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 signed a quartet of former college standouts,&nbsp;including Kansas Jayhawk&nbsp;record holders&nbsp;Anna&nbsp;Church&nbsp;and&nbsp;Allison Mayfield,&nbsp;as well as national champion libero&nbsp;Gabby Curry&nbsp;and former UNK setter&nbsp;Maddie Squiers.&nbsp;

Church brings a rich background of international experience having played professionally for seven years in countries such as Germany, Switzerland,&nbsp;and France before returning to the U.S. Most recently, Church played for USC Münster in Germany and served on&nbsp;the team’s Player Council. Münster finished 7th in the Bundesliga, the highest level of professional play, and competed in the 2022&nbsp;Western European Volleyball Zonal Association (WEVZA) Cup in Italy.&nbsp;

Church is all too familiar with Omaha. Coming to Kansas in 2015 as a transfer after three seasons at Saint Louis University, she helped lead the Jayhawks to their first Final Four in school history. The 2015 Final Four was held&nbsp;in Omaha, but the Jayhawks’ memorable&nbsp;season ended with a four-set defeat to Nebraska – who would eventually win the national championship. Church was instrumental as a defensive specialist, posting 2.06 digs and 0.19 aces per set in 95 sets that season. In August, Church was inducted into the University of Kansas Athletics Hall of Fame for her contributions during that historic season.&nbsp;

“My top moment from college volleyball was playing in the NCAA Final Four for KU in Omaha, 2015,”&nbsp;Church&nbsp;said. “After playing professionally overseas for so long, it is a dream come true&nbsp;to have an opportunity to&nbsp;play professionally back home in the United States. It feels like a full circle moment to return to and compete for such a great volleyball state. I can’t&nbsp;wait to get started playing in Omaha!”&nbsp;

Mayfield&nbsp;played for Kansas from 2008-2011 and finished her career as one of the most decorated Jayhawks in program history. Mayfield reset the school record books for a single season during her senior year, securing the most kills (462) and points (507) while having the highest kills and points per set (4.57) averages across one season. Mayfield earned an All-Big 12 honorable mention award that year while her 1,367 attacks&nbsp;remain&nbsp;the single-season record. Mayfield finished her KU career fourth all-time in career kills with 1,282. &nbsp;

“Allison is a veteran player with a strong history of success at the collegiate level and as a professional player overseas,” Supernovas Head Coach&nbsp;Shelton Collier&nbsp;said. “It will be exciting to have her experience and skills in our gym"&nbsp;

Mayfield parlayed her college success into a diverse overseas resume which includes stops in France, Switzerland, Finland, Peru, Greece, and Hungary. After finishing her second stop with Universidad San Martin in Peru, Mayfield returned to the U.S. to begin her coaching career. Mayfield spent the 2020-2021 college volleyball season serving as a volunteer assistant coach for Texas A&amp;M, which was under the tutelage of&nbsp;Laura “Bird” Kuhn, former head coach of A&amp;M&nbsp;and current assistant coach&nbsp;for the Supernovas.&nbsp;Mayfield just finished her second season as an assistant coach&nbsp;at South Dakota State.&nbsp;

“I’m elated to be signing with the Omaha Supernovas for this inaugural season of the Pro Volleyball Federation,”&nbsp;Mayfield&nbsp;said. “Growing up in the Midwest, and playing for Kansas, I know there is no better fan base for volleyball in the country than in Nebraska. I’m&nbsp;so excited for this opportunity to finally be able to play closer to home again. The U.S. has been missing out on&nbsp;women’s professional volleyball for a long time now. I’m&nbsp;so excited to see how this league will assist&nbsp;in growing the sport even more in our country.”&nbsp;

Curry&nbsp;was a three-time SEC Libero of the Year during her four-year college career at&nbsp;Kentucky that spanned from 2017-2021. The Buford, Georgia native anchored the Wildcats’ defense in route to four SEC championships under Head Coach&nbsp;Craig Skinner&nbsp;who was a former assistant under Nebraska Head Coach&nbsp;John Cook. Curry capped off her career with a national championship in the spring of 2021 after Kentucky beat Texas 3-1 to become the first SEC school to win a volleyball national title. &nbsp;

"I couldn’t&nbsp;be more excited for this opportunity to compete at the highest level, further the game of volleyball that gave so much to me and grow in and through this living testimony while using this platform to further The Kingdom,” Curry said.&nbsp;

Squiers&nbsp;just wrapped up her second season as a graduate assistant at the University of Nebraska-Kearney (UNK) where she established&nbsp;herself as one of the best setters in program history. Playing under her father, Rick, Maddie was a two-time All-American for the Lopers earning second-team honors in both 2019 and 2021.&nbsp;

UNK went 90-11 with Squiers as the starting setter as she guided&nbsp;the Lopers to a national runner-up finish in 2019. She finished&nbsp;her career with over 6,200 assists and 1,600 digs with her 11.30 assists per set mark in Kearney fifth all-time in program history.&nbsp;

“It’s&nbsp;an honor to be included in the Supernova mini-camp,” Squiers said. “It really is an exciting time to be a part of the sport of volleyball, especially in Nebraska, and I look forward to seeing what the Supernovas and this league can do for the game.”&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://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;

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;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701275141989.jpeg" alt="Maddie Squiers/Photo provided by the Omaha Supernovas" />
 <figcaption>Maddie Squiers/Photo provided by the Omaha Supernovas</figcaption>
 </figure>Geoff ExstromOmaha SupernovasOMAHA, 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 signed a quartet of former college standouts,&nbsp;including Kansas Jayhawk&nbsp;record holders&nbsp;Anna&nbsp;Church&nbsp;and&nbsp;Allison Mayfield,&nbsp;as well as national champion libero&nbsp;Gabby Curry&nbsp;and former UNK setter&nbsp;Maddie Squiers.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701275258909.jpeg" alt="Anna Church/Photo provided by the Omaha Supernovas" />
 <figcaption>Anna Church/Photo provided by the Omaha Supernovas</figcaption>
 </figure>Church brings a rich background of international experience having played professionally for seven years in countries such as Germany, Switzerland,&nbsp;and France before returning to the U.S. Most recently, Church played for USC Münster in Germany and served on&nbsp;the team’s Player Council. Münster finished 7th in the Bundesliga, the highest level of professional play, and competed in the 2022&nbsp;Western European Volleyball Zonal Association (WEVZA) Cup in Italy.&nbsp;Church is all too familiar with Omaha. Coming to Kansas in 2015 as a transfer after three seasons at Saint Louis University, she helped lead the Jayhawks to their first Final Four in school history. The 2015 Final Four was held&nbsp;in Omaha, but the Jayhawks’ memorable&nbsp;season ended with a four-set defeat to Nebraska – who would eventually win the national championship. Church was instrumental as a defensive specialist, posting 2.06 digs and 0.19 aces per set in 95 sets that season. In August, Church was inducted into the University of Kansas Athletics Hall of Fame for her contributions during that historic season.&nbsp;“My top moment from college volleyball was playing in the NCAA Final Four for KU in Omaha, 2015,”&nbsp;Church&nbsp;said. “After playing professionally overseas for so long, it is a dream come true&nbsp;to have an opportunity to&nbsp;play professionally back home in the United States. It feels like a full circle moment to return to and compete for such a great volleyball state. I can’t&nbsp;wait to get started playing in Omaha!”&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701275316318.jpeg" alt="Allison Mayfield/Photo provided by the Omaha Supernovas" />
 <figcaption>Allison Mayfield/Photo provided by the Omaha Supernovas</figcaption>
 </figure>Mayfield&nbsp;played for Kansas from 2008-2011 and finished her career as one of the most decorated Jayhawks in program history. Mayfield reset the school record books for a single season during her senior year, securing the most kills (462) and points (507) while having the highest kills and points per set (4.57) averages across one season. Mayfield earned an All-Big 12 honorable mention award that year while her 1,367 attacks&nbsp;remain&nbsp;the single-season record. Mayfield finished her KU career fourth all-time in career kills with 1,282. &nbsp;“Allison is a veteran player with a strong history of success at the collegiate level and as a professional player overseas,” Supernovas Head Coach&nbsp;Shelton Collier&nbsp;said. “It will be exciting to have her experience and skills in our gym"&nbsp;Mayfield parlayed her college success into a diverse overseas resume which includes stops in France, Switzerland, Finland, Peru, Greece, and Hungary. After finishing her second stop with Universidad San Martin in Peru, Mayfield returned to the U.S. to begin her coaching career. Mayfield spent the 2020-2021 college volleyball season serving as a volunteer assistant coach for Texas A&amp;M, which was under the tutelage of&nbsp;Laura “Bird” Kuhn, former head coach of A&amp;M&nbsp;and current assistant coach&nbsp;for the Supernovas.&nbsp;Mayfield just finished her second season as an assistant coach&nbsp;at South Dakota State.&nbsp;“I’m elated to be signing with the Omaha Supernovas for this inaugural season of the Pro Volleyball Federation,”&nbsp;Mayfield&nbsp;said. “Growing up in the Midwest, and playing for Kansas, I know there is no better fan base for volleyball in the country than in Nebraska. I’m&nbsp;so excited for this opportunity to finally be able to play closer to home again. The U.S. has been missing out on&nbsp;women’s professional volleyball for a long time now. I’m&nbsp;so excited to see how this league will assist&nbsp;in growing the sport even more in our country.”&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701275304342.jpeg" alt="Gabby Curry/Photo provided by the Omaha Supernovas" />
 <figcaption>Gabby Curry/Photo provided by the Omaha Supernovas</figcaption>
 </figure>Curry&nbsp;was a three-time SEC Libero of the Year during her four-year college career at&nbsp;Kentucky that spanned from 2017-2021. The Buford, Georgia native anchored the Wildcats’ defense in route to four SEC championships under Head Coach&nbsp;Craig Skinner&nbsp;who was a former assistant under Nebraska Head Coach&nbsp;John Cook. Curry capped off her career with a national championship in the spring of 2021 after Kentucky beat Texas 3-1 to become the first SEC school to win a volleyball national title. &nbsp;"I couldn’t&nbsp;be more excited for this opportunity to compete at the highest level, further the game of volleyball that gave so much to me and grow in and through this living testimony while using this platform to further The Kingdom,” Curry said.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701275141989.jpeg" alt="Maddie Squiers/Photo provided by the Omaha Supernovas" />
 <figcaption>Maddie Squiers/Photo provided by the Omaha Supernovas</figcaption>
 </figure>Squiers&nbsp;just wrapped up her second season as a graduate assistant at the University of Nebraska-Kearney (UNK) where she established&nbsp;herself as one of the best setters in program history. Playing under her father, Rick, Maddie was a two-time All-American for the Lopers earning second-team honors in both 2019 and 2021.&nbsp;UNK went 90-11 with Squiers as the starting setter as she guided&nbsp;the Lopers to a national runner-up finish in 2019. She finished&nbsp;her career with over 6,200 assists and 1,600 digs with her 11.30 assists per set mark in Kearney fifth all-time in program history.&nbsp;“It’s&nbsp;an honor to be included in the Supernova mini-camp,” Squiers said. “It really is an exciting time to be a part of the sport of volleyball, especially in Nebraska, and I look forward to seeing what the Supernovas and this league can do for the game.”&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://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 Sign Accomplished Quartet including former Loper Maddie Squiers

Story by NU Athletic Communications

Nebraska senior&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/football/roster/season/2023/player/marco-ortiz">Marco Ortiz</a>&nbsp;was announced as one of three national finalists for the 2023 Patrick Mannelly Award on Monday, Nov. 27. Earlier this month, Ortiz was one of 10 long snappers recognized as a Mannelly Award semifinalist.

The award, named after former NFL long snapper Patrick Mannelly, is presented annually to the top snapper in the FBS. In its fifth year of existence, the award benefits Bernie’s Book Bank, a non-profit that provides books for underserved communities in the Chicago area.

Ortiz will look to become Nebraska's first Mannelly Award winner when the award is presented on Saturday, Dec. 10. Joining Ortiz as national finalists are NC State's Joe Shimko and Wisconsin's Peter Bowden.

A first-year transfer from Florida, Ortiz flawlessly handled every long snap of the season for Nebraska. His snapping helped Tristan Alvano make seven of his final nine feld goals, including a 55-yarder that is the second-longest field goal in school history. Ortiz has also helped Brian Buschini place more than one-third of his punts this season inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsNebraska senior&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/football/roster/season/2023/player/marco-ortiz">Marco Ortiz</a>&nbsp;was announced as one of three national finalists for the 2023 Patrick Mannelly Award on Monday, Nov. 27. Earlier this month, Ortiz was one of 10 long snappers recognized as a Mannelly Award semifinalist.The award, named after former NFL long snapper Patrick Mannelly, is presented annually to the top snapper in the FBS. In its fifth year of existence, the award benefits Bernie’s Book Bank, a non-profit that provides books for underserved communities in the Chicago area.Ortiz will look to become Nebraska's first Mannelly Award winner when the award is presented on Saturday, Dec. 10. Joining Ortiz as national finalists are NC State's Joe Shimko and Wisconsin's Peter Bowden.A first-year transfer from Florida, Ortiz flawlessly handled every long snap of the season for Nebraska. His snapping helped Tristan Alvano make seven of his final nine feld goals, including a 55-yarder that is the second-longest field goal in school history. Ortiz has also helped Brian Buschini place more than one-third of his punts this season inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.

