Story by NU Athletic Communications

Lincoln, Neb. | Hawks Field at Haymarket Park

Pitching:&nbsp;RHP Tucker Timmerman (1-1, 4.42 ERA) vs. RHP Kurt Barr (6-3, 3.39 ERA)

TV/Streaming:&nbsp;Nebraska Public Media/B1G+

Radio:&nbsp;Huskers.com, Huskers Radio Network, Huskers App

Pitching:&nbsp;RHP Ty Horn (2-4, 6.28 ERA) vs. TBA

Pitching:&nbsp;LHP Jackson Brockett (2-3, 3.99 ERA) vs. TBA

• Friday's series opener against Michigan can be seen on Nebraska Public Media, with Larry Punteney and Jeff Leise on the call. The final two games of this weekend's series on Saturday and Sunday can be seen on B1G+.

• Fans can also listen to Ben McLaughlin and Nick Handley call the action this weekend on the Huskers Radio Network.

• Every game this season can be heard for free on Huskers.com and the Official Nebraska Huskers App for both iOS and android devices.

• Through 35 all-time meetings, Nebraska holds a 19-16 advantage over Michigan in the all-time series.

• The Huskers and Wolverines last met in a three-game series in Ann Arbor in 2023, where the Big Red won two of three games to claim the series win.

• In their last meeting in Lincoln, Michigan won two of three games to take the series win in 2022.

McConnaughey to Miss Remainder of 2025 Season

• Nebraska Coach Will Bolt announced the first week in March that junior right-handed pitcher Mason McConnaughey will miss the remainder of the 2025 season after suffering an arm injury against Sam Houston at the Frisco Classic.

• McConnaughey began the season as the first Husker named to the Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List since 2016 and earned Preseason All-American recognition from D1Baseball and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

• With Brett Sears taken in the 2024 MLB Draft, Drew Christo's transition to the bullpen and Mason McConnaughey's season-ending injury, it's a new-look weekend rotation for the Huskers this year.

• Sophomore Tucker Timmerman gets the nod Friday night and holds a 1-1 record on the season with a 4.42 ERA, 18 strikeouts and opposing batting average of .225 in 18.1 innings.

• Sophomore Ty Horn is set to take the mound in game two for the Huskers this weekend. Horn is 2-4 with a 6.28 ERA and 57 punchouts in 57.1 innings of work.

• Senior Jackson Brockett is scheduled to start the series finale, holding a 2-3 record with a 3.99 ERA and 32 strikeouts across 12 appearances, including 11 starts.

Walsh Among Active Career Leaders in Free Passes

• Redshirt senior Will Walsh enters the weekend ranked among DI's active career leaders in fewest walks allowed per nine innings, sitting sixth with 1.66 walks per nine innings.

• Walsh has surrendered 32 free passes in 173.1 innings in his time as a Husker and is one of three P4 pitchers ranked in the top 10.

Blachowicz Brings Stability to NU Bullpen

• Freshman Gavin Blachowicz is one of 15 freshman pitchers nationally with a sub-2.80 ERA and an opponent batting average of .225 or lower, having pitched at least 19 innings this season.

• Blachowicz is 3-0 on the season with a 2.79 ERA, 19 strikeouts and opposing batting average of .225 in 19.1 innings.

• The freshman has allowed just two earned runs in the last nine innings pitched across nine appearances.

• Blachowicz enters the weekend with a streak of seven consecutive innings without allowing an earned run.

Swansen Stands out Nationally w/ 10 2B's &amp; 5 HR's

• Senior Gabe Swansen is one of 12 players nationally with at least 10 doubles and five homers in 115 at-bats or lower this season.

• The outfielder is batting .261 at the plate with 10 doubles, five home runs and a team-high 36 RBI in 39 games, including 29 starts this season.

Overbeek, Swansen Fuel NU's Surge in Last 15 games

• Gabe Swansen and Joshua Overbeek have combined for 17 extra-base hits and 38 RBI in the last 15 games, leading the Huskers to a 9-6 mark over that stretch.

• Overbeek has been Nebraska's most consistent hitter, batting .386 with a team-best 22 hits, six home runs, 19 RBI and a 1.183 OPS in the last 15 games.

• Swansen has paced the Husker offense over the last 15 games, hitting .364 with five doubles, three home runs and a team-high 19 RBI while posting a 1.105 OPS.

Swansen's Career Surge in the Month of May

• Since the 2023 campaign, Gabe Swansen has been a key contributor for the NU offense in the month of May the last three seasons.

• The senior has hit .365 at the plate with a combined 21 runs, nine doubles, 10 home runs and 34 RBI in the month of May the last three seasons.

• Swansen batted .514 at the plate with an OPS of 1.538 and nine extra-base hits in Nebraska's run to the Big Ten Tournament title and matchup with Florida in the Stillwater Regional last season.

• In 2023, Swansen had five homers, drove in 17 runs and scored 12 times across 15 games in May.

• Nebraska is 125-28 under head coach Will Bolt when scoring at least six runs.

• The Big Red have scored six-plus runs in 21 of the 24 victories this season, defeating No. 16 Vanderbilt (6-4), San Diego State (13-0), Louisiana (6-1), Washington (6-2), Wichita State (10-1), Pepperdine (9-6, 11-4). USC (6-5), Oregon State (7-3, 16-7), Rutgers (8-5, 10-5), No. 22 Kansas (7-5), Iowa (6-4), Creighton (6-3), Northwestern (14-4), Maryland (7-2, 21-5), Kansas State (7-6) and Minnesota (8-3).

• The Husker offense reached the six-run mark 34 times last season, compiling a 28-6 record.

• Nebraska scored six-plus runs in 33 contests (26-7) in 2023 after tallying at least six runs 23 times (19-4) in 2022, 28 times (26-2) in 2021 and seven times (5-2) in 2020.

Youth Movement on the Mound Since April

• True freshmen Blake Encarnacion, Gavin Blachowicz and Pryce Bender have put up strong numbers since the start of April for the NU bullpen.

• The trio have totaled a combined 3.15 ERA, allowing seven earned runs across 20.0 combined innings of work in 21 total appearances.

• Bender picked up the first two wins of his career in Nebraska's midweek matchups against No. 22 Kansas and Creighton, while Blachowicz improved to 3-0 on the season in NU's win vs. K-State last week.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsMay 9-11, 2025Lincoln, Neb. | Hawks Field at Haymarket ParkFriday, May 9 – 6:02 p.m.Pitching:&nbsp;RHP Tucker Timmerman (1-1, 4.42 ERA) vs. RHP Kurt Barr (6-3, 3.39 ERA)TV/Streaming:&nbsp;Nebraska Public Media/B1G+Radio:&nbsp;Huskers.com, Huskers Radio Network, Huskers AppSaturday, May 10 – 2:02 p.m.Pitching:&nbsp;RHP Ty Horn (2-4, 6.28 ERA) vs. TBATV/Streaming:&nbsp;B1G+Radio:&nbsp;Huskers.com, Huskers Radio Network, Huskers AppSunday, May 11 – 12:02 p.m.Pitching:&nbsp;LHP Jackson Brockett (2-3, 3.99 ERA) vs. TBATV/Streaming:&nbsp;B1G+Radio:&nbsp;Huskers.com, Huskers Radio Network, Huskers AppFollow the Game• Friday's series opener against Michigan can be seen on Nebraska Public Media, with Larry Punteney and Jeff Leise on the call. The final two games of this weekend's series on Saturday and Sunday can be seen on B1G+.• Fans can also listen to Ben McLaughlin and Nick Handley call the action this weekend on the Huskers Radio Network.• Every game this season can be heard for free on Huskers.com and the Official Nebraska Huskers App for both iOS and android devices.Nebraska vs. Michigan• Through 35 all-time meetings, Nebraska holds a 19-16 advantage over Michigan in the all-time series.• The Huskers and Wolverines last met in a three-game series in Ann Arbor in 2023, where the Big Red won two of three games to claim the series win.• In their last meeting in Lincoln, Michigan won two of three games to take the series win in 2022.McConnaughey to Miss Remainder of 2025 Season• Nebraska Coach Will Bolt announced the first week in March that junior right-handed pitcher Mason McConnaughey will miss the remainder of the 2025 season after suffering an arm injury against Sam Houston at the Frisco Classic.• McConnaughey began the season as the first Husker named to the Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List since 2016 and earned Preseason All-American recognition from D1Baseball and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.A Look at the Weekend Rotation• With Brett Sears taken in the 2024 MLB Draft, Drew Christo's transition to the bullpen and Mason McConnaughey's season-ending injury, it's a new-look weekend rotation for the Huskers this year.• Sophomore Tucker Timmerman gets the nod Friday night and holds a 1-1 record on the season with a 4.42 ERA, 18 strikeouts and opposing batting average of .225 in 18.1 innings.• Sophomore Ty Horn is set to take the mound in game two for the Huskers this weekend. Horn is 2-4 with a 6.28 ERA and 57 punchouts in 57.1 innings of work.• Senior Jackson Brockett is scheduled to start the series finale, holding a 2-3 record with a 3.99 ERA and 32 strikeouts across 12 appearances, including 11 starts.Walsh Among Active Career Leaders in Free Passes• Redshirt senior Will Walsh enters the weekend ranked among DI's active career leaders in fewest walks allowed per nine innings, sitting sixth with 1.66 walks per nine innings.• Walsh has surrendered 32 free passes in 173.1 innings in his time as a Husker and is one of three P4 pitchers ranked in the top 10.Blachowicz Brings Stability to NU Bullpen• Freshman Gavin Blachowicz is one of 15 freshman pitchers nationally with a sub-2.80 ERA and an opponent batting average of .225 or lower, having pitched at least 19 innings this season.• Blachowicz is 3-0 on the season with a 2.79 ERA, 19 strikeouts and opposing batting average of .225 in 19.1 innings.• The freshman has allowed just two earned runs in the last nine innings pitched across nine appearances.• Blachowicz enters the weekend with a streak of seven consecutive innings without allowing an earned run.Swansen Stands out Nationally w/ 10 2B's &amp; 5 HR's• Senior Gabe Swansen is one of 12 players nationally with at least 10 doubles and five homers in 115 at-bats or lower this season.• The outfielder is batting .261 at the plate with 10 doubles, five home runs and a team-high 36 RBI in 39 games, including 29 starts this season.• The freshman has allowed just two earned runs in the last nine innings pitched across nine appearances.• Blachowicz enters the weekend with a streak of seven consecutive innings without allowing an earned run.Overbeek, Swansen Fuel NU's Surge in Last 15 games• Gabe Swansen and Joshua Overbeek have combined for 17 extra-base hits and 38 RBI in the last 15 games, leading the Huskers to a 9-6 mark over that stretch.• Overbeek has been Nebraska's most consistent hitter, batting .386 with a team-best 22 hits, six home runs, 19 RBI and a 1.183 OPS in the last 15 games.• Swansen has paced the Husker offense over the last 15 games, hitting .364 with five doubles, three home runs and a team-high 19 RBI while posting a 1.105 OPS.Swansen's Career Surge in the Month of May• Since the 2023 campaign, Gabe Swansen has been a key contributor for the NU offense in the month of May the last three seasons.• The senior has hit .365 at the plate with a combined 21 runs, nine doubles, 10 home runs and 34 RBI in the month of May the last three seasons.• Swansen batted .514 at the plate with an OPS of 1.538 and nine extra-base hits in Nebraska's run to the Big Ten Tournament title and matchup with Florida in the Stillwater Regional last season.• In 2023, Swansen had five homers, drove in 17 runs and scored 12 times across 15 games in May.Lucky Number Six in the Bolt Era• Nebraska is 125-28 under head coach Will Bolt when scoring at least six runs.• The Big Red have scored six-plus runs in 21 of the 24 victories this season, defeating No. 16 Vanderbilt (6-4), San Diego State (13-0), Louisiana (6-1), Washington (6-2), Wichita State (10-1), Pepperdine (9-6, 11-4). USC (6-5), Oregon State (7-3, 16-7), Rutgers (8-5, 10-5), No. 22 Kansas (7-5), Iowa (6-4), Creighton (6-3), Northwestern (14-4), Maryland (7-2, 21-5), Kansas State (7-6) and Minnesota (8-3).• The Husker offense reached the six-run mark 34 times last season, compiling a 28-6 record.• Nebraska scored six-plus runs in 33 contests (26-7) in 2023 after tallying at least six runs 23 times (19-4) in 2022, 28 times (26-2) in 2021 and seven times (5-2) in 2020.Youth Movement on the Mound Since April• True freshmen Blake Encarnacion, Gavin Blachowicz and Pryce Bender have put up strong numbers since the start of April for the NU bullpen.• The trio have totaled a combined 3.15 ERA, allowing seven earned runs across 20.0 combined innings of work in 21 total appearances.• Bender picked up the first two wins of his career in Nebraska's midweek matchups against No. 22 Kansas and Creighton, while Blachowicz improved to 3-0 on the season in NU's win vs. K-State last week.

