Story by NU Athletic Communications

Five student-athletes from the Nebraska volleyball team were named to the Preseason All-Big Ten Team on Thursday after a vote by the league's 18 head coaches.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a target="_blank" href="https://huskers.com/sports/volleyball/roster/player/merritt-beason">Merritt Beason</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://huskers.com/sports/volleyball/roster/player/lexi-rodriguez">Lexi Rodriguez</a>&nbsp;were unanimous selections to the 18-player Preseason All-Big Ten Team. They were joined by fellow Huskers&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://huskers.com/sports/volleyball/roster/player/taylor-landfair">Taylor Landfair</a>,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://huskers.com/sports/volleyball/roster/player/harper-murray">Harper Murray</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://huskers.com/sports/volleyball/roster/player/bergen-reilly">Bergen Reilly</a>&nbsp;on the team. All five players were All-Big Ten selections in 2023. Seventeen of the 18 players on the team were either All-Big Ten or All-Pac 12 First Team selections last season. NU's five selections were the most for any team in the conference; no one else had more than three.&nbsp;

The coaches picked Nebraska as the top team in the preseason poll. The Huskers won their fourth Big Ten title in 2023 with a 19-1 conference record. Nebraska finished the season at 33-2 and reached the NCAA Championship match, falling 3-0 to Texas in Tampa, Fla. Wisconsin, Penn State, Purdue and Minnesota rounded out the top five, followed by three of the conference's newcomers in Oregon, USC and UCLA. &nbsp;

Beason earned AVCA All-America First Team honors in 2023 and was selected as the AVCA North Region Player of the Year, becoming the second Husker (<a target="_blank" href="https://huskers.com/staff/kelly-hunter">Kelly Hunter</a>) to earn that distinction. She was named to the AVCA All-Region Team and All-Big Ten First Team unanimously in her first year at Nebraska. Beason averaged 3.76 kills per set on .282 hitting with 2.05 digs per set.&nbsp;

Rodriguez also was named to the AVCA All-America First Team in 2023, her third career All-America honor and second selection to the first team. She became the 14th Husker in school history to earn at least three All-America honors at Nebraska. The Sterling, Ill., native also was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year for the second time in her career, becoming the fifth player in Big Ten history to receive that honor twice in a career. She was chosen to the AVCA All-Region and All-Big Ten First Team for the third straight year. Rodriguez led the Huskers to a nation-leading opponent hitting percentage for the second year in a row with 3.60 digs per set.&nbsp;

At Minnesota last season, Landfair earned AVCA All-Region honors and All-Big Ten First Team accolades for the third time. She averaged 3.19 kills and 2.03 digs per set for the Golden Gophers. Landfair was a first-team AVCA All-American and the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2022, as well as the AVCA North Region Player of the Year.&nbsp;

Murray was an AVCA All-America Third Team selection and the Big Ten Freshman of the Year. She earned AVCA North Region Freshman of the Year, as well as All-Big Ten First Team, Big Ten All-Freshman Team and AVCA All-Region accolades. Murray finished second on the team with 3.23 kills per set and had a .237 hitting percentage to go with 2.07 digs per set and a team-high 36 service aces.&nbsp;

Reilly was named an AVCA Second-Team All-American, AVCA All-Region, Big Ten Setter of the Year, All-Big Ten First Team and Big Ten All-Freshman Team in her first season as a Husker. She became the first freshman to win Big Ten Setter of the Year since the award originated in 2012. Reilly led all Big Ten setters with 10.51 assists per set, and set the Huskers to a .273 hitting percentage on the season, which ranked second in the Big Ten and in the top 25 nationally.&nbsp;

2024 BIG TEN VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON POLL1. Nebraska2. Wisconsin3. Penn State4. Purdue5. Minnesota6. Oregon7. USC8. UCLA9. Ohio State10. Indiana11. Illinois12. Michigan State13. Washington14. Maryland15. Michigan16. Northwestern17. Rutgers18. Iowa