Ortiz names Mannelly Award finalist

Nebraska's Natalie Potts collected her second Big Ten honor in three weeks, as she was named the Big Ten Women's Basketball Freshman of the Week on Monday, Nov. 27.

The 6-2 forward from O'Fallon, Mo., averaged 14.0 points on 12-of-16 shooting from the field in a pair of games for the Huskers at the St. Pete Showcase (Nov. 23-25). Her week was highlighted by a career-high 22 points on 9-of-10 shooting from the field in a 75-61 win over Lamar on Thanksgiving Day. Potts hit all eight of her two-point field goal attempts and all three of her free throws, while knocking down 1-of-2 three-pointers in a remarkably efficient performance against the Cardinals.

The two-time Missouri MaxPreps High School Player of the Year is leading the Big Ten in field goal percentage (.738), including a scorching 90 percent (27-of-30) from two-point range. Through six games as a starter, Potts is averaging 12.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.0 block. She has hit 33.3 percent (4-12) of her three-point tries and 71.4 percent (10-14) of her free throws.

Potts and the Huskers return to action on Wednesday when they take on Florida Atlantic. Tip-off at Pinnacle Bank Arena is set for 7 p.m., with tickets available now at Huskers.com.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsNebraska's Natalie Potts collected her second Big Ten honor in three weeks, as she was named the Big Ten Women's Basketball Freshman of the Week on Monday, Nov. 27.The 6-2 forward from O'Fallon, Mo., averaged 14.0 points on 12-of-16 shooting from the field in a pair of games for the Huskers at the St. Pete Showcase (Nov. 23-25). Her week was highlighted by a career-high 22 points on 9-of-10 shooting from the field in a 75-61 win over Lamar on Thanksgiving Day. Potts hit all eight of her two-point field goal attempts and all three of her free throws, while knocking down 1-of-2 three-pointers in a remarkably efficient performance against the Cardinals.The two-time Missouri MaxPreps High School Player of the Year is leading the Big Ten in field goal percentage (.738), including a scorching 90 percent (27-of-30) from two-point range. Through six games as a starter, Potts is averaging 12.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.0 block. She has hit 33.3 percent (4-12) of her three-point tries and 71.4 percent (10-14) of her free throws.Potts and the Huskers return to action on Wednesday when they take on Florida Atlantic. Tip-off at Pinnacle Bank Arena is set for 7 p.m., with tickets available now at Huskers.com.

Potts Picks Up Second Big Ten Freshman Honor

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;Doctor Jaime Seeman&nbsp;as Head Team Physician.&nbsp;

Dr. Seeman&nbsp;is a board-certified OBGYN with a background in nutrition, exercise,&nbsp;and health science. She is also a current Fellow in Integrative Medicine and a board-certified Ketogenic Nutrition Specialist. &nbsp;

“We are super excited to welcome Dr. Seeman to the Supernovas as the head team physician," said&nbsp;Supernovas President Diane Mendenhall. "Having known Jaime since her college days, she is the ideal person for this role. Dr. Seeman's passion, perspective and knowledge is unmatched,&nbsp;and I know our world-class athletes will greatly benefit from her efforts."&nbsp;

A Waverly, Nebraska, native, Seeman played softball for the Nebraska Cornhuskers from 2003-2007. She is a published author and is well-known for her fitness and health brand, “Dr. Fit and Fabulous” which has garnered her international acclaim for her dedication to preventative health measures.&nbsp;Additionally, in 2020 she was named “Mrs. Nebraska” and was in the top 15 at the “Mrs. America” competition. &nbsp;

“I’m&nbsp;so looking forward to joining the Supernovas. As a female athlete, I know all too well the stresses our bodies are under to perform at such a high-level week in and week out,” Dr. Seeman stated. “My commitment is to our players – to make sure they are at a state where they are performing at their peak without putting their health at risk. It’s&nbsp;a delicate balance.”&nbsp;

In addition to her “Dr. Fit and Fabulous” brand, Seeman entered the national spotlight after being selected to compete in the second season of “The Titan Games”&nbsp;hosted by international superstar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The NBC show selected Seeman as one of only 18 women to compete after completing an audition process that involved 100 candidates. &nbsp;

Dr. Seeman has a&nbsp;deep family history within Nebraska as her father,&nbsp;Randy, was a member of the 1970 and 1971 Nebraska football national championship teams.&nbsp;Dr. Seeman is married to her husband, Ben, and has&nbsp;three children. She lives in Omaha.&nbsp;

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

Story by the Omaha Supernovas<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701179977853.png" alt="Dr. Jaime “Fit &amp; Fabulous” Seeman" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Jaime “Fit &amp; Fabulous” Seeman</figcaption>
 </figure>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;Doctor Jaime Seeman&nbsp;as Head Team Physician.&nbsp;Dr. Seeman&nbsp;is a board-certified OBGYN with a background in nutrition, exercise,&nbsp;and health science. She is also a current Fellow in Integrative Medicine and a board-certified Ketogenic Nutrition Specialist. &nbsp;“We are super excited to welcome Dr. Seeman to the Supernovas as the head team physician," said&nbsp;Supernovas President Diane Mendenhall. "Having known Jaime since her college days, she is the ideal person for this role. Dr. Seeman's passion, perspective and knowledge is unmatched,&nbsp;and I know our world-class athletes will greatly benefit from her efforts."&nbsp;A Waverly, Nebraska, native, Seeman played softball for the Nebraska Cornhuskers from 2003-2007. She is a published author and is well-known for her fitness and health brand, “Dr. Fit and Fabulous” which has garnered her international acclaim for her dedication to preventative health measures.&nbsp;Additionally, in 2020 she was named “Mrs. Nebraska” and was in the top 15 at the “Mrs. America” competition. &nbsp;“I’m&nbsp;so looking forward to joining the Supernovas. As a female athlete, I know all too well the stresses our bodies are under to perform at such a high-level week in and week out,” Dr. Seeman stated. “My commitment is to our players – to make sure they are at a state where they are performing at their peak without putting their health at risk. It’s&nbsp;a delicate balance.”&nbsp;In addition to her “Dr. Fit and Fabulous” brand, Seeman entered the national spotlight after being selected to compete in the second season of “The Titan Games”&nbsp;hosted by international superstar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The NBC show selected Seeman as one of only 18 women to compete after completing an audition process that involved 100 candidates. &nbsp;Dr. Seeman has a&nbsp;deep family history within Nebraska as her father,&nbsp;Randy, was a member of the 1970 and 1971 Nebraska football national championship teams.&nbsp;Dr. Seeman is married to her husband, Ben, and has&nbsp;three children. She lives in Omaha.&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 Bethania de la Cruz, Tori Dixon, Danielle Hart, Sydney Hilley, Gina Mancuso-Prososki, Brooke Nuneviller, Yossiana&nbsp;Pressley, Nia Reed, Jess Schaben-Lansman, 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 Name Dr. Jaime “Fit & Fabulous” Seeman Head Team Physician 

High School Basketball - North Platte High School @ Broken Bow Jamboree Game

North Platte, Neb. -&nbsp; The North Platte Community College women's basketball game scheduled tonight against York University JV has been canceled.

Knights will hit the road this weekend for a two-game road trip beginning with Laramie County Community College on Friday. Tip is set for 6 p.m. inside the Storey Gymnasium in Cheyenne, Wyo.

Daniel Stinman NPCCNorth Platte, Neb. -&nbsp; The North Platte Community College women's basketball game scheduled tonight against York University JV has been canceled.Knights will hit the road this weekend for a two-game road trip beginning with Laramie County Community College on Friday. Tip is set for 6 p.m. inside the Storey Gymnasium in Cheyenne, Wyo.

Knights game with York University JV canceled

We are excited to announce that OHS Senior Caden Rezac, has decided to further his academic &amp; athletic career at Northeast Community College in Norfolk, Ne. Caden will be a member of the Northeast Community College baseball team.

Ogallala Public SchoolsWe are excited to announce that OHS Senior Caden Rezac, has decided to further his academic &amp; athletic career at Northeast Community College in Norfolk, Ne. Caden will be a member of the Northeast Community College baseball team.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FOgallalaSchools%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0Kf6aU9yEpGpNtcndahkHeY5xQd3dqXnCJZBeaqCCqbNZ1ip847epZbVhAaQsjjCfl&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>

Ogallala Senior Caden Rezac commits to Northeastern Community College for baseball

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22MICHAEL%20KELLY%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By MICHAEL KELLY </a>

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22MICHAEL%20KELLY%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">Associated Press</a>

DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic had a season-high 39 points to go with 11 rebounds and nine assists, and the Nuggets spoiled the Denver debut of Victor Wembanyama with a 132-120 win over San Antonio on Sunday night, sending the Spurs to their 12th straight loss.

Wembanyama,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-draft-2023-wembanyama-b3449d1a5f7a7de5906bb1979ffb2a26">the top pick in the June draft</a>, finished with 22 points, 11 rebounds, six steals and four blocks in 24 minutes to become the first rookie with those stats.

“I like bringing something new to the game,” he said. “I’m glad I can already put my name in history a little bit. It’s a good feeling.”

Wembanyama’s big night couldn’t stop San Antonio’s slide. It is the third longest losing streak in franchise history. The Spurs lost 13 in a row in the 1988-89 season and 16 in a row last season.

Michael Porter Jr. scored 25 points and Reggie Jackson had 20 for Denver, which improved to 8-0 at home. The Nuggets had dropped four of five on their recent road trip, including a loss to Houston on Friday night that eliminated them from the NBA In-Season Tournament.

“All of us are kind of frustrated trying to figure out why we play so different and so at a different pace,” Porter said of the poor road play. “We’re running more at home. I don’t know what it is, so I think we got to figure it out.”

Porter spent some time guarding Wembanyama, who continues to impress his coach despite the losses mounting.

“He’s playing aggressively. He’s affecting the game in a lot of different ways,” Gregg Popovich said. “He’s blocking shots. He’s scoring. He’s a willing assist man. He’s very unselfish. He doesn’t worry about making a mistake.”

Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon sat out with a right heel strain that was bothering him in the blowout loss against the Rockets, a game in which he missed all 12 of his field goal attempts. Justin Holiday made his first start of the season in place of Gordon.

Denver coach Michael Malone said he would shake up his rotation in the wake of the 1-4 road trip and it meant DeAndre Jordan getting time as Jokic’s backup. The veteran had six points and five rebounds in six minutes in the first half and made all three of his shots from the field.

The Nuggets led by four after the first quarter and 68-48 late in the second before San Antonio rallied to get within 12 at halftime. The Spurs opened the third on a 7-2 run but Denver outscored them 33-17 the rest of the period to lead by 23 heading into the fourth.

Wembanyama nearly had a highlight dunk in the second half when he soared to the basket, but Julian Strawther fouled him to deny the bucket.

“A lot of guys are getting out of the way,” Malone said. “People have a phobia of being on SportsCenter, getting dunked on. Victor Wembanyama, he’s going to dunk on a lot of people. That guy is a hell of a player, he’s only going to get better.”

Denver: At the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night.

Story by the Associated Press<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701100551312.jpeg" alt="Denver Nuggets guard Reggie Jackson (7) looks to pass the ball as San Antonio Spurs guard Malaki Branham, right, defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)" />
 <figcaption>Denver Nuggets guard Reggie Jackson (7) looks to pass the ball as San Antonio Spurs guard Malaki Branham, right, defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22MICHAEL%20KELLY%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By MICHAEL KELLY </a><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22MICHAEL%20KELLY%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">Associated Press</a>DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic had a season-high 39 points to go with 11 rebounds and nine assists, and the Nuggets spoiled the Denver debut of Victor Wembanyama with a 132-120 win over San Antonio on Sunday night, sending the Spurs to their 12th straight loss.Wembanyama,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-draft-2023-wembanyama-b3449d1a5f7a7de5906bb1979ffb2a26">the top pick in the June draft</a>, finished with 22 points, 11 rebounds, six steals and four blocks in 24 minutes to become the first rookie with those stats.“I like bringing something new to the game,” he said. “I’m glad I can already put my name in history a little bit. It’s a good feeling.”Wembanyama’s big night couldn’t stop San Antonio’s slide. It is the third longest losing streak in franchise history. The Spurs lost 13 in a row in the 1988-89 season and 16 in a row last season.Michael Porter Jr. scored 25 points and Reggie Jackson had 20 for Denver, which improved to 8-0 at home. The Nuggets had dropped four of five on their recent road trip, including a loss to Houston on Friday night that eliminated them from the NBA In-Season Tournament.“All of us are kind of frustrated trying to figure out why we play so different and so at a different pace,” Porter said of the poor road play. “We’re running more at home. I don’t know what it is, so I think we got to figure it out.”Porter spent some time guarding Wembanyama, who continues to impress his coach despite the losses mounting.“He’s playing aggressively. He’s affecting the game in a lot of different ways,” Gregg Popovich said. “He’s blocking shots. He’s scoring. He’s a willing assist man. He’s very unselfish. He doesn’t worry about making a mistake.”Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon sat out with a right heel strain that was bothering him in the blowout loss against the Rockets, a game in which he missed all 12 of his field goal attempts. Justin Holiday made his first start of the season in place of Gordon.Denver coach Michael Malone said he would shake up his rotation in the wake of the 1-4 road trip and it meant DeAndre Jordan getting time as Jokic’s backup. The veteran had six points and five rebounds in six minutes in the first half and made all three of his shots from the field.The Nuggets led by four after the first quarter and 68-48 late in the second before San Antonio rallied to get within 12 at halftime. The Spurs opened the third on a 7-2 run but Denver outscored them 33-17 the rest of the period to lead by 23 heading into the fourth.Wembanyama nearly had a highlight dunk in the second half when he soared to the basket, but Julian Strawther fouled him to deny the bucket.“A lot of guys are getting out of the way,” Malone said. “People have a phobia of being on SportsCenter, getting dunked on. Victor Wembanyama, he’s going to dunk on a lot of people. That guy is a hell of a player, he’s only going to get better.”UP NEXTSan Antonio: Hosts Atlanta on ThursdayDenver: At the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night.

