Story by Omaha Supernovas Communications

OMAHA, Neb.&nbsp;– The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.supernovas.com/" target="_blank">Omaha Supernovas,</a>&nbsp;Nebraska’s professional volleyball team in the newly-established&nbsp;<a href="http://www.provolleyball.com/" target="_blank">Professional Volleyball Federation</a>, has announced the signing of former Creighton and Palm Beach Atlantic star&nbsp;Jazz Schmidt.&nbsp;

Born in Nebraska, Schmidt&nbsp;was a dual-position standout across her six-year college career as she split time at both setter and as a right-side attacker. Schmidt spent her first five seasons at&nbsp;Division II&nbsp;Palm Beach Atlantic where she became one of the most prolific hitters in program history. Her versatility excelled during her 2019 sophomore season where she finished second on the team in kills (315), assists&nbsp;(566) and digs (291) while finishing third in blocks (52) and service aces (30). &nbsp;

After playing in just three matches during the shortened 2020-2021 season, Schmidt was named an AVCA All-American after her senior campaign with the Sailfish. Schmidt was also named the Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year&nbsp;after finishing with 10 triple-doubles which led all of Division II. Schmidt led PBA with 766 assists while being second on the team with 344 kills on&nbsp;a .382 hitting percentage&nbsp;with 33 aces and 297 digs. &nbsp;

“Jazz is an exciting addition to our roster for many reasons,” Supernovas Head Coach&nbsp;Shelton Collier&nbsp;said. “First, she is a talented and skilled player who will contribute as both a setter and as a hitter.&nbsp;Secondly,&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;awesome for us to have a Nebraska native who played at Creighton with our team.&nbsp;

Schmidt brought her dual-position talent to Omaha as she transferred to Creighton for her Super Senior season&nbsp;in 2022. Bluejay Head Coach&nbsp;Kirsten Booth&nbsp;deployed Schmidt as a utility player using her as&nbsp;both an attacker and setter. With the unexpected absence of starting setter Kendra Wait, Schmidt was thrust into the starting role for the opening round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament against Auburn. Schmidt posted a double-double securing 44 assists, 11 digs and one ace.&nbsp;

Following her playing career that included 1,022 career kills, Schmidt spent a couple of months&nbsp;on the Creighton coaching staff before being hired as an assistant volleyball coach for Lauren Tekavec&nbsp;at Division II Wingate University. Tekavec&nbsp;is the successor of NCAA coaching legend&nbsp;Shelton Collier,&nbsp;who is the current head coach for the Supernovas. &nbsp;

“I am so thankful for the opportunity to be back in Omaha with the new Pro Volleyball Federation.&nbsp;Being born in Nebraska, I’ve&nbsp;grown up attached to the sport of volleyball because of all the state has to offer for young girls,” Schmidt said. “Playing at Creighton last year strengthened my love for Omaha and my belief in what the entire state is doing for volleyball on a national stage. I’m&nbsp;confident that the Supernovas are going to do something special with the support this state has, and I’m&nbsp;excited to be a part of it.”&nbsp;

Additionally, Schmidt had a brief tenure with Nebraska. She&nbsp;competed with the Huskers Beach Volleyball team in the spring of 2018 going 5-13.&nbsp;At a&nbsp;young age,&nbsp;Schmidt also had a role as one of Nebraska Volleyball’s ball girls that helped during matches. &nbsp;

The Supernovas will begin their first-ever training camp in early January to finalize&nbsp;a 14-person roster for the inaugural season of the Pro Volleyball Federation beginning on January 24, 2024. &nbsp;

REAL PRO VOLLEYBALL&nbsp;competition will officially begin in the United States with the Omaha Supernovas hosting the Atlanta Vibe in the first match in league history at the CHI Health Center in downtown Omaha on January 24, at 7:00 p.m. CT. Nebraska supports volleyball better than anyone, as evidenced by the more than 92,000 fans that turned out this season for a collegiate match at the Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium in August, setting a new world record for the highest attended women’s sporting event.&nbsp;

The Supernovas are one of seven U.S. teams for the 2024 inaugural season: Omaha Supernovas,&nbsp;<a href="https://atlantavibe.com/inaugural-season-tickets-on-sale/" target="_blank">Atlanta Vibe</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://orlandoprovb.com/" target="_blank">Orlando Valkyries</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbusfury.com/" target="_blank">Columbus Fury</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.grrise.com/" target="_blank">Grand Rapids Rise</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://sandiegoprovb.com/" target="_blank">San Diego Mojo</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://vegasthrill.com/" target="_blank">V</a><a href="https://vegasthrill.com/" target="_blank">egas Thrill</a>. Two expansion teams,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dallasprovolleyball.com/" target="_blank">Dallas Pro Volleyball</a>&nbsp;and Kansas City Pro Volleyball, have been announced for 2025. In Season One, the Pro Volleyball Federation will be showcased&nbsp;in three different U.S. time zones. Matches will take place on 67 different dates between January and May 2024, occurring on every day of the week.&nbsp;

The Supernovas will play 12 home matches and 12 away matches, for a total of 24 matches in the 16-week regular season.&nbsp;The full schedule is available on the team’s website,&nbsp;<a href="https://supernovas.com/" target="_blank">Supernovas.com</a>. After the regular season, the Supernovas are aiming to be one of the top four squads in the standings that will compete for the Pro Volleyball Federation Championship in May. The location of the championship will be determined and announced at a later date.&nbsp;

The current Supernovas world-class roster includes Olympians, U.S. National Team veterans, NCAA National Champions and All-Americans, to include Anna Church, Bethania de la Cruz, Tori Dixon, Danielle Hart, Sydney Hilley, Gina Mancuso-Prososki, Allison Mayfield,&nbsp;Brooke Nuneviller, Yossiana&nbsp;Pressley, Nia Reed, Jess Schaben-Lansman, Jazz Schmidt, Natalia Valentín-Anderson, Hristina Vuchkova, Lindsey Vander Weide and Kendall White.&nbsp;

Season Tickets are available at the team’s website and on the team’s app, available for download on smartphones and tablets.&nbsp;

The Omaha Supernovas aims to be the premier home of professional volleyball throughout the world. The team is owned by global music sensation Jason Derulo and entrepreneurs Danny White and Chris Erickson, Co-Founders of City+Ventures, an investment and business acceleration organization headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.&nbsp;

ABOUT PRO VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION&nbsp;

Pro Volleyball Federation is&nbsp;REAL PRO VOLLEYBALL&nbsp;and the premier women’s professional volleyball league in North America. Pro Volleyball Federation will begin play in January 2024 with world class players and coaches, including some of America’s greatest volleyball players and elite players from around the world. Our entire focus is on ensuring that our level and quality of play, our treatment of players, the quality of our event presentations, and our day-to-day fan experience is world class and the very best offered in North America.&nbsp;For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.provolleyball.com/" target="_blank">ProVolleyball.com</a>.&nbsp;

Story by Omaha Supernovas CommunicationsOMAHA, Neb.&nbsp;– The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.supernovas.com/" target="_blank">Omaha Supernovas,</a>&nbsp;Nebraska’s professional volleyball team in the newly-established&nbsp;<a href="http://www.provolleyball.com/" target="_blank">Professional Volleyball Federation</a>, has announced the signing of former Creighton and Palm Beach Atlantic star&nbsp;Jazz Schmidt.&nbsp;Born in Nebraska, Schmidt&nbsp;was a dual-position standout across her six-year college career as she split time at both setter and as a right-side attacker. Schmidt spent her first five seasons at&nbsp;Division II&nbsp;Palm Beach Atlantic where she became one of the most prolific hitters in program history. Her versatility excelled during her 2019 sophomore season where she finished second on the team in kills (315), assists&nbsp;(566) and digs (291) while finishing third in blocks (52) and service aces (30). &nbsp;After playing in just three matches during the shortened 2020-2021 season, Schmidt was named an AVCA All-American after her senior campaign with the Sailfish. Schmidt was also named the Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year&nbsp;after finishing with 10 triple-doubles which led all of Division II. Schmidt led PBA with 766 assists while being second on the team with 344 kills on&nbsp;a .382 hitting percentage&nbsp;with 33 aces and 297 digs. &nbsp;“Jazz is an exciting addition to our roster for many reasons,” Supernovas Head Coach&nbsp;Shelton Collier&nbsp;said. “First, she is a talented and skilled player who will contribute as both a setter and as a hitter.&nbsp;Secondly,&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;awesome for us to have a Nebraska native who played at Creighton with our team.&nbsp;Schmidt brought her dual-position talent to Omaha as she transferred to Creighton for her Super Senior season&nbsp;in 2022. Bluejay Head Coach&nbsp;Kirsten Booth&nbsp;deployed Schmidt as a utility player using her as&nbsp;both an attacker and setter. With the unexpected absence of starting setter Kendra Wait, Schmidt was thrust into the starting role for the opening round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament against Auburn. Schmidt posted a double-double securing 44 assists, 11 digs and one ace.&nbsp;Following her playing career that included 1,022 career kills, Schmidt spent a couple of months&nbsp;on the Creighton coaching staff before being hired as an assistant volleyball coach for Lauren Tekavec&nbsp;at Division II Wingate University. Tekavec&nbsp;is the successor of NCAA coaching legend&nbsp;Shelton Collier,&nbsp;who is the current head coach for the Supernovas. &nbsp;“I am so thankful for the opportunity to be back in Omaha with the new Pro Volleyball Federation.&nbsp;Being born in Nebraska, I’ve&nbsp;grown up attached to the sport of volleyball because of all the state has to offer for young girls,” Schmidt said. “Playing at Creighton last year strengthened my love for Omaha and my belief in what the entire state is doing for volleyball on a national stage. I’m&nbsp;confident that the Supernovas are going to do something special with the support this state has, and I’m&nbsp;excited to be a part of it.”&nbsp;Additionally, Schmidt had a brief tenure with Nebraska. She&nbsp;competed with the Huskers Beach Volleyball team in the spring of 2018 going 5-13.&nbsp;At a&nbsp;young age,&nbsp;Schmidt also had a role as one of Nebraska Volleyball’s ball girls that helped during matches. &nbsp;The Supernovas will begin their first-ever training camp in early January to finalize&nbsp;a 14-person roster for the inaugural season of the Pro Volleyball Federation beginning on January 24, 2024. &nbsp;REAL PRO VOLLEYBALL&nbsp;competition will officially begin in the United States with the Omaha Supernovas hosting the Atlanta Vibe in the first match in league history at the CHI Health Center in downtown Omaha on January 24, at 7:00 p.m. CT. Nebraska supports volleyball better than anyone, as evidenced by the more than 92,000 fans that turned out this season for a collegiate match at the Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium in August, setting a new world record for the highest attended women’s sporting event.&nbsp;The Supernovas are one of seven U.S. teams for the 2024 inaugural season: Omaha Supernovas,&nbsp;<a href="https://atlantavibe.com/inaugural-season-tickets-on-sale/" target="_blank">Atlanta Vibe</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://orlandoprovb.com/" target="_blank">Orlando Valkyries</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbusfury.com/" target="_blank">Columbus Fury</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.grrise.com/" target="_blank">Grand Rapids Rise</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://sandiegoprovb.com/" target="_blank">San Diego Mojo</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://vegasthrill.com/" target="_blank">V</a><a href="https://vegasthrill.com/" target="_blank">egas Thrill</a>. Two expansion teams,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dallasprovolleyball.com/" target="_blank">Dallas Pro Volleyball</a>&nbsp;and Kansas City Pro Volleyball, have been announced for 2025. In Season One, the Pro Volleyball Federation will be showcased&nbsp;in three different U.S. time zones. Matches will take place on 67 different dates between January and May 2024, occurring on every day of the week.&nbsp;The Supernovas will play 12 home matches and 12 away matches, for a total of 24 matches in the 16-week regular season.&nbsp;The full schedule is available on the team’s website,&nbsp;<a href="https://supernovas.com/" target="_blank">Supernovas.com</a>. After the regular season, the Supernovas are aiming to be one of the top four squads in the standings that will compete for the Pro Volleyball Federation Championship in May. The location of the championship will be determined and announced at a later date.&nbsp;The current Supernovas world-class roster includes Olympians, U.S. National Team veterans, NCAA National Champions and All-Americans, to include Anna Church, Bethania de la Cruz, Tori Dixon, Danielle Hart, Sydney Hilley, Gina Mancuso-Prososki, Allison Mayfield,&nbsp;Brooke Nuneviller, Yossiana&nbsp;Pressley, Nia Reed, Jess Schaben-Lansman, Jazz Schmidt, Natalia Valentín-Anderson, Hristina Vuchkova, Lindsey Vander Weide and Kendall White.&nbsp;Season Tickets are available at the team’s website and on the team’s app, available for download on smartphones and tablets.&nbsp;ABOUT OMAHA SUPERNOVAS&nbsp;The Omaha Supernovas aims to be the premier home of professional volleyball throughout the world. The team is owned by global music sensation Jason Derulo and entrepreneurs Danny White and Chris Erickson, Co-Founders of City+Ventures, an investment and business acceleration organization headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.&nbsp;ABOUT PRO VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION&nbsp;Pro Volleyball Federation is&nbsp;REAL PRO VOLLEYBALL&nbsp;and the premier women’s professional volleyball league in North America. Pro Volleyball Federation will begin play in January 2024 with world class players and coaches, including some of America’s greatest volleyball players and elite players from around the world. Our entire focus is on ensuring that our level and quality of play, our treatment of players, the quality of our event presentations, and our day-to-day fan experience is world class and the very best offered in North America.&nbsp;For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.provolleyball.com/" target="_blank">ProVolleyball.com</a>.&nbsp;

Supernovas sign former Creighton Star Jazz Schmidt 

Story by NU Athletic Communications

Six Nebraska volleyball players and head coach John Cook were honored by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) in the All-Region Awards announced on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Bekka Allick, Merritt Beason, Andi Jackson, Harper Murray, Bergen Reilly and Lexi Rodriguez were all named to the AVCA North All-Region Team. The Huskers' six All-Region selections ties the 2016 team for the most in program history.&nbsp;

Additionally, Beason was named the North Region Player of the Year, and Murray was named the North Region Freshman of the Year. Cook was named the Region Coach of the Year for the sixth time in his career and first since 2016. &nbsp;

Beason is the second Husker ever to be named AVCA Region Player of the Year, joining Kelly Hunter (2017). A junior opposite hitter who transfered to NU from Florida, Beason has stepped in as a team captain and is contributing a team-leading 3.83 kills per set this season with 2.05 digs per set and a .293 hitting percentage. Beason was a unanimous All-Big Ten First Team selection. A native of Gardendale, Ala., Beason earned four Big Ten Player of the Week honors this season and was the AVCA National Player of the Week on Oct. 24 following 21 kills in a 3-2 win over then-No. 1 Wisconsin. As a sophomore at Florida in 2022, Beason was an All-SEC and AVCA All-Region selection.

Murray is NU's eighth AVCA Region Freshman of the Year. Rodriguez was the last one in 2021. Murray was voted Big Ten Freshman of the Year this season, making her the second ever Husker (Madi Kubik, 2019) to receive that distinction. She also earned All-Big Ten First Team and unanimous All-Freshman Team accolades. An outside hitter from Ann Arbor, Mich., Murray ranks second on the Huskers in kills with 3.25 per set on .247 hitting and adds 2.08 digs per set with a team-high 33 service aces. Murray was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week three times this season and has seven double-doubles.&nbsp;

Rodriguez earned her third AVCA All-Region honor in three years. A two-time All-American libero, Rodriguez was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year this season for the second time in her career, becoming the fifth player in Big Ten history to receive that honor twice in a career. Rodriguez, who averages 3.56 digs and 1.26 assists per set with a .980 reception percentage, leads a Husker defense that ranks third nationally in opponent hitting percentage. The Husker co-captain also received All-Big Ten First Team honors for the third time. A junior from Sterling, Ill., Rodriguez was twice named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week this season. She was a first-team AVCA All-American in 2021 and a second-team AVCA All-American in 2022.

Allick earned her second All-Region accolade in as many years. A sophomore middle blocker from Lincoln, Neb., Allick has been Nebraska’s top defensive presence at the net with a team-best 1.39 blocks per set this season. Offensively, Allick adds 1.82 kills per set on .324 hitting. Allick received second-team All-Big Ten honors for the second year in a row.&nbsp;

Jackson, a freshman middle blocker from Brighton, Colo., averages 2.07 kills per set and 1.08 blocks per set and has a team-high .398 hitting percentage, which ranks 19th nationally. Jackson was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week in November and has hit .500 or better in 12 matches this season. In addition to picking up AVCA All-Region honors, Jackson was selected to the All-Big Ten Second Team and All-Freshman Team.&nbsp;

Reilly, Nebraska's freshman setter, collected AVCA All-Region honors one week after being named Big Ten Setter of the Year, becoming the first ever freshman to earn the award since it originated in 2012. She also earned All-Big Ten First Team and All-Freshman Team accolades. Reilly, just the second true freshman setter to be the starter at Nebraska under head coach John Cook, is putting up 10.69 assists and 2.63 digs per set and has 13 double-doubles this season. The Sioux Falls, S.D., native ranks 14th nationally in assists per set. Reilly was named Big Ten Setter of the Week four times this year and Big Ten Freshman of the Week twice.&nbsp;

Cook was voted AVCA North Region Coach of the Year and Big Ten Coach of the Year after leading a young Nebraska team with no seniors to its first Big Ten title since 2017. The Huskers finished the regular season 28-1 overall, their best regular season record since going 28-1 in 2005. After going 26-6 last year and missing the NCAA Regional Finals for the first time since 2011, the Huskers started over with a starting lineup featuring four true freshmen and a junior transfer (Beason). Cook’s Huskers won their first 27 matches of the season and held the No. 1 ranking from Oct. 23 through the end of the regular season. Despite having no seniors on the roster for just the second time in Cook’s 24 years at Nebraska - as well as starting a true freshman at setter for only the second time in Cook’s tenure - the Huskers earned the overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016 and the sixth time overall under Cook.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsSix Nebraska volleyball players and head coach John Cook were honored by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) in the All-Region Awards announced on Tuesday.&nbsp;Bekka Allick, Merritt Beason, Andi Jackson, Harper Murray, Bergen Reilly and Lexi Rodriguez were all named to the AVCA North All-Region Team. The Huskers' six All-Region selections ties the 2016 team for the most in program history.&nbsp;Additionally, Beason was named the North Region Player of the Year, and Murray was named the North Region Freshman of the Year. Cook was named the Region Coach of the Year for the sixth time in his career and first since 2016. &nbsp;Beason is the second Husker ever to be named AVCA Region Player of the Year, joining Kelly Hunter (2017). A junior opposite hitter who transfered to NU from Florida, Beason has stepped in as a team captain and is contributing a team-leading 3.83 kills per set this season with 2.05 digs per set and a .293 hitting percentage. Beason was a unanimous All-Big Ten First Team selection. A native of Gardendale, Ala., Beason earned four Big Ten Player of the Week honors this season and was the AVCA National Player of the Week on Oct. 24 following 21 kills in a 3-2 win over then-No. 1 Wisconsin. As a sophomore at Florida in 2022, Beason was an All-SEC and AVCA All-Region selection.Murray is NU's eighth AVCA Region Freshman of the Year. Rodriguez was the last one in 2021. Murray was voted Big Ten Freshman of the Year this season, making her the second ever Husker (Madi Kubik, 2019) to receive that distinction. She also earned All-Big Ten First Team and unanimous All-Freshman Team accolades. An outside hitter from Ann Arbor, Mich., Murray ranks second on the Huskers in kills with 3.25 per set on .247 hitting and adds 2.08 digs per set with a team-high 33 service aces. Murray was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week three times this season and has seven double-doubles.&nbsp;Rodriguez earned her third AVCA All-Region honor in three years. A two-time All-American libero, Rodriguez was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year this season for the second time in her career, becoming the fifth player in Big Ten history to receive that honor twice in a career. Rodriguez, who averages 3.56 digs and 1.26 assists per set with a .980 reception percentage, leads a Husker defense that ranks third nationally in opponent hitting percentage. The Husker co-captain also received All-Big Ten First Team honors for the third time. A junior from Sterling, Ill., Rodriguez was twice named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week this season. She was a first-team AVCA All-American in 2021 and a second-team AVCA All-American in 2022.Allick earned her second All-Region accolade in as many years. A sophomore middle blocker from Lincoln, Neb., Allick has been Nebraska’s top defensive presence at the net with a team-best 1.39 blocks per set this season. Offensively, Allick adds 1.82 kills per set on .324 hitting. Allick received second-team All-Big Ten honors for the second year in a row.&nbsp;Jackson, a freshman middle blocker from Brighton, Colo., averages 2.07 kills per set and 1.08 blocks per set and has a team-high .398 hitting percentage, which ranks 19th nationally. Jackson was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week in November and has hit .500 or better in 12 matches this season. In addition to picking up AVCA All-Region honors, Jackson was selected to the All-Big Ten Second Team and All-Freshman Team.&nbsp;Reilly, Nebraska's freshman setter, collected AVCA All-Region honors one week after being named Big Ten Setter of the Year, becoming the first ever freshman to earn the award since it originated in 2012. She also earned All-Big Ten First Team and All-Freshman Team accolades. Reilly, just the second true freshman setter to be the starter at Nebraska under head coach John Cook, is putting up 10.69 assists and 2.63 digs per set and has 13 double-doubles this season. The Sioux Falls, S.D., native ranks 14th nationally in assists per set. Reilly was named Big Ten Setter of the Week four times this year and Big Ten Freshman of the Week twice.&nbsp;Cook was voted AVCA North Region Coach of the Year and Big Ten Coach of the Year after leading a young Nebraska team with no seniors to its first Big Ten title since 2017. The Huskers finished the regular season 28-1 overall, their best regular season record since going 28-1 in 2005. After going 26-6 last year and missing the NCAA Regional Finals for the first time since 2011, the Huskers started over with a starting lineup featuring four true freshmen and a junior transfer (Beason). Cook’s Huskers won their first 27 matches of the season and held the No. 1 ranking from Oct. 23 through the end of the regular season. Despite having no seniors on the roster for just the second time in Cook’s 24 years at Nebraska - as well as starting a true freshman at setter for only the second time in Cook’s tenure - the Huskers earned the overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016 and the sixth time overall under Cook.