Husker Baseball preview vs Michigan

Nebraska&nbsp;men’s basketball coach Fred Hoiberg announced Thursday that Leo&nbsp;Curtis has signed with the Huskers for the 2025-26 season.

Curtis, a 7-foot-1, 220-pound forward from Reykjavik, Iceland, spent his senior season at Cambridge Arts, Technology and Science (CATS Academy) in Braintree, Mass., where he earned National Prep All-American Honorable-Mention honors after moving to the United States last fall.&nbsp;&nbsp;Playing for coach Cary Herer, Curtis averaged 12.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.7 blocks per game. His effort helped CATS Academy to a 28-7 record, a runner-up finish in the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Class AA tournament and a No. 5 national ranking. For his efforts, he was a first-team All-NEPSAC Class AA honoree.

At the National Prep Championships in March, Curtis averaged 12.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 blocks per game in games against Sunrise (Kan.) Christian and Vermont Academy to help CATS Academy to a quarterfinal appearance.

“Leo’s combination of size and skill set is an ideal fit for our system” Hoiberg said. “He is a natural stretch forward who can initiate offense and put pressure on the rim.&nbsp;&nbsp;At 7-foot-1, he can impact both ends of the floor. He played for one of the best prep teams in the country this past season, and that will help him in his adjustment to the college game. He is a natural athlete who played soccer before turning his attention to basketball. He is just scratching the surface of his potential, and I believe his best days are ahead of him.”

Curtis, who didn’t play basketball competitively until he was a teenager, is ranked No. 84 nationally in the class of 2025 by On3, which also has Curtis as the No. 11 center in the 2025 class. He was also ranked in the top 150 nationally by 247 Sports and a four-star prospect.

Curtis played for IR Reykjavik in the Iceland Subway League in 2023-24 and averaged 15.4 points per game on 58 percent shooting, including 42 percent from 3-point range, along with 8.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. He totaled 10 double-doubles in 31 games in 2023-24, highlighted by a 35-point, 13-rebound effort. He was also a member of the Iceland National team pipeline, as he averaged 5.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game the 2024 U20 European Championships and averaged 8.6 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game at the 2023 U18 European Championships.

Curtis, whose full name is&nbsp;Frithrik&nbsp;Leo Curtis, will be the second player from Iceland to play at Nebraska, as Thorir&nbsp;Thorbjarnarson&nbsp;was a two-year starter for the Huskers in 2019-20 and 2020-21.&nbsp;&nbsp;Curtis looked at a host of schools during the recruiting process and took visits to Arizona State,&nbsp;Indiana&nbsp;and West Virginia as well as Nebraska.

Curtis joins Quentin Rhymes (Hillcrest Prep) in Nebraska’s 2025 freshman class, as both Curtis and Rhymes are ranked in the top 150 players nationally by On3. In all, Nebraska has added eight newcomers for the 2025-26 season, including six transfers: Kendall Blue (St. Thomas); Will Cooper (Air Force); Jared Garcia (Tulsa); Ugnius&nbsp;Jaruševičius&nbsp;(Central Michigan); Jamarques Lawrence (Rhode Island) and Pryce Sandfort (Iowa).

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsNebraska&nbsp;men’s basketball coach Fred Hoiberg announced Thursday that Leo&nbsp;Curtis has signed with the Huskers for the 2025-26 season.Curtis, a 7-foot-1, 220-pound forward from Reykjavik, Iceland, spent his senior season at Cambridge Arts, Technology and Science (CATS Academy) in Braintree, Mass., where he earned National Prep All-American Honorable-Mention honors after moving to the United States last fall.&nbsp;&nbsp;Playing for coach Cary Herer, Curtis averaged 12.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.7 blocks per game. His effort helped CATS Academy to a 28-7 record, a runner-up finish in the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Class AA tournament and a No. 5 national ranking. For his efforts, he was a first-team All-NEPSAC Class AA honoree.At the National Prep Championships in March, Curtis averaged 12.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 blocks per game in games against Sunrise (Kan.) Christian and Vermont Academy to help CATS Academy to a quarterfinal appearance.“Leo’s combination of size and skill set is an ideal fit for our system” Hoiberg said. “He is a natural stretch forward who can initiate offense and put pressure on the rim.&nbsp;&nbsp;At 7-foot-1, he can impact both ends of the floor. He played for one of the best prep teams in the country this past season, and that will help him in his adjustment to the college game. He is a natural athlete who played soccer before turning his attention to basketball. He is just scratching the surface of his potential, and I believe his best days are ahead of him.”Curtis, who didn’t play basketball competitively until he was a teenager, is ranked No. 84 nationally in the class of 2025 by On3, which also has Curtis as the No. 11 center in the 2025 class. He was also ranked in the top 150 nationally by 247 Sports and a four-star prospect.Curtis played for IR Reykjavik in the Iceland Subway League in 2023-24 and averaged 15.4 points per game on 58 percent shooting, including 42 percent from 3-point range, along with 8.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. He totaled 10 double-doubles in 31 games in 2023-24, highlighted by a 35-point, 13-rebound effort. He was also a member of the Iceland National team pipeline, as he averaged 5.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game the 2024 U20 European Championships and averaged 8.6 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game at the 2023 U18 European Championships.Curtis, whose full name is&nbsp;Frithrik&nbsp;Leo Curtis, will be the second player from Iceland to play at Nebraska, as Thorir&nbsp;Thorbjarnarson&nbsp;was a two-year starter for the Huskers in 2019-20 and 2020-21.&nbsp;&nbsp;Curtis looked at a host of schools during the recruiting process and took visits to Arizona State,&nbsp;Indiana&nbsp;and West Virginia as well as Nebraska.Curtis joins Quentin Rhymes (Hillcrest Prep) in Nebraska’s 2025 freshman class, as both Curtis and Rhymes are ranked in the top 150 players nationally by On3. In all, Nebraska has added eight newcomers for the 2025-26 season, including six transfers: Kendall Blue (St. Thomas); Will Cooper (Air Force); Jared Garcia (Tulsa); Ugnius&nbsp;Jaruševičius&nbsp;(Central Michigan); Jamarques Lawrence (Rhode Island) and Pryce Sandfort (Iowa).

Leo Curtis signs with Nebraska

Coaches for this summer's upcoming West Nebraska All-Star football game and volleyball match have been chosen.

Garden County's Chad Dormann is the West team football head coach with Scot Anderson from Sidney, Ian Bish of Valentine and Trevor Ginkens from Hay Springs assisting. Dustin Kronhofman of Arapahoe is leading the East team with assistants coming from Cozad (Jayce Dueland), Brady (Andy Seaman) and Arapahoe (John Strand).

For the volleyball match, Natasha Haupt of Leyton leads the West squad with assistant help from Chase County's Kristi McNair.&nbsp; Rebecca Stearns of Brady is the East head coach and Maddy Krebs from North Platte St. Pat's will join her on the bench.

The football all-star game and volleyball match are both set for June 7 in Scottsbluff.&nbsp; Volleyball serves at 3:00 on the WNCC campus in Cougar Palace following the football game that begins with kickoff at 11:00 a.m. in Bearcat Stadium on the Scottsbluff High School campus.

By: Dave Collins Sports DirectorCoaches for this summer's upcoming West Nebraska All-Star football game and volleyball match have been chosen.Garden County's Chad Dormann is the West team football head coach with Scot Anderson from Sidney, Ian Bish of Valentine and Trevor Ginkens from Hay Springs assisting. Dustin Kronhofman of Arapahoe is leading the East team with assistants coming from Cozad (Jayce Dueland), Brady (Andy Seaman) and Arapahoe (John Strand).For the volleyball match, Natasha Haupt of Leyton leads the West squad with assistant help from Chase County's Kristi McNair.&nbsp; Rebecca Stearns of Brady is the East head coach and Maddy Krebs from North Platte St. Pat's will join her on the bench.The football all-star game and volleyball match are both set for June 7 in Scottsbluff.&nbsp; Volleyball serves at 3:00 on the WNCC campus in Cougar Palace following the football game that begins with kickoff at 11:00 a.m. in Bearcat Stadium on the Scottsbluff High School campus.

West Nebraska All-Star football, volleyball coaches revealed

CHADRON, Neb. – Travis Brewster has resigned his position as the Head Women's Basketball Coach at Chadron State College, Athletic Director Mannie Reinsch announced Tuesday. 

Brewster, who had previous head coaching experience at the University of North Dakota (DI) and Saint Xavier University (NAIA), winning Coach of the Year awards at both stops, has guided the CSC's women's basketball program since the 2023-24 season. 

During his two seasons on the sidelines for the Eagles, his teams posted identical records of 6-20. This past season, Chadron State played the hardest non-conference schedule (by final opponent winning percentage) in Division II, then secured a 12th-place RMAC finish that was the program's highest place in the league standings since 2016-17. 

The 2024-25 Eagle women's basketball team also set the program record for highest team free-throw percentage in school history (77.7 percent) and made more three-pointers (165, 6.3 per game) than any Eagle team since 2010. 

Brewster's teams excelled academically, highlighted recently when eight CSC women's basketball players were named to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference All-Academic Honor Roll. 

