seen their offensive production begin to take shape since Big Ten play began, specifically in the last 10 games.• Carey began the season with a .244 hitting clip with a team-leading nine doubles and a home run with 11 RBI. In the Huskers’ last 10 games, the sophomore has been hitting .300 (12-for-40) with a pair of doubles and three homers.• After just five hits in Nebraska’s first 24 games this season, Columbus went 7-for-16 (.438) with a double, two home runs and eight RBI in NU’s last 10 games. The double and two homers are Columbus’ three extra-base hits on the season and his first two career homers with the Big Red.Sanderson Finds Success Throughout NU Lineup• Freshman Case Sanderson is hitting .365 at the plate and has found success throughout the lineup for the Huskers, appearing in six different spots in the lineup for the NU offense.• The freshman is 28th nationally with a .518 on-base percentage and has totaled a triple, two homers, 13 RBI and 15 runs scored this season.• The freshman has hit .333 or better in five of the six spots he’s appeared in this season, while seeing most of his action in the leadoff spot with 18 at-bats.Silva’s Speed With Stolen Bases• Riley Silva has posted a .421 on-base percentage for Nebraska this season and is the only Husker to score 30-plus runs (31) this season.• The Cambridge, Ontario, native has started 33 of the 34 games this season and has posted a 1.000 fielding percentage (84-for-84) in center field for the Huskers.• Silva is one of eight DI players to steal 21- plus bases and be caught two-or-fewer times, including the only Power Five player this season.• The junior is the 10th NU player since 2000 to swipe at least 20 bases, including the first Husker with more than 20 stolen bases in a season since Alex Gordon in 2005.Bats in the Nebraska Lineup• Cayden Brumbaugh is hitting .326 in the leadoff spot with nine extra-base hits and 11 RBI, posting knocks in nine of his last 13 games.• Cole Evans is hitting .277 with six doubles, three home runs, and 30 RBI across 34 games, including 29 starts, while Rhett Stokes holds a .318 batting average with eight doubles and 10 RBI.• Riley Silva leads the Huskers with 31 runs in 33 games and is 21-for-23 on stolen base attempts.• Dylan Carey has hits in his last five games and leads the Big Red with 11 doubles, while Ben Columbus is batting .308 with two home runs, a double and 13 RBI.Huskers in the Pen• Casey Daiss has a team-high four saves with a 1.93 ERA for the Huskers across 14 innings of work. Daiss has allowed just one earned run over his last nine appearances dating back to the first weekend of the season vs. Oklahoma.• Jalen Worthley is 2-0 with a pair of saves across a bullpen-high 18.1 innings, making a team-high six multi-inning relief appearances for NU.• Kyle Perry’s 16 relief appearances lead all NU relievers, as the senior is 1-1 with a career-high tying three saves. Rans Sanders has a 3.18 ERA across 11.1 innings, and his 14 appearances rank as the second most for the Huskers.• Evan Borst is limiting opponents to a .125 batting average (4-for-32) this season, while posting 11 strikeouts over 9.2 innings of work.• Kyle Froehlich has appeared in eight games for the Huskers, punching out seven batters across 8.1 innings, while Tucker Timmerman leads all Nebraska freshman with 13 relief appearances.