Lincoln (July 16, 2024)— The opening weekend of the 2024 Cornhusker State Games wrapped up Sunday, with 36 sports taking place at venues in and around Columbus, Fremont, Grand Island, Lincoln, North Platte, Omaha, and several other communities.

A memorable performance Saturday came from Sun Valley Lanes &amp; Games where 17 year-old bowler Brennan Heck rolled a 300 game followed by a 298.&nbsp;His 779 series powered his team to a gold medal in adult-youth doubles. Heck, a senior-to-be at Papillion La Vista South High School, is the reigning Nebraska state high school individual champion.

Weeping Water Gun club played host to five-time Olympian John McNally and 23 other competitors in CSG Pistol Shooting Saturday. McNally, 68, who currently resides in Dallas, masterfully showcased his skills, winning gold medals in&nbsp;Standard Pistol, Centerfire Pistol, and his specialty, Olympic Rapidfire Pistol.&nbsp;McNally’s Olympic run ran from 1984 (Los Angeles) to 2000 (Sidney). His highest finish was 5th in 1992 (Atlanta).

Several youth swimmers amassed high medal counts in the CSG Swimming competition at the Dillon Family Aquatics Center inside the Fremont Family YMCA.&nbsp;Ten year-olds Elise Schnee of Lincoln and James Reed of Omaha each won eight gold medals. Reed also collected two silvers. Cady Spence, 12, of Omaha won seven gold medals, to go with one silver and one bronze.&nbsp;&nbsp;With 313 swimmers, including 250 youths and 63 masters, this was the CSG’s largest swim meet in 10 years.

Mitzi Filips and Scott Stopak took the coed gold medal in Adventure Race, which was held in Grand Island for the first time.&nbsp;The Omaha duo were also the overall winners, finding 39 checkpoints in 3:53:35. Former Lincoln Police Chief Jeff Bliemeister and current Lancaster County Deputy Sheriff Ben Houchin, long-time Adventure Race teammates, found 33 checkpoints in just over four hours, good enough for the male two-person bronze medal.

Pickleball, held at Woods Tennis Center, attracted a record 398 players, including Micah Ward from Lawrence, KS, who took the gold medal in men’s 4.5/5.0 singles and teamed up with Hunter Nelson, Lincoln, to win another gold in the top men’s doubles division.&nbsp;Not to be outdone, Laurel Derry of Blair also won two golds, one in women’s 4.0 with Shawn Hamilton from South Bend, and one in mixed doubles 4.5/5.0 with Mattew Reinig of Omaha. Meredith Starr of Omaha took the gold in the top women’s singles division.

Anthony McDill, 30, of Omaha, was the overall champion of the CSG Triathlon, with a time of 55:34. Samantha Scheffler, 42, of Hancock, IA, the top female overall, came in at 1:10:55. The Triathlon, which took place at Mallard Landing in Valley, attracted 173 participants, its largest turnout since 2019.

The second and final weekend of the Games features competition in 27 sports, beginning Friday with Golf, Hockey, Tennis and Volleyball.&nbsp;Several events remain open for registration at&nbsp;<a href="https://b8oyr9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0015v6czlTZCavyPaRB5m56NQblJRx8fwgMDa8nqPnPfg1_j8lpyYyJu1qTPqDH1udT-tLGLS4SEkSACCFLszVa9rF7hbbRqS-dDlbAypswOGiG9VkZ187TH9Eaml2U5WF2o1ybYFNdxtML--LtYupFf6mbFHhbSN99a6DprHV3Nds=&amp;c=c_-qwaSZSSuAFZwVf88WyLebLVa-P2A7EI3u2WQwNM9ki-JU_pBQOg==&amp;ch=smZw__9ewTS0mOp40j87VAlaycikRD0SnJR6cnwXBwU9SZAdYI83dQ==" target="_blank">CornhuskerStateGames.com</a>.&nbsp;Complete results, and the composite schedule of events for the final weekend, can be found at the same site under the Sports Info tab.

The Cornhusker State Games is conducted by the Nebraska Sports Council.&nbsp;Platinum partners include the Nebraska Medical Association, Pepsi-Cola of Lincoln, Nebraska Orthopaedic Center and Farmers Mutual of Nebraska.&nbsp;Learn more at&nbsp;<a href="https://b8oyr9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0015v6czlTZCavyPaRB5m56NQblJRx8fwgMDa8nqPnPfg1_j8lpyYyJu_NFvd_506TKrCsQ5SHFUKppq8Ckem2sZLRS3LP-BsL2kJnsvVajDgwolfPEWPCFJ9Q-WPZVvjDAmbbzw3ulfIG256q12oMvCFHzXMA7PYe9TKfNmVe2yU4=&amp;c=c_-qwaSZSSuAFZwVf88WyLebLVa-P2A7EI3u2WQwNM9ki-JU_pBQOg==&amp;ch=smZw__9ewTS0mOp40j87VAlaycikRD0SnJR6cnwXBwU9SZAdYI83dQ==" target="_blank">NebraskaSportsCouncil.com</a>.

Nebraska Sports CouncilLincoln (July 16, 2024)— The opening weekend of the 2024 Cornhusker State Games wrapped up Sunday, with 36 sports taking place at venues in and around Columbus, Fremont, Grand Island, Lincoln, North Platte, Omaha, and several other communities.A memorable performance Saturday came from Sun Valley Lanes &amp; Games where 17 year-old bowler Brennan Heck rolled a 300 game followed by a 298.&nbsp;His 779 series powered his team to a gold medal in adult-youth doubles. Heck, a senior-to-be at Papillion La Vista South High School, is the reigning Nebraska state high school individual champion.Weeping Water Gun club played host to five-time Olympian John McNally and 23 other competitors in CSG Pistol Shooting Saturday. McNally, 68, who currently resides in Dallas, masterfully showcased his skills, winning gold medals in&nbsp;Standard Pistol, Centerfire Pistol, and his specialty, Olympic Rapidfire Pistol.&nbsp;McNally’s Olympic run ran from 1984 (Los Angeles) to 2000 (Sidney). His highest finish was 5th in 1992 (Atlanta).Several youth swimmers amassed high medal counts in the CSG Swimming competition at the Dillon Family Aquatics Center inside the Fremont Family YMCA.&nbsp;Ten year-olds Elise Schnee of Lincoln and James Reed of Omaha each won eight gold medals. Reed also collected two silvers. Cady Spence, 12, of Omaha won seven gold medals, to go with one silver and one bronze.&nbsp;&nbsp;With 313 swimmers, including 250 youths and 63 masters, this was the CSG’s largest swim meet in 10 years.Mitzi Filips and Scott Stopak took the coed gold medal in Adventure Race, which was held in Grand Island for the first time.&nbsp;The Omaha duo were also the overall winners, finding 39 checkpoints in 3:53:35. Former Lincoln Police Chief Jeff Bliemeister and current Lancaster County Deputy Sheriff Ben Houchin, long-time Adventure Race teammates, found 33 checkpoints in just over four hours, good enough for the male two-person bronze medal.Pickleball, held at Woods Tennis Center, attracted a record 398 players, including Micah Ward from Lawrence, KS, who took the gold medal in men’s 4.5/5.0 singles and teamed up with Hunter Nelson, Lincoln, to win another gold in the top men’s doubles division.&nbsp;Not to be outdone, Laurel Derry of Blair also won two golds, one in women’s 4.0 with Shawn Hamilton from South Bend, and one in mixed doubles 4.5/5.0 with Mattew Reinig of Omaha. Meredith Starr of Omaha took the gold in the top women’s singles division.Anthony McDill, 30, of Omaha, was the overall champion of the CSG Triathlon, with a time of 55:34. Samantha Scheffler, 42, of Hancock, IA, the top female overall, came in at 1:10:55. The Triathlon, which took place at Mallard Landing in Valley, attracted 173 participants, its largest turnout since 2019.The second and final weekend of the Games features competition in 27 sports, beginning Friday with Golf, Hockey, Tennis and Volleyball.&nbsp;Several events remain open for registration at&nbsp;<a href="https://b8oyr9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0015v6czlTZCavyPaRB5m56NQblJRx8fwgMDa8nqPnPfg1_j8lpyYyJu1qTPqDH1udT-tLGLS4SEkSACCFLszVa9rF7hbbRqS-dDlbAypswOGiG9VkZ187TH9Eaml2U5WF2o1ybYFNdxtML--LtYupFf6mbFHhbSN99a6DprHV3Nds=&amp;c=c_-qwaSZSSuAFZwVf88WyLebLVa-P2A7EI3u2WQwNM9ki-JU_pBQOg==&amp;ch=smZw__9ewTS0mOp40j87VAlaycikRD0SnJR6cnwXBwU9SZAdYI83dQ==" target="_blank">CornhuskerStateGames.com</a>.&nbsp;Complete results, and the composite schedule of events for the final weekend, can be found at the same site under the Sports Info tab.The Cornhusker State Games is conducted by the Nebraska Sports Council.&nbsp;Platinum partners include the Nebraska Medical Association, Pepsi-Cola of Lincoln, Nebraska Orthopaedic Center and Farmers Mutual of Nebraska.&nbsp;Learn more at&nbsp;<a href="https://b8oyr9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0015v6czlTZCavyPaRB5m56NQblJRx8fwgMDa8nqPnPfg1_j8lpyYyJu_NFvd_506TKrCsQ5SHFUKppq8Ckem2sZLRS3LP-BsL2kJnsvVajDgwolfPEWPCFJ9Q-WPZVvjDAmbbzw3ulfIG256q12oMvCFHzXMA7PYe9TKfNmVe2yU4=&amp;c=c_-qwaSZSSuAFZwVf88WyLebLVa-P2A7EI3u2WQwNM9ki-JU_pBQOg==&amp;ch=smZw__9ewTS0mOp40j87VAlaycikRD0SnJR6cnwXBwU9SZAdYI83dQ==" target="_blank">NebraskaSportsCouncil.com</a>.

State Games Opening Weekend Highlights

Story by NU Athletic Communications&nbsp;

Nebraska senior Brett Sears was selected in the seventh round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the Atlanta Braves on Monday afternoon. Sears, who became the fourth seventh-round selection in NU history, was the No. 221 pick overall in the draft.

Sears becomes the fifth Husker pitcher under head coach Will Bolt to be drafted in the first 10 rounds, joining Spencer Schwellenbach (2nd, 2021), Cade Povich (3rd, 2021), Emmett Olson (4th, 2023) and Jace Kaminska (10th, 2023).

The senior is the sixth Husker to be selected by the Braves in the draft after earning unanimous Second-Team All-American recognition from D1Baseball, Baseball America, ABCA/Rawlings, National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and Perfect Game last month.

The Westphalia, Iowa, native was named a second-team Academic All-American by College Sports Communicators earlier this month, becoming the first NU baseball player to be an Academic All-American since 2016, and the first Husker to be an All-American and Academic All-American in the same season since Aaron Marsden in 2003.

Prior to the All-American accolades, Sears was a first-team all-region honoree and named District 6 Player of the Year.

A semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy and National Pitcher of the Year, Sears was the Big Ten’s Pitcher of the Year and a First-Team All-Big Ten selection while posting a 9-1 record with a 2.16 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 104 innings.

Sears ranked among the national leaders throughout the season, finishing the year ranked fourth with a 0.88 WHIP, fifth in ERA (2.16), 19th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.32), 20th in hits allowed/9 inn. (6.23) and 24th in walks allowed/9 inn. (1.64).

After Nebraska’s win against Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament, the senior became the first NU pitcher since at least 1999 to reach a 9-0 record on the mound.

Story by NU Athletic Communications&nbsp;Nebraska senior Brett Sears was selected in the seventh round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the Atlanta Braves on Monday afternoon. Sears, who became the fourth seventh-round selection in NU history, was the No. 221 pick overall in the draft.Sears becomes the fifth Husker pitcher under head coach Will Bolt to be drafted in the first 10 rounds, joining Spencer Schwellenbach (2nd, 2021), Cade Povich (3rd, 2021), Emmett Olson (4th, 2023) and Jace Kaminska (10th, 2023).The senior is the sixth Husker to be selected by the Braves in the draft after earning unanimous Second-Team All-American recognition from D1Baseball, Baseball America, ABCA/Rawlings, National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and Perfect Game last month.The Westphalia, Iowa, native was named a second-team Academic All-American by College Sports Communicators earlier this month, becoming the first NU baseball player to be an Academic All-American since 2016, and the first Husker to be an All-American and Academic All-American in the same season since Aaron Marsden in 2003.Prior to the All-American accolades, Sears was a first-team all-region honoree and named District 6 Player of the Year.A semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy and National Pitcher of the Year, Sears was the Big Ten’s Pitcher of the Year and a First-Team All-Big Ten selection while posting a 9-1 record with a 2.16 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 104 innings.Sears ranked among the national leaders throughout the season, finishing the year ranked fourth with a 0.88 WHIP, fifth in ERA (2.16), 19th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.32), 20th in hits allowed/9 inn. (6.23) and 24th in walks allowed/9 inn. (1.64).After Nebraska’s win against Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament, the senior became the first NU pitcher since at least 1999 to reach a 9-0 record on the mound.

Sears taken in Seventh Round of MLB Draft by Atlanta Braves

Nebraska Swimming and Diving Head Coach Pablo Morales and Head Diving Coach Landon Marzullo announced the addition of Wyoming transfer Nettie Knapton to the 2024-25 roster on July 15.

In her sophomore season with the Cowgirls, Knapton posted a fifth-place finish on the platform at the 2024 Mountain West Championships with a score of 255.90. She added a ninth-place conference finish on the one-meter (267.85) and a 20th-place finish on the three-meter (211.00).

The junior from Omaha, Neb. will be returning to her home state and will have two years of eligibility remaining.

Knapton swam at Marian High School and was a top-five finisher at the 2022 Nebraska High School State Championships. With Nebraska Diving Club, she earned a 17th-place finish on the platform at nationals her freshman season.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsNebraska Swimming and Diving Head Coach Pablo Morales and Head Diving Coach Landon Marzullo announced the addition of Wyoming transfer Nettie Knapton to the 2024-25 roster on July 15.In her sophomore season with the Cowgirls, Knapton posted a fifth-place finish on the platform at the 2024 Mountain West Championships with a score of 255.90. She added a ninth-place conference finish on the one-meter (267.85) and a 20th-place finish on the three-meter (211.00).The junior from Omaha, Neb. will be returning to her home state and will have two years of eligibility remaining.Knapton swam at Marian High School and was a top-five finisher at the 2022 Nebraska High School State Championships. With Nebraska Diving Club, she earned a 17th-place finish on the platform at nationals her freshman season.

Knapton announced as Diving Addition

Nebraska junior catcher Josh Caron was selected in the fourth round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the Seattle Mariners on Monday afternoon. Caron, who became the seventh fourth-round selection in NU history, was the No. 121 pick overall in the draft, which is being held in Fort Worth, Texas.

With the fourth-round selection, Caron becomes the highest overall selection of a Husker catcher since 1985, when Bill McGuire was chosen No. 27 overall by the Seattle Mariners.