"I would like to thank Coach Brewster for his dedication and efforts to Chadron State. I wish Coach Brewster and his family the best moving forward," Reinsch said. 

Brewster was the 11th coach in women's basketball history at Chadron State College since the program began in 1973. 

A national search for Chadron State's new women's basketball coach will begin immediately.

By: CSC AthleticsCHADRON, Neb. – Travis Brewster has resigned his position as the Head Women's Basketball Coach at Chadron State College, Athletic Director Mannie Reinsch announced Tuesday. Brewster, who had previous head coaching experience at the University of North Dakota (DI) and Saint Xavier University (NAIA), winning Coach of the Year awards at both stops, has guided the CSC's women's basketball program since the 2023-24 season. During his two seasons on the sidelines for the Eagles, his teams posted identical records of 6-20. This past season, Chadron State played the hardest non-conference schedule (by final opponent winning percentage) in Division II, then secured a 12th-place RMAC finish that was the program's highest place in the league standings since 2016-17. The 2024-25 Eagle women's basketball team also set the program record for highest team free-throw percentage in school history (77.7 percent) and made more three-pointers (165, 6.3 per game) than any Eagle team since 2010. Brewster's teams excelled academically, highlighted recently when eight CSC women's basketball players were named to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference All-Academic Honor Roll. "I would like to thank Coach Brewster for his dedication and efforts to Chadron State. I wish Coach Brewster and his family the best moving forward," Reinsch said. Brewster was the 11th coach in women's basketball history at Chadron State College since the program began in 1973. A national search for Chadron State's new women's basketball coach will begin immediately.

Chadron State Women's Basketball Head Coach Brewster resigns 

Story by Omaha Supernovas Communication

DULUTH, Ga. —&nbsp;The first-place and postseason-bound&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001DL1m15Ja2zIraUOan0tT10GaRWeWekkqqyz4vp_BsnBPKgTrqy8Vh17trT6hxj6HoGkJTZqwZ8HxT8rNllNE7i4rSmeHH8Fcp5O-1ktGk9mOwg0ohYTRtiUnCRxSWqW0TTOuuz4AmG_aPqsJhPXElqTpz_ujQNDlLjZZt7kk0iHXjeuJVs7kRgsq53fzYo5z&amp;c=FuBVykUixJPh7H5ZfFLkcGg8mHD5uU9JgCr0tLJLLYjneW2dQfWJpw==&amp;ch=xCWRevF5ar5qBPykR2SVTtVPdKiyJoh08tZ9ChFeuoLAh1aNfdgTXg==">Omaha Supernovas</a>, Nebraska’s professional volleyball team and first Pro Volleyball champions, used a full-team effort to defeat the Atlanta Vibe (19-9), 25-23, 25-22, 19-25, 25-23, on Sunday night at Gas South Arena.

It was a double milestone for the Supernovas (21-7), who snapped the Vibe’s league-record 13-match winning streak while clinching the PVF regular-season title. Omaha now heads to Las Vegas as the No. 1 seed in the&nbsp;2025 PVF Championship&nbsp;and will face the No. 4 seed Indy Ignite (13-15) in one of two PVF semifinal matches. First serve for the Supernovas is set for 7 p.m. CDT on Friday, May 9, at Lee’s Family Forum.

Outside hitter&nbsp;Ally Batenhorst&nbsp;delivered another standout performance off the bench, finishing with 15 kills on 27 swings with only two errors for a .481 hitting percentage. She also contributed seven digs and sealed the win with the match-ending block.&nbsp;Brooke Nuneviller&nbsp;added 13 kills and seven digs, while&nbsp;Reagan Cooper&nbsp;posted seven kills on a franchise-record .700 clip (7-0-10). Opposites&nbsp;Kelsie Payne&nbsp;and&nbsp;Emily Londot&nbsp;each recorded five kills, combining for three of the team’s eight blocks.

Rookie middle blockers&nbsp;Toyosi Onabanjo&nbsp;and&nbsp;Phoebe Awoleye&nbsp;anchored the attack from the middle. Onabanjo tallied five kills and two blocks, while Awoleye added four kills on a .429 clip, one block and her first career ace.&nbsp;Kayla Caffey&nbsp;appeared in the final two sets and contributed one kill and two aces, and&nbsp;Kaitlyn Hord&nbsp;added two kills.

Setter&nbsp;Mac Podraza&nbsp;handled the bulk of the setting duties, finishing with 29 assists, 10 digs and one kill over three sets. Fellow setter&nbsp;Natalia Valentín-Anderson&nbsp;dished out 16 assists and three digs in two sets of action. Starting libero&nbsp;Allison Whitten&nbsp;notched eight digs and one assist, while&nbsp;Camila Gómez&nbsp;added three digs and one assist over the final two sets.

Omaha put together another superb serving performance by notching six aces — its second-highest ace total of the season. Caffey and Londot led the effort with two aces apiece with Cooper and Awoleye also chipping in.&nbsp;

The Vibe leaned on their usual starters for most of the match. Outside hitter Leah Edmond led all attackers with 17 kills (.297) and 12 digs. Opposite Aiko Jones added 13 kills on a .321 hitting percentage, along with one block and one ace. Micaya White recorded 11 kills and seven digs, while middle blocker Khori Louis contributed 11 kills on a .370 clip and a match-high five blocks.

Set 1:&nbsp;Jones took care of an Omaha overpass to start the match, but Nuneviller responded with her first kill of the night. Jones recorded another point, but an Edmond hitting error and Cooper kill put the Supernovas ahead early. After another Cooper kill, Edmond tied the set at five with two kills including a joust win over Podraza. Nuneviller terminated on another swing, but Marlie Monserez put over a sneaky setter dump. Onabanjo got going offensively with a pair of kills to put the Supernovas ahead 8-6 going into the first media timeout. White posted her first kill out of the break, but Onobanjo responded with a block. Jones cut the lead to one with another kill, but Cooper found the floor on consecutive swings. Londot followed by nicking a finger at the net for a kill and Cooper snuck the ball between the block for another kill. Londot continued the Omaha surge by putting down two straight aces for a 6-0 run as the Supernovas led 16-9 at the second media timeout. Jones halted the run, but a Vibe service error and Nuneviller point extended the lead to eight. Atlanta found its groove with a Louis kill and Jones followed with another point. Louis and White secured back-to-back blocks and Jones tooled the block for a five-point run and force an Omaha timeout at 18-15. Louis continued the Vibe momentum with another block out of the break. Monserez slammed down an overpass for a kill and Jones tooled Nuneviller again to tie the set at 18. The two teams exchanged a flurry of errors, but a Jones attack sailed wide to put Omaha back ahead by two to force an Atlanta timeout at 21-19 Supernovas. Nuneviller placed a tip shot over a triple block for a point to stretch the lead to three. White sent a cut shut wide for another Vibe error, but Edmond put Atlanta in the red zone by tooling the block for a kill. A setting error by Podraza got Atlanta back within two but Nuneviller put Omaha at set point by tooling the block. Mckenna Vicini and Edmond tallied back-to-back points to put the pressure on, but Cooper gave the Supernovas a 25-23 set win with her sixth kill.

Omaha hit .306 in the opening set with a block and two aces. Cooper was unstoppable with six kills on six swings while Nuneviller tallied five kills of her own. Atlanta hit .279 with three blocks as Jones collected seven of the team’s 17 kills in the set.&nbsp;

Set 2:&nbsp;Nuneviller slammed down an overpass to start the set and Londot clipped the corner on a shot to put Omaha up 2-0 early. Edmond got the Vibe on the board with a kill and a Supernovas hitting error tied the set. Onabanjo stuffed an Atlanta attack, but Edmond responded with two-straight kills. Cooper and Londot recorded back-to-back blocks and Cooper terminated on a swing to end a crazy rally for a 6-4 Omaha lead. Lewis and Monserez scored a point apiece, but a Vibe service error and Londot kill off the block gave the Supernovas an 8-6 edge going into the first media timeout. Louis and Monserez once again scored consecutive points to tie the set, but Nuneviller put down another kill in response. Hord’s attack clipped Edmond and found the floor for a two-point Omaha lead. Hord found a finger on an attack for the next point and White followed with an attacking error. Edmond shanked a Cooper serve for a Supernovas ace to extend the lead to 13-8 and result in a Vibe timeout. White started to heat up with back-to-back kills. A Monserez serve touched the line for an ace to complete a 3-0 run for Atlanta. Londot snapped the Vibe surge with a kill, but White answered with another point. Edmond kept the deficit at two, but Onabanjo won a joust at the net to put Omaha up 16-13 at the second media timeout. Anna Dixon put down a pair of kills as part of a double sub for Atlanta, but Awoleye and Batenhorst — who also came off the bench — kept pace with a kill apiece. Nuneviller tallied two more kills to put Omaha in the red zone and Onabanjo terminated on a middle attack for a three-point lead. Lewis blocked a Nuneviller back-row attack, but Batenhorst fired back with a kill and Awoleye stuffed a Vibe attack for set point at 24-20. Edmond and Louis kept Atlanta alive with back-to-back tallies, but Batenhorst found the floor from the pin to give the Supernovas a 25-22 set win and 2-0 lead in the match.

Omaha’s offense kept chugging along with a .333 hitting percentage in the set with three blocks and one ace. Batenhorst was a spark off the bench by with four kills on four swings. Atlanta lagged behind with a .256 clip with two blocks and one ace. Edmond paced the Vibe with five kills.&nbsp;

Set 3:&nbsp;Atlanta came firing out of the gate with a 5-0 run fueled by Jones who put down three kills in the spurt. Onabanjo bounced a ball off a middle set to snap the run, but White immediately answered with a perfectly placed corner shot for a kill. Payne secured a block off an Edmond attack and Batenhorst followed with her fifth kill. Lewis found the floor for a kill to send the Vibe into the media timeout with a 8-4 advantage. Batenhorst and Awoleye posted a kill apiece, but Edmond kept the Vibe advantage with a kill. Nuneviller and Payne each tallied a kill, but back-to-back swings by Jones found the floor to push Atlanta ahead 13-8. Batenhorst continued to find success offensively with two more kills, but Louis and Edmond had an answer each time to keep the Vibe at a 16-11 advantage into the second media timeout. Nuneviller terminated on back-to-back swings and Batenhorst tooled a shot off the triple block for a 3-0 Supernovas run. A Louis slide attack halted the run. Monserez found a connection with Vicini for three-straight kills to build the Vibe lead to 20-15 and force an Omaha timeout. Monserez stamped the four-point run with her second ace, but Nuneviller stopped the rally with a kill. A slew of errors plagued the next few points, but a Jones block and Louis kill gave Atlanta set point. Batenhorst kept the set alive with a tip kill, but Edmond hit line for the set-ending kill for a 25-19 win.&nbsp;

The Supernovas offense continued to stay hot with a .370 hitting percentage with one block. Batenhorst hammered a team-leading six kills on a .444 clip. The Vibe offense was more efficient by hitting .469 with one block and one ace. Jones terminated five balls on eight swings (.625) while Louis and Edmond each tallied four kills apiece.&nbsp;