Jokic has near triple-double, leads Nuggets over Spurs, 132-120

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22ARNIE%20STAPLETON%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest"> AP Pro Football Writer</a>

DENVER (AP) — No, Sean Payton said, he had no idea what a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL_Scorigami/status/1728931357630337525">“Scorigami”</a>&nbsp;was.

It's a final score that's never been seen before in NFL history, and that's just what the Denver Broncos had Sunday in their resounding 29-12 win over the Cleveland Browns that stretched their winning streak to five.

This was their grittiest win yet and the Browns (7-4), who were already without quarterback Deshaun Watson and cornerback Denzel Ward, limped out of Denver with several more worrisome injuries.

Defensive star Myles Garrett left Empower Field with a sling on his left shoulder and has an MRI scheduled for Monday. Rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson was knocked from his first road start with a head injury. Amari Cooper (rib) and Jordan Elliott (ankle) also were unable to finish the game.

“I’ve played through things that should have sidelined me before,”&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/ScottPetrak/status/1728942870210466282">Garrett said</a>. “I’m gonna continue to fight and gonna do what’s best for the team and for myself. We have high hopes for this season and what we’re gonna do. And nothing like this is gonna hold us back or me back.”

With the Broncos emerging mostly unscathed, Payton was left entertaining questions about the unique nature of the final score, and he couldn't believe that this was the first game to finish that way in the history of the league that was founded in 1920.

“You're saying there's never been a score 29-12?” he asked incredulously.

Just like that 70-20 loss at Miami in Week 3, he was quickly reminded.

Laughter filled the postgame interview room and Payton cracked a slight smile himself.

“I like the second Scorigami,” he said.

The Broncos (6-5) have recovered from their 1-5 start headlined by that Miami meltdown to jump back into the AFC playoff race with their first five-game winning streak since they started out 7-0 in 2015, when they last reached the playoffs.

“I've never doubted in our football team and where we can go,” Russell Wilson said after accounting for two touchdowns in another unalluring but satisfying performance — 13 for 22 for 134 yards, a TD and no interceptions.

“We're starting to learn," Wilson said, "what it takes to win.”

With an offense that's more gritty than pretty.

Behind a defense that's forcing turnovers at an historic rate.

The Broncos' three fumble recoveries Sunday gave them 15 takeaways in their last four games, their best such stretch since 1989.

“I think we've capitalized on a lot of those,” Wilson said after the Broncos turned two of those turnovers into 10 points to make it a rout.

The Broncos rushed for 169 yards and converted three times in the red zone against the league's best defense.

“Felt like we didn't dominate up front like we usually have,” said Garrett, who had just two tackles. “I felt like there was a little bit of leakiness in our run game."

The Browns missed out on a chance to match their best start since 1999, and now they might have to turn their offense over to recently signed veteran QB Joe Flacco.

Thompson-Robinson was knocked from the game in the second half when he was hit hard by edge rusher Baron Browning just as he released a pass, drawing a late flag although the hit appeared legal. The Broncos&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/1728921770831544776?s=20">sacked his backup</a>, P.J. Walker, four times, including once in the&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/1728928884324966522?s=20">end zone for a safety</a>.

It all started to unravel for the Browns after Thompson-Robinson threw his first career TD pass, a 2-yard toss to tight end Harrison Bryant, in the third quarter. Cooper dropped the 2-point pass that would have tied it, leaving the Browns trailing 14-12.

After a Wil Lutz field goal made it 17-12, defensive tackle D.J. Jones recovered a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Broncos/status/1728918433218081214?s=20">fumbled reverse</a>&nbsp;at the Cleveland 20-yard line early in the fourth quarter and Wilson threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Broncos/status/1728919801379135860?s=20">Adam Trautman</a>&nbsp;to make it 24-12.

Mike Purcell and Alex Singleton also recovered fumbles for Denver, which closed the scoring when Zach Allen tackled Walker in the end zone with 2:17 remaining.

Singleton smothered a loose ball after P.J. Locke, filling in for suspended safety Kareem Jackson, strip-sacked Walker at midfield earlier in the fourth quarter. That led to a field goal that made it 27-12.

Thompson-Robinson was hit just as he released a pass that fell incomplete on third-and-12 from his own 23. Scrambling to avoid several pass rushers, Thompson-Robinson was near his own goal line when he threw the ball and got smacked by Browning.

As Thompson-Robinson lay on the ground, back judge Greg Steed ran over to him and threw a late flag for roughing the passer, sending Cleveland's punt unit back to the sideline.

The Broncos entered the game with just one rushing touchdown all season and had two more by halftime: Samaje Perine's 3-yard run and Wilson's 2-yard keeper that staked Denver to a 14-0 lead before a pair of field goals by Dustin Hopkins made it 14-6 at the break.

Browns: At the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. They will spend the week in Los Angeles, practicing at UCLA, where Thompson-Robinson played in college.

Broncos: At Houston on Sunday in a matchup of AFC playoff contenders.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701100229866.jpeg" alt="Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3) throws under pressure from Cleveland Browns defensive end Za'Darius Smith (99) during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)" />
 <figcaption>Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3) throws under pressure from Cleveland Browns defensive end Za'Darius Smith (99) during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)</figcaption>
 </figure>Story by the Associated PressBy ARNIE STAPLETON<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22ARNIE%20STAPLETON%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest"> AP Pro Football Writer</a>DENVER (AP) — No, Sean Payton said, he had no idea what a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL_Scorigami/status/1728931357630337525">“Scorigami”</a>&nbsp;was.It's a final score that's never been seen before in NFL history, and that's just what the Denver Broncos had Sunday in their resounding 29-12 win over the Cleveland Browns that stretched their winning streak to five.This was their grittiest win yet and the Browns (7-4), who were already without quarterback Deshaun Watson and cornerback Denzel Ward, limped out of Denver with several more worrisome injuries.Defensive star Myles Garrett left Empower Field with a sling on his left shoulder and has an MRI scheduled for Monday. Rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson was knocked from his first road start with a head injury. Amari Cooper (rib) and Jordan Elliott (ankle) also were unable to finish the game.“I’ve played through things that should have sidelined me before,”&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/ScottPetrak/status/1728942870210466282">Garrett said</a>. “I’m gonna continue to fight and gonna do what’s best for the team and for myself. We have high hopes for this season and what we’re gonna do. And nothing like this is gonna hold us back or me back.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701100289788.jpeg" alt="Denver Broncos defensive end Zach Allen (99) is congratulated by teammates Nik Bonitto (42) and Alex Singleton (49)after sacking Cleveland Browns quarterback PJ Walker in the end zone for a safety during the second half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)" />
 <figcaption>Denver Broncos defensive end Zach Allen (99) is congratulated by teammates Nik Bonitto (42) and Alex Singleton (49)after sacking Cleveland Browns quarterback PJ Walker in the end zone for a safety during the second half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)</figcaption>
 </figure>With the Broncos emerging mostly unscathed, Payton was left entertaining questions about the unique nature of the final score, and he couldn't believe that this was the first game to finish that way in the history of the league that was founded in 1920.“You're saying there's never been a score 29-12?” he asked incredulously.Never.Just like that 70-20 loss at Miami in Week 3, he was quickly reminded.Laughter filled the postgame interview room and Payton cracked a slight smile himself.“I like the second Scorigami,” he said.The Broncos (6-5) have recovered from their 1-5 start headlined by that Miami meltdown to jump back into the AFC playoff race with their first five-game winning streak since they started out 7-0 in 2015, when they last reached the playoffs.“I've never doubted in our football team and where we can go,” Russell Wilson said after accounting for two touchdowns in another unalluring but satisfying performance — 13 for 22 for 134 yards, a TD and no interceptions.“We're starting to learn," Wilson said, "what it takes to win.”With an offense that's more gritty than pretty.Behind a defense that's forcing turnovers at an historic rate.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701100255201.jpeg" alt="Cleveland Browns quarterback PJ Walker (10) is sacked for a 4-yard loss by Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (42) during the second half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)" />
 <figcaption>Cleveland Browns quarterback PJ Walker (10) is sacked for a 4-yard loss by Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (42) during the second half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)</figcaption>
 </figure>The Broncos' three fumble recoveries Sunday gave them 15 takeaways in their last four games, their best such stretch since 1989.“I think we've capitalized on a lot of those,” Wilson said after the Broncos turned two of those turnovers into 10 points to make it a rout.The Broncos rushed for 169 yards and converted three times in the red zone against the league's best defense.“Felt like we didn't dominate up front like we usually have,” said Garrett, who had just two tackles. “I felt like there was a little bit of leakiness in our run game."The Browns missed out on a chance to match their best start since 1999, and now they might have to turn their offense over to recently signed veteran QB Joe Flacco.Thompson-Robinson was knocked from the game in the second half when he was hit hard by edge rusher Baron Browning just as he released a pass, drawing a late flag although the hit appeared legal. The Broncos&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/1728921770831544776?s=20">sacked his backup</a>, P.J. Walker, four times, including once in the&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/1728928884324966522?s=20">end zone for a safety</a>.It all started to unravel for the Browns after Thompson-Robinson threw his first career TD pass, a 2-yard toss to tight end Harrison Bryant, in the third quarter. Cooper dropped the 2-point pass that would have tied it, leaving the Browns trailing 14-12.After a Wil Lutz field goal made it 17-12, defensive tackle D.J. Jones recovered a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Broncos/status/1728918433218081214?s=20">fumbled reverse</a>&nbsp;at the Cleveland 20-yard line early in the fourth quarter and Wilson threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Broncos/status/1728919801379135860?s=20">Adam Trautman</a>&nbsp;to make it 24-12.Mike Purcell and Alex Singleton also recovered fumbles for Denver, which closed the scoring when Zach Allen tackled Walker in the end zone with 2:17 remaining.Singleton smothered a loose ball after P.J. Locke, filling in for suspended safety Kareem Jackson, strip-sacked Walker at midfield earlier in the fourth quarter. That led to a field goal that made it 27-12.LATE FLAGThompson-Robinson was hit just as he released a pass that fell incomplete on third-and-12 from his own 23. Scrambling to avoid several pass rushers, Thompson-Robinson was near his own goal line when he threw the ball and got smacked by Browning.As Thompson-Robinson lay on the ground, back judge Greg Steed ran over to him and threw a late flag for roughing the passer, sending Cleveland's punt unit back to the sideline.GROUND GAMEThe Broncos entered the game with just one rushing touchdown all season and had two more by halftime: Samaje Perine's 3-yard run and Wilson's 2-yard keeper that staked Denver to a 14-0 lead before a pair of field goals by Dustin Hopkins made it 14-6 at the break.UP NEXTBrowns: At the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. They will spend the week in Los Angeles, practicing at UCLA, where Thompson-Robinson played in college.Broncos: At Houston on Sunday in a matchup of AFC playoff contenders.

Broncos' surging defense gets three more takeaways in 29-12 win over Browns

INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball committee announced the 64-team field that will compete in the 2023 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship. Thirty-two conferences were awarded an automatic qualification, while the remaining 32 positions were filled with at-large selections to complete the bracket.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Nebraska, Stanford, Wisconsin and Pittsburgh earned the top seeds in this year’s tournament. The top four seeds have combined for 15 national titles in the tournament’s history. Nebraska claimed the Big Ten Conference title after posting nearly an unblemished record, finishing with an overall record of 28-1 and 19-1 in conference play. The Huskers have held the top spot in the RPI since October 15. Stanford finished the season with eight consecutive wins, while winning its 24th Pac-12 Conference title in program history. Wisconsin secured their spot after going 8-2 in its last ten games (and 26-3 overall), as well as handing Nebraska its only loss of the season. Pittsburgh will be making its 19th appearance in the tournament after posting a 25-4 record and a share of the ACC Championship.

For the second year, the top 32 teams were seeded nationally in pods of four and placed within four regions. Per the established bracketing principles, the top seeds were provided the opportunity to host. Additionally, team pairings are determined within the pods (ones paired with eights, twos paired with sevens, threes paired with sixes and fours paired with fives) and assigned geographically within their pods, with the exception that teams from the same conference are not paired during the first- and second rounds.