Caron, a product of Sun Prairie, Wis., is the 10th Husker to be selected by the Seattle Mariners in the draft. The NU junior was a Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award semifinalist and was named Most Outstanding Player of the Big Ten Tournament.

The junior was one of two catchers nationally to hit at least .300 at the plate with 15-plus homers and 65 runs driven in this season after hitting .308 with 15 doubles, a triple, 16 home runs, 65 RBI and 46 runs for the Huskers in 2024.

Caron launched six home runs across the Big Ten Tournament, which passed Purdue’s Dan Black (5) in 2008 for the most home runs in a single Big Ten Tournament. Caron’s 28 total bases also set a new tournament record, surpassing Ohio State’s Steve Carvati’s 26 total bases in 2005.

Excluding the shortened draft in 2020 due to COVID-19, Nebraska has had at least one draft selection in 30 of the last 31 drafts since 1992.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsNebraska junior catcher Josh Caron was selected in the fourth round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the Seattle Mariners on Monday afternoon. Caron, who became the seventh fourth-round selection in NU history, was the No. 121 pick overall in the draft, which is being held in Fort Worth, Texas.With the fourth-round selection, Caron becomes the highest overall selection of a Husker catcher since 1985, when Bill McGuire was chosen No. 27 overall by the Seattle Mariners.Caron, a product of Sun Prairie, Wis., is the 10th Husker to be selected by the Seattle Mariners in the draft. The NU junior was a Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award semifinalist and was named Most Outstanding Player of the Big Ten Tournament.The junior was one of two catchers nationally to hit at least .300 at the plate with 15-plus homers and 65 runs driven in this season after hitting .308 with 15 doubles, a triple, 16 home runs, 65 RBI and 46 runs for the Huskers in 2024.Caron launched six home runs across the Big Ten Tournament, which passed Purdue’s Dan Black (5) in 2008 for the most home runs in a single Big Ten Tournament. Caron’s 28 total bases also set a new tournament record, surpassing Ohio State’s Steve Carvati’s 26 total bases in 2005.Excluding the shortened draft in 2020 due to COVID-19, Nebraska has had at least one draft selection in 30 of the last 31 drafts since 1992.

Caron selected in Fourth Round of MLB Draft by Seattle Mariners

Story by NU Athletic Communications

Max Buettenback and Case Sanderson have been chosen to represent the Great Plains Division in the Northwoods League All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 23 at ISG Field in Mankato, Minn., with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

Buettenback is among the league leaders in the Northwoods League this summer, ranking in the top 10 of six offensive categories. In 30 games with the Willmar Stingers, Buettenback is the league leader with a .442 batting average while ranking second in the league in on-base percentage (.565), slugging percentage (.699) and OPS (1.264).

The Lincoln, Neb., native is tied for fourth with four homers and sits seventh with 38 RBI while recording eight doubles and scoring 29 runs this summer.

Sanderson is hitting .363 at the plate with six doubles and three home runs in 21 games with the La Crosse Loggers. The Nevada, Mo., native has accounted for 50 runs in the 21-game span, tallying 24 RBI and scoring 26 times.

Sanderson has posted nine multi-hit games and has accounted for four-plus runs in seven of the 21 games this summer with the Loggers.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsMax Buettenback and Case Sanderson have been chosen to represent the Great Plains Division in the Northwoods League All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 23 at ISG Field in Mankato, Minn., with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m.Buettenback is among the league leaders in the Northwoods League this summer, ranking in the top 10 of six offensive categories. In 30 games with the Willmar Stingers, Buettenback is the league leader with a .442 batting average while ranking second in the league in on-base percentage (.565), slugging percentage (.699) and OPS (1.264).The Lincoln, Neb., native is tied for fourth with four homers and sits seventh with 38 RBI while recording eight doubles and scoring 29 runs this summer.Sanderson is hitting .363 at the plate with six doubles and three home runs in 21 games with the La Crosse Loggers. The Nevada, Mo., native has accounted for 50 runs in the 21-game span, tallying 24 RBI and scoring 26 times.Sanderson has posted nine multi-hit games and has accounted for four-plus runs in seven of the 21 games this summer with the Loggers.

Buettenback, Sanderson selected to Northwoods League All-Star Game

Six Husker swimmers competed at the Speedo Summer Sectionals this week in Columbia, Mo., combining for seven titles and a school record.

Gena Jorgenson won four events and broke her seventh school record with a 2:14.39 in the 200m backstroke. The rising junior from Aberdeen, S.D. became the first Husker swimmer to be named a First-Team All-American with her eighth-place finish in the 1650 freestyle at the NCAA Championships this season. Jorgenson added wins in the 200m freestyle (2:03.66), 400m IM (4:54.38) and 400m freestyle (4:18.29), while also pitching in a fifth-place finish in the 200m IM (32.65). Giulia Marchi finished close behind Jorgenson in the 200m freestyle and 400m freestyle, taking second (2:04.00) and fourth (4:26.71).

Maia Hall and JoJo Randby each contributed a victory in the breaststroke, with Hall taking the 200m breaststroke in 2:33.15 and Randby winning the 100m breaststroke in 1:09.40. Randby, a rising senior from Omaha, Neb., took runner-up honors in the 200m breaststroke (2:34.13), finished third in the 50m breaststroke (32.17) and fourth in the 50m freestyle (26.79). From Whitby, England, Hall placed second in the 200m IM (2:19.94), third in the 100m breaststroke (1:11.07) and fifth in both the 50m breaststroke (32.65) and the 400m IM (5:05.78). Sydney McCracken added top finishes in the breaststroke and individual medley, placing fourth in the 200m breaststroke (2:38.20) and 200m IM (2:21.07) and sixth in the 100m breaststroke (1:12.17).

Caterina Bisiacchi cruised to a 200m butterfly win, clocking a 2:17.39. &gt;From Trieste, Italy, she also finished second in the 800m freestyle (9:03.80), 400m freestyle (4:21.66) and 1500m freestyle (17:18.39).

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsSix Husker swimmers competed at the Speedo Summer Sectionals this week in Columbia, Mo., combining for seven titles and a school record.Gena Jorgenson won four events and broke her seventh school record with a 2:14.39 in the 200m backstroke. The rising junior from Aberdeen, S.D. became the first Husker swimmer to be named a First-Team All-American with her eighth-place finish in the 1650 freestyle at the NCAA Championships this season. Jorgenson added wins in the 200m freestyle (2:03.66), 400m IM (4:54.38) and 400m freestyle (4:18.29), while also pitching in a fifth-place finish in the 200m IM (32.65). Giulia Marchi finished close behind Jorgenson in the 200m freestyle and 400m freestyle, taking second (2:04.00) and fourth (4:26.71).Maia Hall and JoJo Randby each contributed a victory in the breaststroke, with Hall taking the 200m breaststroke in 2:33.15 and Randby winning the 100m breaststroke in 1:09.40. Randby, a rising senior from Omaha, Neb., took runner-up honors in the 200m breaststroke (2:34.13), finished third in the 50m breaststroke (32.17) and fourth in the 50m freestyle (26.79). From Whitby, England, Hall placed second in the 200m IM (2:19.94), third in the 100m breaststroke (1:11.07) and fifth in both the 50m breaststroke (32.65) and the 400m IM (5:05.78). Sydney McCracken added top finishes in the breaststroke and individual medley, placing fourth in the 200m breaststroke (2:38.20) and 200m IM (2:21.07) and sixth in the 100m breaststroke (1:12.17).Caterina Bisiacchi cruised to a 200m butterfly win, clocking a 2:17.39. &gt;From Trieste, Italy, she also finished second in the 800m freestyle (9:03.80), 400m freestyle (4:21.66) and 1500m freestyle (17:18.39).

Huskers take seven titles at Speedo Summer Sectionals

Story by UNK Athletic Communications

Kearney, Neb. –&nbsp;Sophomore javelin thrower&nbsp;Rylan Basart&nbsp;has earned third-team&nbsp;<a href="https://academicallamerica.com/news/2024/7/9/2023-24-academic-all-america-mens-track-field-cross-country-teams-announced-for-all-ncaa-and-naia-divisions.aspx">Academic All-American honors as selected by the College Sports Communicators (CSC).</a>

The NCAA Division I, II, III and NAIA cross country/track &amp; field Academic All-American teams were released today. To earn this honor, a student-athlete must first qualify for the Academic All-District team. That includes a 3.50 cumulative grade point average and, for track, to rank in their region’s top 50 in any event during the indoor or outdoor season. Next, each school is limited to five nominees per gender with top candidates forwarded to the national committee where CSC member vote on the makeup of the Academic All-American squad.

Basart (Stockton, Kan.) was one of D2’s top jav throwers this spring, finishing eighth at the NCAA Championships in May and having the fifth best throw (233-11) during the regular season. He was the MIAA runner up and broke the previous school-record (212-0) five different times throughout the spring. The old UNK record was set by his uncle, Darren Grauerholz, back in 1992.

Off the track, Basart maintains a 3.95 GPA in Physics and was a kicker on the Loper football team the past two falls. He is just the sixth Loper men’s cross country/track &amp; field CSC/CoSIDA Academic All-American, following Todd Fuelberth (1996), Tanner Fruit (2013), Kevin Carder (2014), and Dillon Schrodt (2014 &amp; 2015).

Story by UNK Athletic CommunicationsKearney, Neb. –&nbsp;Sophomore javelin thrower&nbsp;Rylan Basart&nbsp;has earned third-team&nbsp;<a href="https://academicallamerica.com/news/2024/7/9/2023-24-academic-all-america-mens-track-field-cross-country-teams-announced-for-all-ncaa-and-naia-divisions.aspx">Academic All-American honors as selected by the College Sports Communicators (CSC).</a>The NCAA Division I, II, III and NAIA cross country/track &amp; field Academic All-American teams were released today. To earn this honor, a student-athlete must first qualify for the Academic All-District team. That includes a 3.50 cumulative grade point average and, for track, to rank in their region’s top 50 in any event during the indoor or outdoor season. Next, each school is limited to five nominees per gender with top candidates forwarded to the national committee where CSC member vote on the makeup of the Academic All-American squad.Basart (Stockton, Kan.) was one of D2’s top jav throwers this spring, finishing eighth at the NCAA Championships in May and having the fifth best throw (233-11) during the regular season. He was the MIAA runner up and broke the previous school-record (212-0) five different times throughout the spring. The old UNK record was set by his uncle, Darren Grauerholz, back in 1992.Off the track, Basart maintains a 3.95 GPA in Physics and was a kicker on the Loper football team the past two falls. He is just the sixth Loper men’s cross country/track &amp; field CSC/CoSIDA Academic All-American, following Todd Fuelberth (1996), Tanner Fruit (2013), Kevin Carder (2014), and Dillon Schrodt (2014 &amp; 2015).

First Loper in nine years earns Academic All-American honors

Former Army West Point assistant coach Richard Clark has been named head coach of the University of Nebraska rifle program, Athletic Director Troy Dannen announced Wednesday.

Clark, who helped Kentucky to a pair of NCAA team titles during his collegiate career, joins the Husker program after spending the 2023-24 season at Army West Point. The Cadets finished 14th in the final CRCA Rankings, while Anusha Pakkam captured All-Great American Rifle Conference honors and was Army's Scholar-Athlete of the Year recipient.&nbsp; In addition, Chris Jennings placed third in both smallbore and air rifle at the 2023 USA Shooting Junior Olympics, becoming the first Army shooter to make the finals at the event since 2019.

“I am extremely excited for the opportunity to coach at the University of Nebraska!” Clark said. “The University provides unmatched resources on the range, in the classroom and professional development, making it a one-of-a-kind experience for our student-athletes. I plan to build a championship winning culture that enables our athletes to reach their full potential on the range while building the necessary skills for a successful career upon graduation. Nebraska is like no other, I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish in the next few years.”

“Richard brings a strong background in competitive shooting as well as collegiate coaching experience,” Dannen said. “He was a part of two NCAA Championships while at Kentucky and understands what it takes to compete for championships at an elite level. Richard is poised to build on the success that Nebraska rifle has enjoyed in recent seasons.”

A member of the USA Shooting Development Team, Clark most recently represented Team USA at the 2023 ISSF World Cup in Rio de Janeiro. He was also the 2022 NRA National 3-Position Champion, while setting two national records in the process and was a 2022 Pershing Team Member, representing the highest-scoring American and highest scoring competitor in the annual match between the United States and Great Britain.&nbsp; Clark also won the 2022 Lones Wigger Iron Man Trophy, which recognizes the champion of the 14-day NRA National Smallbore Rifle Championship with over 100 competitors.

Clark, a native of Jackson, Mich., enjoyed a distinguished college career shooting at the University of Kentucky. He was a three-time All-American during his career, helping Kentucky to NCAA titles in 2021 and 2022. As a senior, he earned CRCA All-America honors in all three disciplines, earning second-team honors in both air rifle and smallbore while being a third-team honoree in aggregate.&nbsp; He averaged 585.538 in smallbore and 597.077 in air rifle for an aggregate average of 1179.615, while posting career highs in both smallbore (592) and air rifle (598).&nbsp; During his junior year, he earned honorable-mention All GARC honors while his scores of 585 (smallbore) and 594 (air rifle) helped Kentucky to an NCAA title.&nbsp; Clark was a five-year contributor for the Wildcats, earning honorable-mention All-America honors in 2020.

Clark graduated with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology with a minor in coaching from Kentucky in 2022 before completing a master’s in business administration in 2023.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsFormer Army West Point assistant coach Richard Clark has been named head coach of the University of Nebraska rifle program, Athletic Director Troy Dannen announced Wednesday.Clark, who helped Kentucky to a pair of NCAA team titles during his collegiate career, joins the Husker program after spending the 2023-24 season at Army West Point. The Cadets finished 14th in the final CRCA Rankings, while Anusha Pakkam captured All-Great American Rifle Conference honors and was Army's Scholar-Athlete of the Year recipient.&nbsp; In addition, Chris Jennings placed third in both smallbore and air rifle at the 2023 USA Shooting Junior Olympics, becoming the first Army shooter to make the finals at the event since 2019.“I am extremely excited for the opportunity to coach at the University of Nebraska!” Clark said. “The University provides unmatched resources on the range, in the classroom and professional development, making it a one-of-a-kind experience for our student-athletes. I plan to build a championship winning culture that enables our athletes to reach their full potential on the range while building the necessary skills for a successful career upon graduation. Nebraska is like no other, I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish in the next few years.”“Richard brings a strong background in competitive shooting as well as collegiate coaching experience,” Dannen said. “He was a part of two NCAA Championships while at Kentucky and understands what it takes to compete for championships at an elite level. Richard is poised to build on the success that Nebraska rifle has enjoyed in recent seasons.”A member of the USA Shooting Development Team, Clark most recently represented Team USA at the 2023 ISSF World Cup in Rio de Janeiro. He was also the 2022 NRA National 3-Position Champion, while setting two national records in the process and was a 2022 Pershing Team Member, representing the highest-scoring American and highest scoring competitor in the annual match between the United States and Great Britain.&nbsp; Clark also won the 2022 Lones Wigger Iron Man Trophy, which recognizes the champion of the 14-day NRA National Smallbore Rifle Championship with over 100 competitors.Clark, a native of Jackson, Mich., enjoyed a distinguished college career shooting at the University of Kentucky. He was a three-time All-American during his career, helping Kentucky to NCAA titles in 2021 and 2022. As a senior, he earned CRCA All-America honors in all three disciplines, earning second-team honors in both air rifle and smallbore while being a third-team honoree in aggregate.&nbsp; He averaged 585.538 in smallbore and 597.077 in air rifle for an aggregate average of 1179.615, while posting career highs in both smallbore (592) and air rifle (598).&nbsp; During his junior year, he earned honorable-mention All GARC honors while his scores of 585 (smallbore) and 594 (air rifle) helped Kentucky to an NCAA title.&nbsp; Clark was a five-year contributor for the Wildcats, earning honorable-mention All-America honors in 2020.Clark graduated with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology with a minor in coaching from Kentucky in 2022 before completing a master’s in business administration in 2023.

