Story by NPCC Athletic Communications

Cedar
Rapids, Iowa – Mariah Gardner led the Knights with 13 points, but it was not
enough to upset No. 2 Kirkwood Community College, 75-53, in the North Central A
District Championship on Saturday.

Kirkwood
came out strong as they pushed their advantage to 19 points twice in the
opening quarter. North Platte responded by shutting down the Eagles offense in
the second quarter, as a 7-0 run cut the margin to 27-18 on a jumper by Nevaeh
Golden.

Kirkwood
pushed their lead back into double digits, but the Knights never let up down
the stretch. Back-to-back three pointers by Gardner aided in an 8-0 run to cut
the deficit to 32-28 at the halftime break.

North
Platte knotted the game up in the opening minute of the third, but a 12-0 run
helped the Eagles regain a double-digit lead. Kirkwood continued to stretch
their lead in the fourth quarter, as another long run helped the Eagles close
out the win.

As
a team, the Knights shot 30.3 percent (20-66) from the field, while connecting
on 7-of-22 (.318) from long range. Kirkwood won the rebounding battle, 48-26,
but North Platte forced 16 Kirkwood turnovers.&nbsp;

North
Platte concludes the season with an 18-12 record, while claiming their third
Region IX title in the past four seasons.

Story by NPCC Athletic CommunicationsCedar
Rapids, Iowa – Mariah Gardner led the Knights with 13 points, but it was not
enough to upset No. 2 Kirkwood Community College, 75-53, in the North Central A
District Championship on Saturday.Kirkwood
came out strong as they pushed their advantage to 19 points twice in the
opening quarter. North Platte responded by shutting down the Eagles offense in
the second quarter, as a 7-0 run cut the margin to 27-18 on a jumper by Nevaeh
Golden.Kirkwood
pushed their lead back into double digits, but the Knights never let up down
the stretch. Back-to-back three pointers by Gardner aided in an 8-0 run to cut
the deficit to 32-28 at the halftime break.North
Platte knotted the game up in the opening minute of the third, but a 12-0 run
helped the Eagles regain a double-digit lead. Kirkwood continued to stretch
their lead in the fourth quarter, as another long run helped the Eagles close
out the win.As
a team, the Knights shot 30.3 percent (20-66) from the field, while connecting
on 7-of-22 (.318) from long range. Kirkwood won the rebounding battle, 48-26,
but North Platte forced 16 Kirkwood turnovers.&nbsp;North
Platte concludes the season with an 18-12 record, while claiming their third
Region IX title in the past four seasons.

Knights season ends in district championship

Story by NU Athletic Communications

Minneapolis - Jaz Shelley erupted
for 30 points while adding nine assists to shoot Nebraska into the championship
game of the TIAA Big Ten Tournament with a 78-68 semifinal win over Maryland on
Saturday afternoon at the Target Center.

Shelley, a 5-9
graduate guard from Moe, Australia, hit 10-of-16 shots from the field,
including 6-of-12 three-pointers, while going 4-for-4 at the free throw line to
seal the win down the stretch.

The
fifth-seeded Huskers improved to 22-10 overall and 3-0 in the Big Ten
Tournament, while the No. 8 seed Terrapins closed at 19-13 overall and 2-1 in
the tournament.

Nebraska's win
sets up a third game this season against second-seeded and national No. 3 Iowa
on Sunday at 11 a.m. (CT) at the Target Center. Iowa defeated the Huskers 92-73
in Iowa City (Jan. 27), before the Huskers evened the series with an 82-79 win
in Lincoln (Feb. 11). The game will be televised live nationally by CBS.

Shelley was
dynamic from start to finish, pouring in 17 points in the first half including
an electric 11-0 run that included three threes in less than 90 seconds to end
the first quarter.

The Huskers,
who never trailed in the game, held a 13-point lead late in the second quarter,
but Maryland rallied to tie the game at 51 with more than four minutes left in
the third period.

Shelley
answered with a big bucket to regain the lead for the Huskers at 53-51 with
3:27 left in the period. Minneapolis native Kendall Coley then connected on one
of the game's biggest shots with her three-pointer in the left corner 30
seconds later to put Nebraska up five. Minnesotan Annika Stewart then scored
inside to cap a crucial 7-0 Husker run and give the Big Red a 58-51 lead.
Stewart finished with nine points off the bench, while Coley added six points
on a pair of threes.

Maryland
answered Nebraska's spurt with eight points late in the quarter to narrow the
margin to 60-59 heading to the fourth.

Minnesotan
Callin Hake, who finished with seven points, five rebounds, two assists and two
key charges drawn, then sank a pair of free throws to open the final quarter.

Shelley took
center stage again by sinking her sixth three-pointer with 7:50 left. After a
basket by Maryland's Allie Kubek, freshmen Logan Nissley and Natalie Potts
scored five straight points before Shelley hit another shot to push Nebraska's
lead back to double digits at 72-61 with 4:31 left. Nissley (6) and Potts (4)
combined for 10 points on the day, while fellow freshman Jessica Petrie pitched
in five more.

Maryland
fought back one more time to cut the margin to six, but Shelley scored
Nebraska's next six points to finish with 11 in the fourth quarter on her way
to her sixth career 30-point performance, including her second in seven career
Big Ten Tournament contests.

Shelley, whose
previous season high of 23 points came in a win over No. 2 Iowa (Feb. 11),
added nine assists, four rebounds and two steals on the day.

Alexis
Markowski added a strong performance inside despite being strapped with foul
trouble, scoring nine points to go along with a game-high 13 rebounds.

As a team,
Nebraska finished by shooting 45.2 percent (28-62) from the field, including
13-of-28 three-pointers (.464). The Huskers also hit 9-of-14 free throws, while
winning the battle of the boards, 36-32. The Big Red also won the tournament
fight, 16-15.

Maryland hit
45.6 percent (26-57) of its shots, but just 4-of-13 threes (.308), while
hitting 12-of-15 free throws. Shyanne Sellers led five Terps in double figures
with 15 points, six rebounds and seven assists, while Faith Masonius
contributed 14 points, nine rebounds and five assists.

Nebraska
jumped out to a quick start, building an early six-point lead. Maryland trimmed
the margin to 14-12, before Shelley caught fire. Her 11-0 run in the final 90
seconds of the first quarter included a mesmerizing double-crossover that sent
defensive star Shyanne Sellers to the floor before Shelley drained a three.
Shelley hit two more threes to end the quarter, including a 30-footer ahead of
the buzzer to give the Big Red a 25-12 lead after one period.

Maryland
answered early in the quarter to cut NU's lead to 32-27 before Shelley and
fellow Australian Jessica Petrie teamed for three straight three-pointers in
less than a minute to push Nebraska's margin back to 41-29 with 4:54 left.

A Kendall
Coley three-pointer with 2:14 left in the half extended Nebraska's margin back
to 13 points at 47-34, but the Terrapins closed the half with a 6-0 run in the
final two minutes.

Shelley, who
led NU with 17 points and four assists in the half, hit five of Nebraska's 10
first-half three-pointers, as the Huskers connected on 10-of-18 long range
attempts in the half. Overall, NU knocked down 17-of-32 shots (.531) and 3-of-6
free throws. Nebraska also outrebounded the Terps 16-12 in the half. Markowski
pulled down 10 first-half rebounds while adding seven points.

Maryland hung
tough by hitting 59.3 percent (16-27) of its first-half shots, including 1-of-2
threes. The Huskers also sank 7-of-10 free throws. The Terps won the first-half
turnover fight, 9-7.

Sellers
led Maryland with 13 points and six assists in the half, while Masonius added
10 points.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsMinneapolis - Jaz Shelley erupted
for 30 points while adding nine assists to shoot Nebraska into the championship
game of the TIAA Big Ten Tournament with a 78-68 semifinal win over Maryland on
Saturday afternoon at the Target Center.Shelley, a 5-9
graduate guard from Moe, Australia, hit 10-of-16 shots from the field,
including 6-of-12 three-pointers, while going 4-for-4 at the free throw line to
seal the win down the stretch.The
fifth-seeded Huskers improved to 22-10 overall and 3-0 in the Big Ten
Tournament, while the No. 8 seed Terrapins closed at 19-13 overall and 2-1 in
the tournament.Nebraska's win
sets up a third game this season against second-seeded and national No. 3 Iowa
on Sunday at 11 a.m. (CT) at the Target Center. Iowa defeated the Huskers 92-73
in Iowa City (Jan. 27), before the Huskers evened the series with an 82-79 win
in Lincoln (Feb. 11). The game will be televised live nationally by CBS.Shelley was
dynamic from start to finish, pouring in 17 points in the first half including
an electric 11-0 run that included three threes in less than 90 seconds to end
the first quarter.The Huskers,
who never trailed in the game, held a 13-point lead late in the second quarter,
but Maryland rallied to tie the game at 51 with more than four minutes left in
the third period.Shelley
answered with a big bucket to regain the lead for the Huskers at 53-51 with
3:27 left in the period. Minneapolis native Kendall Coley then connected on one
of the game's biggest shots with her three-pointer in the left corner 30
seconds later to put Nebraska up five. Minnesotan Annika Stewart then scored
inside to cap a crucial 7-0 Husker run and give the Big Red a 58-51 lead.
Stewart finished with nine points off the bench, while Coley added six points
on a pair of threes.Maryland
answered Nebraska's spurt with eight points late in the quarter to narrow the
margin to 60-59 heading to the fourth.Minnesotan
Callin Hake, who finished with seven points, five rebounds, two assists and two
key charges drawn, then sank a pair of free throws to open the final quarter.Shelley took
center stage again by sinking her sixth three-pointer with 7:50 left. After a
basket by Maryland's Allie Kubek, freshmen Logan Nissley and Natalie Potts
scored five straight points before Shelley hit another shot to push Nebraska's
lead back to double digits at 72-61 with 4:31 left. Nissley (6) and Potts (4)
combined for 10 points on the day, while fellow freshman Jessica Petrie pitched
in five more.Maryland
fought back one more time to cut the margin to six, but Shelley scored
Nebraska's next six points to finish with 11 in the fourth quarter on her way
to her sixth career 30-point performance, including her second in seven career
Big Ten Tournament contests.Shelley, whose
previous season high of 23 points came in a win over No. 2 Iowa (Feb. 11),
added nine assists, four rebounds and two steals on the day.Alexis
Markowski added a strong performance inside despite being strapped with foul
trouble, scoring nine points to go along with a game-high 13 rebounds.As a team,
Nebraska finished by shooting 45.2 percent (28-62) from the field, including
13-of-28 three-pointers (.464). The Huskers also hit 9-of-14 free throws, while
winning the battle of the boards, 36-32. The Big Red also won the tournament
fight, 16-15.Maryland hit
45.6 percent (26-57) of its shots, but just 4-of-13 threes (.308), while
hitting 12-of-15 free throws. Shyanne Sellers led five Terps in double figures
with 15 points, six rebounds and seven assists, while Faith Masonius
contributed 14 points, nine rebounds and five assists.Nebraska
jumped out to a quick start, building an early six-point lead. Maryland trimmed
the margin to 14-12, before Shelley caught fire. Her 11-0 run in the final 90
seconds of the first quarter included a mesmerizing double-crossover that sent
defensive star Shyanne Sellers to the floor before Shelley drained a three.
Shelley hit two more threes to end the quarter, including a 30-footer ahead of
the buzzer to give the Big Red a 25-12 lead after one period.Maryland
answered early in the quarter to cut NU's lead to 32-27 before Shelley and
fellow Australian Jessica Petrie teamed for three straight three-pointers in
less than a minute to push Nebraska's margin back to 41-29 with 4:54 left.A Kendall
Coley three-pointer with 2:14 left in the half extended Nebraska's margin back
to 13 points at 47-34, but the Terrapins closed the half with a 6-0 run in the
final two minutes.Shelley, who
led NU with 17 points and four assists in the half, hit five of Nebraska's 10
first-half three-pointers, as the Huskers connected on 10-of-18 long range
attempts in the half. Overall, NU knocked down 17-of-32 shots (.531) and 3-of-6
free throws. Nebraska also outrebounded the Terps 16-12 in the half. Markowski
pulled down 10 first-half rebounds while adding seven points.Maryland hung
tough by hitting 59.3 percent (16-27) of its first-half shots, including 1-of-2
threes. The Huskers also sank 7-of-10 free throws. The Terps won the first-half
turnover fight, 9-7.Sellers
led Maryland with 13 points and six assists in the half, while Masonius added
10 points.

Shelley shoots Huskers into Big Ten Title game

Minneapolis - Jaz Shelley pumped
in 19 points, while Minnesotan Callin Hake added 15 points off the bench to
help Nebraska overcome a slow start on its way to a 64-56 women's basketball
win over Purdue in the second round of the TIAA Big Ten Tournament at the Target
Center on Thursday afternoon.

With the
victory, the fifth-seeded Huskers improved to 20-10 overall and advanced to
Friday's quarterfinal match-up against No. 4 seed Michigan State (22-7).
Tip-off for the Big Red's battle with the Spartans is set for 2 p.m. (CT) with
live television coverage by the Big Ten Network.

Shelley, who
scored 10 points in the second half, added seven rebounds and seven assists for
the game while knocking four three-pointers in a strong all-around effort to
help Nebraska secure its second 20-win campaign in the last three seasons.

