Story by UNK Athletic Communications

Kearney, Neb. –&nbsp;Fifth-year senior&nbsp;Chase Thompson&nbsp;scored 23 points and redshirt junior&nbsp;Ja’Bryant Hill&nbsp;added 17 to help Nebraska Kearney roll past York University,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lopers.com/boxscore.aspx?path=mbball&amp;id=8037">92-49,</a>&nbsp;Tuesday night at the Health &amp; Sports Center.

The Lopers (1-4) pick up their first win of the 2024-25 season while the Panthers remain at 2-5 per NAIA rules. This also marks the first win for first-year head coach&nbsp;Marty Levinson. He won 191 games in at the junior college level.

“It feels great. Gets a little burden off my back but it’s more for the kids. They are the ones doing all the work,” said Levinson. “I’ve been through the ups and downs of basketball, just living the life of it. You don’t get too high; you don’t get too low. You have to trust your work and the kids did that. They deserve it and they needed that.”

UNK, who dropped its first four games by a total of nine points, led by just a 35-25 margin with two minutes left in the half before finishing on a 6-1 run. The Lopers then dominated the second half by a 51-23 margin as they shot 59% from the floor and committed only one turnover.

“We’ve lost four games by nine points, so we probably were a little tight (at the beginning). Coach (Tom) Kropp has the best saying…be free swinging. Allow yourself to read the basketball and make the right basketball play out of it. I felt like we settled in,” said Levinson.

Thompson (Omaha Westside) had 14 of his points in the first half and finished 8 of 15 (3 of 6 threes) from the field and 4 of 6 at the line. He also had six rebounds (three offensive) and two assists. The 23 points is four shy of his D2 career-high, set for Florida Tech against Lynn (Fla.) last winter.

Next, Hill (Duncanville, Texas) was 8 of 12 (1 of 3 threes) from the field and had a team-best six assists with Mullen redshirt freshman&nbsp;Clayton Moore&nbsp;close to a double double (12 rebounds, eight points, five assists, two blocks and two steals). Finaly, North Platte sophomore&nbsp;River Johnston&nbsp;(11 points, two assists), Omaha senior&nbsp;Tre’Vion Crawford&nbsp;(5 points, two rebounds) and Philadelphia senior&nbsp;Chereef Knox&nbsp;(seven rebounds, four points) were all big off the bench.

“We’re so new. If you have returners, and you’ve been around each other, everyone kind of knows what position they slide into,” said Levinson. “We had to do so much of that teaching and there’s nothing like putting yourself into the battle. You learn in the game, and we just hope we’ve learned from those first four.”

Ten of the 11 Lopers who suited up scored as UNK held York to 26% shooting and totaled 24 points off 17 Panthers turnovers. Finally, both teams made 14 free throws with the Lopers plus three on the glass.

York had three starters reach double figures including Ikechukwu Nwaobi (13 points).

UNK is at Chadron State (2-4) on Saturday at 6 p.m. Central

Story by UNK Athletic CommunicationsKearney, Neb. –&nbsp;Fifth-year senior&nbsp;Chase Thompson&nbsp;scored 23 points and redshirt junior&nbsp;Ja’Bryant Hill&nbsp;added 17 to help Nebraska Kearney roll past York University,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lopers.com/boxscore.aspx?path=mbball&amp;id=8037">92-49,</a>&nbsp;Tuesday night at the Health &amp; Sports Center.The Lopers (1-4) pick up their first win of the 2024-25 season while the Panthers remain at 2-5 per NAIA rules. This also marks the first win for first-year head coach&nbsp;Marty Levinson. He won 191 games in at the junior college level.“It feels great. Gets a little burden off my back but it’s more for the kids. They are the ones doing all the work,” said Levinson. “I’ve been through the ups and downs of basketball, just living the life of it. You don’t get too high; you don’t get too low. You have to trust your work and the kids did that. They deserve it and they needed that.”UNK, who dropped its first four games by a total of nine points, led by just a 35-25 margin with two minutes left in the half before finishing on a 6-1 run. The Lopers then dominated the second half by a 51-23 margin as they shot 59% from the floor and committed only one turnover.“We’ve lost four games by nine points, so we probably were a little tight (at the beginning). Coach (Tom) Kropp has the best saying…be free swinging. Allow yourself to read the basketball and make the right basketball play out of it. I felt like we settled in,” said Levinson.Thompson (Omaha Westside) had 14 of his points in the first half and finished 8 of 15 (3 of 6 threes) from the field and 4 of 6 at the line. He also had six rebounds (three offensive) and two assists. The 23 points is four shy of his D2 career-high, set for Florida Tech against Lynn (Fla.) last winter.Next, Hill (Duncanville, Texas) was 8 of 12 (1 of 3 threes) from the field and had a team-best six assists with Mullen redshirt freshman&nbsp;Clayton Moore&nbsp;close to a double double (12 rebounds, eight points, five assists, two blocks and two steals). Finaly, North Platte sophomore&nbsp;River Johnston&nbsp;(11 points, two assists), Omaha senior&nbsp;Tre’Vion Crawford&nbsp;(5 points, two rebounds) and Philadelphia senior&nbsp;Chereef Knox&nbsp;(seven rebounds, four points) were all big off the bench.“We’re so new. If you have returners, and you’ve been around each other, everyone kind of knows what position they slide into,” said Levinson. “We had to do so much of that teaching and there’s nothing like putting yourself into the battle. You learn in the game, and we just hope we’ve learned from those first four.”Ten of the 11 Lopers who suited up scored as UNK held York to 26% shooting and totaled 24 points off 17 Panthers turnovers. Finally, both teams made 14 free throws with the Lopers plus three on the glass.York had three starters reach double figures including Ikechukwu Nwaobi (13 points).UNK is at Chadron State (2-4) on Saturday at 6 p.m. Central

Big Nights for Bryant, Thompson & the Bench

Story by NU Athletic Communications

Lincoln&nbsp;- No. 25 Nebraska used a strong defensive performance and a balanced offense that featured five Huskers in double-figures, as the Big Red rolled to an 84-38 women’s basketball victory over Kansas City at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Tuesday night.

Junior guard Callin Hake connected on a career-high five three-pointers on her way to a game-high 16 points to lead the five Huskers in double figures. Hake added four rebounds, four assists and two steals in an impressive all-around effort that helped Nebraska&nbsp;improve to 6-1 on the season. The Roos slipped to 2-5.

Hake hit a pair of threes in the opening minutes while backcourt mate Britt Prince added six points of her own to help Nebraska jump out to a 12-2 lead and never look back. Prince finished with 13 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Alberte Rimdal added another strong effort for the Big Red backcourt with a season-high 15 points, including 3-of-5 three-point shooting. The senior guard from Koge, Denmark scored eight points during a 13-0 Husker run to open the fourth quarter. She added&nbsp;five rebounds and two steals.

All-America candidate Alexis Markowski contributed her 43rd career double-double and her third of the season with 10 points and a game-high 10 rebounds, while freshman Amiah Hargrove rounded out the Huskers in double figures with career highs of 10 points and seven rebounds.&nbsp;&nbsp;

All 11 Huskers scored in the game, despite Nebraska shooting a season-low 37.9 percent (25-66). The Big Red did hit 12-of-29 threes (.414), notching their third double-digit effort from long range in the first seven games of the season. Nebraska also hit 22-of-28 free throws (.786).

The Huskers outworked Kansas City on the glass, 49-40, and won the turnover battle, 22-14.

Nebraska held the Roos to just 21.7 percent (13-60) shooting, including just 1-for-14 (.071) from three-point range. Kansas City did connect on 11-of-14 free throws (.786).

Nebraska led 23-12 after one quarter, then pushed the margin to 47-20 at halftime. Both teams struggled in the third, but Nebraska found a way to win the period, 15-14, before closing out the game with a 22-4 edge in the fourth.

Emani Bennett was the only Roo to manage double figures, finishing with team highs of 11 points and seven rebounds, but she finished 5-of-18 from the field with four turnovers. As a team, Kansas City produced just two assists.

Nebraska returns to action next Tuesday to take on Lindenwood at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. (CT) with tickets available now at Huskers.com. The game against the Lions will be streamed live for B1G+ subscribers, while live audio is also available on Huskers.com from the Huskers Radio Network.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsLincoln&nbsp;- No. 25 Nebraska used a strong defensive performance and a balanced offense that featured five Huskers in double-figures, as the Big Red rolled to an 84-38 women’s basketball victory over Kansas City at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Tuesday night.Junior guard Callin Hake connected on a career-high five three-pointers on her way to a game-high 16 points to lead the five Huskers in double figures. Hake added four rebounds, four assists and two steals in an impressive all-around effort that helped Nebraska&nbsp;improve to 6-1 on the season. The Roos slipped to 2-5.Hake hit a pair of threes in the opening minutes while backcourt mate Britt Prince added six points of her own to help Nebraska jump out to a 12-2 lead and never look back. Prince finished with 13 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals.Alberte Rimdal added another strong effort for the Big Red backcourt with a season-high 15 points, including 3-of-5 three-point shooting. The senior guard from Koge, Denmark scored eight points during a 13-0 Husker run to open the fourth quarter. She added&nbsp;five rebounds and two steals.All-America candidate Alexis Markowski contributed her 43rd career double-double and her third of the season with 10 points and a game-high 10 rebounds, while freshman Amiah Hargrove rounded out the Huskers in double figures with career highs of 10 points and seven rebounds.&nbsp;&nbsp;All 11 Huskers scored in the game, despite Nebraska shooting a season-low 37.9 percent (25-66). The Big Red did hit 12-of-29 threes (.414), notching their third double-digit effort from long range in the first seven games of the season. Nebraska also hit 22-of-28 free throws (.786).The Huskers outworked Kansas City on the glass, 49-40, and won the turnover battle, 22-14.Nebraska held the Roos to just 21.7 percent (13-60) shooting, including just 1-for-14 (.071) from three-point range. Kansas City did connect on 11-of-14 free throws (.786).Nebraska led 23-12 after one quarter, then pushed the margin to 47-20 at halftime. Both teams struggled in the third, but Nebraska found a way to win the period, 15-14, before closing out the game with a 22-4 edge in the fourth.Emani Bennett was the only Roo to manage double figures, finishing with team highs of 11 points and seven rebounds, but she finished 5-of-18 from the field with four turnovers. As a team, Kansas City produced just two assists.Nebraska returns to action next Tuesday to take on Lindenwood at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. (CT) with tickets available now at Huskers.com. The game against the Lions will be streamed live for B1G+ subscribers, while live audio is also available on Huskers.com from the Huskers Radio Network.