Richard Clark named Head Rifle Coach

&nbsp; CHADRON –&nbsp;Mannie Reinsch (pronounced Rhine-sh), an experienced and successful athletic administrator, was named Chadron State College's Athletic Director Monday, President Ron K. Patterson announced. Reinsch's first day at CSC will be July 29.

"We are thrilled to have someone like Mannie lead our athletic department," Patterson said. "Mannie has a wealth of experience, a passion for athletics, and is deeply committed to ensuring student-athletes succeed in and out of the classroom at Chadron State College. His knowledge of NCAA and Division II best practices, as well as a proven ability as a fundraiser, will position our athletic department and college well. The future is bright for CSC athletics."

Reinsch,&nbsp;a Kearney native and graduate of the University of Nebraska-Kearney, was most recently&nbsp;the Senior Associate Director of Athletics Championships Resources at Austin Peay State University, a Division I institution in Tennessee, and is excited to return to his home state and lead an NCAA Division II athletic department.

"My wife and I are excited to be back in Nebraska and join Chadron State College," Reinsch said. "What initially drew me to CSC was President Patterson's leadership and vision, but I have known about CSC my entire life and I knew of the athletic department's success as a student-athlete and competitor at UNK. It's an exciting opportunity to lead a department that has a lot of potential and infrastructure to take it to the next level."

Reinsch said he will focus on instilling three core values to the athletic department.

"We are going to focus on academic performance, competitive excellence, and community service and engagement. We're going to excel with all three things; and compete to win in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, in the classroom, and in the community. I can't wait to get started," he said.

Reinsch said he will focus on instilling a culture of success and excellence, increasing fan engagement, and involving the community and booster club, as well as hosting events. However, Reinsch said the most important thing is to take good care of student-athletes.

"I want our student-athletes at CSC to have a great experience and I want to ensure they have many fond memories, as well as a lot of success. Chadron State College and the community of Chadron is a great place, and I plan to continually reinforce that. I believe CSC can be very successful with its athletic programs. I believe the coaches have the ability to be successful and compete. The campus supports athletics and the community is bought in. All the people I met are tremendous and I can't wait to join the team."

While at Austin Peay, Reinsch and his staff hosted championship events and he assisted with multiple facility renovations. Additionally, he helped develop an endowment for the baseball program, created Austin Peay's Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Collective, and oversaw record attendance numbers at football games.

Prior to working at Austin Peay, Reinsch spent three years as the Associate Athletic Director for External Relations and Development at Colorado State University-Pueblo. At Pueblo, Reinsch helped the athletic department raise close to $1 million annually with corporate partnerships and more than $200,000 through the booster club. He also developed a crowdfunding campaign that generated more than $150,000 for the 21 varsity sports, and in 2021-22, nearly half of Pueblo's teams qualified for NCAA postseasons. He was a proponent of community involvement and taught sports marketing and sports management courses.

Reinsch, a former baseball student-athlete who earned both of his degrees at UNK, began his career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater. Once he graduated, he was named the Facility and Event Manager and was promoted to the Assistant Athletic Director for Facilities and Events two years later. Reinsch helped the Lopers generate more than $160,000 in sponsorships and he was involved with several leadership and planning groups. While in Kearney, Reinsch benefited from a variety of experiences, including working within game operations, sports sales and services.

Reinsch and his wife, Shauna, have two daughters, Merritt and Navy.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720553253679.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Chadron State Athletics&nbsp; CHADRON –&nbsp;Mannie Reinsch (pronounced Rhine-sh), an experienced and successful athletic administrator, was named Chadron State College's Athletic Director Monday, President Ron K. Patterson announced. Reinsch's first day at CSC will be July 29."We are thrilled to have someone like Mannie lead our athletic department," Patterson said. "Mannie has a wealth of experience, a passion for athletics, and is deeply committed to ensuring student-athletes succeed in and out of the classroom at Chadron State College. His knowledge of NCAA and Division II best practices, as well as a proven ability as a fundraiser, will position our athletic department and college well. The future is bright for CSC athletics."Reinsch,&nbsp;a Kearney native and graduate of the University of Nebraska-Kearney, was most recently&nbsp;the Senior Associate Director of Athletics Championships Resources at Austin Peay State University, a Division I institution in Tennessee, and is excited to return to his home state and lead an NCAA Division II athletic department."My wife and I are excited to be back in Nebraska and join Chadron State College," Reinsch said. "What initially drew me to CSC was President Patterson's leadership and vision, but I have known about CSC my entire life and I knew of the athletic department's success as a student-athlete and competitor at UNK. It's an exciting opportunity to lead a department that has a lot of potential and infrastructure to take it to the next level."Reinsch said he will focus on instilling three core values to the athletic department."We are going to focus on academic performance, competitive excellence, and community service and engagement. We're going to excel with all three things; and compete to win in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, in the classroom, and in the community. I can't wait to get started," he said.Reinsch said he will focus on instilling a culture of success and excellence, increasing fan engagement, and involving the community and booster club, as well as hosting events. However, Reinsch said the most important thing is to take good care of student-athletes."I want our student-athletes at CSC to have a great experience and I want to ensure they have many fond memories, as well as a lot of success. Chadron State College and the community of Chadron is a great place, and I plan to continually reinforce that. I believe CSC can be very successful with its athletic programs. I believe the coaches have the ability to be successful and compete. The campus supports athletics and the community is bought in. All the people I met are tremendous and I can't wait to join the team."While at Austin Peay, Reinsch and his staff hosted championship events and he assisted with multiple facility renovations. Additionally, he helped develop an endowment for the baseball program, created Austin Peay's Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Collective, and oversaw record attendance numbers at football games.Prior to working at Austin Peay, Reinsch spent three years as the Associate Athletic Director for External Relations and Development at Colorado State University-Pueblo. At Pueblo, Reinsch helped the athletic department raise close to $1 million annually with corporate partnerships and more than $200,000 through the booster club. He also developed a crowdfunding campaign that generated more than $150,000 for the 21 varsity sports, and in 2021-22, nearly half of Pueblo's teams qualified for NCAA postseasons. He was a proponent of community involvement and taught sports marketing and sports management courses.Reinsch, a former baseball student-athlete who earned both of his degrees at UNK, began his career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater. Once he graduated, he was named the Facility and Event Manager and was promoted to the Assistant Athletic Director for Facilities and Events two years later. Reinsch helped the Lopers generate more than $160,000 in sponsorships and he was involved with several leadership and planning groups. While in Kearney, Reinsch benefited from a variety of experiences, including working within game operations, sports sales and services.Reinsch and his wife, Shauna, have two daughters, Merritt and Navy.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kearney native selected as next AD at Chadron State College

by Shamus McKnight,&nbsp; Senior Associate Communications Director for&nbsp;Nebraska Athletics

Lincoln, Ne - The University of Nebraska Athletic Department and 1890 Nebraska announced a partnership today, making 1890 Nebraska the official Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) Collective of Nebraska Athletics and streamlining the process to make it easier for fans to support Husker Athletics among several options.

“Nebraska has always been an innovator in collegiate athletics, whether it is in strength and conditioning, nutrition, and athletics performance facilities, and NIL is the latest frontier,” said Nebraska Athletic Director Troy Dannen. “This partnership with 1890 Nebraska will make it convenient for fans and donors to directly support NIL for our student-athletes and provide 1890 donors many of the same benefits and privileges that our Huskers Athletic Fund members receive for their support of Nebraska Athletics.”

“We are excited to partner with the University of Nebraska as the Official NIL Collective of Nebraska Athletics,” said 1890 Nebraska CEO Carson Schott. “For the past couple of years, our ongoing work with the university has supported student-athletes and coaches, helping to recruit and retain top talent. This deepened commitment to a united front will enhance our efforts further and take our support to the next level.”

With this partnership, contributions to 1890 Nebraska are now eligible for Huskers Athletic Fund priority points and can be included in calculating Huskers Athletic Fund membership levels, including Nebraska Leadership Society annual and lifetime memberships. In addition, 1890 contributions are eligible to receive tax deductibility when directed to the 1890 Foundation and priority points are declined at the time of the donation. Every donor contribution

to 1890 goes directly to student-athletes, and 1890 contributions are also eligible for 1890-specific benefits and experiences.

Donations to the Huskers Athletic Fund are eligible to receive benefits such as priority seating, exclusive access, VIP experiences and more.&nbsp; Donations to the Huskers Athletic Fund can be directed to current funding priorities, including the Student-Athlete Experience Fund, the new track and field complex on Innovation Campus and the HAF Discretionary Fund.

by Shamus McKnight,&nbsp; Senior Associate Communications Director for&nbsp;Nebraska AthleticsLincoln, Ne - The University of Nebraska Athletic Department and 1890 Nebraska announced a partnership today, making 1890 Nebraska the official Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) Collective of Nebraska Athletics and streamlining the process to make it easier for fans to support Husker Athletics among several options.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720451511293.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“Nebraska has always been an innovator in collegiate athletics, whether it is in strength and conditioning, nutrition, and athletics performance facilities, and NIL is the latest frontier,” said Nebraska Athletic Director Troy Dannen. “This partnership with 1890 Nebraska will make it convenient for fans and donors to directly support NIL for our student-athletes and provide 1890 donors many of the same benefits and privileges that our Huskers Athletic Fund members receive for their support of Nebraska Athletics.”“We are excited to partner with the University of Nebraska as the Official NIL Collective of Nebraska Athletics,” said 1890 Nebraska CEO Carson Schott. “For the past couple of years, our ongoing work with the university has supported student-athletes and coaches, helping to recruit and retain top talent. This deepened commitment to a united front will enhance our efforts further and take our support to the next level.”With this partnership, contributions to 1890 Nebraska are now eligible for Huskers Athletic Fund priority points and can be included in calculating Huskers Athletic Fund membership levels, including Nebraska Leadership Society annual and lifetime memberships. In addition, 1890 contributions are eligible to receive tax deductibility when directed to the 1890 Foundation and priority points are declined at the time of the donation. Every donor contributionto 1890 goes directly to student-athletes, and 1890 contributions are also eligible for 1890-specific benefits and experiences.Donations to the Huskers Athletic Fund are eligible to receive benefits such as priority seating, exclusive access, VIP experiences and more.&nbsp; Donations to the Huskers Athletic Fund can be directed to current funding priorities, including the Student-Athlete Experience Fund, the new track and field complex on Innovation Campus and the HAF Discretionary Fund.

1890 Nebraska Named Official NIL Collective of Nebraska

Kearney, Neb. -&nbsp;Nebraska Kearney head men's basketball coach Marty Levinson&nbsp;announced today that three players from the 2023-24 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II National Champions -- National Park College (Hot Springs, Ark.) -- have joined the&nbsp;Loper&nbsp;program. On June 10,&nbsp;Levison&nbsp;announced the&nbsp;<a href="https://lopers.com/news/2024/6/10/four-transfers-join-mens-basketball.aspx">first four recruits</a>&nbsp;of his tenure. The roster will continue to grow throughout the summer. The NPC Nighthawks went 31-1 this past season and won the national title after beating the top two seeds,&nbsp;Davidson-Davie&nbsp;(N.C.) and South Suburban (Ill.), in the Final Four and Championship game. The Nighthawks were the fifth seed in a tournament held in Danville, Ill. The transfers are post&nbsp;Taylor Harrell&nbsp;(Huntsville, Texas), guard&nbsp;Ja'Bryant&nbsp;Hill&nbsp;(Duncanville, Texas) and forward&nbsp;Anthony Swift&nbsp;(Las Vegas, Nev.). Each has two years of eligibility remaining .Harrell led NJCAA Division II in field goal percentage this season (76.7) as he averaged 10.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game. Starting all 32 contests, he earned All-Region honors and was the MVP of the National Tourney. In the title game vs. South Suburban, he had 22 points on 10 of 12 shooting. In a regular season win, Harrell scored a season-best 25 points by going 11 of 12 from the floor." Taylor is a physical center who scores at a very efficient rate. At 6'11 and 280 pounds, he brings a presence and physicality that will instantly impact a game. He can use his physicality to dominate at times because he is very intelligent, instinctual, and uses his positioning to his advantage. When position and size meet skill, you have a real problem and that is exactly how Taylor plays," said Levinson. Having 19 double figure games, Harrell ended up at NPC after scoring 41 points against the Nighthawks a year prior. At Huntsville High, he hit a last second shot to help the Hornets win an area championship and was part of a conference winning squad a year later." He shot the ball a very impressive 77% rate from the floor and completely dominated the National Championship game. Taylor's productivity can be seen on a box score but perhaps his biggest impact is being the vocal leader that he naturally is.&nbsp;Loper&nbsp;fans are going to really enjoy that Taylor is on our side," said Levinson. A 5-10, 160-pound guard, Hill earned second-team All-American this year after averaging 17.3 points, 4.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game. He had seven 20-point efforts including a 50 burger in a win over North Arkansas. He made 15 of 25 shots (7 of 10) and went 13 of 15 at the line in a 108-66 victory."Ja'Bryant brings more positivity to a roster than maybe any player I have ever seen. JB can impact a game on both sides of the ball. His quickness and instincts are special, on and off the ball, as he will get into a ball handler as well as jump a passing lane that most others would never see," said Levinson. "Not only known as a defensive problem, JB can also score from all three levels, sets up his teammates at the right time, and rebounds especially well for his size." Setting a school-record for steals in a game (10) vs. nationally ranked Des Moines Area (Ia.) C.C., Hill shot 83% from the line and 45% from the floor. He leaves the Nighthawks as the all-time leader in both steals (125) and made free throws (234). After spending a redshirt season at Western Texas College, Hill averaged 14.5 points, 3.8 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game for NPC in 2022-23. Finally, he helped lead Duncanville High to its first state tourney appearance in 12 years." During his career, he is a Texas High School state champion and is now a NJCAA national champion; you can see why as he is not only a leader on the floor, in the locker room, on campus and around the community. I am really excited to add Ja'Bryant to our community and be around him every day," said Levinson.​Swift (6-7, 210 lbs.) took a redshirt season at Division I Southern Utah before spending his redshirt freshman campaign at the College of Southern Nevada. There, he was teammates with fellow Loper newcomer Kendrick Gilbert. Swift averaged 9.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.0 blocks a night that season in helping CSN go 23-10."Anthony gives us versatility, size, and skill as he has shown he can be productive and influence winning everywhere he has played. He can guard multiple positions and can score in the post as well as on the perimeter," said Levinson. "Growing up in Las Vegas and playing against a lot of high-level competition, Anthony has developed a very effective all-around game and knows how to compliment his teammates but can also take over at times." At NPC this year, Swift appeared in 31 games and was at 7.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game. He had nine games with at least 10 boards including a season-best 20 in a win over Southern Arkansas Tech. Posting two double doubles, Swift made 50% of his shots and 74% of his free throws. At Desert Pines High in Las Vegas, he was a double figure scorer who helped his team make two state appearances." The talents Anthony brings to a team are invaluable as he played a big part in helping National Park win the National Championship, but he was also a big part of these three wanting to play together. Relationships matter to Anthony, and I will lean on his perspective to help guide this team," said Levinson. The Levinson Era begins Nov. 8 (Friday) with a game at Southwest Minnesota State; the home opener is to be determined.