Huskers collect AVCA All-Region Awards

Story by Omaha Supernovas Communication

OMAHA, Neb.&nbsp;– The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.supernovas.com/" target="_blank">Omaha Supernovas,</a>&nbsp;Nebraska’s professional volleyball team in the newly-established&nbsp;<a href="http://www.provolleyball.com/" target="_blank">Professional Volleyball Federation</a>, has announced the addition of&nbsp;Brooke&nbsp;Smith&nbsp;to the Human Performance Team&nbsp;as Head Nutritionist.&nbsp;

Smith is a registered dietitian and licensed medical nutrition therapist. A graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Smith received her&nbsp;bachelor's degree&nbsp;in dietetics before collecting her master's in nutrition and exercise physiology.&nbsp;

Smith marks the third member of the Human Performance Team, which includes Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Laura Pilakowski Buttermore and team psychologist Doctor Larry Widman. That group is led by Head Team Physician Dr. Jaime Seeman, who&nbsp;was&nbsp;<a href="https://supernovas.com/supernovas-name-dr-jaime-fit-fabulous-seeman-head-team-physician/" target="_blank">announced earlier this week</a>.&nbsp;

“I am incredibly honored to join the Supernovas as a member of the Human Performance Team. I take&nbsp;a lot of pride in and am committed to forming authentic relationships with both the athletes and staff to maximize health, wellbeing, performance, and program success," Smith&nbsp;said. “I strongly believe implementing effective nutritional strategies is crucial to optimize&nbsp;elite athletes' physical and mental performance, as well as expedite&nbsp;recovery between training and competition.&nbsp;I can’t&nbsp;wait to get started.”&nbsp;

Smith is a former college volleyball player&nbsp;who competed from 2015-2018.&nbsp;Smith&nbsp;helped Nebraska win&nbsp;its fourth national&nbsp;championship in 2015 during her freshman&nbsp;season. After her sophomore season in Lincoln, the Texas native transferred to Kansas State for her junior campaign before returning&nbsp;to Nebraska for her final season in which the Huskers would lose to Stanford in the 2018 national title match. Smith was a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree during her time with the Huskers while being a part of the Tom Osborne Citizenship Team three times. &nbsp;

Smith brings a strong body of work to the Supernovas as she is the current dietician for the University of Nebraska-Omaha's hockey, men’s and women’s basketball, and volleyball programs. She’s&nbsp;also worked with high school, collegiate and professional athletes across 11 different sports. &nbsp;

In July of 2021, Smith founded Team 8 Nutrition to provide&nbsp;individualized nutrition support to enhance athletic performance, overall wellness, and help individuals cultivate success. While her business mostly serves athletes in the Lincoln and Omaha area, Smith’s outreach extends to various states across the country. &nbsp;

Smith is married to her husband, Matt Snyder, who played for the Nebraska football team from 2015-2018. Smith’s family has a strong athletic background as her mother, Janine Gremmel Smith, played volleyball for the University of Texas and helped the Longhorns win a national championship in 1988. Her dad, Warren Smith, was a pole vaulter and decathlete at&nbsp;Texas. Smith’s younger sister, Natalie, was a libero for the University of Michigan from 2017-2020. &nbsp;

The Supernovas are one of seven U.S. teams for the 2024 inaugural season: Omaha Supernovas,&nbsp;<a href="https://atlantavibe.com/inaugural-season-tickets-on-sale/" target="_blank">Atlanta Vibe</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://orlandoprovb.com/" target="_blank">Orlando Valkyries</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbusfury.com/" target="_blank">Columbus Fury</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.grrise.com/" target="_blank">Grand Rapids Rise</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://sandiegoprovb.com/" target="_blank">San Diego Mojo</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://vegasprovb.com/" target="_blank">Vegas Pro Volleyball</a>. Two expansion teams,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dallasprovolleyball.com/" target="_blank">Dallas Pro Volleyball</a>&nbsp;and Kansas City Pro Volleyball, have been announced for 2025. In Season One, the Pro Volleyball Federation will be showcased&nbsp;in three different U.S. time zones. Matches will take place on 67 different dates between January and May 2024, occurring on every day of the week.&nbsp;

The current Supernovas world-class roster includes Olympians, U.S. National Team veterans, NCAA National Champions and All-Americans, to include Anna Church, Gabby Curry, Bethania de la Cruz, Tori Dixon, Danielle Hart, Sydney Hilley, Gina Mancuso-Prososki, Allison Mayfield, Brooke Nuneviller, Yossiana&nbsp;Pressley, Nia Reed, Jess Schaben-Lansman, Maddie Squiers, Natalia Valentín-Anderson, Hristina Vuchkova, Lindsey Vander Weide and Kendall White.&nbsp;

Story by Omaha Supernovas CommunicationOMAHA, Neb.&nbsp;– The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.supernovas.com/" target="_blank">Omaha Supernovas,</a>&nbsp;Nebraska’s professional volleyball team in the newly-established&nbsp;<a href="http://www.provolleyball.com/" target="_blank">Professional Volleyball Federation</a>, has announced the addition of&nbsp;Brooke&nbsp;Smith&nbsp;to the Human Performance Team&nbsp;as Head Nutritionist.&nbsp;Smith is a registered dietitian and licensed medical nutrition therapist. A graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Smith received her&nbsp;bachelor's degree&nbsp;in dietetics before collecting her master's in nutrition and exercise physiology.&nbsp;Smith marks the third member of the Human Performance Team, which includes Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Laura Pilakowski Buttermore and team psychologist Doctor Larry Widman. That group is led by Head Team Physician Dr. Jaime Seeman, who&nbsp;was&nbsp;<a href="https://supernovas.com/supernovas-name-dr-jaime-fit-fabulous-seeman-head-team-physician/" target="_blank">announced earlier this week</a>.&nbsp;“I am incredibly honored to join the Supernovas as a member of the Human Performance Team. I take&nbsp;a lot of pride in and am committed to forming authentic relationships with both the athletes and staff to maximize health, wellbeing, performance, and program success," Smith&nbsp;said. “I strongly believe implementing effective nutritional strategies is crucial to optimize&nbsp;elite athletes' physical and mental performance, as well as expedite&nbsp;recovery between training and competition.&nbsp;I can’t&nbsp;wait to get started.”&nbsp;Smith is a former college volleyball player&nbsp;who competed from 2015-2018.&nbsp;Smith&nbsp;helped Nebraska win&nbsp;its fourth national&nbsp;championship in 2015 during her freshman&nbsp;season. After her sophomore season in Lincoln, the Texas native transferred to Kansas State for her junior campaign before returning&nbsp;to Nebraska for her final season in which the Huskers would lose to Stanford in the 2018 national title match. Smith was a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree during her time with the Huskers while being a part of the Tom Osborne Citizenship Team three times. &nbsp;Smith brings a strong body of work to the Supernovas as she is the current dietician for the University of Nebraska-Omaha's hockey, men’s and women’s basketball, and volleyball programs. She’s&nbsp;also worked with high school, collegiate and professional athletes across 11 different sports. &nbsp;In July of 2021, Smith founded Team 8 Nutrition to provide&nbsp;individualized nutrition support to enhance athletic performance, overall wellness, and help individuals cultivate success. While her business mostly serves athletes in the Lincoln and Omaha area, Smith’s outreach extends to various states across the country. &nbsp;Smith is married to her husband, Matt Snyder, who played for the Nebraska football team from 2015-2018. Smith’s family has a strong athletic background as her mother, Janine Gremmel Smith, played volleyball for the University of Texas and helped the Longhorns win a national championship in 1988. Her dad, Warren Smith, was a pole vaulter and decathlete at&nbsp;Texas. Smith’s younger sister, Natalie, was a libero for the University of Michigan from 2017-2020. &nbsp;REAL PRO VOLLEYBALL&nbsp;competition will officially begin in the United States with the Omaha Supernovas hosting the Atlanta Vibe in the first match in league history at the CHI Health Center in downtown Omaha on January 24, at 7:00 p.m. CT. Nebraska supports volleyball better than anyone, as evidenced by the more than 92,000 fans that turned out this season for a collegiate match at the Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium in August, setting a new world record for the highest attended women’s sporting event.&nbsp;The Supernovas are one of seven U.S. teams for the 2024 inaugural season: Omaha Supernovas,&nbsp;<a href="https://atlantavibe.com/inaugural-season-tickets-on-sale/" target="_blank">Atlanta Vibe</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://orlandoprovb.com/" target="_blank">Orlando Valkyries</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbusfury.com/" target="_blank">Columbus Fury</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.grrise.com/" target="_blank">Grand Rapids Rise</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://sandiegoprovb.com/" target="_blank">San Diego Mojo</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://vegasprovb.com/" target="_blank">Vegas Pro Volleyball</a>. Two expansion teams,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dallasprovolleyball.com/" target="_blank">Dallas Pro Volleyball</a>&nbsp;and Kansas City Pro Volleyball, have been announced for 2025. In Season One, the Pro Volleyball Federation will be showcased&nbsp;in three different U.S. time zones. Matches will take place on 67 different dates between January and May 2024, occurring on every day of the week.&nbsp;The Supernovas will play 12 home matches and 12 away matches, for a total of 24 matches in the 16-week regular season.&nbsp;The full schedule is available on the team’s website,&nbsp;<a href="https://supernovas.com/" target="_blank">Supernovas.com</a>. After the regular season, the Supernovas are aiming to be one of the top four squads in the standings that will compete for the Pro Volleyball Federation Championship in May. The location of the championship will be determined and announced at a later date.&nbsp;The current Supernovas world-class roster includes Olympians, U.S. National Team veterans, NCAA National Champions and All-Americans, to include Anna Church, Gabby Curry, Bethania de la Cruz, Tori Dixon, Danielle Hart, Sydney Hilley, Gina Mancuso-Prososki, Allison Mayfield, Brooke Nuneviller, Yossiana&nbsp;Pressley, Nia Reed, Jess Schaben-Lansman, Maddie Squiers, Natalia Valentín-Anderson, Hristina Vuchkova, Lindsey Vander Weide and Kendall White.&nbsp;Season Tickets are available at the team’s website and on the team’s app, available for download on smartphones and tablets.&nbsp;ABOUT OMAHA SUPERNOVAS&nbsp;The Omaha Supernovas aims to be the premier home of professional volleyball throughout the world. The team is owned by global music sensation Jason Derulo and entrepreneurs Danny White and Chris Erickson, Co-Founders of City+Ventures, an investment and business acceleration organization headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.&nbsp;ABOUT PRO VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION&nbsp;Pro Volleyball Federation is&nbsp;REAL PRO VOLLEYBALL&nbsp;and the premier women’s professional volleyball league in North America. Pro Volleyball Federation will begin play in January 2024 with world class players and coaches, including some of America’s greatest volleyball players and elite players from around the world. Our entire focus is on ensuring that our level and quality of play, our treatment of players, the quality of our event presentations, and our day-to-day fan experience is world class and the very best offered in North America.&nbsp;For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.provolleyball.com/" target="_blank">ProVolleyball.com</a>.&nbsp;

Supernovas tab former Nebraska National Champion Brooke Smith as Team Nutritionist 

The Nebraska women’s basketball team closes its three-game home stand by taking on UNC Wilmington Tuesday night in Lincoln.

Tip-off between the Huskers (6-2) and the Seahawks (2-5) at Pinnacle Bank Arena is set for 7 p.m., with tickets available now at Huskers.com.&nbsp;

Nebraska fans can listen across the Huskers Radio Network, including 107.3 FM in Lincoln and 590 AM in Omaha, the Huskers App and Huskers.com, as Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch team up for their 23rd season together calling the action. Pregame starts at 6:30 p.m. (CT).&nbsp;

B1G+ subscribers can also follow the game on the live video stream produced by Big Ten Student U with Bobby Hessling and Justice Rhody on the call.

Nebraska hopes to continue building momentum by completing a sweep of its three-game home stand. The stand began with a 77-53 win over Florida Atlantic on Wednesday, before a resounding 80-72 win over Georgia Tech on Saturday. The Big Red rallied from a 15-point third-quarter deficit by shooting 75.8 percent from the field, including 66.7 percent (8-12) from three-point range in the second half to put up 58 points after halftime.

Two-time Ann Meyers-Drysdale Award candidate Jaz Shelley led Nebraska with 22 points and eight assists. She became the 37th 1,000-point scorer in Husker history with her late shot clock, banked three-point hook shot from near the top of the key to help seal the win. She also moved into the top five on Nebraska’s career three-point list (175) and the top 10 on NU’s career assist list (395).

Two-time Lisa Leslie Award candidate Alexis Markowski (15 points, 10 rebounds) had her third consecutive double-double and fourth of the season in the win over Georgia Tech. Markowski, who is tied for fifth in Husker history with 25 career double-doubles, owns team-best averages of 17.1 points and 9.3 rebounds. She leads the Big Ten in rebounding and ranks seventh in scoring.

Two-time Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week Natalie Potts pitched in 13 points, four rebounds and two assists against the Yellow Jackets to continue her outstanding start. Potts is averaging 12.6 points and 5.1 rebounds while hitting 79.5 percent (35-44) of her two-point field goal attempts and 80 percent (16-20) of her free throws. She leads the Big Ten in field goal percentage (.667).

Darian White, a four-year starter and three-time All-Big Sky performer at Montana State before transferring to Nebraska as a graduate student, gives Nebraska another potent weapon. The 5-6 point guard is averaging 9.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and a team-best 4.1 assists, which ranks eighth in the Big Ten.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (6-2, 0-0 Big Ten)vs. UNC Wilmington Seahawks (2-5, 0-0 CAA)Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2023, 7 p.m. (CT)Pinnacle Bank Arena - Lincoln, NebraskaTickets:&nbsp;Huskers.com / 1-800-8-BIG-REDLive Video:&nbsp;B1G+ (subscription)Live Stats:&nbsp;Huskers.comLive Radio:&nbsp;Huskers Radio Network (6:30 p.m.)Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst)Lincoln (107.3 FM), Omaha (590 AM),&nbsp;Huskers.com, Huskers App

Nebraska Cornhuskers&nbsp;(6-2, 0-0 Big Ten)22 - Natalie Potts - 6-2 - Fr. - F/G - 12.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg40 - Alexis Markowski - 6-3 - Jr. - C/F - 17.1 ppg, 9.3 rpg0 - Darian White - 5-6 - Gr. - G - 9.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg1 - Jaz Shelley - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 13.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg42 - Maddie Krull - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 2.6 ppg, 2.0 rpgOff the Bench21 - Annika Stewart - 6-3 - Sr. - F - 9.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg14 - Callin Hake - 5-9 - So. - G - 6.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg2 - Logan Nissley - 6-0 - Fr. - G - 5.5 ppg, 1.9 rpg12 - Jessica Petrie - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 5.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg32 - Kendall Coley - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 2.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg15 - Kendall Moriarty - 6-1 - Jr. - G - 2.4 ppg, 1.1 rpgHead Coach:&nbsp;Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)Eighth Season at Nebraska (120-101);&nbsp;17th Season Overall (313-210)

UNCW Seahawks&nbsp;(2-5, 0-0 CAA)4 - Lexi Jackson - 6-4 - Sr. - C - 5.1 ppg, 8.7 rpg0 - Britany Range - 5-10 - Sr. - G - 4.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg1 - Mary Ferrito - 5-10 - So. - G - 1.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg2 - Taylor Henderson - 5-11 - RFr. - G - 12.9 ppg, 5.9 rpg22 - Evan Miller - 5-11 - Sr. - G - 13.1 ppg, 4.9 rpgOff the Bench21 - Kylah Silver - 5-7 - Fr. - G - 11.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg10 - McCall King - 5-10 - So. - G - 4.1 ppg, 2.4 rpg11 - Mingaile Urmuleviciute - 6-3 - So. - F - 2.5 ppg, 1.0 rpg13 - Corrie McLaughlin - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 2.5 ppg, 0.7 rpg15 - Sammy Ackles - 6-3 - So. - F - 1.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg33 - Kylie Chavis - 5-7 - Fr. - G - 1.0 ppg, 0.8 rpgHead Coach:&nbsp;Nicole Woods (Belmont-Abbey, 2006)First Season at UNCW (2-5);&nbsp;First Season Overall (2-5)

First-year head coach Nicole Woods leads UNC Wilmington to Nebraska with a 2-5 record after suffering an 85-58 loss at Iowa State on Sunday.

The loss to the Cyclones was the second game in a four-game road swing that began with a 66-58 overtime win at Winthrop last Wednesday. The Seahawks jumped to a 15-2 lead in the first five minutes, but scored just 36 points in the next 35 minutes as the two teams went to overtime tied at 51. UNCW then outscored Winthrop 15-7 in the extra period.

The Seahawks are led by senior Evan Miller, who is averaging a team-best 13.1 points to go with 4.9 rebounds after a 19-point effort at Iowa State. The 5-11 guard leads UNCW with 10 three-pointers on the year. Miller carried the Seahawks to victory at Winthrop (Nov. 29) with a career-high 26 points on 9-of-16 shooting, including 3-of-5 from long range. She scored 18 in regulation, including a three in the right corner with five seconds left to trim the UNCW deficit to 49-48 before sinking three straight free throws with less than one second left to send the game to OT tied at 51. She added eight points in overtime to account for the final margin.

Redshirt freshman Taylor Henderson has added 12.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 2.1 steals. The 5-11 guard is averaging six free throw attempts, but is hitting just 26.2 percent (28-107) of her shots from the field, including 4-of-25 three-pointers. Henderson had 11 points, eight rebounds, nine turnovers and five fouls in the win at Winthrop. She banked in a 30-footer from the left wing to cut the UNCW deficit to 47-45 with 12 seconds left. She had 12 points and five rebounds at ISU.

Britany Range (4.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg) and Mary Ferrito (1.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg), a Wisconsin transfer, round out a group of four starting guards for the Seahawks. Range has hit a team-best 34.8 percent (8-23) from three-point range, but Ferrito has hit just 4-of-24 shots overall from the field, including 0-of-10 threes. Ferrito is averaging a team-best 3.3 assists per game.

Freshman Kylah Silver gives UNCW a third double-figure scorer by averaging 11.3 points and 4.3 rebounds off the bench. The 5-7 guard averages more than five free throw attempts per game and is shooting 86.5 percent (32-37) at the line. She also ranks second on the team behind Henderson with 2.0 steals per game. Silver had 12 points in the loss at Iowa State.

Sophomore McCall King gives UNCW more backcourt depth with the 5-10 guard averaging 4.1 points and 2.4 rebounds per game.

Lexi Jackson, a 6-4 senior center, leads UNCW inside by averaging 5.1 points and team bests of 8.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks.

Corrie McLaughlin, a 6-2 freshman forward, has added size and efficiency by going 7-for-7 from the field on the season. The Seahawks have more depth inside with 6-3 sophomore forwards Mingaile Urmuleviciute (2.5 ppg, 1.0 rpg) and Sammy Ackles (1.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg).