The Southeastern Conference led all conferences with eight teams selected from the league to compete in the championship tournament. The Big-12 was second with seven programs advancing to the post season, followed by the ACC, Big Ten, and Pac-12 who finished with five advancing programs.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This year’s field features 44 teams who played in the 2022 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship. Four teams are making their first-ever tournament appearance:&nbsp; Coppin State, Grand Canyon, Omaha and Wofford. The longest hiatus belongs to Eastern Illinois with its last appearance coming in 2001. Penn State remains the only team that has earned a berth to all 43 championship tournaments while Nebraska and Stanford have appeared in all but one.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; During the previous 40 years of the championship, 12 schools have won a national title, eight of which earned a place in this year’s bracket. Previous winners competing in the field are:&nbsp; Hawaii (1982, 83, 87),&nbsp; Kentucky (2020), Nebraska (1995, 2000, 06, 15, 17), Southern California (1981, 2002, 03), Stanford (1992, 94, 96, 97, 2001, 04, 16, 18, 19), Penn St. (1999, 2007, 08, 09, 10, 13, 14),&nbsp; Texas&nbsp; (1988, 2012, 2022), and Wisconsin (2021).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; First- and second-round matches will be played November 30- December 3 at 16 campus sites.&nbsp; Teams winning both matches will continue to regional play December 7 &amp; 9. Regionals for the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship will be held at four non-predetermined campus sites, which will be announced on December 4. At each site, four teams will compete in single-elimination regional semifinal competition.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The regional winners will advance to the national semifinals and championship final hosted by the University of South Florida, in conjunction with the Tampa Bay Sports Commission December 14&amp;17 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla. The national semifinal matches will broadcast on ESPN, and the championship match will broadcast on ABC.

INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball committee announced the 64-team field that will compete in the 2023 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship. Thirty-two conferences were awarded an automatic qualification, while the remaining 32 positions were filled with at-large selections to complete the bracket.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Nebraska, Stanford, Wisconsin and Pittsburgh earned the top seeds in this year’s tournament. The top four seeds have combined for 15 national titles in the tournament’s history. Nebraska claimed the Big Ten Conference title after posting nearly an unblemished record, finishing with an overall record of 28-1 and 19-1 in conference play. The Huskers have held the top spot in the RPI since October 15. Stanford finished the season with eight consecutive wins, while winning its 24th Pac-12 Conference title in program history. Wisconsin secured their spot after going 8-2 in its last ten games (and 26-3 overall), as well as handing Nebraska its only loss of the season. Pittsburgh will be making its 19th appearance in the tournament after posting a 25-4 record and a share of the ACC Championship.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697458942454.jpeg" alt="Husker Volleyball team 28-1 in regular season" />
 <figcaption>Husker Volleyball team 28-1 in regular season</figcaption>
 </figure>For the second year, the top 32 teams were seeded nationally in pods of four and placed within four regions. Per the established bracketing principles, the top seeds were provided the opportunity to host. Additionally, team pairings are determined within the pods (ones paired with eights, twos paired with sevens, threes paired with sixes and fours paired with fives) and assigned geographically within their pods, with the exception that teams from the same conference are not paired during the first- and second rounds.The Southeastern Conference led all conferences with eight teams selected from the league to compete in the championship tournament. The Big-12 was second with seven programs advancing to the post season, followed by the ACC, Big Ten, and Pac-12 who finished with five advancing programs.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This year’s field features 44 teams who played in the 2022 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship. Four teams are making their first-ever tournament appearance:&nbsp; Coppin State, Grand Canyon, Omaha and Wofford. The longest hiatus belongs to Eastern Illinois with its last appearance coming in 2001. Penn State remains the only team that has earned a berth to all 43 championship tournaments while Nebraska and Stanford have appeared in all but one.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; During the previous 40 years of the championship, 12 schools have won a national title, eight of which earned a place in this year’s bracket. Previous winners competing in the field are:&nbsp; Hawaii (1982, 83, 87),&nbsp; Kentucky (2020), Nebraska (1995, 2000, 06, 15, 17), Southern California (1981, 2002, 03), Stanford (1992, 94, 96, 97, 2001, 04, 16, 18, 19), Penn St. (1999, 2007, 08, 09, 10, 13, 14),&nbsp; Texas&nbsp; (1988, 2012, 2022), and Wisconsin (2021).&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; First- and second-round matches will be played November 30- December 3 at 16 campus sites.&nbsp; Teams winning both matches will continue to regional play December 7 &amp; 9. Regionals for the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship will be held at four non-predetermined campus sites, which will be announced on December 4. At each site, four teams will compete in single-elimination regional semifinal competition.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The regional winners will advance to the national semifinals and championship final hosted by the University of South Florida, in conjunction with the Tampa Bay Sports Commission December 14&amp;17 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla. The national semifinal matches will broadcast on ESPN, and the championship match will broadcast on ABC.

Husker Volleyball secures #1 overall seed in NCAA Volleyball Tournament

Lincoln -&nbsp;Iowa kicked a 38-yard field goal as the final seconds ticked off the clock to defeat Nebraska in a Black Friday matchup, 13-10, in front of 86,183 fans at Memorial Stadium.

Iowa improved to 10-2 (7-2 Big Ten) on the year while Nebraska fell to 5-7 (3-6 Big Ten). The Huskers produced more yards than the Hawkeyes and blocked two field goals, but NU was unable to overcome three turnovers, including a turnover in the final minute that set up Iowa's walk-off field goal.

Iowa threatened first in the opening quarter, taking over at the Nebraska 17-yard line after a fumble by Ethan Nation on a punt return. The Blackshirts forced Iowa into a 30-yard field goal attempt, which resulted in Ty Robinson blocking Drew Stevens’ attempt to keep the game scoreless.&nbsp;

A seven-play, 51-yard drive capped by a one-yard touchdown run by Deacon Hill gave the Hawkeyes a 7-0 lead with 13:22 left in the second quarter.&nbsp;

A 28-yard field goal by Stevens stretched the lead to 10-0 with 5:12 remaining in the first half after NU’s second fumble of the day had the Hawkeyes starting their drive on the Nebraska 44-yard line.

A quick three-play, 65-yard drive highlighted by a 66-yard strike from Chubby Purdy to Jaylen Lloyd brought the Big Red within 10-7 with 3:43 left in the second quarter. The 66-yard scoring play marked Lloyd’s third touchdown reception of at least 58 yards this season and marked the longest play allowed by Iowa this season.

The Hawkeyes looked to extend their lead heading into the half with a 24-yard field goal attempt by Stevens, but Nash Hutmacher blocked the kick to pick up the second blocked field goal for the NU, a first for the program since 2005.

Nebraska put together its best sustained drive to date midway through the third quarter, going 43 yards in 10 plays before Tristan Alvano’s 44-yard field goal tied the game at 10 with 6:18 left in the period. Purdy kept the drive alive with third-down passes to Emmett Johnson and Joshua Fleeks, the latter being a 25-yard pass on third and 11 to get the ball to the Iowa 30-yard line.&nbsp;

Alvano’s field goal would be the only score of the period as the game was tied at 10-all entering the fourth quarter.&nbsp;

Nebraska pinned Iowa deep in its own territory after a 41-yard punt by Brian Buschini put the ball at the Iowa 1-yard line. NU forced a three-and-out before Billy Kemp’s return to midfield gave NU its best field position of the day with 11:09 remaining in the fourth quarter.&nbsp;

A 13-yard pass to Alex Bullock on third and 10 highlighted Nebraska’s nine-play drive that set up a 44-yard field goal attempt from Alvano, who missed wide left. Iowa got the ball back and went three and out, giving Nebraska the ball with 2:18 left in the game. Purdy hit Malachi Coleman for a 15-yard pass, but NU couldn’t convert again and sent the special teams unit out to punt it away.

Nebraska got the ball back on a Tommi Hill interception with with 31 seconds remaining. But two plays later, Iowa picked off Purdy and used a 22-yard run on first down to set up the game-winning field goal.

The teams traded interceptions in the final minute of the game and Marshall Meeder kicked a 38-yarder in his first attempt of the season to seal the game.

NU AthleticsLincoln -&nbsp;Iowa kicked a 38-yard field goal as the final seconds ticked off the clock to defeat Nebraska in a Black Friday matchup, 13-10, in front of 86,183 fans at Memorial Stadium.Iowa improved to 10-2 (7-2 Big Ten) on the year while Nebraska fell to 5-7 (3-6 Big Ten). The Huskers produced more yards than the Hawkeyes and blocked two field goals, but NU was unable to overcome three turnovers, including a turnover in the final minute that set up Iowa's walk-off field goal.Iowa threatened first in the opening quarter, taking over at the Nebraska 17-yard line after a fumble by Ethan Nation on a punt return. The Blackshirts forced Iowa into a 30-yard field goal attempt, which resulted in Ty Robinson blocking Drew Stevens’ attempt to keep the game scoreless.&nbsp;A seven-play, 51-yard drive capped by a one-yard touchdown run by Deacon Hill gave the Hawkeyes a 7-0 lead with 13:22 left in the second quarter.&nbsp;A 28-yard field goal by Stevens stretched the lead to 10-0 with 5:12 remaining in the first half after NU’s second fumble of the day had the Hawkeyes starting their drive on the Nebraska 44-yard line.A quick three-play, 65-yard drive highlighted by a 66-yard strike from Chubby Purdy to Jaylen Lloyd brought the Big Red within 10-7 with 3:43 left in the second quarter. The 66-yard scoring play marked Lloyd’s third touchdown reception of at least 58 yards this season and marked the longest play allowed by Iowa this season.The Hawkeyes looked to extend their lead heading into the half with a 24-yard field goal attempt by Stevens, but Nash Hutmacher blocked the kick to pick up the second blocked field goal for the NU, a first for the program since 2005.Nebraska put together its best sustained drive to date midway through the third quarter, going 43 yards in 10 plays before Tristan Alvano’s 44-yard field goal tied the game at 10 with 6:18 left in the period. Purdy kept the drive alive with third-down passes to Emmett Johnson and Joshua Fleeks, the latter being a 25-yard pass on third and 11 to get the ball to the Iowa 30-yard line.&nbsp;Alvano’s field goal would be the only score of the period as the game was tied at 10-all entering the fourth quarter.&nbsp;Nebraska pinned Iowa deep in its own territory after a 41-yard punt by Brian Buschini put the ball at the Iowa 1-yard line. NU forced a three-and-out before Billy Kemp’s return to midfield gave NU its best field position of the day with 11:09 remaining in the fourth quarter.&nbsp;A 13-yard pass to Alex Bullock on third and 10 highlighted Nebraska’s nine-play drive that set up a 44-yard field goal attempt from Alvano, who missed wide left. Iowa got the ball back and went three and out, giving Nebraska the ball with 2:18 left in the game. Purdy hit Malachi Coleman for a 15-yard pass, but NU couldn’t convert again and sent the special teams unit out to punt it away.Nebraska got the ball back on a Tommi Hill interception with with 31 seconds remaining. But two plays later, Iowa picked off Purdy and used a 22-yard run on first down to set up the game-winning field goal.The teams traded interceptions in the final minute of the game and Marshall Meeder kicked a 38-yarder in his first attempt of the season to seal the game.

Huskers fall on last-second field goal

Kearney, Neb. –&nbsp;Kyle Trelka&nbsp;has been hired as head swimming and diving coach at the University of Nebraska at&nbsp;Kearney, Director of Athletics Marc Bauer announced.

He'll begin his duties in January and replaces Becky O'Connell, who retired this fall. The&nbsp;Aqualopers&nbsp;season started in September and runs until the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Championships in mid-February.

UNK will formally introduce&nbsp;Trelka&nbsp;as the fifth coach in program history at a January press conference; date and time to be announced. "I am excited for Kyle to lead the women's swimming and diving programs. He set himself apart throughout the interview process, articulating his passion, competitive mindset, drive, and vision to positively impact our student-athletes experiences and ability to reach their full potential," said Bauer. A standout swimmer at Division I Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 

Trelka helped the Panthers win three straight Horizon League titles. A two-time co-captain, he was tabbed the team's Rookie of the Year in 2009 and was team MVP as a senior.&nbsp;Trekla&nbsp;graduated from UWM in 2012 with a double major in Finance and Marketing. "I'm very blessed to have the opportunity to join the&nbsp;Lopers&nbsp;athletic staff and look forward to building on an already strong aquatics tradition and culture," said&nbsp;Trelka. "Being a lifelong competitive swimmer has given me plenty of insight and input into my training and meets. As a full-time coach the past nine years, I’ve been able to hone my coaching ideals and philosophy."&nbsp;

Before moving to Florida in 2015 to get involved with swimming again,&nbsp;Trelka&nbsp;worked for&nbsp;Cabela's&nbsp;Corporate in Sidney, Nebraska, where he met his wife, Shari, and they have four children:&nbsp;Zayden,&nbsp;Niya, Troy, and Riana. Since then, he's become a decorated high school, club, and AAU coach who has won awards, seen his athletes win regional and state titles, and earn college scholarships, many at the D1 level.