Hake, a
sophomore from Victoria, Minn., was even more impactful in the second half,
scoring 12 points after halftime including nine in the fourth quarter. With the
game tied at 40 with nine minutes left, Hake sank a three-pointer to put
Nebraska back in front before adding a layup 30 seconds later to give NU a
45-40 lead with 8:21 left. The Huskers never relinquished the lead.

Sophie
Swanson, who scored a career-high 25 points on seven three-pointers for Purdue,
sank a three with 8:07 left to cut NU's margin to 45-43, before Shelley and
Hake scored six straight points to spark a decisive 14-0 run over the next four
minutes.

Alexis
Markowski, who finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and a career-high six
assists, added four points during the run including the next bucket to give
Nebraska its first double-digit lead at 53-43 with 5:40 left.&nbsp;

Darian White
also contributed three points during the surge as Nebraska's lead ballooned to
59-43 with four minutes remaining.

Husker
starters Natalie Potts (6) and Logan Nissley (4), who were both Big Ten
All-Freshman Team selections, combined for 10 points, while fellow freshman
Jessica Petrie contributed three points down the stretch to help Nebraska
complete a 3-0 season series sweep of Purdue.

The Huskers
outscored Purdue 39-31 in the second half after a low-scoring first 20 minutes.

Nebraska hit
41.1 percent (23-56) of its shots for the game, including 54 percent in the
second half, while going 8-for-22 (.364) from three-point range for the game.
NU went 10-for-15 at the line and won the battle of the boards, 41-36.&nbsp;

The Huskers
held Purdue to 36.1 percent (22-61) shooting, including 7-of-20 threes (.350),
with Swanson going 7-for-9 while the rest of the Boilermakers were 0-for-11
from beyond the arc. The Big Red also limited the Boilers to just five free
throw attempts.

Nebraska held
Purdue leading scorer Abbey Ellis to just 11 points on 5-of-16 shooting. The
other eight Boilermakers who played in the game combined for just 20 points.

In a
low-scoring first half, Shelley led the Huskers with a trio of three-pointers
including the final one just before the halftime buzzer to send the two teams
to the locker room tied at 25.&nbsp;

Shelley
finished with nine first-half points, while Markowski and Nissley each pitched
in four points, while Potts and Hake both contributed three-pointers. Shelley
and Markowski both helped the Huskers with four first-half assists.

Purdue jumped
to a 12-7 lead at the end of the first quarter before pushing the lead to 14-7
to open the second. Nebraska responded with an 8-0 run to take a brief 15-14
lead, before the Boilers rebuilt a six-point edge after seven straight points
from Swanson.

Swanson led
Purdue with those seven first-half points, while Mary Ashley Stevenson, Jeanae
Terry and Ellis each scored four points.

The Huskers
hit just 31.3 percent (10-32) of their first-half shots, including 33.3 percent
(5-15) of their threes. Purdue managed 35.5 percent (11-31) shooting, including
1-of-7 threes (.143) and made the only two free throws of the half.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsMinneapolis - Jaz Shelley pumped
in 19 points, while Minnesotan Callin Hake added 15 points off the bench to
help Nebraska overcome a slow start on its way to a 64-56 women's basketball
win over Purdue in the second round of the TIAA Big Ten Tournament at the Target
Center on Thursday afternoon.With the
victory, the fifth-seeded Huskers improved to 20-10 overall and advanced to
Friday's quarterfinal match-up against No. 4 seed Michigan State (22-7).
Tip-off for the Big Red's battle with the Spartans is set for 2 p.m. (CT) with
live television coverage by the Big Ten Network.Shelley, who
scored 10 points in the second half, added seven rebounds and seven assists for
the game while knocking four three-pointers in a strong all-around effort to
help Nebraska secure its second 20-win campaign in the last three seasons.Hake, a
sophomore from Victoria, Minn., was even more impactful in the second half,
scoring 12 points after halftime including nine in the fourth quarter. With the
game tied at 40 with nine minutes left, Hake sank a three-pointer to put
Nebraska back in front before adding a layup 30 seconds later to give NU a
45-40 lead with 8:21 left. The Huskers never relinquished the lead.Sophie
Swanson, who scored a career-high 25 points on seven three-pointers for Purdue,
sank a three with 8:07 left to cut NU's margin to 45-43, before Shelley and
Hake scored six straight points to spark a decisive 14-0 run over the next four
minutes.Alexis
Markowski, who finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and a career-high six
assists, added four points during the run including the next bucket to give
Nebraska its first double-digit lead at 53-43 with 5:40 left.&nbsp;Darian White
also contributed three points during the surge as Nebraska's lead ballooned to
59-43 with four minutes remaining.Husker
starters Natalie Potts (6) and Logan Nissley (4), who were both Big Ten
All-Freshman Team selections, combined for 10 points, while fellow freshman
Jessica Petrie contributed three points down the stretch to help Nebraska
complete a 3-0 season series sweep of Purdue.The Huskers
outscored Purdue 39-31 in the second half after a low-scoring first 20 minutes.Nebraska hit
41.1 percent (23-56) of its shots for the game, including 54 percent in the
second half, while going 8-for-22 (.364) from three-point range for the game.
NU went 10-for-15 at the line and won the battle of the boards, 41-36.&nbsp;The Huskers
held Purdue to 36.1 percent (22-61) shooting, including 7-of-20 threes (.350),
with Swanson going 7-for-9 while the rest of the Boilermakers were 0-for-11
from beyond the arc. The Big Red also limited the Boilers to just five free
throw attempts.Nebraska held
Purdue leading scorer Abbey Ellis to just 11 points on 5-of-16 shooting. The
other eight Boilermakers who played in the game combined for just 20 points.In a
low-scoring first half, Shelley led the Huskers with a trio of three-pointers
including the final one just before the halftime buzzer to send the two teams
to the locker room tied at 25.&nbsp;Shelley
finished with nine first-half points, while Markowski and Nissley each pitched
in four points, while Potts and Hake both contributed three-pointers. Shelley
and Markowski both helped the Huskers with four first-half assists.Purdue jumped
to a 12-7 lead at the end of the first quarter before pushing the lead to 14-7
to open the second. Nebraska responded with an 8-0 run to take a brief 15-14
lead, before the Boilers rebuilt a six-point edge after seven straight points
from Swanson.Swanson led
Purdue with those seven first-half points, while Mary Ashley Stevenson, Jeanae
Terry and Ellis each scored four points.The Huskers
hit just 31.3 percent (10-32) of their first-half shots, including 33.3 percent
(5-15) of their threes. Purdue managed 35.5 percent (11-31) shooting, including
1-of-7 threes (.143) and made the only two free throws of the half.

Huskers shoot past Purdue at Big Ten Tournament

Story by UNK Athletic Communications&nbsp;

Kearney,
Neb. – Junior forward Kelsey Fields had 19 points and 14
rebounds to help Northwest Missouri State shackle Nebraska-Kearney, <a href="https://lopers.com/sports/womens-basketball/stats/2023-24/nw-missouri-st-/boxscore/7934">64-42</a>,
Thursday afternoon in a MIAA Tournament quarterfinal game in Kansas City.
The second-seeded Bearcats (23-6) advance to Saturday's semifinals and are in
good shape to make the NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, the seventh-seeded Lopers end up at 19-11 and are now 9-10
all-time in the MIAA Tourney.
UNK beat Northwest in this tournament each of the past two seasons and had
taken 14 of the last 17 matchups between
the two. While the Lopers got out to a
4-0 lead in what was a defensive struggle throughout, they never led again. The
Blue &amp; Gold had season-lows in both points and field goals percentage
(26.3; 15 of 57) and was out rebounded by six. Meanwhile, Northwest shot a
respectable 41% from the field and salted things away with three straight
triples in the fourth.
"It was a bad day to have a bad day. They guarded us one-on-one, and we
just couldn't get by or get downhill. They did a great job of not over helping
and making you finish," said UNK head coach Drew Johnson. "We
couldn't quite get the ball to fall. I thought we had a couple of punches at
them, and we guarded and guarded so it wasn't a defensive thing."
Northwest erased that early 4-0 deficit with two threes and then held leads of
16-10 (first quarter), 30-20 (halftime) and 44-32 (end of three). UNK was down
51-38 with 4:39 to play when the 'Cats quickly sank four freebies and those
treys.
"We tried several different modes but just couldn't quite find it,"
said Johnson.&nbsp;


Sixth-year senior Shiloh
McCool (Pleasant Hill, Ia.) tied the school-record for double
doubles (15) and rebounds (284) in a single season after a 22-point, 10
rebounding effort. She was 7 of 20 from the field; the rest of the squad went 8
for 37. All-American Ginger Keller had 15 double doubles back in 1993-94 with
All-American Amy Mathis having 284 boards in the 2007-08 campaign. Finally, her
9.46 season rebound averaging is second best in in the annuals and she ends up
11th on the career scoring list (1,498) and second in both rebounds
(984) and double doubles (34).
Fields, mainly on pick and rolls, was 8 for 10 from the field with six of her
rebounds coming on the offensive end. She also drew four fouls and had two
blocks over 27 minutes. Next, guard Caely Kesten had 16 points and seven
rebounds with All-MIAA guard Molly
Hartnett controlling the action with nine points, nine rebounds and five
assists.
Also for UNK, point guard Jillian
Aschoff (Lincoln Pius) finished up with the second most assists
(167) and second highest assists per game (5.57) tally for a single season.
Inside, redshirt freshman post Bailee Sobczak (Rapid City, S.D.) had 99
offensive rebounds, second most by a Loper.
She had a team-best 11 rebounds today (four offensive).
"As you try and quickly recap the year, in what was going to be a
transition, I'm just so proud of this team. How hard they fought and what the
gave every single day," said Johnson. "We asked them to do things
counter cultural; buy into something that's not guaranteed success and be
willing to invest in that every day for each other. They did that."
Besides McCool, UNK says goodbye to fifth-year seniors Trinity Law (Brandon,
S.D.) and Lexi Moes (Smithville,
Mo.), redshirt junior guard Halle Duft (South Weber, Utah) and forward Dani Winslow (Olathe,
Kan.) who medically retired before the year started. Law ends up 42nd
on the career scoring list (850).
"I've been only around them for the past 10 months but what a special,
special group. They did a lot of amazing things in their careers, and you feel
grateful to be here. Grateful to get a chance to coach them and invest in their
lives," said Johnson. "One of the special things about this team is
how much they care about each other and that just doesn't happen
overnight."





Story by UNK Athletic Communications&nbsp;Kearney,
Neb. – Junior forward Kelsey Fields had 19 points and 14
rebounds to help Northwest Missouri State shackle Nebraska-Kearney, <a href="https://lopers.com/sports/womens-basketball/stats/2023-24/nw-missouri-st-/boxscore/7934">64-42</a>,
Thursday afternoon in a MIAA Tournament quarterfinal game in Kansas City.
The second-seeded Bearcats (23-6) advance to Saturday's semifinals and are in
good shape to make the NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, the seventh-seeded Lopers end up at 19-11 and are now 9-10
all-time in the MIAA Tourney.
UNK beat Northwest in this tournament each of the past two seasons and had
taken 14 of the last 17 matchups between
the two. While the Lopers got out to a
4-0 lead in what was a defensive struggle throughout, they never led again. The
Blue &amp; Gold had season-lows in both points and field goals percentage
(26.3; 15 of 57) and was out rebounded by six. Meanwhile, Northwest shot a
respectable 41% from the field and salted things away with three straight
triples in the fourth.
"It was a bad day to have a bad day. They guarded us one-on-one, and we
just couldn't get by or get downhill. They did a great job of not over helping
and making you finish," said UNK head coach Drew Johnson. "We
couldn't quite get the ball to fall. I thought we had a couple of punches at
them, and we guarded and guarded so it wasn't a defensive thing."
Northwest erased that early 4-0 deficit with two threes and then held leads of
16-10 (first quarter), 30-20 (halftime) and 44-32 (end of three). UNK was down
51-38 with 4:39 to play when the 'Cats quickly sank four freebies and those
treys.
"We tried several different modes but just couldn't quite find it,"
said Johnson.&nbsp;
Sixth-year senior Shiloh
McCool (Pleasant Hill, Ia.) tied the school-record for double
doubles (15) and rebounds (284) in a single season after a 22-point, 10
rebounding effort. She was 7 of 20 from the field; the rest of the squad went 8
for 37. All-American Ginger Keller had 15 double doubles back in 1993-94 with
All-American Amy Mathis having 284 boards in the 2007-08 campaign. Finally, her
9.46 season rebound averaging is second best in in the annuals and she ends up
11th on the career scoring list (1,498) and second in both rebounds
(984) and double doubles (34).
Fields, mainly on pick and rolls, was 8 for 10 from the field with six of her
rebounds coming on the offensive end. She also drew four fouls and had two
blocks over 27 minutes. Next, guard Caely Kesten had 16 points and seven
rebounds with All-MIAA guard Molly
Hartnett controlling the action with nine points, nine rebounds and five
assists.
Also for UNK, point guard Jillian
Aschoff (Lincoln Pius) finished up with the second most assists
(167) and second highest assists per game (5.57) tally for a single season.
Inside, redshirt freshman post Bailee Sobczak (Rapid City, S.D.) had 99
offensive rebounds, second most by a Loper.
She had a team-best 11 rebounds today (four offensive).
"As you try and quickly recap the year, in what was going to be a
transition, I'm just so proud of this team. How hard they fought and what the
gave every single day," said Johnson. "We asked them to do things
counter cultural; buy into something that's not guaranteed success and be
willing to invest in that every day for each other. They did that."
Besides McCool, UNK says goodbye to fifth-year seniors Trinity Law (Brandon,
S.D.) and Lexi Moes (Smithville,
Mo.), redshirt junior guard Halle Duft (South Weber, Utah) and forward Dani Winslow (Olathe,
Kan.) who medically retired before the year started. Law ends up 42nd
on the career scoring list (850).
"I've been only around them for the past 10 months but what a special,
special group. They did a lot of amazing things in their careers, and you feel
grateful to be here. Grateful to get a chance to coach them and invest in their
lives," said Johnson. "One of the special things about this team is
how much they care about each other and that just doesn't happen
overnight."