As a team, UNCW is shooting just 33.4 percent from the field, including 23.3 percent from beyond the arc. The Seahawks have hit 73.8 percent of their free throws. UNCW has been outscored by an average of 64.3-57.7, and outrebounded 39.9-38.6 on the season. The Seahawks have also been strapped by a minus-1.7 team turnover margin.

Tuesday’s game marks the first meeting in history between Nebraska and UNC Wilmington in women’s basketball.

Nebraska’s last meeting against a team from North Carolina came in 2021-22, when the Huskers ran to an 84-60 victory over then-unbeaten Wake Forest in Winston-Salem (Dec. 1, 2021). Earlier in the 2021-22 season, the Huskers rolled to a 113-58 win over North Carolina Central at Pinnacle Bank Arena (Nov. 20).

The Huskers are 4-0 against teams from North Carolina under Coach Amy Williams, including an 83-79 win over Duke in Lincoln (Dec. 4, 2019) and a 55-47 victory over Coastal Carolina in Daytona Beach, Fla. (Nov. 24, 2017).

Nebraska owns an eight-game winning streak overall against teams from North Carolina dating back to a 75-62 loss by the No. 15 Huskers at No. 18 North Carolina (Dec. 4, 2013). NU’s winning streak started with a 60-54 win by the No. 12 Huskers over No. 9 Duke at PBA (Dec. 3, 2014) before&nbsp; an 83-57 win over High Point in Lincoln (Dec. 20, 2014). In 2015-16, NU added an 88-47 win over North Carolina Central at PBA (Nov. 21, 2015) before an 88-67 victory over NC State in Lincoln (Dec. 3, 2015).

The Huskers have never lost at home to a team from North Carolina, posting a perfect 9-0 record dating back to an 82-63 win over East Carolina at the Devaney Center on Dec. 30, 2000.&nbsp;

Husker Nuggets• Nebraska has never lost at home to a team from the state of North Carolina (9-0). Overall, the Huskers own an eight-game winning streak against North Carolina teams and are 4-0 against North Carolina schools under Coach Amy Williams.

• Natalie Potts earned her second Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week award (Nov. 27). She won the inaugural weekly honor (Nov. 13). Potts leads the Big Ten in field goal percentage (.667) while ranking 23rd in the league in scoring (12.6 ppg).

• Alexis Markowski was named to the Big Ten Weekly Honor Roll three of the first four weeks of the 2023-24 season. She also earned a spot on the St. Pete Showcase All-Tournament Team after averaging 15.0 points and 9.5 rebounds over two games in Florida.

• Markowski leads the Big Ten in rebounding (9.3 rpg) while ranking seventh in the league in scoring (17.1 ppg), 11th in field goal percentage (.515) and 18th in free throw percentage (.756).

• The Huskers had six players produce double figures in points against Northwestern State, marking the first time Nebraska accomplished that feat since a 90-61 season-opening win over Oral Roberts on Dec. 4, 2020.

• The Huskers have hit at least one three in 472 straight games dating back to a loss at UTEP on Dec. 20, 2008. Nebraska has hit at least two threes in 351 consecutive games.

• Nebraska has hit 10 or more threes 30 times in the last 80 games, including three times in 2023-24. The Huskers opened 2023-24 with 10 three-pointers in a win over Northwestern State (Nov. 6), before adding 10 threes in a win over Florida Atlantic (Nov. 29). NU hit 10 more threes in the win over Georgia Tech (Dec. 2). Nebraska knocked down a 2022-23 season-high 14 threes in a season-opening win over Omaha (Nov. 7, 2022).&nbsp;

• Through the first 20 seasons with the three-point shot in women’s basketball (1988-2007), Nebraska hit 10 threes in a game just six times (591 games).

• Darian White has scored in double figures 101 times in her college career (97, Montana State; 4, Nebraska) after getting a season-high 16 points against unbeaten TCU (Nov. 25).

•&nbsp; Jaz Shelley is five assists from 400 in her Nebraska career. She moved to No. 10 on the NU career assist list with 395 by notching eight assists in the win over Georgia Tech. She moved past All-American and two-time WNBA All-Star Anna DeForge (392) on the list.&nbsp;&nbsp;

•&nbsp; Jaz Shelley is 13 assists away from 500 in her college career. Only five Huskers in history have totaled 500 collegiate assists (Lindsey Moore, Meggan Yedsena, Rachel Theriot, Jina Johansen, Nicole Kubik). Darian White is 18 assists away from 500 in her career.

• Jaz Shelley is eight three-pointers from catching WNBA star Yvonne Turner (2007-10) at No. 4 on the Nebraska career three-point list (183). Shelley owns 175 threes as a Husker.&nbsp;

• Alexis Markowski moved into the top five on Nebraska’s career double-doubles list (25) by notching her fourth double-double of the season in the win over Georgia Tech. She needs eight double-doubles to catch Emily Cady at No. 4 (33). The Husker record for career double-doubles is 40 by first-team All-Americans Kelsey Griffin (2006-10) and Jordan Hooper (2011-14).

• Maddie Krull is one assist away from 200 in her career.

• Annika Stewart is four points away from 500 in her career.

• Two-time All-Big Ten center Alexis Markowski (Lincoln, Neb.) was the Big Ten’s top rebounder with 322 rebounds in 2022-23. She was the only Big Ten player to average a double-double (12.4 ppg, 10.2 rpg) during regular-season conference play.

• Alexis Markowski is 49 points from reaching 1,000 career points.

• Markowski is 39 rebounds away from 700 in her career and just 89 rebounds from 750, which would move her into a tie for No. 10 on the Nebraska career rebound list.

• Darian White is 208 points away from 2,000 in her college career.

The Nebraska women’s basketball team closes its three-game home stand by taking on UNC Wilmington Tuesday night in Lincoln.Tip-off between the Huskers (6-2) and the Seahawks (2-5) at Pinnacle Bank Arena is set for 7 p.m., with tickets available now at Huskers.com.&nbsp;Nebraska fans can listen across the Huskers Radio Network, including 107.3 FM in Lincoln and 590 AM in Omaha, the Huskers App and Huskers.com, as Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch team up for their 23rd season together calling the action. Pregame starts at 6:30 p.m. (CT).&nbsp;B1G+ subscribers can also follow the game on the live video stream produced by Big Ten Student U with Bobby Hessling and Justice Rhody on the call.Nebraska hopes to continue building momentum by completing a sweep of its three-game home stand. The stand began with a 77-53 win over Florida Atlantic on Wednesday, before a resounding 80-72 win over Georgia Tech on Saturday. The Big Red rallied from a 15-point third-quarter deficit by shooting 75.8 percent from the field, including 66.7 percent (8-12) from three-point range in the second half to put up 58 points after halftime.Two-time Ann Meyers-Drysdale Award candidate Jaz Shelley led Nebraska with 22 points and eight assists. She became the 37th 1,000-point scorer in Husker history with her late shot clock, banked three-point hook shot from near the top of the key to help seal the win. She also moved into the top five on Nebraska’s career three-point list (175) and the top 10 on NU’s career assist list (395).Two-time Lisa Leslie Award candidate Alexis Markowski (15 points, 10 rebounds) had her third consecutive double-double and fourth of the season in the win over Georgia Tech. Markowski, who is tied for fifth in Husker history with 25 career double-doubles, owns team-best averages of 17.1 points and 9.3 rebounds. She leads the Big Ten in rebounding and ranks seventh in scoring.Two-time Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week Natalie Potts pitched in 13 points, four rebounds and two assists against the Yellow Jackets to continue her outstanding start. Potts is averaging 12.6 points and 5.1 rebounds while hitting 79.5 percent (35-44) of her two-point field goal attempts and 80 percent (16-20) of her free throws. She leads the Big Ten in field goal percentage (.667).Darian White, a four-year starter and three-time All-Big Sky performer at Montana State before transferring to Nebraska as a graduate student, gives Nebraska another potent weapon. The 5-6 point guard is averaging 9.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and a team-best 4.1 assists, which ranks eighth in the Big Ten.Nebraska Cornhuskers (6-2, 0-0 Big Ten)vs. UNC Wilmington Seahawks (2-5, 0-0 CAA)Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2023, 7 p.m. (CT)Pinnacle Bank Arena - Lincoln, NebraskaTickets:&nbsp;Huskers.com / 1-800-8-BIG-REDLive Video:&nbsp;B1G+ (subscription)Live Stats:&nbsp;Huskers.comLive Radio:&nbsp;Huskers Radio Network (6:30 p.m.)Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst)Lincoln (107.3 FM), Omaha (590 AM),&nbsp;Huskers.com, Huskers AppNebraska Cornhuskers&nbsp;(6-2, 0-0 Big Ten)22 - Natalie Potts - 6-2 - Fr. - F/G - 12.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg40 - Alexis Markowski - 6-3 - Jr. - C/F - 17.1 ppg, 9.3 rpg0 - Darian White - 5-6 - Gr. - G - 9.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg1 - Jaz Shelley - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 13.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg42 - Maddie Krull - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 2.6 ppg, 2.0 rpgOff the Bench21 - Annika Stewart - 6-3 - Sr. - F - 9.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg14 - Callin Hake - 5-9 - So. - G - 6.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg2 - Logan Nissley - 6-0 - Fr. - G - 5.5 ppg, 1.9 rpg12 - Jessica Petrie - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 5.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg32 - Kendall Coley - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 2.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg15 - Kendall Moriarty - 6-1 - Jr. - G - 2.4 ppg, 1.1 rpgHead Coach:&nbsp;Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)Eighth Season at Nebraska (120-101);&nbsp;17th Season Overall (313-210)UNCW Seahawks&nbsp;(2-5, 0-0 CAA)4 - Lexi Jackson - 6-4 - Sr. - C - 5.1 ppg, 8.7 rpg0 - Britany Range - 5-10 - Sr. - G - 4.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg1 - Mary Ferrito - 5-10 - So. - G - 1.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg2 - Taylor Henderson - 5-11 - RFr. - G - 12.9 ppg, 5.9 rpg22 - Evan Miller - 5-11 - Sr. - G - 13.1 ppg, 4.9 rpgOff the Bench21 - Kylah Silver - 5-7 - Fr. - G - 11.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg10 - McCall King - 5-10 - So. - G - 4.1 ppg, 2.4 rpg11 - Mingaile Urmuleviciute - 6-3 - So. - F - 2.5 ppg, 1.0 rpg13 - Corrie McLaughlin - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 2.5 ppg, 0.7 rpg15 - Sammy Ackles - 6-3 - So. - F - 1.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg33 - Kylie Chavis - 5-7 - Fr. - G - 1.0 ppg, 0.8 rpgHead Coach:&nbsp;Nicole Woods (Belmont-Abbey, 2006)First Season at UNCW (2-5);&nbsp;First Season Overall (2-5)Scouting The UNCW SeahawksFirst-year head coach Nicole Woods leads UNC Wilmington to Nebraska with a 2-5 record after suffering an 85-58 loss at Iowa State on Sunday.The loss to the Cyclones was the second game in a four-game road swing that began with a 66-58 overtime win at Winthrop last Wednesday. The Seahawks jumped to a 15-2 lead in the first five minutes, but scored just 36 points in the next 35 minutes as the two teams went to overtime tied at 51. UNCW then outscored Winthrop 15-7 in the extra period.The Seahawks are led by senior Evan Miller, who is averaging a team-best 13.1 points to go with 4.9 rebounds after a 19-point effort at Iowa State. The 5-11 guard leads UNCW with 10 three-pointers on the year. Miller carried the Seahawks to victory at Winthrop (Nov. 29) with a career-high 26 points on 9-of-16 shooting, including 3-of-5 from long range. She scored 18 in regulation, including a three in the right corner with five seconds left to trim the UNCW deficit to 49-48 before sinking three straight free throws with less than one second left to send the game to OT tied at 51. She added eight points in overtime to account for the final margin.Redshirt freshman Taylor Henderson has added 12.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 2.1 steals. The 5-11 guard is averaging six free throw attempts, but is hitting just 26.2 percent (28-107) of her shots from the field, including 4-of-25 three-pointers. Henderson had 11 points, eight rebounds, nine turnovers and five fouls in the win at Winthrop. She banked in a 30-footer from the left wing to cut the UNCW deficit to 47-45 with 12 seconds left. She had 12 points and five rebounds at ISU.Britany Range (4.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg) and Mary Ferrito (1.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg), a Wisconsin transfer, round out a group of four starting guards for the Seahawks. Range has hit a team-best 34.8 percent (8-23) from three-point range, but Ferrito has hit just 4-of-24 shots overall from the field, including 0-of-10 threes. Ferrito is averaging a team-best 3.3 assists per game.Freshman Kylah Silver gives UNCW a third double-figure scorer by averaging 11.3 points and 4.3 rebounds off the bench. The 5-7 guard averages more than five free throw attempts per game and is shooting 86.5 percent (32-37) at the line. She also ranks second on the team behind Henderson with 2.0 steals per game. Silver had 12 points in the loss at Iowa State.Sophomore McCall King gives UNCW more backcourt depth with the 5-10 guard averaging 4.1 points and 2.4 rebounds per game.Lexi Jackson, a 6-4 senior center, leads UNCW inside by averaging 5.1 points and team bests of 8.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks.Corrie McLaughlin, a 6-2 freshman forward, has added size and efficiency by going 7-for-7 from the field on the season. The Seahawks have more depth inside with 6-3 sophomore forwards Mingaile Urmuleviciute (2.5 ppg, 1.0 rpg) and Sammy Ackles (1.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg).As a team, UNCW is shooting just 33.4 percent from the field, including 23.3 percent from beyond the arc. The Seahawks have hit 73.8 percent of their free throws. UNCW has been outscored by an average of 64.3-57.7, and outrebounded 39.9-38.6 on the season. The Seahawks have also been strapped by a minus-1.7 team turnover margin.Nebraska vs. UNCW Series HistoryTuesday’s game marks the first meeting in history between Nebraska and UNC Wilmington in women’s basketball.Nebraska’s last meeting against a team from North Carolina came in 2021-22, when the Huskers ran to an 84-60 victory over then-unbeaten Wake Forest in Winston-Salem (Dec. 1, 2021). Earlier in the 2021-22 season, the Huskers rolled to a 113-58 win over North Carolina Central at Pinnacle Bank Arena (Nov. 20).The Huskers are 4-0 against teams from North Carolina under Coach Amy Williams, including an 83-79 win over Duke in Lincoln (Dec. 4, 2019) and a 55-47 victory over Coastal Carolina in Daytona Beach, Fla. (Nov. 24, 2017).Nebraska owns an eight-game winning streak overall against teams from North Carolina dating back to a 75-62 loss by the No. 15 Huskers at No. 18 North Carolina (Dec. 4, 2013). NU’s winning streak started with a 60-54 win by the No. 12 Huskers over No. 9 Duke at PBA (Dec. 3, 2014) before&nbsp; an 83-57 win over High Point in Lincoln (Dec. 20, 2014). In 2015-16, NU added an 88-47 win over North Carolina Central at PBA (Nov. 21, 2015) before an 88-67 victory over NC State in Lincoln (Dec. 3, 2015).The Huskers have never lost at home to a team from North Carolina, posting a perfect 9-0 record dating back to an 82-63 win over East Carolina at the Devaney Center on Dec. 30, 2000.&nbsp;Husker Nuggets• Nebraska has never lost at home to a team from the state of North Carolina (9-0). Overall, the Huskers own an eight-game winning streak against North Carolina teams and are 4-0 against North Carolina schools under Coach Amy Williams.• Natalie Potts earned her second Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week award (Nov. 27). She won the inaugural weekly honor (Nov. 13). Potts leads the Big Ten in field goal percentage (.667) while ranking 23rd in the league in scoring (12.6 ppg).• Alexis Markowski was named to the Big Ten Weekly Honor Roll three of the first four weeks of the 2023-24 season. She also earned a spot on the St. Pete Showcase All-Tournament Team after averaging 15.0 points and 9.5 rebounds over two games in Florida.• Markowski leads the Big Ten in rebounding (9.3 rpg) while ranking seventh in the league in scoring (17.1 ppg), 11th in field goal percentage (.515) and 18th in free throw percentage (.756).• The Huskers had six players produce double figures in points against Northwestern State, marking the first time Nebraska accomplished that feat since a 90-61 season-opening win over Oral Roberts on Dec. 4, 2020.• The Huskers have hit at least one three in 472 straight games dating back to a loss at UTEP on Dec. 20, 2008. Nebraska has hit at least two threes in 351 consecutive games.• Nebraska has hit 10 or more threes 30 times in the last 80 games, including three times in 2023-24. The Huskers opened 2023-24 with 10 three-pointers in a win over Northwestern State (Nov. 6), before adding 10 threes in a win over Florida Atlantic (Nov. 29). NU hit 10 more threes in the win over Georgia Tech (Dec. 2). Nebraska knocked down a 2022-23 season-high 14 threes in a season-opening win over Omaha (Nov. 7, 2022).&nbsp;• Through the first 20 seasons with the three-point shot in women’s basketball (1988-2007), Nebraska hit 10 threes in a game just six times (591 games).Husker Numbers to Watch• Darian White has scored in double figures 101 times in her college career (97, Montana State; 4, Nebraska) after getting a season-high 16 points against unbeaten TCU (Nov. 25).•&nbsp; Jaz Shelley is five assists from 400 in her Nebraska career. She moved to No. 10 on the NU career assist list with 395 by notching eight assists in the win over Georgia Tech. She moved past All-American and two-time WNBA All-Star Anna DeForge (392) on the list.&nbsp;&nbsp;•&nbsp; Jaz Shelley is 13 assists away from 500 in her college career. Only five Huskers in history have totaled 500 collegiate assists (Lindsey Moore, Meggan Yedsena, Rachel Theriot, Jina Johansen, Nicole Kubik). Darian White is 18 assists away from 500 in her career.• Jaz Shelley is eight three-pointers from catching WNBA star Yvonne Turner (2007-10) at No. 4 on the Nebraska career three-point list (183). Shelley owns 175 threes as a Husker.&nbsp;• Alexis Markowski moved into the top five on Nebraska’s career double-doubles list (25) by notching her fourth double-double of the season in the win over Georgia Tech. She needs eight double-doubles to catch Emily Cady at No. 4 (33). The Husker record for career double-doubles is 40 by first-team All-Americans Kelsey Griffin (2006-10) and Jordan Hooper (2011-14).• Maddie Krull is one assist away from 200 in her career.• Annika Stewart is four points away from 500 in her career.Nebraska Notables• Two-time All-Big Ten center Alexis Markowski (Lincoln, Neb.) was the Big Ten’s top rebounder with 322 rebounds in 2022-23. She was the only Big Ten player to average a double-double (12.4 ppg, 10.2 rpg) during regular-season conference play.• Alexis Markowski is 49 points from reaching 1,000 career points.• Markowski is 39 rebounds away from 700 in her career and just 89 rebounds from 750, which would move her into a tie for No. 10 on the Nebraska career rebound list.• Darian White is 208 points away from 2,000 in her college career.

Huskers close home stand with Seahawks

The Nebraska men's basketball team hits the road for the first time this season, as the Huskers travel to Minnesota Wednesday evening. Tipoff from Williams Arena in Minneapolis is set for shortly after 8 p.m. and the game will be televised on BTN and carried on the Husker Radio Network.

Wednesday's game is the first of two Big Ten games this week for the Huskers, as conference play started on Dec. 1 and goes throughout the week before resuming in January. &nbsp;Nebraska's other Big Ten matchup will be on Sunday when the Huskers take on Michigan State.

The Huskers (7-1) look to rebound following a loss to No. 15 Creighton on Sunday afternoon. Nebraska, whose 7-0 start was its best since the 1977-78 season, was held to a season-low 60 points after entering the game averaging over 80 points per game. The Huskers shot just 34 percent from the field, including 2-of-22 from 3-point range. NU led the Big Ten in 3-pointers per game coming into the contest.&nbsp;

One highlight for NU was senior guard Keisei Tominaga who led the Huskers with 20 points for his second 20-point game of the season. Tominaga, who missed the first two games of the season with an ankle injury suffered on Oct. 29, has rounded into form in recent games, averaging 16.8 ppg over his last five games while shooting 58 percent from the floor, including 44 percent from 3-point range.