2024 PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN TEAMRaina Terry, Gr., OH, IllinoisCamryn Haworth, Sr., S, IndianaMelani Shaffmaster, RS-Sr., S, Minnesota<a target="_blank" href="https://huskers.com/sports/volleyball/roster/player/merritt-beason">MERRITT BEASON</a>, Sr., OPP, Nebraska<a target="_blank" href="https://huskers.com/sports/volleyball/roster/player/taylor-landfair">Taylor Landfair</a>, Sr., OH, Nebraska<a target="_blank" href="https://huskers.com/sports/volleyball/roster/player/harper-murray">Harper Murray</a>, So., OH, Nebraska<a target="_blank" href="https://huskers.com/sports/volleyball/roster/player/bergen-reilly">Bergen Reilly</a>, So., S, Nebraska<a target="_blank" href="https://huskers.com/sports/volleyball/roster/player/lexi-rodriguez">LEXI RODRIGUEZ</a>, Sr., L, NebraskaEmily Londot, Fifth-Year, OH/OPP, Ohio StateMimi Colyer, Jr., OH, OregonJESS MRUZIK, Gr., OH, Penn StateChloe Chicoine, So., OH, PurdueEva Hudson, Jr., OH, PurdueAnna Dodson, Gr., MB, UCLAMia Tuaniga, Sr., S, USCCarter Booth, Jr., MB, WisconsinSarah Franklin, Sr., OH, WisconsinAnna Smrek, Sr., MB/OPP, Wisconsin

Unanimous selection listed in ALL CAPS

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsFive student-athletes from the Nebraska volleyball team were named to the Preseason All-Big Ten Team on Thursday after a vote by the league's 18 head coaches.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://huskers.com/sports/volleyball/roster/player/merritt-beason">Merritt Beason</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://huskers.com/sports/volleyball/roster/player/lexi-rodriguez">Lexi Rodriguez</a>&nbsp;were unanimous selections to the 18-player Preseason All-Big Ten Team. They were joined by fellow Huskers&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://huskers.com/sports/volleyball/roster/player/taylor-landfair">Taylor Landfair</a>,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://huskers.com/sports/volleyball/roster/player/harper-murray">Harper Murray</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://huskers.com/sports/volleyball/roster/player/bergen-reilly">Bergen Reilly</a>&nbsp;on the team. All five players were All-Big Ten selections in 2023. Seventeen of the 18 players on the team were either All-Big Ten or All-Pac 12 First Team selections last season. NU's five selections were the most for any team in the conference; no one else had more than three.&nbsp;The coaches picked Nebraska as the top team in the preseason poll. The Huskers won their fourth Big Ten title in 2023 with a 19-1 conference record. Nebraska finished the season at 33-2 and reached the NCAA Championship match, falling 3-0 to Texas in Tampa, Fla. Wisconsin, Penn State, Purdue and Minnesota rounded out the top five, followed by three of the conference's newcomers in Oregon, USC and UCLA. &nbsp;Beason earned AVCA All-America First Team honors in 2023 and was selected as the AVCA North Region Player of the Year, becoming the second Husker (<a target="_blank" href="https://huskers.com/staff/kelly-hunter">Kelly Hunter</a>) to earn that distinction. She was named to the AVCA All-Region Team and All-Big Ten First Team unanimously in her first year at Nebraska. Beason averaged 3.76 kills per set on .282 hitting with 2.05 digs per set.&nbsp;Rodriguez also was named to the AVCA All-America First Team in 2023, her third career All-America honor and second selection to the first team. She became the 14th Husker in school history to earn at least three All-America honors at Nebraska. The Sterling, Ill., native also was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year for the second time in her career, becoming the fifth player in Big Ten history to receive that honor twice in a career. She was chosen to the AVCA All-Region and All-Big Ten First Team for the third straight year. Rodriguez led the Huskers to a nation-leading opponent hitting percentage for the second year in a row with 3.60 digs per set.&nbsp;At Minnesota last season, Landfair earned AVCA All-Region honors and All-Big Ten First Team accolades for the third time. She averaged 3.19 kills and 2.03 digs per set for the Golden Gophers. Landfair was a first-team AVCA All-American and the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2022, as well as the AVCA North Region Player of the Year.&nbsp;Murray was an AVCA All-America Third Team selection and the Big Ten Freshman of the Year. She earned AVCA North Region Freshman of the Year, as well as All-Big Ten First Team, Big Ten All-Freshman Team and AVCA All-Region accolades. Murray finished second on the team with 3.23 kills per set and had a .237 hitting percentage to go with 2.07 digs per set and a team-high 36 service aces.&nbsp;Reilly was named an AVCA Second-Team All-American, AVCA All-Region, Big Ten Setter of the Year, All-Big Ten First Team and Big Ten All-Freshman Team in her first season as a Husker. She became the first freshman to win Big Ten Setter of the Year since the award originated in 2012. Reilly led all Big Ten setters with 10.51 assists per set, and set the Huskers to a .273 hitting percentage on the season, which ranked second in the Big Ten and in the top 25 nationally.&nbsp;2024 BIG TEN VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON POLL1. Nebraska2. Wisconsin3. Penn State4. Purdue5. Minnesota6. Oregon7. USC8. UCLA9. Ohio State10. Indiana11. Illinois12. Michigan State13. Washington14. Maryland15. Michigan16. Northwestern17. Rutgers18. Iowa2024 PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN TEAMRaina Terry, Gr., OH, IllinoisCamryn Haworth, Sr., S, IndianaMelani Shaffmaster, RS-Sr., S, Minnesota<a target="_blank" href="https://huskers.com/sports/volleyball/roster/player/merritt-beason">MERRITT BEASON</a>, Sr., OPP, Nebraska<a target="_blank" href="https://huskers.com/sports/volleyball/roster/player/taylor-landfair">Taylor Landfair</a>, Sr., OH, Nebraska<a target="_blank" href="https://huskers.com/sports/volleyball/roster/player/harper-murray">Harper Murray</a>, So., OH, Nebraska<a target="_blank" href="https://huskers.com/sports/volleyball/roster/player/bergen-reilly">Bergen Reilly</a>, So., S, Nebraska<a target="_blank" href="https://huskers.com/sports/volleyball/roster/player/lexi-rodriguez">LEXI RODRIGUEZ</a>, Sr., L, NebraskaEmily Londot, Fifth-Year, OH/OPP, Ohio StateMimi Colyer, Jr., OH, OregonJESS MRUZIK, Gr., OH, Penn StateChloe Chicoine, So., OH, PurdueEva Hudson, Jr., OH, PurdueAnna Dodson, Gr., MB, UCLAMia Tuaniga, Sr., S, USCCarter Booth, Jr., MB, WisconsinSarah Franklin, Sr., OH, WisconsinAnna Smrek, Sr., MB/OPP, WisconsinUnanimous selection listed in ALL CAPS