Lopers finish up at 19-11; Five Seniors bow out

HONOLULU,
Hawaii - The Nebraska beach volleyball team fell to No. 12
Hawaii and Pepperdine, both by 4-1 scores, in their first matches of the
Queen's Cup at Queen's Beach on Thursday.&nbsp;

Merritt
Beason and Skyler Pierce were the lone Husker pair to earn a team point on
Thursday. They teamed up for a 21-19, 15-21, 15-11 win over Hawaii's No. 3
pair, and followed that with a 16-21, 21-19, 17-15 victory over Pepperdine's
No. 4 team.&nbsp;

The
Huskers are now 8-5 on the beach season. Hawaii improved to 1-5, and Pepperdine
improved to 4-3.&nbsp;

The
Huskers have two matches again on Friday, against Chaminade at 3:30 p.m. (CT)
and against Saint Mary's at 6 p.m. (CT).

#12 Hawaii 4,
Nebraska 1
1. Jaime Santer/Alana Embry (UH) def. Lexi Rodriguez/Lindsay Krause (NEB)
21-10, 21-9
2. Kaylee Glagau/Julia Thelle (UH) def. Ally Batenhorst/Bergen Reilly (NEB)
21-15, 27-25
3. Merritt Beason/Skyler Pierce (NEB) def. Julia Lawrenz/Pani Naopleon (UH)
21-19, 15-21, 15-11
4. Riley Wagoner/Sydney Amiatu (UH) def. Laney Choboy/Harper Murray (NEB)
21-18, 21-16
5. Anna Maidment/Sydney Miller (UH) def. Olivia Mauch/Andi Jackson (NEB) 21-11,
21-19
Order
of finish: 1,5,4,2,3

Pepperdine 4,
Nebraska 1
1. Kate Clermont/McKenna Thomas (PEP) def. Ally Batenhorst/Bergen Reilly (NEB)
21-19, 21-18
2. Madison Oriskovich/Kristine Briede (PEP) def. Lindsay Krause/Lexi Rodriguez
(NEB) 16-21, 21-16, 16-14
3. Gabriella Perez/Sarlota Svobodova (PEP) def. Harper Murray/Laney Choboy
(NEB) 21-16, 21-18
4. Merritt Beason/Skyler Pierce (NEB) def. Gracie Pedersen/Kaydon Meyers (PEP)
16-21, 21-19, 17-15
5. Emi Erickson/Aubrey Roberts (PEP) def. Andi Jackson/Olivia Mauch (NEB)
21-17, 21-12
Order
of finish: 5,1,3,2,4

Queen's
Cup Schedule
Thursday,
March 7
1 p.m. (CT) - #12 Hawaii 4, Nebraska 1|&nbsp;<a href="https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=521571" target="_blank">Live
Stats</a>
7:15 p.m. (CT) - Pepperdine 4, Nebraska 1 | <a href="https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=521602" target="_blank">Live
Stats</a>

Friday,
March 8
3:30 p.m. (CT) - Nebraska vs. Chaminade |&nbsp;<a href="https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=521604" target="_blank">Live
Stats</a>
6 p.m. (CT) - Nebraska vs. Saint Mary's |&nbsp;<a href="https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=521605" target="_blank">Live
Stats</a>

Saturday,
March 9
1 p.m. (CT) - Quarterfinal #1&nbsp;
2:15 p.m. (CT) - Quarterfinal #2&nbsp;
3:30 p.m. (CT) - Semifinal #1&nbsp;
4:45 p.m. (CT) - Semifinal #2&nbsp;
6 p.m. (CT) - 5th Place Match&nbsp;
7:15 p.m. (CT) - Bronze Medal Match&nbsp;
8:30 p.m. (CT) - Gold Medal Match&nbsp;

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsHONOLULU,
Hawaii - The Nebraska beach volleyball team fell to No. 12
Hawaii and Pepperdine, both by 4-1 scores, in their first matches of the
Queen's Cup at Queen's Beach on Thursday.&nbsp;Merritt
Beason and Skyler Pierce were the lone Husker pair to earn a team point on
Thursday. They teamed up for a 21-19, 15-21, 15-11 win over Hawaii's No. 3
pair, and followed that with a 16-21, 21-19, 17-15 victory over Pepperdine's
No. 4 team.&nbsp;The
Huskers are now 8-5 on the beach season. Hawaii improved to 1-5, and Pepperdine
improved to 4-3.&nbsp;The
Huskers have two matches again on Friday, against Chaminade at 3:30 p.m. (CT)
and against Saint Mary's at 6 p.m. (CT).#12 Hawaii 4,
Nebraska 1
1. Jaime Santer/Alana Embry (UH) def. Lexi Rodriguez/Lindsay Krause (NEB)
21-10, 21-9
2. Kaylee Glagau/Julia Thelle (UH) def. Ally Batenhorst/Bergen Reilly (NEB)
21-15, 27-25
3. Merritt Beason/Skyler Pierce (NEB) def. Julia Lawrenz/Pani Naopleon (UH)
21-19, 15-21, 15-11
4. Riley Wagoner/Sydney Amiatu (UH) def. Laney Choboy/Harper Murray (NEB)
21-18, 21-16
5. Anna Maidment/Sydney Miller (UH) def. Olivia Mauch/Andi Jackson (NEB) 21-11,
21-19
Order
of finish: 1,5,4,2,3Pepperdine 4,
Nebraska 1
1. Kate Clermont/McKenna Thomas (PEP) def. Ally Batenhorst/Bergen Reilly (NEB)
21-19, 21-18
2. Madison Oriskovich/Kristine Briede (PEP) def. Lindsay Krause/Lexi Rodriguez
(NEB) 16-21, 21-16, 16-14
3. Gabriella Perez/Sarlota Svobodova (PEP) def. Harper Murray/Laney Choboy
(NEB) 21-16, 21-18
4. Merritt Beason/Skyler Pierce (NEB) def. Gracie Pedersen/Kaydon Meyers (PEP)
16-21, 21-19, 17-15
5. Emi Erickson/Aubrey Roberts (PEP) def. Andi Jackson/Olivia Mauch (NEB)
21-17, 21-12
Order
of finish: 5,1,3,2,4
Queen's
Cup Schedule
Thursday,
March 7
1 p.m. (CT) - #12 Hawaii 4, Nebraska 1|&nbsp;<a href="https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=521571" target="_blank">Live
Stats</a>
7:15 p.m. (CT) - Pepperdine 4, Nebraska 1 | <a href="https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=521602" target="_blank">Live
Stats</a>

Friday,
March 8
3:30 p.m. (CT) - Nebraska vs. Chaminade |&nbsp;<a href="https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=521604" target="_blank">Live
Stats</a>
6 p.m. (CT) - Nebraska vs. Saint Mary's |&nbsp;<a href="https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=521605" target="_blank">Live
Stats</a>

Saturday,
March 9
1 p.m. (CT) - Quarterfinal #1&nbsp;
2:15 p.m. (CT) - Quarterfinal #2&nbsp;
3:30 p.m. (CT) - Semifinal #1&nbsp;
4:45 p.m. (CT) - Semifinal #2&nbsp;
6 p.m. (CT) - 5th Place Match&nbsp;
7:15 p.m. (CT) - Bronze Medal Match&nbsp;
8:30 p.m. (CT) - Gold Medal Match&nbsp;

Huskers Beach VB drop matches to No. 12 Hawaii and Pepperdine

Story by NU Athletic Communications&nbsp;

The Nebraska wrestling team begins its postseason push this weekend as it travels to Maryland for the 2024 Big Ten Championships. The two-day event kicks off Saturday, March 9 at the XFINITY Center in College Park, Md.&nbsp;

The Big Ten Network will offer live linear and streaming coverage of the championships. Session I begins Saturday at 9 a.m. (CT) and Session II semifinals start at 6 p.m. (CT). The championship coverage continues Sunday at 11 a.m. (CT) with consolation matches on B1G+ and returns to BTN at 3:30 p.m. (CT) for the final bouts. Additional mat coverage can be streamed on B1G+ (subscription required) for every session.

The Huskers have nine wrestlers seeded 10th or higher in their conference championship lineup. After wrapping up the regular season with only one loss, Ridge Lovett grabs the top spot at 149. Lenny Pinto is seeded second at 184, followed by Jacob Van Dee (133), Brock Hardy (141) and Silas Allred (197) all in fourth. Caleb Smith (125), Peyton Robb (157) and Antrell Taylor (165) sit in fifth. Making his Big Ten Tournament debut is Nash Hutmacher (HWT) in 10th, and two-time NCAA Qualifier Bubba Wilson (174) received a 12th-place seed.

Live stats and brackets will be available on trackwrestling.com. Updates will also be posted to the Nebraska wrestling twitter throughout the weekend.

Last Time Out:&nbsp;Five-straight bout wins helped the Huskers secure the 26-9 victory over No. 19 Arizona State on Sunday afternoon in the Huskers’ regular-season finale.&nbsp;

Up Next:&nbsp;NU will set its focus on the 2024 NCAA Championships, which will be held March 21-23 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo.&nbsp;

Nebraska's Big Ten Championship Lineup

125: #5 Caleb Smith • High Point, N.C. (18-6)

133: #4 Jacob Van Dee • Union City, Pa. (18-6)

141: #4 Brock Hardy • Brigham City, Utah (15-6)

149: #1 Ridge Lovett • Post Falls, Idaho (21-1)

157: #5 Peyton Robb • Owatonna, Minn. (16-5)

165: #5 Antrell Taylor • Millard, Neb. (17-5)

174: #12 Bubba Wilson • Manhattan, Kan. (12-10)

184: #2 Lenny Pinto • Stroudsburg, Pa. (19-3)

197: #4 Silas Allred • Muncie, Ind. (20-5)

HWT: #10 Nash Hutmacher • Oacoma, S.D. (5-3)

Quick Notes:•&nbsp;Two Huskers claimed individual titles as the Huskers finished second at the 2023 Cliff Keen Invitational earlier this year. Lovett and Robb finished atop their weight classes as NU amassed 125.5 team points.&nbsp;•&nbsp;Lovett earned the Big Ten Championship top seed at 149 pounds for the first time. He is just the third one-seed at the tournament since Robert Kokesh was seeded first at 174 pounds for the 2015 Big Ten Championships.&nbsp;•&nbsp;Stat leaders among starters:&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Team Points: Lovett (52)&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Pins: Lovett (6)&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Major Decisions: Smith, Lovett, Taylor (4)&nbsp;

Story by NU Athletic Communications&nbsp;The Nebraska wrestling team begins its postseason push this weekend as it travels to Maryland for the 2024 Big Ten Championships. The two-day event kicks off Saturday, March 9 at the XFINITY Center in College Park, Md.&nbsp;The Big Ten Network will offer live linear and streaming coverage of the championships. Session I begins Saturday at 9 a.m. (CT) and Session II semifinals start at 6 p.m. (CT). The championship coverage continues Sunday at 11 a.m. (CT) with consolation matches on B1G+ and returns to BTN at 3:30 p.m. (CT) for the final bouts. Additional mat coverage can be streamed on B1G+ (subscription required) for every session.The Huskers have nine wrestlers seeded 10th or higher in their conference championship lineup. After wrapping up the regular season with only one loss, Ridge Lovett grabs the top spot at 149. Lenny Pinto is seeded second at 184, followed by Jacob Van Dee (133), Brock Hardy (141) and Silas Allred (197) all in fourth. Caleb Smith (125), Peyton Robb (157) and Antrell Taylor (165) sit in fifth. Making his Big Ten Tournament debut is Nash Hutmacher (HWT) in 10th, and two-time NCAA Qualifier Bubba Wilson (174) received a 12th-place seed.Live stats and brackets will be available on trackwrestling.com. Updates will also be posted to the Nebraska wrestling twitter throughout the weekend.Last Time Out:&nbsp;Five-straight bout wins helped the Huskers secure the 26-9 victory over No. 19 Arizona State on Sunday afternoon in the Huskers’ regular-season finale.&nbsp;Up Next:&nbsp;NU will set its focus on the 2024 NCAA Championships, which will be held March 21-23 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo.&nbsp;Nebraska's Big Ten Championship LineupWith preliminary seeding125: #5 Caleb Smith • High Point, N.C. (18-6)133: #4 Jacob Van Dee • Union City, Pa. (18-6)141: #4 Brock Hardy • Brigham City, Utah (15-6)149: #1 Ridge Lovett • Post Falls, Idaho (21-1)157: #5 Peyton Robb • Owatonna, Minn. (16-5)165: #5 Antrell Taylor • Millard, Neb. (17-5)174: #12 Bubba Wilson • Manhattan, Kan. (12-10)184: #2 Lenny Pinto • Stroudsburg, Pa. (19-3)197: #4 Silas Allred • Muncie, Ind. (20-5)HWT: #10 Nash Hutmacher • Oacoma, S.D. (5-3)Quick Notes:•&nbsp;Two Huskers claimed individual titles as the Huskers finished second at the 2023 Cliff Keen Invitational earlier this year. Lovett and Robb finished atop their weight classes as NU amassed 125.5 team points.&nbsp;•&nbsp;Lovett earned the Big Ten Championship top seed at 149 pounds for the first time. He is just the third one-seed at the tournament since Robert Kokesh was seeded first at 174 pounds for the 2015 Big Ten Championships.&nbsp;•&nbsp;Stat leaders among starters:&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Team Points: Lovett (52)&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Pins: Lovett (6)&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Major Decisions: Smith, Lovett, Taylor (4)&nbsp;

B1G Preview: Husker Wrestlers set for 2024 Big Ten Championships

Lincoln, NEB. - It's day 2 for the 2024 NSAA Boys Basketball State Tournament as classes C1, D1 and B will have their opening round tip off this morning. In C1, The Ogallala Indians will take on Wahoo this morning at 9:45am MT/10:45am CT from the Bob Devaney Center. We will have live radio coverage of the Indians this morning on Flatrock 100.7 with Canon Rath on the call.&nbsp;

Our Kwik Stop Pregame coverage is set to begin at 9:35am MT/10:35am CT with tip off scheduled for 9:45am MT/10:45am CT. Listen to the game on Flatrock 100.7 or <a href="https://flatrock1007.com/">click here</a> to listen online.