Tominaga leads a balanced Husker attack which features four players averaging double figures, as Nebraska enters the week ranks sixth in the Big Ten with 78.9 points per game. Juwan Gary has been exceptional off the bench, averaging 14.4 points per game on 54 percent shooting, while newcomers Rienk Mast (14.0 ppg, 9.8 rpg) and Brice Williams (13.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg) round out NU's double-figure quartet.&nbsp;

Minnesota (5-3, 0-1) comes off an 84-74 loss at Ohio State on Sunday night. Dawson Garcia led all scorers with 36 points and 11 rebounds to pace three Golden Gophers in double figures. &nbsp;Garcia tops the Gophers in scoring (20.5 ppg) and rebounding (8.3 rpg) while shooting nearly 50 percent from the field.&nbsp;

About MinnesotaBen Johnson is in his third season at the helm of the Golden Gopher program. &nbsp;Johnson, who played at both Minnesota and Northwestern during his college career, won 13 games in his first season at Minnesota before his team battled through a bunch of injuries in 2022-23. Johnson has ties to NU, as he spent one season at Nebraska as an assistant coach under Tim Miles in 2012-13.

Minnesota has been solid at home with a 5-1 mark, with the only setback being a two-point loss to Missouri on Nov. 16. The Gophers feature one of the best big men in the conference in Dawson Garcia, who played at Marquette and North Carolina before returning to his home state. Garcia is averaging 20.5 ppg on 49 percent shooting while getting to the foul line nearly seven times per contest. He also paces the Golden Gophers with 8.3 rebounds per game. He is the only upperclassmen among the Gophers' top four scorers. Freshman Cam Christie is averaging 11.0 ppg while shooting 52 percent from 3-point range while sophomores Pherrel Payne (9.4 ppg) and Joshua Ola-Joseph (8.8 ppg) are both shooting over 60 percent from the field.&nbsp;

Series History: Nebraska and Minnesota will meet for the 85th time on Wednesday, which is the most between the Huskers and any other Big Ten member. It is NU’s longest-running series in the Big Ten, dating back to February of 1902. The Gophers lead the all-time series, 58-26, while the Huskers have won 11 of the past 16 meetings. Minnesota snapped NU's four-game win streak in the 2023 Big Ten Tournament. The home team has won 15 of the past 17 meetings on campus dating back to March of 2012, with NU posting wins in Minneapolis in 2019 and 2023. Prior to joining the Big Ten in 2011-12, NU and Minnesota met in non-conference action every year from 1995 until 2004 after not playing for 16 years.&nbsp;

Last Meeting:&nbsp;Keisei Tominaga's 23 points led four Huskers in double figures, and Nebraska cut a double-digit deficit to one but could not complete the comeback in a 78-75 loss to Minnesota in the opening round of the 2023 Big Ten Tournament

Tominaga hit 8-of-14 shots from the field en route to his ninth 20-point game, and the junior nearly sent the game to overtime as his halfcourt shot was just off the mark. Sam Griesel added 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Derrick Walker and Jamarques Lawrence chipped in 12 points apiece for the Huskers, who fell to 16-16 on the season.Dawson Garcia ked four Gophers in double figures with 18 points and 13 rebounds, while Ta'lon Cooper (16), Jaden Henley (14) and Jamison Battle (13) all reached double figures, as Minnesota shot 52 percent from the floor and hit 10 3-pointers.

Last Time OutKeisei Tominaga had a game-high 20 points, but Nebraska was unable to overcome No. 15 Creighton’s 3-point shooting in an 89-60 loss on Dec. 3. Tominaga hit 8-of-16 shots from the floor but was the only NU player in double figures. The Huskers were held to 33.8 percent shooting, including just 2-of-22 from 3-point range in suffering their first loss of the season.

Baylor Scheierman led Creighton with 24 points, including 20 in the first half on six 3-pointers, as the Bluejays went 10-of-23 from beyond the arc in the opening 20 minutes.

Creighton led 20-14 before Tominaga and Juwan Gary led the Huskers on a 9-2 spurt, taking a 23-22 lead after a Tominaga jumper with 8:54 left in the half, as Tominaga had 16 of his 20 points in the opening 20 minutes. Creighton then took over the Bluejays used a 11-2 spurt to build a 33-25 lead with 6:56 left in the half after a pair of Baylor Scheierman 3-pointers. &nbsp;Nebraska was within nine with less than two minutes remaining in the half after a Gary basket, but the Bluejays closed the half on a 9-3 run, including four free throws from Steven Ashworth to take a 52-27 lead in the break.

Nebraska got within 54-39 after a Gary steal and dunk with just over 18 minutes remaining, but Creighton used a 9-2 spurt to push the lead to 62-41, and Nebraska was unable to whittle down the margin.

Numbers to Know8 - Nebraska committed just eight turnovers in the loss to Creighton and ranks third in the Big Ten with 9.6 turnovers per game. Over the last four games, that number dips to 6.3 per outing.

8.6 - Despite going 2-of-22 from the arc in the loss to Creighton, NU ranks second in the Big Ten with 8.6 3-pointers per game as of Dec. 4. &nbsp;NU has averaged more than 8.0 3-pointers/game twice in program history (2001-02 and 2020-21).

7 - Nebraska has had seven runs of at least 10-0 in the first eight games of the season, including a 20-0 run against Oregon State and 17-0 against Rider.

2- Nebraska matched a school record with two turnovers in the win over Duquesne on Nov. 22, matching a record originally set in 2013. As of Dec. 3, it ties for the lowest total by a power conference team in 2023-24.

3.14 - Nebraska posted a team GPA of 3.14 during the 2022-23 academic year. The Huskers were a finalist for the Herman Team GPA award for the first time in program history. In addition, NU matched a school record with six Academic All-Big Ten selections.

Finding BalanceNebraska relied on its depth and balance early in the season. While the Huskers have four players averaging double figures, three others are between 5.0 and 7.4 ppg after seven games.&nbsp;

Tominaga Returns to All-Big Ten FormNebraska's lineup has been boosted by the return of fifth-year senior Keisei Tominaga, who missed NU's first two games with an ankle injury. He leads the Huskers in scoring at 15.5 ppg and is shooting 51 percent from the field and almost 40 percent from 3-point range.&nbsp;

Prior to Tominaga, the last player to have at least 15 points on a perfect shooting night was David Rivers at Michigan State on Jan. 13, 2013 (8-8 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 1-1 FT).&nbsp; According to Sports Reference, only three power conference players have totaled at least 15 points on a perfect shooting night this season as of Dec. 3.

Tominaga was named to the preseason All-Big Ten team, becoming just the third Husker to receive the honor since Nebraska joined the conference in the 2011-12 season. &nbsp;Last season, he averaged 13.1 points per game on 53 percent shooting, including 40 percent from 3-point range, while appearing in all 32 contests. &nbsp;Tominaga led the Huskers in 3-pointers with 66 and was one of only six players nationally to average double figures and shoot 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range and 85 percent from the foul line.&nbsp;

New Faces, New RolesNebraska made a big splash in the transfer portal, adding five players to the roster, and their impact is already being felt during the early portion of the season. The group of Josiah Allick (New Mexico), Jarron Coleman (Bradley), Rienk Mast (Bradley), Ahron Ulis (Iowa) and Brice Williams (Charlotte) combined for more than 4,300 points, 2,100 rebounds and 800 assists entering this year.&nbsp;

The Nebraska men's basketball team hits the road for the first time this season, as the Huskers travel to Minnesota Wednesday evening. Tipoff from Williams Arena in Minneapolis is set for shortly after 8 p.m. and the game will be televised on BTN and carried on the Husker Radio Network.Wednesday's game is the first of two Big Ten games this week for the Huskers, as conference play started on Dec. 1 and goes throughout the week before resuming in January. &nbsp;Nebraska's other Big Ten matchup will be on Sunday when the Huskers take on Michigan State.The Huskers (7-1) look to rebound following a loss to No. 15 Creighton on Sunday afternoon. Nebraska, whose 7-0 start was its best since the 1977-78 season, was held to a season-low 60 points after entering the game averaging over 80 points per game. The Huskers shot just 34 percent from the field, including 2-of-22 from 3-point range. NU led the Big Ten in 3-pointers per game coming into the contest.&nbsp;One highlight for NU was senior guard Keisei Tominaga who led the Huskers with 20 points for his second 20-point game of the season. Tominaga, who missed the first two games of the season with an ankle injury suffered on Oct. 29, has rounded into form in recent games, averaging 16.8 ppg over his last five games while shooting 58 percent from the floor, including 44 percent from 3-point range.Tominaga leads a balanced Husker attack which features four players averaging double figures, as Nebraska enters the week ranks sixth in the Big Ten with 78.9 points per game. Juwan Gary has been exceptional off the bench, averaging 14.4 points per game on 54 percent shooting, while newcomers Rienk Mast (14.0 ppg, 9.8 rpg) and Brice Williams (13.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg) round out NU's double-figure quartet.&nbsp;Minnesota (5-3, 0-1) comes off an 84-74 loss at Ohio State on Sunday night. Dawson Garcia led all scorers with 36 points and 11 rebounds to pace three Golden Gophers in double figures. &nbsp;Garcia tops the Gophers in scoring (20.5 ppg) and rebounding (8.3 rpg) while shooting nearly 50 percent from the field.&nbsp;About MinnesotaBen Johnson is in his third season at the helm of the Golden Gopher program. &nbsp;Johnson, who played at both Minnesota and Northwestern during his college career, won 13 games in his first season at Minnesota before his team battled through a bunch of injuries in 2022-23. Johnson has ties to NU, as he spent one season at Nebraska as an assistant coach under Tim Miles in 2012-13.Minnesota has been solid at home with a 5-1 mark, with the only setback being a two-point loss to Missouri on Nov. 16. The Gophers feature one of the best big men in the conference in Dawson Garcia, who played at Marquette and North Carolina before returning to his home state. Garcia is averaging 20.5 ppg on 49 percent shooting while getting to the foul line nearly seven times per contest. He also paces the Golden Gophers with 8.3 rebounds per game. He is the only upperclassmen among the Gophers' top four scorers. Freshman Cam Christie is averaging 11.0 ppg while shooting 52 percent from 3-point range while sophomores Pherrel Payne (9.4 ppg) and Joshua Ola-Joseph (8.8 ppg) are both shooting over 60 percent from the field.&nbsp;Series History: Nebraska and Minnesota will meet for the 85th time on Wednesday, which is the most between the Huskers and any other Big Ten member. It is NU’s longest-running series in the Big Ten, dating back to February of 1902. The Gophers lead the all-time series, 58-26, while the Huskers have won 11 of the past 16 meetings. Minnesota snapped NU's four-game win streak in the 2023 Big Ten Tournament. The home team has won 15 of the past 17 meetings on campus dating back to March of 2012, with NU posting wins in Minneapolis in 2019 and 2023. Prior to joining the Big Ten in 2011-12, NU and Minnesota met in non-conference action every year from 1995 until 2004 after not playing for 16 years.&nbsp;Last Meeting:&nbsp;Keisei Tominaga's 23 points led four Huskers in double figures, and Nebraska cut a double-digit deficit to one but could not complete the comeback in a 78-75 loss to Minnesota in the opening round of the 2023 Big Ten TournamentTominaga hit 8-of-14 shots from the field en route to his ninth 20-point game, and the junior nearly sent the game to overtime as his halfcourt shot was just off the mark. Sam Griesel added 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Derrick Walker and Jamarques Lawrence chipped in 12 points apiece for the Huskers, who fell to 16-16 on the season.Dawson Garcia ked four Gophers in double figures with 18 points and 13 rebounds, while Ta'lon Cooper (16), Jaden Henley (14) and Jamison Battle (13) all reached double figures, as Minnesota shot 52 percent from the floor and hit 10 3-pointers.Last Time OutKeisei Tominaga had a game-high 20 points, but Nebraska was unable to overcome No. 15 Creighton’s 3-point shooting in an 89-60 loss on Dec. 3. Tominaga hit 8-of-16 shots from the floor but was the only NU player in double figures. The Huskers were held to 33.8 percent shooting, including just 2-of-22 from 3-point range in suffering their first loss of the season.Baylor Scheierman led Creighton with 24 points, including 20 in the first half on six 3-pointers, as the Bluejays went 10-of-23 from beyond the arc in the opening 20 minutes.Creighton led 20-14 before Tominaga and Juwan Gary led the Huskers on a 9-2 spurt, taking a 23-22 lead after a Tominaga jumper with 8:54 left in the half, as Tominaga had 16 of his 20 points in the opening 20 minutes. Creighton then took over the Bluejays used a 11-2 spurt to build a 33-25 lead with 6:56 left in the half after a pair of Baylor Scheierman 3-pointers. &nbsp;Nebraska was within nine with less than two minutes remaining in the half after a Gary basket, but the Bluejays closed the half on a 9-3 run, including four free throws from Steven Ashworth to take a 52-27 lead in the break.Nebraska got within 54-39 after a Gary steal and dunk with just over 18 minutes remaining, but Creighton used a 9-2 spurt to push the lead to 62-41, and Nebraska was unable to whittle down the margin.Worth Noting<ul>
 <li>Nebraska opened the season with a 7-0 record before losing to No. 15 Creighton on Dec. 3. It marked just the fifth time in program history that Nebraska opened the season with seven straight wins.&nbsp;</li><li>Nebraska's 7-1 record is the Huskers' best record for the first eight games since the 2018-19 team also opened with a 7-1 mark. A win at Minnesota Wednesday would match NU's best record in the first nine games (also 2003-04, 1994-95, 1991-92; 1990-91 and 1984-85) since the 1977-78 team opened the year with 10 straight wins.&nbsp;</li><li>The Huskers will be looking for their third straight road win dating back to last season after closing the 2022-23 season with road wins at Rutgers and at Iowa. &nbsp;NU is 6-7 in its last 13 road games dating back to the end of the 2021-22 season. &nbsp;Wednesday's game marks the fifth&nbsp; straight year that Nebraska has opened Big Ten Conference play on the road.&nbsp;</li><li>Nebraska Head Coach Fred Hoiberg returns to Minneapolis, where he spent two seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves (2003-05) before joining the Timberwolves front office for five seasons (2005-10). Hoiberg helped the Timberwolves to 58 wins and the Western Conference Finals in 2003-04 and led the NBA in 3-point shooting his final season with Minnesota.&nbsp;</li><li>The Huskers are 13-4 over the last 17 games dating back to Feb. 1, 2023. A big reason for that is NU's offense, as NU has averaged 77.6 ppg on 48 percent shooting in that stretch. Sunday's game marked only the third time in the last 17 games where NU was held to under 70 points. The Huskers had scored 80+ points in six of its first seven games this year.&nbsp;</li><li>Nebraska is 20-4 under Hoiberg when scoring at least 80 points including 15-1 over the last three seasons. The only loss was a 104-100 quadruple overtime game at North Carolina State on Dec. 1, 2021. NU has won its last 13 games when reaching the 80-point plateau.&nbsp;</li><li>Nebraska won its first seven games by 10 or more points. It was just the second time in over 100 years - the other was from Dec. 3-30, 1990 - that the Huskers won seven straight games by double figures.</li><li>Nebraska has been exceptional at the charity stripe in the last three games, going 57-of 65 (.877) at the foul line, including two of the best foul shooting performances in Hoiberg's five seasons at Nebraska. &nbsp;NU's 19-of-20 effort against Cal State Fullerton on Nov. 26 was its best percentage (min. 20 att.) since going 20-of-21 (.952) against Minnesota on Nov. 26, 1995.</li><li>Nebraska has made an effort to get to the foul line, as the Huskers are third in the Big Ten in free throw attempts with 195. while opponents have gotten to the line just 108 times. NU leads the Big Ten and is tied for fourth nationally in fewest fouls per game (12.8)</li><li>Despite the loss to Creighton, Nebraska has been solid on the defensive end of the floor during the early season. &nbsp;The Huskers are among the Big Ten leaders in points per game (65.3, sixth), field goal percentage defense (.375, fourth). 3-point percentage defense (.279, fourth) and rebound margin (+6.1 fifth). &nbsp;The loss to Creighton marked just the second time NU has been out-rebounded this season.&nbsp;</li><li>Nebraska had multiple 20-point scorers against Duquesne on Nov. 22 (Keisei Tominaga-23; Juwan-Gary 20) for the eighth time in Fred Hoiberg's five seasons.</li><li>Nebraska's bench has provided a spark, averaging 25.0 points per game in the first eight contests. The Huskers' leading scorer has come from the bench three times (Hoiberg-Lindenwood; Wilcher-Rider; Gary-Stony Brook) and NU has had seven double-figure efforts from its bench in 2023-24. Juwan Gary's 20-point effort against Duquesne on Nov. 22 marked the seventh time under Fred Hoiberg that NU had a player score at least 20 points off the bench.</li>
 </ul>Numbers to Know8 - Nebraska committed just eight turnovers in the loss to Creighton and ranks third in the Big Ten with 9.6 turnovers per game. Over the last four games, that number dips to 6.3 per outing.8.6 - Despite going 2-of-22 from the arc in the loss to Creighton, NU ranks second in the Big Ten with 8.6 3-pointers per game as of Dec. 4. &nbsp;NU has averaged more than 8.0 3-pointers/game twice in program history (2001-02 and 2020-21).7 - Nebraska has had seven runs of at least 10-0 in the first eight games of the season, including a 20-0 run against Oregon State and 17-0 against Rider.2- Nebraska matched a school record with two turnovers in the win over Duquesne on Nov. 22, matching a record originally set in 2013. As of Dec. 3, it ties for the lowest total by a power conference team in 2023-24.3.14 - Nebraska posted a team GPA of 3.14 during the 2022-23 academic year. The Huskers were a finalist for the Herman Team GPA award for the first time in program history. In addition, NU matched a school record with six Academic All-Big Ten selections.Finding BalanceNebraska relied on its depth and balance early in the season. While the Huskers have four players averaging double figures, three others are between 5.0 and 7.4 ppg after seven games.&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Nebraska has had nine different players reach double figures and have six different leading scorers through the first eight games. Only Rienk Mast (twice) and Keisei Tominaga (twice) have led NU in scoring more than once.</li><li>No Husker averages more than 28 minutes per game, while nine Huskers are averaging double figures in minutes. Despite the number of different lineups NU has been forced to use, the Huskers have had at least eight players play double-figure minutes in each of the first nine games.</li><li>NU has gotten at least one double-figure effort from its bench in each of the first seven contests. The Huskers have gotten almost 32 percent of their scoring from the bench over the first eight contests.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Tominaga Returns to All-Big Ten FormNebraska's lineup has been boosted by the return of fifth-year senior Keisei Tominaga, who missed NU's first two games with an ankle injury. He leads the Huskers in scoring at 15.5 ppg and is shooting 51 percent from the field and almost 40 percent from 3-point range.&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>• Over his last five games, Tominaga is averaging 16.8 points per game while shooting 58 percent from the field and 44 percent from 3-point range.&nbsp;</li><li>• He posted his 12th career 20-point game in Sunday's loss to No. 15 Creighton, finishing with 20 points on 8-of-16 shooting. He now has 12 career 20-point games as a Husker.</li><li>• Tominaga has a season-high 23 points in NU's win over Duquesne on Nov. 18, including 9-of-10 from the foul line.&nbsp;</li><li>• He had a perfect shooting performance against Cal State Fullerton on Nov. 26, as he went 5-of-5 from the field, including 3-of-3 from 3-point range, and 4-of-4 from the foul line. &nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Prior to Tominaga, the last player to have at least 15 points on a perfect shooting night was David Rivers at Michigan State on Jan. 13, 2013 (8-8 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 1-1 FT).&nbsp; According to Sports Reference, only three power conference players have totaled at least 15 points on a perfect shooting night this season as of Dec. 3.Tominaga was named to the preseason All-Big Ten team, becoming just the third Husker to receive the honor since Nebraska joined the conference in the 2011-12 season. &nbsp;Last season, he averaged 13.1 points per game on 53 percent shooting, including 40 percent from 3-point range, while appearing in all 32 contests. &nbsp;Tominaga led the Huskers in 3-pointers with 66 and was one of only six players nationally to average double figures and shoot 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range and 85 percent from the foul line.&nbsp;New Faces, New RolesNebraska made a big splash in the transfer portal, adding five players to the roster, and their impact is already being felt during the early portion of the season. The group of Josiah Allick (New Mexico), Jarron Coleman (Bradley), Rienk Mast (Bradley), Ahron Ulis (Iowa) and Brice Williams (Charlotte) combined for more than 4,300 points, 2,100 rebounds and 800 assists entering this year.&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Mast is averaging 14.0 points per game while leading the Huskers in rebounding (9.8 rpg) and ranking second in assists (2.6 apg). &nbsp;Mast currently ranks second in the Big Ten in rebounding and 20th in scoring, as his 9.8 rebounds per game ranks 25th nationally. &nbsp;The 6-foot-10 forward has been in double figures in a team-high seven contests, highlighted by a 20-point, 16-rebound effort against Florida A&amp;M. He is also third in the Big Ten with three double-doubles this season and has 23 career double-doubles</li><li>Williams has started all eight contests and is 22nd in the Big Ten in scoring at 13.5 points per game, while chipping in 4.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. The 6-foot-7 guard has been in double figures six times this season, highlighted by a 25-point effort in the win against Oregon State on Nov. 17 and a 17-point, nine-rebound, four-assist effort against Stony Brook on Nov. 15. Williams is 91 points away from 1,000 points for his career.</li><li>Allick has been a force inside, averaging 7.3 points per game and 5.9 rebounds per game. He is 17th in the Big Ten in rebounds and is a big reason why the Huskers are among the Big Ten leaders in rebounding margin. Allick has three double-figure efforts this season, including 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists vs. Duquesne.</li><li>Coleman has come off the bench in all eight contests and is third on the team in assists at 2.5 per game while posting a 1.8-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>

Huskers open Big Ten play at Minnesota wednesday night

After completing a clean sweep of McPherson College on Wednesday (WBB: 59-47, MBB: 76-69), the Kansas Wesleyan will return to Salina to square off with the Bethany Swedes.