Five Huskers named to Preseason All-Big Ten Team

Story by Omaha Supernovas Communication

OMAHA, Neb.&nbsp;– The&nbsp;Omaha Supernovas, Nebraska’s professional volleyball team and inaugural Pro Volleyball Federation Champions, have signed former Creighton libero&nbsp;Allison Whitten.&nbsp;

The South Carolina native spent her fifth and final season of college volleyball with Creighton. Under head coach&nbsp;Kirsten Bernthal Booth, Whitten served as the team’s libero for each set of the 2022 season that saw the Bluejays reach the NCAA Tournament.

"We are thrilled to welcome Allison back to Omaha as she joins the Supernovas. As a former Bluejay with robust experience at a high level, Allison will be a fantastic addition to our team,” said Supernovas Head Coach&nbsp;Laura “Bird” Kuhn. “Her all gas and no brakes mentality are a perfect fit for our roster and aligns seamlessly with our culture as we build towards the 2025 season."&nbsp;

A four-year starting transfer from Morehead State, Whitten quickly excelled when inserted into Creighton’s lineup, recording 3.65 digs per set across 26 matches which included a season-high 29 against Florida State. She totaled 2,289 career digs which wound up being sixth on the active players list that season.&nbsp;

Prior to Creighton, Whitten became one of the best liberos in Morehead State’s history, racking up 1,823 digs and a 4.37 digs per set mark across four seasons for the Eagles. That also included 103 aces and 149 assists. She would become the 27th member of Morehead State’s 1,000 dig club and had her senior season rank inside the top five for most digs in a single campaign with 577 digs in 119 sets.&nbsp;