Sandhills PostLincoln, NEB. - It's day 2 for the 2024 NSAA Boys Basketball State Tournament as classes C1, D1 and B will have their opening round tip off this morning. In C1, The Ogallala Indians will take on Wahoo this morning at 9:45am MT/10:45am CT from the Bob Devaney Center. We will have live radio coverage of the Indians this morning on Flatrock 100.7 with Canon Rath on the call.&nbsp;Our Kwik Stop Pregame coverage is set to begin at 9:35am MT/10:35am CT with tip off scheduled for 9:45am MT/10:45am CT. Listen to the game on Flatrock 100.7 or <a href="https://flatrock1007.com/">click here</a> to listen online.

Ogallala boys basketball state radio coverage this morning

The No. 8 Nebraska rifle team will cap its season at the NCAA Championships this Friday, March 8 and Saturday, March 9, at the WVU Coliseum in Morgantown, W.V.&nbsp;

Both days of competition are slated to start at 7:45 a.m. (central), with the smallbore taking place on Friday and the air rifle on Saturday. The NCAA field includes West Virginia, TCU, Air Force, Kentucky, Alaska-Fairbanks, Ole Miss and Navy. NU has already faced the Horned Frogs, Falcons, Mountaineers, Wildcats and Nanooks.

“The team is ready to travel to Morgantown,” Head Coach Mindy Miles said. “Practice has been going well and I am confident they will put their best foot forward for the match. The atmosphere will be competitive, and I am looking forward to them rising to the challenge.”

Five Big Red athletes will compete at the NCAA Championships – Cecelia Ossi, Mackenzie Strauch, Emma Rhode, Camilla Johannessen and Charlie Mick.

NU’s qualification for the championships marks the 20th time since 2000 that the Huskers have earned a bid. At last season’s NCAA Championships, Nebraska placed sixth as a team and Ossi, a four-time All-American, claimed the smallbore title.&nbsp;

Ossi, a native of Annandale, N.J., has competed in every match this year for NU and owns averages of 587.42 in the smallbore, 594.33 in the air rifle and 1,181.75 in the aggregate. Her smallbore and aggregate averages are the best on the team. This season, she shattered the school record in the smallbore with a 597 at UTEP and tied the program record in the air rifle with a 598 against West Virginia. The team captain has earned 10 first-place finishes – four in both the aggregate and smallbore and two in the air rifle.&nbsp;

Rhode, a second-team All-American in 2023, averages a 594.50 in the event, which is the highest on the team. She averages a 584.67 in the smallbore and a 1,179.17 in the aggregate, both of which rank second on the team. Rhode, who’s competed in every match for the Huskers, has posted four first-place finishes in the air rifle, one in the smallbore and two in the aggregate.

Mick has had a solid debut season for the Huskers, competing in all 12 matches and posting a second-place finish in the air rifle and a third-place finish in the air rifle, smallbore and aggregate during the season. Her air rifle (591.00) and aggregate (1,168.83) averages are third on the team and her smallbore average (577.833) is fourth.&nbsp;

Strauch has competed in every match this year and registered one second-place finish in the air rifle, smallbore and aggregate, along with a third-place showing in the smallbore. She averages a 579.42 in the smallbore, which is third on the team, along with averages of 575.42 in the air rifle and 1,154.83 in the aggregate.&nbsp;

Johannessen has been a mainstay in the NU lineup recently and has competed in all 12 matches this year. She posts season averages of 572.5 in the smallbore, 585.17 in the air rifle and 1,157.67 in the aggregate.&nbsp;

As a team, the Big Red notched the highest score in program history with a 4,728 at Air Force. It has also recorded two of the top seven smallbore scores in school history (2,345 vs. WVU; 2,344 at Air Force) and three of the top five air rifle scores (2,384 at Air Force; 2,381 at UTEP, 2,379 at UTEP).&nbsp;

For NCAA championship information and a livestream, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncaa.com/sports/rifle" target="_blank">here</a>. Live stats can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://results.megalink.no/" target="_blank">here</a>.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsThe No. 8 Nebraska rifle team will cap its season at the NCAA Championships this Friday, March 8 and Saturday, March 9, at the WVU Coliseum in Morgantown, W.V.&nbsp;Both days of competition are slated to start at 7:45 a.m. (central), with the smallbore taking place on Friday and the air rifle on Saturday. The NCAA field includes West Virginia, TCU, Air Force, Kentucky, Alaska-Fairbanks, Ole Miss and Navy. NU has already faced the Horned Frogs, Falcons, Mountaineers, Wildcats and Nanooks.“The team is ready to travel to Morgantown,” Head Coach Mindy Miles said. “Practice has been going well and I am confident they will put their best foot forward for the match. The atmosphere will be competitive, and I am looking forward to them rising to the challenge.”Five Big Red athletes will compete at the NCAA Championships – Cecelia Ossi, Mackenzie Strauch, Emma Rhode, Camilla Johannessen and Charlie Mick.NU’s qualification for the championships marks the 20th time since 2000 that the Huskers have earned a bid. At last season’s NCAA Championships, Nebraska placed sixth as a team and Ossi, a four-time All-American, claimed the smallbore title.&nbsp;Ossi, a native of Annandale, N.J., has competed in every match this year for NU and owns averages of 587.42 in the smallbore, 594.33 in the air rifle and 1,181.75 in the aggregate. Her smallbore and aggregate averages are the best on the team. This season, she shattered the school record in the smallbore with a 597 at UTEP and tied the program record in the air rifle with a 598 against West Virginia. The team captain has earned 10 first-place finishes – four in both the aggregate and smallbore and two in the air rifle.&nbsp;Rhode, a second-team All-American in 2023, averages a 594.50 in the event, which is the highest on the team. She averages a 584.67 in the smallbore and a 1,179.17 in the aggregate, both of which rank second on the team. Rhode, who’s competed in every match for the Huskers, has posted four first-place finishes in the air rifle, one in the smallbore and two in the aggregate.Mick has had a solid debut season for the Huskers, competing in all 12 matches and posting a second-place finish in the air rifle and a third-place finish in the air rifle, smallbore and aggregate during the season. Her air rifle (591.00) and aggregate (1,168.83) averages are third on the team and her smallbore average (577.833) is fourth.&nbsp;Strauch has competed in every match this year and registered one second-place finish in the air rifle, smallbore and aggregate, along with a third-place showing in the smallbore. She averages a 579.42 in the smallbore, which is third on the team, along with averages of 575.42 in the air rifle and 1,154.83 in the aggregate.&nbsp;Johannessen has been a mainstay in the NU lineup recently and has competed in all 12 matches this year. She posts season averages of 572.5 in the smallbore, 585.17 in the air rifle and 1,157.67 in the aggregate.&nbsp;As a team, the Big Red notched the highest score in program history with a 4,728 at Air Force. It has also recorded two of the top seven smallbore scores in school history (2,345 vs. WVU; 2,344 at Air Force) and three of the top five air rifle scores (2,384 at Air Force; 2,381 at UTEP, 2,379 at UTEP).&nbsp;For NCAA championship information and a livestream, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncaa.com/sports/rifle" target="_blank">here</a>. Live stats can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://results.megalink.no/" target="_blank">here</a>.

Huskers look for strong finish at NCAA Championships

Mid-Plains Community College Rodeo Team members Rex Day, of Bartlett, and Whitney Jennings, of Seneca, are recognized with $1,000 Dual Excellence Scholarships. The presentation was made Saturday night at Venue304 in North Platte during the team’s annual banquet.

Dual Excellence Scholarships are awarded every year by the Wranglers booster committee. They are given to rodeo team athletes who excel in both the classroom and the arena. Selection is based upon GPA and overall points earned.

Also at the banquet, Laura Nokes announced the recipients of a scholarship offered in memory of her husband and former MPCC Rodeo Team coach, the late Garrett Nokes. The funds are designated for graduates of MPCC who opt to continue their education at four-year institutions.

This year the recipients were rodeo team alumni Kaden Wooters, of Elwood, Dalton Kunkee, of Lexington, and Sydney Dunlap, of Kylertown, Pa. Wooters and Kunkee transferred to South Dakota State University while Dunlap continued her education at Fort Hays State University.<a></a>

In addition to the scholarship presentations, the banquet included live and silent auctions, a prime rib dinner and a recap of the rodeo season by the coaches.

Story by MPCC CommunicationsMid-Plains Community College Rodeo Team members Rex Day, of Bartlett, and Whitney Jennings, of Seneca, are recognized with $1,000 Dual Excellence Scholarships. The presentation was made Saturday night at Venue304 in North Platte during the team’s annual banquet.Dual Excellence Scholarships are awarded every year by the Wranglers booster committee. They are given to rodeo team athletes who excel in both the classroom and the arena. Selection is based upon GPA and overall points earned.Also at the banquet, Laura Nokes announced the recipients of a scholarship offered in memory of her husband and former MPCC Rodeo Team coach, the late Garrett Nokes. The funds are designated for graduates of MPCC who opt to continue their education at four-year institutions.This year the recipients were rodeo team alumni Kaden Wooters, of Elwood, Dalton Kunkee, of Lexington, and Sydney Dunlap, of Kylertown, Pa. Wooters and Kunkee transferred to South Dakota State University while Dunlap continued her education at Fort Hays State University.<a></a>In addition to the scholarship presentations, the banquet included live and silent auctions, a prime rib dinner and a recap of the rodeo season by the coaches.

Scholarship winners announced at MPCC Rodeo Team Banquet

Story by NSAA Athletic Communications

On May 21st and 22nd, the best of Nebraska High School

Class D boys’ golfers will compete in North Platte for the state championship title. The event is expected to draw 90-110 golfers to the Lake Maloney Golf Course. Class D has a large following, so we can expect many families, friends, and well-wishers to come to North Platte to watch the tournament. Visit North Platte is seeking volunteers to assist in three areas: scoring monitors, spotters, and alternates.

One of the highly sought-after volunteer duties is for scoring monitors. These monitors will accompany athletes, personally record the hole-by-hole strokes of each golfer and help with the speed of play by watching tee shots and looking for lost balls. Scoring monitors are requested to not make any rulings. At least thirty scoring monitors will be needed throughout the tournament each day.

Another volunteer activity is a spotter. As a spotter, you will be assigned to monitor a designated area of the golf course to help golfers find their balls after they’ve taken their shots. Spotters are allowed to bring lawn chairs for their volunteer shift. Seven to ten spotters will be needed throughout the tournament on each day. You may also sign up to be an alternate for either volunteer position. Anyone interested in volunteering should contact Taylor Salas at the Visit North Platte office: 308-221-6862, emailtsalas@visitnorthplatte.com, or visit https://form.jotform.com/193605204701146.

Priority is given to volunteers who can work at the tournament each day. Volunteers will receive complementary lunches, as well as one official NSAA jacket. Deadline to volunteer is May 10th, 2024.

Story by NSAA Athletic CommunicationsOn May 21st and 22nd, the best of Nebraska High SchoolClass D boys’ golfers will compete in North Platte for the state championship title. The event is expected to draw 90-110 golfers to the Lake Maloney Golf Course. Class D has a large following, so we can expect many families, friends, and well-wishers to come to North Platte to watch the tournament. Visit North Platte is seeking volunteers to assist in three areas: scoring monitors, spotters, and alternates.One of the highly sought-after volunteer duties is for scoring monitors. These monitors will accompany athletes, personally record the hole-by-hole strokes of each golfer and help with the speed of play by watching tee shots and looking for lost balls. Scoring monitors are requested to not make any rulings. At least thirty scoring monitors will be needed throughout the tournament each day.Another volunteer activity is a spotter. As a spotter, you will be assigned to monitor a designated area of the golf course to help golfers find their balls after they’ve taken their shots. Spotters are allowed to bring lawn chairs for their volunteer shift. Seven to ten spotters will be needed throughout the tournament on each day. You may also sign up to be an alternate for either volunteer position. Anyone interested in volunteering should contact Taylor Salas at the Visit North Platte office: 308-221-6862, emailtsalas@visitnorthplatte.com, or visit https://form.jotform.com/193605204701146.Priority is given to volunteers who can work at the tournament each day. Volunteers will receive complementary lunches, as well as one official NSAA jacket. Deadline to volunteer is May 10th, 2024.