Set 4:&nbsp;Edmond posted another kill to start the set and Louis found the floor again after an Atlanta net violation. Payne bounced a ball off a Vibe defender for a kill, but a block and two-straight White kills gave Atlanta a 5-2 lead. Batenhorst stopped the bleeding with a kill, but White answered again. Batenhorst and White exchanged kills before a&nbsp;Lindsay Krause&nbsp;hitting error sent the Vibe into the media timeout with an 8-4 lead. Edmond completed a 3-0 run out of the break with a kill, but a service error snapped the run. White and Edmond registered consecutive kills to stretch the lead to 11-5 Vibe. Another service error by Atlanta and block from Payne cut the deficit to four, but Edmond responded with a kill. Batenhorst continued to lead offensively with back-to-back kills for Omaha. Caffey — who had entered the match a few points earlier — produced two-straight aces to add to her team leading total to tie the set at 13 and force a Vibe timeout. A service error ended the 4-0 run, but Awoleye logged consecutive kills for the Supernovas to take their first lead of the set at 15-14. Batenhorst exchanged kills with Dixon before Awoleye blocked a Vibe attack. The Minnesota graduate recorded her first professional ace off of Hentz for a two-point edge. Vicini found a kill from the middle again, but Podraza and Payne posted back-to-back points to force an Atlanta timeout at 20-17 Supernovas. Monserez found Vicini again out of the break for a kill, but Payne answered by tooling the block. A hitting error put the Omaha lead at 22-18, but back-to-back kills from Lewis and Jones put the pressure on. Jones stepped up to deliver an ace and cut the lead to one, but Caffey came up clutch with a middle attack for a kill. A Supernovas service and attacking error tied the set at 23, but Payne terminated from the right pin for set point. Batenhorst capped off another standout performance with a block for a 25-23 set win and 3-1 match victory.

Omaha hit .278 as a team with three blocks and three aces. Batenhorst didn’t commit a hitting error, compiling five kills in 14 swings for a .357 clip. Payne stood out with a .375 hitting percentage on four kills. The Vibe had a .324 clip in the set with White going five-for-five on attacks and Edmond putting down four kills.&nbsp;

Story by Omaha Supernovas CommunicationDULUTH, Ga. —&nbsp;The first-place and postseason-bound&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001DL1m15Ja2zIraUOan0tT10GaRWeWekkqqyz4vp_BsnBPKgTrqy8Vh17trT6hxj6HoGkJTZqwZ8HxT8rNllNE7i4rSmeHH8Fcp5O-1ktGk9mOwg0ohYTRtiUnCRxSWqW0TTOuuz4AmG_aPqsJhPXElqTpz_ujQNDlLjZZt7kk0iHXjeuJVs7kRgsq53fzYo5z&amp;c=FuBVykUixJPh7H5ZfFLkcGg8mHD5uU9JgCr0tLJLLYjneW2dQfWJpw==&amp;ch=xCWRevF5ar5qBPykR2SVTtVPdKiyJoh08tZ9ChFeuoLAh1aNfdgTXg==">Omaha Supernovas</a>, Nebraska’s professional volleyball team and first Pro Volleyball champions, used a full-team effort to defeat the Atlanta Vibe (19-9), 25-23, 25-22, 19-25, 25-23, on Sunday night at Gas South Arena.It was a double milestone for the Supernovas (21-7), who snapped the Vibe’s league-record 13-match winning streak while clinching the PVF regular-season title. Omaha now heads to Las Vegas as the No. 1 seed in the&nbsp;2025 PVF Championship&nbsp;and will face the No. 4 seed Indy Ignite (13-15) in one of two PVF semifinal matches. First serve for the Supernovas is set for 7 p.m. CDT on Friday, May 9, at Lee’s Family Forum.Outside hitter&nbsp;Ally Batenhorst&nbsp;delivered another standout performance off the bench, finishing with 15 kills on 27 swings with only two errors for a .481 hitting percentage. She also contributed seven digs and sealed the win with the match-ending block.&nbsp;Brooke Nuneviller&nbsp;added 13 kills and seven digs, while&nbsp;Reagan Cooper&nbsp;posted seven kills on a franchise-record .700 clip (7-0-10). Opposites&nbsp;Kelsie Payne&nbsp;and&nbsp;Emily Londot&nbsp;each recorded five kills, combining for three of the team’s eight blocks.Rookie middle blockers&nbsp;Toyosi Onabanjo&nbsp;and&nbsp;Phoebe Awoleye&nbsp;anchored the attack from the middle. Onabanjo tallied five kills and two blocks, while Awoleye added four kills on a .429 clip, one block and her first career ace.&nbsp;Kayla Caffey&nbsp;appeared in the final two sets and contributed one kill and two aces, and&nbsp;Kaitlyn Hord&nbsp;added two kills.Setter&nbsp;Mac Podraza&nbsp;handled the bulk of the setting duties, finishing with 29 assists, 10 digs and one kill over three sets. Fellow setter&nbsp;Natalia Valentín-Anderson&nbsp;dished out 16 assists and three digs in two sets of action. Starting libero&nbsp;Allison Whitten&nbsp;notched eight digs and one assist, while&nbsp;Camila Gómez&nbsp;added three digs and one assist over the final two sets.Omaha put together another superb serving performance by notching six aces — its second-highest ace total of the season. Caffey and Londot led the effort with two aces apiece with Cooper and Awoleye also chipping in.&nbsp;The Vibe leaned on their usual starters for most of the match. Outside hitter Leah Edmond led all attackers with 17 kills (.297) and 12 digs. Opposite Aiko Jones added 13 kills on a .321 hitting percentage, along with one block and one ace. Micaya White recorded 11 kills and seven digs, while middle blocker Khori Louis contributed 11 kills on a .370 clip and a match-high five blocks.Key Notes<ul>
 <li>The Supernovas finish the regular season with the most wins (21) and most sweeps (10) in PVF history.</li><li>Ally Batenhorst has been on fire in her last two matches, totaling 25 kills on a .548 hitting percentage with three blocks across five sets.</li><li>Sunday marked the first time in franchise history that an opponent hit over .300 and Omaha still came away with a win.</li><li>For the fourth time this season, Omaha tied its franchise record for most consecutive wins with four.</li><li>The Supernovas finish the regular season with a better away record (11-3) than home record (10-4).&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Set 1:&nbsp;Jones took care of an Omaha overpass to start the match, but Nuneviller responded with her first kill of the night. Jones recorded another point, but an Edmond hitting error and Cooper kill put the Supernovas ahead early. After another Cooper kill, Edmond tied the set at five with two kills including a joust win over Podraza. Nuneviller terminated on another swing, but Marlie Monserez put over a sneaky setter dump. Onabanjo got going offensively with a pair of kills to put the Supernovas ahead 8-6 going into the first media timeout. White posted her first kill out of the break, but Onobanjo responded with a block. Jones cut the lead to one with another kill, but Cooper found the floor on consecutive swings. Londot followed by nicking a finger at the net for a kill and Cooper snuck the ball between the block for another kill. Londot continued the Omaha surge by putting down two straight aces for a 6-0 run as the Supernovas led 16-9 at the second media timeout. Jones halted the run, but a Vibe service error and Nuneviller point extended the lead to eight. Atlanta found its groove with a Louis kill and Jones followed with another point. Louis and White secured back-to-back blocks and Jones tooled the block for a five-point run and force an Omaha timeout at 18-15. Louis continued the Vibe momentum with another block out of the break. Monserez slammed down an overpass for a kill and Jones tooled Nuneviller again to tie the set at 18. The two teams exchanged a flurry of errors, but a Jones attack sailed wide to put Omaha back ahead by two to force an Atlanta timeout at 21-19 Supernovas. Nuneviller placed a tip shot over a triple block for a point to stretch the lead to three. White sent a cut shut wide for another Vibe error, but Edmond put Atlanta in the red zone by tooling the block for a kill. A setting error by Podraza got Atlanta back within two but Nuneviller put Omaha at set point by tooling the block. Mckenna Vicini and Edmond tallied back-to-back points to put the pressure on, but Cooper gave the Supernovas a 25-23 set win with her sixth kill.Omaha hit .306 in the opening set with a block and two aces. Cooper was unstoppable with six kills on six swings while Nuneviller tallied five kills of her own. Atlanta hit .279 with three blocks as Jones collected seven of the team’s 17 kills in the set.&nbsp;Set 2:&nbsp;Nuneviller slammed down an overpass to start the set and Londot clipped the corner on a shot to put Omaha up 2-0 early. Edmond got the Vibe on the board with a kill and a Supernovas hitting error tied the set. Onabanjo stuffed an Atlanta attack, but Edmond responded with two-straight kills. Cooper and Londot recorded back-to-back blocks and Cooper terminated on a swing to end a crazy rally for a 6-4 Omaha lead. Lewis and Monserez scored a point apiece, but a Vibe service error and Londot kill off the block gave the Supernovas an 8-6 edge going into the first media timeout. Louis and Monserez once again scored consecutive points to tie the set, but Nuneviller put down another kill in response. Hord’s attack clipped Edmond and found the floor for a two-point Omaha lead. Hord found a finger on an attack for the next point and White followed with an attacking error. Edmond shanked a Cooper serve for a Supernovas ace to extend the lead to 13-8 and result in a Vibe timeout. White started to heat up with back-to-back kills. A Monserez serve touched the line for an ace to complete a 3-0 run for Atlanta. Londot snapped the Vibe surge with a kill, but White answered with another point. Edmond kept the deficit at two, but Onabanjo won a joust at the net to put Omaha up 16-13 at the second media timeout. Anna Dixon put down a pair of kills as part of a double sub for Atlanta, but Awoleye and Batenhorst — who also came off the bench — kept pace with a kill apiece. Nuneviller tallied two more kills to put Omaha in the red zone and Onabanjo terminated on a middle attack for a three-point lead. Lewis blocked a Nuneviller back-row attack, but Batenhorst fired back with a kill and Awoleye stuffed a Vibe attack for set point at 24-20. Edmond and Louis kept Atlanta alive with back-to-back tallies, but Batenhorst found the floor from the pin to give the Supernovas a 25-22 set win and 2-0 lead in the match.Omaha’s offense kept chugging along with a .333 hitting percentage in the set with three blocks and one ace. Batenhorst was a spark off the bench by with four kills on four swings. Atlanta lagged behind with a .256 clip with two blocks and one ace. Edmond paced the Vibe with five kills.&nbsp;Set 3:&nbsp;Atlanta came firing out of the gate with a 5-0 run fueled by Jones who put down three kills in the spurt. Onabanjo bounced a ball off a middle set to snap the run, but White immediately answered with a perfectly placed corner shot for a kill. Payne secured a block off an Edmond attack and Batenhorst followed with her fifth kill. Lewis found the floor for a kill to send the Vibe into the media timeout with a 8-4 advantage. Batenhorst and Awoleye posted a kill apiece, but Edmond kept the Vibe advantage with a kill. Nuneviller and Payne each tallied a kill, but back-to-back swings by Jones found the floor to push Atlanta ahead 13-8. Batenhorst continued to find success offensively with two more kills, but Louis and Edmond had an answer each time to keep the Vibe at a 16-11 advantage into the second media timeout. Nuneviller terminated on back-to-back swings and Batenhorst tooled a shot off the triple block for a 3-0 Supernovas run. A Louis slide attack halted the run. Monserez found a connection with Vicini for three-straight kills to build the Vibe lead to 20-15 and force an Omaha timeout. Monserez stamped the four-point run with her second ace, but Nuneviller stopped the rally with a kill. A slew of errors plagued the next few points, but a Jones block and Louis kill gave Atlanta set point. Batenhorst kept the set alive with a tip kill, but Edmond hit line for the set-ending kill for a 25-19 win.&nbsp;The Supernovas offense continued to stay hot with a .370 hitting percentage with one block. Batenhorst hammered a team-leading six kills on a .444 clip. The Vibe offense was more efficient by hitting .469 with one block and one ace. Jones terminated five balls on eight swings (.625) while Louis and Edmond each tallied four kills apiece.&nbsp;Set 4:&nbsp;Edmond posted another kill to start the set and Louis found the floor again after an Atlanta net violation. Payne bounced a ball off a Vibe defender for a kill, but a block and two-straight White kills gave Atlanta a 5-2 lead. Batenhorst stopped the bleeding with a kill, but White answered again. Batenhorst and White exchanged kills before a&nbsp;Lindsay Krause&nbsp;hitting error sent the Vibe into the media timeout with an 8-4 lead. Edmond completed a 3-0 run out of the break with a kill, but a service error snapped the run. White and Edmond registered consecutive kills to stretch the lead to 11-5 Vibe. Another service error by Atlanta and block from Payne cut the deficit to four, but Edmond responded with a kill. Batenhorst continued to lead offensively with back-to-back kills for Omaha. Caffey — who had entered the match a few points earlier — produced two-straight aces to add to her team leading total to tie the set at 13 and force a Vibe timeout. A service error ended the 4-0 run, but Awoleye logged consecutive kills for the Supernovas to take their first lead of the set at 15-14. Batenhorst exchanged kills with Dixon before Awoleye blocked a Vibe attack. The Minnesota graduate recorded her first professional ace off of Hentz for a two-point edge. Vicini found a kill from the middle again, but Podraza and Payne posted back-to-back points to force an Atlanta timeout at 20-17 Supernovas. Monserez found Vicini again out of the break for a kill, but Payne answered by tooling the block. A hitting error put the Omaha lead at 22-18, but back-to-back kills from Lewis and Jones put the pressure on. Jones stepped up to deliver an ace and cut the lead to one, but Caffey came up clutch with a middle attack for a kill. A Supernovas service and attacking error tied the set at 23, but Payne terminated from the right pin for set point. Batenhorst capped off another standout performance with a block for a 25-23 set win and 3-1 match victory.Omaha hit .278 as a team with three blocks and three aces. Batenhorst didn’t commit a hitting error, compiling five kills in 14 swings for a .357 clip. Payne stood out with a .375 hitting percentage on four kills. The Vibe had a .324 clip in the set with White going five-for-five on attacks and Edmond putting down four kills.&nbsp;