Huskers bounce Roos, 84-38

Kearney, Neb. -&nbsp;The now fifth-ranked Nebraska-Kearney volleyball team is in the NCAA Tournament for a 25th straight season and will battle 32nd-ranked and MIAA rival Washburn&nbsp;in the first round of the Central Regional.

The 64-team NCAA Tournament field -- eight schools from each of Division II's eight regions -- was announced tonight. The complete bracket is available&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncaa.com/brackets/volleyball-women/d2/2024">HERE</a>; region winners advance to the Elite Eight December 12-14 in Sioux Falls. The Central Regional will be Friday-Saturday (Dec. 5-7) in St. Cloud, Minn., with St. Cloud State serving as host. Match times to be announced.

The third-seeded Lopers (30-2) were ranked second in the final region rankings (Nov. 17) and reached the MIAA Tournament finals this past weekend. The Ichabods (20-7) were ranked sixth in the Central and remained so despite losing to Northwest Missouri in the MIAA quarterfinals. UNK swept the regular season series from WU, 3-0 in Kearney and 3-2 in Topeka. 

The Lopers also took the only previous NCAA meeting between the two, 3-0, back in a 2012 first round match.&nbsp;UNK is 34-27 all-time in the NCAA's, advancing to the Elite Eight in 2019, 2005, 2004, 2003, 1996 and 1995. The Lopers&nbsp;were National Runners up in 2019 and 2005. 

Finally, the 25-year NCAA run trails only the University of Tampa as the Spartans have made the "Big Dance" the past 28 years.Below are the seeds for the regional, along with national rankings as of Nov. 25, and record to date. The AVCA national rankings have no bearing on the NCAA Tourney selection process.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Seed&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; National Rank/School/Record … Bid

&nbsp; 1. #2 St. Cloud State (27-2)&nbsp;… Automatic bid from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference

&nbsp; 2. #6 Central Oklahoma (30-2)&nbsp;… Automatic bid from the MIAA

&nbsp; 3.&nbsp; #5 UNK (30-2) …&nbsp;At-Large

&nbsp; 4. #9 Concordia-St. Paul (23-6)&nbsp;… At-Large

&nbsp; 5. #26 Missouri Western State (23-7) …&nbsp;At-Large

&nbsp; 7. #15 Southwest Minnesota State (23-5) ….&nbsp;At-Large

&nbsp; 8.&nbsp; Ouachita Baptist, Ark. (22-9)&nbsp;… Automatic bid from the Great American Conference

Left Out: #16 Wayne State (23-7), #17 Northern (21-7), #T-32 Minnesota-Duluth (15-11)

SCSU/OBU Winner Vs. CSP/MWSU Winner&nbsp;&nbsp;

Most NCAA Division II Appearances (All-Time)

7. Ferris State, Mich. (28)/UNK (28)

UNK AthleticsKearney, Neb. -&nbsp;The now fifth-ranked Nebraska-Kearney volleyball team is in the NCAA Tournament for a 25th straight season and will battle 32nd-ranked and MIAA rival Washburn&nbsp;in the first round of the Central Regional.The 64-team NCAA Tournament field -- eight schools from each of Division II's eight regions -- was announced tonight. The complete bracket is available&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncaa.com/brackets/volleyball-women/d2/2024">HERE</a>; region winners advance to the Elite Eight December 12-14 in Sioux Falls. The Central Regional will be Friday-Saturday (Dec. 5-7) in St. Cloud, Minn., with St. Cloud State serving as host. Match times to be announced.The third-seeded Lopers (30-2) were ranked second in the final region rankings (Nov. 17) and reached the MIAA Tournament finals this past weekend. The Ichabods (20-7) were ranked sixth in the Central and remained so despite losing to Northwest Missouri in the MIAA quarterfinals. UNK swept the regular season series from WU, 3-0 in Kearney and 3-2 in Topeka. The Lopers also took the only previous NCAA meeting between the two, 3-0, back in a 2012 first round match.&nbsp;UNK is 34-27 all-time in the NCAA's, advancing to the Elite Eight in 2019, 2005, 2004, 2003, 1996 and 1995. The Lopers&nbsp;were National Runners up in 2019 and 2005. Finally, the 25-year NCAA run trails only the University of Tampa as the Spartans have made the "Big Dance" the past 28 years.Below are the seeds for the regional, along with national rankings as of Nov. 25, and record to date. The AVCA national rankings have no bearing on the NCAA Tourney selection process.&nbsp;&nbsp;Seed&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; National Rank/School/Record … Bid&nbsp; 1. #2 St. Cloud State (27-2)&nbsp;… Automatic bid from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference&nbsp; 2. #6 Central Oklahoma (30-2)&nbsp;… Automatic bid from the MIAA&nbsp; 3.&nbsp; #5 UNK (30-2) …&nbsp;At-Large&nbsp; 4. #9 Concordia-St. Paul (23-6)&nbsp;… At-Large&nbsp; 5. #26 Missouri Western State (23-7) …&nbsp;At-Large6.&nbsp; #T-32 Washburn (20-7)&nbsp; 7. #15 Southwest Minnesota State (23-5) ….&nbsp;At-Large&nbsp; 8.&nbsp; Ouachita Baptist, Ark. (22-9)&nbsp;… Automatic bid from the Great American ConferenceLeft Out: #16 Wayne State (23-7), #17 Northern (21-7), #T-32 Minnesota-Duluth (15-11)Thursday, Dec. 5No. 3 UNK vs. No. 6 WUNo. 2 UCO vs. No. 7 SMSUNo. 4 CU vs. No. 5 MWSUNo. 1 SCSU vs. No. 8 OBU&nbsp;&nbsp;Friday, Dec. 6WU/UNK Winner vs. SMSU/UCO WinnerSCSU/OBU Winner Vs. CSP/MWSU Winner&nbsp;&nbsp;Saturday, Dec. 7Championship Match&nbsp;&nbsp;Most NCAA Division II Appearances (All-Time)1. Tampa (39)2. New Haven, Conn. (37)3. Central Missouri (36)4. Florida Southern (34)5. West Texas A&amp;M (32)6. Metro State, Colo. (30)7. Ferris State, Mich. (28)/UNK (28)

UNK Volleyball #5 Lopers in NCAA's for a 25th Consecutive Year, Face 32nd-ranked Washburn

Kearney, Neb. –&nbsp;Junior&nbsp;Hanna Schimmer&nbsp;has been named to the 2024 Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2 CAA)&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lopers.com/documents/2024/11/26/2024_CSC_All-Central_Region_Soccer.pdf">All-Central Region team.</a>

<a target="_blank" href="https://lopers.com/documents/2024/11/26/2024_CSC_All-Central_Region_Soccer.pdf"></a>The squad is voted upon by College Sports Communicators (CSC) with the Central consisting of the MIAA, Great American Conference (GAC) and Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).&nbsp;

Schimmer (Council Bluffs, Ia.) was one of 13 MIAA players tabbed as she earned second-team honors. She joins fellow forward Montanna Hosterman as the only Lopers to have named all-region. Hostermann was a third team pick on the coaches' squad back in 2015.One of the top offensive threats in the MIAA this fall, Schimmer set new school records for goals (10), shots (68), shots on goal (36) and converted PK's (three). The transfer from Midland and Iowa Western had three games with two goals to finish with 21 points. Finally, she helped UNK go 8-6-5 and reach the MIAA Tournament for the first time in nine years.

Central Oklahoma graduate forward Rebekah George was named the Region Player of the Year with the MIA having seven on the first team and six on the second team. A total of 25 players were chosen overall with first-team selections advancing to the national ballot where they could earn All-American status.&nbsp;&nbsp;

UNK AthleticsKearney, Neb. –&nbsp;Junior&nbsp;Hanna Schimmer&nbsp;has been named to the 2024 Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2 CAA)&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lopers.com/documents/2024/11/26/2024_CSC_All-Central_Region_Soccer.pdf">All-Central Region team.</a><a target="_blank" href="https://lopers.com/documents/2024/11/26/2024_CSC_All-Central_Region_Soccer.pdf"></a>The squad is voted upon by College Sports Communicators (CSC) with the Central consisting of the MIAA, Great American Conference (GAC) and Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).&nbsp;Schimmer (Council Bluffs, Ia.) was one of 13 MIAA players tabbed as she earned second-team honors. She joins fellow forward Montanna Hosterman as the only Lopers to have named all-region. Hostermann was a third team pick on the coaches' squad back in 2015.One of the top offensive threats in the MIAA this fall, Schimmer set new school records for goals (10), shots (68), shots on goal (36) and converted PK's (three). The transfer from Midland and Iowa Western had three games with two goals to finish with 21 points. Finally, she helped UNK go 8-6-5 and reach the MIAA Tournament for the first time in nine years.Central Oklahoma graduate forward Rebekah George was named the Region Player of the Year with the MIA having seven on the first team and six on the second team. A total of 25 players were chosen overall with first-team selections advancing to the national ballot where they could earn All-American status.&nbsp;&nbsp;

UNK Soccer: Schimmer Second Loper to be Named All-Region

OMAHA, Neb.&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Omaha Supernovas,&nbsp;Nebraska’s professional volleyball team and first Pro Volleyball Champions, are thrilled to announce its six-person 2024 draft class, which was selected during the 2024 PVF Draft earlier on Monday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Supernovas second full draft class includes middle blocker&nbsp;Toyosi Onabanjo&nbsp;from Kansas, opposite&nbsp;Emily Londot&nbsp;from Ohio State, outside hitter&nbsp;Ally Batenhorst&nbsp;from USC, outside hitter&nbsp;Lindsay Krause&nbsp;from Nebraska, outside hitter&nbsp;Valeria Vazquez-Gomez&nbsp;from Pittsburgh and setter&nbsp;Kendra Wait&nbsp;from Creighton.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"Today is a phenomenal day for our sport and an opportunity to celebrate the incredible success of these athletes,"&nbsp;Supernovas head coach Laura "Bird" Kuhn&nbsp;said. "We’re thrilled with the depth we’ve added on both pins and excited to see the young talent grow and develop in our gym. Last season taught us the importance of depth and competitive chemistry, and this group will play a key role in strengthening our 2025 Supernovas squad!"