Seeking volunteers for NSAA Class D Boys State Golf Championship

Rienk Mast and Jamarques Lawrence had 14 points apiece, but a hot shooting night by Ohio State’s Jamison Battle lifted Ohio State to a 78-69 win over Nebraska Thursday night.&nbsp;

Mast posted his sixth double-double of the year with 14 points and 12 rebounds, while Lawrence finished with 14 points and five assists, as the Huskers (20-9, 10-8, Big Ten) saw their four-game win streak snapped.

Battle had a game-high 32 points on 9-of-18 shooting and was a perfect 10-of-10 from the foul line to lead a trio of Buckeyes in double figures. Roddy Gayle Jr. added 16 points and 10 boards while Devin Royal had 13 points off the bench. The 32-point effort was the most against the Huskers this season.&nbsp;

Ohio State (17-12, 7-11 Big Ten) got to the foul line, converting 24 of 28 from the charity stripe, while Nebraska got to the line just eight times on Thursday.&nbsp;

In the first half, the Huskers led for most of the half before a late Buckeye surge gave Ohio State a 39-37 halftime lead. Battle had 17 first-half points, including six straight in a 12-1 spurt that put OSU up 39-35 late in the half. OSU shot just 41 percent in the half but went 11-of-12 at the line in the opening 20 minutes.&nbsp;

Ohio State relied on the shooting of Battle, who had Ohio State’s first 11 points as the Buckeyes built a 13-6 lead with 15:31 left in the half. Nebraska came right back, as C.J. Wilcher came off the bench to spark a 15-2 Husker run with five points before Juwan Gary’s steal and basket gave the Huskers a 21-15 lead.&nbsp;

Nebraska, which shot 43 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes, led 27-24 before baskets from Rienk and Keisei Tominaga made it a seven-point lead at 31-24. Tominaga, who had nine first-half points, hit a 3-pointer to push the lead to 34-27 with 5:07 left in the half, but OSU closed the half on a surge.&nbsp;

Nebraska trailed 48-39 with just under 15 minutes remaining before Lawrence led the comeback. The sophomore had all 11 of his second-half points in a 14-7 run that pulled Nebraska within 55-53 after a Wilcher 3-pointer with 11:13 left.&nbsp;Battle answered back with a 3-pointer and a jumper on the next possession to stretch the lead back to 60-53 with just over 10 minutes left but the Huskers kept clawing back. Mast had eight points, including a pair of 3-pointers before Gary’s dunk with 4:49 left made it 67-65. NU was within 69-67 after Gary’s two free throws with 3:58 left, but would get&nbsp; no closer, as the Buckeyes used a 9-0 run to earn its third win in the last four contes.&nbsp;

The Huskers return home on Sunday, March 3, as they host Rutgers. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. with Senior Night festivities set for 5 p.m. Sunday’s game is sold out and will be carried on BTN and the Huskers Radio Network.&nbsp;

Notes*-Nebraska hit 10 3-pointers tonight, and now has 274 3-pointers on the season. That broke the school record of 270 set in 2018-19. NU falls to 10-5 when hitting at least 10 3-pointers*-Jamarques Lawrence has now reached double figures in each of the last three games and four of the past six games since moving to the bench. Lawrence also paced NU with five assists.*-With Lawrence reaching double figures, NU has now had at least one double-figure effort n 24 of 29 contests.*-Rienk Mast finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds for his team-high sixth double-double of the season. It was the 11th double-double by a Husker this season.*-Ohio State snapped a three-game losing streak to Nebraska dating back to 2022

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsRienk Mast and Jamarques Lawrence had 14 points apiece, but a hot shooting night by Ohio State’s Jamison Battle lifted Ohio State to a 78-69 win over Nebraska Thursday night.&nbsp;Mast posted his sixth double-double of the year with 14 points and 12 rebounds, while Lawrence finished with 14 points and five assists, as the Huskers (20-9, 10-8, Big Ten) saw their four-game win streak snapped.Battle had a game-high 32 points on 9-of-18 shooting and was a perfect 10-of-10 from the foul line to lead a trio of Buckeyes in double figures. Roddy Gayle Jr. added 16 points and 10 boards while Devin Royal had 13 points off the bench. The 32-point effort was the most against the Huskers this season.&nbsp;Ohio State (17-12, 7-11 Big Ten) got to the foul line, converting 24 of 28 from the charity stripe, while Nebraska got to the line just eight times on Thursday.&nbsp;In the first half, the Huskers led for most of the half before a late Buckeye surge gave Ohio State a 39-37 halftime lead. Battle had 17 first-half points, including six straight in a 12-1 spurt that put OSU up 39-35 late in the half. OSU shot just 41 percent in the half but went 11-of-12 at the line in the opening 20 minutes.&nbsp;Ohio State relied on the shooting of Battle, who had Ohio State’s first 11 points as the Buckeyes built a 13-6 lead with 15:31 left in the half. Nebraska came right back, as C.J. Wilcher came off the bench to spark a 15-2 Husker run with five points before Juwan Gary’s steal and basket gave the Huskers a 21-15 lead.&nbsp;Nebraska, which shot 43 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes, led 27-24 before baskets from Rienk and Keisei Tominaga made it a seven-point lead at 31-24. Tominaga, who had nine first-half points, hit a 3-pointer to push the lead to 34-27 with 5:07 left in the half, but OSU closed the half on a surge.&nbsp;Nebraska trailed 48-39 with just under 15 minutes remaining before Lawrence led the comeback. The sophomore had all 11 of his second-half points in a 14-7 run that pulled Nebraska within 55-53 after a Wilcher 3-pointer with 11:13 left.&nbsp;Battle answered back with a 3-pointer and a jumper on the next possession to stretch the lead back to 60-53 with just over 10 minutes left but the Huskers kept clawing back. Mast had eight points, including a pair of 3-pointers before Gary’s dunk with 4:49 left made it 67-65. NU was within 69-67 after Gary’s two free throws with 3:58 left, but would get&nbsp; no closer, as the Buckeyes used a 9-0 run to earn its third win in the last four contes.&nbsp;The Huskers return home on Sunday, March 3, as they host Rutgers. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. with Senior Night festivities set for 5 p.m. Sunday’s game is sold out and will be carried on BTN and the Huskers Radio Network.&nbsp;Notes*-Nebraska hit 10 3-pointers tonight, and now has 274 3-pointers on the season. That broke the school record of 270 set in 2018-19. NU falls to 10-5 when hitting at least 10 3-pointers*-Jamarques Lawrence has now reached double figures in each of the last three games and four of the past six games since moving to the bench. Lawrence also paced NU with five assists.*-With Lawrence reaching double figures, NU has now had at least one double-figure effort n 24 of 29 contests.*-Rienk Mast finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds for his team-high sixth double-double of the season. It was the 11th double-double by a Husker this season.*-Ohio State snapped a three-game losing streak to Nebraska dating back to 2022

Huskers comeback falls short at Ohio State

Story by Supernovas Athletic Communications

DULUTH, GA. -&nbsp;The&nbsp;Omaha Supernovas&nbsp;beat the Atlanta Vibe in a dominant 25-22, 25-20, 25-22 sweep Thursday night at Gas South Arena. With the win, Omaha (6-3) moves into sole possession of first place in the Pro Volleyball Federation.&nbsp;

Opposite&nbsp;Jess Schaben-Lansman&nbsp;spearheaded the Supernovas offense with 12 kills on a .257 clip. Team captain&nbsp;Brooke Nuneviller&nbsp;finished with her sixth-straight double-double with 11 kills and 13 digs.&nbsp;Bethania de la Cruz&nbsp;totaled nine kills with a team-high 14 digs.&nbsp;

Omaha middle&nbsp;Hristina Vuchkova&nbsp;had four kills on 11 swings, but her biggest impact came at the net with a match-high five blocks.&nbsp;Tori Dixon&nbsp;added three kills to go along with her three blocks.&nbsp;

Setter&nbsp;Natalia Valentin-Anderson&nbsp;handed out 34 assists with 12 digs, three kills and one ace. Libero&nbsp;Kendall White&nbsp;dug 10 balls with one assist

Atlanta (4-3) opposite Anna Lazareva had quite a night with 15 kills and 20 digs which were both match highs. Leah Edmond was the only other Vibe player in double digits with 10 kills and 15 digs.&nbsp;

Set One:&nbsp;The Supernovas got off to a good start with an ace from Schaben-Lansman to begin the action. The Vibe took control from there, however, quickly building a 9-3 lead behind three kills from Lazareva and a pair from Edmond. Omaha crawled back to make it a three-point set at 13-10, but a Marlie Monserez kill built the lead back up to five at 17-12 Atlanta. The Supernovas hit another gear in the back half of the set starting with a 5-1 run highlighted by aces from Valentín-Anderson and Dixon. Another Lazareva kill followed by an ace made it 20-17 Vibe, but Omaha took off from that point.&nbsp;

Nuneviller slammed down three straight kills to tie the match at 20. A Dixon block and Atlanta error gave Omaha the lead at 22-21. Following another Monserez tally to tie the set at 22, the Supernovas scored three consecutive points which were all courtesy of de la Cruz to take the opening set 25-22.&nbsp;

Omaha hit .269 with two blocks and three aces. Nuneviller led the way with a team-high six kills in the set off of 20 swings with no errors. De la Cruz was right behind her teammate with five kills on 14 swings. Schaben-Lansman and Vuchkova each had a pair of kills while Dixon had a solo kill.&nbsp;

Atlanta hit .372 in the set with one ace and no blocks. Lazareva had an impressive set with eight kills on 12 swings with only one error. Edmond totaled four kills while Alli Linnehan had three.&nbsp;

Set Two:&nbsp;Omaha continued the momentum from its comeback in the previous set to jump out to an 8-4 lead. The Supernovas received an ace from both Nuneviller and Dixon in that span which also included a block and two kills from de la Cruz. The two teams went back and forth before a 4-1 Omaha run extended the lead to 15-10. Schaben-Lansman contributed three straight Supernovas kills to put the lead at 20-14. Atlanta countered with a 3-1 run to make it 21-17, but a Dixon slide attack ended the rally. Vuchkova earned a kill to make it set point with a Vibe serving error marking the end of a 25-20 set two win for Omaha.&nbsp;

The Supernovas hit .159 in the set with Schaben-Lansman leading the way with four kills. De la Cruz posted two more kills while Vuchkova added a pair of kills and two blocks. Valentín-Anderson also totaled two tallies in the set. Omaha had four blocks with two aces.&nbsp;

Atlanta hit .140 with a trio of blocks, but no aces. Kentucky grad Edmond paced the Vibe attack with five kills. Lazareva tallied three more kills while Karis Watson and Shelly Fanning each had two kills.&nbsp;

Set Three:&nbsp;Omaha kept an early lead throughout the early portion of the set. A 4-1 run boosted the Supernovas to a 7-4 lead with an ace from Nuneviller and a Dixon slide attack. Another 4-1 run later in the set kept Omaha ahead 11-7 with a pair of Schaben-Lansman kills in that span. The Vibe rallied from there as Atlanta eventually gained its first lead since the first set with a Lazareva kill to go ahead 16-15. A 4-1 run from the Vibe put them in the driver’s seat with a 21-19 edge. The Supernovas ran the table from that point, finishing the match on a 6-1 run including a Valentín-Anderson kill to complete the sweep.&nbsp;

Omaha caps off its four-match road trip with a 6 p.m. CST showdown at the Orlando Valkyries on Saturday, March 9 at Addition Financial Arena.