“Allison Whitten is a special player and an even more special person,” said Bernthal Booth. “She is going to work hard every day to be the best she can be, and she will always have the team at the forefront of any decision she makes. The Supernovas are adding a great one and I’m thrilled she’ll be here in Omaha.”&nbsp;

Whitten also has a prolific high school background as one of the best volleyball players to come out of South Carolina. She won an unprecedented six state titles with two coming from Hillcrest High School and the other four from St. Joeseph's High School. She was a two-time South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year nominee and was named the 1A Player of the Year in 2015 and the 2A Player of the Year in 2016. Whitten piled up more than 1,000 career kills and digs while being a finalist for PrepVolleyball’s National Freshman, Sophomore and Junior Player of the Year.&nbsp;

Whitten becomes the second libero to join the Supernovas roster and 12th overall addition this offseason. Whitten joins&nbsp;Camila Gómez&nbsp;as the other libero. Gómez signed from the Grand Rapids Rise who lost to the Supernovas in the inaugural Pro Volleyball Federation Championship in May.&nbsp;

To keep up to date who the Supernovas have signed in the PVF Free Agency period, check out the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Xl1qUBfd6pkjXrzJThV43X0tseLnJBaq7bbBQs9MEpnN8Z5LMCYBkpitZrQqneujgqefrBEI5ZSY8Gl0dpL36c2QoWwCVkHPwSkmYAqLHN5BGP6CEPG0jAA3TXzxJYd6NA-bNqiEHtAgcx_DTpdDdBiCtcz6CmItVh43cGcJo_akKNSddoeSGeTe2VdfI7xCq12M2fzYI1ThM_ZftiNd7fVRSX2bwXqJ&amp;c=E9IjFAwlqbP6zw4FjO74n967_3N-66Ny8UQqIsL86EJ5MTDh79cicQ==&amp;ch=aSNkozJhsVKxu0nnuXdhDIAhHccDVbJvRi5PbILJS5e2ZKkWvTIE1w==">Supernovas Free Agency Live Tracker.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

To celebrate the first-ever PVF Championship, fans will be able to see the Supernovas and championship trophy as part of the Championship Trophy Tour. Please click this&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Xl1qUBfd6pkjXrzJThV43X0tseLnJBaq7bbBQs9MEpnN8Z5LMCYBkkWLMMvfOpIc0OIqzw3Aon6KNcjfNOJatYYQS0dcAEasz8e_tVYQA7Dtc7wTox0L0VwoR-VzucPjTdHUhYbOUw7V6DgfTxNHHyWl1J-X0ZHEbIVQVQbR7lHVSgK3NXnKBQBDj09drSav&amp;c=E9IjFAwlqbP6zw4FjO74n967_3N-66Ny8UQqIsL86EJ5MTDh79cicQ==&amp;ch=aSNkozJhsVKxu0nnuXdhDIAhHccDVbJvRi5PbILJS5e2ZKkWvTIE1w==">link</a>&nbsp;to see where the Supernovas are this summer!&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Season tickets are now on sale! For more information on becoming a 2025 season ticket member, visit the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Xl1qUBfd6pkjXrzJThV43X0tseLnJBaq7bbBQs9MEpnN8Z5LMCYBkrFENv3VWGSrWHUBuI4dYghuyj7Sg9cxOQJHvZAzrzEnwDKrZtgzansOFcIK0DboPmAttW_pzcS-19UuSRFSHNM-MaDmSjjErmvh2eGXQBWKDBNSORNWGrY=&amp;c=E9IjFAwlqbP6zw4FjO74n967_3N-66Ny8UQqIsL86EJ5MTDh79cicQ==&amp;ch=aSNkozJhsVKxu0nnuXdhDIAhHccDVbJvRi5PbILJS5e2ZKkWvTIE1w==">Supernovas Ticket FAQ page</a>&nbsp;or by calling 402-502-5268.&nbsp;