"Kyle brings a standard of excellence as an accomplished competitor at the highest level in collegiate athletics and on the pool deck as a coach," said Bauer. "I am confident that under his leadership, he will continue to build and move the program in a positive direction while creating a meaningful experience for our student-athletes.

"Most recently, he's been head swim &amp; dive coach at Clearwater High School (2016-23), Calvary Christian High School (2021-23), co-head track &amp; field coach at Clearwater H.S. (2021-23), and head coach, founder and CEO of Radiant Aquatics (2018-23). Radiant is a 501c3 not-for-profit team that has seven employees and operates year-round.&nbsp; Previously, Trelka was head branch coach for Blue Wave/Trident Swimming (2016-18) and is a founding member of "Team Florida," an AAU club that coordinates with several teams in competing under one umbrella at the Junior Olympic Meet, which is held annually in July.&nbsp;

"As a result of our unique collaboration with Kearney Public Schools and sharing the pool facility at&nbsp;Kearney&nbsp;Senior High School, Kyle's track record as the founder and CEO of an elite club in Florida will be a valuable asset as he plans to partner with KHS to establish a strong presence with the&nbsp;Kearney&nbsp;community and surrounding area's youth," said Bauer.

Each program&nbsp;Trelka&nbsp;has worked with was built from the ground up and has become successful. Trident had eight swimmers when he arrived in 2015; he now coaches 80-plus high school-aged swimmers daily and runs a program that seasonally has 200-plus swimmers, divers, and triathletes.&nbsp;Radiant Aquatics is a multi-branch program that uses three pools seasonally.&nbsp;

Trelka&nbsp;marketed and helped grow the teams, which feature all levels, ages, and abilities. That includes several Junior National qualifiers and swimmers who qualified for the Top 16 at the state high school championships.&nbsp;"I love building team cultures that thrive on community.&nbsp;Once that is established, results are sure to follow for years to come," said&nbsp;Trelka.&nbsp;

For the&nbsp;Clearwater&nbsp;Tornadoes, he was named the 2021-22 Pinellas County Athletic Conference (PCAC) Boys Swim &amp; Dive Coach of the Year. The girls and boys' teams were 2021 District 8 and Region 3 Champions, with an individual winning 2021 state titles in the 50 and 100 freestyles. He previously coached state champs in the 100-backstroke and 100-butterfly and helped build the CHS squad from a bottom-eight conference team to an annual contender.&nbsp;At Calvary Christian, he helped double the size of the team in one year and saw the boy's 400-free relay team set a school record. For Team Florida, he was nominated as Head Coach for 2021 (Houston) and 2022 (Greensboro, N.C.) Junior Olympic meets.&nbsp;

Trelka&nbsp;helped the girls' teams place second each year, setting new meet records along the way.&nbsp;"It's been an honor to coach with so many teams and people in Florida.&nbsp;I very much look forward to the building of an already solid program at&nbsp;Kearney!" said&nbsp;Trelka.&nbsp;UNK spent last weekend in Sioux Falls at the&nbsp;Augustana&nbsp;Invitational and will head to Iowa for the Pioneer Classic in early December.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700666831801.jpeg" alt="Kyle Trelka and family." />
 <figcaption>Kyle Trelka and family.</figcaption>
 </figure>Peter Yazvac UNK AthleticsKearney, Neb. –&nbsp;Kyle Trelka&nbsp;has been hired as head swimming and diving coach at the University of Nebraska at&nbsp;Kearney, Director of Athletics Marc Bauer announced.He'll begin his duties in January and replaces Becky O'Connell, who retired this fall. The&nbsp;Aqualopers&nbsp;season started in September and runs until the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Championships in mid-February.UNK will formally introduce&nbsp;Trelka&nbsp;as the fifth coach in program history at a January press conference; date and time to be announced. "I am excited for Kyle to lead the women's swimming and diving programs. He set himself apart throughout the interview process, articulating his passion, competitive mindset, drive, and vision to positively impact our student-athletes experiences and ability to reach their full potential," said Bauer. A standout swimmer at Division I Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Trelka helped the Panthers win three straight Horizon League titles. A two-time co-captain, he was tabbed the team's Rookie of the Year in 2009 and was team MVP as a senior.&nbsp;Trekla&nbsp;graduated from UWM in 2012 with a double major in Finance and Marketing. "I'm very blessed to have the opportunity to join the&nbsp;Lopers&nbsp;athletic staff and look forward to building on an already strong aquatics tradition and culture," said&nbsp;Trelka. "Being a lifelong competitive swimmer has given me plenty of insight and input into my training and meets. As a full-time coach the past nine years, I’ve been able to hone my coaching ideals and philosophy."&nbsp;Before moving to Florida in 2015 to get involved with swimming again,&nbsp;Trelka&nbsp;worked for&nbsp;Cabela's&nbsp;Corporate in Sidney, Nebraska, where he met his wife, Shari, and they have four children:&nbsp;Zayden,&nbsp;Niya, Troy, and Riana. Since then, he's become a decorated high school, club, and AAU coach who has won awards, seen his athletes win regional and state titles, and earn college scholarships, many at the D1 level."Kyle brings a standard of excellence as an accomplished competitor at the highest level in collegiate athletics and on the pool deck as a coach," said Bauer. "I am confident that under his leadership, he will continue to build and move the program in a positive direction while creating a meaningful experience for our student-athletes."Most recently, he's been head swim &amp; dive coach at Clearwater High School (2016-23), Calvary Christian High School (2021-23), co-head track &amp; field coach at Clearwater H.S. (2021-23), and head coach, founder and CEO of Radiant Aquatics (2018-23). Radiant is a 501c3 not-for-profit team that has seven employees and operates year-round.&nbsp; Previously, Trelka was head branch coach for Blue Wave/Trident Swimming (2016-18) and is a founding member of "Team Florida," an AAU club that coordinates with several teams in competing under one umbrella at the Junior Olympic Meet, which is held annually in July.&nbsp;"As a result of our unique collaboration with Kearney Public Schools and sharing the pool facility at&nbsp;Kearney&nbsp;Senior High School, Kyle's track record as the founder and CEO of an elite club in Florida will be a valuable asset as he plans to partner with KHS to establish a strong presence with the&nbsp;Kearney&nbsp;community and surrounding area's youth," said Bauer.Each program&nbsp;Trelka&nbsp;has worked with was built from the ground up and has become successful. Trident had eight swimmers when he arrived in 2015; he now coaches 80-plus high school-aged swimmers daily and runs a program that seasonally has 200-plus swimmers, divers, and triathletes.&nbsp;Radiant Aquatics is a multi-branch program that uses three pools seasonally.&nbsp;Trelka&nbsp;marketed and helped grow the teams, which feature all levels, ages, and abilities. That includes several Junior National qualifiers and swimmers who qualified for the Top 16 at the state high school championships.&nbsp;"I love building team cultures that thrive on community.&nbsp;Once that is established, results are sure to follow for years to come," said&nbsp;Trelka.&nbsp;For the&nbsp;Clearwater&nbsp;Tornadoes, he was named the 2021-22 Pinellas County Athletic Conference (PCAC) Boys Swim &amp; Dive Coach of the Year. The girls and boys' teams were 2021 District 8 and Region 3 Champions, with an individual winning 2021 state titles in the 50 and 100 freestyles. He previously coached state champs in the 100-backstroke and 100-butterfly and helped build the CHS squad from a bottom-eight conference team to an annual contender.&nbsp;At Calvary Christian, he helped double the size of the team in one year and saw the boy's 400-free relay team set a school record. For Team Florida, he was nominated as Head Coach for 2021 (Houston) and 2022 (Greensboro, N.C.) Junior Olympic meets.&nbsp;Trelka&nbsp;helped the girls' teams place second each year, setting new meet records along the way.&nbsp;"It's been an honor to coach with so many teams and people in Florida.&nbsp;I very much look forward to the building of an already solid program at&nbsp;Kearney!" said&nbsp;Trelka.&nbsp;UNK spent last weekend in Sioux Falls at the&nbsp;Augustana&nbsp;Invitational and will head to Iowa for the Pioneer Classic in early December.

Former Division I Star Has Had an Extensive Coaching Career in Florida; Also Ties to Sidney, Ne

LINCOLN, Neb - Head Coach Matt Rhule met with members of the media following Wednesday’s practice. He spoke on the defensive line, Iowa’s punt game and blocking out the noise.&nbsp;

“I’m always one of those guys that when I come into a job I kind of examine things for a year and just try to figure it out,” he said. “Obviously the league is changing next year so we will have to see what next year’s Big Ten looks like. The game is won upfront with the big guys in this league. To have those guys come back next year is great. I think our offensive and defensive line play has really improved over the course of the year. I think we have really good talented young players too. I think the leadership that Ty (Robinson) brings is awesome. We have a really good solid foundation with those groups.”

He talked about Iowa’s punt game.&nbsp;

“It’s just program commitment,” Rhule said. “You watch them play, they get the ball, they get a couple first downs, they go down and score, great. If not, they punt the ball down inside the 10. They play great defense. They suffocate you. The punt returns are not all equal. The punt returns inside their own 20 give you a chance to create a great return. You don’t have to worry about the fake. You can double people. You can have a guy drop back. They come after you. They’re trying to block it. Their punt team is so challenging. There’s a bunch of different looks and shifts. It’s really impressive to watch the way that they play in totality. Every single guy on that team knows how important the punt return unit is. You look at our punt returns. They’ve been backed up from our 10,15, 20. You don’t want to field those balls and not let the ball run down to the three. We’ve worked on that throughout the course of the year. As we grow, the key is to make them punt from their 15, 20. You don’t have to worry about them faking. You can be more return oriented and go after blocks. I think we have a dynamic young returner in Ethan (Nation). He’s really gonna grow. We’re just trying to build to that. It’s the way they tilt the field early in games. You just end up playing the whole game on their side of the field. When you make a mistake, they then capitalize on it. It’s worked for them for 27 years. It’s a proven formula. It’s one we have to have an answer to.”&nbsp;

He also talked about blocking out the noise.

“It’s just part of football nowadays,” he said. “It’s just part of sports. It’s great. It’s why the stadium is full. There is a lot of commentary. At the end of the day, you can only control what you can control. Just like when we were on a three-game win streak, I didn’t consider us on a three-game win streak. We were trying to go 1-0 that week. To me it is all about us versus Iowa. Things that they do well and the things that we do well and the things we have to take advantage of and the things that they are going to try and take advantage of. I’m just trying to constantly reiterate that to the players. That is the only benefit of a season like this in year one. You have these ebbs and flows and turns. It all comes down to one game never carried on into another. Just teaching the guys that football is football. We are going to go out and play and have fun.”

The Huskers will kick off against Iowa at 11:00 a.m. (CT) on Friday, Nov. 22 in Lincoln, Neb. The game will be televised on CBS and radio coverage will be provided by Huskers Radio Network and Huskers.com.

LINCOLN, Neb - Head Coach Matt Rhule met with members of the media following Wednesday’s practice. He spoke on the defensive line, Iowa’s punt game and blocking out the noise.&nbsp;“I’m always one of those guys that when I come into a job I kind of examine things for a year and just try to figure it out,” he said. “Obviously the league is changing next year so we will have to see what next year’s Big Ten looks like. The game is won upfront with the big guys in this league. To have those guys come back next year is great. I think our offensive and defensive line play has really improved over the course of the year. I think we have really good talented young players too. I think the leadership that Ty (Robinson) brings is awesome. We have a really good solid foundation with those groups.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696962370990.png" alt="Matt Rhule talks with Media" />
 <figcaption>Matt Rhule talks with Media</figcaption>
 </figure>He talked about Iowa’s punt game.&nbsp;“It’s just program commitment,” Rhule said. “You watch them play, they get the ball, they get a couple first downs, they go down and score, great. If not, they punt the ball down inside the 10. They play great defense. They suffocate you. The punt returns are not all equal. The punt returns inside their own 20 give you a chance to create a great return. You don’t have to worry about the fake. You can double people. You can have a guy drop back. They come after you. They’re trying to block it. Their punt team is so challenging. There’s a bunch of different looks and shifts. It’s really impressive to watch the way that they play in totality. Every single guy on that team knows how important the punt return unit is. You look at our punt returns. They’ve been backed up from our 10,15, 20. You don’t want to field those balls and not let the ball run down to the three. We’ve worked on that throughout the course of the year. As we grow, the key is to make them punt from their 15, 20. You don’t have to worry about them faking. You can be more return oriented and go after blocks. I think we have a dynamic young returner in Ethan (Nation). He’s really gonna grow. We’re just trying to build to that. It’s the way they tilt the field early in games. You just end up playing the whole game on their side of the field. When you make a mistake, they then capitalize on it. It’s worked for them for 27 years. It’s a proven formula. It’s one we have to have an answer to.”&nbsp;He also talked about blocking out the noise.“It’s just part of football nowadays,” he said. “It’s just part of sports. It’s great. It’s why the stadium is full. There is a lot of commentary. At the end of the day, you can only control what you can control. Just like when we were on a three-game win streak, I didn’t consider us on a three-game win streak. We were trying to go 1-0 that week. To me it is all about us versus Iowa. Things that they do well and the things that we do well and the things we have to take advantage of and the things that they are going to try and take advantage of. I’m just trying to constantly reiterate that to the players. That is the only benefit of a season like this in year one. You have these ebbs and flows and turns. It all comes down to one game never carried on into another. Just teaching the guys that football is football. We are going to go out and play and have fun.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699768368210.jpeg" alt="Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule yells at an official arguing for pass interference following a Maryland interception during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, in Lincoln, Neb. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)" />
 <figcaption>Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule yells at an official arguing for pass interference following a Maryland interception during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, in Lincoln, Neb. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)</figcaption>
 </figure>The Huskers will kick off against Iowa at 11:00 a.m. (CT) on Friday, Nov. 22 in Lincoln, Neb. The game will be televised on CBS and radio coverage will be provided by Huskers Radio Network and Huskers.com.