After completing a clean sweep of McPherson College on Wednesday (WBB: 59-47, MBB: 76-69), the Kansas Wesleyan will return to Salina to square off with the Bethany Swedes.LIVE COVERAGE<ul>
 <li>The video stream of the game will be available online through the Coyote Sports Network at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kcacnetwork.com/kansaswesleyan">www.kcacnetwork.com/kansaswesleyan</a>.</li><li>Live Stats will be available at&nbsp;<a href="https://kwucoyotes.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary">https://kwucoyotes.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary</a></li><li>Radio coverage can be heard locally on KINA 910 AM/107.5 FM, and online at Salina Post.&nbsp;The online stream is also available at&nbsp;<a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/ce/kina2">https://radio.securenetsystems.net/ce/kina2</a>.&nbsp;Tyler Henry and Brooks Garretson will have the call with pregame starting at 4:30 on Saturday.</li>
 </ul>RECORDS&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Kansas Wesleyan WBB 4-5, 2-1 KCAC</li><li>Bethany WBB 4-5, 2-1 KCAC</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Kansas Wesleyan MBB 5-4, 2-1 KCAC</li><li>Bethany MBB 2-4, 1-2 KCAC </li>
 </ul>THE SERIES&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Bethany's women won both games last season 74-64 November 16 in Mabee Arena and 62-56 January 18 in Lindsborg.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>The Coyotes and Swedes are 3-3 in the last six games but KWU has a won eight of the last 11. Wesleyan won 62-54 last November in Mabee Arena; Bethany prevailed 87-55 last January in Lindsborg. The Coyotes have a 20-18 advantage since December, 2005.</li>
 </ul>

Coyotes Return to Mabee this Saturday to Host Bethany on KINA

LINCOLN, Neb.&nbsp;- The top-ranked Nebraska volleyball team moved on in the NCAA Tournament after a 25-13, 25-16, 25-22 sweep of Long Island on Friday night in front of a crowd of 8,599 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.&nbsp;

The Huskers (29-1) were balanced offensively with five players posting at least six kills. Merritt Beason led the way with a match-high 13 kills on .478 hitting. Harper Murray added nine kills in her NCAA Tournament debut while Ally Batenhorst had seven kills. Middles Andi Jackson and Maggie Mendelson had six kills apiece, with Mendelson tying her career high in kills and blocks (4).

Nebraska had 44 kills to LIU's 28, and the Huskers hit .280 compared to .151 by the Sharks. NU also had a 46-33 advantage in digs and had seven services aces. Camelia Melendez paced LIU with 12 kills while Rumur Rouille had a match-high seven blocks.

Set 1:&nbsp;Mendelson started the match off with a block with Beason and a kill, and two kills each by Batenhorst and Jackson - along with an ace by Beason - put the Huskers up 8-3. The Huskers kept their foot on the gas, going up 14-5 after two kills by Murray and one by Reilly as part of another 4-0 run. Reilly and Murray each served an ace, while Beason and Mendelson teamed up for a block, and the Huskers built the lead to 19-7. Rodriguez served the Huskers' fourth ace for a 21-8 lead, and Batenhorst, Jackson and Reilly posted kills down the stretch as the Huskers won 25-13. Nebraska held LIU to -.040 hitting in the first set.&nbsp;

Set 2:&nbsp;LIU hung around in game two, trailing 9-7 after a kill by Camelia Melendez. Murray and Beason then combined for three kills in a row to help the Huskers go up 12-7, but the Sharks fought back to get within two, 15-13. Jackson and Murray had kills to lift the Big Red back to a five-point lead at 18-13, and Beason and Murray had kills while Reilly served two aces, and the Huskers led 23-15. Mendelson then posted two kills to close out the set, 25-16.&nbsp;

Set 3:&nbsp;The Huskers fell into an 8-3 hole as Long Island clicked offensively. The Sharks led 11-5 before a kill by Murray and ace by Kennedi Orr. After an LIU kill, Mendelson had a kill and back-to-back blocks with Murray, and an LIU attacking error cut the deficit to one, 12-11. The Sharks held firm, however, building the lead back to three at 19-16. Jackson responded out of a timeout with a kill, and Beason terminated from the back row to make it 19-18. The teams traded points before Murray tooled a block to tie it 20-20. The teams then traded kills on the next four rallies, and a hitting error by LIU made it 23-22 Nebraska, the Huskers' first lead of the set. After a Long Island timeout, Beason earned match point with a kill, and the Huskers won 25-22.&nbsp;

LINCOLN, Neb.&nbsp;- The top-ranked Nebraska volleyball team moved on in the NCAA Tournament after a 25-13, 25-16, 25-22 sweep of Long Island on Friday night in front of a crowd of 8,599 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.&nbsp;The Huskers (29-1) were balanced offensively with five players posting at least six kills. Merritt Beason led the way with a match-high 13 kills on .478 hitting. Harper Murray added nine kills in her NCAA Tournament debut while Ally Batenhorst had seven kills. Middles Andi Jackson and Maggie Mendelson had six kills apiece, with Mendelson tying her career high in kills and blocks (4).Nebraska had 44 kills to LIU's 28, and the Huskers hit .280 compared to .151 by the Sharks. NU also had a 46-33 advantage in digs and had seven services aces. Camelia Melendez paced LIU with 12 kills while Rumur Rouille had a match-high seven blocks.Set 1:&nbsp;Mendelson started the match off with a block with Beason and a kill, and two kills each by Batenhorst and Jackson - along with an ace by Beason - put the Huskers up 8-3. The Huskers kept their foot on the gas, going up 14-5 after two kills by Murray and one by Reilly as part of another 4-0 run. Reilly and Murray each served an ace, while Beason and Mendelson teamed up for a block, and the Huskers built the lead to 19-7. Rodriguez served the Huskers' fourth ace for a 21-8 lead, and Batenhorst, Jackson and Reilly posted kills down the stretch as the Huskers won 25-13. Nebraska held LIU to -.040 hitting in the first set.&nbsp;Set 2:&nbsp;LIU hung around in game two, trailing 9-7 after a kill by Camelia Melendez. Murray and Beason then combined for three kills in a row to help the Huskers go up 12-7, but the Sharks fought back to get within two, 15-13. Jackson and Murray had kills to lift the Big Red back to a five-point lead at 18-13, and Beason and Murray had kills while Reilly served two aces, and the Huskers led 23-15. Mendelson then posted two kills to close out the set, 25-16.&nbsp;Set 3:&nbsp;The Huskers fell into an 8-3 hole as Long Island clicked offensively. The Sharks led 11-5 before a kill by Murray and ace by Kennedi Orr. After an LIU kill, Mendelson had a kill and back-to-back blocks with Murray, and an LIU attacking error cut the deficit to one, 12-11. The Sharks held firm, however, building the lead back to three at 19-16. Jackson responded out of a timeout with a kill, and Beason terminated from the back row to make it 19-18. The teams traded points before Murray tooled a block to tie it 20-20. The teams then traded kills on the next four rallies, and a hitting error by LIU made it 23-22 Nebraska, the Huskers' first lead of the set. After a Long Island timeout, Beason earned match point with a kill, and the Huskers won 25-22.&nbsp;

Husker Volleyball Sweep Sharks in NCAA Div 1 Opener

Kearney, Neb. –&nbsp;All-American middle Taya Beller had a match-high 22 kills and third-ranked Wayne State controlled the final two sets to rally past 13th-ranked Nebraska Kearney (<a href="https://lopers.com/boxscore.aspx?path=wvball&amp;id=7814" target="_blank">18-25, -23, 20-25, -22, -9</a>) Friday night in an NCAA Tournament second round match in St. Paul, Minn.This was the first meeting between the Wildcats (30-2) and the&nbsp;Lopers&nbsp;(29-6) in eight years and the first-ever national tourney battle between the two. UNK still has a healthy 69-10 all-time series advantage.

Wayne will meet either Concordia-St. Paul or Central Missouri on Saturday night for the right to advance to the “Elite Eight.”"In both matches this weekend I thought we competed at a different level. I'm proud of our team as if we had won because they came out here and left it all out on the court," said UNK head coach&nbsp;Rick Squiers&nbsp;on the&nbsp; Radio&nbsp;postgame&nbsp;show. "A little bit of the inexperience we have that maybe they don't shows up once or twice and that's about all it takes to put you in a tough spot."Ranked number one for much of the last two seasons, Wayne had fewer kills and digs than the&nbsp;Lopers&nbsp;and hit six points lower. However, they registered six more blocks, took advantage of seven UNK service errors and hit .260 over the final two sets. The Blue &amp; Gold amassed 21 kills in the fourth and fifth sets but had only early leads in both."In the fourth when we kind of made a run at them at the end (7-1 run to make it 21-20), I thought we're right there again. It comes down to just a play or two in moments like that and they were able to make a couple. Some of that is because they have good athletes who have a little more margin for error," said Squiers.

UNK's best set was the third when it hit .306 (14-3-36) to help erase deficits of 4-1, 7-3 and 10-6. The Lopers closed on an 11-6 run with back-to-back blocks making it 2-1 on the scoreboard. In the first set, Kearney had an 18-9 outburst to erase a four-point hole. They then closed with three straight points, the final one being a block.In the fifth, Wayne took advantage of two service errors and four kills from senior outside&nbsp;Kelsie&nbsp;Cada&nbsp;to control the&nbsp;action. UNK led 2-1 after a kill from sophomore outside&nbsp;Emilee&nbsp;Lane&nbsp;(Hays, Kan.) but the 'Cats zoomed ahead to lead 7-4 and 9-7.

The&nbsp;Lopers&nbsp;got within 11-9 but the final four points of the match all went to the Black &amp; Gold."We ran out of juice a little bit," said&nbsp;Squiers. "Every year is a different journey but this one was unique by the way it started … the outdoor match and then going for the regular season attendance record."Beller, a 6-2 fifth-year junior, hit .383 and added six blocks to her offensive output. She had six kills in each of the first two sets and then four in both the third and fourth. Next,&nbsp;Cada&nbsp;had 14 kills and went 26 for 27 in serve receive with freshman outside Channatee Robles and fifth-year junior middle Maggie Brahmer having 11 kills apiece. A 2022 All-American, Brahmer had a team-best nine blocks with sophomore Taylor Bunjer adding seven more. 

Finally,&nbsp;libero&nbsp;Jordan McCormick had 23 digs.Lane, in relief of All-American&nbsp;Emersen Cyza&nbsp;(Alliance) due to injury, went for 16 kills in a team-best 50 swings. The total was one shy of tying her career high. For the fifth straight match, junior outside&nbsp;Asha Regier&nbsp;(Newton, Kan.) had a double digit kill total, going for 16 in 48 swings. Next, right side&nbsp;Jaden Ferguson&nbsp;(Lincoln SW) had her 10th double double (17 digs, 13 kills, .297 pct.) of the year with freshman middle&nbsp;Mia Berg&nbsp;(Eureka, Mo.) hot early and ending with 10 kills and six stuffs. Sophomore middle&nbsp;Trista&nbsp;Marx&nbsp;(Limon, Colo.) was strong late to the tune of eight kills, two blocks and a .375 efficiency.Also for the&nbsp;Lopers,&nbsp;libero&nbsp;Lauren Taubenheim&nbsp;(Lincoln Pius) had 23 digs, junior DS&nbsp;Jensen&nbsp;Rowse&nbsp;(Minden) had 16 and two aces with setter&nbsp;Peyton Neff&nbsp;(North Platte) having her typical all-around effort; 59 assists, 17 digs, four aces, block and kill.This was the curtain call for&nbsp;Cyza&nbsp;and Ferguson with&nbsp;Taubenheim,&nbsp;Rowse&nbsp;and DS/S&nbsp;Rhianna Wilhelm&nbsp;(Henderson) all having a "COVID" year available if they wish to return in 2024.

Peter Yazvac/ UNK Media RelationsKearney, Neb. –&nbsp;All-American middle Taya Beller had a match-high 22 kills and third-ranked Wayne State controlled the final two sets to rally past 13th-ranked Nebraska Kearney (<a href="https://lopers.com/boxscore.aspx?path=wvball&amp;id=7814" target="_blank">18-25, -23, 20-25, -22, -9</a>) Friday night in an NCAA Tournament second round match in St. Paul, Minn.This was the first meeting between the Wildcats (30-2) and the&nbsp;Lopers&nbsp;(29-6) in eight years and the first-ever national tourney battle between the two. UNK still has a healthy 69-10 all-time series advantage.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701529474714.png" alt="Wayne State Postgame" />
 <figcaption>Wayne State Postgame</figcaption>
 </figure>Wayne will meet either Concordia-St. Paul or Central Missouri on Saturday night for the right to advance to the “Elite Eight.”"In both matches this weekend I thought we competed at a different level. I'm proud of our team as if we had won because they came out here and left it all out on the court," said UNK head coach&nbsp;Rick Squiers&nbsp;on the&nbsp; Radio&nbsp;postgame&nbsp;show. "A little bit of the inexperience we have that maybe they don't shows up once or twice and that's about all it takes to put you in a tough spot."Ranked number one for much of the last two seasons, Wayne had fewer kills and digs than the&nbsp;Lopers&nbsp;and hit six points lower. However, they registered six more blocks, took advantage of seven UNK service errors and hit .260 over the final two sets. The Blue &amp; Gold amassed 21 kills in the fourth and fifth sets but had only early leads in both."In the fourth when we kind of made a run at them at the end (7-1 run to make it 21-20), I thought we're right there again. It comes down to just a play or two in moments like that and they were able to make a couple. Some of that is because they have good athletes who have a little more margin for error," said Squiers.(Wayne State Postgame Press Conference)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I9JnegOVrj4?si=588veHnmJxDaLMsV" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>UNK's best set was the third when it hit .306 (14-3-36) to help erase deficits of 4-1, 7-3 and 10-6. The Lopers closed on an 11-6 run with back-to-back blocks making it 2-1 on the scoreboard. In the first set, Kearney had an 18-9 outburst to erase a four-point hole. They then closed with three straight points, the final one being a block.In the fifth, Wayne took advantage of two service errors and four kills from senior outside&nbsp;Kelsie&nbsp;Cada&nbsp;to control the&nbsp;action. UNK led 2-1 after a kill from sophomore outside&nbsp;Emilee&nbsp;Lane&nbsp;(Hays, Kan.) but the 'Cats zoomed ahead to lead 7-4 and 9-7. The&nbsp;Lopers&nbsp;got within 11-9 but the final four points of the match all went to the Black &amp; Gold."We ran out of juice a little bit," said&nbsp;Squiers. "Every year is a different journey but this one was unique by the way it started … the outdoor match and then going for the regular season attendance record."Beller, a 6-2 fifth-year junior, hit .383 and added six blocks to her offensive output. She had six kills in each of the first two sets and then four in both the third and fourth. Next,&nbsp;Cada&nbsp;had 14 kills and went 26 for 27 in serve receive with freshman outside Channatee Robles and fifth-year junior middle Maggie Brahmer having 11 kills apiece. A 2022 All-American, Brahmer had a team-best nine blocks with sophomore Taylor Bunjer adding seven more. Finally,&nbsp;libero&nbsp;Jordan McCormick had 23 digs.Lane, in relief of All-American&nbsp;Emersen Cyza&nbsp;(Alliance) due to injury, went for 16 kills in a team-best 50 swings. The total was one shy of tying her career high. For the fifth straight match, junior outside&nbsp;Asha Regier&nbsp;(Newton, Kan.) had a double digit kill total, going for 16 in 48 swings. Next, right side&nbsp;Jaden Ferguson&nbsp;(Lincoln SW) had her 10th double double (17 digs, 13 kills, .297 pct.) of the year with freshman middle&nbsp;Mia Berg&nbsp;(Eureka, Mo.) hot early and ending with 10 kills and six stuffs. Sophomore middle&nbsp;Trista&nbsp;Marx&nbsp;(Limon, Colo.) was strong late to the tune of eight kills, two blocks and a .375 efficiency.Also for the&nbsp;Lopers,&nbsp;libero&nbsp;Lauren Taubenheim&nbsp;(Lincoln Pius) had 23 digs, junior DS&nbsp;Jensen&nbsp;Rowse&nbsp;(Minden) had 16 and two aces with setter&nbsp;Peyton Neff&nbsp;(North Platte) having her typical all-around effort; 59 assists, 17 digs, four aces, block and kill.This was the curtain call for&nbsp;Cyza&nbsp;and Ferguson with&nbsp;Taubenheim,&nbsp;Rowse&nbsp;and DS/S&nbsp;Rhianna Wilhelm&nbsp;(Henderson) all having a "COVID" year available if they wish to return in 2024.

Wayne St takes down UNK to move on in NCAA Tournament

Head Coach Dale Hall talked with Sports Director Paxton Gordon after the Bulldogs first victory against Gering in Boys Wrestling.

Head Coach Dale Hall talked with Sports Director Paxton Gordon after the Bulldogs first victory against Gering in Boys Wrestling.<div><iframe title="Head Coach Dale Hall talks about how impressed he was of the teams first Wrestling matches" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=efr9m-151438e-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=1&fonts=Times%20New%20Roman&skin=1b1b1b&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

Head Coach Dale Hall talks about how impressed he was with the teams first Wrestling matches against Gering

<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/y8qHz2MhtUs"></iframe>
 <figcaption>JV starts at 4:30PM central with Varsity beginning at 5:00 PM central </figcaption>
 </figure>

Wrestling - Clash in the Commons

Perkins County Schools has announced that Ava Reese has committed to Hastings College to continue her education and athletic career to run track. Reese signed in the school's gym.