Fans can listen to all the action on the Supernovas Radio Network which is led by the flagship station,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001e-7AXH9U-VikTUbA3FKfxSCorNzm_tcVt9U3mRSLT0O1YHGIJEMNlSf9p4IHNytn3o3BhgI0d22bVrTTRRGYkMIx_GSwmoid043e3JfZ9efd_zcyJK33Ib3-wZDzPBw0OoK4sy51OFVn0GFJD_n7Cg==&amp;c=_m9Hytf2W-W6d8UjofgWEOQlE5nOpwq0cJWpUwd5N8GdDMsCX1Bg9Q==&amp;ch=fPSRPXvS91-yjMVHxQbn8PZot_rkuuCJa_ZqoypP5iiNPSJTAUmalw==" target="_blank">93.7 The Ticket</a>. Radio coverage is also on 95.7 The Boss (Omaha), KRVN (Lexington), KOLT (Scottsbluff) and KTOC (West Point).&nbsp;

Story by Supernovas Athletic CommunicationsDULUTH, GA. -&nbsp;The&nbsp;Omaha Supernovas&nbsp;beat the Atlanta Vibe in a dominant 25-22, 25-20, 25-22 sweep Thursday night at Gas South Arena. With the win, Omaha (6-3) moves into sole possession of first place in the Pro Volleyball Federation.&nbsp;Opposite&nbsp;Jess Schaben-Lansman&nbsp;spearheaded the Supernovas offense with 12 kills on a .257 clip. Team captain&nbsp;Brooke Nuneviller&nbsp;finished with her sixth-straight double-double with 11 kills and 13 digs.&nbsp;Bethania de la Cruz&nbsp;totaled nine kills with a team-high 14 digs.&nbsp;Omaha middle&nbsp;Hristina Vuchkova&nbsp;had four kills on 11 swings, but her biggest impact came at the net with a match-high five blocks.&nbsp;Tori Dixon&nbsp;added three kills to go along with her three blocks.&nbsp;Setter&nbsp;Natalia Valentin-Anderson&nbsp;handed out 34 assists with 12 digs, three kills and one ace. Libero&nbsp;Kendall White&nbsp;dug 10 balls with one assistAtlanta (4-3) opposite Anna Lazareva had quite a night with 15 kills and 20 digs which were both match highs. Leah Edmond was the only other Vibe player in double digits with 10 kills and 15 digs.&nbsp;Set One:&nbsp;The Supernovas got off to a good start with an ace from Schaben-Lansman to begin the action. The Vibe took control from there, however, quickly building a 9-3 lead behind three kills from Lazareva and a pair from Edmond. Omaha crawled back to make it a three-point set at 13-10, but a Marlie Monserez kill built the lead back up to five at 17-12 Atlanta. The Supernovas hit another gear in the back half of the set starting with a 5-1 run highlighted by aces from Valentín-Anderson and Dixon. Another Lazareva kill followed by an ace made it 20-17 Vibe, but Omaha took off from that point.&nbsp;Nuneviller slammed down three straight kills to tie the match at 20. A Dixon block and Atlanta error gave Omaha the lead at 22-21. Following another Monserez tally to tie the set at 22, the Supernovas scored three consecutive points which were all courtesy of de la Cruz to take the opening set 25-22.&nbsp;Omaha hit .269 with two blocks and three aces. Nuneviller led the way with a team-high six kills in the set off of 20 swings with no errors. De la Cruz was right behind her teammate with five kills on 14 swings. Schaben-Lansman and Vuchkova each had a pair of kills while Dixon had a solo kill.&nbsp;Atlanta hit .372 in the set with one ace and no blocks. Lazareva had an impressive set with eight kills on 12 swings with only one error. Edmond totaled four kills while Alli Linnehan had three.&nbsp;Set Two:&nbsp;Omaha continued the momentum from its comeback in the previous set to jump out to an 8-4 lead. The Supernovas received an ace from both Nuneviller and Dixon in that span which also included a block and two kills from de la Cruz. The two teams went back and forth before a 4-1 Omaha run extended the lead to 15-10. Schaben-Lansman contributed three straight Supernovas kills to put the lead at 20-14. Atlanta countered with a 3-1 run to make it 21-17, but a Dixon slide attack ended the rally. Vuchkova earned a kill to make it set point with a Vibe serving error marking the end of a 25-20 set two win for Omaha.&nbsp;The Supernovas hit .159 in the set with Schaben-Lansman leading the way with four kills. De la Cruz posted two more kills while Vuchkova added a pair of kills and two blocks. Valentín-Anderson also totaled two tallies in the set. Omaha had four blocks with two aces.&nbsp;Atlanta hit .140 with a trio of blocks, but no aces. Kentucky grad Edmond paced the Vibe attack with five kills. Lazareva tallied three more kills while Karis Watson and Shelly Fanning each had two kills.&nbsp;Set Three:&nbsp;Omaha kept an early lead throughout the early portion of the set. A 4-1 run boosted the Supernovas to a 7-4 lead with an ace from Nuneviller and a Dixon slide attack. Another 4-1 run later in the set kept Omaha ahead 11-7 with a pair of Schaben-Lansman kills in that span. The Vibe rallied from there as Atlanta eventually gained its first lead since the first set with a Lazareva kill to go ahead 16-15. A 4-1 run from the Vibe put them in the driver’s seat with a 21-19 edge. The Supernovas ran the table from that point, finishing the match on a 6-1 run including a Valentín-Anderson kill to complete the sweep.&nbsp;Omaha caps off its four-match road trip with a 6 p.m. CST showdown at the Orlando Valkyries on Saturday, March 9 at Addition Financial Arena.Fans can listen to all the action on the Supernovas Radio Network which is led by the flagship station,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001e-7AXH9U-VikTUbA3FKfxSCorNzm_tcVt9U3mRSLT0O1YHGIJEMNlSf9p4IHNytn3o3BhgI0d22bVrTTRRGYkMIx_GSwmoid043e3JfZ9efd_zcyJK33Ib3-wZDzPBw0OoK4sy51OFVn0GFJD_n7Cg==&amp;c=_m9Hytf2W-W6d8UjofgWEOQlE5nOpwq0cJWpUwd5N8GdDMsCX1Bg9Q==&amp;ch=fPSRPXvS91-yjMVHxQbn8PZot_rkuuCJa_ZqoypP5iiNPSJTAUmalw==" target="_blank">93.7 The Ticket</a>. Radio coverage is also on 95.7 The Boss (Omaha), KRVN (Lexington), KOLT (Scottsbluff) and KTOC (West Point).&nbsp;

Supernovas sweep Vibe; move into first place of Pro Volleyball Federation

LINCOLN, Neb.&nbsp;(February 29, 2024)&nbsp;—&nbsp;Nebraska Sports Council (NSC) officials issued an announcement that the Cornhusker State Games Cycle Tour, scheduled for July 14th, has moved to North Platte. The routes will start and finish in scenic Cody Park, with the longer routes traveling through the scenic Sandhills north of North Platte.

A variety of routes ranging from 7.5 to 100 miles will be offered, all with their own unique twist. To view full event information and get registered, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001dEIwRLpuWzzeO7p-9GIG8F6QVaA0ocyibyLTEsxzw-kjzM211Nl4eNAGkXFzRDWRFXSXjYka4-sEyJyrPLm3rO5A_DFaEi0oxbDxKya6KWXFUyOxPiGf-C0D40sGiuEvXn_NsWruvqX55IQ2BCsdBGVvpNe0ef73P-EFJovSHaBTuuQudMXvC-ukcm2GCmdL&amp;c=71Gv2Iu6GjGM62ZMJ9IUEJ8oDrrzrGySX5hQEfEuUq6RHHUXi4QmzQ==&amp;ch=FzIXbKiTrkiFtrdz2dvVc_-39MiMJR7NyttkZ3Yrwk0UlmDo5ldxxw==" target="_blank">CSG Cycle Tour</a>.

"<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001dEIwRLpuWzzeO7p-9GIG8F6QVaA0ocyibyLTEsxzw-kjzM211Nl4eOxGAJ-N2_aDRfPwSA6D4yIi8ReptA7R4qKLJREnC_qSbe74_cbezTKw0TG0AtlUMfzbrwd1ISPRn5TGKwso9-Exug6SmYT_SNOwvyxO89o-&amp;c=71Gv2Iu6GjGM62ZMJ9IUEJ8oDrrzrGySX5hQEfEuUq6RHHUXi4QmzQ==&amp;ch=FzIXbKiTrkiFtrdz2dvVc_-39MiMJR7NyttkZ3Yrwk0UlmDo5ldxxw==" target="_blank">Visit North Platte</a>&nbsp;is excited to partner with the Nebraska Sports Council to host the Cornhusker State Games Cycle Tour in our community. As we work to grow sports tourism in our area, it is our great pleasure to partner with&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001dEIwRLpuWzzeO7p-9GIG8F6QVaA0ocyibyLTEsxzw-kjzM211Nl4eFeymFVy5f4BmIZ0Pnxl9OONlINiNVZMW6gXp-GuIZPChRtpZgdiK9Cg0t3CftEHg-iUD_SD8524H6TrHZTgoskxEX1KJx8hciKFcqCk_NSA&amp;c=71Gv2Iu6GjGM62ZMJ9IUEJ8oDrrzrGySX5hQEfEuUq6RHHUXi4QmzQ==&amp;ch=FzIXbKiTrkiFtrdz2dvVc_-39MiMJR7NyttkZ3Yrwk0UlmDo5ldxxw==" target="_blank">Whitetail Screen Print</a>&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001dEIwRLpuWzzeO7p-9GIG8F6QVaA0ocyibyLTEsxzw-kjzM211Nl4eFeymFVy5f4BnHnujDYhBHIWNNWmv15XkxH8M0ml-80pThmkTks39nrgr9f8zyYEdnIBnDX_jrytRlKV-rxJcLedYGeOqCuAehItAPqwl71bF1EdFAm9zxQ=&amp;c=71Gv2Iu6GjGM62ZMJ9IUEJ8oDrrzrGySX5hQEfEuUq6RHHUXi4QmzQ==&amp;ch=FzIXbKiTrkiFtrdz2dvVc_-39MiMJR7NyttkZ3Yrwk0UlmDo5ldxxw==" target="_blank">Cycle Sport</a>&nbsp;to host the State Games competitors in North Platte this July," Visit North Platte Executive Director, Lisa Burke.

North Platte provides an opportunity to bike the scenic highways of central Nebraska, as well as the chance to visit the many great attractions in the area, including Buffalo Bill's State Historical Park, home of Buffalo Bill Cody and the Golden Spike Tower, overlooking Bailey Yards, the world's largest railyard.

The Cornhusker State Games is conducted by the Nebraska Sports Council, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization with a mission of providing quality sports events and promoting healthy, active lifestyles.&nbsp;The Games are funded primarily through sponsorships from more than 100 Nebraska business, including platinum partners: Farmer’s Mutual of Nebraska, Pepsi-Cola of Lincoln, Nebraska Orthopaedic Center and the Nebraska Medical Association.

Learn more at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001dEIwRLpuWzzeO7p-9GIG8F6QVaA0ocyibyLTEsxzw-kjzM211Nl4eApLvpuZ_PNqRWPjOIiZvLyvWfTpHAQKXINEx7jJZJYLZ5fwXFH3aYQXiEbCp-TvQjv3I9T0roHMDY3luADpE4PrQYG8MlhuHz0zLheaDdLo&amp;c=71Gv2Iu6GjGM62ZMJ9IUEJ8oDrrzrGySX5hQEfEuUq6RHHUXi4QmzQ==&amp;ch=FzIXbKiTrkiFtrdz2dvVc_-39MiMJR7NyttkZ3Yrwk0UlmDo5ldxxw==" target="_blank">NebraskaSportsCouncil.com</a>.

Nebraska Sports CouncilLINCOLN, Neb.&nbsp;(February 29, 2024)&nbsp;—&nbsp;Nebraska Sports Council (NSC) officials issued an announcement that the Cornhusker State Games Cycle Tour, scheduled for July 14th, has moved to North Platte. The routes will start and finish in scenic Cody Park, with the longer routes traveling through the scenic Sandhills north of North Platte.A variety of routes ranging from 7.5 to 100 miles will be offered, all with their own unique twist. To view full event information and get registered, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001dEIwRLpuWzzeO7p-9GIG8F6QVaA0ocyibyLTEsxzw-kjzM211Nl4eNAGkXFzRDWRFXSXjYka4-sEyJyrPLm3rO5A_DFaEi0oxbDxKya6KWXFUyOxPiGf-C0D40sGiuEvXn_NsWruvqX55IQ2BCsdBGVvpNe0ef73P-EFJovSHaBTuuQudMXvC-ukcm2GCmdL&amp;c=71Gv2Iu6GjGM62ZMJ9IUEJ8oDrrzrGySX5hQEfEuUq6RHHUXi4QmzQ==&amp;ch=FzIXbKiTrkiFtrdz2dvVc_-39MiMJR7NyttkZ3Yrwk0UlmDo5ldxxw==" target="_blank">CSG Cycle Tour</a>."<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001dEIwRLpuWzzeO7p-9GIG8F6QVaA0ocyibyLTEsxzw-kjzM211Nl4eOxGAJ-N2_aDRfPwSA6D4yIi8ReptA7R4qKLJREnC_qSbe74_cbezTKw0TG0AtlUMfzbrwd1ISPRn5TGKwso9-Exug6SmYT_SNOwvyxO89o-&amp;c=71Gv2Iu6GjGM62ZMJ9IUEJ8oDrrzrGySX5hQEfEuUq6RHHUXi4QmzQ==&amp;ch=FzIXbKiTrkiFtrdz2dvVc_-39MiMJR7NyttkZ3Yrwk0UlmDo5ldxxw==" target="_blank">Visit North Platte</a>&nbsp;is excited to partner with the Nebraska Sports Council to host the Cornhusker State Games Cycle Tour in our community. As we work to grow sports tourism in our area, it is our great pleasure to partner with&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001dEIwRLpuWzzeO7p-9GIG8F6QVaA0ocyibyLTEsxzw-kjzM211Nl4eFeymFVy5f4BmIZ0Pnxl9OONlINiNVZMW6gXp-GuIZPChRtpZgdiK9Cg0t3CftEHg-iUD_SD8524H6TrHZTgoskxEX1KJx8hciKFcqCk_NSA&amp;c=71Gv2Iu6GjGM62ZMJ9IUEJ8oDrrzrGySX5hQEfEuUq6RHHUXi4QmzQ==&amp;ch=FzIXbKiTrkiFtrdz2dvVc_-39MiMJR7NyttkZ3Yrwk0UlmDo5ldxxw==" target="_blank">Whitetail Screen Print</a>&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001dEIwRLpuWzzeO7p-9GIG8F6QVaA0ocyibyLTEsxzw-kjzM211Nl4eFeymFVy5f4BnHnujDYhBHIWNNWmv15XkxH8M0ml-80pThmkTks39nrgr9f8zyYEdnIBnDX_jrytRlKV-rxJcLedYGeOqCuAehItAPqwl71bF1EdFAm9zxQ=&amp;c=71Gv2Iu6GjGM62ZMJ9IUEJ8oDrrzrGySX5hQEfEuUq6RHHUXi4QmzQ==&amp;ch=FzIXbKiTrkiFtrdz2dvVc_-39MiMJR7NyttkZ3Yrwk0UlmDo5ldxxw==" target="_blank">Cycle Sport</a>&nbsp;to host the State Games competitors in North Platte this July," Visit North Platte Executive Director, Lisa Burke.North Platte provides an opportunity to bike the scenic highways of central Nebraska, as well as the chance to visit the many great attractions in the area, including Buffalo Bill's State Historical Park, home of Buffalo Bill Cody and the Golden Spike Tower, overlooking Bailey Yards, the world's largest railyard.The Cornhusker State Games is conducted by the Nebraska Sports Council, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization with a mission of providing quality sports events and promoting healthy, active lifestyles.&nbsp;The Games are funded primarily through sponsorships from more than 100 Nebraska business, including platinum partners: Farmer’s Mutual of Nebraska, Pepsi-Cola of Lincoln, Nebraska Orthopaedic Center and the Nebraska Medical Association.Learn more at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001dEIwRLpuWzzeO7p-9GIG8F6QVaA0ocyibyLTEsxzw-kjzM211Nl4eApLvpuZ_PNqRWPjOIiZvLyvWfTpHAQKXINEx7jJZJYLZ5fwXFH3aYQXiEbCp-TvQjv3I9T0roHMDY3luADpE4PrQYG8MlhuHz0zLheaDdLo&amp;c=71Gv2Iu6GjGM62ZMJ9IUEJ8oDrrzrGySX5hQEfEuUq6RHHUXi4QmzQ==&amp;ch=FzIXbKiTrkiFtrdz2dvVc_-39MiMJR7NyttkZ3Yrwk0UlmDo5ldxxw==" target="_blank">NebraskaSportsCouncil.com</a>.