Omaha bolstered its middle blocker group with its first selection at No. 8 overall with Onabanjo for the final pick of the first round. &nbsp;

Onabanjo spent her first two seasons at Iowa before transferring to Kansas ahead of the 2023 season. She put up 1.82 kills per set with 101 total blocks during her junior season, but it’s her senior campaign that has made her into one of the top middle blockers in the country. The Houston, Texas native is averaging 2.58 kills per set this season on a .408 hitting percentage with 101 blocks (1.2 B/S). She’s put up double-digit kills in nine matches this season including a season-high 22 kills in a match at Duke earlier in the year. &nbsp;

The Supernovas followed up with Londot two picks later for the second selection of the second round at No. 10 overall, which was a draft pick Omaha acquired last season in a trade with the San Diego Mojo.&nbsp;

Londot comes to Omaha after being one of the best offensive players in college volleyball since she won the AVCA National Freshman of the Year award in 2020. Named a second team All-American in 2020 and 2022, Londot has a career 4.22 kills per set mark in over 140 career matches. &nbsp;

She’s continued that stellar play during her fifth and final college season in 2024, posting a 4.41 kills per set mark. She’s also improved her blocking during her final college season, posting 102 blocks (0.88 B/S) with 30 aces. A three-time All-Big Ten first team selection, Londot entered the 2024 season top five in program history in kills and points while being in the top 20 in block assists, total blocks and digs. &nbsp;

The Supernovas picked again in the second round at No. 15 overall, drafting USC outside hitter Ally Batenhorst, who returns to the Cornhusker state after spending her first three college seasons at Nebraska.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Batenhorst has excelled in her first season as a full-time starting outside hitter, averaging 3.82 kills per set to lead the team on a .228 hitting percentage with 2.09 digs per set, 86 blocks and 26 aces. The former Husker spent three seasons in Lincoln appearing in at least 26 matches during each year. Her best season came in 2022 as a sophomore where she recorded 2.33 kills per set, 1.06 digs per set and 0.57 blocks per set in 72 sets across 26 matches. &nbsp;

The Supernovas continued its Nebraska trend by drafting NU outside hitter Lindsay Krause at No. 19 overall in the third round. &nbsp;

A 6-foot-4 senior for Nebraska, Krause will return to her hometown when she joins the Supernovas after coming out of Omaha Skutt High School as the No. 1 overall recruit in the country. Krause has played in 99 career matches for Nebraska, recording 2.36 kills per set with 185 total blocks and 24 aces, with 15 of them coming this year. &nbsp;

“Being a drafted as a Supernova means the world to me,” Krause said. “I am so beyond grateful to get the opportunity to continue to represent and compete for my home state of Nebraska. The rich culture this team Coach Bird has already created in just one season is something I cannot wait to be a part of! GBR forever, and go Novas!”&nbsp;

11 picks later the Supernovas selected Pittsburgh outside hitter Valeria Vazquez-Gomez in the fourth round at No. 30 overall.&nbsp;

Vazquez-Gomez has helped Pittsburgh to its first two Final Four appearances in program history, with the Panthers amidst another great season in which they could reach a third consecutive Final Four.&nbsp;Vazquez-Gomez is a complete six-rotation outside hitter. She’s already matched her career high in aces (34) this season while adding 2.15 kills and 1.98 digs per set with 28 blocks. &nbsp;

The Puerto Rico native has racked up numerous accolades including an AVCA Second Team All-American honor and All-ACC Firrst Team selection in 2022. She was also named to the All-ACC Second Team in 2023 after hitting a career high .258 on the year. &nbsp;

Omaha rounded out its draft class in the fifth round at No. 37 overall with the selection of&nbsp;Wait.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Wait will go down as one of the greatest players in Creighton Volleyball history and has become one of the best setters in the country. A three-time AVCA All-American honree, Wait has a career 10.74 assists per set mark in over 125 matches with 3.19 digs per set, 476 kills, 343 blocks and 83 aces. &nbsp;

She’s in the middle of another phenomeal season for a top-ten Creighton team with 10.99 assists and 2.98 digs per set with 91 kills, 87 blocks and 21 aces. &nbsp;

With the conclusion of the draft, Omaha will enter training camp with 18 players competing for a spot on the 2025 roster with the new season set to begin with Banner Night when the Supernovas host the Atlanta Vibe on Friday, January 10 at 7 p.m. CST at the CHI Health Center.&nbsp;

Fans can recap all the draft action by viewing the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001qCVG_CWFZjvF3HOaVqTkaXIu8dIhCXzGnjKVWTuOWcaSF0ojHihxXzjX2mQvC49g-3mwHMXtn65skrT9No6FmNoPwrs6hZ46ZxjT0WVzjcuajfkyZW7sbyu5KaVeg0zkGgpt2oUDpjf47GfrcR6QlGvVxtHpzu7Oo_IsQFuO38Pw-y_19CqJ92K0Go7pmyYQ&amp;c=NzPU12LJpCnC67AFW9ZhiqvJvwGRtJOE8jIg_FxgyDG4iRDKrMWbzA==&amp;ch=Tfcf2l9TcQjs6YTrHUNO2BSMQQ5bvSX9W4YYPgJ52cQ0YMAh_1FkqQ==">Supernovas Draft Tracker.</a>&nbsp;

Fans can also tune in at 6:30 p.m. CST to watch the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001qCVG_CWFZjvF3HOaVqTkaXIu8dIhCXzGnjKVWTuOWcaSF0ojHihxX6ZDxeWycQKjIob-3dcjxHB7TpNH54c042nrKxqIIARVj-bk0dlpdnepGCcc9u7Fr8Esk9_Wi2zLoKOT-848-K2AS3N0wad4bt5TVUHejbZhMbLQ_fw0LfJveljJFHbrDQ==&amp;c=NzPU12LJpCnC67AFW9ZhiqvJvwGRtJOE8jIg_FxgyDG4iRDKrMWbzA==&amp;ch=Tfcf2l9TcQjs6YTrHUNO2BSMQQ5bvSX9W4YYPgJ52cQ0YMAh_1FkqQ==">Supernovas Post Draft Live Show,</a>&nbsp;hosted by John Baylor and Renee Saunders. The show will consist of live interviews with Supernovas coaches, players and draftees to celebrate the 2024 draft class.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The show will be live streamed on the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001qCVG_CWFZjvF3HOaVqTkaXIu8dIhCXzGnjKVWTuOWcaSF0ojHihxX6ZDxeWycQKjIob-3dcjxHB7TpNH54c042nrKxqIIARVj-bk0dlpdnepGCcc9u7Fr8Esk9_Wi2zLoKOT-848-K2AS3N0wad4bt5TVUHejbZhMbLQ_fw0LfJveljJFHbrDQ==&amp;c=NzPU12LJpCnC67AFW9ZhiqvJvwGRtJOE8jIg_FxgyDG4iRDKrMWbzA==&amp;ch=Tfcf2l9TcQjs6YTrHUNO2BSMQQ5bvSX9W4YYPgJ52cQ0YMAh_1FkqQ==">Supernovas YouTube channel</a>&nbsp;and social pages.&nbsp;&nbsp;

With another star-loaded roster and more opportunities to see the Supernovas, fans can buy the world’s hottest ticket in professional volleyball. Buy your 2025 season tickets today by clicking this&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001qCVG_CWFZjvF3HOaVqTkaXIu8dIhCXzGnjKVWTuOWcaSF0ojHihxXytlaXstMAXJlq91phILMheWrq62CGv7oJ1UBBn5egqTVvlwStT1eTFeFyj6YotEdQJ6lTxY84Ecs1uJhFh08u2eVQcpDO8JdetSb4QCWaXT73AgfEAHJDbKCwwL8aQgwFULMQ5HhTJ2&amp;c=NzPU12LJpCnC67AFW9ZhiqvJvwGRtJOE8jIg_FxgyDG4iRDKrMWbzA==&amp;ch=Tfcf2l9TcQjs6YTrHUNO2BSMQQ5bvSX9W4YYPgJ52cQ0YMAh_1FkqQ==">link</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

New for 2025 is a totally customizable, half-season ticket package. Choose any seven of the team’s 14 home matches and even select different seats for each game, with prices starting as low as $14 per match. Customize your Supernovas experience today by visiting this&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001qCVG_CWFZjvF3HOaVqTkaXIu8dIhCXzGnjKVWTuOWcaSF0ojHihxX0Km-QJYChCXC6oG5U1C-30j2D4BYzqoUF58XcIYtTWMLhfmCBkW5UqvMKtMmd4QtepL6W2MYBgzrgyfdX_lXSyf5AwJ1qh9xt8T0gr06l6gWGGZS0zWY1Cfpvz9ulajsDSX50TB8TITERMkXhJUmrc=&amp;c=NzPU12LJpCnC67AFW9ZhiqvJvwGRtJOE8jIg_FxgyDG4iRDKrMWbzA==&amp;ch=Tfcf2l9TcQjs6YTrHUNO2BSMQQ5bvSX9W4YYPgJ52cQ0YMAh_1FkqQ==">link</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Check out the Supernovas full&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001qCVG_CWFZjvF3HOaVqTkaXIu8dIhCXzGnjKVWTuOWcaSF0ojHihxX_jcz1TOmuzf_Wehrl3rNhb3Bs8E4uvk4KpHgpdbA07kxoX_Txj5NRKc4KYufZVSqMWNQArFQ9Y5K0k7fcKLASpc28ShD2hFD5gmgX1o4xmhzfOoFWJvkZKpTJxzNAd95lmQLUMjLBinhkBD6-GOuUw=&amp;c=NzPU12LJpCnC67AFW9ZhiqvJvwGRtJOE8jIg_FxgyDG4iRDKrMWbzA==&amp;ch=Tfcf2l9TcQjs6YTrHUNO2BSMQQ5bvSX9W4YYPgJ52cQ0YMAh_1FkqQ==">2025 schedule.</a>&nbsp;