Perkins County Schools has announced that Ava Reese has committed to Hastings College to continue her education and athletic career to run track. Reese signed in the school's gym.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FPerkinsCntySchools%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0ArS55tfgoDcjQsYou9EwJizuvLcr5uLWJmsVYw6F97NuNRmvBNqf6vTAJ4c82aFal&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="703" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>

Perkins County Ava Reese commits to Hastings College for track

Story by Pro Volleyball Federation

<a href="https://www.provolleyball.com/" target="_blank">Pro Volleyball Federation</a>, North America’s premier women’s professional volleyball league, has announced a multi-year agreement with&nbsp;<a href="https://franklinsports.com/" target="_blank">Franklin Sports</a>, a leading manufacturer in the sporting goods industry. As part of the partnership, Franklin’s newly designed REAL Pro Volleyball will become the exclusive volleyball of the League. &nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The partnership between Pro Volleyball Federation and Franklin Sports comes at the perfect time. Both organizations share a collective goal and commitment of bringing the highest level of women’s professional volleyball to the United States. In teaming up, Franklin and the League will shine a light on the first real opportunity for women to play professional volleyball in North America at a major league level. To that end, the Franklin REAL Pro Volleyball was designed for Pro Volleyball Federation to rival any other ball played in any other league in the world. &nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; “We always aimed to be able to design and produce our own ball for Pro Volleyball Federation that would stand up to any other ball in the world, and our partners at Franklin have helped us accomplish that goal,” said Dave Whinham, co-founder of Pro Volleyball Federation. “From the start Franklin expressed a desire to disrupt the status quo in the volleyball space and become a real leader in the production and development of the highest quality volleyballs. That commitment to excellence, and its desire to disrupt, made Franklin the perfect partner in developing this new ball for our League.”&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Designed specifically for Pro Volleyball Federation, the Franklin REAL Pro Volleyball is renowned for its innovative and cutting-edge features including a distinctive cover material, a 12-panel design, and an innovative wave surface texture. The ball’s embossed cover and precisely balanced construction play a pivotal role in ball tracking, assisting in generating consistent float and spin through the air while ensuring a seamless experience for players. The cover material, pattern, and surface texture are meticulously crafted to enhance touch, providing superior ball control and making it conducive to high-intensity performance. &nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The ball is designed to meet all&nbsp;Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) size and weight requirements and has passed all performance standards. This guarantees that players at all levels, from amateur enthusiasts to professional athletes, can rely on the Franklin REAL Pro Volleyball for quality and performance during play.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; “We are incredibly excited to partner with Pro Volleyball Federation and to have Franklin’s REAL Pro Volleyball designated as the exclusive volleyball of the federation. This collaboration milestone highlights our commitment to innovation and quality, aligning with Pro Volleyball Federation’s vision for the sport’s future growth,” said Adam Franklin, President of Franklin Sports. “The REAL Pro Volleyball is not just a ball; it represents our shared dedication to empowering the players. We are beyond thrilled to be a part of Pro Volleyball Federation’s inaugural season and working together to shape a new era in women’s volleyball.”&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Franklin&nbsp;also manufactures licensed products for Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League, the National Hockey League, and USA Pickleball.&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Seven teams for the inaugural season will compete, with squads in Atlanta, Columbus, Ohio, Grand Rapids, Mich., Las Vegas, Omaha, Neb., Orlando, Fla. and San Diego. Two additional markets (Dallas and Kansas City, Mo.) have already been announced for 2025. Overall, the League will be showcased in three different time zones in the United States in season one. Matches will take place on 67 different dates between January and May 2024 as opponents will be competing every day of the week.&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Franklin Sports will have prominent visibility on the court in all Pro Volleyball Federation arenas, inclusion during games and commercials, along with dedicated Franklin product exhibits showcasing fan favorites and participating in League contests and sweepstakes. The Franklin REAL Pro Volleyball will be on display for the first time at the American Volleyball Coaches Association Convention (AVCA) in Tampa, Fla. from December 14-17. The ball will officially debut on the court for Pro Volleyball Federation’s inaugural match between the Atlanta Vibe and Omaha Supernovas at CHI Center on January 24 at 8 p.m. ET.&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; As a valuable league partner, Franklin Sports will collaborate with Pro Volleyball Federation on growth initiatives for the sport that seek to drive participation in volleyball nationwide. Support of the numerous camps and clinics organized by each League franchise throughout the year will be integral to this grassroots development.&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; For more information about the Franklin REAL Pro Volleyball visit&nbsp;<a href="https://franklinsports.com/elite-pro-volleyball" target="_blank">franklinsports.com/elite-pro-volleyball</a>&nbsp;and for photography assets visit&nbsp;<a href="https://app.frame.io/presentations/283ca123-0881-4ae5-88d6-fdc920507d4a" target="_blank">here</a>. To learn more about Pro Volleyball Federation, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://provolleyball.com/" target="_blank">ProVolleyball.com</a>. &nbsp;

Pro Volleyball Federation is&nbsp;REAL PRO VOLLEYBALL&nbsp;and the premier women’s professional volleyball league in North America. Pro Volleyball Federation will begin play in January 2024 with world class players and coaches, including some of America’s greatest volleyball players and elite players from around the world. Our entire focus is on ensuring that our level and quality of play, our treatment of players, the quality of our event presentations, and our day-to-day fan experience is world class and the very best offered in North America. For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.provolleyball.com/" target="_blank">ProVolleyball.com</a>.&nbsp;

Founded by Irving Franklin in 1946, Franklin Sports is a Stoughton, Massachusetts-based sporting goods brand that manufactures and sells over 10,000 products across many different categories. Franklin Sports is proud of its partnerships with Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League, the National Hockey League, USA Pickleball, Pro Volleyball Federation and Hasbro’s Nerf brand including the leagues’ youth participation programs. Franklin also works with hundreds of elite athletes through sports equipment and apparel collaborations. Franklin is a multigenerational, family-owned business with a rich history and trusted reputation as a quality sporting goods brand – from recreational sports all the way up to the professional level – has made it one of the perennial leaders in the industry. At Franklin Sports, the team believes that sports make life better. Driven by Franklin’s passion to get people moving, playing, and competing, the Franklin mission is to bring sports to life for athletes of all ages. Whether designing a product for a World Series MVP or a child enjoying their first swings of the bat, Franklin Sports is dedicated to making sports inspiring, fun and accessible for all. For more information on Franklin Sports, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.franklinsports.com/" target="_blank">www.franklinsports.com</a>&nbsp;or follow Franklin on Instagram&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/franklinsports/" target="_blank">@franklinsports</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/franklinsportseqp/" target="_blank">@franklinsportseqp</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/franklinpickleball/" target="_blank">@franklinpickleball</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/FranklinSports" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, and Twitter&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/FranklinSports" target="_blank">@franklinsports</a>.

Story by Pro Volleyball Federation<a href="https://www.provolleyball.com/" target="_blank">Pro Volleyball Federation</a>, North America’s premier women’s professional volleyball league, has announced a multi-year agreement with&nbsp;<a href="https://franklinsports.com/" target="_blank">Franklin Sports</a>, a leading manufacturer in the sporting goods industry. As part of the partnership, Franklin’s newly designed REAL Pro Volleyball will become the exclusive volleyball of the League. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The partnership between Pro Volleyball Federation and Franklin Sports comes at the perfect time. Both organizations share a collective goal and commitment of bringing the highest level of women’s professional volleyball to the United States. In teaming up, Franklin and the League will shine a light on the first real opportunity for women to play professional volleyball in North America at a major league level. To that end, the Franklin REAL Pro Volleyball was designed for Pro Volleyball Federation to rival any other ball played in any other league in the world. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; “We always aimed to be able to design and produce our own ball for Pro Volleyball Federation that would stand up to any other ball in the world, and our partners at Franklin have helped us accomplish that goal,” said Dave Whinham, co-founder of Pro Volleyball Federation. “From the start Franklin expressed a desire to disrupt the status quo in the volleyball space and become a real leader in the production and development of the highest quality volleyballs. That commitment to excellence, and its desire to disrupt, made Franklin the perfect partner in developing this new ball for our League.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Designed specifically for Pro Volleyball Federation, the Franklin REAL Pro Volleyball is renowned for its innovative and cutting-edge features including a distinctive cover material, a 12-panel design, and an innovative wave surface texture. The ball’s embossed cover and precisely balanced construction play a pivotal role in ball tracking, assisting in generating consistent float and spin through the air while ensuring a seamless experience for players. The cover material, pattern, and surface texture are meticulously crafted to enhance touch, providing superior ball control and making it conducive to high-intensity performance. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The ball is designed to meet all&nbsp;Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) size and weight requirements and has passed all performance standards. This guarantees that players at all levels, from amateur enthusiasts to professional athletes, can rely on the Franklin REAL Pro Volleyball for quality and performance during play.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; “We are incredibly excited to partner with Pro Volleyball Federation and to have Franklin’s REAL Pro Volleyball designated as the exclusive volleyball of the federation. This collaboration milestone highlights our commitment to innovation and quality, aligning with Pro Volleyball Federation’s vision for the sport’s future growth,” said Adam Franklin, President of Franklin Sports. “The REAL Pro Volleyball is not just a ball; it represents our shared dedication to empowering the players. We are beyond thrilled to be a part of Pro Volleyball Federation’s inaugural season and working together to shape a new era in women’s volleyball.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Franklin&nbsp;also manufactures licensed products for Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League, the National Hockey League, and USA Pickleball.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Seven teams for the inaugural season will compete, with squads in Atlanta, Columbus, Ohio, Grand Rapids, Mich., Las Vegas, Omaha, Neb., Orlando, Fla. and San Diego. Two additional markets (Dallas and Kansas City, Mo.) have already been announced for 2025. Overall, the League will be showcased in three different time zones in the United States in season one. Matches will take place on 67 different dates between January and May 2024 as opponents will be competing every day of the week.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Franklin Sports will have prominent visibility on the court in all Pro Volleyball Federation arenas, inclusion during games and commercials, along with dedicated Franklin product exhibits showcasing fan favorites and participating in League contests and sweepstakes. The Franklin REAL Pro Volleyball will be on display for the first time at the American Volleyball Coaches Association Convention (AVCA) in Tampa, Fla. from December 14-17. The ball will officially debut on the court for Pro Volleyball Federation’s inaugural match between the Atlanta Vibe and Omaha Supernovas at CHI Center on January 24 at 8 p.m. ET.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; As a valuable league partner, Franklin Sports will collaborate with Pro Volleyball Federation on growth initiatives for the sport that seek to drive participation in volleyball nationwide. Support of the numerous camps and clinics organized by each League franchise throughout the year will be integral to this grassroots development.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; For more information about the Franklin REAL Pro Volleyball visit&nbsp;<a href="https://franklinsports.com/elite-pro-volleyball" target="_blank">franklinsports.com/elite-pro-volleyball</a>&nbsp;and for photography assets visit&nbsp;<a href="https://app.frame.io/presentations/283ca123-0881-4ae5-88d6-fdc920507d4a" target="_blank">here</a>. To learn more about Pro Volleyball Federation, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://provolleyball.com/" target="_blank">ProVolleyball.com</a>. &nbsp;ABOUT PRO VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION&nbsp;Pro Volleyball Federation is&nbsp;REAL PRO VOLLEYBALL&nbsp;and the premier women’s professional volleyball league in North America. Pro Volleyball Federation will begin play in January 2024 with world class players and coaches, including some of America’s greatest volleyball players and elite players from around the world. Our entire focus is on ensuring that our level and quality of play, our treatment of players, the quality of our event presentations, and our day-to-day fan experience is world class and the very best offered in North America. For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.provolleyball.com/" target="_blank">ProVolleyball.com</a>.&nbsp;ABOUT FRANKLIN SPORTS&nbsp;Founded by Irving Franklin in 1946, Franklin Sports is a Stoughton, Massachusetts-based sporting goods brand that manufactures and sells over 10,000 products across many different categories. Franklin Sports is proud of its partnerships with Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League, the National Hockey League, USA Pickleball, Pro Volleyball Federation and Hasbro’s Nerf brand including the leagues’ youth participation programs. Franklin also works with hundreds of elite athletes through sports equipment and apparel collaborations. Franklin is a multigenerational, family-owned business with a rich history and trusted reputation as a quality sporting goods brand – from recreational sports all the way up to the professional level – has made it one of the perennial leaders in the industry. At Franklin Sports, the team believes that sports make life better. Driven by Franklin’s passion to get people moving, playing, and competing, the Franklin mission is to bring sports to life for athletes of all ages. Whether designing a product for a World Series MVP or a child enjoying their first swings of the bat, Franklin Sports is dedicated to making sports inspiring, fun and accessible for all. For more information on Franklin Sports, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.franklinsports.com/" target="_blank">www.franklinsports.com</a>&nbsp;or follow Franklin on Instagram&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/franklinsports/" target="_blank">@franklinsports</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/franklinsportseqp/" target="_blank">@franklinsportseqp</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/franklinpickleball/" target="_blank">@franklinpickleball</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/FranklinSports" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, and Twitter&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/FranklinSports" target="_blank">@franklinsports</a>.

Pro Volleyball Federation announces multi-year agreement with Franklin Sports

Story by UNK Athletic Communications

Senior transfer guard Rodney Battle scored 21 points to help Rogers State down Nebraska Kearney,&nbsp;<a href="https://lopers.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats/2023-24/rogers-state/boxscore/7551" target="_blank">79-68</a>, Thursday night in Claremore, Okla. This was the MIAA opener for both squads and the only meeting between the Hillcats (2-2) and Lopers (2-3) this year. Rogers has now won six of the eight all-time meetings between the two. UNK rallied from two seven-point deficits, 14-7 and 46-39, but couldn't do it a third time.

RSU went on a 7-0 run to lead 53-46 with 12:03 remaining and never trailed again. A three from junior lefty&nbsp;Damiri Lindo&nbsp;(Oakland) got the Lopers within six, 72-66, at the 1:19 mark but Rogers made its free throws down the stretch. Battle was a first-team all-league selection last year for Division II Miles (Ala.) College. He made 7 of 12 shots (4 of 7 threes) as well as going 3 for 4 at the line and handing out three assists. Coming off a two-week break, RSU had three others in double figures including 5-11 junior guard Anthony Marshall Jr. (14) and veteran forward Kofi Hamilton (13). Marshall Jr. had six dimes, two steals and two rebounds as well with Hamilton (11 rebounds) recording a double double.

UNK came in ranked eighth nationally in field goal percentage (.531) but ended up at .391 (25 of 64). That included and 8 of 29 effort from behind the arc. The 'Cats also made seven more freebies, got 36 points off its bench and was plus four on the glass. For the Lopers, Colorado junior guard&nbsp;Sean Evans&nbsp;went 6 of 13 from the floor to have a team-high 17 with Lindo making four shots to tally 11 points while also having a team-best seven rebounds and three assists. Next, Idaho junior lefty&nbsp;Taden King&nbsp;scored 10 thanks to two triples with New Zealand junior forward&nbsp;Sean Murphy&nbsp;at eight points and five rebounds. Finally, California junior point guard&nbsp;Miguel Robles&nbsp;provided six rebounds, five points and two steals. &nbsp;UNK heads to Northeastern State on Saturday afternoon. The RiverHawks (4-2) fell tonight to Fort Hays State, 65-43.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Story by UNK Athletic CommunicationsSenior transfer guard Rodney Battle scored 21 points to help Rogers State down Nebraska Kearney,&nbsp;<a href="https://lopers.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats/2023-24/rogers-state/boxscore/7551" target="_blank">79-68</a>, Thursday night in Claremore, Okla. This was the MIAA opener for both squads and the only meeting between the Hillcats (2-2) and Lopers (2-3) this year. Rogers has now won six of the eight all-time meetings between the two. UNK rallied from two seven-point deficits, 14-7 and 46-39, but couldn't do it a third time. RSU went on a 7-0 run to lead 53-46 with 12:03 remaining and never trailed again. A three from junior lefty&nbsp;Damiri Lindo&nbsp;(Oakland) got the Lopers within six, 72-66, at the 1:19 mark but Rogers made its free throws down the stretch. Battle was a first-team all-league selection last year for Division II Miles (Ala.) College. He made 7 of 12 shots (4 of 7 threes) as well as going 3 for 4 at the line and handing out three assists. Coming off a two-week break, RSU had three others in double figures including 5-11 junior guard Anthony Marshall Jr. (14) and veteran forward Kofi Hamilton (13). Marshall Jr. had six dimes, two steals and two rebounds as well with Hamilton (11 rebounds) recording a double double. UNK came in ranked eighth nationally in field goal percentage (.531) but ended up at .391 (25 of 64). That included and 8 of 29 effort from behind the arc. The 'Cats also made seven more freebies, got 36 points off its bench and was plus four on the glass. For the Lopers, Colorado junior guard&nbsp;Sean Evans&nbsp;went 6 of 13 from the floor to have a team-high 17 with Lindo making four shots to tally 11 points while also having a team-best seven rebounds and three assists. Next, Idaho junior lefty&nbsp;Taden King&nbsp;scored 10 thanks to two triples with New Zealand junior forward&nbsp;Sean Murphy&nbsp;at eight points and five rebounds. Finally, California junior point guard&nbsp;Miguel Robles&nbsp;provided six rebounds, five points and two steals. &nbsp;UNK heads to Northeastern State on Saturday afternoon. The RiverHawks (4-2) fell tonight to Fort Hays State, 65-43.&nbsp;&nbsp;

UNK leads at the Break but Drops lone game with RSU

Redshirt junior wing&nbsp;Meg Burns&nbsp;scored 17 points and Nebraska Kearney limited Rogers State to 27 percent field goal shooting to win&nbsp;<a href="https://lopers.com/sports/womens-basketball/stats/2023-24/rogers-state/boxscore/7573" target="_blank">58-51</a>&nbsp;Thursday night in Claremore, Okla. This was the MIAA opener for both teams with UNK (7-0) now 8-0 all-time against the Hillcats (4-2). This was the only meeting between the two this season. Under first-year head coach Heather Davis, a former assistant at Central Oklahoma, Rogers has almost equaled its win total (five) from a year ago. One big reason is 6-3 transfer Alayzha Knapp, a former UCO Broncho who came in averaging 23 points and six boards per game. The 'Cats next two leading scorers are 6-2 posts in Trinity Jackson and Kylee Day. While that trio altered and blocked several shots, UNK still managed to be plus seven on the glass and out scored the 'Cats 26-12 in the paint. However, RSU opened a 26-10 first half lead on the strength of five triples, including one from Knapp, and some early offensive struggles for the Lopers. A three from freshman guard Amaya Gallegos gave RSU its biggest lead of the night at 6:41 of the second quarter. But, UNK followed with a 12-0 spurt and then started the second half on a 12-9 run to retake the lead at 39-38. The Lopers finally got some breathing room in the fourth after point guard&nbsp;Jillian Aschoff&nbsp;(Lincoln Pius) sunk two freebies to make it 51-46. Jackson went 2 for 4 at the line over the next couple of minutes with RSU ending just 10 of 20 from the stripe. Burns and guard&nbsp;Trinity Law&nbsp;(Brandon, S.D.) each sunk freebies to push the lead to five, 53-48, with under a minute remaining. RSU continued to miss hard from the field as several threes hit nothing but the backboard. They came in at 17 of 63 (7 of 24 threes) while UNK was 10 percentage points higher at 18 of 50 (5 of 14 threes).Finishing two shy of her career-high, Burns made five field goals (three treys) and four free throws while drawing five fouls and having three boards in nearly 36 minutes of work. Next, post&nbsp;Shiloh McCool&nbsp;(Pleasant Hill, Ia.) worked around RSU's height advantage to have 13 rebounds (12 defensive) and nine points with forward&nbsp;Kia Wilson&nbsp;(St. George, Kan.) at 10 points over 24 minutes. Next, veteran wing&nbsp;Lexi Moes&nbsp;(Smithville, Mo.) bounced back from a first half injury to hit two second half triples to tally seven with Aschoff at five points, five fouls drawn and four assists. Finally, redshirt freshman post&nbsp;Bailee Sobczak&nbsp;(Rapid City, S.D.) had five caroms and four points in just 13 minutes. Knapp (12 points, five rebounds, three blocks) paced Rogers with five others between four-nine points. That included Jackson (six, seven rebounds).UNK heads to Northeastern State on Saturday afternoon. The RiverHawks (3-3) led Fort Hays State after three quarters tonight but fell, 63-52.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Story by UNK Athletic CommunicationsRedshirt junior wing&nbsp;Meg Burns&nbsp;scored 17 points and Nebraska Kearney limited Rogers State to 27 percent field goal shooting to win&nbsp;<a href="https://lopers.com/sports/womens-basketball/stats/2023-24/rogers-state/boxscore/7573" target="_blank">58-51</a>&nbsp;Thursday night in Claremore, Okla. This was the MIAA opener for both teams with UNK (7-0) now 8-0 all-time against the Hillcats (4-2). This was the only meeting between the two this season. Under first-year head coach Heather Davis, a former assistant at Central Oklahoma, Rogers has almost equaled its win total (five) from a year ago. One big reason is 6-3 transfer Alayzha Knapp, a former UCO Broncho who came in averaging 23 points and six boards per game. The 'Cats next two leading scorers are 6-2 posts in Trinity Jackson and Kylee Day. While that trio altered and blocked several shots, UNK still managed to be plus seven on the glass and out scored the 'Cats 26-12 in the paint. However, RSU opened a 26-10 first half lead on the strength of five triples, including one from Knapp, and some early offensive struggles for the Lopers. A three from freshman guard Amaya Gallegos gave RSU its biggest lead of the night at 6:41 of the second quarter. But, UNK followed with a 12-0 spurt and then started the second half on a 12-9 run to retake the lead at 39-38. The Lopers finally got some breathing room in the fourth after point guard&nbsp;Jillian Aschoff&nbsp;(Lincoln Pius) sunk two freebies to make it 51-46. Jackson went 2 for 4 at the line over the next couple of minutes with RSU ending just 10 of 20 from the stripe. Burns and guard&nbsp;Trinity Law&nbsp;(Brandon, S.D.) each sunk freebies to push the lead to five, 53-48, with under a minute remaining. RSU continued to miss hard from the field as several threes hit nothing but the backboard. They came in at 17 of 63 (7 of 24 threes) while UNK was 10 percentage points higher at 18 of 50 (5 of 14 threes).Finishing two shy of her career-high, Burns made five field goals (three treys) and four free throws while drawing five fouls and having three boards in nearly 36 minutes of work. Next, post&nbsp;Shiloh McCool&nbsp;(Pleasant Hill, Ia.) worked around RSU's height advantage to have 13 rebounds (12 defensive) and nine points with forward&nbsp;Kia Wilson&nbsp;(St. George, Kan.) at 10 points over 24 minutes. Next, veteran wing&nbsp;Lexi Moes&nbsp;(Smithville, Mo.) bounced back from a first half injury to hit two second half triples to tally seven with Aschoff at five points, five fouls drawn and four assists. Finally, redshirt freshman post&nbsp;Bailee Sobczak&nbsp;(Rapid City, S.D.) had five caroms and four points in just 13 minutes. Knapp (12 points, five rebounds, three blocks) paced Rogers with five others between four-nine points. That included Jackson (six, seven rebounds).UNK heads to Northeastern State on Saturday afternoon. The RiverHawks (3-3) led Fort Hays State after three quarters tonight but fell, 63-52.&nbsp;&nbsp;

UNK shuts down tall Hillcats

• The Nebraska volleyball team was selected as the No. 1 overall seed for the 2023 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship and will host the first and second rounds at the Bob Devaney Sports Center this Friday and Saturday.&nbsp;• The Huskers, making their 42nd straight NCAA Tournament appearance and hosting the first round for the 38th time, will open the tournament on Friday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. against Long Island University (13-18), champions of the Northeast Conference. The 4:30 p.m. match will feature Missouri (17-12) of the SEC and Delaware (24-4) of the Colonial Athletic Association. Friday’s winners will meet in the second round on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 7 p.m.• All first and second round matches will be streamed on ESPN+.&nbsp;• The Huskers Radio Network will broadcast all the action on their radio affiliates, including 107.3 FM in Lincoln and AM 590 in Omaha. A live audio stream will be provided at Huskers.com and on the Huskers app.&nbsp;• John Baylor is in his 30th season doing play-by-play for the Husker volleyball program. Lauren (Cook) West, a former All-American setter for the Huskers, will provide color commentary.