Cornhusker State Games Cycle Tour Makes the Move to North Platte

#6 Broken Bow takes on #3 Grand Island Central Catholic today at 3:15 PM at the&nbsp;Bob Devaney Sports Center.

Overton 51, Paxton 21<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709215234227.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>#6 Broken Bow takes on #3 Grand Island Central Catholic today at 3:15 PM at the&nbsp;Bob Devaney Sports Center.

Area Girl's State Basketball results Day 1

Nebraska track and field earned 12 bids to the NCAA Indoor Championships, March 8-9 in Boston, Mass. With 11 athletes and 12 entries making the list for Nebraska, that marks the most athletes to qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships since 2010 and the most entries since 2011.

The top 16 student-athletes in each event qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships each year. Nebraska’s qualifiers are Till Steinforth (heptathlon, long jump), Henry Zimmerman (weight throw), Kevin Shubert (shot put), Micaylon Moore (triple jump), Terrol Wilson (triple jump), Tyus Wilson (high jump), Darius Luff (60m hurdles), Brithton Senior (60m hurdles), Mine De Klerk (shot put), Rhianna Phipps (triple jump) and Jenna Rogers (high jump).

Live championship coverage will be streamed on ESPN+ on Friday, March 8 beginning at 8:30 a.m. (CT) and Saturday, March 9 at 10:30 a.m. (CT). There will be a re-air of the championships at 8 p.m. (CT) on Monday, March 11 on ESPNU.

Live championship results will be available&nbsp;<a href="https://flashresults.ncaa.com/Indoor/2024/index.htm" target="_blank">here</a>. &nbsp;&nbsp;Nebraska's 2024 NCAA Indoor Championships QualifiersAthlete, Event, NCAA Rank, Season BestTill Steinforth; Heptathlon, 3rd, 6097; Long Jump, 9th, 26-2 ¾ (7.99m) - won the Big Ten indoor long jump title for his third career conference gold medal…achieved a new personal-best long jump mark in his last attempt at the Big Ten Championships to rank ninth in the country and tie for fourth in school history…completed the heptathlon at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational to break the Devaney Center record and hit 6097 points, a total that currently ranks third in the NCAA…finished fourth in the heptathlon and decathlon at the 2023 NCAA Championship meets…owns the heptathlon and decathlon school records.

Micaylon Moore; Triple Jump, 6th, 54-0 ½ (16.47m) - claimed his first Big Ten title on Saturday, winning the triple jump…recorded a personal-best mark at the Iowa Open to jump to sixth in the NCAA, set a facility record and climb to third in school history…is a first-time qualifier for the NCAA Championships.

Tyus Wilson; High Jump, t-7th, 7-3 (2.21m) - won the Big Ten high jump title with a personal-best mark to move up to a tie for seventh in the NCAA ranks…finished as runner-up at the 2023 Big Ten outdoor meet and third at the 2023 Big Ten indoor meet in the high jump…placed fourth at the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Henry Zimmerman; Weight Throw, 8th, 75-2 (22.91m) - owns the top-four weight throw marks in school history…placed third at the 2022 and 2024 Big Ten Indoor Championships in the weight throw…making his first NCAA Championship appearance…started his career at Penn State before transferring to Nebraska ahead of the 2022 season…didn’t compete during 2023 season due to injury.

Kevin Shubert; Shot Put, t-8th, 65-3 ¼ (19.89m) - secured the silver medal in the shot put at the Big Ten Indoor Championships…recorded a personal-best mark at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational, putting him at eighth on the all-time list and tying him for eighth in the NCAA…placed 16th at the 2021 NCAA Indoor Championships…finished sixth at the 2022 and 2023 Big Ten Outdoor Championships in the shot put…added a fourth-place finish at the 2021 indoor conference meet and a sixth-place finish at the 2022 Big Ten indoor meet.

Darius Luff; 60m Hurdles, t-12th, 7.65 - three-time First-Team All-American and two-time Second-Team All-American…broke the 60m hurdles and 110m hurdles school records last season…claimed the bronze over the weekend at the 2024 Big Ten Indoor meet…won the 2023 60m hurdles and 110m hurdles Big Ten titles…went into the 2023 NCAA Indoor Championship final with the fastest prelims time before finishing third in the final…placed seventh at the 2022 NCAA Indoor Championships.

Terrol Wilson; Triple Jump, t-13th, 52-6 (16.0m) - claimed bronze in the triple jump at the Big Ten Indoor Championships…went a personal-best distance at the Tyson Invitational, moving up to 10th in school history and tied for fifth in the NCAA…making his NCAA Championship meet debut…has five triple jump top-five finishes at the Big Ten Championship meets.

Brithton Senior; 60m Hurdles, t-15th, 7.66 - ran a personal-best 60m hurdles time at the Nebraska Tune-Up, becoming the fourth-fastest in school history and earning an NCAA bid with a tie for 15th in the NCAA…placed 10th at the 2021 NCAA Indoor Championships in the 60m hurdles while competing for South Dakota and 15th in the 4x100m at the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Championships…finished second at the 2023 indoor conference meet, third at the 2023 outdoor conference meet and fourth at the 2024 indoor conference meet in the 60m hurdles.

Jenna Rogers, High Jump, 5th, 6-2 ¾ (1.90m) - three-time First-Team All-American and three-time Big Ten high jump champion…took silver at the 2024 Big Ten Indoor Championships…cleared a personal-best mark at the first meet of this season, moving up to No. 2 on the indoor all-time list…placed fourth at last season’s NCAA Indoor Championships for her highest career NCAA finish…claimed the silver at the 2023 USATF Outdoor Nationals.

Mine De Klerk, Shot Put, 7th, 58-4 ½ (17.79m) - won the Big Ten shot put title last weekend…owns the third-best mark in school history, ranking seventh in the NCAA…in her first season competing at Nebraska, after spending two seasons with Oregon…finished 13th at the 2022 NCAA Outdoor Championships in the shot put…notched a top-five finish at the Pac-12 Championships in the shot put in 2022 and the discus in 2023.

Rhianna Phipps, Triple Jump, 14th, 43-8 ½ (13.32m) - two-time Second-Team All-American…claimed runner-up honors in the triple jump at the Big Ten Indoor Championships with a season-best mark, moving her up to sixth in school history and 14th in the NCAA…making her fourth NCAA appearance, after qualifying twice during her year competing for Kansas State and once for Nebraska in last season’s outdoor NCAA meet.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsNebraska track and field earned 12 bids to the NCAA Indoor Championships, March 8-9 in Boston, Mass. With 11 athletes and 12 entries making the list for Nebraska, that marks the most athletes to qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships since 2010 and the most entries since 2011.The top 16 student-athletes in each event qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships each year. Nebraska’s qualifiers are Till Steinforth (heptathlon, long jump), Henry Zimmerman (weight throw), Kevin Shubert (shot put), Micaylon Moore (triple jump), Terrol Wilson (triple jump), Tyus Wilson (high jump), Darius Luff (60m hurdles), Brithton Senior (60m hurdles), Mine De Klerk (shot put), Rhianna Phipps (triple jump) and Jenna Rogers (high jump).Live championship coverage will be streamed on ESPN+ on Friday, March 8 beginning at 8:30 a.m. (CT) and Saturday, March 9 at 10:30 a.m. (CT). There will be a re-air of the championships at 8 p.m. (CT) on Monday, March 11 on ESPNU.Live championship results will be available&nbsp;<a href="https://flashresults.ncaa.com/Indoor/2024/index.htm" target="_blank">here</a>. &nbsp;&nbsp;Nebraska's 2024 NCAA Indoor Championships QualifiersAthlete, Event, NCAA Rank, Season BestTill Steinforth; Heptathlon, 3rd, 6097; Long Jump, 9th, 26-2 ¾ (7.99m) - won the Big Ten indoor long jump title for his third career conference gold medal…achieved a new personal-best long jump mark in his last attempt at the Big Ten Championships to rank ninth in the country and tie for fourth in school history…completed the heptathlon at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational to break the Devaney Center record and hit 6097 points, a total that currently ranks third in the NCAA…finished fourth in the heptathlon and decathlon at the 2023 NCAA Championship meets…owns the heptathlon and decathlon school records.Micaylon Moore; Triple Jump, 6th, 54-0 ½ (16.47m) - claimed his first Big Ten title on Saturday, winning the triple jump…recorded a personal-best mark at the Iowa Open to jump to sixth in the NCAA, set a facility record and climb to third in school history…is a first-time qualifier for the NCAA Championships.Tyus Wilson; High Jump, t-7th, 7-3 (2.21m) - won the Big Ten high jump title with a personal-best mark to move up to a tie for seventh in the NCAA ranks…finished as runner-up at the 2023 Big Ten outdoor meet and third at the 2023 Big Ten indoor meet in the high jump…placed fourth at the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Championships.Henry Zimmerman; Weight Throw, 8th, 75-2 (22.91m) - owns the top-four weight throw marks in school history…placed third at the 2022 and 2024 Big Ten Indoor Championships in the weight throw…making his first NCAA Championship appearance…started his career at Penn State before transferring to Nebraska ahead of the 2022 season…didn’t compete during 2023 season due to injury.Kevin Shubert; Shot Put, t-8th, 65-3 ¼ (19.89m) - secured the silver medal in the shot put at the Big Ten Indoor Championships…recorded a personal-best mark at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational, putting him at eighth on the all-time list and tying him for eighth in the NCAA…placed 16th at the 2021 NCAA Indoor Championships…finished sixth at the 2022 and 2023 Big Ten Outdoor Championships in the shot put…added a fourth-place finish at the 2021 indoor conference meet and a sixth-place finish at the 2022 Big Ten indoor meet.Darius Luff; 60m Hurdles, t-12th, 7.65 - three-time First-Team All-American and two-time Second-Team All-American…broke the 60m hurdles and 110m hurdles school records last season…claimed the bronze over the weekend at the 2024 Big Ten Indoor meet…won the 2023 60m hurdles and 110m hurdles Big Ten titles…went into the 2023 NCAA Indoor Championship final with the fastest prelims time before finishing third in the final…placed seventh at the 2022 NCAA Indoor Championships.Terrol Wilson; Triple Jump, t-13th, 52-6 (16.0m) - claimed bronze in the triple jump at the Big Ten Indoor Championships…went a personal-best distance at the Tyson Invitational, moving up to 10th in school history and tied for fifth in the NCAA…making his NCAA Championship meet debut…has five triple jump top-five finishes at the Big Ten Championship meets.Brithton Senior; 60m Hurdles, t-15th, 7.66 - ran a personal-best 60m hurdles time at the Nebraska Tune-Up, becoming the fourth-fastest in school history and earning an NCAA bid with a tie for 15th in the NCAA…placed 10th at the 2021 NCAA Indoor Championships in the 60m hurdles while competing for South Dakota and 15th in the 4x100m at the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Championships…finished second at the 2023 indoor conference meet, third at the 2023 outdoor conference meet and fourth at the 2024 indoor conference meet in the 60m hurdles.Jenna Rogers, High Jump, 5th, 6-2 ¾ (1.90m) - three-time First-Team All-American and three-time Big Ten high jump champion…took silver at the 2024 Big Ten Indoor Championships…cleared a personal-best mark at the first meet of this season, moving up to No. 2 on the indoor all-time list…placed fourth at last season’s NCAA Indoor Championships for her highest career NCAA finish…claimed the silver at the 2023 USATF Outdoor Nationals.Mine De Klerk, Shot Put, 7th, 58-4 ½ (17.79m) - won the Big Ten shot put title last weekend…owns the third-best mark in school history, ranking seventh in the NCAA…in her first season competing at Nebraska, after spending two seasons with Oregon…finished 13th at the 2022 NCAA Outdoor Championships in the shot put…notched a top-five finish at the Pac-12 Championships in the shot put in 2022 and the discus in 2023.Rhianna Phipps, Triple Jump, 14th, 43-8 ½ (13.32m) - two-time Second-Team All-American…claimed runner-up honors in the triple jump at the Big Ten Indoor Championships with a season-best mark, moving her up to sixth in school history and 14th in the NCAA…making her fourth NCAA appearance, after qualifying twice during her year competing for Kansas State and once for Nebraska in last season’s outdoor NCAA meet.