Kearney, Neb. -&nbsp;Nebraska Kearney head men's basketball coach Marty Levinson&nbsp;announced today that three players from the 2023-24 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II National Champions -- National Park College (Hot Springs, Ark.) -- have joined the&nbsp;Loper&nbsp;program. On June 10,&nbsp;Levison&nbsp;announced the&nbsp;<a href="https://lopers.com/news/2024/6/10/four-transfers-join-mens-basketball.aspx">first four recruits</a>&nbsp;of his tenure. The roster will continue to grow throughout the summer. The NPC Nighthawks went 31-1 this past season and won the national title after beating the top two seeds,&nbsp;Davidson-Davie&nbsp;(N.C.) and South Suburban (Ill.), in the Final Four and Championship game. The Nighthawks were the fifth seed in a tournament held in Danville, Ill. The transfers are post&nbsp;Taylor Harrell&nbsp;(Huntsville, Texas), guard&nbsp;Ja'Bryant&nbsp;Hill&nbsp;(Duncanville, Texas) and forward&nbsp;Anthony Swift&nbsp;(Las Vegas, Nev.). Each has two years of eligibility remaining .Harrell led NJCAA Division II in field goal percentage this season (76.7) as he averaged 10.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game. Starting all 32 contests, he earned All-Region honors and was the MVP of the National Tourney. In the title game vs. South Suburban, he had 22 points on 10 of 12 shooting. In a regular season win, Harrell scored a season-best 25 points by going 11 of 12 from the floor." Taylor is a physical center who scores at a very efficient rate. At 6'11 and 280 pounds, he brings a presence and physicality that will instantly impact a game. He can use his physicality to dominate at times because he is very intelligent, instinctual, and uses his positioning to his advantage. When position and size meet skill, you have a real problem and that is exactly how Taylor plays," said Levinson. Having 19 double figure games, Harrell ended up at NPC after scoring 41 points against the Nighthawks a year prior. At Huntsville High, he hit a last second shot to help the Hornets win an area championship and was part of a conference winning squad a year later." He shot the ball a very impressive 77% rate from the floor and completely dominated the National Championship game. Taylor's productivity can be seen on a box score but perhaps his biggest impact is being the vocal leader that he naturally is.&nbsp;Loper&nbsp;fans are going to really enjoy that Taylor is on our side," said Levinson. A 5-10, 160-pound guard, Hill earned second-team All-American this year after averaging 17.3 points, 4.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game. He had seven 20-point efforts including a 50 burger in a win over North Arkansas. He made 15 of 25 shots (7 of 10) and went 13 of 15 at the line in a 108-66 victory."Ja'Bryant brings more positivity to a roster than maybe any player I have ever seen. JB can impact a game on both sides of the ball. His quickness and instincts are special, on and off the ball, as he will get into a ball handler as well as jump a passing lane that most others would never see," said Levinson. "Not only known as a defensive problem, JB can also score from all three levels, sets up his teammates at the right time, and rebounds especially well for his size." Setting a school-record for steals in a game (10) vs. nationally ranked Des Moines Area (Ia.) C.C., Hill shot 83% from the line and 45% from the floor. He leaves the Nighthawks as the all-time leader in both steals (125) and made free throws (234). After spending a redshirt season at Western Texas College, Hill averaged 14.5 points, 3.8 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game for NPC in 2022-23. Finally, he helped lead Duncanville High to its first state tourney appearance in 12 years." During his career, he is a Texas High School state champion and is now a NJCAA national champion; you can see why as he is not only a leader on the floor, in the locker room, on campus and around the community. I am really excited to add Ja'Bryant to our community and be around him every day," said Levinson.​Swift (6-7, 210 lbs.) took a redshirt season at Division I Southern Utah before spending his redshirt freshman campaign at the College of Southern Nevada. There, he was teammates with fellow Loper newcomer Kendrick Gilbert. Swift averaged 9.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.0 blocks a night that season in helping CSN go 23-10."Anthony gives us versatility, size, and skill as he has shown he can be productive and influence winning everywhere he has played. He can guard multiple positions and can score in the post as well as on the perimeter," said Levinson. "Growing up in Las Vegas and playing against a lot of high-level competition, Anthony has developed a very effective all-around game and knows how to compliment his teammates but can also take over at times." At NPC this year, Swift appeared in 31 games and was at 7.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game. He had nine games with at least 10 boards including a season-best 20 in a win over Southern Arkansas Tech. Posting two double doubles, Swift made 50% of his shots and 74% of his free throws. At Desert Pines High in Las Vegas, he was a double figure scorer who helped his team make two state appearances." The talents Anthony brings to a team are invaluable as he played a big part in helping National Park win the National Championship, but he was also a big part of these three wanting to play together. Relationships matter to Anthony, and I will lean on his perspective to help guide this team," said Levinson. The Levinson Era begins Nov. 8 (Friday) with a game at Southwest Minnesota State; the home opener is to be determined.

UNK adds three from National Park College

Senior Brett Sears was named a second-team Academic All-American by College Sports Communicators on Tuesday.

Sears is the first Husker baseball player to be an Academic All-American since 2016 and is the first Husker to be an All-American and Academic All-American in the same season since Aaron Marsden in 2003.

The Westphalia, Iowa, native becomes the 19th player in program history to be named an Academic All-American, increasing Nebraska’s total to 22 all-time Academic All-Americans.

In the classroom, Sears carried a 3.65 cumulative grade-point average while earning a degree in child, youth and family studies in May.

A unanimous second-team All-American and semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy and National Pitcher of the Year, Sears picked up first-team all-region recognition and was tabbed the District 6 Player of the Year last month.

The Big Ten Pitcher of the Year and first-team All-Big Ten honoree posted a 9-1 record with a 2.16 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 104 innings this season.

Sears had a breakout 2024 campaign, ranking among the national leaders throughout the season. The senior finished the year ranked fourth with a 0.88 WHIP, fifth in ERA (2.16), 19th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.32), 20th in hits allowed/9 inn. (6.23) and 24th in walks allowed/9 inn. (1.64).

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsSenior Brett Sears was named a second-team Academic All-American by College Sports Communicators on Tuesday.Sears is the first Husker baseball player to be an Academic All-American since 2016 and is the first Husker to be an All-American and Academic All-American in the same season since Aaron Marsden in 2003.The Westphalia, Iowa, native becomes the 19th player in program history to be named an Academic All-American, increasing Nebraska’s total to 22 all-time Academic All-Americans.In the classroom, Sears carried a 3.65 cumulative grade-point average while earning a degree in child, youth and family studies in May.A unanimous second-team All-American and semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy and National Pitcher of the Year, Sears picked up first-team all-region recognition and was tabbed the District 6 Player of the Year last month.The Big Ten Pitcher of the Year and first-team All-Big Ten honoree posted a 9-1 record with a 2.16 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 104 innings this season.Sears had a breakout 2024 campaign, ranking among the national leaders throughout the season. The senior finished the year ranked fourth with a 0.88 WHIP, fifth in ERA (2.16), 19th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.32), 20th in hits allowed/9 inn. (6.23) and 24th in walks allowed/9 inn. (1.64).

Brett Sears named Academic All-American

Nebraska sophomores Bergen Reilly and Andi Jackson led the U.S. U21 National Team to the gold medal at the NORCECA U21 Continental Championship in Toronto, Canada on Sunday. Nebraska assistant coach Jaylen Reyes served as an assistant coach for the U21 National Team.

Team USA swept Puerto Rico 25-12, 25-16, 25-16 in the gold medal match to finish the tournament without dropping a set in five matches. Jackson finished with nine kills, three blocks and one ace, while Reilly set the U.S. to a .464 hitting percentage.&nbsp;

In other international competition, Nebraska seniors Merritt Beason, Taylor Landfair and Lexi Rodriguez took the silver medal at the NORCECA Final Six as the U.S. National Team fell to Dominican Republic in five sets, 14-25, 25-17, 25-23, 16-25, 11-15. The U.S. National Team - comprising only college players for this tournament - went toe to toe with the senior national team of the Dominican Republic. Beason had a team-high 14 kills in the final, while Rodriguez had 10 digs.&nbsp;

Women's NORCECA Final Six (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic)FinalDominican Republic 3, USA 2 (25-14, 17-25, 23-25, 25-16, 15-11)Merritt Beason - 14 killsLexi Rodriguez - 10 digsSemifinalsUSA 3, Puerto Rico 0 (25-21, 21-25, 25-23, 25-16)Merritt Beason - 13 killsLexi Rodriguez - 19 digs

USA 3, Canada 0 (25-15, 25-21, 25-13)Merritt Beason - 4 kills, 3 digsTaylor Landfair - 5 kills, 6 digs, 1 block, 1 ace&nbsp;Lexi Rodriguez - 3 digs

USA 3, Mexico 0 (33-31, 27-25, 25-15)Lexi Rodriguez - 14 digs

U21 NORCECA Continental Championship (Toronto, Canada)FinalUSA 3, Puerto Rico 0 (25-12, 25-16, 25-16)Andi Jackson - 9 kills, 3 blocks, 1 aceBergen Reilly - Set Team USA to a .464 hitting percentage

SemifinalsUSA 3, Dominican Republic 0 (25-20, 25-13, 25-12)Andi Jackson - 8 kills, 1 block, 1 aceBergen Reilly - 6 digs, 3 aces, helped set U.S. to a .410 hitting percentage

Group StageUSA 3, Puerto Rico 0 (25-10, 25-17, 25-15)Andi Jackson - 8 kills, 2 blocks, 3 acesBergen Reilly - helped set U.S. to a .314 hitting percentage

USA 3, Suriname 0 (25-10, 25-5, 25-9)Andi Jackson - 5 killsBergen Reilly - 8 assists

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsNebraska sophomores Bergen Reilly and Andi Jackson led the U.S. U21 National Team to the gold medal at the NORCECA U21 Continental Championship in Toronto, Canada on Sunday. Nebraska assistant coach Jaylen Reyes served as an assistant coach for the U21 National Team.Team USA swept Puerto Rico 25-12, 25-16, 25-16 in the gold medal match to finish the tournament without dropping a set in five matches. Jackson finished with nine kills, three blocks and one ace, while Reilly set the U.S. to a .464 hitting percentage.&nbsp;In other international competition, Nebraska seniors Merritt Beason, Taylor Landfair and Lexi Rodriguez took the silver medal at the NORCECA Final Six as the U.S. National Team fell to Dominican Republic in five sets, 14-25, 25-17, 25-23, 16-25, 11-15. The U.S. National Team - comprising only college players for this tournament - went toe to toe with the senior national team of the Dominican Republic. Beason had a team-high 14 kills in the final, while Rodriguez had 10 digs.&nbsp;Women's NORCECA Final Six (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic)FinalDominican Republic 3, USA 2 (25-14, 17-25, 23-25, 25-16, 15-11)Merritt Beason - 14 killsLexi Rodriguez - 10 digsSemifinalsUSA 3, Puerto Rico 0 (25-21, 21-25, 25-23, 25-16)Merritt Beason - 13 killsLexi Rodriguez - 19 digsGroup StageUSA 3, Canada 0 (25-15, 25-21, 25-13)Merritt Beason - 4 kills, 3 digsTaylor Landfair - 5 kills, 6 digs, 1 block, 1 ace&nbsp;Lexi Rodriguez - 3 digsUSA 3, Mexico 0 (33-31, 27-25, 25-15)Lexi Rodriguez - 14 digsU21 NORCECA Continental Championship (Toronto, Canada)FinalUSA 3, Puerto Rico 0 (25-12, 25-16, 25-16)Andi Jackson - 9 kills, 3 blocks, 1 aceBergen Reilly - Set Team USA to a .464 hitting percentageSemifinalsUSA 3, Dominican Republic 0 (25-20, 25-13, 25-12)Andi Jackson - 8 kills, 1 block, 1 aceBergen Reilly - 6 digs, 3 aces, helped set U.S. to a .410 hitting percentageGroup StageUSA 3, Puerto Rico 0 (25-10, 25-17, 25-15)Andi Jackson - 8 kills, 2 blocks, 3 acesBergen Reilly - helped set U.S. to a .314 hitting percentageUSA 3, Suriname 0 (25-10, 25-5, 25-9)Andi Jackson - 5 killsBergen Reilly - 8 assists

Reilly, Jackson lead U.S. U21 Team to Gold Medal

Story by Supernovas Communications&nbsp;

OMAHA, Neb.&nbsp;– The&nbsp;Omaha Supernovas&nbsp;are thrilled to officially announce&nbsp;Laura “Bird” Kuhn&nbsp;as head coach, dropping the interim title that she inherited from last season.&nbsp;

Kuhn continues her stay in Omaha after winning the first-ever Pro Volleyball Federation Championship on May 18 when the Supernovas swept the Grand Rapids Rise inside the&nbsp;CHI Health Center&nbsp;to cap off a storybook season. Originally hired as an assistant coach, Kuhn took over as Interim Head Coach on Feb. 6, only two matches into the inaugural season. Kuhn would lead Omaha to a 17-7 overall record under her watch, which includes the two postseason victories.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Omaha is a special place and truly is the volleyball capital of the world,” Kuhn said. “The Supernovas organization is full of amazing people who have invested in one another to establish a culture of success. Creating such an impact in a one-of-kind community has been a life-changing experience, making this a huge drawback for me. I’m looking forward to being back with NovasNation!”&nbsp;

Kuhn was the main voice in balancing and managing a roster, widely seen as one of the best in the first season of the PVF. That became even more important as the Supernovas were one of the most injury-riddled teams in the league, losing three key contributors for substantial parts of the season.&nbsp;