Rhule Meets Media on Wednesday

&nbsp; Kearney, Neb. – Freshman guard D'Aundre Samuels made a layup with 40seconds left and Western Colorado missed two baseline jumpers in the final 24 seconds as Nebraska Kearney toppled the Mountaineers, 76-75,Tuesday night at the Health &amp; Sports Center. UNK (2-1) improves to 17-10 all-time vs. WCU (2-3) who has now played four games decided by a total of seven points.

"Our guys just fought. They were tough, they were gritty and I told them that's what they'll have to be for the whole year," said UNK interim head coach Antoine Young. "They are also getting better day byday and that's all I can ask of them." 

The contest featured seven ties and 12 lead changes with each squad holding a nine-point lead. UNK's came early in the first half, 16-7,with WCU's leading 48-38 right after the break.I t was back-and-forth down the stretch with a jumper by junior guard Sean Evans (Parker, Colo.) making it 74-73 Lopers at 1:09 mark. 

WCUtook the lead back after six-six senior guard Avery Rembao was fouled 22 seconds later. While he made both free throws, the "Neers finished just 11 of 19 at the line. Soon after, Samuels (Denver East) easily beat his Western defender and got past the help to finish the scoring.&nbsp; 

After a timeout, Westernwent back to Rembao who had the hot hand in the second half (12points). However, his contested 15-foot baseline jumper danced around the iron and into the hands of Evans. He was fouled quickly but the'Neers had another to give and sent Samuels to the line with 13 seconds left. He missed the one-and-one, setting up a final flurry where UNK almost got a turnover in the Western lane, but the ball ended up in the hands of freshman guard Xavier Harris. His 10-foot baseline jumper hit iron with two seconds to go and Samuels skyed high for the clinching board.

"D'Aundre is a huge talent, he understands the offense and knows when to pick his spots. He can rebound it at 6-4 and does a lot of things and he's just a freshman," said Young. UNK out shot WCU by seven percentage points, 52-45, grabbed seven more boards, and had one fewer turnover. 

However, the Lopers were 7 of 13 at the line and hit five fewer treys than Western (8-3). Finally, the teams combined for 25 second chance points on 17 o-boards. "Every game we must control the glass. If you can do that, and you're not turning it over, you'll give yourself a chance," said Young. 

Samuels (15 points, six rebounds, five assists) and New Zealand junior forward Sean Murphy (15 points, 11 rebounds) paced UNK with Evan shooting 5 of 6 shot to tally 13. Samuels has been in double figures in each contest to date with Murphy recording his first career double double. Finally, starting point guard Miguel Robles (East L.A.) got close to a double double (nine points, seven rebounds) as well.

"Sean has been our rock. When I talk about tough, the gritty, the50-50 balls … he's done that. He's the example to the younger guys to kind of follow suit," said Young. "He's been exceptional for us so far."

For WCU, Rembao had a team-high 19 points on 6 of 13 (3 of 6 threes)shooting with fellow starter Kade Juelfs having similar numbers; 17 on6 of 10 (3 of 7 threes). Harris was big off the bench in the first half where he tallied all of his 14 points with fellow reserve Jamel Hollins close to a double double (seven rebounds, six points).

The Lopers head to Wayne State (6-0) Saturday at 3 p.m.

Peter YazvacUNK Athletics&nbsp; Kearney, Neb. – Freshman guard D'Aundre Samuels made a layup with 40seconds left and Western Colorado missed two baseline jumpers in the final 24 seconds as Nebraska Kearney toppled the Mountaineers, 76-75,Tuesday night at the Health &amp; Sports Center. UNK (2-1) improves to 17-10 all-time vs. WCU (2-3) who has now played four games decided by a total of seven points."Our guys just fought. They were tough, they were gritty and I told them that's what they'll have to be for the whole year," said UNK interim head coach Antoine Young. "They are also getting better day byday and that's all I can ask of them." The contest featured seven ties and 12 lead changes with each squad holding a nine-point lead. UNK's came early in the first half, 16-7,with WCU's leading 48-38 right after the break.I t was back-and-forth down the stretch with a jumper by junior guard Sean Evans (Parker, Colo.) making it 74-73 Lopers at 1:09 mark. WCUtook the lead back after six-six senior guard Avery Rembao was fouled 22 seconds later. While he made both free throws, the "Neers finished just 11 of 19 at the line. Soon after, Samuels (Denver East) easily beat his Western defender and got past the help to finish the scoring.&nbsp; After a timeout, Westernwent back to Rembao who had the hot hand in the second half (12points). However, his contested 15-foot baseline jumper danced around the iron and into the hands of Evans. He was fouled quickly but the'Neers had another to give and sent Samuels to the line with 13 seconds left. He missed the one-and-one, setting up a final flurry where UNK almost got a turnover in the Western lane, but the ball ended up in the hands of freshman guard Xavier Harris. His 10-foot baseline jumper hit iron with two seconds to go and Samuels skyed high for the clinching board."D'Aundre is a huge talent, he understands the offense and knows when to pick his spots. He can rebound it at 6-4 and does a lot of things and he's just a freshman," said Young. UNK out shot WCU by seven percentage points, 52-45, grabbed seven more boards, and had one fewer turnover. However, the Lopers were 7 of 13 at the line and hit five fewer treys than Western (8-3). Finally, the teams combined for 25 second chance points on 17 o-boards. "Every game we must control the glass. If you can do that, and you're not turning it over, you'll give yourself a chance," said Young. Samuels (15 points, six rebounds, five assists) and New Zealand junior forward Sean Murphy (15 points, 11 rebounds) paced UNK with Evan shooting 5 of 6 shot to tally 13. Samuels has been in double figures in each contest to date with Murphy recording his first career double double. Finally, starting point guard Miguel Robles (East L.A.) got close to a double double (nine points, seven rebounds) as well."Sean has been our rock. When I talk about tough, the gritty, the50-50 balls … he's done that. He's the example to the younger guys to kind of follow suit," said Young. "He's been exceptional for us so far."For WCU, Rembao had a team-high 19 points on 6 of 13 (3 of 6 threes)shooting with fellow starter Kade Juelfs having similar numbers; 17 on6 of 10 (3 of 7 threes). Harris was big off the bench in the first half where he tallied all of his 14 points with fellow reserve Jamel Hollins close to a double double (seven rebounds, six points).The Lopers head to Wayne State (6-0) Saturday at 3 p.m.

Lopers defeat Western Colorado, big nights for Samuels, Murphy, Evans & Robles

The fifth-seeded Nebraska soccer team will face three-time national champion and 2-seed Stanford on Friday, with the winner advancing to the College Cup. First kick at the Laird Q. Cagan Stadium in Stanford, Calif., is set for 4 p.m. (CT), and the match will be streamed on ESPN+. &nbsp;

The Huskers (17-3-3) are making their third quarterfinals appearance in school history and first since 1999 after NU punched its ticket to the Elite Eight with a convincing 4-0 shutout of UC Irvine on Sunday in front of 1,717 fans at Barbara Hibner Stadium. With a win on Friday, Nebraska will make its first trip to the College Cup in program history.&nbsp;

The Cardinal (18-0-4) has won two of the last six College Cups, most recently capturing the title in 2019. Stanford has appeared in 10 College Cups, including five straight from 2008-12, with its three national championships coming in 2011, 2017 and 2019. &nbsp;

Individual Milestones and Records to Watch&nbsp;

Nebraska’s NCAA Tournament History&nbsp;

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsThe fifth-seeded Nebraska soccer team will face three-time national champion and 2-seed Stanford on Friday, with the winner advancing to the College Cup. First kick at the Laird Q. Cagan Stadium in Stanford, Calif., is set for 4 p.m. (CT), and the match will be streamed on ESPN+. &nbsp;The Huskers (17-3-3) are making their third quarterfinals appearance in school history and first since 1999 after NU punched its ticket to the Elite Eight with a convincing 4-0 shutout of UC Irvine on Sunday in front of 1,717 fans at Barbara Hibner Stadium. With a win on Friday, Nebraska will make its first trip to the College Cup in program history.&nbsp;The Cardinal (18-0-4) has won two of the last six College Cups, most recently capturing the title in 2019. Stanford has appeared in 10 College Cups, including five straight from 2008-12, with its three national championships coming in 2011, 2017 and 2019. &nbsp;Individual Milestones and Records to Watch&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Senior Eleanor Dale earned four Big Ten Offensive Player-of-the-Week honors this season (second-most in Big Ten history), and she became the first Nebraska women’s soccer player to claim Big Ten Forward-of-the-Year honors. She leads the country in total goals (28), goals per game (1.22) and shots per game (6.00). Dale now ranks third in Big Ten history in single-season goals (28) and sixth in single-season points (61). Dale is just the fourth player in Big Ten history to total 60 points in a season.&nbsp;</li><li>Eleanor Dale scored her nation-leading 27th and 28th goals in Friday’s match to post her 11th multi-goal match of the season. With her 28 goals, Dale broke the Nebraska record for goals in a season with Kim Engesser, who previously held the record with 27 goals in 1998. Additionally, she is tied for first in the Huskers record books in game-winning goals and her total shots this season place her at the top of the list. Dale’s two goals increased her season total to 61 points. That ties Engesser’s school record for most points in a season, as Engesser tallied 61 points in 1998.&nbsp;</li><li>Dale had 11 shots against UC Irvine, a school record for an NCAA Tournament match. The previous record had been 10 shots by Lindsay Eddleman against Minnesota in 1996.&nbsp;</li><li>Gretna’s Sarah Weber joins Dale as a first-team All-Big Ten honoree as Weber captured her second-straight first-team All-Big Ten status. Nationally, Weber is ninth in shots per game (4.41), tied for eighth in total points (36) and tied for seventh with 15 goals. &nbsp;</li><li>Junior midfielder Florence Belzile, a three-time member of the Top Drawer Soccer team, has a team-high 17 assists on the season, good for first in the conference and second nationally. In Big Ten history, she is currently tied for second-most in history only behind Jennifer Walek, Minnesota (1995) and Christie Walsh, Penn State (2001) who both had 18. In the Husker record books, her assists on the season place her tied for second with Husker great Jenny Benson (1999) and is four out of first (Brittany Timko, 2005).&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Quick Notes&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Sunday’s shutout victory over UC Irvine was Nebraska’s first in the NCAA Tournament since 2016 and was NU’s 14th all-time shutout in 32 postseason matches.&nbsp;</li><li>The Huskers improved to 10-1-2 at Barbara Hibner Stadium this season, marking the first time NU has won 10 home matches in a season since 2001.&nbsp;</li><li>The Huskers won their 17th match of the season, their most wins since the 2013 season. &nbsp;</li><li>Nebraska has scored 11 goals in its first three NCAA Tournament matches. The 11 goals are the most the Huskers have ever scored in a single NCAA Tournament, eclipsing the previous record of eight in both the 1998 and 2001 NCAA Tournaments.&nbsp;</li><li>Nebraska has won two of its three NCAA Tournament matches by multiple goals (5-2 over South Dakota State and 4-0 over UC Irvine). This marks only the second time in the Huskers’ 13 all-time NCAA Tournament matches that Nebraska has posted multiple victories by multiple goals (also two multi-goal victories in the 2001 NCAA Tournament).&nbsp;</li><li>Nebraska and Stanford have met four times on the pitch, with the all-time series tied 2-2-0. The most recent meeting came in 2004 at home with the Cardinal winning 1-0.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Nebraska’s NCAA Tournament History&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Nebraska is making its 13th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history, and first since 2016 when the Huskers hosted SDSU in the first round.&nbsp;</li><li>Nebraska holds a 20-12 record all-time in the NCAA Tournament.&nbsp;</li><li>NU has made it to the Sweet 16 on eight occasions and three times advanced to the Elite Eight.&nbsp;</li><li>Nebraska made its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1996, which began a span of 10 consecutive appearances through the 2005 season. NU’s 12th appearance was in 2016.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>

Huskers to face #3 Stanford in Elite Eight  

Opening Statement&nbsp;“Happy Thanksgiving week to everybody. Just a couple things. First of all, I want to congratulate all the teams playing for state championships here. I wish I could be a part of it, I wish I could go out and watch and celebrate their excellence. I want to make sure that we congratulate them. I want to congratulate Coach (John) Walker and the women’s soccer team on making the Elite Eight. That’s a big deal in our house and we’re very excited for them. I want to congratulate Coach (John) Cook and the women of Nebraska volleyball for being Big Ten champs, and I look forward to them making their run. It’s great to be here, great to be able to be around excellent teams and be a part of a great athletic department. When it comes to this Friday – and I know you guys will have lots of questions – I just want to express my deep, deep, deep gratitude for the probably about 24 guys that are going to walk out on Friday as seniors. There’s a couple guys who, because of COVID, are still making some decisions. You can’t do this job without buy-in from players and these players, while I think they’ve bought into us, more importantly, I think they care deeply about Nebraska and Nebraska football. When I see Ethan Piper, when I saw Nick Henrich limp off the field the other night, they’ve given us everything. They’ve absolutely given us everything. I’m just very, very, very grateful. I’m also grateful for all the student workers. I asked if they could be honored in similar ways. We have equipment managers who ride six, seven, eight hours on the buses, student recruiting workers, student operations workers, student nutrition workers, and other areas. I’m just really grateful for all those young people and all the things that they do to allow us to have a chance to play the game. With that, I’ll see what questions you guys have.”