Huskers earn 12 bids to NCAA T & F  Championships

The Nebraska beach volleyball team swept Southwest Baptist on Tuesday in the final home match of the season at the Hawks Championship Center.

The Huskers won all five pairs in straight sets to finish the home portion of the schedule with a 6-0 record. The Huskers are 27-0 all-time at home since the program was founded in 2013.&nbsp;

Lindsay Krause and Lexi Rodriguez got the day started with a 21-14, 21-11 victory as the No. 1 pair. Ally Batenhorst and Bergen Reilly followed with a 21-18, 21-18 win. Laney Choboy and Harper Murray clinched the third point and the match with a 21-15, 21-9 triumph. Merritt Beason and Skyler Pierce were the No. 4 pair and won emphatically, 21-7, 21-7. Andi Jackson and Olivia Mauch won their No. 5 match to complete the sweep, 21-15, 21-18. NU's exhibition team of Maisie Boesiger and Kyla Kenney fell in three sets, 21-17, 16-21, 4-15.&nbsp;

NU will hit the road this weekend for the first time this season with five matches at the Tiger Beach Challenge in Baton Rouge, La.

Nebraska will play Texas A&amp;M-Corpus Christi on Saturday at 8 a.m., North Alabama on Saturday at 1 p.m., and No. 7 LSU on Saturday at 7 p.m.&nbsp;

The Huskers finish the weekend with two matches on Sunday: at 10 a.m. against Central Arkansas and at 2 p.m. against Houston Christian.&nbsp;

Nebraska 5, Southwest Baptist 01. Lindsay Krause/Lexi Rodriguez (NEB) def. Bailey Lasater/Chandler Lawrence (SBU): 21-14, 21-112. Ally Batenhorst/Bergen Reilly (NEB) def. Gabby Belcher/Carlee Lill (SBU): 21-18, 21-183. Laney Choboy/Harper Murray (NEB) def. Dylan Cochran/Katie Pogue (SBU): 21-15, 21-94. Merritt Beason/Skyler Pierce (NEB) def. Ryleigh Fowler/Janel Pido (SBU): 21-7, 21-75. Andi Jackson/Olivia Mauch (NEB) def. Reagan Hoerning/Madi Satterly (SBU): 21-15, 21-18Exh. Gabby Belcher/Bailey Lasater (SBU) def. Maisie Boesiger/Kyla Kenney (NEB): 17-21, 21-16, 15-4

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsThe Nebraska beach volleyball team swept Southwest Baptist on Tuesday in the final home match of the season at the Hawks Championship Center.The Huskers won all five pairs in straight sets to finish the home portion of the schedule with a 6-0 record. The Huskers are 27-0 all-time at home since the program was founded in 2013.&nbsp;Lindsay Krause and Lexi Rodriguez got the day started with a 21-14, 21-11 victory as the No. 1 pair. Ally Batenhorst and Bergen Reilly followed with a 21-18, 21-18 win. Laney Choboy and Harper Murray clinched the third point and the match with a 21-15, 21-9 triumph. Merritt Beason and Skyler Pierce were the No. 4 pair and won emphatically, 21-7, 21-7. Andi Jackson and Olivia Mauch won their No. 5 match to complete the sweep, 21-15, 21-18. NU's exhibition team of Maisie Boesiger and Kyla Kenney fell in three sets, 21-17, 16-21, 4-15.&nbsp;NU will hit the road this weekend for the first time this season with five matches at the Tiger Beach Challenge in Baton Rouge, La.Nebraska will play Texas A&amp;M-Corpus Christi on Saturday at 8 a.m., North Alabama on Saturday at 1 p.m., and No. 7 LSU on Saturday at 7 p.m.&nbsp;The Huskers finish the weekend with two matches on Sunday: at 10 a.m. against Central Arkansas and at 2 p.m. against Houston Christian.&nbsp;Nebraska 5, Southwest Baptist 01. Lindsay Krause/Lexi Rodriguez (NEB) def. Bailey Lasater/Chandler Lawrence (SBU): 21-14, 21-112. Ally Batenhorst/Bergen Reilly (NEB) def. Gabby Belcher/Carlee Lill (SBU): 21-18, 21-183. Laney Choboy/Harper Murray (NEB) def. Dylan Cochran/Katie Pogue (SBU): 21-15, 21-94. Merritt Beason/Skyler Pierce (NEB) def. Ryleigh Fowler/Janel Pido (SBU): 21-7, 21-75. Andi Jackson/Olivia Mauch (NEB) def. Reagan Hoerning/Madi Satterly (SBU): 21-15, 21-18Exh. Gabby Belcher/Bailey Lasater (SBU) def. Maisie Boesiger/Kyla Kenney (NEB): 17-21, 21-16, 15-4

Huskers Beach Volleyball sweep Southwest Baptist in home finale

Story by UNK Athletic Communications

The&nbsp;Nebraska-Kearney&nbsp;track and field team has qualified one relay, one woman and five men for the&nbsp;<a href="https://results.leonetiming.com/?mid=7065" target="_blank">2024 NCAA Division II Indoor Championships</a>&nbsp;March 8-9 in Pittsburg, Kan.

The list of qualifiers was released this evening with&nbsp;<a href="https://pittstategorillas.com/sports/2016/1/3/MTRACK_0103163618?path=ncaachamp" target="_blank">Pitt State and the Crawford County Visitor's Bureau</a>&nbsp;serving as co-hosts.Returning to the NCAA's are high jumpers&nbsp;Brianna Russell&nbsp;(Stamford) and&nbsp;Brayden&nbsp;Sorensen&nbsp;(Kearney), thrower&nbsp;Alex Goracke&nbsp;(Giltner), vaulter&nbsp;Alex Homan&nbsp;(Creighton) and runner&nbsp;Wes Ferguson&nbsp;(Fremont). The newcomer is runner&nbsp;Zach Van Brocklin&nbsp;(Cortland).Additionally, the men's distance medley relay team made the cut with the qualifying foursome being Ferguson, Van Brocklin,&nbsp;Payton Davis&nbsp;(David City), and&nbsp;Micah&nbsp;Swedberg&nbsp;(Gothenburg). UNK has placed eighth in the event each of the past two years, thus&nbsp;Swedberg&nbsp;has earned two AA honors and Davis one. The&nbsp;Lopers&nbsp;can turn in a different lineup next weekend if needed.&nbsp;

Sitting out last weekend's&nbsp;MIAA&nbsp;Championships, Ferguson is a seven-time All-American who was national runner-up in the 800 last March after winning the national title in 2022. He also has two 800-outdoor national titles to his credit. Next, Sorensen is a four-time All-American with Homan earning second-team AA honors last March and&nbsp;Goracke&nbsp;qualifying both indoors and outdoors last year.&nbsp; Finally, Russell qualified for the NCAA Outdoor championships last May with Van Brocklin a first-year&nbsp;Loper&nbsp;after running at UNL.&nbsp;Just missing out on qualifying this time around were Hastings freshman high jumper&nbsp;Nolan Studley&nbsp;(high jump), runner&nbsp;Nicole Messbarger&nbsp;(400),&nbsp;Goracke&nbsp;in shot put,&nbsp;Swedberg&nbsp;in the 400, Ferguson in the mile and freshman&nbsp;Sydney Davis&nbsp;(Dannebrog) in the high jump. She was one of six that reached 5-7.75 (1.72 meters) but they only took four from that group with the next best height, or the one after that, being the tiebreak.&nbsp;Friday, March 82:25 p.m. – Men's Weight Throw (Goracke/12th; 66-8.50)

3:40 p.m. – Women's High Jump (Russell/11th; 5-8)

4:40 p.m. – Men's 800-Prelims (Ferguson/1st; 1:47.32 &amp; Van Brocklin/17th; 1:50.46)

6:40 p.m. – Men's DMR (12th/9:46.34)Saturday, March 93:30 p.m. – Men's High Jump (Sorensen/6th; 7-2.25)

4:00 p.m. – Men's Pole Vault (Homan/13th; 16-7.25)

Story by UNK Athletic CommunicationsThe&nbsp;Nebraska-Kearney&nbsp;track and field team has qualified one relay, one woman and five men for the&nbsp;<a href="https://results.leonetiming.com/?mid=7065" target="_blank">2024 NCAA Division II Indoor Championships</a>&nbsp;March 8-9 in Pittsburg, Kan.The list of qualifiers was released this evening with&nbsp;<a href="https://pittstategorillas.com/sports/2016/1/3/MTRACK_0103163618?path=ncaachamp" target="_blank">Pitt State and the Crawford County Visitor's Bureau</a>&nbsp;serving as co-hosts.Returning to the NCAA's are high jumpers&nbsp;Brianna Russell&nbsp;(Stamford) and&nbsp;Brayden&nbsp;Sorensen&nbsp;(Kearney), thrower&nbsp;Alex Goracke&nbsp;(Giltner), vaulter&nbsp;Alex Homan&nbsp;(Creighton) and runner&nbsp;Wes Ferguson&nbsp;(Fremont). The newcomer is runner&nbsp;Zach Van Brocklin&nbsp;(Cortland).Additionally, the men's distance medley relay team made the cut with the qualifying foursome being Ferguson, Van Brocklin,&nbsp;Payton Davis&nbsp;(David City), and&nbsp;Micah&nbsp;Swedberg&nbsp;(Gothenburg). UNK has placed eighth in the event each of the past two years, thus&nbsp;Swedberg&nbsp;has earned two AA honors and Davis one. The&nbsp;Lopers&nbsp;can turn in a different lineup next weekend if needed.&nbsp;Sitting out last weekend's&nbsp;MIAA&nbsp;Championships, Ferguson is a seven-time All-American who was national runner-up in the 800 last March after winning the national title in 2022. He also has two 800-outdoor national titles to his credit. Next, Sorensen is a four-time All-American with Homan earning second-team AA honors last March and&nbsp;Goracke&nbsp;qualifying both indoors and outdoors last year.&nbsp; Finally, Russell qualified for the NCAA Outdoor championships last May with Van Brocklin a first-year&nbsp;Loper&nbsp;after running at UNL.&nbsp;Just missing out on qualifying this time around were Hastings freshman high jumper&nbsp;Nolan Studley&nbsp;(high jump), runner&nbsp;Nicole Messbarger&nbsp;(400),&nbsp;Goracke&nbsp;in shot put,&nbsp;Swedberg&nbsp;in the 400, Ferguson in the mile and freshman&nbsp;Sydney Davis&nbsp;(Dannebrog) in the high jump. She was one of six that reached 5-7.75 (1.72 meters) but they only took four from that group with the next best height, or the one after that, being the tiebreak.&nbsp;Friday, March 82:25 p.m. – Men's Weight Throw (Goracke/12th; 66-8.50)3:40 p.m. – Women's High Jump (Russell/11th; 5-8)4:40 p.m. – Men's 800-Prelims (Ferguson/1st; 1:47.32 &amp; Van Brocklin/17th; 1:50.46)6:40 p.m. – Men's DMR (12th/9:46.34)Saturday, March 93:30 p.m. – Men's High Jump (Sorensen/6th; 7-2.25)4:00 p.m. – Men's Pole Vault (Homan/13th; 16-7.25)6:25 p.m. – Men's 800 Finals

Veteran crew headed to Pitt; Davis loses tiebreaker

Ogallala, Ne - The Girls State Basketball Tournament begins Wednesday in Lincoln, the Paxton Lady Tigers defeated Leyton 77-59 in their district final led by Jacelyn Jorgensen's&nbsp;double-double on 19 points and 15 rebounds to qualify for the D2 State Tournament. The team also got some help courtesy of Ella Fote, who scored 22 points along with five rebounds and two steals.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The victory was the fourth in a row for Paxton, bringing their record for this year to 17-9. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 58.3 points per game.

Paxton will be the #8 seed in the D2 Tournament playing #1 Overton at 9am Wednesday, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. 

Broken Bow also qualified in the C1 State Tournament and will play Thurdsay afternoon at 3:15pm at the Devaney Center.&nbsp;The C1 Tournament is loaded with western Nebraska schools, Bridgeport is the #4 seed, while Sidney is the #2 seed in Class C1

Ogallala, Ne - The Girls State Basketball Tournament begins Wednesday in Lincoln, the Paxton Lady Tigers defeated Leyton 77-59 in their district final led by Jacelyn Jorgensen's&nbsp;double-double on 19 points and 15 rebounds to qualify for the D2 State Tournament. The team also got some help courtesy of Ella Fote, who scored 22 points along with five rebounds and two steals.&nbsp;&nbsp;The victory was the fourth in a row for Paxton, bringing their record for this year to 17-9. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 58.3 points per game.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708874731556.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Paxton will be the #8 seed in the D2 Tournament playing #1 Overton at 9am Wednesday, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Broken Bow also qualified in the C1 State Tournament and will play Thurdsay afternoon at 3:15pm at the Devaney Center.&nbsp;The C1 Tournament is loaded with western Nebraska schools, Bridgeport is the #4 seed, while Sidney is the #2 seed in Class C1