"We couldn’t be more excited for Bird to continue her tenure in Omaha,”&nbsp;Supernovas Team President Diane Mendenhall&nbsp;said. “She took the reins in February with this team and did a phenomenal job of guiding them to the championship. She fostered a championship culture with a united sense of purpose. We saw that play out in the championship semi-finals with the reserve sweep over San Diego and followed by the sweep of Grand Rapids to capture the inaugural championship.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kuhn isn’t new to this role, serving as the head volleyball coach for Texas A&amp;M from 2018 through 2022. Bird was named the 2019 SEC Coach of the Year after leading the Aggies to a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Prior to Texas A&amp;M, Kuhn established herself as one of the top assistants in the country, winning the 2015 AVCA National Assistant of the Year, as the Associate Head Coach at the University of Kansas where she helped the team reach its first Final Four in school history.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kuhn will lead the coaching staff and collaborate with the front office in evaluating and signing talent for the 2025 Omaha Supernovas roster, which began with&nbsp;<a href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001kb0tKyzOBTfWcMNEoELvFYPFTQ8Cnl37Hsc5p-RCxR3aZOdQEBcw7JoX9GoXvNTtbYFVFhAMQjgxY7fDkkHYq0NbRzApEf-yDgQpKDvCz5ETlVguFufueSJkm8VUCn06fBUNigEF6dlouCHPFQPtSpMnXY6zbCvc6fzlFz_MxBskl-XK135c-FoT2KM9iSk_BlCP8hNqyYOy_W1YCmjysS5gDzjzrukkerobXVR4TsdTEDDwCbgWwDRGlPmiBgUYXh8BnVBqhPYTm3gN56vN4OJMxHniF84NCa7godXLsb-S1GkQ5J206g==&amp;c=9NjQRfHS_0tnygIYIR1DOGzbiD83i63UDTvNLBII3wmNEg-eGV3vmg==&amp;ch=r7lwjP9VTWca4VpEqtPioctwULYIBeFZRzaya-jl5egmsTbeLjSmSQ==">nine signees on the first day of the PVF Free Agency</a>&nbsp;period on June 30. Omaha will return to the CHI Health Center for the second season of the Pro Volleyball Federation, set to begin in January 2025.&nbsp;&nbsp;

To celebrate the first-ever PVF Championship, fans will be able to see the Supernovas and championship trophy as part of the Championship Trophy Tour. Please click this&nbsp;<a href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001kb0tKyzOBTfWcMNEoELvFYPFTQ8Cnl37Hsc5p-RCxR3aZOdQEBcw7LNoIC1RgVi9g6tMoVJqEo8CEZk0uuHLL-6U1Pt772K1ncNFSi84JCBBFuKwPB2ULwVXWCGmhsaYNdZcIZ1d1fhiIf92lzpgeIEuQ70x_bYi_6W62oOR8BKMthiNAguZDB_47ZuSmgs9&amp;c=9NjQRfHS_0tnygIYIR1DOGzbiD83i63UDTvNLBII3wmNEg-eGV3vmg==&amp;ch=r7lwjP9VTWca4VpEqtPioctwULYIBeFZRzaya-jl5egmsTbeLjSmSQ==">link</a>&nbsp;to see where the Supernovas are this summer!&nbsp;

Story by Supernovas Communications&nbsp;OMAHA, Neb.&nbsp;– The&nbsp;Omaha Supernovas&nbsp;are thrilled to officially announce&nbsp;Laura “Bird” Kuhn&nbsp;as head coach, dropping the interim title that she inherited from last season.&nbsp;Kuhn continues her stay in Omaha after winning the first-ever Pro Volleyball Federation Championship on May 18 when the Supernovas swept the Grand Rapids Rise inside the&nbsp;CHI Health Center&nbsp;to cap off a storybook season. Originally hired as an assistant coach, Kuhn took over as Interim Head Coach on Feb. 6, only two matches into the inaugural season. Kuhn would lead Omaha to a 17-7 overall record under her watch, which includes the two postseason victories.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Omaha is a special place and truly is the volleyball capital of the world,” Kuhn said. “The Supernovas organization is full of amazing people who have invested in one another to establish a culture of success. Creating such an impact in a one-of-kind community has been a life-changing experience, making this a huge drawback for me. I’m looking forward to being back with NovasNation!”&nbsp;Kuhn was the main voice in balancing and managing a roster, widely seen as one of the best in the first season of the PVF. That became even more important as the Supernovas were one of the most injury-riddled teams in the league, losing three key contributors for substantial parts of the season.&nbsp;"We couldn’t be more excited for Bird to continue her tenure in Omaha,”&nbsp;Supernovas Team President Diane Mendenhall&nbsp;said. “She took the reins in February with this team and did a phenomenal job of guiding them to the championship. She fostered a championship culture with a united sense of purpose. We saw that play out in the championship semi-finals with the reserve sweep over San Diego and followed by the sweep of Grand Rapids to capture the inaugural championship.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Kuhn isn’t new to this role, serving as the head volleyball coach for Texas A&amp;M from 2018 through 2022. Bird was named the 2019 SEC Coach of the Year after leading the Aggies to a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Prior to Texas A&amp;M, Kuhn established herself as one of the top assistants in the country, winning the 2015 AVCA National Assistant of the Year, as the Associate Head Coach at the University of Kansas where she helped the team reach its first Final Four in school history.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kuhn will lead the coaching staff and collaborate with the front office in evaluating and signing talent for the 2025 Omaha Supernovas roster, which began with&nbsp;<a href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001kb0tKyzOBTfWcMNEoELvFYPFTQ8Cnl37Hsc5p-RCxR3aZOdQEBcw7JoX9GoXvNTtbYFVFhAMQjgxY7fDkkHYq0NbRzApEf-yDgQpKDvCz5ETlVguFufueSJkm8VUCn06fBUNigEF6dlouCHPFQPtSpMnXY6zbCvc6fzlFz_MxBskl-XK135c-FoT2KM9iSk_BlCP8hNqyYOy_W1YCmjysS5gDzjzrukkerobXVR4TsdTEDDwCbgWwDRGlPmiBgUYXh8BnVBqhPYTm3gN56vN4OJMxHniF84NCa7godXLsb-S1GkQ5J206g==&amp;c=9NjQRfHS_0tnygIYIR1DOGzbiD83i63UDTvNLBII3wmNEg-eGV3vmg==&amp;ch=r7lwjP9VTWca4VpEqtPioctwULYIBeFZRzaya-jl5egmsTbeLjSmSQ==">nine signees on the first day of the PVF Free Agency</a>&nbsp;period on June 30. Omaha will return to the CHI Health Center for the second season of the Pro Volleyball Federation, set to begin in January 2025.&nbsp;&nbsp;To celebrate the first-ever PVF Championship, fans will be able to see the Supernovas and championship trophy as part of the Championship Trophy Tour. Please click this&nbsp;<a href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001kb0tKyzOBTfWcMNEoELvFYPFTQ8Cnl37Hsc5p-RCxR3aZOdQEBcw7LNoIC1RgVi9g6tMoVJqEo8CEZk0uuHLL-6U1Pt772K1ncNFSi84JCBBFuKwPB2ULwVXWCGmhsaYNdZcIZ1d1fhiIf92lzpgeIEuQ70x_bYi_6W62oOR8BKMthiNAguZDB_47ZuSmgs9&amp;c=9NjQRfHS_0tnygIYIR1DOGzbiD83i63UDTvNLBII3wmNEg-eGV3vmg==&amp;ch=r7lwjP9VTWca4VpEqtPioctwULYIBeFZRzaya-jl5egmsTbeLjSmSQ==">link</a>&nbsp;to see where the Supernovas are this summer!&nbsp;

Supernovas officially hire Laura “Bird” Kuhn as Head Coach, drops Interim Title

McCook, Neb. - Dillon Hargrove, who coached National Park College to a national championship in March, has been named the new coach of McCook Community College men's basketball program.

Hargrove has been the men's head basketball coach at the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II program in Hot Springs, Ark. since July of 2020.

He compiled an 82-27 coaching record while leading the Nighthawks to Region II regular season championships the past two years and a program best 31-1 record during the 2023-24 campaign.

He said there were two main things that attracted him to the McCook job.

"The Peter and Dolores Graff Events Center is top-notch. It is one of the best facilities in junior college," he said. "The other thing is that when I got to McCook, one of the first things I realized and felt is that strong sense of community."

He said that community pride was visible not only with athletics, and not just on campus but throughout the community.

"As a basketball coach that's huge," he said. "To make that move, you want to feel that sense of community and family and this is pretty obvious here in McCook."

During his fourth season, the Nighthawks rattled off 27 straight wins as the team spent seven weeks ranked No. 1 in the nation.

Following the team's lone loss in the NJCAA Region II Championship, NPC received an at-large bid to its first NJCAA National Tournament as the No. 5 seed, where the Nighthawks soared to the program's first NJCAA Division II Men's Basketball National Championship.

NPC averaged 91.1 points per game on the offensive side while giving up 74.0 points per game on defense. They complimented that with 5.6 blocks per game (seventh in the nation) and 11.8 steals per game (eighth in the nation).

In addition to being named NJCAA Region II Coach of the Year, Hargrove was named the 2023-24 NJCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship Coach of the Tournament and the 2023-24 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Two-Year College Coach of the Year.

In his time at NPC, Hargrove coached one championship MVP, three DII All-Americans, two Region II players of the year, six all-region players and five second-team all-region players.

MCC Athletic Director Jon Olsen said the last two times the men's basketball head coach has opened up, there have been between 50 to 80 applications. A seven-person Mid-Plains Community College search committee screened candidates and conducted the interviews. Hargrove will also have responsibilities as a Career Coach in the Learning Commons.

"His resume to me just stood out, he interviewed really well and we saw why he would be so successful," said Olsen. "I'm really excited for him to be here."

Hargrove said recruiting is one of his immediate priorities. He and assistant Drake Henderson, whom he brought with him from Arkansas, plan to meet with current players and begin the process of replacing nine sophomores.

"We like to develop teams that play really hard, and we'll expect that out of our team this year, good athletes as well as good people," he said.

He received his bachelor's degree in communications from Arkansas Tech University in August of 2016. Hargrove began his coaching career as an assistant with men's basketball program at Lyon College in Benton, Ark. in 2016. The following year he coached at Flippin High School before joining the staff in 2019 at Little Priest Tribal College in Winnebago, Neb.

MCC's new men's basketball coach comes from a family of basketball coaches and educators. His dad has been coaching in Arkansas and Missouri for 32 years and mom has been an educator. His twin sister is a basketball coach. Younger sister isn't a coach but is pursuing her master's degree in sports management.

He and his wife Brooke both come from small towns in Arkansas and met in high school seven years ago. They were married last summer. She is a certified speech pathologist.

Hargrove takes over for North Platte native Jacob Brandl, who left MCC last month to take over at his alma mater North Platte Community College. Brandl spent four years as MCC with a 47-72 record. In 2021 Brandl helped guide the Indians to a Region IX tournament championship appearance, their first since 1997. The Indians went 11-21 this past season.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719332175959.jpeg" alt="(Photo from MPCC Athletics)" />
 <figcaption>(Photo from MPCC Athletics)</figcaption>
 </figure>MPCC AthleticsMcCook, Neb. - Dillon Hargrove, who coached National Park College to a national championship in March, has been named the new coach of McCook Community College men's basketball program.Hargrove has been the men's head basketball coach at the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II program in Hot Springs, Ark. since July of 2020.He compiled an 82-27 coaching record while leading the Nighthawks to Region II regular season championships the past two years and a program best 31-1 record during the 2023-24 campaign.He said there were two main things that attracted him to the McCook job."The Peter and Dolores Graff Events Center is top-notch. It is one of the best facilities in junior college," he said. "The other thing is that when I got to McCook, one of the first things I realized and felt is that strong sense of community."He said that community pride was visible not only with athletics, and not just on campus but throughout the community."As a basketball coach that's huge," he said. "To make that move, you want to feel that sense of community and family and this is pretty obvious here in McCook."During his fourth season, the Nighthawks rattled off 27 straight wins as the team spent seven weeks ranked No. 1 in the nation.Following the team's lone loss in the NJCAA Region II Championship, NPC received an at-large bid to its first NJCAA National Tournament as the No. 5 seed, where the Nighthawks soared to the program's first NJCAA Division II Men's Basketball National Championship.NPC averaged 91.1 points per game on the offensive side while giving up 74.0 points per game on defense. They complimented that with 5.6 blocks per game (seventh in the nation) and 11.8 steals per game (eighth in the nation).In addition to being named NJCAA Region II Coach of the Year, Hargrove was named the 2023-24 NJCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship Coach of the Tournament and the 2023-24 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Two-Year College Coach of the Year.In his time at NPC, Hargrove coached one championship MVP, three DII All-Americans, two Region II players of the year, six all-region players and five second-team all-region players.MCC Athletic Director Jon Olsen said the last two times the men's basketball head coach has opened up, there have been between 50 to 80 applications. A seven-person Mid-Plains Community College search committee screened candidates and conducted the interviews. Hargrove will also have responsibilities as a Career Coach in the Learning Commons."His resume to me just stood out, he interviewed really well and we saw why he would be so successful," said Olsen. "I'm really excited for him to be here."Hargrove said recruiting is one of his immediate priorities. He and assistant Drake Henderson, whom he brought with him from Arkansas, plan to meet with current players and begin the process of replacing nine sophomores."We like to develop teams that play really hard, and we'll expect that out of our team this year, good athletes as well as good people," he said.He received his bachelor's degree in communications from Arkansas Tech University in August of 2016. Hargrove began his coaching career as an assistant with men's basketball program at Lyon College in Benton, Ark. in 2016. The following year he coached at Flippin High School before joining the staff in 2019 at Little Priest Tribal College in Winnebago, Neb.MCC's new men's basketball coach comes from a family of basketball coaches and educators. His dad has been coaching in Arkansas and Missouri for 32 years and mom has been an educator. His twin sister is a basketball coach. Younger sister isn't a coach but is pursuing her master's degree in sports management.He and his wife Brooke both come from small towns in Arkansas and met in high school seven years ago. They were married last summer. She is a certified speech pathologist.Hargrove takes over for North Platte native Jacob Brandl, who left MCC last month to take over at his alma mater North Platte Community College. Brandl spent four years as MCC with a 47-72 record. In 2021 Brandl helped guide the Indians to a Region IX tournament championship appearance, their first since 1997. The Indians went 11-21 this past season.

National champion coach to head MCC men’s basketball

Kearney, Neb. –&nbsp;Nebraska-Kearney&nbsp;standout&nbsp;Wes Ferguson&nbsp;runs in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatf.org/events/2024/2024-u-s-olympic-team-trials-%E2%80%94-track-field">2024 U.S. Olympic Trials</a>&nbsp;this Thursday (June 27) in Eugene, Oreg.