On the approach to the short week&nbsp;“It’ll be just like Illinois. Obviously, Illinois, coming off of Michigan, we practiced that Sunday. We didn’t practice last night. We met, we watched the tape, we got back late. I wanted the guys to go home and sleep. We met and we went over the game tape from Saturday night. We got started with the guys on their Iowa prep. They’ll be in tonight, we’ll practice tomorrow morning. There’s no school Wednesday, so we’ll practice Wednesday morning. I’ll cut the guys loose, let them go home if they’re local. Bring them back Thursday at some point and walk through and have a normal week. It’ll be similar to what we did against Illinois with the same amount of practices.”

On players that are deciding between using eligibility or leaving&nbsp;“They’ve already said to Susan (Elza) and Kiara (Mayo), ‘hey, I’m walking’ or ‘I’m not walking.’ I’ve had several come into me and say ‘Coach, what do you think I should do?’ Mainly, those ones are the ones who have a chance at the NFL. To each one, it’s their own personal decision. Those guys know that they might walk this week, but they still haven’t made their mind up. They want to get to the end. It’s really important to me that we allow each one to do what they want. We have some guys that might say they’re a junior but they’re on their fifth year. It’s really, it’s a unique time. I said to (Thomas) Fidone, I called him a sophomore. He said ‘well, technically I’m a freshman.’ Technically, he is. It’s just with each one, I’m available to these guys. That’s really been our message all the time. We’re never going to give them advice that’s not in their best interest and really, we’re not going to give them advice other than to just give them facts and information. One of the hard things about making the pro decision, and I ran into this last year with Garrett Nelson, is you can’t get a pre-draft grade for a COVID year. If I’m a third-year player and I’m going into my fourth year, I can apply to the NFL and they’ll give me a draft grade. If I’m a fourth-year player and I’m trying to decide if I want to come back for a fifth year and that’s a COVID year, they won’t do it for that. Luckily for us, we have a lot of connections. We’ll ask guys where they see, guys will try to give them an idea and guys can make their own decisions. I’ll just say, yesterday, I started the day off – you come back and lose a game like we lost in overtime. It’s the third time that, on the last play of the game, the game was decided. You’re hurt for your guys. I had guys walking in and saying ‘Coach, I want to come back next year and play again.’ I had recruits saying ‘Coach, I want to come there.’ It was really a great day from that regard. Each guy is kind of making their own mind up and I would probably produce that list right now, but I know some guys might change their mind over the course of this week, so I want to be respectful of that for them.”

On Quinton Newsome and Ty Robinson getting pre-draft grades&nbsp;“Quinton is done, so he just goes into the process. Ty wouldn’t be able to get a grade because he’s not a junior. He’s used his eligibility. That’s kind of what happened with Garrett (Nelson) last year. Even the grades are like first, second, I can’t remember if it’s third or go back. But if they give 80 guys a third-round grade, there’s not 80 guys in the third round. They have a tendency to slip. It really depends on how many people actually go into the market, if that makes sense.”

On the bowl game as a motivator&nbsp;“I’m motivated every week. I think it would be great for our program. It would be great for our young players. It would be great for our older guys. I know our older guys are motivated. Look at the last three weeks. We get knocked down and we get right back up and they come back each week. I don’t think there’s any question that they’re motivated to try and get it done and try to get this win. Like I said when we were at 5-3, I didn’t want to just win one more, I wanted to win them all. I don’t want to win five or six, I want to win each week. I truly believe it when I say go 1-0 each week. I know they want to win. They’re sitting here, it’s senior day, a lot of these guys, it’s their last game in the stadium. They’re playing a ranked team with a chance to go to a bowl game. If they lack any motivation, it’s all there for them. I’ve seen this group do nothing but fight every week all year.”

On Chubba Purdy’s status&nbsp;“He’s healthy. He’s good.”

On how Chubba Purdy played&nbsp;“I thought Chubba played well. He came in on Sunday and he and I sat down. I think the thing that takes you from good to great is when you go back and look and say ‘hey, what are the plays I could have done?’, not just concentrate on the things that you did well. I think there were maybe four, five, six plays where the first progression wasn’t there, maybe he scrambles in the backside and cuts wide open, but a couple more reps over the course of the season, maybe he gets back to that a little easier. But I thought he was in command the whole game. I thought he protected the ball. I thought he had great energy. I thought he was making a lot of good decisions. I harken back to the Minnesota week. If you look at our scout team for the Minnesota game, Chubba was the quarterback, Emmett (Johnson) was the tailback. Those guys the last two weeks have taken us down on drives with a chance to win the game. There’s always things to get better at, but overall, I thought he was a real spark in the game.”

On Chubba Purdy’s mentality going into the game and during the game&nbsp;“I thought he did a really nice job of that. I don’t think he predetermined anything. You come out in that game and they’re a four-down team. They were playing basically what amounts to a nickel to our big people. He just played the play. He’s got the ball in the pro ability when it was there. They went back after the first two drives to the four down stuff. I thought he played the play. Like I said there’s maybe three or four plays, but I think for every quarterback there’s four or five plays. I thought Chubba was in the moment and he kept playing the play. The one thing I said to him late in the fourth quarter was ‘don’t just try to win the game, play.’ I know how badly he wanted to win the game, but you win the game by playing each play as they come. There were a lot of really good plays that he made and he gave us a chance on the road, the crowd noise. I thought he looked comfortable.”&nbsp;

On Chubba’s (Purdy) journey making it to starting quarterback&nbsp;“I think when you see someone have success it usually stems from their ability to overcome adversity. I think he’s learned and grown a lot over the course of this year. I’ll let Chubba and Heinrich (Haarberg) speak on the things they’ve endured in their time in college. I won’t speak for them. I think coming into this year I challenged Chubba a lot in the spring and I challenged him in the fall. If you go back to my statements I’ve said that I thought he was having a great camp. He got hurt. He’s gotten healthier and healthier. The speed he has. He’s got moxie and toughness. I told him before the game, not after the game but before the game, ‘you’re going to play well and people are going to say why didn’t you play earlier.’ I show these guys a lot of different videos, I show them Kobe Bryant one of the best weeks and him going through adversity to become a great player. I think Chubba has endured some of the physical adversity of not playing and gotten just better, and better. He’s played on the scout team, he’s taken the reps when we’ve given them to him. So, when he went out there, he played free and he played the play. I don’t know if I’m answering your question, but I told him that ahead of time. I knew he was going to play well and I could see that when he went out there last year. I could see that in practice this past week.”&nbsp;

On challenging Chubba Purdy in the spring&nbsp;“He was just pretty far down on the depth chart. I’ll let him speak on it more. I don’t want to say anything. I just challenged him a lot. He answered the call. He is a fighter. He’s not a quitter. He’s a fighter. He got better in the spring. I thought he really got better over the summer. I thought he got better in camp. I thought he suffered some adversity in camp. I thought throughout the course of this year we’ve given him some chances in practices over the course of the year but I thought when he went into the game we saw what he does on the scout team. The scout team runs around and makes plays. I thought he played free. This week with pressure and with a whole week of preparation and a game plan he went out and played the same way. You’ve heard me talk about guys overcoming that thing that holds us all back. Maybe he did that over the course of the week. Maybe he will sit up here and tell you something different. I don’t tell the players what to say. He might say, ‘Coach Rhule is messed up. He should have played me all along.’ Him and Heinrich (Haarberg) are best friends. Let Heinrich tell you what he’s been through to get to this point. You know we are sitting at the game and everybody was happy about Chubba. Heinrich was 5-3 as a starter for us too. He didn’t get to finish that last game. You know ask him about his journey to get here. I’m proud of all the guys. When they go out to represent us I can’t tell you how hard our guys work. I’m really proud of Chubba. He could have folded. He could have quit and he has never done that. That’s the mark of a guy who ends up being a good player.”

On what stands out about Iowa’s defense&nbsp;“Everything. In Big Ten games they are giving up 12.8 points per game. They are giving up three yards of rush. They don’t give up big plays. It’s all together. The thing about Iowa and what people try and talk about is that they want to talk about the defense and special teams but ‘oh if the offense,’ that’s not how it works. They know who they are. They have a formula. It’s integrated football. They’ve punted the ball 56 times in Big Ten play. I go play like when we were in the NFL we’d go play the (Bill) Parcells/(Bill) Belichick guys. That wouldn’t kick the kickoff in the endzone, they’d kick it to the three and make you return it to the 15. Then they start just playing the field against you. Which is what these guys do as well as anybody is. They are dominate up front. They get off blocks. Coach (Phil) Parker has been playing this defense forever. The minute you lineup you run a stem they know. They’ve eliminated it from like 50 options down to three. They are great at what they do and they have really good players. And they work really hard. And they can pressure you. They are going to control the clock on offense and they are going to run the football on offense. They aren’t going to beat themselves. When you look at a lot of statistics, they are similar on offense and on defense. But they only have 12 turnovers in Big Ten play. They have protected the ball better than we have over the course of the year. Great players across the board. Really physical. Stop the run. Force you into bad decisions and then eventually they make a play. They are so comfortable in a 7-3 game. They are so comfortable in a 10-9 game. Their heart rate doesn’t go up. They have been doing it for a long time and they have kind of built that way. Our guys are getting used to it. Last couple of games have been like that for us. They have been doing that a long time.” &nbsp;

On athletic directors taking a hands-on role when it comes to coaching staffs&nbsp;“No one ever has with me so I can’t say that. I can’t tell you how much respect I have for Brian Ferentz and Kirk Ferentz that they’ve never thought about anything other than their team. Great coaches, great leaders. Protect those they lead and stand out front and take care arrows, slings and that’s what they do. My kids are up here. I love my kids more than anything. I can’t imagine Coach Ferentz and Brian. I don’t know Brian personally. I thought about trying to hire him in the NFL if I could. He’s one of the great offensive line coaches. Tight end coaches. Running back coaches. He’s done a great job for many years. I have so much respect for that family and what they have done and how they’ve banded together.”&nbsp;

On how much the Heroes Game mean s“I don’t get outside the building very much but that’s definitely something I’ve felt since I’ve gotten here. I know how much it means to our players. Obviously last year I took the job here before the game or the morning of the game. I can’t remember how exactly it played. Probably the night before. Then watched the game and saw that. I think it has a tremendous impact on the community and the team and all those things. For me the game is about these seniors. The game is about our team. I love them. I care deeply about them. Grateful for them. I want to see them win.”&nbsp;

On watching the Iowa game live last year&nbsp;“The job had been open for awhile and kind of like all the jobs that were open, you were kind of watching them each week when they were on TV, some teams weren’t always on TV but Nebraska’s always on TV so we watched it every week. I just remember that game just how free and loose they looked, how explosive they looked. You look at this defense, Trey Palmer hitting a deep ball, they don’t give those up very often so obviously he’s a great player but I just remember seeing the guys play and I remember watching the video afterwards, seeing Garrett Nelson crying as he exited the field and how much that meant to those guys personally.”

On players buying in&nbsp;“I would say that if my gut, if you did an autopsy and you cut open the football program here, it’s as healthy as it can be. They feel as invested into and as poured into and as coached and as developed as possible. I wish we would’ve blocked the kick against Maryland and won the game, I wish we would’ve won the game in overtime the other night, those results would probably be more tangible, our guys would feel better, they’d be more tangible to the outside world, I get all that but the development is the development and the improvement is the improvement and more than anything else, players want to know that they’re getting better. The transfer portal is going to open up all across college football and so many people are going to be making a decision about if another situation better based upon how much they’re playing and my statement to guys is always, ‘How do you want this to end?’ When you’re a senior, do you want to be an NFL player? Are you trending toward that direction? Not your current state, but are you improving and developing? So I don’t think I’ve ever stood up here with you guys and said, ‘Hey geez, we got that guy hurt and this guy’s hurt.’ I’m actually proud when we put the third quarterback in, you guys say, ‘Well how come?’ That means we’re probably practicing well and doing some things well like I’m proud that we put Justin Evans-Jenkins in and Teddy Prochazka in, Teddy missed all of training camp and he’s out there playing left tackle against Wisconsin and the crowd noise and playing pretty well so on the bye week, Jaylen Lloyd, his parents were deciding if he should play or not or if he should redshirt and now Jaylen’s hitting those seam balls for touchdowns and we talk about buy in from parents and we talk about buy in from players. I couldn’t be happier about where we are and I couldn’t be angrier about our record if that makes sense. Two things can be true.”