ABOUT THE HUSKERS• Nebraska is the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time in program history. The other years were 2000 (NCAA Champion), 2004 (NCAA Regional Finalist), 2005 (NCAA Runner-Up), 2006 (NCAA Champion) and 2016 (NCAA Semifinalist).• The Huskers won the outright Big Ten title this season with a 19-1 league record, earning their first Big Ten title since 2017. Nebraska has now won four Big Ten titles since joining the conference in 2011. The years were 2011, 2016, 2017 (co-champions) and 2023. All-time, Nebraska volleyball has won 35 conference titles. John Cook has been head coach for 13 of them.&nbsp;• Nebraska won 27 matches in a row to begin the season and finished 28-1, its best regular-season record since going 28-1 in 2005.&nbsp;• NU went 17-0 in home matches in the regular season. The last time the Huskers went undefeated at home in the regular season was 2017 (15-0).&nbsp;• From Sept. 12-Sept. 29, Nebraska played five straight ranked teams and won all five matches. It was the sixth time in school history Nebraska played five matches in a row against ranked teams but the first time NU won all five.&nbsp;• The Huskers went undefeated in non-conference play for the first time since 2016 and just the second time since 2008.• The Huskers, who led the nation in defense in 2022, have held their opponents this season to a combined .141 hitting percentage, which ranks third nationally.&nbsp;• Nebraska has been sharp offensively this season, hitting .282 to rank 15th nationally. The Huskers rank 10th nationally with 14.16 kills per set and 12th in assists per set at 13.10.&nbsp;• Nebraska had four All-Big Ten First Team selections and two All-Big Ten Second Team selections for a total of six all-conference players this season, the most in program history.

HUSKERS RACK UP POSTSEASON AWARDS• Junior libero Lexi Rodriguez was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year for the second time in her career, becoming the fifth player in Big Ten history to receive that honor twice in a career. Rodriguez, who averages 3.60 digs and 1.24 assists per set with a .979 serve reception percentage, leads a Husker defense that ranks third nationally in opponent hitting percentage. She also received All-Big Ten First Team (unanimous) honors for the third time in three years. The junior from Sterling, Ill., was twice named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week this season despite opponents frequently tailoring their game plans to avoid Rodriguez on the court. Rodriguez was a first-team AVCA All-American in 2021 and a second-team AVCA All-American in 2022, as well as an All-Big Ten libero both years. Rodriguez was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year as a freshman in 2021 and also excels academically, earning Academic All-America honors in 2022.&nbsp;• Freshman setter Bergen Reilly was chosen Big Ten Setter of the Year, becoming the first ever freshman to earn the award since it originated in 2012. She also earned All-Big Ten First Team and unanimous All-Big Ten Freshman Team accolades. Reilly, just the second true freshman setter to be the starter at Nebraska under head coach John Cook, is putting up 10.74 assists and 2.60 digs per set and has 12 double-doubles this season. The Sioux Falls, S.D., native ranks 13th nationally in assists per set. Reilly was named Big Ten Setter of the Week four times this year and Big Ten Freshman of the Week twice. She paces a Husker offense that ranks in the top 15 nationally in hitting percentage (.282) and kills per set (14.16). Reilly posted her career high of 54 assists in a 3-2 win at then-No. 17 Purdue on Sept. 29. She also recorded 12 digs and a career-best five kills in that match.&nbsp;• Freshman outside hitter Harper Murray was voted Big Ten Freshman of the Year, making her the second ever Husker (Madi Kubik, 2019) to receive that distinction. She also earned All-Big Ten First Team and unanimous All-Big Ten Freshman Team accolades. Murray, a freshman outside hitter from Ann Arbor, Mich., ranks second on the Huskers in kills with 3.29 per set on .250 hitting and adds 2.10 digs per set with a team-high 31 service aces. Murray was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week three times this season and has seven double-doubles. She hit a career-high 21 kills in a 3-2 win at then-No. 17 Purdue on Sept. 29.&nbsp;• Merritt Beason, a junior opposite hitter who transfered to NU from Florida, has stepped in as a team captain and is contributing a team-leading 3.81 kills per set this season with 2.08 digs per set and a .284 hitting percentage. Beason was a unanimous All-Big Ten First Team selection. A native of Gardendale, Ala., Beason earned four Big Ten Player of the Week honors this season and was the AVCA National Player of the Week on Oct. 24 following 21 kills in a 3-2 win over then-No. 1 Wisconsin. Beason had a career-high 27 kills on .426 hitting in a 3-2 reverse sweep at then-No. 16 Penn State on Nov. 3. As a sophomore at Florida in 2022, Beason was an All-SEC and AVCA All-Region selection.• Bekka Allick, a sophomore middle blocker from Lincoln, Neb., has been Nebraska’s top defensive presence at the net with a team-best 1.35 blocks per set this season. Offensively, Allick adds 1.82 kills per set on .324 hitting. Allick had a career-high nine blocks in the regular-season finale at Minnesota. Allick received second-team All-Big Ten honors for the second year in a row.&nbsp;• Andi Jackson, a freshman middle blocker from Brighton, Colo., averages 2.10 kills per set and 1.06 blocks per set and has a team-high .408 hitting percentage, which ranks 15th nationally. Jackson was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week in November and has hit .500 or better in 12 matches this season. She was selected to the All-Big Ten Second Team and All-Big Ten Freshman Team. &nbsp;

SCOUTING REPORT: LIU• LIU (13-18) is making its 13th NCAA Tournament appearance after winning the Northeast Conference Tournament as the No. 4 seed. After finishing 9-5 in NEC play, LIU upset No. 1 seed Sacred Heart (3-1) and No. 2 Fairleigh Dickinson (3-1) to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2020.&nbsp;• Libero Alasha Colon was the NEC Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-NEC after averaging 5.45 digs per set, which ranks 10th nationally. Camelia Melendez leads the Sharks with 3.08 kills per set and was first-team All-NEC.&nbsp;• Amable Martinez is in his first year as head coach at LIU. Martinez was previously the head coach at St. Francis Brooklyn for four years, but the school ended its athletic programs following the 2022-23 year. Prior to that, Martinez was head coach at Saint Peter’s for two seasons.&nbsp;

SCOUTING REPORT: MISSOURI• Missouri (17-12) earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2020. The Tigers went 9-9 in the SEC to finish seventh in the standings.&nbsp;• Libero Maya Sands and opposite hitter Jordan Iliff were named to the All-SEC Team. Sands was named the SEC Libero of the Year, averaging 4.81 digs per set. Iliff leads the Tigers with 3.44 kills per set and 42 service aces.&nbsp;• Dawn Sullivan is in her first year as head coach and was the SEC Coach of the Year. Sullivan was previously at UNLV, where she was the Mountain West Coach of the Year in 2020 and 2022.&nbsp;

SCOUTING REPORT: DELAWARE• Delaware (24-4) won the Coastal Athletic Association Tournament to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time and first since 2011.&nbsp;• Outside hitter Lani Mason was an All-CAA First Team member for the third year in a row, averaging 3.66 kills per set. Setter Ezgi Basaranlar and middle blocker Kirah Johnson were honored on the second team. Basaranalar averages 9.55 assists per set, while Johnson provides 2.38 kills per set and 1.01 blocks per set. &nbsp;• Kimberly Lambert is in her second season as head coach at Delaware after serving as associate head coach for three years.&nbsp;

SERIES HISTORY• Nebraska and LIU will be playing for the first time.&nbsp;• Nebraska is 73-3-1 all-time against Missouri. The Huskers have won 17 straight matches against their former Big 8 and Big 12 Conference foe dating back to 2003. The last time the teams met was Dec. 7, 2019 in the NCAA Tournament Second Round in Lincoln, a 3-1 Husker win.&nbsp;• Nebraska has never played Delaware.&nbsp;

HUSKERS RANKED NO. 1 IN AVCA COACHES POLL• Nebraska is ranked No. 1 in the AVCA Coaches Poll this week.• Nebraska has been ranked No. 1 in 108 all-time polls, the most in NCAA history.&nbsp;• The Huskers have been ranked in the top 10 a total of 557 times, which is also the most in NCAA history.• Nebraska has appeared in all 618 AVCA Coaches Polls it has been eligible for since it was established in 1982. Nebraska is the only program to be ranked in every eligible poll all-time.• Nebraska’s 618 consecutive weeks of being ranked is the longest active streak in Division I for any sport, leading Connecticut women’s basketball and North Carolina women’s soccer.

AVCA HALL OF FAMER JOHN COOK IN 24TH SEASON AT NEBRASKA• Nebraska head coach John Cook is in his 24th season as the Nebraska volleyball head coach in 2023. He has led the Huskers to four national championships, 10 final fours, 13 conference championships and 21 top-10 final rankings since 2000.&nbsp;• Cook has 845 career wins and is one of the all-time winningest coaches in NCAA history. Since taking over the program in 2000, Cook has led the Huskers to a nation-leading .874 win percentage (684-99).&nbsp;• Under Cook, the Huskers have achieved 64 AVCA All-Americans and 20 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, both among the best in the nation. He is a two-time AVCA National Coach of the Year, earning the prestigious honor in 2000 and 2005, and an eight-time conference coach of the year, including Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2016, 2017 and 2023.• Cook was voted Big Ten Coach of the Year by both coaches and media this season after leading a young Nebraska team with no seniors to its first Big Ten title since 2017. The Huskers finished the regular season 28-1 overall, their best regular season record since going 28-1 in 2005. After going 26-6 last year and missing the NCAA Regional Finals for the first time since 2011, the Huskers started over with a starting lineup featuring four true freshmen and a junior transfer (Beason). Cook’s Huskers won their first 27 matches of the season and held the No. 1 ranking from Oct. 23 through the end of the regular season. Despite having no seniors on the roster for just the second time in Cook’s 24 years at Nebraska - as well as starting a true freshman at setter for only the second time in Cook’s tenure - the Huskers earned the overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016 and the sixth time overall under Cook.• Cook is one of only two active coaches - and one of six all-time - to be a two-time AVCA National Coach of the Year and was honored in 2008 by USA Volleyball, receiving its All-Time Great Coach Award.• Cook was inducted into the AVCA Hall of Fame in 2017, joining former Husker volleyball coach Terry Pettit in the hall.&nbsp;

• The Nebraska volleyball team was selected as the No. 1 overall seed for the 2023 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship and will host the first and second rounds at the Bob Devaney Sports Center this Friday and Saturday.&nbsp;• The Huskers, making their 42nd straight NCAA Tournament appearance and hosting the first round for the 38th time, will open the tournament on Friday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. against Long Island University (13-18), champions of the Northeast Conference. The 4:30 p.m. match will feature Missouri (17-12) of the SEC and Delaware (24-4) of the Colonial Athletic Association. Friday’s winners will meet in the second round on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 7 p.m.• All first and second round matches will be streamed on ESPN+.&nbsp;• The Huskers Radio Network will broadcast all the action on their radio affiliates, including 107.3 FM in Lincoln and AM 590 in Omaha. A live audio stream will be provided at Huskers.com and on the Huskers app.&nbsp;• John Baylor is in his 30th season doing play-by-play for the Husker volleyball program. Lauren (Cook) West, a former All-American setter for the Huskers, will provide color commentary.ABOUT THE HUSKERS• Nebraska is the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time in program history. The other years were 2000 (NCAA Champion), 2004 (NCAA Regional Finalist), 2005 (NCAA Runner-Up), 2006 (NCAA Champion) and 2016 (NCAA Semifinalist).• The Huskers won the outright Big Ten title this season with a 19-1 league record, earning their first Big Ten title since 2017. Nebraska has now won four Big Ten titles since joining the conference in 2011. The years were 2011, 2016, 2017 (co-champions) and 2023. All-time, Nebraska volleyball has won 35 conference titles. John Cook has been head coach for 13 of them.&nbsp;• Nebraska won 27 matches in a row to begin the season and finished 28-1, its best regular-season record since going 28-1 in 2005.&nbsp;• NU went 17-0 in home matches in the regular season. The last time the Huskers went undefeated at home in the regular season was 2017 (15-0).&nbsp;• From Sept. 12-Sept. 29, Nebraska played five straight ranked teams and won all five matches. It was the sixth time in school history Nebraska played five matches in a row against ranked teams but the first time NU won all five.&nbsp;• The Huskers went undefeated in non-conference play for the first time since 2016 and just the second time since 2008.• The Huskers, who led the nation in defense in 2022, have held their opponents this season to a combined .141 hitting percentage, which ranks third nationally.&nbsp;• Nebraska has been sharp offensively this season, hitting .282 to rank 15th nationally. The Huskers rank 10th nationally with 14.16 kills per set and 12th in assists per set at 13.10.&nbsp;• Nebraska had four All-Big Ten First Team selections and two All-Big Ten Second Team selections for a total of six all-conference players this season, the most in program history.HUSKERS RACK UP POSTSEASON AWARDS• Junior libero Lexi Rodriguez was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year for the second time in her career, becoming the fifth player in Big Ten history to receive that honor twice in a career. Rodriguez, who averages 3.60 digs and 1.24 assists per set with a .979 serve reception percentage, leads a Husker defense that ranks third nationally in opponent hitting percentage. She also received All-Big Ten First Team (unanimous) honors for the third time in three years. The junior from Sterling, Ill., was twice named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week this season despite opponents frequently tailoring their game plans to avoid Rodriguez on the court. Rodriguez was a first-team AVCA All-American in 2021 and a second-team AVCA All-American in 2022, as well as an All-Big Ten libero both years. Rodriguez was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year as a freshman in 2021 and also excels academically, earning Academic All-America honors in 2022.&nbsp;• Freshman setter Bergen Reilly was chosen Big Ten Setter of the Year, becoming the first ever freshman to earn the award since it originated in 2012. She also earned All-Big Ten First Team and unanimous All-Big Ten Freshman Team accolades. Reilly, just the second true freshman setter to be the starter at Nebraska under head coach John Cook, is putting up 10.74 assists and 2.60 digs per set and has 12 double-doubles this season. The Sioux Falls, S.D., native ranks 13th nationally in assists per set. Reilly was named Big Ten Setter of the Week four times this year and Big Ten Freshman of the Week twice. She paces a Husker offense that ranks in the top 15 nationally in hitting percentage (.282) and kills per set (14.16). Reilly posted her career high of 54 assists in a 3-2 win at then-No. 17 Purdue on Sept. 29. She also recorded 12 digs and a career-best five kills in that match.&nbsp;• Freshman outside hitter Harper Murray was voted Big Ten Freshman of the Year, making her the second ever Husker (Madi Kubik, 2019) to receive that distinction. She also earned All-Big Ten First Team and unanimous All-Big Ten Freshman Team accolades. Murray, a freshman outside hitter from Ann Arbor, Mich., ranks second on the Huskers in kills with 3.29 per set on .250 hitting and adds 2.10 digs per set with a team-high 31 service aces. Murray was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week three times this season and has seven double-doubles. She hit a career-high 21 kills in a 3-2 win at then-No. 17 Purdue on Sept. 29.&nbsp;• Merritt Beason, a junior opposite hitter who transfered to NU from Florida, has stepped in as a team captain and is contributing a team-leading 3.81 kills per set this season with 2.08 digs per set and a .284 hitting percentage. Beason was a unanimous All-Big Ten First Team selection. A native of Gardendale, Ala., Beason earned four Big Ten Player of the Week honors this season and was the AVCA National Player of the Week on Oct. 24 following 21 kills in a 3-2 win over then-No. 1 Wisconsin. Beason had a career-high 27 kills on .426 hitting in a 3-2 reverse sweep at then-No. 16 Penn State on Nov. 3. As a sophomore at Florida in 2022, Beason was an All-SEC and AVCA All-Region selection.• Bekka Allick, a sophomore middle blocker from Lincoln, Neb., has been Nebraska’s top defensive presence at the net with a team-best 1.35 blocks per set this season. Offensively, Allick adds 1.82 kills per set on .324 hitting. Allick had a career-high nine blocks in the regular-season finale at Minnesota. Allick received second-team All-Big Ten honors for the second year in a row.&nbsp;• Andi Jackson, a freshman middle blocker from Brighton, Colo., averages 2.10 kills per set and 1.06 blocks per set and has a team-high .408 hitting percentage, which ranks 15th nationally. Jackson was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week in November and has hit .500 or better in 12 matches this season. She was selected to the All-Big Ten Second Team and All-Big Ten Freshman Team. &nbsp;SCOUTING REPORT: LIU• LIU (13-18) is making its 13th NCAA Tournament appearance after winning the Northeast Conference Tournament as the No. 4 seed. After finishing 9-5 in NEC play, LIU upset No. 1 seed Sacred Heart (3-1) and No. 2 Fairleigh Dickinson (3-1) to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2020.&nbsp;• Libero Alasha Colon was the NEC Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-NEC after averaging 5.45 digs per set, which ranks 10th nationally. Camelia Melendez leads the Sharks with 3.08 kills per set and was first-team All-NEC.&nbsp;• Amable Martinez is in his first year as head coach at LIU. Martinez was previously the head coach at St. Francis Brooklyn for four years, but the school ended its athletic programs following the 2022-23 year. Prior to that, Martinez was head coach at Saint Peter’s for two seasons.&nbsp;SCOUTING REPORT: MISSOURI• Missouri (17-12) earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2020. The Tigers went 9-9 in the SEC to finish seventh in the standings.&nbsp;• Libero Maya Sands and opposite hitter Jordan Iliff were named to the All-SEC Team. Sands was named the SEC Libero of the Year, averaging 4.81 digs per set. Iliff leads the Tigers with 3.44 kills per set and 42 service aces.&nbsp;• Dawn Sullivan is in her first year as head coach and was the SEC Coach of the Year. Sullivan was previously at UNLV, where she was the Mountain West Coach of the Year in 2020 and 2022.&nbsp;SCOUTING REPORT: DELAWARE• Delaware (24-4) won the Coastal Athletic Association Tournament to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time and first since 2011.&nbsp;• Outside hitter Lani Mason was an All-CAA First Team member for the third year in a row, averaging 3.66 kills per set. Setter Ezgi Basaranlar and middle blocker Kirah Johnson were honored on the second team. Basaranalar averages 9.55 assists per set, while Johnson provides 2.38 kills per set and 1.01 blocks per set. &nbsp;• Kimberly Lambert is in her second season as head coach at Delaware after serving as associate head coach for three years.&nbsp;SERIES HISTORY• Nebraska and LIU will be playing for the first time.&nbsp;• Nebraska is 73-3-1 all-time against Missouri. The Huskers have won 17 straight matches against their former Big 8 and Big 12 Conference foe dating back to 2003. The last time the teams met was Dec. 7, 2019 in the NCAA Tournament Second Round in Lincoln, a 3-1 Husker win.&nbsp;• Nebraska has never played Delaware.&nbsp;HUSKERS RANKED NO. 1 IN AVCA COACHES POLL• Nebraska is ranked No. 1 in the AVCA Coaches Poll this week.• Nebraska has been ranked No. 1 in 108 all-time polls, the most in NCAA history.&nbsp;• The Huskers have been ranked in the top 10 a total of 557 times, which is also the most in NCAA history.• Nebraska has appeared in all 618 AVCA Coaches Polls it has been eligible for since it was established in 1982. Nebraska is the only program to be ranked in every eligible poll all-time.• Nebraska’s 618 consecutive weeks of being ranked is the longest active streak in Division I for any sport, leading Connecticut women’s basketball and North Carolina women’s soccer.AVCA HALL OF FAMER JOHN COOK IN 24TH SEASON AT NEBRASKA• Nebraska head coach John Cook is in his 24th season as the Nebraska volleyball head coach in 2023. He has led the Huskers to four national championships, 10 final fours, 13 conference championships and 21 top-10 final rankings since 2000.&nbsp;• Cook has 845 career wins and is one of the all-time winningest coaches in NCAA history. Since taking over the program in 2000, Cook has led the Huskers to a nation-leading .874 win percentage (684-99).&nbsp;• Under Cook, the Huskers have achieved 64 AVCA All-Americans and 20 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, both among the best in the nation. He is a two-time AVCA National Coach of the Year, earning the prestigious honor in 2000 and 2005, and an eight-time conference coach of the year, including Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2016, 2017 and 2023.• Cook was voted Big Ten Coach of the Year by both coaches and media this season after leading a young Nebraska team with no seniors to its first Big Ten title since 2017. The Huskers finished the regular season 28-1 overall, their best regular season record since going 28-1 in 2005. After going 26-6 last year and missing the NCAA Regional Finals for the first time since 2011, the Huskers started over with a starting lineup featuring four true freshmen and a junior transfer (Beason). Cook’s Huskers won their first 27 matches of the season and held the No. 1 ranking from Oct. 23 through the end of the regular season. Despite having no seniors on the roster for just the second time in Cook’s 24 years at Nebraska - as well as starting a true freshman at setter for only the second time in Cook’s tenure - the Huskers earned the overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016 and the sixth time overall under Cook.• Cook is one of only two active coaches - and one of six all-time - to be a two-time AVCA National Coach of the Year and was honored in 2008 by USA Volleyball, receiving its All-Time Great Coach Award.• Cook was inducted into the AVCA Hall of Fame in 2017, joining former Husker volleyball coach Terry Pettit in the hall.&nbsp;