The men's 800-meter first round/quarterfinals are set for 6:30 p.m. Central and can be viewed on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.peacocktv.com/">Peacock</a>. The start list will be revealed closer to race day;&nbsp;<a href="https://results.usatf.org/2024trials/">live results</a>&nbsp;are available as well.&nbsp;

If Ferguson (Fremont) finishes in the top six of his heat or has one of the next three fastest times, he'll advance to Friday's semifinals (three heats of seven). That begins at 8:39 p.m. Central and can be seen on Peacock&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usanetwork.com/">USA</a>. Finally, to reach Sunday's finals at 6:51 p.m. Central, he'll have to finish in the top two of a heat or have one of the next three fastest times. Once again, the finals (nine qualifiers) will air on Peacock and NBC.&nbsp;

Unlike some other nations that have a wildcard spot available, the U.S. policy on making the Olympic team is straight forward; finish in the top three and head to Paris (July 26-Aug. 11).&nbsp;

Ferguson currently ranks eighth in the country this year with a time of 1:45.06. Bryce Hoppel (adidas/Kansas Alum; 1:43.68), Isaiah Jewett (NIKE/Southern Cal Alum; 1:44.02) and Brandon Miller (Brooks/Texas A&amp;M Alum; 1:44.24) lead the field. &nbsp;&nbsp;

A five-time NCAA Division II national champion and nine-time All-American, Ferguson is one of six declared runners with D2 ties. Before transferring to Power 5 schools, Shane Cohen (Tampa) and Abraham Alvarado (Cal State&nbsp;Stanislaus) were D2 student-athletes with Benjamin Allen (Concordia-St. Paul), Robert Downs (Texas A&amp;M-Kingsville) and Derek Holdsworth (Western Oregon) each being D2 standouts during their careers. &nbsp;

UNK has had two Olympic athletes in recent times in wrestler&nbsp;Tervel&nbsp;Dlagnev&nbsp;(2012 and 2016) and track team member Curtis Harry (two-man bobsleigh).&nbsp;Dlagnev&nbsp;eventually earned a bronze medal in 2016 with Harry representing Trinidad &amp; Tobago in the 1994 and 1998 Winter games. &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719244993599.png" alt="Wes Ferguson (Photo courtesy of UNK Athletics)" />
 <figcaption>Wes Ferguson (Photo courtesy of UNK Athletics)</figcaption>
 </figure>UNK AthleticsKearney, Neb. –&nbsp;Nebraska-Kearney&nbsp;standout&nbsp;Wes Ferguson&nbsp;runs in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatf.org/events/2024/2024-u-s-olympic-team-trials-%E2%80%94-track-field">2024 U.S. Olympic Trials</a>&nbsp;this Thursday (June 27) in Eugene, Oreg.The men's 800-meter first round/quarterfinals are set for 6:30 p.m. Central and can be viewed on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.peacocktv.com/">Peacock</a>. The start list will be revealed closer to race day;&nbsp;<a href="https://results.usatf.org/2024trials/">live results</a>&nbsp;are available as well.&nbsp;If Ferguson (Fremont) finishes in the top six of his heat or has one of the next three fastest times, he'll advance to Friday's semifinals (three heats of seven). That begins at 8:39 p.m. Central and can be seen on Peacock&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usanetwork.com/">USA</a>. Finally, to reach Sunday's finals at 6:51 p.m. Central, he'll have to finish in the top two of a heat or have one of the next three fastest times. Once again, the finals (nine qualifiers) will air on Peacock and NBC.&nbsp;Unlike some other nations that have a wildcard spot available, the U.S. policy on making the Olympic team is straight forward; finish in the top three and head to Paris (July 26-Aug. 11).&nbsp;Ferguson currently ranks eighth in the country this year with a time of 1:45.06. Bryce Hoppel (adidas/Kansas Alum; 1:43.68), Isaiah Jewett (NIKE/Southern Cal Alum; 1:44.02) and Brandon Miller (Brooks/Texas A&amp;M Alum; 1:44.24) lead the field. &nbsp;&nbsp;A five-time NCAA Division II national champion and nine-time All-American, Ferguson is one of six declared runners with D2 ties. Before transferring to Power 5 schools, Shane Cohen (Tampa) and Abraham Alvarado (Cal State&nbsp;Stanislaus) were D2 student-athletes with Benjamin Allen (Concordia-St. Paul), Robert Downs (Texas A&amp;M-Kingsville) and Derek Holdsworth (Western Oregon) each being D2 standouts during their careers. &nbsp;UNK has had two Olympic athletes in recent times in wrestler&nbsp;Tervel&nbsp;Dlagnev&nbsp;(2012 and 2016) and track team member Curtis Harry (two-man bobsleigh).&nbsp;Dlagnev&nbsp;eventually earned a bronze medal in 2016 with Harry representing Trinidad &amp; Tobago in the 1994 and 1998 Winter games. &nbsp;

UNK Grad Ferguson Runs in the Olympic Trials this Weekend

Story by UNK Athletic Communications&nbsp;



Kearney, Neb. –&nbsp;Nebraska Kearney head women's soccer coach&nbsp;Rob Breton&nbsp;announced today the names of four newcomers who'll take to the pitch for the&nbsp;Lopers&nbsp;this fall.&nbsp;

In January, Breton announced the signing of a&nbsp;<a href="https://lopers.com/news/2024/1/31/womens-soccer-soccer-goes-far-wide-to-add-talent-to-2024-roster.aspx" target="_blank">mid-year transfer and five incoming freshmen.</a>&nbsp;This latest group features transfers&nbsp;Hanna&nbsp;Schimmer&nbsp;(Midland U.) and&nbsp;Keila Gillispie&nbsp;(Kansas State U.), freshmen&nbsp;Camrynn&nbsp;Nitta&nbsp;(Honolulu,&nbsp;Hawai'i) and&nbsp;redshirt&nbsp;sophomore&nbsp;Riley Jensen&nbsp;(Bellevue&nbsp;East). She previously played basketball for the&nbsp;Lopers.&nbsp;Jensen (5-10) starred on the Bellevue East soccer, volleyball and basketball teams from 2019-22. Missing one season of soccer due to the pandemic, the two-time Class A all-state defender had 30 career points (13 goals and four assists) to help the Chieftains win 17 games in 2011 and 2022. A member of Sporting Nebraska, she was recruited by national power Central Missouri, among others, for soccer.&nbsp;"Adding Riley to our team is a huge asset to our defense. Not only does she bring a winning mentality, having been on the UNK women's basketball team that qualified for the NCAA Tournament and won a MIAA regular season title, but she also was a two-time Class A defender," said Breton. "She has shown the abilities to compete and strengthen our defense."​A native of Newton, Kan., Gillispie (5-8) has at least one year of eligibility remaining after four seasons at Kansas State. In the spring of 2024, she was an assistant coach at Butler (Kan.) C.C. The midfielder/defender was a three-time Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll qualifier who battled some injuries and appeared in six games for the Wildcats. Majoring in Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology,&nbsp;Gillispie&nbsp;graduated last month. Finally, Gillispie was a Class 5A all-state pick for Newton High and a member of the Wichita Rush S.C.&nbsp; "We're very excited to be adding&nbsp;Keila&nbsp;to our defense this fall. She'll bring a new level of experience to the program having played at the highest level of college soccer for four years," said Breton. "She has a fluid presence on the ball&nbsp;on the ball, has strong leadership skills and a desire to have an immediate impact that will help push our defense to a new height in the fall. I'm looking forward to seeing the impact&nbsp;Keila&nbsp;will have within our program."Schimmer (5-8) is a forward from Council Bluffs, Ia., that scores at an elite level. She tallied 39 points (16 goals and four assists) for the Warriors this past fall to earn first-team&nbsp;All-GPAC&nbsp;honors and help Midland reach the NAIA National Tournament. At Iowa Western C.C. in 2022,&nbsp;Schimmer&nbsp;was part of an&nbsp;NJCAA&nbsp;National Championship squad that posted a 19-3-1 record. The Region Player of the Year, she also was tabbed as a first-team All-American after a 53-point (20 goals and 13 assists) effort. Finally, at Abraham Lincoln High, she produced 125 points (55 goals and 15 assists) over her final two seasons. Not surprisingly, the Lynx posted a 33-4 record during that time.&nbsp;&nbsp;​"Bringing&nbsp;Hanna into our&nbsp;team&nbsp;this year adds a whole new dynamic to our attack. Her pace, ability to create space both on and off the ball, and her desire to score will make her a threat in every game," said Breton. "She also brings a winning mentality, having won a National Title at Iowa Western while being named the Offensive Player of the National Tournament and then won a league title with Midland last season." Nitta&nbsp;(5-4), a forward, played for the&nbsp;Leahi&nbsp;S.C. and Pac-Five High School. She led her high school team in scoring this past year and was a first-team all-state pick. The Pac-Five Wolfpack also has won the past three Division II state titles. Playing for the "Premier"&nbsp;Leahi&nbsp;S.C. team, she won another state title, a Far West Regional title and played in tournaments around the country.

"Camrynn&nbsp;completes our incoming class and bring in a new style of attack to our front line that will help us be much more creative. She has a wonderful understanding of the game with her movements off the ball, as well as her technical ability to keep the ball and finish chances she gets," said Breton. "What I think will be her great attribute is her tenacity when she plays; that allows her to make an impact in many ways."UNK reports to fall camp on Monday, Aug. 19, with the regular season opener set for Friday, Sept. 6, at Sioux Falls.



Story by UNK Athletic Communications&nbsp;

Kearney, Neb. –&nbsp;Nebraska Kearney head women's soccer coach&nbsp;Rob Breton&nbsp;announced today the names of four newcomers who'll take to the pitch for the&nbsp;Lopers&nbsp;this fall.&nbsp;In January, Breton announced the signing of a&nbsp;<a href="https://lopers.com/news/2024/1/31/womens-soccer-soccer-goes-far-wide-to-add-talent-to-2024-roster.aspx" target="_blank">mid-year transfer and five incoming freshmen.</a>&nbsp;This latest group features transfers&nbsp;Hanna&nbsp;Schimmer&nbsp;(Midland U.) and&nbsp;Keila Gillispie&nbsp;(Kansas State U.), freshmen&nbsp;Camrynn&nbsp;Nitta&nbsp;(Honolulu,&nbsp;Hawai'i) and&nbsp;redshirt&nbsp;sophomore&nbsp;Riley Jensen&nbsp;(Bellevue&nbsp;East). She previously played basketball for the&nbsp;Lopers.&nbsp;Jensen (5-10) starred on the Bellevue East soccer, volleyball and basketball teams from 2019-22. Missing one season of soccer due to the pandemic, the two-time Class A all-state defender had 30 career points (13 goals and four assists) to help the Chieftains win 17 games in 2011 and 2022. A member of Sporting Nebraska, she was recruited by national power Central Missouri, among others, for soccer.&nbsp;"Adding Riley to our team is a huge asset to our defense. Not only does she bring a winning mentality, having been on the UNK women's basketball team that qualified for the NCAA Tournament and won a MIAA regular season title, but she also was a two-time Class A defender," said Breton. "She has shown the abilities to compete and strengthen our defense."​A native of Newton, Kan., Gillispie (5-8) has at least one year of eligibility remaining after four seasons at Kansas State. In the spring of 2024, she was an assistant coach at Butler (Kan.) C.C. The midfielder/defender was a three-time Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll qualifier who battled some injuries and appeared in six games for the Wildcats. Majoring in Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology,&nbsp;Gillispie&nbsp;graduated last month. Finally, Gillispie was a Class 5A all-state pick for Newton High and a member of the Wichita Rush S.C.&nbsp; "We're very excited to be adding&nbsp;Keila&nbsp;to our defense this fall. She'll bring a new level of experience to the program having played at the highest level of college soccer for four years," said Breton. "She has a fluid presence on the ball&nbsp;on the ball, has strong leadership skills and a desire to have an immediate impact that will help push our defense to a new height in the fall. I'm looking forward to seeing the impact&nbsp;Keila&nbsp;will have within our program."Schimmer (5-8) is a forward from Council Bluffs, Ia., that scores at an elite level. She tallied 39 points (16 goals and four assists) for the Warriors this past fall to earn first-team&nbsp;All-GPAC&nbsp;honors and help Midland reach the NAIA National Tournament. At Iowa Western C.C. in 2022,&nbsp;Schimmer&nbsp;was part of an&nbsp;NJCAA&nbsp;National Championship squad that posted a 19-3-1 record. The Region Player of the Year, she also was tabbed as a first-team All-American after a 53-point (20 goals and 13 assists) effort. Finally, at Abraham Lincoln High, she produced 125 points (55 goals and 15 assists) over her final two seasons. Not surprisingly, the Lynx posted a 33-4 record during that time.&nbsp;&nbsp;​"Bringing&nbsp;Hanna into our&nbsp;team&nbsp;this year adds a whole new dynamic to our attack. Her pace, ability to create space both on and off the ball, and her desire to score will make her a threat in every game," said Breton. "She also brings a winning mentality, having won a National Title at Iowa Western while being named the Offensive Player of the National Tournament and then won a league title with Midland last season." Nitta&nbsp;(5-4), a forward, played for the&nbsp;Leahi&nbsp;S.C. and Pac-Five High School. She led her high school team in scoring this past year and was a first-team all-state pick. The Pac-Five Wolfpack also has won the past three Division II state titles. Playing for the "Premier"&nbsp;Leahi&nbsp;S.C. team, she won another state title, a Far West Regional title and played in tournaments around the country."Camrynn&nbsp;completes our incoming class and bring in a new style of attack to our front line that will help us be much more creative. She has a wonderful understanding of the game with her movements off the ball, as well as her technical ability to keep the ball and finish chances she gets," said Breton. "What I think will be her great attribute is her tenacity when she plays; that allows her to make an impact in many ways."UNK reports to fall camp on Monday, Aug. 19, with the regular season opener set for Friday, Sept. 6, at Sioux Falls.

UNK adds Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas and & Nebraska natives   

LINCOLN, Neb.&nbsp;(June 12, 2024)&nbsp;—&nbsp;Nebraska Sports Council officials have issued a reminder that the deadline to receive a free shirt with paid registration in the Cornhusker State Games (CSG) is June 19.&nbsp;Officials also shared details about Opening Night festivities scheduled for Thursday, July 11 from 7-8 p.m. in front of Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln.

More than 3,800 Nebraskans are already registered, and organizers expect more than 10,000 will participate in the 40th annual Games, which features competition in more than 70 sports over two weekends from July 11-21.&nbsp;Those interested can find information and register at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cornhuskerstategames.com/" target="_blank">CornhuskerStateGames.com</a>.

All participants registered by June 19 not only receive the free athlete shirt, but a host of Summer Fun Freebies valued at more than $50, including a certificate for a free Arby’s Roast Beef Sandwich and vouchers for free admission to the Lancaster County Super Fair, the Nebraska State Fair, a Lincoln Saltdogs baseball game and an Omaha Storm Chasers baseball game.

CSG Opening Night festivities are free and open to the public.&nbsp;Free ice cream treats will be provided by Hiland Dairy.&nbsp;The event also includes a meet-and-greet with current and former Husker athletes, notably including women’s volleyball standout Rebekah Allick and men’s basketball standout Josiah Allick, both of whom will be involved in the lighting of the Games caldron at 7:15 p.m.