For any questions regarding the season ticket purchase process, please visit the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001qCVG_CWFZjvF3HOaVqTkaXIu8dIhCXzGnjKVWTuOWcaSF0ojHihxXxGlcA7K4rBDqRqZ-T-XP0EVsU_QrV5VCr5gsCk-p2lGF3O0okk-y9pQ_5YFNf121Z1sh8uCiT9Br5SVSQ4cMDJMfUpzJD4WDp1boVQ9CtkHxQqoBJ4oNag=&amp;c=NzPU12LJpCnC67AFW9ZhiqvJvwGRtJOE8jIg_FxgyDG4iRDKrMWbzA==&amp;ch=Tfcf2l9TcQjs6YTrHUNO2BSMQQ5bvSX9W4YYPgJ52cQ0YMAh_1FkqQ==">Supernovas Ticket FAQ page</a>&nbsp;or by calling 402-502-5268.&nbsp;

To receive Supernovas updates, news and ticket information, download the official Supernovas App by clicking this&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001qCVG_CWFZjvF3HOaVqTkaXIu8dIhCXzGnjKVWTuOWcaSF0ojHihxXwbpRGQ_fXjnXTN2eZGYfIL28QxJ30nkeFgjN3mp_Cylw9IEO-mcAlBai7HReGq5uiDDIzp9idL0WrI6BLH46d6qA4KCioBsCsfs3TskTkvJNJVsLQ6Pq1DNXNMQCCNGhg==&amp;c=NzPU12LJpCnC67AFW9ZhiqvJvwGRtJOE8jIg_FxgyDG4iRDKrMWbzA==&amp;ch=Tfcf2l9TcQjs6YTrHUNO2BSMQQ5bvSX9W4YYPgJ52cQ0YMAh_1FkqQ==">link</a>.&nbsp;

To celebrate being the inaugural PVF champions, fans will be able to see the Supernovas and championship trophy as part of the official Championship Trophy Tour. Please click this&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001qCVG_CWFZjvF3HOaVqTkaXIu8dIhCXzGnjKVWTuOWcaSF0ojHihxX_r4yJWzludT958t9AW6kEDnxfu7phbThV8H_jNAq1BWOH9pVtZCYHgDouTSZ34kTjUat1nLTxLZrxCfkNBoS8tb_sAQx1XLkkJfae2pI-k1G2k24mnce3LpLh6uJcza0eamo-3B2bMR&amp;c=NzPU12LJpCnC67AFW9ZhiqvJvwGRtJOE8jIg_FxgyDG4iRDKrMWbzA==&amp;ch=Tfcf2l9TcQjs6YTrHUNO2BSMQQ5bvSX9W4YYPgJ52cQ0YMAh_1FkqQ==">link</a>&nbsp;to see where the Supernovas are this fall!&nbsp;

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

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

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

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732568969106.jpeg" alt="Nebraska - Lindsay Krause (Courtesy)" />
 <figcaption>Nebraska - Lindsay Krause (Courtesy)</figcaption>
 </figure>Geoff ExstromOmaha SupernovasOMAHA, Neb.&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Omaha Supernovas,&nbsp;Nebraska’s professional volleyball team and first Pro Volleyball Champions, are thrilled to announce its six-person 2024 draft class, which was selected during the 2024 PVF Draft earlier on Monday.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Supernovas second full draft class includes middle blocker&nbsp;Toyosi Onabanjo&nbsp;from Kansas, opposite&nbsp;Emily Londot&nbsp;from Ohio State, outside hitter&nbsp;Ally Batenhorst&nbsp;from USC, outside hitter&nbsp;Lindsay Krause&nbsp;from Nebraska, outside hitter&nbsp;Valeria Vazquez-Gomez&nbsp;from Pittsburgh and setter&nbsp;Kendra Wait&nbsp;from Creighton.&nbsp;&nbsp;"Today is a phenomenal day for our sport and an opportunity to celebrate the incredible success of these athletes,"&nbsp;Supernovas head coach Laura "Bird" Kuhn&nbsp;said. "We’re thrilled with the depth we’ve added on both pins and excited to see the young talent grow and develop in our gym. Last season taught us the importance of depth and competitive chemistry, and this group will play a key role in strengthening our 2025 Supernovas squad!"Omaha bolstered its middle blocker group with its first selection at No. 8 overall with Onabanjo for the final pick of the first round. &nbsp;Onabanjo spent her first two seasons at Iowa before transferring to Kansas ahead of the 2023 season. She put up 1.82 kills per set with 101 total blocks during her junior season, but it’s her senior campaign that has made her into one of the top middle blockers in the country. The Houston, Texas native is averaging 2.58 kills per set this season on a .408 hitting percentage with 101 blocks (1.2 B/S). She’s put up double-digit kills in nine matches this season including a season-high 22 kills in a match at Duke earlier in the year. &nbsp;The Supernovas followed up with Londot two picks later for the second selection of the second round at No. 10 overall, which was a draft pick Omaha acquired last season in a trade with the San Diego Mojo.&nbsp;Londot comes to Omaha after being one of the best offensive players in college volleyball since she won the AVCA National Freshman of the Year award in 2020. Named a second team All-American in 2020 and 2022, Londot has a career 4.22 kills per set mark in over 140 career matches. &nbsp;She’s continued that stellar play during her fifth and final college season in 2024, posting a 4.41 kills per set mark. She’s also improved her blocking during her final college season, posting 102 blocks (0.88 B/S) with 30 aces. A three-time All-Big Ten first team selection, Londot entered the 2024 season top five in program history in kills and points while being in the top 20 in block assists, total blocks and digs. &nbsp;The Supernovas picked again in the second round at No. 15 overall, drafting USC outside hitter Ally Batenhorst, who returns to the Cornhusker state after spending her first three college seasons at Nebraska.&nbsp;&nbsp;Batenhorst has excelled in her first season as a full-time starting outside hitter, averaging 3.82 kills per set to lead the team on a .228 hitting percentage with 2.09 digs per set, 86 blocks and 26 aces. The former Husker spent three seasons in Lincoln appearing in at least 26 matches during each year. Her best season came in 2022 as a sophomore where she recorded 2.33 kills per set, 1.06 digs per set and 0.57 blocks per set in 72 sets across 26 matches. &nbsp;The Supernovas continued its Nebraska trend by drafting NU outside hitter Lindsay Krause at No. 19 overall in the third round. &nbsp;A 6-foot-4 senior for Nebraska, Krause will return to her hometown when she joins the Supernovas after coming out of Omaha Skutt High School as the No. 1 overall recruit in the country. Krause has played in 99 career matches for Nebraska, recording 2.36 kills per set with 185 total blocks and 24 aces, with 15 of them coming this year. &nbsp;“Being a drafted as a Supernova means the world to me,” Krause said. “I am so beyond grateful to get the opportunity to continue to represent and compete for my home state of Nebraska. The rich culture this team Coach Bird has already created in just one season is something I cannot wait to be a part of! GBR forever, and go Novas!”&nbsp;11 picks later the Supernovas selected Pittsburgh outside hitter Valeria Vazquez-Gomez in the fourth round at No. 30 overall.&nbsp;Vazquez-Gomez has helped Pittsburgh to its first two Final Four appearances in program history, with the Panthers amidst another great season in which they could reach a third consecutive Final Four.&nbsp;Vazquez-Gomez is a complete six-rotation outside hitter. She’s already matched her career high in aces (34) this season while adding 2.15 kills and 1.98 digs per set with 28 blocks. &nbsp;The Puerto Rico native has racked up numerous accolades including an AVCA Second Team All-American honor and All-ACC Firrst Team selection in 2022. She was also named to the All-ACC Second Team in 2023 after hitting a career high .258 on the year. &nbsp;Omaha rounded out its draft class in the fifth round at No. 37 overall with the selection of&nbsp;Wait.&nbsp;&nbsp;Wait will go down as one of the greatest players in Creighton Volleyball history and has become one of the best setters in the country. A three-time AVCA All-American honree, Wait has a career 10.74 assists per set mark in over 125 matches with 3.19 digs per set, 476 kills, 343 blocks and 83 aces. &nbsp;She’s in the middle of another phenomeal season for a top-ten Creighton team with 10.99 assists and 2.98 digs per set with 91 kills, 87 blocks and 21 aces. &nbsp;With the conclusion of the draft, Omaha will enter training camp with 18 players competing for a spot on the 2025 roster with the new season set to begin with Banner Night when the Supernovas host the Atlanta Vibe on Friday, January 10 at 7 p.m. CST at the CHI Health Center.&nbsp;Fans can recap all the draft action by viewing the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001qCVG_CWFZjvF3HOaVqTkaXIu8dIhCXzGnjKVWTuOWcaSF0ojHihxXzjX2mQvC49g-3mwHMXtn65skrT9No6FmNoPwrs6hZ46ZxjT0WVzjcuajfkyZW7sbyu5KaVeg0zkGgpt2oUDpjf47GfrcR6QlGvVxtHpzu7Oo_IsQFuO38Pw-y_19CqJ92K0Go7pmyYQ&amp;c=NzPU12LJpCnC67AFW9ZhiqvJvwGRtJOE8jIg_FxgyDG4iRDKrMWbzA==&amp;ch=Tfcf2l9TcQjs6YTrHUNO2BSMQQ5bvSX9W4YYPgJ52cQ0YMAh_1FkqQ==">Supernovas Draft Tracker.</a>&nbsp;Fans can also tune in at 6:30 p.m. CST to watch the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001qCVG_CWFZjvF3HOaVqTkaXIu8dIhCXzGnjKVWTuOWcaSF0ojHihxX6ZDxeWycQKjIob-3dcjxHB7TpNH54c042nrKxqIIARVj-bk0dlpdnepGCcc9u7Fr8Esk9_Wi2zLoKOT-848-K2AS3N0wad4bt5TVUHejbZhMbLQ_fw0LfJveljJFHbrDQ==&amp;c=NzPU12LJpCnC67AFW9ZhiqvJvwGRtJOE8jIg_FxgyDG4iRDKrMWbzA==&amp;ch=Tfcf2l9TcQjs6YTrHUNO2BSMQQ5bvSX9W4YYPgJ52cQ0YMAh_1FkqQ==">Supernovas Post Draft Live Show,</a>&nbsp;hosted by John Baylor and Renee Saunders. The show will consist of live interviews with Supernovas coaches, players and draftees to celebrate the 2024 draft class.&nbsp;&nbsp;The show will be live streamed on the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001qCVG_CWFZjvF3HOaVqTkaXIu8dIhCXzGnjKVWTuOWcaSF0ojHihxX6ZDxeWycQKjIob-3dcjxHB7TpNH54c042nrKxqIIARVj-bk0dlpdnepGCcc9u7Fr8Esk9_Wi2zLoKOT-848-K2AS3N0wad4bt5TVUHejbZhMbLQ_fw0LfJveljJFHbrDQ==&amp;c=NzPU12LJpCnC67AFW9ZhiqvJvwGRtJOE8jIg_FxgyDG4iRDKrMWbzA==&amp;ch=Tfcf2l9TcQjs6YTrHUNO2BSMQQ5bvSX9W4YYPgJ52cQ0YMAh_1FkqQ==">Supernovas YouTube channel</a>&nbsp;and social pages.&nbsp;&nbsp;With another star-loaded roster and more opportunities to see the Supernovas, fans can buy the world’s hottest ticket in professional volleyball. Buy your 2025 season tickets today by clicking this&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001qCVG_CWFZjvF3HOaVqTkaXIu8dIhCXzGnjKVWTuOWcaSF0ojHihxXytlaXstMAXJlq91phILMheWrq62CGv7oJ1UBBn5egqTVvlwStT1eTFeFyj6YotEdQJ6lTxY84Ecs1uJhFh08u2eVQcpDO8JdetSb4QCWaXT73AgfEAHJDbKCwwL8aQgwFULMQ5HhTJ2&amp;c=NzPU12LJpCnC67AFW9ZhiqvJvwGRtJOE8jIg_FxgyDG4iRDKrMWbzA==&amp;ch=Tfcf2l9TcQjs6YTrHUNO2BSMQQ5bvSX9W4YYPgJ52cQ0YMAh_1FkqQ==">link</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;New for 2025 is a totally customizable, half-season ticket package. Choose any seven of the team’s 14 home matches and even select different seats for each game, with prices starting as low as $14 per match. Customize your Supernovas experience today by visiting this&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001qCVG_CWFZjvF3HOaVqTkaXIu8dIhCXzGnjKVWTuOWcaSF0ojHihxX0Km-QJYChCXC6oG5U1C-30j2D4BYzqoUF58XcIYtTWMLhfmCBkW5UqvMKtMmd4QtepL6W2MYBgzrgyfdX_lXSyf5AwJ1qh9xt8T0gr06l6gWGGZS0zWY1Cfpvz9ulajsDSX50TB8TITERMkXhJUmrc=&amp;c=NzPU12LJpCnC67AFW9ZhiqvJvwGRtJOE8jIg_FxgyDG4iRDKrMWbzA==&amp;ch=Tfcf2l9TcQjs6YTrHUNO2BSMQQ5bvSX9W4YYPgJ52cQ0YMAh_1FkqQ==">link</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;Check out the Supernovas full&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001qCVG_CWFZjvF3HOaVqTkaXIu8dIhCXzGnjKVWTuOWcaSF0ojHihxX_jcz1TOmuzf_Wehrl3rNhb3Bs8E4uvk4KpHgpdbA07kxoX_Txj5NRKc4KYufZVSqMWNQArFQ9Y5K0k7fcKLASpc28ShD2hFD5gmgX1o4xmhzfOoFWJvkZKpTJxzNAd95lmQLUMjLBinhkBD6-GOuUw=&amp;c=NzPU12LJpCnC67AFW9ZhiqvJvwGRtJOE8jIg_FxgyDG4iRDKrMWbzA==&amp;ch=Tfcf2l9TcQjs6YTrHUNO2BSMQQ5bvSX9W4YYPgJ52cQ0YMAh_1FkqQ==">2025 schedule.</a>&nbsp;For any questions regarding the season ticket purchase process, please visit the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001qCVG_CWFZjvF3HOaVqTkaXIu8dIhCXzGnjKVWTuOWcaSF0ojHihxXxGlcA7K4rBDqRqZ-T-XP0EVsU_QrV5VCr5gsCk-p2lGF3O0okk-y9pQ_5YFNf121Z1sh8uCiT9Br5SVSQ4cMDJMfUpzJD4WDp1boVQ9CtkHxQqoBJ4oNag=&amp;c=NzPU12LJpCnC67AFW9ZhiqvJvwGRtJOE8jIg_FxgyDG4iRDKrMWbzA==&amp;ch=Tfcf2l9TcQjs6YTrHUNO2BSMQQ5bvSX9W4YYPgJ52cQ0YMAh_1FkqQ==">Supernovas Ticket FAQ page</a>&nbsp;or by calling 402-502-5268.&nbsp;To receive Supernovas updates, news and ticket information, download the official Supernovas App by clicking this&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001qCVG_CWFZjvF3HOaVqTkaXIu8dIhCXzGnjKVWTuOWcaSF0ojHihxXwbpRGQ_fXjnXTN2eZGYfIL28QxJ30nkeFgjN3mp_Cylw9IEO-mcAlBai7HReGq5uiDDIzp9idL0WrI6BLH46d6qA4KCioBsCsfs3TskTkvJNJVsLQ6Pq1DNXNMQCCNGhg==&amp;c=NzPU12LJpCnC67AFW9ZhiqvJvwGRtJOE8jIg_FxgyDG4iRDKrMWbzA==&amp;ch=Tfcf2l9TcQjs6YTrHUNO2BSMQQ5bvSX9W4YYPgJ52cQ0YMAh_1FkqQ==">link</a>.&nbsp;To celebrate being the inaugural PVF champions, fans will be able to see the Supernovas and championship trophy as part of the official Championship Trophy Tour. Please click this&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001qCVG_CWFZjvF3HOaVqTkaXIu8dIhCXzGnjKVWTuOWcaSF0ojHihxX_r4yJWzludT958t9AW6kEDnxfu7phbThV8H_jNAq1BWOH9pVtZCYHgDouTSZ34kTjUat1nLTxLZrxCfkNBoS8tb_sAQx1XLkkJfae2pI-k1G2k24mnce3LpLh6uJcza0eamo-3B2bMR&amp;c=NzPU12LJpCnC67AFW9ZhiqvJvwGRtJOE8jIg_FxgyDG4iRDKrMWbzA==&amp;ch=Tfcf2l9TcQjs6YTrHUNO2BSMQQ5bvSX9W4YYPgJ52cQ0YMAh_1FkqQ==">link</a>&nbsp;to see where the Supernovas are this fall!&nbsp;ABOUT OMAHA SUPERNOVAS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Omaha Supernovas are the premier home of professional volleyball, boasting the No. 1 Pro Volleyball average attendance in the world. The Supernovas 2025 season will begin in January. The team is owned by global music sensation Jason Derulo and entrepreneur Danny White, Co-Founder of City+Ventures, an investment and business acceleration organization headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.&nbsp;&nbsp;ABOUT PRO VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pro Volleyball Federation is the leading professional volleyball league in the United States. PVF sets the standard for the sport, offering the largest number of franchises, unmatched attendance, extensive broadcast coverage and substantial championship prize money. It combines top-tier talent, including NCAA stars and international athletes, with cutting-edge production and technology to provide fans with an unmatched viewing experience. As a vital link between collegiate volleyball and the professional stage, PVF is dedicated to shaping the future of the sport and increasing visibility for its athletes. For more information, visit ProVolleyball.com.&nbsp;