Husker NCAA Volleyball Tournament preview

After guiding Nebraska football to its best defensive performance in the Big Ten era, Husker associate head coach/defensive coordinator Tony White has signed a restructured contract. &nbsp;White has been a nominee for the Broyles Award in both 2022 and 2023, an honor given to the nation’s top assistant coach.&nbsp;

Under the terms of the restructured contract, White’s annual salary has been increased to $1.6 million per year for each of the two remaining seasons on his contract.&nbsp;

“Tony White has all the attributes you look for in a coordinator or assistant coach,” Nebraska Head Coach Matt Rhule said. “He builds great relationships with his players and fellow coaches and is an elite teacher and communicator. We made great strides on defense this past season, and I look forward to continuing to work with Tony as we move forward and build this program.”

The 2023 Nebraska defense was the nation’s third-most improved unit against the run, and ranked as the fourth-most improved in total defense. Eight Nebraska defensive players earned All-Big Ten recognition for their play this fall.

“I am proud of what our players accomplished this year and am excited to build on that success moving forward,” White said. “It is a privilege to have the opportunity to coach at Nebraska, and to work for a great leader in Coach Rhule, and I feel honored to work alongside our defensive staff every day. &nbsp;Go Big Red!”&nbsp;

The statistical milestones for the Nebraska defense in the first season under Rhule and White in 2023 included:

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsAfter guiding Nebraska football to its best defensive performance in the Big Ten era, Husker associate head coach/defensive coordinator Tony White has signed a restructured contract. &nbsp;White has been a nominee for the Broyles Award in both 2022 and 2023, an honor given to the nation’s top assistant coach.&nbsp;Under the terms of the restructured contract, White’s annual salary has been increased to $1.6 million per year for each of the two remaining seasons on his contract.&nbsp;“Tony White has all the attributes you look for in a coordinator or assistant coach,” Nebraska Head Coach Matt Rhule said. “He builds great relationships with his players and fellow coaches and is an elite teacher and communicator. We made great strides on defense this past season, and I look forward to continuing to work with Tony as we move forward and build this program.”The 2023 Nebraska defense was the nation’s third-most improved unit against the run, and ranked as the fourth-most improved in total defense. Eight Nebraska defensive players earned All-Big Ten recognition for their play this fall.“I am proud of what our players accomplished this year and am excited to build on that success moving forward,” White said. “It is a privilege to have the opportunity to coach at Nebraska, and to work for a great leader in Coach Rhule, and I feel honored to work alongside our defensive staff every day. &nbsp;Go Big Red!”&nbsp;The statistical milestones for the Nebraska defense in the first season under Rhule and White in 2023 included:<ul>
 <li>Nebraska allowed 303.5 yards per game in 2023, the best total defense average at Nebraska since 2009. Nebraska ranks 14th nationally in total defense, the program’s first top-25 defensive ranking since 2010.&nbsp;</li><li>The Blackshirts rank eighth nationally in rushing defense, allowing just 92.9 yards per game, which is Nebraska’s best run defense since 1999. Nebraska held eight of 12 opponents to less than 100 rushing yards in 2023.</li><li>Husker opponents were held to 14 or fewer points in eight games in 2023, and Nebraska ranks 17th nationally in scoring defense at 18.3 points per game. That is the program’s best scoring defense average since 2010.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We’ve agreed to a restructured contract with <a href="https://twitter.com/HuskerCoachTW?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HuskerCoachTW</a> ✍️ 🔗 <a href="https://t.co/R5bHR5yhQo">https://t.co/R5bHR5yhQo</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GBR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GBR</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhatsNExt?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhatsNExt</a>! <a href="https://t.co/qkeaWennR4">pic.twitter.com/qkeaWennR4</a>&mdash; Nebraska Football (@HuskerFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/HuskerFootball/status/1730619669017436661?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Nebraska announces restructured contract for Tony White

The 13th-ranked Nebraska&nbsp;Kearney&nbsp;volleyball team had three players with double digit kill totals and&nbsp;libero&nbsp;Lauren Taubenheim&nbsp;reached 1,000 career digs to help the&nbsp;Lopers&nbsp;down seventh-ranked Southwest Minnesota State (-<a href="https://lopers.com/sports/womens-volleyball/stats/2023/southwest-minn-st-/boxscore/7531" target="_blank">19-25, -22, -23, -21</a>) in an NCAA Tournament first-round match Thursday afternoon in St. Paul, Minn. Seeded sixth in the&nbsp;uber-tough&nbsp;Central Regional, UNK (29-5) advances to the quarterfinals to face either second-ranked Wayne State (28-2) or 15th-ranked Minnesota-Duluth (18-10). Those teams played today's second match; the winner and UNK play Friday at 5 p.m. For all tourney information, go to the&nbsp;<a href="https://cspbears.com/feature/2023CentralVB" target="_blank">regional webpage.</a>&nbsp;"Couldn't be prouder of our team. It was hard fought match, and we just showed a lot of grit today and kind of turned it into the type of match we thought maybe gave us a chance," said UNK head coach&nbsp;Rick Squiers. "That was long rallies, lots of defense … it couldn't be a first ball kill match. Credit to us for getting block touches and serving tough."Facing a big and physical Southwest squad (23-7) that finishes on a three-match losing streak, UNK turned to its defense to extend rallies and keep the Mustangs on their heels. Having leads in all four sets, the&nbsp;Lopers&nbsp;took control of things in the third when they finished on an 8-2 run. Kills from outside&nbsp;Emersen Cyza&nbsp;(Alliance) and right side&nbsp;Jaden Ferguson&nbsp;(Lincoln SW) broke a 21-21 tie, forcing&nbsp;SMSU&nbsp;to call timeout. After the break, kills from Ferguson and outside&nbsp;Asha Regier&nbsp;(Newton, Kan.) made it 2-1 on the scoreboard."We wanted to put a little pressure on them (from the serve line) by hitting certain zones. Just a good win that a whole lot of people contributed to," said&nbsp;Squiers. "It's hard enough to get here but when you do, you're obviously playing nationally-ranked opponents in every round.”Showing great balance all afternoon, UNK saw Cyza, Ferguson and Regier have four kills apiece in the fourth set. The Blue &amp; Gold out hit&nbsp;SMSU&nbsp;by nearly 100 points but a 24-18 lead was trimmed to just three after three straight unforced attack errors. However, the 'Stangs&nbsp;returned the favor with a ball handling error being the final point of the match.Regier and&nbsp;Cyza&nbsp;both had 15 kills with Ferguson adding 10 more and five others having at least one. Making the&nbsp;All-MIAA&nbsp;Tournament team two weeks ago, Regier has now reached 10 kills in fourth straight matches and hit a team-best .343. Next,&nbsp;Cyza&nbsp;is up to 1,314 career kills (Wyoming and UNK) with Ferguson having her ninth double double and posting a .897 serve receive percentage."Our servers bothered them just enough so we could dig some balls and then we made some ridiculous hustle plays," said&nbsp;Squiers. "It fed off each other … someone would make a really good play and then their teammates would rally behind them and go make another one."SMSU&nbsp;served BB’s all afternoon long but ended up with five aces and nine errors. Veteran DS&nbsp;Jensen Rowse&nbsp;(Minden) was 12 for 12 in the serve game, sophomore DS&nbsp;Addyson&nbsp;Mock&nbsp;(Stilwell, Kan.) went 14 of 15 with Taubenheim 16 for 16. Her dig tally is now up to 1,002 and she is the 35th&nbsp;Loper&nbsp;to reach four figures in digs.&nbsp;Rowse&nbsp;(1,052) reached this milestone earlier this season.&nbsp;"It means a lot. I went through a position switch this year (right side to&nbsp;libero), so it's been an adjustment but a lot of fun. I've had some amazing teammates&nbsp;that've&nbsp;helped me along the way," said&nbsp;Taubenheim. "It's special to do it at this point of the season. "At the net, sophomore middle&nbsp;Abby Rose&nbsp;(Lindsborg, Kan.) had a career-high 10 blocks (one solo) with Regier at four and setter&nbsp;Peyton Neff&nbsp;(North Platte) posting five. UNK finished with 13 stuffs and SMSU committed 15 unforced attack errors to hit .166. They came in averaging .236. Finally, Neff had 41 assists, eight digs, ace and kill, Mock dug up 10 balls with&nbsp;Rowse&nbsp;at 15 and sophomore middles&nbsp;Trista&nbsp;Marx&nbsp;(Limon, Colo.) and&nbsp;Mia Berg&nbsp;(Eureka, Mo.) combined for five kills, two blocks and several block touches."Coach emphasized watching the player and watching the ball instead of just going to the pin. We worked on that and finding the ball (to get blocks and block touches) helped our&nbsp;backrow," said Regier. Central Region&nbsp;Freman&nbsp;of the Year, 6-2 outside Leah Jones, paced&nbsp;SMSU&nbsp;with 13 kills, 12 digs and a 32 for 34 effort in serve receive. Three others had double digit kill totals as well with&nbsp;All-NSIC&nbsp;libero&nbsp;Mackenzie Tolk having a 19 digs and several long service runs. UNK is now 34-26 all-time in the NCAA's, improving to 15-18 in neutral site matches,&nbsp;4-5 at Concordia-St. Paul and 3-1 vs. the Mustangs.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Story by UNK Athletic CommunicationsThe 13th-ranked Nebraska&nbsp;Kearney&nbsp;volleyball team had three players with double digit kill totals and&nbsp;libero&nbsp;Lauren Taubenheim&nbsp;reached 1,000 career digs to help the&nbsp;Lopers&nbsp;down seventh-ranked Southwest Minnesota State (-<a href="https://lopers.com/sports/womens-volleyball/stats/2023/southwest-minn-st-/boxscore/7531" target="_blank">19-25, -22, -23, -21</a>) in an NCAA Tournament first-round match Thursday afternoon in St. Paul, Minn. Seeded sixth in the&nbsp;uber-tough&nbsp;Central Regional, UNK (29-5) advances to the quarterfinals to face either second-ranked Wayne State (28-2) or 15th-ranked Minnesota-Duluth (18-10). Those teams played today's second match; the winner and UNK play Friday at 5 p.m. For all tourney information, go to the&nbsp;<a href="https://cspbears.com/feature/2023CentralVB" target="_blank">regional webpage.</a>&nbsp;"Couldn't be prouder of our team. It was hard fought match, and we just showed a lot of grit today and kind of turned it into the type of match we thought maybe gave us a chance," said UNK head coach&nbsp;Rick Squiers. "That was long rallies, lots of defense … it couldn't be a first ball kill match. Credit to us for getting block touches and serving tough."Facing a big and physical Southwest squad (23-7) that finishes on a three-match losing streak, UNK turned to its defense to extend rallies and keep the Mustangs on their heels. Having leads in all four sets, the&nbsp;Lopers&nbsp;took control of things in the third when they finished on an 8-2 run. Kills from outside&nbsp;Emersen Cyza&nbsp;(Alliance) and right side&nbsp;Jaden Ferguson&nbsp;(Lincoln SW) broke a 21-21 tie, forcing&nbsp;SMSU&nbsp;to call timeout. After the break, kills from Ferguson and outside&nbsp;Asha Regier&nbsp;(Newton, Kan.) made it 2-1 on the scoreboard."We wanted to put a little pressure on them (from the serve line) by hitting certain zones. Just a good win that a whole lot of people contributed to," said&nbsp;Squiers. "It's hard enough to get here but when you do, you're obviously playing nationally-ranked opponents in every round.”Showing great balance all afternoon, UNK saw Cyza, Ferguson and Regier have four kills apiece in the fourth set. The Blue &amp; Gold out hit&nbsp;SMSU&nbsp;by nearly 100 points but a 24-18 lead was trimmed to just three after three straight unforced attack errors. However, the 'Stangs&nbsp;returned the favor with a ball handling error being the final point of the match.Regier and&nbsp;Cyza&nbsp;both had 15 kills with Ferguson adding 10 more and five others having at least one. Making the&nbsp;All-MIAA&nbsp;Tournament team two weeks ago, Regier has now reached 10 kills in fourth straight matches and hit a team-best .343. Next,&nbsp;Cyza&nbsp;is up to 1,314 career kills (Wyoming and UNK) with Ferguson having her ninth double double and posting a .897 serve receive percentage."Our servers bothered them just enough so we could dig some balls and then we made some ridiculous hustle plays," said&nbsp;Squiers. "It fed off each other … someone would make a really good play and then their teammates would rally behind them and go make another one."SMSU&nbsp;served BB’s all afternoon long but ended up with five aces and nine errors. Veteran DS&nbsp;Jensen Rowse&nbsp;(Minden) was 12 for 12 in the serve game, sophomore DS&nbsp;Addyson&nbsp;Mock&nbsp;(Stilwell, Kan.) went 14 of 15 with Taubenheim 16 for 16. Her dig tally is now up to 1,002 and she is the 35th&nbsp;Loper&nbsp;to reach four figures in digs.&nbsp;Rowse&nbsp;(1,052) reached this milestone earlier this season.&nbsp;"It means a lot. I went through a position switch this year (right side to&nbsp;libero), so it's been an adjustment but a lot of fun. I've had some amazing teammates&nbsp;that've&nbsp;helped me along the way," said&nbsp;Taubenheim. "It's special to do it at this point of the season. "At the net, sophomore middle&nbsp;Abby Rose&nbsp;(Lindsborg, Kan.) had a career-high 10 blocks (one solo) with Regier at four and setter&nbsp;Peyton Neff&nbsp;(North Platte) posting five. UNK finished with 13 stuffs and SMSU committed 15 unforced attack errors to hit .166. They came in averaging .236. Finally, Neff had 41 assists, eight digs, ace and kill, Mock dug up 10 balls with&nbsp;Rowse&nbsp;at 15 and sophomore middles&nbsp;Trista&nbsp;Marx&nbsp;(Limon, Colo.) and&nbsp;Mia Berg&nbsp;(Eureka, Mo.) combined for five kills, two blocks and several block touches."Coach emphasized watching the player and watching the ball instead of just going to the pin. We worked on that and finding the ball (to get blocks and block touches) helped our&nbsp;backrow," said Regier. Central Region&nbsp;Freman&nbsp;of the Year, 6-2 outside Leah Jones, paced&nbsp;SMSU&nbsp;with 13 kills, 12 digs and a 32 for 34 effort in serve receive. Three others had double digit kill totals as well with&nbsp;All-NSIC&nbsp;libero&nbsp;Mackenzie Tolk having a 19 digs and several long service runs. UNK is now 34-26 all-time in the NCAA's, improving to 15-18 in neutral site matches,&nbsp;4-5 at Concordia-St. Paul and 3-1 vs. the Mustangs.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Lopers record 34th All-Time NCAA Win; #2 Wayne or #15 UMD Friday night

OGALLALA - The Ogallala Indians boy's and girls' basketball teams are ready to get their season started today when they travel east to take on Class B Lexington Minutemaids/Minutemen.&nbsp;

Sandhills PostOGALLALA - The Ogallala Indians boy's and girls' basketball teams are ready to get their season started today when they travel east to take on Class B Lexington Minutemaids/Minutemen.&nbsp;

Ogallala basketball ready to kick off the 2023-2024 season today 

Coach Rhule's after season press conference

Story by Tri-City Storm Communications

The Tri-City Storm returns to action tonight at the Viaero Center in a home game against the Green Bay Gamblers following a Thanksgiving holiday break last weekend. The Storm’s last game was a 5-3 road victory over the Lincoln Stars on Wednesday, November 22nd. Tickets to tonight’s matchup between the Storm and the Gamblers can be purchased online at&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 home game at the Viaero Center is scheduled for 7:05pm CT. &nbsp;

Story by Tri-City Storm CommunicationsThe Tri-City Storm returns to action tonight at the Viaero Center in a home game against the Green Bay Gamblers following a Thanksgiving holiday break last weekend. The Storm’s last game was a 5-3 road victory over the Lincoln Stars on Wednesday, November 22nd. Tickets to tonight’s matchup between the Storm and the Gamblers can be purchased online at&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 home game at the Viaero Center is scheduled for 7:05pm CT. &nbsp;Ticket specials to tonight’s game include a $5 Kids’ Friday presented by Big Apple Fun Center in Kearney. Kids’ tickets to non-Friday games are available for $8 when purchased in advance. College Student advanced ticket pricing is $5 for each Storm home game at the Viaero Center. More information on single-game ticket pricing can be found at&nbsp;<a href="https://stormhockey.com/sports/2022/8/19/single-game-tickets.aspx" target="_blank">https://stormhockey.com/sports/2022/8/19/single-game-tickets.aspx</a>. Tri-City will wear its Military Appreciation jerseys during tomorrow’s game against Green Bay. The jerseys will be auctioned off following the matchup. &nbsp;Tri-City (11-7-1-0) enters tonight’s home game against Green Bay as the 3rd&nbsp;place team in the USHL’s Western Conference standings. The Storm has won six of nine games played at the Viaero Center in the 2023-2024 regular season. Trevor Connelly (2), Owen Beckner, A.J. Lacroix, and August Falloon scored goals for the Storm during the team’s pre-Thanksgiving victory over the Lincoln Stars at the Ice Box. Scoring leaders for Tri-City entering tonight’s home game at the Viaero Center include August Falloon (11), Ryan Smith (8), Trevor Connelly (6), Cam Briere (6), Owen Beckner (5), and Artemi Nizameyev (5). &nbsp;Green Bay (13-6-1-0) has posted an 8-1-1-0 record over the last ten games entering this weekend’s road series against Tri-City. The Gamblers won a 4-3 decision over the Madison Capitols at the Resch Center in a pre-Thanksgiving battle on November 22nd. Blake Bechen, Ben Poitras, Libor Nemec, and Brady Zugec each netted a goal for the Gamblers in the victory. Scoring leaders for Green Bay entering tonight’s game include Libor Nemec (11), Julian Lutz (9), Blake Bechen (9), Lev Kazin (6), and Geno Carcone (5). The Gamblers last battled the Storm in back-to-back games at the Viaero Center on February 8th, and February 9th, 2019. Green Bay’s most recent win over Tri-City at the Viaero Center came 2,611 days ago, on October 7th, 2016.&nbsp; &nbsp;Tonight’s 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 home 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 during Box Office hours at 308-338-8144. The Tri-City Storm is presented by Viaero Wireless. &nbsp;