Opening Night sponsors include presenting partners: Arby’s of Lincoln, Liberty First Credit Union, J &amp; H Specialty Contracting, and Visit Lincoln.&nbsp;Black Hills Energy is the Torch Lighting sponsor and other contributing partners include: Crete Carrier Corp./Shaffer Trucking, Amigos/Kings Classic, Hiland Dairy, News Channel Nebraska, Digital Sky and Complete Weddings and Events.

The Cornhusker State Games is produced by the Nebraska Sports Council, which also conducts the Lincoln and Omaha Corporate Games, the Pumpkin Run, Nebraska DiamondFest, Nebraska NetFest, the Nebraska Showdown Volleyball Tournament, Heartland Havoc Wrestling Tournament, and the WellPower Movement.&nbsp;Platinum sponsors include: Farmers Mutual of Nebraska, the Nebraska Medical Association, Nebraska Orthopaedic Center and Pepsi-Cola of Lincoln.&nbsp;Learn more at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nebraskasportscouncil.com/" target="_blank">NebraskaSportsCouncil.com</a>.

Nebraska Sports CouncilLINCOLN, Neb.&nbsp;(June 12, 2024)&nbsp;—&nbsp;Nebraska Sports Council officials have issued a reminder that the deadline to receive a free shirt with paid registration in the Cornhusker State Games (CSG) is June 19.&nbsp;Officials also shared details about Opening Night festivities scheduled for Thursday, July 11 from 7-8 p.m. in front of Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln.More than 3,800 Nebraskans are already registered, and organizers expect more than 10,000 will participate in the 40th annual Games, which features competition in more than 70 sports over two weekends from July 11-21.&nbsp;Those interested can find information and register at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cornhuskerstategames.com/" target="_blank">CornhuskerStateGames.com</a>.All participants registered by June 19 not only receive the free athlete shirt, but a host of Summer Fun Freebies valued at more than $50, including a certificate for a free Arby’s Roast Beef Sandwich and vouchers for free admission to the Lancaster County Super Fair, the Nebraska State Fair, a Lincoln Saltdogs baseball game and an Omaha Storm Chasers baseball game.CSG Opening Night festivities are free and open to the public.&nbsp;Free ice cream treats will be provided by Hiland Dairy.&nbsp;The event also includes a meet-and-greet with current and former Husker athletes, notably including women’s volleyball standout Rebekah Allick and men’s basketball standout Josiah Allick, both of whom will be involved in the lighting of the Games caldron at 7:15 p.m.Opening Night sponsors include presenting partners: Arby’s of Lincoln, Liberty First Credit Union, J &amp; H Specialty Contracting, and Visit Lincoln.&nbsp;Black Hills Energy is the Torch Lighting sponsor and other contributing partners include: Crete Carrier Corp./Shaffer Trucking, Amigos/Kings Classic, Hiland Dairy, News Channel Nebraska, Digital Sky and Complete Weddings and Events.The Cornhusker State Games is produced by the Nebraska Sports Council, which also conducts the Lincoln and Omaha Corporate Games, the Pumpkin Run, Nebraska DiamondFest, Nebraska NetFest, the Nebraska Showdown Volleyball Tournament, Heartland Havoc Wrestling Tournament, and the WellPower Movement.&nbsp;Platinum sponsors include: Farmers Mutual of Nebraska, the Nebraska Medical Association, Nebraska Orthopaedic Center and Pepsi-Cola of Lincoln.&nbsp;Learn more at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nebraskasportscouncil.com/" target="_blank">NebraskaSportsCouncil.com</a>.

CSG Shirt Deadline is Today (June 19th)

North Platte, NE- The North Platte Chamber Ambassadors are pleased to host the Junior Ambassador Golf Classic. &nbsp; On Tuesday and Wednesday July 30-31, the 2024 Junior Ambassador Classic Two Day Golf Tournament will take place at our local Rivers Edge and Lake Maloney Golf Courses.&nbsp; Many junior golf entrants ages 7 to 18, from around the state, will participate in one of the most prominent junior golf tournaments in Nebraska.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The North Platte Chamber Ambassadors include the infamous “Junior Slugfest” and BBQ on the evening of July 30th at Rivers Edge Golf Club.&nbsp; &nbsp; Junior Golfers are randomly grouped into Scramble teams that compete in a Sudden Death scramble playoff for trophies.&nbsp; &nbsp; This event is unique to this youth tournament and has become a very popular feature of this event. &nbsp; This event is designed to help install courage and confidence in players who are new to competitive golf and introduce youth golfers to other players.

Day 1: July 30th, play will start at Rivers Edge Golf Club 9:00am – 4:30pm.&nbsp;

Slugfest: July 30th, Rivers Edge Golf Club 6:00pm-8:00pm

Day 2: July 31th, play will start at Lake Maloney Golf Course 9:00am – 3:00pm.

There is an optional instruction clinic, in lieu of playing in the tournament for new or novice youth golfers on July 30th at Rivers Edge.

Big Trophies will be awarded for the top performers in all flights and divisions for the two-day tournament.&nbsp; The trophy presentations will be held at the end of play on July 31st at Lake Maloney Golf Club from 1:00pm to 3:00pm.&nbsp; &nbsp; If media members would like a text message for the exact time of the trophy presentation, please email <a href="mailto:tlucas@nlnb.com">tlucas@nlnb.com</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Due to the generous sponsorship of over 25 local businesses and these golf courses, the entry fee for the full tournament is only $30 for 9-hole players and $40 for 18-hole players.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Golfer Registration forms can be downloaded at the NP Chamber's website&nbsp;

(www.NParea.com) or picked up at the River’s Edge and Lake Maloney Golf Shops.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718717735872.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Ty LucasNorth Platte Chamber AmbassadorsNorth Platte, NE- The North Platte Chamber Ambassadors are pleased to host the Junior Ambassador Golf Classic. &nbsp; On Tuesday and Wednesday July 30-31, the 2024 Junior Ambassador Classic Two Day Golf Tournament will take place at our local Rivers Edge and Lake Maloney Golf Courses.&nbsp; Many junior golf entrants ages 7 to 18, from around the state, will participate in one of the most prominent junior golf tournaments in Nebraska.&nbsp;&nbsp;The North Platte Chamber Ambassadors include the infamous “Junior Slugfest” and BBQ on the evening of July 30th at Rivers Edge Golf Club.&nbsp; &nbsp; Junior Golfers are randomly grouped into Scramble teams that compete in a Sudden Death scramble playoff for trophies.&nbsp; &nbsp; This event is unique to this youth tournament and has become a very popular feature of this event. &nbsp; This event is designed to help install courage and confidence in players who are new to competitive golf and introduce youth golfers to other players.The Tournament Schedule:&nbsp;Day 1: July 30th, play will start at Rivers Edge Golf Club 9:00am – 4:30pm.&nbsp;Slugfest: July 30th, Rivers Edge Golf Club 6:00pm-8:00pmDay 2: July 31th, play will start at Lake Maloney Golf Course 9:00am – 3:00pm.There is an optional instruction clinic, in lieu of playing in the tournament for new or novice youth golfers on July 30th at Rivers Edge.Big Trophies will be awarded for the top performers in all flights and divisions for the two-day tournament.&nbsp; The trophy presentations will be held at the end of play on July 31st at Lake Maloney Golf Club from 1:00pm to 3:00pm.&nbsp; &nbsp; If media members would like a text message for the exact time of the trophy presentation, please email <a href="mailto:tlucas@nlnb.com">tlucas@nlnb.com</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Due to the generous sponsorship of over 25 local businesses and these golf courses, the entry fee for the full tournament is only $30 for 9-hole players and $40 for 18-hole players.&nbsp;&nbsp;Golfer Registration forms can be downloaded at the NP Chamber's website&nbsp;(www.NParea.com) or picked up at the River’s Edge and Lake Maloney Golf Shops.

2024 Junior Ambassador Classic Two-Day Golf Tournament

Alliance, Neb. - Eagle Media, Panhandle Post and KCOW Radio are excited to welcome Canon Rath as the new “Voice” of the Alliance Bulldogs. Rath currently serves as a News Director for Eagle Media and works throughout the Nebraska Markets for North Platte Post, Sandhills Post and Panhandle Post. He will maintain his current position with this new expanded role.

Last season, Rath called games for our sister market, Sandhills Post, calling local area games of the week on Flatrock 100.7. His duties included doing play-by-play for football and basketball.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We are thrilled to have Canon expand his role at Eagle, becoming an integral part of our team in Alliance and Chadron,” said Olivia Hasenauer, Nebraska Regional Manager. “With his extensive experience in play-by-play coverage and his deep knowledge of the teams and players in Western Nebraska, Canon is the perfect fit. His grandpa, has&nbsp;ties in the Bayard area&nbsp;further enhance this seamless transition.”&nbsp;

Rath has over eight years of sports broadcasting experience and six years of radio broadcasting. Throughout his career, he has called games at the high school and collegiate level. Canon also had a once in a lifetime opportunity to call the 2020 Class D2 Football State Championship between Dundy County Stratton and Burwell for Nebraska Public Media (formerly known as NET).&nbsp;

“I’m very excited for the opportunity to become the new “Voice” of the Alliance Bulldogs and getting to know the coaches, student-athletes and community starting this fall,” said Rath. “I can’t wait to get to work and bring Bulldog athletics on KCOW radio!”&nbsp;

KCOW Radio and Panhandle Post&nbsp;are excited for this next chapter and looking to be the premier provider of coverage for the Panhandle Region.&nbsp;

“This is an exciting time not only for our dedicated audience, who passionately follow AHS sports on KCOW 1400AM/92.5FM and Panhandle Post, but also for the schools we cover. In Western Nebraska, being local and embedded in our communities is crucial,” said Hasenauer.&nbsp;“We pride ourselves on providing top-notch coverage for our young student-athletes. At Eagle, we are committed to being the premier provider of news, sports, and entertainment in the Panhandle Region.”&nbsp;

Rath graduated from the University of Nebraska at Kearney in May 2023 as a dual major in Sports Communication and Sports Management. During his 5-year tenure as a Loper, he was heavily involved with the student run radio station 91.1 KLPR, where he hosted a weekly sport show, hosted a weekly sports update and did play-by-play/color for Loper Athletics. 

He spent four years on the KLPR Sports Staff and was Sports Director for his last three years of college. He has been nominated many times at the national level for his work for Loper Athletic broadcast, his weekly sports update “Loper Update” and the longest student running show “Throwin Lopes” where he created it with fellow student Grant Tighe in 2020.&nbsp;

Rath got his start in broadcasting when he was a Junior at Kearney High School when he joined the Bearcat Sports Network, which is Kearney High School’s Striv program. Canon got his start in radio his freshman year in college when he joined Platte River Radio as a board op and producer. He would regularly produce the Doug and Daddy Show, studio engineering many sporting events, and more. Rath also hosted the "Rutts and Rivals Scoreboard Show" for two years. After a 2-year stint, Canon would join KRGI as a color analyst announcer for the St. Paul Wildcats football team.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Rath just recently celebrated one year with Eagle Media earlier this month. He has done work for Panhandle Post along with Sandhills Post and North Platte Post. During his free time, Rath enjoys playing golf with his grandpa, going on walks, playing pickleball and playing video games. Feel free to follow <a href="https://x.com/Canon_K9_Sports">Canon Rath on X</a> (Formerly Twitter).&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718645739737.jpeg" alt="Canon Rath calling the UNK Women's basketball game in November 2022 (Courtesy Photo)" />
 <figcaption>Canon Rath calling the UNK Women's basketball game in November 2022 (Courtesy Photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>Panhandle Post&nbsp;Alliance, Neb. - Eagle Media, Panhandle Post and KCOW Radio are excited to welcome Canon Rath as the new “Voice” of the Alliance Bulldogs. Rath currently serves as a News Director for Eagle Media and works throughout the Nebraska Markets for North Platte Post, Sandhills Post and Panhandle Post. He will maintain his current position with this new expanded role.Last season, Rath called games for our sister market, Sandhills Post, calling local area games of the week on Flatrock 100.7. His duties included doing play-by-play for football and basketball.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We are thrilled to have Canon expand his role at Eagle, becoming an integral part of our team in Alliance and Chadron,” said Olivia Hasenauer, Nebraska Regional Manager. “With his extensive experience in play-by-play coverage and his deep knowledge of the teams and players in Western Nebraska, Canon is the perfect fit. His grandpa, has&nbsp;ties in the Bayard area&nbsp;further enhance this seamless transition.”&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718645909086.jpeg" alt="Canon Rath and former KLPR sport staff at the 2024 NSAA Boys State Basketball Tournament. L-R: Canon Rath, Jon Willis and Ethan McCormick (Courtesy Photo)" />
 <figcaption>Canon Rath and former KLPR sport staff at the 2024 NSAA Boys State Basketball Tournament. L-R: Canon Rath, Jon Willis and Ethan McCormick (Courtesy Photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>Rath has over eight years of sports broadcasting experience and six years of radio broadcasting. Throughout his career, he has called games at the high school and collegiate level. Canon also had a once in a lifetime opportunity to call the 2020 Class D2 Football State Championship between Dundy County Stratton and Burwell for Nebraska Public Media (formerly known as NET).&nbsp;“I’m very excited for the opportunity to become the new “Voice” of the Alliance Bulldogs and getting to know the coaches, student-athletes and community starting this fall,” said Rath. “I can’t wait to get to work and bring Bulldog athletics on KCOW radio!”&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718646404753.jpeg" alt="L-E: Trevor Bentley and Canon Rath calling the 2020 Class D2 Football State Championship for Nebraska Public Media (formerly known as NET) (Courtesy Photo)" />
 <figcaption>L-E: Trevor Bentley and Canon Rath calling the 2020 Class D2 Football State Championship for Nebraska Public Media (formerly known as NET) (Courtesy Photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>KCOW Radio and Panhandle Post&nbsp;are excited for this next chapter and looking to be the premier provider of coverage for the Panhandle Region.&nbsp;“This is an exciting time not only for our dedicated audience, who passionately follow AHS sports on KCOW 1400AM/92.5FM and Panhandle Post, but also for the schools we cover. In Western Nebraska, being local and embedded in our communities is crucial,” said Hasenauer.&nbsp;“We pride ourselves on providing top-notch coverage for our young student-athletes. At Eagle, we are committed to being the premier provider of news, sports, and entertainment in the Panhandle Region.”&nbsp;About Canon Rath&nbsp;Rath graduated from the University of Nebraska at Kearney in May 2023 as a dual major in Sports Communication and Sports Management. During his 5-year tenure as a Loper, he was heavily involved with the student run radio station 91.1 KLPR, where he hosted a weekly sport show, hosted a weekly sports update and did play-by-play/color for Loper Athletics. He spent four years on the KLPR Sports Staff and was Sports Director for his last three years of college. He has been nominated many times at the national level for his work for Loper Athletic broadcast, his weekly sports update “Loper Update” and the longest student running show “Throwin Lopes” where he created it with fellow student Grant Tighe in 2020.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718646125193.jpeg" alt="Canon Rath in New York City in March of 2020 with his IBS Award for "Best Sports Update" (Courtesy Photo)" />
 <figcaption>Canon Rath in New York City in March of 2020 with his IBS Award for "Best Sports Update" (Courtesy Photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>Rath got his start in broadcasting when he was a Junior at Kearney High School when he joined the Bearcat Sports Network, which is Kearney High School’s Striv program. Canon got his start in radio his freshman year in college when he joined Platte River Radio as a board op and producer. He would regularly produce the Doug and Daddy Show, studio engineering many sporting events, and more. Rath also hosted the "Rutts and Rivals Scoreboard Show" for two years. After a 2-year stint, Canon would join KRGI as a color analyst announcer for the St. Paul Wildcats football team.&nbsp;&nbsp;Rath just recently celebrated one year with Eagle Media earlier this month. He has done work for Panhandle Post along with Sandhills Post and North Platte Post. During his free time, Rath enjoys playing golf with his grandpa, going on walks, playing pickleball and playing video games. Feel free to follow <a href="https://x.com/Canon_K9_Sports">Canon Rath on X</a> (Formerly Twitter).&nbsp;&nbsp;

Eagle Media, KCOW Radio welcomes Canon Rath as the next “Voice” of the Alliance Bulldogs

Story by Buffalo Bill Rodeo Communications

North Platte, Neb. (June 15, 2024) –&nbsp;Ean Price’s bank account has some additional padding after a Saturday night at the Buffalo Bill Rodeo in North Platte, Neb.