Onabanjo, Londot, Local Connections Headline Supernovas 2024 Draft Class 

The Western Conference has announced the 2024 Western Conference All Conference Football team. The Western Conference features Alliance, Scottsbluff, Gering, Chadron, Mitchell and Sidney. Here are the 2024 all conference 1st team and honorable mentions:

Honorable Mentions:&nbsp;Caysen Robertson and&nbsp;Jett Herian

Quinn Bailey,&nbsp;Caden Buskirk,&nbsp;Talon Jelinek,&nbsp;Bryson Bickel,&nbsp;Owen Wess and&nbsp;Braden Wright

Honorable Mention:&nbsp;Bricen Wright,&nbsp;Layne Davidson,&nbsp;Zane Cullers and&nbsp;Tobin Meyer

Bo Gable,&nbsp;Barren Williams,&nbsp;Rece Knight and&nbsp;Creighton Beals

Honorable Mention:&nbsp;Bodie Kumm,&nbsp;Quinton Robbins,&nbsp;Tyler Cape and&nbsp;Lukas Kadolph

Adriane Garza,&nbsp;Landen Murphy,&nbsp;Jackson Jenkins and&nbsp;Wyatt Sauer

Honorable Mention:&nbsp;Uzziah Voss,&nbsp;Kaden Hessler,&nbsp;Michael Plasencio and&nbsp;Xanvier Galloway

Nate Kelley,&nbsp;Jhett Webb,&nbsp;Braxton Burford,&nbsp;Ryan  Hinman,&nbsp;Adain Haffner and&nbsp;Dez Smith

Honorable Mention:&nbsp;Dawson Barrett,&nbsp;Lucas Lively,&nbsp;Emilio Cervantes and&nbsp;Sebastian Galindo

Landon Riddle,&nbsp;Keian Kaiser,&nbsp;Patrick McCartney,&nbsp;Alek Doty,&nbsp;Reid Fiscus and&nbsp;Owen Gillham

Honorable Mention:&nbsp;Zech Roggasch,&nbsp;Anderson Smelley,&nbsp;Conner Hurt and&nbsp;Lance Holly

The Western Conference has announced the 2024 Western Conference All Conference Football team. The Western Conference features Alliance, Scottsbluff, Gering, Chadron, Mitchell and Sidney. Here are the 2024 all conference 1st team and honorable mentions:AllianceTrini Trejo and&nbsp;Luke WeemsHonorable Mentions:&nbsp;Caysen Robertson and&nbsp;Jett HerianChadronQuinn Bailey,&nbsp;Caden Buskirk,&nbsp;Talon Jelinek,&nbsp;Bryson Bickel,&nbsp;Owen Wess and&nbsp;Braden WrightHonorable Mention:&nbsp;Bricen Wright,&nbsp;Layne Davidson,&nbsp;Zane Cullers and&nbsp;Tobin MeyerGeringBo Gable,&nbsp;Barren Williams,&nbsp;Rece Knight and&nbsp;Creighton BealsHonorable Mention:&nbsp;Bodie Kumm,&nbsp;Quinton Robbins,&nbsp;Tyler Cape and&nbsp;Lukas KadolphMitchellAdriane Garza,&nbsp;Landen Murphy,&nbsp;Jackson Jenkins and&nbsp;Wyatt SauerHonorable Mention:&nbsp;Uzziah Voss,&nbsp;Kaden Hessler,&nbsp;Michael Plasencio and&nbsp;Xanvier GallowayScottsbluffNate Kelley,&nbsp;Jhett Webb,&nbsp;Braxton Burford,&nbsp;Ryan Hinman,&nbsp;Adain Haffner and&nbsp;Dez SmithHonorable Mention:&nbsp;Dawson Barrett,&nbsp;Lucas Lively,&nbsp;Emilio Cervantes and&nbsp;Sebastian GalindoSidneyLandon Riddle,&nbsp;Keian Kaiser,&nbsp;Patrick McCartney,&nbsp;Alek Doty,&nbsp;Reid Fiscus and&nbsp;Owen GillhamHonorable Mention:&nbsp;Zech Roggasch,&nbsp;Anderson Smelley,&nbsp;Conner Hurt and&nbsp;Lance Holly