Supernovas end Vibe’s record winning streak, capture PVF regular season title

Story by NU Athletic Communication

Nebraska Coach Fred Hoiberg announced Monday that Tulsa transfer Jared Garcia has signed with the Nebraska men’s basketball program for the 2025-26 season.&nbsp; Garcia, a 6-foot-9, 245-pound forward from Houston, Texas, spent the last two years at Tulsa, where he played in 48 games for the Golden Hurricane. He has one year of eligibility remaining.

“Jared is a physical presence who can score inside and also step out to 3-point range,” Hoiberg said. “He gives us size and athleticism in the frontcourt and provides us with more versatility. He started every game at Tulsa two years ago and was one of the conference leaders in blocked shots and rebounding while shooting nearly 33 percent from 3-point range. He missed the first half of last season recovering from an injury but returned in January without missing a beat, setting career bests in scoring and field goal percentage.”

Last year, Garcia missed Tulsa’s first 16 games of the season after an injury but returned to the lineup in mid-January and averaged 9.6 points and 4.2 rebounds per game in 17 contests. He reached double figures in nine of his 17 games off the bench, highlighted by a season-high 22 points, including 5-of-6 from 3-point range, in 21 minutes against Wichita State and 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting in a win over Temple in the AAC Tournament. He grabbed a season-high 11 rebounds in 19 minutes against Rice, one of five games with at least five caroms on the year.

Garcia started all 31 games in his first season at Tulsa, averaging 9.4 points and a team-best 6.0 rebounds per game. He was sixth in the AAC with 1.4 blocks per game and was 14th in the conference in rebounding. He also showed his ability to step out to 3-point range, shooting 33 percent from beyond the arc while averaging more than one 3-pointer per game.&nbsp; He totaled 12 double-figure efforts, including a career-high 24 points and five boards against Charlotte. In that game, he went 10-of-11 from the field, including 4-of-4 from 3-point range. He grabbed a season-high 10 rebounds against both Central Arkansas and UAB, as he had eight or more rebounds on nine occasions. He also tallied 13 points, eight rebounds and a career-high five blocked shots at Rice.

He spent a season at Salt Lake Community College, where he averaged 11.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game while helping SLCC to a 29-5 record and a berth in the national tournament. He shot 56 percent from the field, 43 percent from 3-point range and 87 percent from the foul line. He posted season-highs of 25 points and six 3-pointers against Snow College.

Garcia began his career at Charlotte, where he spent two seasons with the 49ers and was a teammate with All-Big Ten guard Brice Williams. He played in 19 games as a sophomore, including a

season-high nine points against Arkansas as he battled a knee injury for part of the season. He appeared in 21 games as a true freshman in 2020-21, averaging 3.5 points and 2.6 rebounds per game.

His best performance came against Marshall, when he had 14 points and 11 rebounds for his first career double-double.&nbsp;

He played at St. Thomas More School in Connecticut, where he was ranked No. 15 in the New England Top 100 for the Class of 2020 by the&nbsp;New England Recruiting Report. He totaled 1,276 points and 656 rebounds in his prep career. Garcia was a second-team&nbsp;All-New England Prep School Athletic Conference selection in each of his final two seasons, averaging 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists per game. He played AAU basketball for the New York Jayhawks where he helped his team reach the semifinals of the Adidas Summer Championships in 2019.&nbsp;

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationNebraska Coach Fred Hoiberg announced Monday that Tulsa transfer Jared Garcia has signed with the Nebraska men’s basketball program for the 2025-26 season.&nbsp; Garcia, a 6-foot-9, 245-pound forward from Houston, Texas, spent the last two years at Tulsa, where he played in 48 games for the Golden Hurricane. He has one year of eligibility remaining.“Jared is a physical presence who can score inside and also step out to 3-point range,” Hoiberg said. “He gives us size and athleticism in the frontcourt and provides us with more versatility. He started every game at Tulsa two years ago and was one of the conference leaders in blocked shots and rebounding while shooting nearly 33 percent from 3-point range. He missed the first half of last season recovering from an injury but returned in January without missing a beat, setting career bests in scoring and field goal percentage.”Last year, Garcia missed Tulsa’s first 16 games of the season after an injury but returned to the lineup in mid-January and averaged 9.6 points and 4.2 rebounds per game in 17 contests. He reached double figures in nine of his 17 games off the bench, highlighted by a season-high 22 points, including 5-of-6 from 3-point range, in 21 minutes against Wichita State and 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting in a win over Temple in the AAC Tournament. He grabbed a season-high 11 rebounds in 19 minutes against Rice, one of five games with at least five caroms on the year.Garcia started all 31 games in his first season at Tulsa, averaging 9.4 points and a team-best 6.0 rebounds per game. He was sixth in the AAC with 1.4 blocks per game and was 14th in the conference in rebounding. He also showed his ability to step out to 3-point range, shooting 33 percent from beyond the arc while averaging more than one 3-pointer per game.&nbsp; He totaled 12 double-figure efforts, including a career-high 24 points and five boards against Charlotte. In that game, he went 10-of-11 from the field, including 4-of-4 from 3-point range. He grabbed a season-high 10 rebounds against both Central Arkansas and UAB, as he had eight or more rebounds on nine occasions. He also tallied 13 points, eight rebounds and a career-high five blocked shots at Rice.He spent a season at Salt Lake Community College, where he averaged 11.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game while helping SLCC to a 29-5 record and a berth in the national tournament. He shot 56 percent from the field, 43 percent from 3-point range and 87 percent from the foul line. He posted season-highs of 25 points and six 3-pointers against Snow College.Garcia began his career at Charlotte, where he spent two seasons with the 49ers and was a teammate with All-Big Ten guard Brice Williams. He played in 19 games as a sophomore, including aseason-high nine points against Arkansas as he battled a knee injury for part of the season. He appeared in 21 games as a true freshman in 2020-21, averaging 3.5 points and 2.6 rebounds per game.His best performance came against Marshall, when he had 14 points and 11 rebounds for his first career double-double.&nbsp;He played at St. Thomas More School in Connecticut, where he was ranked No. 15 in the New England Top 100 for the Class of 2020 by the&nbsp;New England Recruiting Report. He totaled 1,276 points and 656 rebounds in his prep career. Garcia was a second-team&nbsp;All-New England Prep School Athletic Conference selection in each of his final two seasons, averaging 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists per game. He played AAU basketball for the New York Jayhawks where he helped his team reach the semifinals of the Adidas Summer Championships in 2019.&nbsp;

Huskers add Tulsa transfer Jared Garcia 

Nebraska softball pitcher and utility player Jordyn Bahl was named a Top 25 finalist for the USA Softball/ESPN National Player of the Year, the organization announced on Wednesday. Bahl was a top-10 finalist for the award in both 2022 and 2023 while at Oklahoma.

Bahl was one of seven Big Ten players to make the list of 25 player-of-the-year finalists. As a conference, the Big Ten had more players selected as finalists than every other conference combined except the SEC. 

The honor continues a decorated junior campaign for Bahl, who was selected as the nation's No. 1 two-way player this week by Softball America and D1 Softball. Bahl has also been a two-time national player of the week this spring, and she has won five Big Ten weekly awards, including four pitcher-of-the-week honors and one player-of-the-week award.

A native of Papillion, Neb., Bahl leads the Huskers in every pitching category and almost every offensive category. She boasts a batting average of .468 on the season, which ranks 10th nationally. She has also contributed 55 runs, 65 hits, 56 RBIs, 15 doubles and 17 home runs so far this year. Bahl is the first Husker in school history to record 15 doubles and 15 home runs in the same season. 

In the circle, the junior has notched an ERA of 1.56 and a record of 20-5 with two saves. She has struck out 218 batters, which is a career high. Bahl has appeared in 30 games and started 24 and adds two saves and six shutouts. 