The Leedey, Oklahoma saddle bronc rider scored 85 points on the Beutler horse Fight Night to take the 2024 title and win more than $2800.

The mare, a nine-year-old sorrel, could have been intimidating to any other saddle bronc riders, but not to Price.

“When you look up her stats online, it could make a guy nervous because of the zero (scores) on there, but I figured it’s just because she bucks.”

And she did buck. The mare was rested, having had time off; her last rodeo was Austin, Texas in March.

“Rhett (Beutler) told me she was fresh, and I just told myself to take the fight to her and don’t wait for it to happen,” he said. “I kind of bobbled the ride at the beginning, but she was bucking and I just felt like I finished a good ride on a great horse. I thank God for the opportunity to come and do this.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718537082137.jpeg" alt="A team roper competes at the 2024 Buffalo Bill Rodeo. The rodeo concluded on June 15 and paid over $135,000 to the winners. Photo by Kami Freeman." />
 <figcaption>A team roper competes at the 2024 Buffalo Bill Rodeo. The rodeo concluded on June 15 and paid over $135,000 to the winners. Photo by Kami Freeman.</figcaption>
 </figure>Story by Buffalo Bill Rodeo CommunicationsNorth Platte, Neb. (June 15, 2024) –&nbsp;Ean Price’s bank account has some additional padding after a Saturday night at the Buffalo Bill Rodeo in North Platte, Neb.The Leedey, Oklahoma saddle bronc rider scored 85 points on the Beutler horse Fight Night to take the 2024 title and win more than $2800.The mare, a nine-year-old sorrel, could have been intimidating to any other saddle bronc riders, but not to Price.“When you look up her stats online, it could make a guy nervous because of the zero (scores) on there, but I figured it’s just because she bucks.”And she did buck. The mare was rested, having had time off; her last rodeo was Austin, Texas in March.“Rhett (Beutler) told me she was fresh, and I just told myself to take the fight to her and don’t wait for it to happen,” he said. “I kind of bobbled the ride at the beginning, but she was bucking and I just felt like I finished a good ride on a great horse. I thank God for the opportunity to come and do this.”This is the second year the 25-year-old cowboy has rodeoed hard, and he’d like to be able to rodeo full time.“I’d like to rodeo good enough to stay on the road,” he said. With his win in North Platte, “it feels like I’m getting closer.”Winning a big check from the Buffalo Bill Rodeo helps.“It takes a lot of the financial burden off. If you can go out there and know you’re just having fun and know you don’t have to worry about where your next tank of gas is coming from, it changes a lot. You can go out there and have fun more than anything.”In the team roping, the number one and two man in the world standings paired up to win the 2024 title.Dustin Egusquiza, the header, and Levi Lord, the heeler, turned in a time of 4.5 seconds to be this year’s champs.It was on a good steer as well. “That really helps,” Lord said, “when you have one on the better end.”They competed on Friday, June 14, in the rain, which wasn’t ideal.“It’s definitely tougher,” Lord said. “You obviously prefer nice ground and nice weather, but it happens with rodeo. It’s something you have to deal with. I think you can either shy away from it, or lean into it and we were excited to be there.”The rain and mud has followed Egusquiza and Lord all spring.“Honestly, this spring we’ve been unlucky with the mud. Everywhere we’ve gone, it’s been either rainy or muddy. It’s following us around, but it’s worked out OK.”This is the second year for the duo to rope together, and Lord loves it.Roping with Egusquiza as a header “is pretty awesome,” he said. “It’s like cheating sometimes. He can reach the steer from pretty much anywhere in the arena, and that sure makes it easy on me, to know you’ll get a lot of throws and most of the time it’ll be pretty fast.”Lord, roping with Nelson Wyatt, set the arena record in the team roping in 2020 (3.8 seconds). Lord is from Sturgis, S.D.; Egusquiza calls Marianna, Florida home.A new arena record was set in the barrel racing by a repeat Buffalo Bill Rodeo champion.Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi rounded the barrels in 16.55 seconds to set the record, which was broken several times this weekend, due to a smaller barrel pattern.The Lampasas, Texas cowgirl won the North Platte rodeo in 2013, and loves coming to North Platte.“I’ve been coming to this rodeo for 21 years,” she said. “This rodeo gets my summer kicked off.” She complimented the arena conditions as well. “I think the ground conditions are the best they’ve ever been. The committee has done an amazing job.”She was aboard an eleven-year-old stallion, SR Industry Titan, whose barn name is Titan, a horse owned by the 70 Ranch.“He helped me break the record last year for single season earnings,” she said. Her 2023 earnings were $270,563.Stallions can often have aggressive personalities, but not so for Titan.“He’s just the sweetest guy. He has so much heart and so much try. You would never know he’s a stud. My seven-year-old daughter has ridden him.”Pozzi Tonozzi is a three-time and reigning world champion barrel racer.The bull riding came down to the final night of rodeo.Kansas man JR Stratford won his event with an 86.5 point ride on the Beutler bull Mayhem.Injuries in the second half of last year plagued the 21-year-old. A bull stepped on his head in Kennewick, Wash. in late August, causing a brain bleed. And two torn shoulders didn’t help either.He qualified for his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, but didn’t ride well, and after winning round three, he broke his leg in round four, which took him out of competition.“My goal is to be the world champion,” he said. “God willing, if I can stay healthy, I can do it.”Stratford is ranked seventh in the world standings.Other champions at the 2024 Buffalo Bill Rodeo include bareback rider Rocker Steiner, Weatherford, Texas (88 points); steer wrestler Travis Munro, Townsville, Queensland, Australia (8.7 seconds on 2 head); tie-down roper Conner Matheson, Stephenville, Texas (19.5 seconds on 2 head); and breakaway roper Layni Masters, Leon, Iowa.During the rodeo, the 2024 Trail Boss Award was given to Jim Gragg. The Tryon man has volunteered at the Buffalo Bill Rodeo for the past fifty years, untying calves after each tie-down roping run. He has never missed a performance in the last half-century and has missed very few rodeo slack mornings.NebraskalandDays activities continue next week with a prime rib feed, competitive art show, beer garden and food court, and concerts by Parker McCollum with support from Flatland Cavalry and Meg McRee on June 21 and Jelly Roll with support from Priscilla Block and Austin Snell on June 22.For more information, visit the website at NebraskalandDays.com- ### -Results, North Platte, Nebraska – Buffalo Bill Rodeo June 12-15, 2024All-around champion: Austin Hurlburt, Norfolk, Neb. (tie-down roping, steer wrestling)<a></a><a>Bareback riding – 2024 champion:&nbsp; Rocker Steiner, Weatherford, Texas</a>1. Rocker Steiner, Weatherford, Texas 88 points on Happy Hour; 2. Keenan Hayes, Hayden, Colo. 84.5; 3. Cole Franks, Clarendon, Wyo. 84; 4. Gauge McBride, Kearney, Neb. 83; 5. Waylon Bourgeois, Church Point, La. 82; 6. Garrett Shadbolt, Merriman, Neb. 80.5; 7. Spencer DeNaeyer, Seneca, Neb. 80; 8. Jake Kesl, Tendoy, Idaho 78.5<a>Steer wrestling – 2024 champion: Travis Munro, Queensland, Australia</a><a>1st&nbsp;round results</a>1. Travis Munro, Townsville, Queensland, Aus. 4.0 seconds; 2. (tie) Austin Hurlburt, Norfolk, Neb. and Riley Duvall, Checotah, Okla. 4.1 each; 4. Seth Peterson, Wellington, Colo. 4.3; 5. Marc Joiner, Loranger, La. 4.5; 6. Kalane Anders, Bayard, Neb. 4.7.2nd&nbsp;round results1. Tyler Pearson, Atoka, Okla. 3.5 seconds; 2. Eli Lord, Sturgis, S.D. 3.9; 3. Tanner Brunner, Ramona, Kan. 4.1; 4. Logan Lemmel, Whitewood, S.D. and Jacob Sterkel, Brighton, Colo. 4.4 each; 6. (tie) Sawyer Strand, Sioux Falls, S.D. and Payden McIntyre, Douglas, Wyo. 4.5.Average:Travis Munro, Townsville, Queensland, Aus. 8.7 seconds on 2 head; 2. Eli Lord, Sturgis, S.D. 8.8; 3. Austin Hurlburt, Norfolk, Neb. 9.1; 4. Kalane Anders, Bayard, Neb. 9.2; 5. Tyler Ravenscroft, Nenzel, Neb. 9.3; 6. Cody Devers, Perryton, Texas 9.4.Tie-down roping – 2024 champion: Connor Matheson, Stephenville, Texas1st&nbsp;round results1. Lane Livingston, Seymour, Texas 8.9; 2. JD McCuistion, Estes Park, Colo. 9.0; 3. Denton Oestmann, Auburn, Neb. 9.3; 4. Zane Kilgus, Pryor, Okla. 9.6; 5. Connor Matheson, Stephenville, Texas 9.8; 6. Clint Graves, Oxford, Kan. 9.9.2nd&nbsp;round results1. (tie) Ryan Belew, La Junta, Colo. and Coy Arnold, Abilene, Kan. 9.1 seconds each; 3. Chance Wall, Cheraw, Colo. 9.5; 4. Ty Moser, Volga, S.D. 9.6; 5. Connor Matheson, Stephenville, Texas 9.7; 6. Trey Hall, Rolla, Kan. 9.9.Average1. Connor Matheson, Stephenville, Texas 19.5 seconds on 2 head; 2. Jase Staudt, Saguache, Colo. 20.9; 3. Lane Livingston, Seymour, Texas 21.1; 4. Clint Graves, Oxford, Kan. 21.3; 5. Glenn Jackson, Okmulgee, Okla. 21.8; 6. (tie) Cole Robinson, Moorcroft, Wyo. and Ty Moser, Volga, S.D. 21.9 each.<a></a><a>Saddle bronc riding – 2024 champion:&nbsp; Ean Price, Leedey, Okla.</a><a>1. Ean Price, Leedey, Okla. 85 points on Fight Night; 2. Joe Priebe, Cody, Wyo. 84; 3. (tie) Talon Elshere, Hereford, S.D. and Kasey Rosendahl, Meeker, Colo. 79 each; 5. Jack Skavdahl, Harrison, Neb. 78.5 6. (tie) Roper Kiesner, Ripley, Okla. and Wade Sundell, Boxholm, Iowa 78 each; 8. Garrett Long, Valentine, Neb. 77.</a><a>Breakaway Roping -2024 champion: Layni Masters</a>1. Layni Masters, Leon, Iowa 2.5 seconds; 2. Brooke Curuchet, Belle Fourche, S.D. 2.6; 3. Devin Robinson, Moorcroft, Wyo. 2.7; 4. Beau Peterson, Council Grove, Kan. 2.8; 5. Rylee George, Oakdale, Calif. 2.9; 6. (tie) Morgan Foss, Rhame, N.D., Kristy Farris, Sentinel, Okla. and Josie Mousel, Colman, S.D. 3.2 each; 9. Taylor Raupe, Douglas, Kan. 3.3; 10. (tie) Josie Conner, Iowa, La. and Lauren Hopkins, Lipan, Texas 3.4 each; 12. Bailey Witt, Coleman, Okla. 3.6.&nbsp;Team roping – 2024 champions: Dustin Egusquiza, Marianna, Fla. and Levi Lord, Sturgis, S.D.1. Dustin Egusquiza, Marianna, Fla./Levi Lord, Sturgis, S.D. 4.5 seconds; 2. Payton Pirrung, Hartford, S.D./Logan Schliinz, Whitewood, S.D. 4.9; 3. Cyle Denison, Iowa, La./Tanner Braden, Dewey, Okla. 5.3; 4. Trevor Olson, Mud Butte, S.D./Tracer Olson, Wanblee, S.D. 5.4; 5. Jake Poncost, Wittmann, Ariz./Cole Cooper, Montrose, Colo. 5.5; 6. Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla./Logan Medlin, Tatum, N.M. 5.6; 7. Erich Rogers, Round Rock, Az./Paul Eaves, Lonedell, Mo. 5.7; 8. Jay Tittel, Pueblo, Colo./TJ Watts, Eads, Colo. 6.0; 9. (tie) Cooper Brott, Gothenburg, Neb./Dawson McMaster, Madison, Kan. and Andrew Ward, Edmond, Okla./Kollin VonAhn, Blanchard, Okla. 6.1 each.Barrel racing -2024 champion: Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, Lampasas, Texas1. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, Lampasas, Texas 16.55 seconds; 2. Paige Jones, Wayne, Okla. 16.74; 3. Shelley Morgan, Eustace, Texas 16.77; 4. Summer Kosel, Glenham, S.D. 16.79; 5. Dona Kay Rule, Minco, Okla. 16.80; 6. Emily Beisel, Weatherford, Okla. 16.87; 7. Leslie Smalygo, Skiatook, Okla. 16.88; 8. Tillar King, Ft. Worth, Texas 16.93; 9. Stevi Hillman, Weatherford, Texas 16.95; 10. Ari-Anna Flynn, Charleston, Ark. 16.99; 11. (tie) Patty Finney, Ainsworth, Neb., Angie Meadors, Blanchard, Okla. and Ashley Day, Volborg, Mont. 17.04 each.Bull riding – 2024 champion: JR Stratford, Byers, Kansas1. JR Stratford, Byers, Kan. 86.5 points on Mayhem; 2. Colton Byram, Mound City, Kan. 86; 3. Chase Dougherty, Canby, Ore. 85; 4. Hudson Bolton, Milan, Tenn. 83.5; 5. Garrett Uptain, Craig, Colo. 83; 6. Brandon Ballard, New Hope, Kent. 81; 7. Riggen Hughes, Kempner, Texas 73.** All results are unofficial.&nbsp;