2024 Western Conference All Conference Football Team

The Western Conference has announced the 2024 Western Conference All Conference Volleyball team. The Western Conference features Alliance, Scottsbluff, Gering, Chadron, Mitchell and Sidney. Here are the 2024 all conference and honorable mentions:

Honorable Mention: Josie Sanders and Taylee Thompson

Honorable Mention: Raylie Pourier and&nbsp;Paige Slingsby

Jacey Cochran,&nbsp;Jaxie John and&nbsp;Aubrey Anderson

Honorable Mention:&nbsp;Madelyn Rico and&nbsp;Makenzie Todd

Honorable Mention:&nbsp;Ashton Keener and&nbsp;Reese Sauer

Emma Hergenreder,&nbsp;Margo Bowles and&nbsp;Alainah Salas

Honorable Mention:&nbsp;Ava Reed and&nbsp;Addison Bowlin

Honorable Mention:&nbsp;Deanna Horst and&nbsp;Reagan Nesbitt

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729787270307.jpeg" alt="Alliance volleyball hosting Chadron on 10/21/24 (Photo from Canon Rath/Panhandle Post)" />
 <figcaption>Alliance volleyball hosting Chadron on 10/21/24 (Photo from Canon Rath/Panhandle Post)</figcaption>
 </figure>The Western Conference has announced the 2024 Western Conference All Conference Volleyball team. The Western Conference features Alliance, Scottsbluff, Gering, Chadron, Mitchell and Sidney. Here are the 2024 all conference and honorable mentions:Alliance:Macy Seebohm and Addison WeberHonorable Mention: Josie Sanders and Taylee ThompsonChadron:Jenny PinntHonorable Mention: Raylie Pourier and&nbsp;Paige SlingsbyGering:Jacey Cochran,&nbsp;Jaxie John and&nbsp;Aubrey AndersonHonorable Mention:&nbsp;Madelyn Rico and&nbsp;Makenzie ToddMitchell:Kaitlyn Keener and&nbsp;Aimee MoralesHonorable Mention:&nbsp;Ashton Keener and&nbsp;Reese SauerScottsbluff:Emma Hergenreder,&nbsp;Margo Bowles and&nbsp;Alainah SalasHonorable Mention:&nbsp;Ava Reed and&nbsp;Addison BowlinSidney:Kierra SchraderHonorable Mention:&nbsp;Deanna Horst and&nbsp;Reagan Nesbitt

2024 Western Conference All Conference Volleyball Team

Story by NPCC Athletic Communications

North Platte – The North Platte Community College volleyball, women’s basketball, softball and golf programs will join the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I ranks beginning July 1.

"Over the past several months we&nbsp;have evaluated what would be best for all our athletic teams moving forward,” said athletic director Kevin O’Connor. “The transition to Division I will enhance our ability to schedule opponents and allow the programs to offer more scholarship aid than what is allowed at the Division II level."

The move comes after the departure of Central Community College, who will be staying in the Division II ranks but joining Region XI.

The transition will allow athletic programs the ability to offer a limited number of full scholarships (tuition, books, fees, room &amp; board) for students interested in continuing their academic and athletic careers at the next level.

All Knights athletic programs will compete alongside Casper, Central Wyoming, Eastern Wyoming, Gillette, Lamar, Laramie County, Luna, McCook, Northeastern, Northwest, Otero,&nbsp;Southeast, Trinidad, Western Nebraska and Western Wyoming in Region IX play.

Story by NPCC Athletic CommunicationsNorth Platte – The North Platte Community College volleyball, women’s basketball, softball and golf programs will join the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I ranks beginning July 1."Over the past several months we&nbsp;have evaluated what would be best for all our athletic teams moving forward,” said athletic director Kevin O’Connor. “The transition to Division I will enhance our ability to schedule opponents and allow the programs to offer more scholarship aid than what is allowed at the Division II level."The move comes after the departure of Central Community College, who will be staying in the Division II ranks but joining Region XI.The transition will allow athletic programs the ability to offer a limited number of full scholarships (tuition, books, fees, room &amp; board) for students interested in continuing their academic and athletic careers at the next level.All Knights athletic programs will compete alongside Casper, Central Wyoming, Eastern Wyoming, Gillette, Lamar, Laramie County, Luna, McCook, Northeastern, Northwest, Otero,&nbsp;Southeast, Trinidad, Western Nebraska and Western Wyoming in Region IX play.

NPCC athletic programs to move to NJCAA Division I

Kearney, Neb. –&nbsp;Third-ranked Nebraska Kearney has placed seven players on the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://themiaa.com/news/2024/11/20/womens-volleyball-2024-all-miaa-volleyball-teams-and-postseason-awards.aspx">2024 All-MIAA volleyball team</a>&nbsp;and won five special awards.

The league's 14 head coaches choose award winners, and they cannot vote for their own players. &nbsp;First, graduate&nbsp;Alli Wiese&nbsp;(Mattawan, Mich.) is the Co-Defensive Player of the Year and the Libero of the Year. Next, graduate&nbsp;Peyton Neff&nbsp;(North Platte) is the unanimous choice for Setter of the Year with sophomore middle&nbsp;Mia Berg&nbsp;(Eureka, Mo.) the Hitter of the Year. Finally,&nbsp;Rick Squiers&nbsp;is named MIAA Coach of the Year for the fourth time.&nbsp;

Wiese and Neff were two of the six unanimous first-team selections with Berg and senior outside&nbsp;Asha Regier&nbsp;(Newton, Kan.) also on the top squad. Junior outside&nbsp;Emilee Lane&nbsp;(Hays, Kan.) made the second team with graduate right side&nbsp;Lauren Taubenheim&nbsp;(Lincoln Pius) and junior middle&nbsp;Abby Rose&nbsp;(Lindsborg, Kan.) named honorable mention.

Taubenheim joins libero Ellie McDonnell and middles Anna Squiers and Tara Ziegelbein as the only Lopers to be a 4-time All-MIAA pick. Neff could join that group next fall with Regier and Berg now two-time honorees.

A two-time All-American at Hilldale (Mich.) College, Wiese has shined brightly in her lone year in Kearney. A four-time MIAA Defensive Player of the Week winner, she is averaging 5.67 digs per set while also having 78 assists and 31 service aces. One of three Lopers that has appeared in all 97 sets, Wiese has a team-best high 644 serve receive attempts (.970 pct.) and is closing in on 3,000 career digs.

​Next, Neff runs an offense that is averaging 14.8 kills per set and hitting .260. UNK is among the Division II leaders in several offensive categories with five players having registered at least 150 kills. Neff enters the MIAA Tournament averaging 12.5 assists, 2.7 digs, 0.6 blocks, and 0.6 kills per set with 15 service aces. She also is closing in on 4,000 career assists and 1,000 career digs.

In the middle, Berg leads the Lopers in points (346.0) and points per set (3.89) while ranking second in kills (282), kills per set (3.17) and attack percentage (.326). She has had 16 matches with a double digit kill total and leads UNK in blocks (1.12 per set) as well.

Squiers is now 786-109 (.878 win pct.) in his Loper tenure which began in 1999. In addition to his four MIAA COY awards, he was an 8-time Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) COY.&nbsp;He previously won the MIAA award in 2019, 2016 and 2012.

Among the other all-league selections, Regier is UNK's leading attacker with 292 kills and a 3.28 set average. Hitting .254, she's had 17 matches with a double digit kill total including the last seven and provides 0.7 digs and 0.4 blocks pet set as well. Next, Rose leads the Lopers in attack percentage (.332) while supplying 2.1 kills and 0.6 blocks per set with Lane third on the team in kills per set (2.8) as she's had a double digit kill total 12 times. Finally, Taubenheim is one of UNK's top passers, posting a .984 serve receive percentage. She also is at 2.7 digs, 1.3 kills and 0.5 blocks per set with 18 service aces and 19 assists.