Bahl is ranked in the top 15 nationally in numerous offensive and pitching categories, including: opponent batting average (2nd), hits allowed per seven innings (5th), shutouts (6th), strikeouts (6th), strikeouts per seven innings (6th), total bases (8th), extra-base hits (9th), slugging percentage (9th), batting average (10th), complete games (11th), victories (11th), ERA (12th), runs per game (12th), and WHIP (15th). 

Bahl is on pace for numerous school records. If the season ended today, she would rank first in batting average and slugging percentage, second in extra-base hits, fifth in total bases, sixth in doubles, seventh in home runs and runs scored and eighth in RBIs and winning percentage. 

She has helped the Huskers set the single-season home run record with 93 so far and the single-season extra-base hit record with 184. 

Bahl is the first Husker to be named one of the 25 player-of-the-year finalists since Taylor Edwards, who was a finalist in 2011. The current list of finalists will be narrowed to 10 on May 14.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsNebraska softball pitcher and utility player Jordyn Bahl was named a Top 25 finalist for the USA Softball/ESPN National Player of the Year, the organization announced on Wednesday. Bahl was a top-10 finalist for the award in both 2022 and 2023 while at Oklahoma.Bahl was one of seven Big Ten players to make the list of 25 player-of-the-year finalists. As a conference, the Big Ten had more players selected as finalists than every other conference combined except the SEC. The honor continues a decorated junior campaign for Bahl, who was selected as the nation's No. 1 two-way player this week by Softball America and D1 Softball. Bahl has also been a two-time national player of the week this spring, and she has won five Big Ten weekly awards, including four pitcher-of-the-week honors and one player-of-the-week award.A native of Papillion, Neb., Bahl leads the Huskers in every pitching category and almost every offensive category. She boasts a batting average of .468 on the season, which ranks 10th nationally. She has also contributed 55 runs, 65 hits, 56 RBIs, 15 doubles and 17 home runs so far this year. Bahl is the first Husker in school history to record 15 doubles and 15 home runs in the same season. In the circle, the junior has notched an ERA of 1.56 and a record of 20-5 with two saves. She has struck out 218 batters, which is a career high. Bahl has appeared in 30 games and started 24 and adds two saves and six shutouts. Bahl is ranked in the top 15 nationally in numerous offensive and pitching categories, including: opponent batting average (2nd), hits allowed per seven innings (5th), shutouts (6th), strikeouts (6th), strikeouts per seven innings (6th), total bases (8th), extra-base hits (9th), slugging percentage (9th), batting average (10th), complete games (11th), victories (11th), ERA (12th), runs per game (12th), and WHIP (15th). Bahl is on pace for numerous school records. If the season ended today, she would rank first in batting average and slugging percentage, second in extra-base hits, fifth in total bases, sixth in doubles, seventh in home runs and runs scored and eighth in RBIs and winning percentage. She has helped the Huskers set the single-season home run record with 93 so far and the single-season extra-base hit record with 184. Bahl is the first Husker to be named one of the 25 player-of-the-year finalists since Taylor Edwards, who was a finalist in 2011. The current list of finalists will be narrowed to 10 on May 14.

Bahl named Top 25 Finalist for Player of the Year

Story by UNK Athletic Communications

Kearney, Neb. –&nbsp;Sophomore first baseman Sydney Young went 3 for 4 with two RBI's and senior Sydney Rader threw six no-hit innings to help Missouri Western State down Nebraska Kearney,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lopers.com/sports/softball/stats/2025/missouri-western-st-/boxscore/8203">8-0</a>, in a MIAA Tournament first round game Wednesday night in Hays, Kan.&nbsp;

The 10th-seeded Lopers finish up at 23-27 while the seventh-seeded Griffons improve to 32-20 and move on to face nationally-ranked Pittsburg State on Thursday.&nbsp;Mo West scored in four different innings as six players had at least one hit with four adding an RBI. In the circle, Rader improved to 21-9 and worked around five walks to toss her ninth shut out of the spring. Finally, the Norfolk native fanned five over 92 pitches.&nbsp;California sophomore&nbsp;Daniella Morillas&nbsp;(8-6) and Central City freshman&nbsp;Jerzie Schindler&nbsp;threw for UNK with Arizona junior left fielder&nbsp;Alivia De La Cruz&nbsp;drawing two walks from the two hole. Finally, All-MIAA shortstop&nbsp;Mary Chvatal&nbsp;walked once to push her career total to 79, three shy of tying the school mark.UNK will lose first baseman&nbsp;Leah Jurgens&nbsp;(Lincoln), second baseman&nbsp;Rylyn Nelson&nbsp;(Sterling, Colo.) and outfielders&nbsp;Eden McNally&nbsp;(Castle Rock, Colo.),&nbsp;Kelsey Cordes&nbsp;(Waverly) and&nbsp;Madisyn Simms&nbsp;(Canada) and OF/DP&nbsp;Addy Deal&nbsp;(Ft. Collins, Colo.) to graduation. Additionally, sophomore pitcher&nbsp;Lauryn Haggadone&nbsp;(York) is moving on to Nursing school after missing this spring due to injury. Jurgens ends up with 955 putouts in the field, sixth most in school history.

Story by UNK Athletic CommunicationsKearney, Neb. –&nbsp;Sophomore first baseman Sydney Young went 3 for 4 with two RBI's and senior Sydney Rader threw six no-hit innings to help Missouri Western State down Nebraska Kearney,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lopers.com/sports/softball/stats/2025/missouri-western-st-/boxscore/8203">8-0</a>, in a MIAA Tournament first round game Wednesday night in Hays, Kan.&nbsp;The 10th-seeded Lopers finish up at 23-27 while the seventh-seeded Griffons improve to 32-20 and move on to face nationally-ranked Pittsburg State on Thursday.&nbsp;Mo West scored in four different innings as six players had at least one hit with four adding an RBI. In the circle, Rader improved to 21-9 and worked around five walks to toss her ninth shut out of the spring. Finally, the Norfolk native fanned five over 92 pitches.&nbsp;California sophomore&nbsp;Daniella Morillas&nbsp;(8-6) and Central City freshman&nbsp;Jerzie Schindler&nbsp;threw for UNK with Arizona junior left fielder&nbsp;Alivia De La Cruz&nbsp;drawing two walks from the two hole. Finally, All-MIAA shortstop&nbsp;Mary Chvatal&nbsp;walked once to push her career total to 79, three shy of tying the school mark.UNK will lose first baseman&nbsp;Leah Jurgens&nbsp;(Lincoln), second baseman&nbsp;Rylyn Nelson&nbsp;(Sterling, Colo.) and outfielders&nbsp;Eden McNally&nbsp;(Castle Rock, Colo.),&nbsp;Kelsey Cordes&nbsp;(Waverly) and&nbsp;Madisyn Simms&nbsp;(Canada) and OF/DP&nbsp;Addy Deal&nbsp;(Ft. Collins, Colo.) to graduation. Additionally, sophomore pitcher&nbsp;Lauryn Haggadone&nbsp;(York) is moving on to Nursing school after missing this spring due to injury. Jurgens ends up with 955 putouts in the field, sixth most in school history.

Lopers fall to Griffs in MIAA's

Chadron State has wrapped up its annual spring football session.  Head Coach Jay Long breaks down the progress made on offense, defense and much more heading into the summer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724858002589.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Chadron State has wrapped up its annual spring football session. Head Coach Jay Long breaks down the progress made on offense, defense and much more heading into the summer.<div><iframe title="CSC Sports Journal: Spring Football Wrap with Jay Long - 4/30/25" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=7xq4r-1896c7a-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1b1b1b&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=c73a3a" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎙PODCAST: CSC Sports Journal - Spring Football Wrap with Jay Long - 4/30/25

Nebraska softball junior Jordyn Bahl was named the Big Ten Player of the Week, the conference announced Monday. The honor marked Bahl’s fifth of the season, as she has been recognized as the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week four times.&nbsp;

The last time a Nebraska player won Big Ten Player of the Week and Big Ten Pitcher of the Week in the same season was Tatum Edwards in 2014. The last time an NU athlete won five weekly awards in one season was Peaches James in 2004.&nbsp;

Bahl notched a team-high .625 batting average across the Huskers’ three games against Washington last weekend. She reached base in seven of her eight trips to the plate, notching five hits and two walks. She knocked three home runs – one in the 12-8 win on Friday and two in the 6-0 win on Sunday. Sunday marked the second multi-homer game of her career. Bahl also added three runs and eight RBIs.

With her two home runs on Sunday, Bahl now has 34 extra-base hits on the season, which is one shy of tying the school record. She now has 55 runs on the season, which is tied for the seventh-highest total in school history.&nbsp;

On Friday, Bahl became the first player in Nebraska history to notch 15 doubles and 15 home runs in the same season. She also brought her RBI total above 50 for the season, making her the first Husker since Billie Andrews in 2022 to have 50+ runs, hits and RBIs in the same season.

Nebraska will take on the Maryland Terrapins from May 2-4. The weekend will mark NU’s fan appreciation weekend.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsNebraska softball junior Jordyn Bahl was named the Big Ten Player of the Week, the conference announced Monday. The honor marked Bahl’s fifth of the season, as she has been recognized as the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week four times.&nbsp;The last time a Nebraska player won Big Ten Player of the Week and Big Ten Pitcher of the Week in the same season was Tatum Edwards in 2014. The last time an NU athlete won five weekly awards in one season was Peaches James in 2004.&nbsp;Bahl notched a team-high .625 batting average across the Huskers’ three games against Washington last weekend. She reached base in seven of her eight trips to the plate, notching five hits and two walks. She knocked three home runs – one in the 12-8 win on Friday and two in the 6-0 win on Sunday. Sunday marked the second multi-homer game of her career. Bahl also added three runs and eight RBIs.With her two home runs on Sunday, Bahl now has 34 extra-base hits on the season, which is one shy of tying the school record. She now has 55 runs on the season, which is tied for the seventh-highest total in school history.&nbsp;On Friday, Bahl became the first player in Nebraska history to notch 15 doubles and 15 home runs in the same season. She also brought her RBI total above 50 for the season, making her the first Husker since Billie Andrews in 2022 to have 50+ runs, hits and RBIs in the same season.Nebraska will take on the Maryland Terrapins from May 2-4. The weekend will mark NU’s fan appreciation weekend.

Bahl named Big Ten Player of the Week

Story by NU Athletic Communications&nbsp;

Pitching: RHP Tucker Timmerman (0-1, 6.39 ERA) vs. RHP Tanner Duke (2-2, 4.39 ERA)

Radio: Huskers.com, Huskers Radio Network, Huskers App

• Tuesday's midweek matchup with Kansas State can be seen on the Big Ten Network, with Larry Punteney and Jeff Leise on the call.

• Fans can also listen to Ben McLaughlin and Nick Handley call the action Tuesday night on the Huskers Radio Network.

• Nebraska and Kansas State have met 293 times on the diamond, with the Huskers holding a 174-119 advantage in the all-time series over the Wildcats.

• K-State has two victories over the Big Red this season, collecting wins of 9-6 at the Frisco Classic and 12-8 in Manhattan.