On reaching a bowl game&nbsp;“The number one thing is the practice. We need the reps, the practice. I think (Jason) Maciejczak is about to be a really good player. Ru’Quan Buckley has been making the move over to the offensive line. He’s going to be a dynamic guard I think, I want to give him another month at playing o-line. Obviously there would be the, ‘hey we got there for the first time in however many years’ for everybody else and I get that, trust me. But to me it’s about the reps and the development and the opportunity to compete again but more importantly, it’s about winning the game to get there. We have to go win the game. You wake up on Saturday morning before the Wisconsin game and you’re watching other games and they’re putting up the Big Ten West and we’re in second place to start the day but we didn’t win so you don’t get to stay there so I want our guys to win one of these games so that a) they know that they’ve achieved it, b) we get practice, c) we get to move some things around and try some things. If you think about it, we go to Wisconsin and our punt returner was a true freshman and our kick returner was a true freshman who’s actually redshirting this year, give me another month to practice with those guys. That’s to me the benefit, it’s the guys we’re playing but it’s also the redshirting because when you’re redshirting and you’re not playing a ton, you start to say, ‘Am I good enough?’ You start to have a vision of, ‘Man they know I can play, they know what I can do.’ I can’t wait for you guys to see Dylan Rogers. I can’t wait for you guys to see D’Andre Barnes. Jeremiah Charles played for the first time, it’s still his redshirt year. Those guys are going to be excellent. I can’t wait for you guys to see Brice Turner. Another month with those guys would be great but most importantly, to go win the game. To go win a game and earn it. It’s what good teams do down the stretch.

On managing the team leading up to the day the portal opens&nbsp;“I honestly don’t see any of it as stressful. I 100 percent am in this position to help young people say they had a better life because they played for me, that’s 100 percent why I do it. People might not believe that but that’s 100 percent why I do what I do. I could be home, sitting out and be in the job cycle right now and probably be okay. I love it, I love being around young people, it’s been one of the best years of my life and so if one of our players’ lives is going to be better for having gone somewhere else, ‘Hey Coach I really want to play and I don’t think I’m going to play,’ I’m going to help them. There’s an added thing nowadays where sometimes other teams are trying to buy your players, it happened last year and I don’t know if some of those players left because they got more money somewhere else, I don’t know if that was the right thing for them. When I look at the stats sometimes, maybe that wasn’t the right thing for them but my job, just like my kids, my son’s deciding where he wants to go to college. I don’t tell my son, ‘Oh you have to go to UNL.’ I say, ‘Well go look at South Dakota State, go look at…’ He makes the decision. I look at next week as an unbelievable opportunity to sit with players and talk about what you see with them and what you see with what they can be. I don’t know if young people get that enough. I’m going to sit with every single player, walkon and scholarship and just talk about where I see them and what I think they can do and then have them talk to me. The good thing for me is most of those guys I have that kind of relationship with already where I’m sitting down with them but it might be right for somebody to go somewhere else, it might be right for someone to sit here and tough it out so I have those conversations all year long. Jaidyn Doss and James Williams last week, we have those conversations all year long with everybody. I’m having them with seniors today and I bet some guys will want to stay here. It’s a really great place to be, it’s a really great program to be in. If it’s not right for somebody, then we’ll help them with all that we have.”

On meeting the team’s needs through the transfer portal&nbsp;“I think you’re always recruiting. Part of recruiting now is the transfer portal. When I left Temple to go to Baylor it was in my contract that I couldn’t take a player that we offered and recruited to Baylor. Then coaches started to bring their commitments to schools that used to be a no, no. Now coaches are leaving and taking their roster with them. I'm not here to judge anyone. If I could’ve brought Brian Burns and Frankie Luvu everyone would be pretty happy right about now. I just didn’t get the chance to do that. If you noticed we didn’t take anyone from Baylor, we didn’t bring anyone from Baylor. There’s an ethic thing that I’m always going to do. But anyone who goes into the portal we’re always going to look at every single thing. We’re going to build the base of what we do with a homegrown roster and supplement it, and add to it when need be. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the portal. I just don’t know any teams that are winning by bringing in 25 guys right. I just think that can create some chaos when all we want to do is build a roster with a nucleus of guys that are all here and understand what we're doing. When a guy comes a long, it may be five one year, it may be one, one year. I don’t know that answer, but I love high school recruiting. I love getting guys here and I love having them here for four to five years. What I don’t ever want to do is have a short term fix. We’re in the building phase right now, some day when we get to the contending phase. Whenever that is, that may be the time. I’m learning this as I go. Please don’t take the way I say this as I have it figured out. I don’t, I have coaches calling me that are friends of mine. That are up for further jobs and they’re asking me questions. I don’t think anyone has it all figured out. It’s changing by the day too.”&nbsp;

On assistant coaches possibly getting calls and job offers during the season&nbsp;“Go get a job. I told Tony (White), a firm called me asking for Tony’s number and I said, ‘Yes you should hire Tony White, Tony White should be a head coach. He’s excellent.’ I told Tony, ‘Don’t take the wrong one. Don’t take the wrong job now.’ Like don’t take a job with no resources, don’t take a job with no support. Don’t take a job without a great recruiting base. Don’t take a job, here me when I say this, this is deep, where the expectations outweigh the commitment. If I want to be in great shape and I workout one day a week, you want to be a 10-win team and you’re spending at the middle of your conference, the expectation. I do that with all my guys because it’s like the players, I want them to want to be here. I want them to advance. I don’t want guys who only want to be here. I’ve brought guys back, when I see Elijah Robinson at (Texas) A&amp;M, I get proud. Evan Cooper been with me, but he left and went to Miami and came back and worked for me again so in season, we have so much time. We have so much time. Our coaches are here at night, there’s guys that show up at four in the morning, not me. Our guys are professional, they would never ever put anything but the players first but yeah anybody that’s called me about Tony being a head coach, I’ve said, ‘Yeah give him a shot.’ I tell Tony, ‘Pick the right job, don’t pick the wrong job.’ We’re going to be good on defense here for a while. The stark reality and maybe people like it, maybe people don’t is everywhere I’ve been, we’ve had a good defense. Everywhere I’ve been, we’ve had kind of a middle of the pack offense. We’re not quite middle of the pack yet on offense, I’d like to get to be more dynamic. I’ve never had athletes like this. Wait until Malachi (Coleman) and Jaidyn (Doss) and Kwinten (Ives) and all these guys grow up, I think we’re going to be pretty darn good but we’re going to be really good on defense for a while if Tony decides to stay. If he gets a head coaching job and he wants to take it, I’m going to hug him, love him, wish him the best and then we’ll continue to play good defense.”

On if Tony White would keep being offered jobs in different coaching cycles “100%.”

On why Tony White is ready to be a head coach“I’ll say this. Being a coordinator and being a head coach is like the difference between being a cardiologist and an oncologist. If they diagnose you with cancer, you’re not going to go see the cardiologist. But you both went to medical school. You both did all the training. The things that come across my desk every day, very few of them have to do with the weak side iso. They have to do with everything but. They have to do with players and now the portal. It has to do with all this other stuff. I think you have to have this knowledge of football that allows you to always paint a picture for the guys of how we want to win. You have to have a philosophy that’s embedded that doesn’t sway when the results aren’t there. You have to be a person who cares about people and has relationships and genuine relationships, not just relationships with the people who can do something for you. You can’t be this. You have to be this. I see that from Tony. I see him being able to stay even-keeled, be the same guy every day. Joey McGuire worked for me, he’s done a great job at Texas Tech. He’s never been a coordinator, but he’s a head coach. I think I see all those things from Tony. I hope he gets an opportunity. We don’t have enough coaches of diverse backgrounds. As much as anything, I think he’s just smart. I think we have other guys who are ready to be coordinators. I think we have other guys who are ready to be head coaches. If he gets an opportunity, it's unbelievable for him. But make no mistake, being a great coordinator has nothing to do with being a good head coach. It has everything else to do with everything else, in my opinion.”&nbsp;

On clock management “Let’s be frank, I’m assuming you’re saying I probably should have called a timeout earlier. I’d rather address it directly than not. As I said after the game, for me, it was really important in that game that I gave the defense a chance to win the game. Too many times, we haven’t given the defense a chance to win the game. When you look at it from an outsider’s perspective and you haven’t seen the Minnesota ending. You haven’t seen the ending last week. From a traditional perspective, I completely understand it. Because we had missed one earlier, because we have a freshman kicker, because it was cold, because of all those different things, I wanted to make sure we got the ball down in a certain area. Because we didn’t get that third down, I didn’t want to give them the ball with 40 seconds left because, if you go back to last week and what happened, they went down and they kicked a field goal. I didn’t want to throw an interception in the end zone. I wanted to be conservative and get the first down, I wanted to make sure we got the first down and not give them time to kick the field goal. I thought we were playing really well on defense and we would stop them in overtime and win the game or we would have a chance to take a shot at the end zone. If I could go back, like I said after the game, I would have called a timeout with 30 seconds and had two shots in the end zone. I don’t know for us, how many shots we’re going to hit from the 18, 20-yard line. I say all that to say, you make those decisions based upon your team. In the offseason, we do it based upon other teams and the analytics. The analytics told me to go for it on 4th and 2 on the previous drive. My gut was to punt the ball down, that we were going to stop them. That was right. My gut was Michigan State, to go for it on 4th and 7, that’s what the analytics said. Punted the ball down, we got the stop. I take the analytics, they give it to me to kind of take what we have. I’ll be perfectly honest with you, we take that ball to overtime, we have a 3rd and 10 and a 3rd and 8. Unfortunately, we just don’t make the play. I stood in front of the team and I said ‘hey, guys, I wish I would have called a timeout with 30 seconds and given you two shots. In terms of practicing it, we practice those things every Friday. We practice those things every Thursday, either or. We practice them all offseason. I think when you see a quarterback who’s been on the scout team not get a ton of reps and he takes the ball from the 93 or the 94 and drives it down, it’s pretty good coaching by Satt (Marcus Satterfield) and Garret (McGuire) and all those guys. We took the ball down last night with three minutes left. There’s just a fine line there of ‘hey, let’s guarantee a field goal. Let’s try to score a touchdown and end this game. But let’s not give the ball back to them.’ Unfortunately for us, I had a lot of people say to me ‘why didn’t you guys just run the ball the week before against Maryland?’ Because we would have kicked a field goal and given them the ball back with two and a half minutes left. The week before, they got the ball at the 25-yard line and they went back and kicked the field goal. It’s a fine line there. In terms of balancing it, we go through all the different things. We have parameters of when to use timeouts, when to not. When to use the analytics, outside service, we practice it. In the end, you have to make a decision. What I don’t believe in is resulting and that’s when you balance your decision based upon how the result comes out. You make the best decision. If I had to go back, I would have called a timeout with 30 seconds. I would have given them two shots. What I didn’t say after the game because after the game, you’re pretty emotional, is that I just did not want to kick that field goal with 45 seconds, make the field goal, and give them a chance to go down to win the game. I wanted to at the very least, get it to overtime because I thought I was really starting to see our defense emerge. And we had two third downs that we gave up. We had a penalty on offense, just didn’t make the plays. As with everything else, all those things fall squarely on my shoulders. Like I said, I’d much rather answer it directly like this. I told the team, I said ‘guys, I wish I would have done this for you. I wish I would have given you one more shot.’ That’s part of all this. I have players come into me and sometimes they have tears in their eyes and they say ‘hey, Coach, I would have done this.’ We do the best we can, we come out the next week. But it was thought out. It wasn’t like it was ‘hey, we don’t know what we’re doing.’ I just felt like I owed it to our defense to guarantee that the game continued.”

Meet the Media: Iowa

Nebraska junior libero Lexi Rodriguez was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week on Monday, the conference office announced.&nbsp;

For the two-time All-American, it's the second time this season and fifth time in her career she has received Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week.&nbsp;

Rodriguez led the Huskers to a Big Ten title over the weekend with 5.67 digs per set in sweeps of Michigan and Iowa. The Sterling, Ill., native had 19 digs in a sweep at Iowa on Sunday as the Huskers clinched the outright Big Ten title. She also had 15 digs and four set assists in a 3-0 win over Michigan on Friday, as the Huskers held the Wolverines to a .047 hitting percentage.&nbsp;

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsNebraska junior libero Lexi Rodriguez was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week on Monday, the conference office announced.&nbsp;For the two-time All-American, it's the second time this season and fifth time in her career she has received Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week.&nbsp;Rodriguez led the Huskers to a Big Ten title over the weekend with 5.67 digs per set in sweeps of Michigan and Iowa. The Sterling, Ill., native had 19 digs in a sweep at Iowa on Sunday as the Huskers clinched the outright Big Ten title. She also had 15 digs and four set assists in a 3-0 win over Michigan on Friday, as the Huskers held the Wolverines to a .047 hitting percentage.&nbsp;For the week, the Huskers held their two opponents to a combined .086 hitting percentage, and they continue to lead the nation in opponent hitting percentage at .131.&nbsp;