The Lopers (28-1) face Fort Hays State Thursday at 5 p.m. in the first round of the MIAA Tourney in St. Joseph.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732122641313.jpeg" alt="Peyton Neff (UNK Athletics)" />
 <figcaption>Peyton Neff (UNK Athletics)</figcaption>
 </figure>UNK AthleticsKearney, Neb. –&nbsp;Third-ranked Nebraska Kearney has placed seven players on the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://themiaa.com/news/2024/11/20/womens-volleyball-2024-all-miaa-volleyball-teams-and-postseason-awards.aspx">2024 All-MIAA volleyball team</a>&nbsp;and won five special awards.The league's 14 head coaches choose award winners, and they cannot vote for their own players. &nbsp;First, graduate&nbsp;Alli Wiese&nbsp;(Mattawan, Mich.) is the Co-Defensive Player of the Year and the Libero of the Year. Next, graduate&nbsp;Peyton Neff&nbsp;(North Platte) is the unanimous choice for Setter of the Year with sophomore middle&nbsp;Mia Berg&nbsp;(Eureka, Mo.) the Hitter of the Year. Finally,&nbsp;Rick Squiers&nbsp;is named MIAA Coach of the Year for the fourth time.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732122685802.jpeg" alt="Rick Squiers (UNK Athletics)" />
 <figcaption>Rick Squiers (UNK Athletics)</figcaption>
 </figure>Wiese and Neff were two of the six unanimous first-team selections with Berg and senior outside&nbsp;Asha Regier&nbsp;(Newton, Kan.) also on the top squad. Junior outside&nbsp;Emilee Lane&nbsp;(Hays, Kan.) made the second team with graduate right side&nbsp;Lauren Taubenheim&nbsp;(Lincoln Pius) and junior middle&nbsp;Abby Rose&nbsp;(Lindsborg, Kan.) named honorable mention.Taubenheim joins libero Ellie McDonnell and middles Anna Squiers and Tara Ziegelbein as the only Lopers to be a 4-time All-MIAA pick. Neff could join that group next fall with Regier and Berg now two-time honorees.A two-time All-American at Hilldale (Mich.) College, Wiese has shined brightly in her lone year in Kearney. A four-time MIAA Defensive Player of the Week winner, she is averaging 5.67 digs per set while also having 78 assists and 31 service aces. One of three Lopers that has appeared in all 97 sets, Wiese has a team-best high 644 serve receive attempts (.970 pct.) and is closing in on 3,000 career digs.​Next, Neff runs an offense that is averaging 14.8 kills per set and hitting .260. UNK is among the Division II leaders in several offensive categories with five players having registered at least 150 kills. Neff enters the MIAA Tournament averaging 12.5 assists, 2.7 digs, 0.6 blocks, and 0.6 kills per set with 15 service aces. She also is closing in on 4,000 career assists and 1,000 career digs.In the middle, Berg leads the Lopers in points (346.0) and points per set (3.89) while ranking second in kills (282), kills per set (3.17) and attack percentage (.326). She has had 16 matches with a double digit kill total and leads UNK in blocks (1.12 per set) as well.Squiers is now 786-109 (.878 win pct.) in his Loper tenure which began in 1999. In addition to his four MIAA COY awards, he was an 8-time Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) COY.&nbsp;He previously won the MIAA award in 2019, 2016 and 2012.Among the other all-league selections, Regier is UNK's leading attacker with 292 kills and a 3.28 set average. Hitting .254, she's had 17 matches with a double digit kill total including the last seven and provides 0.7 digs and 0.4 blocks pet set as well. Next, Rose leads the Lopers in attack percentage (.332) while supplying 2.1 kills and 0.6 blocks per set with Lane third on the team in kills per set (2.8) as she's had a double digit kill total 12 times. Finally, Taubenheim is one of UNK's top passers, posting a .984 serve receive percentage. She also is at 2.7 digs, 1.3 kills and 0.5 blocks per set with 18 service aces and 19 assists.The Lopers (28-1) face Fort Hays State Thursday at 5 p.m. in the first round of the MIAA Tourney in St. Joseph.&nbsp;&nbsp;

North Platte native Peyton Neff tabbed as the 2024 MIAA Setter of the Year for Volleyball

NORTH PLATTE, NE. - The Matt Rambo Lacrosse Experience will be held in North Platte November 23-24 and will feature coaches and instruction from around the country as well as the USA National Team and current Professional Lacrosse League star Matt Rambo. 

The weekend will also include tryouts for the nationally recognized Crabs Lacrosse Club. This weekend kicks off a new initiative in North Platte to make the area a central location when it comes to the sport.&nbsp;

“We are excited to embark on this new initiative in making North Platte a premier destination for the sport of the lacrosse, our central location is key for making this partnership work.” said Lisa Burke, Executive Director of Visit North Platte. “Sports tourism is important to our economy and making lacrosse a central theme will only elevate our commitment to our event partners. We are excited to welcome Matt, Tom and the entire lacrosse community to our city.”&nbsp;

The event will be held at Centennial Park on both Saturday, November 23rd and Sunday, 24th. Players of all ages will receive instruction from some of the best minds in the sport of lacrosse, along with playing games to further increase the competition. PLL superstar Matt Rambo will also share his insights on the sport and

share with players ideas and advice on playing in college and even professionally. Players and teams can learn more about the weekend and sign up at floridapreplax.com.&nbsp;

“The City of North Platte and Visit North Platte have welcomed us with open arms and we are thrilled to begin this sports tourism initiative,” said Tom West, Florida Crabs Director and event organizer. “With the help of Aland and Airstream Ventures, Matt and I couldn’t be more excited to build this event but to also share in the coming weeks how North Platte is going to become central to the sport of lacrosse in the region. Simply put, there is some huge stuff on the horizon with the partnership between North Platte and the sport, professionally, collegiately and youth.”&nbsp;

The sport of lacrosse is one of the fastest growing sports in the United States and Visit North Platte has seized a big opportunity. In the coming weeks, Rambo and West have said a few announcements are upcoming that will continue to further the area as a hub for the sport. Details will be upcoming, but in the words of West “the governing bodies of the sport have marked North Platte as a strategic destination for the sport.”&nbsp;

Visit North PlatteNORTH PLATTE, NE. - The Matt Rambo Lacrosse Experience will be held in North Platte November 23-24 and will feature coaches and instruction from around the country as well as the USA National Team and current Professional Lacrosse League star Matt Rambo. The weekend will also include tryouts for the nationally recognized Crabs Lacrosse Club. This weekend kicks off a new initiative in North Platte to make the area a central location when it comes to the sport.&nbsp;“We are excited to embark on this new initiative in making North Platte a premier destination for the sport of the lacrosse, our central location is key for making this partnership work.” said Lisa Burke, Executive Director of Visit North Platte. “Sports tourism is important to our economy and making lacrosse a central theme will only elevate our commitment to our event partners. We are excited to welcome Matt, Tom and the entire lacrosse community to our city.”&nbsp;The event will be held at Centennial Park on both Saturday, November 23rd and Sunday, 24th. Players of all ages will receive instruction from some of the best minds in the sport of lacrosse, along with playing games to further increase the competition. PLL superstar Matt Rambo will also share his insights on the sport andshare with players ideas and advice on playing in college and even professionally. Players and teams can learn more about the weekend and sign up at floridapreplax.com.&nbsp;“The City of North Platte and Visit North Platte have welcomed us with open arms and we are thrilled to begin this sports tourism initiative,” said Tom West, Florida Crabs Director and event organizer. “With the help of Aland and Airstream Ventures, Matt and I couldn’t be more excited to build this event but to also share in the coming weeks how North Platte is going to become central to the sport of lacrosse in the region. Simply put, there is some huge stuff on the horizon with the partnership between North Platte and the sport, professionally, collegiately and youth.”&nbsp;The sport of lacrosse is one of the fastest growing sports in the United States and Visit North Platte has seized a big opportunity. In the coming weeks, Rambo and West have said a few announcements are upcoming that will continue to further the area as a hub for the sport. Details will be upcoming, but in the words of West “the governing bodies of the sport have marked North Platte as a strategic destination for the sport.”&nbsp;

North Platte to Host Lacrosse Experience Featuring USA and PLL Superstar Matt Rambo 

North Platte, Neb. – Three members of the North Platte Community College volleyball team earned postseason recognition to conclude the 2024 season.

Sophomores Jaelyn Dicke, Aubrey Grant and EmiLee Walnofer etched their name on the Region IX postseason award list.

Dicke, an outside hitter from Waverly, appeared in 38 matches totaling 439 digs, 427 kills, 50 aces, 43 assists, 36 assisted blocks and eight solo blocks. At the conclusion of the 2024 campaign, Dicke led the league in kills per set and total kills, while finishing fifth in digs per set. During her two-year stint with the black and gold, Dicke posted 754 kills to move into tenth place all-time in career kills.

Aubrey Grant, a setter from Richfield, Utah, recorded 938 assists, 271 digs, 64 aces and 59 kills in her final season for the Knights. The sophomore finished the year second in the league in assists per set. She rounds out her two-year stint with 111 aces to move into tenth place all-time on the Knights career list.

EmiLee Walnofer, a defensive specialist from Atkinson, appeared in 38 matches compiling 505 digs, 86 assists, 44 aces and six kills. She finished second in total digs and third in digs per set in the region. Walnofer finishes her career with 971 digs and 70 aces in two seasons in North Platte.

Story by NPCC Athletic CommunicationsNorth Platte, Neb. – Three members of the North Platte Community College volleyball team earned postseason recognition to conclude the 2024 season.Sophomores Jaelyn Dicke, Aubrey Grant and EmiLee Walnofer etched their name on the Region IX postseason award list.Dicke, an outside hitter from Waverly, appeared in 38 matches totaling 439 digs, 427 kills, 50 aces, 43 assists, 36 assisted blocks and eight solo blocks. At the conclusion of the 2024 campaign, Dicke led the league in kills per set and total kills, while finishing fifth in digs per set. During her two-year stint with the black and gold, Dicke posted 754 kills to move into tenth place all-time in career kills.Aubrey Grant, a setter from Richfield, Utah, recorded 938 assists, 271 digs, 64 aces and 59 kills in her final season for the Knights. The sophomore finished the year second in the league in assists per set. She rounds out her two-year stint with 111 aces to move into tenth place all-time on the Knights career list.EmiLee Walnofer, a defensive specialist from Atkinson, appeared in 38 matches compiling 505 digs, 86 assists, 44 aces and six kills. She finished second in total digs and third in digs per set in the region. Walnofer finishes her career with 971 digs and 70 aces in two seasons in North Platte.

Knights land three on Region IX postseason award list

A breakdown of the CSU-Pueblo game and a deep-dive into what's ahead for CSC football in the short and longer-term future.  Coach Long addresses a myriad of topics heading into the off-season: fixing the offense, roster building, figuring out how to close games, how CSC football compares financially in the RMAC and what his expectation is for success.&nbsp; Show hosted by Dave Collins.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666116284028.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>A breakdown of the CSU-Pueblo game and a deep-dive into what's ahead for CSC football in the short and longer-term future. Coach Long addresses a myriad of topics heading into the off-season: fixing the offense, roster building, figuring out how to close games, how CSC football compares financially in the RMAC and what his expectation is for success.&nbsp; Show hosted by Dave Collins.<div><iframe title="Jay Long Show - November 19, 2024" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=pvy3t-1744d7d-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1b1b1b&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=c73a3a" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🔊 PODCAST: Jay Long Show - November 19, 2024

Kearney, Neb. –&nbsp;Nebraska Kearney has placed eight players on the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://themiaa.com/news/2024/11/19/2024-all-miaa-football-teams-and-postseason-awards.aspx">2024 All-MIAA football team</a>&nbsp;led by unanimous first-team pick&nbsp;Quillan&nbsp;(pronounced key-lin)&nbsp;Felton.The league's 10 head coaches vote on the makeup of the squad and cannot vote for their own players.&nbsp;

Felton (Lithonia, Ga.) repeats as an All-MIAA pick and made the first team along the defensive line The d-end was one three unanimous 10 selections (three on defense and seven on offense). He led the MIAA in tackles for loss (17.5) and was tied for first in sacks (7.0) while also having six QB hurries, three pass breakups, 66 total tackles, a blocked kick and forced fumble. He ranked second on UNK in tackles despite playing most of the year with a protective wrap on his hand.