McConnaughey to Miss Remainder of 2025 Season

• McConnaughey began the season as the first husker named to the Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List since 2016 and earned Preseason All-American recognition from D1Baseball and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

• Led by four Huskers hitting .350-or-better in the last 10 games, the Husker offense holds a .307 batting average with 45 extra-base hits in Nebraska's last 10 games.

• Joshua Overbeek has powered the Huskers with a .405 batting average, hitting four home runs and driving in a team-high 16 RBI while posting a .811 slugging percentage.

• Cayden Brumbaugh has been a spark plug at the top of the lineup, batting .400 with 12 hits, 11 runs scored and a .558 on-base percentage boosted by 11 walks drawn.

• Gabe Swansen has delivered in key moments, hitting .375 with nine hits, including three doubles and two homers, and tallying 12 RBI.

• Case Sanderson has provided consistent production, batting .357 with 10 hits, five RBI and a .438 on-base percentage.

Swansen Turns in Career Day in Series Finale

• Gabe Swansen matched his career-high totals in hits, runs and doubles and set a new career high in RBI in Nebraska's 21-5 win at Maryland in seven innings on Sunday.

• Swansen went 4-for-5 at the plate with a home run, two doubles, seven RBI and three runs scored in the series finale against the Terrapins.

• With the seven runs driven in, the senior became the first Huskers since Josh Scheffert in 2012 to tally seven RBI in a game.

• Nebraska is 123-27 under head coach Will Bolt when scoring at least six runs.

• The Big Red have scored six-plus runs in 19 of the 21 victories this season, defeating No. 16 Vanderbilt (6-4), San Diego State (13-0), Louisiana (6-1), Washington (6-2), Wichita State (10-1), Pepperdine (9-6, 11-4). USC (6-5), Oregon State (7-3, 16-7), Rutgers (8-5, 10-5), No. 22 Kansas (7-5), Iowa (6-4), Creighton (6-3), Northwestern (14-4) and Maryland (7-2, 21-5).

• Since joining the Big Ten in 2012, Nebraska has scored 30-plus runs in a three-game conference series 10 times after last weekend's series win at Maryland.

• The Big Red totaled its fifth-highest Big Ten series total after racking up 33 runs against the Terrapins in College Park last weekend.

Big Red’s Highest-Scoring Game Under Coach Bolt

• Nebraska recorded its highest-scoring game under head coach Will Bolt in the Huskers' 21-5 run-rule victory at Maryland on Sunday afternoon.

• The 21 runs in Sunday's series finale marked the first time the Huskers have totaled 20-plus runs since opening the 2019 campaign with a 21-6 win at UC Riverside.

• The Huskers have scored 17-plus runs nine times in six seasons under Bolt, including three games with 19-or-more runs.

• Riley Silva has been hit by pitch 41 times in his two seasons as a Husker, which sits sixth all-time in program history.

• Silva is five away from tying Kale Kiser (2009-12) in fifth and six shy of Kash Kalkowski (2009-13) and Bryan Peters (2010-13) in third.

• True freshmen Blake Encarnacion, Gavin Blachowicz and Pryce Bender have put up strong numbers in the month of April for the NU bullpen.

• The trio have totaled a combined 2.81 ERA, allowing five earned runs across 16 combined innings of work in 15 total appearances.

• Bender picked up the first two wins of his career in Nebraska's midweek matchups against No. 22 Kansas and Creighton.

Lockdown Luke: Broderick Among Saves Leaders

• Junior Luke Broderick enters Tuesday night tied for ninth nationally and is one of 16 closers with at least nine saves on the season.

• Broderick holds a 2-1 record and nine saves with a 4.19 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 19.1 innings across 17 appearances this season.

• The Omaha, Neb., native's nine saves are the most by a Husker reliever since Spencer Schwellenbach (10) in 2021.

• Broderick is one save shy of reaching ninth on the single-season charts at NU and becoming the 12th Husker reliever in program history to reach double-digit saves in a season.

Story by NU Athletic Communications&nbsp;Lincoln, Neb. | Hawks Field at Haymarket ParkTuesday, April 29 – 6:02 p.m.Pitching: RHP Tucker Timmerman (0-1, 6.39 ERA) vs. RHP Tanner Duke (2-2, 4.39 ERA)TV/Streaming: BTNRadio: Huskers.com, Huskers Radio Network, Huskers AppFollow the Game• Tuesday's midweek matchup with Kansas State can be seen on the Big Ten Network, with Larry Punteney and Jeff Leise on the call.• Fans can also listen to Ben McLaughlin and Nick Handley call the action Tuesday night on the Huskers Radio Network.• Every game this season can be heard for free on Huskers.com and the Official Nebraska Huskers App for both iOS and android devices.Nebraska vs. Kansas State• Nebraska and Kansas State have met 293 times on the diamond, with the Huskers holding a 174-119 advantage in the all-time series over the Wildcats.• K-State has two victories over the Big Red this season, collecting wins of 9-6 at the Frisco Classic and 12-8 in Manhattan.McConnaughey to Miss Remainder of 2025 Season• Nebraska Coach Will Bolt announced the first week in March that junior right-handed pitcher Mason McConnaughey will miss the remainder of the 2025 season after suffering an arm injury against Sam Houston at the Frisco Classic.• McConnaughey began the season as the first husker named to the Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List since 2016 and earned Preseason All-American recognition from D1Baseball and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.Big Bats in NU’s Last 10 Games• Led by four Huskers hitting .350-or-better in the last 10 games, the Husker offense holds a .307 batting average with 45 extra-base hits in Nebraska's last 10 games.• Joshua Overbeek has powered the Huskers with a .405 batting average, hitting four home runs and driving in a team-high 16 RBI while posting a .811 slugging percentage.• Cayden Brumbaugh has been a spark plug at the top of the lineup, batting .400 with 12 hits, 11 runs scored and a .558 on-base percentage boosted by 11 walks drawn.• Gabe Swansen has delivered in key moments, hitting .375 with nine hits, including three doubles and two homers, and tallying 12 RBI.• Case Sanderson has provided consistent production, batting .357 with 10 hits, five RBI and a .438 on-base percentage.Swansen Turns in Career Day in Series Finale• Gabe Swansen matched his career-high totals in hits, runs and doubles and set a new career high in RBI in Nebraska's 21-5 win at Maryland in seven innings on Sunday.• Swansen went 4-for-5 at the plate with a home run, two doubles, seven RBI and three runs scored in the series finale against the Terrapins.• With the seven runs driven in, the senior became the first Huskers since Josh Scheffert in 2012 to tally seven RBI in a game.Lucky Number Six in the Bolt Era• Nebraska is 123-27 under head coach Will Bolt when scoring at least six runs.• The Big Red have scored six-plus runs in 19 of the 21 victories this season, defeating No. 16 Vanderbilt (6-4), San Diego State (13-0), Louisiana (6-1), Washington (6-2), Wichita State (10-1), Pepperdine (9-6, 11-4). USC (6-5), Oregon State (7-3, 16-7), Rutgers (8-5, 10-5), No. 22 Kansas (7-5), Iowa (6-4), Creighton (6-3), Northwestern (14-4) and Maryland (7-2, 21-5).• The Husker offense reached the six-run mark 34 times last season, compiling a 28-6 record.• Nebraska scored six-plus runs in 33 contests (26-7) in 2023 after tallying at least six runs 23 times (19-4) in 2022, 28 times (26-2) in 2021 and seven times (5-2) in 2020.Offensive Outburst Against Big Ten Foes• Since joining the Big Ten in 2012, Nebraska has scored 30-plus runs in a three-game conference series 10 times after last weekend's series win at Maryland.• The Big Red totaled its fifth-highest Big Ten series total after racking up 33 runs against the Terrapins in College Park last weekend.Big Red’s Highest-Scoring Game Under Coach Bolt• Nebraska recorded its highest-scoring game under head coach Will Bolt in the Huskers' 21-5 run-rule victory at Maryland on Sunday afternoon.• The 21 runs in Sunday's series finale marked the first time the Huskers have totaled 20-plus runs since opening the 2019 campaign with a 21-6 win at UC Riverside.• The Huskers have scored 17-plus runs nine times in six seasons under Bolt, including three games with 19-or-more runs.Silva Climbing All-Time HBP Chart• Riley Silva has been hit by pitch 41 times in his two seasons as a Husker, which sits sixth all-time in program history.• Silva is five away from tying Kale Kiser (2009-12) in fifth and six shy of Kash Kalkowski (2009-13) and Bryan Peters (2010-13) in third.Youth Movement on the Mound in April• True freshmen Blake Encarnacion, Gavin Blachowicz and Pryce Bender have put up strong numbers in the month of April for the NU bullpen.• The trio have totaled a combined 2.81 ERA, allowing five earned runs across 16 combined innings of work in 15 total appearances.• Bender picked up the first two wins of his career in Nebraska's midweek matchups against No. 22 Kansas and Creighton.Lockdown Luke: Broderick Among Saves Leaders• Junior Luke Broderick enters Tuesday night tied for ninth nationally and is one of 16 closers with at least nine saves on the season.• Broderick holds a 2-1 record and nine saves with a 4.19 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 19.1 innings across 17 appearances this season.• The Omaha, Neb., native's nine saves are the most by a Husker reliever since Spencer Schwellenbach (10) in 2021.• Broderick is one save shy of reaching ninth on the single-season charts at NU and becoming the 12th Husker reliever in program history to reach double-digit saves in a season.

Husker Baseball preview vs. Kansas State

For the third time in program history, the Nebraska men’s tennis team will compete in the NCAA DI Men’s Tennis Championships. The No. 40 Huskers (15-9, 8-5 Big Ten) accomplished the most conference wins ever in a season, as well as two ranked upsets, led by second-year head coach Peter Kobelt to earn their tournament bid. The Big Red will face Baylor in the first round in Lubbock, Texas on either Friday, May 2, or Saturday, May 3.

Returning to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 14 years, the Huskers will travel to Texas for the first and second round weekend hosted by Texas Tech. NU is set to take on the No. 18 Baylor Bears for the second time this season, and the 31st ever meeting between teams.

The at-large bid marks the program’s third-ever tournament appearance, the only others coming in 2010 and 2011 under head coach Kerry McDermott. This year, Nebraska joins 36 other at-large selections to make the tournament, which also features seven other Big Ten teams. The field of 64 paves the road to Waco, Texas, for the third and final weekend of the NCAA Tournament. The first and second rounds are hosted at 16 campus sites and will decide which programs make it to the super-regional round, May 9-11.

NU makes the tournament after a tough regular season slate, including 13 ranked opponents with five being in the top 25. The Huskers most notably took down No. 17 Michigan, 5-2, and No. 26 USC, 4-2. Nebraska also reached as high as No. 38 in the ITA team rankings, the highest standing since 2012-13 when NU reached No. 33.

NCAA Tournament matches begin on Friday, May 2 across host sites. Coverage and updates will be shared on Huskers.com and team social media, @HuskerMTennis.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsFor the third time in program history, the Nebraska men’s tennis team will compete in the NCAA DI Men’s Tennis Championships. The No. 40 Huskers (15-9, 8-5 Big Ten) accomplished the most conference wins ever in a season, as well as two ranked upsets, led by second-year head coach Peter Kobelt to earn their tournament bid. The Big Red will face Baylor in the first round in Lubbock, Texas on either Friday, May 2, or Saturday, May 3.Returning to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 14 years, the Huskers will travel to Texas for the first and second round weekend hosted by Texas Tech. NU is set to take on the No. 18 Baylor Bears for the second time this season, and the 31st ever meeting between teams.The at-large bid marks the program’s third-ever tournament appearance, the only others coming in 2010 and 2011 under head coach Kerry McDermott. This year, Nebraska joins 36 other at-large selections to make the tournament, which also features seven other Big Ten teams. The field of 64 paves the road to Waco, Texas, for the third and final weekend of the NCAA Tournament. The first and second rounds are hosted at 16 campus sites and will decide which programs make it to the super-regional round, May 9-11.NU makes the tournament after a tough regular season slate, including 13 ranked opponents with five being in the top 25. The Huskers most notably took down No. 17 Michigan, 5-2, and No. 26 USC, 4-2. Nebraska also reached as high as No. 38 in the ITA team rankings, the highest standing since 2012-13 when NU reached No. 33.NCAA Tournament matches begin on Friday, May 2 across host sites. Coverage and updates will be shared on Huskers.com and team social media, @HuskerMTennis.

Huskers earn third-ever NCAA Tournament Bid

Stauffer formally coached at Cozad,&nbsp;Niobrara-Verdigre

<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fccslonghorns%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0A5BU2Za7f7xAGhLiNvi39CtC5JRTAFnHfuQoYVVwJAKtK9NABTRyb3dpHynE6tkgl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="590" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>Stauffer formally coached at Cozad,&nbsp;Niobrara-Verdigre<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fccslonghorns%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0LsPiTtrvmd7kr9UL3vzbrGGu8GC9nhECm8Rh3sveTNbQRgzy3FV66uiQFQuxv7Bsl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="590" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>

Chase County hires new coaches for girls basketball and volleyball

KEARNEY – University of Nebraska at Kearney head softball coach Katie Ackermann had two rules for the 2025 season.

“The game itself is hard enough,” she explained. “If you can’t play it with people you truly enjoy being around, then it’s really not fun at all.”

In her sixth season leading the UNK program, Ackermann is focused on creating a positive team culture and supportive environment. Winning is still important, she said, but you have to take the right steps to achieve success.

Nobody has bought into this philosophy more than the “Colorado girls.”

“I think they’re a real reason why our culture is the way it is,” Ackermann said. “I’m very thankful for everything they’ve done for us.”

“It’s hard for me to even put into words what they’ve done for me personally and professionally. They’ve made me a better coach and a better person. And they’ve shown me what I really want the future of this program to be. They’ve been nothing short of amazing.”

Outfielders Addy Deal and Eden McNally and second baseman Rylyn Nelson are more than just teammates. The Colorado natives are roommates and best friends.

“I honestly don’t know what we’re going to do without each other,” McNally said with a smile. “We’ve grown such a dependency on each other, and we have such a good time together. It’s definitely going to suck when it comes to an end.”

The trio first met at Northeastern Junior College in Nelson’s hometown of Sterling, where they were part of the best softball team in school history. The Plainswomen won a total of 71 games during their two seasons together there and captured the program’s first-ever Region 9 championship.

“There was nothing that could stop that team,” said Deal, a Fort Collins native. “It was awesome.”

Deal hit .452 with 20 homers, 31 doubles, 93 runs scored and 148 RBIs over those two seasons, and McNally added 44 stolen bases, 59 RBIs and 109 runs scored while batting .379. Nelson played three seasons for Northeastern, earning NJCAA All-American honors twice. She finished her junior college career with a .446 batting average, 222 RBIs, 239 runs scored and a school-record 72 homers.

Of course, those kinds of numbers are going to catch the attention of coaches at four-year schools.

Former UNK assistant Jason Miller saw the eye-popping stats while scouting for players who could boost the Lopers’ offensive production, and Ackermann was already familiar with Northeastern from her time coaching at McCook Community College. She successfully recruited Northeastern transfer Stacy Bott, a UNK pitcher and utility player in 2022 and 2023, a couple years earlier.

“They were Region 9 champions. They were leading the nation in batting average and home runs. We knew these players would be a great fit for our program,” Ackermann said.

The UNK coaches traveled to Sterling to watch Northeastern play and meet the trio in person. At that time, Deal was seriously considering a commitment to UNK rival Fort Hays State, but the Lopers had a wild card up their sleeve.

What if the three of them came to Kearney together?

“It was like a sign from God,” Deal said. “I would get to continue playing with my two best friends for two more years. I knew this was the place where I needed to go.”

She committed first, then the others followed.

“If you’re going to go to a new place, you might as well go with your two best friends,” said McNally, a Castle Rock native.

Nelson agreed, putting off her plan to coach high school softball in Sterling so she could join her pals in Nebraska.

Story by UNK CommunicationsKEARNEY – University of Nebraska at Kearney head softball coach Katie Ackermann had two rules for the 2025 season.Work hard and be a good teammate.“The game itself is hard enough,” she explained. “If you can’t play it with people you truly enjoy being around, then it’s really not fun at all.”In her sixth season leading the UNK program, Ackermann is focused on creating a positive team culture and supportive environment. Winning is still important, she said, but you have to take the right steps to achieve success.Nobody has bought into this philosophy more than the “Colorado girls.”“I think they’re a real reason why our culture is the way it is,” Ackermann said. “I’m very thankful for everything they’ve done for us.”“It’s hard for me to even put into words what they’ve done for me personally and professionally. They’ve made me a better coach and a better person. And they’ve shown me what I really want the future of this program to be. They’ve been nothing short of amazing.”PACKAGE DEALOutfielders Addy Deal and Eden McNally and second baseman Rylyn Nelson are more than just teammates. The Colorado natives are roommates and best friends.“I honestly don’t know what we’re going to do without each other,” McNally said with a smile. “We’ve grown such a dependency on each other, and we have such a good time together. It’s definitely going to suck when it comes to an end.”The trio first met at Northeastern Junior College in Nelson’s hometown of Sterling, where they were part of the best softball team in school history. The Plainswomen won a total of 71 games during their two seasons together there and captured the program’s first-ever Region 9 championship.“There was nothing that could stop that team,” said Deal, a Fort Collins native. “It was awesome.”Deal hit .452 with 20 homers, 31 doubles, 93 runs scored and 148 RBIs over those two seasons, and McNally added 44 stolen bases, 59 RBIs and 109 runs scored while batting .379. Nelson played three seasons for Northeastern, earning NJCAA All-American honors twice. She finished her junior college career with a .446 batting average, 222 RBIs, 239 runs scored and a school-record 72 homers.Of course, those kinds of numbers are going to catch the attention of coaches at four-year schools.Former UNK assistant Jason Miller saw the eye-popping stats while scouting for players who could boost the Lopers’ offensive production, and Ackermann was already familiar with Northeastern from her time coaching at McCook Community College. She successfully recruited Northeastern transfer Stacy Bott, a UNK pitcher and utility player in 2022 and 2023, a couple years earlier.“They were Region 9 champions. They were leading the nation in batting average and home runs. We knew these players would be a great fit for our program,” Ackermann said.The UNK coaches traveled to Sterling to watch Northeastern play and meet the trio in person. At that time, Deal was seriously considering a commitment to UNK rival Fort Hays State, but the Lopers had a wild card up their sleeve.What if the three of them came to Kearney together?“It was like a sign from God,” Deal said. “I would get to continue playing with my two best friends for two more years. I knew this was the place where I needed to go.”She committed first, then the others followed.“If you’re going to go to a new place, you might as well go with your two best friends,” said McNally, a Castle Rock native.Nelson agreed, putting off her plan to coach high school softball in Sterling so she could join her pals in Nebraska.They came to Kearney in summer 2023 – sight unseen.BUILDING NEW BONDSTransitioning to a new state, new city, new school and new program is never going to be easy, and there were certainly bumps in the road.“That first fall, we were all kind of struggling with the new environment,” Deal said. “We didn’t really know a lot of people, so we really leaned on each other in the beginning. I don’t know if I would have made it without them here to support me.”“That was my biggest selling point for coming to UNK,” Nelson added. “I didn’t want to keep playing softball because I didn’t want to start over in a new place. But coming here with two of my best friends was a total game changer. Now, I couldn’t imagine the last two years without my teammates and coaches.”After a brief adjustment period, the Colorado girls found their stride both on and off the diamond.“Once the spring season rolled around, I feel like we got a lot closer with our teammates. It was a lot easier to kind of let loose, have fun and play the game we know how to play,” Nelson said. “This season has been even better because I feel like we were able to connect as a team a lot quicker. The entire team just clicked immediately, and I think that shows up a lot more on the field, too.”“We came in as three really big competitors, which I think helps the team, but we also like to have a lot of fun with each other,” Deal added. “We know that if you’re friends with your teammates, you’re going to play better. I think that was really important for us.”Because of the close bonds they’ve created, Deal, McNally and Nelson all say this year’s team is the best of their careers.Ackermann gives these three players a ton of credit for creating that feeling.“I never see them apart. When they show up, they show up together. When they leave, they leave together,” she said with a laugh.“They feed off each other in the most positive way. When one of them is having a hard day, the other one brings the energy. They’re really genuine people with great character.”Beyond that, they have a deep passion and love for the game. Ackermann describes them as tough-minded and gritty – “the true definition of ballplayers.”“You don’t run into kids like this very often. When they show up to the yard, they are absolutely ready to work. They want to get better,” she said. “They also bring this sense of ‘we can beat anybody.’ It doesn’t matter who we’re going to face, we’re going to beat them.”Earlier this season, the Lopers completed a rare doubleheader sweep against conference foe Washburn, then picked up the program’s first-ever win against 15th-ranked Rogers State. They’ll wrap up the regular season Saturday at Fort Hays with a chance to earn a trip to the MIAA Tournament for the first time since 2022.“I wouldn’t want anything more than to make the conference tournament for these girls and give them absolutely what they’ve wanted since they got here,” Ackermann said.FRIENDS FOREVERDeal, McNally and Nelson have played a combined 240 games for the Lopers, recording 13 home runs, 21 steals, 92 runs, 120 RBIs and 165 hits.All three of them will graduate in May. Deal and McNally are earning bachelor’s degrees in business administration with minors in marketing/management, and Nelson will receive a degree in general studies with emphases in physical education and family science.After moving back to their home state, Deal plans to take a gap year while studying for the Law School Admission Test and McNally wants to work in residential real estate. Nelson still hopes to coach softball in Sterling while attending cosmetology school.Although they’ll no longer be teammates, the Colorado girls will definitely remain close.“We’ll always be hanging out,” Deal said with a smile.“Yeah, we’ll be friends forever,” McNally added.