Making the second-team was senior safety&nbsp;Jamere Jones&nbsp;(Maryland) with running back&nbsp;Isaiah Harris&nbsp;(Millard South),&nbsp;offensive lineman&nbsp;Wyatt Marr&nbsp;(Lincoln Lutheran) and linebacker&nbsp;David Lilly&nbsp;(Wahoo Bishop Neumann) on the third-team. Finally, those named honorable mention were offensive lineman&nbsp;Carter Klein&nbsp;(Pleasanton), d-lineman&nbsp;Stephen Matina&nbsp;(Lansing, Kan.) and outside backer&nbsp;Anthony Hebert&nbsp;(Corona, Calif.). This is the first All-MIAA honor for all seven.

Jones led UNK in tackles (72) and PBU's (nine) while also having two interceptions and a forced fumble. He and Felton were part of one of the MIAA's top defenses as the Lopers allowed just 21.5 points and 363 yards per game while forcing 23 turnovers and registering 22 sacks. Finally, UNK held four teams under 15 points.In his first year in Kearney, Harris was one of the MIAA's top backs, running 825 yards and seven touchdowns. Averaging 5.3 yards per carry and 75.0 yards per game, Harris had five 100-yard games, caught 19 balls for 195 yards and had a team-best 1,020 all-purpose yards. Marr and Klein helped pave the way for Harris and were part of a line that had to do some shuffling throughout the fall due to injuries. Marr settled in a left guard with Klein at center and each played in all 11 games.&nbsp;

Back on defense, Lilly (62) and Hebert (48) were right behind Jones and Felton in tackles. Lilly had seven PBU's, a league-best three fumble recoveries, two picks, two blocked kicks and five tackles for loss in his final go-around as a Loper&nbsp;with Hebert averaging six tackles per game. His 8.5 TFL's ranked second behind Felton and he also managed four PBU's and one interception. Finally, Matina was the run stuffer in the middle of the line. Starting all 11 games, he was one big reason why the Lopers allowed just 92.6 rushing yards per game. The 6-5, 385-pounder totaled 17 tackles with a PBU.

UNK begins off-season conditioning soon with signing date set for Feb. 5. Spring practice begins in late March with the 2025 schedule yet to be announced.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732044753403.jpeg" alt="Quillan Felton (UNK Athletics)" />
 <figcaption>Quillan Felton (UNK Athletics)</figcaption>
 </figure>UNK AthleticsKearney, Neb. –&nbsp;Nebraska Kearney has placed eight players on the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://themiaa.com/news/2024/11/19/2024-all-miaa-football-teams-and-postseason-awards.aspx">2024 All-MIAA football team</a>&nbsp;led by unanimous first-team pick&nbsp;Quillan&nbsp;(pronounced key-lin)&nbsp;Felton.The league's 10 head coaches vote on the makeup of the squad and cannot vote for their own players.&nbsp;Felton (Lithonia, Ga.) repeats as an All-MIAA pick and made the first team along the defensive line The d-end was one three unanimous 10 selections (three on defense and seven on offense). He led the MIAA in tackles for loss (17.5) and was tied for first in sacks (7.0) while also having six QB hurries, three pass breakups, 66 total tackles, a blocked kick and forced fumble. He ranked second on UNK in tackles despite playing most of the year with a protective wrap on his hand.Making the second-team was senior safety&nbsp;Jamere Jones&nbsp;(Maryland) with running back&nbsp;Isaiah Harris&nbsp;(Millard South),&nbsp;offensive lineman&nbsp;Wyatt Marr&nbsp;(Lincoln Lutheran) and linebacker&nbsp;David Lilly&nbsp;(Wahoo Bishop Neumann) on the third-team. Finally, those named honorable mention were offensive lineman&nbsp;Carter Klein&nbsp;(Pleasanton), d-lineman&nbsp;Stephen Matina&nbsp;(Lansing, Kan.) and outside backer&nbsp;Anthony Hebert&nbsp;(Corona, Calif.). This is the first All-MIAA honor for all seven.Jones led UNK in tackles (72) and PBU's (nine) while also having two interceptions and a forced fumble. He and Felton were part of one of the MIAA's top defenses as the Lopers allowed just 21.5 points and 363 yards per game while forcing 23 turnovers and registering 22 sacks. Finally, UNK held four teams under 15 points.In his first year in Kearney, Harris was one of the MIAA's top backs, running 825 yards and seven touchdowns. Averaging 5.3 yards per carry and 75.0 yards per game, Harris had five 100-yard games, caught 19 balls for 195 yards and had a team-best 1,020 all-purpose yards. Marr and Klein helped pave the way for Harris and were part of a line that had to do some shuffling throughout the fall due to injuries. Marr settled in a left guard with Klein at center and each played in all 11 games.&nbsp;Back on defense, Lilly (62) and Hebert (48) were right behind Jones and Felton in tackles. Lilly had seven PBU's, a league-best three fumble recoveries, two picks, two blocked kicks and five tackles for loss in his final go-around as a Loper&nbsp;with Hebert averaging six tackles per game. His 8.5 TFL's ranked second behind Felton and he also managed four PBU's and one interception. Finally, Matina was the run stuffer in the middle of the line. Starting all 11 games, he was one big reason why the Lopers allowed just 92.6 rushing yards per game. The 6-5, 385-pounder totaled 17 tackles with a PBU.UNK begins off-season conditioning soon with signing date set for Feb. 5. Spring practice begins in late March with the 2025 schedule yet to be announced.

UNK Football: Felton Leads Eight All-MIAA Selections

Ogallala, Ne - The C1-7 All District Football teams were announced on Tuesday.

C1-7 District Football Player of The Year – Quinn Bailey-Sr
(Chadron)

C1-7 District Football Offensive Player of The Year – Landon
Riddel-Sr (Sidney)

C1-7 District Football Defensive Player of The Year – Keian Kaiser-Jr
(Sidney)

C1-7 District Football Newcomer of The Year – Caysen Robertson-Fr
(Alliance)

Ogallala – Sawyer Smith-Jr, Zach Plasch-Sr, Edan
Cain-Jr, Blake Robb-Jr (Honorable Mention – Kolby Nowak-So, Leon Sybrant-Jr,
Tai Le-So, Jacob Fanning-Jr)

Alliance – Trini Trejo-So, Luke Weems-Sr (Honorable
Mention - Caysen Robertson-Fr, Espen Lanik-Jr)

Chase County – Zach Tarin-Sr, Tristan Jablonski-Sr,
Tuck Hubbard-Sr (Honorable Mention – Luis Co-Sr, Tucker Mollendor-Jr, Carson
Terryberry-Sr)

Sidney – Landon Riddle-Sr, Keian Kaiser-Jr, Patrick
McCartney-Sr, Alek Doty-Jr, Reid Fiscus-Sr, Owen Gillham-Sr (Honorable
Mention – Shane Lilley-Sr, Austin Christensen-Sr, Ben Monheiser-Jr)

Chadron – Quinn Bailey-Sr, Caden Buskirk-Sr, Lanye
Davidson-Jr, Bryson Bickel-Sr, Bricen Wright-So (Honorable Mention – Braden
Wright-So, Owen Wess-Sr, Talon Jelinik-Sr)

Ogallala, Ne - The C1-7 All District Football teams were announced on Tuesday.C1-7 District Football Player of The Year – Quinn Bailey-Sr
(Chadron)C1-7 District Football Offensive Player of The Year – Landon
Riddel-Sr (Sidney)C1-7 District Football Defensive Player of The Year – Keian Kaiser-Jr
(Sidney)C1-7 District Football Newcomer of The Year – Caysen Robertson-Fr
(Alliance)Ogallala – Sawyer Smith-Jr, Zach Plasch-Sr, Edan
Cain-Jr, Blake Robb-Jr (Honorable Mention – Kolby Nowak-So, Leon Sybrant-Jr,
Tai Le-So, Jacob Fanning-Jr)Alliance – Trini Trejo-So, Luke Weems-Sr (Honorable
Mention - Caysen Robertson-Fr, Espen Lanik-Jr)Chase County – Zach Tarin-Sr, Tristan Jablonski-Sr,
Tuck Hubbard-Sr (Honorable Mention – Luis Co-Sr, Tucker Mollendor-Jr, Carson
Terryberry-Sr)Sidney – Landon Riddle-Sr, Keian Kaiser-Jr, Patrick
McCartney-Sr, Alek Doty-Jr, Reid Fiscus-Sr, Owen Gillham-Sr (Honorable
Mention – Shane Lilley-Sr, Austin Christensen-Sr, Ben Monheiser-Jr)Chadron – Quinn Bailey-Sr, Caden Buskirk-Sr, Lanye
Davidson-Jr, Bryson Bickel-Sr, Bricen Wright-So (Honorable Mention – Braden
Wright-So, Owen Wess-Sr, Talon Jelinik-Sr)

C1-7 All District Football Teams Announced (2024)

On today's episode of Knight's Weekly, we sat down with the Head Coach of North Platte Community College Men's Basketball team Jacob Brandl to discuss the teams first three game losing streak of the season and, get you prepared for another home game on Friday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655346441244.png" alt="<a href="http://www.npkubota.com/">POST PODCASTS SPONSORED BY NORTH PLATTE KUBOTA</a>" />
 <figcaption><a href="http://www.npkubota.com/">POST PODCASTS SPONSORED BY NORTH PLATTE KUBOTA</a></figcaption>
 </figure>On today's episode of Knight's Weekly, we sat down with the Head Coach of North Platte Community College Men's Basketball team Jacob Brandl to discuss the teams first three game losing streak of the season and, get you prepared for another home game on Friday.<div><iframe title="Knight's Weekly #2 featuring North Platte Community College Men's Basketball Coach Jacob Brandl" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=9n7hg-17429b5-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=1&fonts=Times%20New%20Roman&skin=1b1b1b&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

(Audio) Knight's Weekly #2 featuring North Platte Community College Men's Basketball Coach Jacob Brandl

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Knights fall to Cloud County at home

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 Fourth quarter surge lifts Hawks past Knights

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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