Story by Omaha Supernovas CommunicationOMAHA, Neb.&nbsp;– The&nbsp;Omaha Supernovas, Nebraska’s professional volleyball team and inaugural Pro Volleyball Federation Champions, have signed former Creighton libero&nbsp;Allison Whitten.&nbsp;The South Carolina native spent her fifth and final season of college volleyball with Creighton. Under head coach&nbsp;Kirsten Bernthal Booth, Whitten served as the team’s libero for each set of the 2022 season that saw the Bluejays reach the NCAA Tournament."We are thrilled to welcome Allison back to Omaha as she joins the Supernovas. As a former Bluejay with robust experience at a high level, Allison will be a fantastic addition to our team,” said Supernovas Head Coach&nbsp;Laura “Bird” Kuhn. “Her all gas and no brakes mentality are a perfect fit for our roster and aligns seamlessly with our culture as we build towards the 2025 season."&nbsp;A four-year starting transfer from Morehead State, Whitten quickly excelled when inserted into Creighton’s lineup, recording 3.65 digs per set across 26 matches which included a season-high 29 against Florida State. She totaled 2,289 career digs which wound up being sixth on the active players list that season.&nbsp;Prior to Creighton, Whitten became one of the best liberos in Morehead State’s history, racking up 1,823 digs and a 4.37 digs per set mark across four seasons for the Eagles. That also included 103 aces and 149 assists. She would become the 27th member of Morehead State’s 1,000 dig club and had her senior season rank inside the top five for most digs in a single campaign with 577 digs in 119 sets.&nbsp;“Allison Whitten is a special player and an even more special person,” said Bernthal Booth. “She is going to work hard every day to be the best she can be, and she will always have the team at the forefront of any decision she makes. The Supernovas are adding a great one and I’m thrilled she’ll be here in Omaha.”&nbsp;Whitten also has a prolific high school background as one of the best volleyball players to come out of South Carolina. She won an unprecedented six state titles with two coming from Hillcrest High School and the other four from St. Joeseph's High School. She was a two-time South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year nominee and was named the 1A Player of the Year in 2015 and the 2A Player of the Year in 2016. Whitten piled up more than 1,000 career kills and digs while being a finalist for PrepVolleyball’s National Freshman, Sophomore and Junior Player of the Year.&nbsp;Whitten becomes the second libero to join the Supernovas roster and 12th overall addition this offseason. Whitten joins&nbsp;Camila Gómez&nbsp;as the other libero. Gómez signed from the Grand Rapids Rise who lost to the Supernovas in the inaugural Pro Volleyball Federation Championship in May.&nbsp;To keep up to date who the Supernovas have signed in the PVF Free Agency period, check out the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Xl1qUBfd6pkjXrzJThV43X0tseLnJBaq7bbBQs9MEpnN8Z5LMCYBkpitZrQqneujgqefrBEI5ZSY8Gl0dpL36c2QoWwCVkHPwSkmYAqLHN5BGP6CEPG0jAA3TXzxJYd6NA-bNqiEHtAgcx_DTpdDdBiCtcz6CmItVh43cGcJo_akKNSddoeSGeTe2VdfI7xCq12M2fzYI1ThM_ZftiNd7fVRSX2bwXqJ&amp;c=E9IjFAwlqbP6zw4FjO74n967_3N-66Ny8UQqIsL86EJ5MTDh79cicQ==&amp;ch=aSNkozJhsVKxu0nnuXdhDIAhHccDVbJvRi5PbILJS5e2ZKkWvTIE1w==">Supernovas Free Agency Live Tracker.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;To celebrate the first-ever PVF Championship, fans will be able to see the Supernovas and championship trophy as part of the Championship Trophy Tour. Please click this&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Xl1qUBfd6pkjXrzJThV43X0tseLnJBaq7bbBQs9MEpnN8Z5LMCYBkkWLMMvfOpIc0OIqzw3Aon6KNcjfNOJatYYQS0dcAEasz8e_tVYQA7Dtc7wTox0L0VwoR-VzucPjTdHUhYbOUw7V6DgfTxNHHyWl1J-X0ZHEbIVQVQbR7lHVSgK3NXnKBQBDj09drSav&amp;c=E9IjFAwlqbP6zw4FjO74n967_3N-66Ny8UQqIsL86EJ5MTDh79cicQ==&amp;ch=aSNkozJhsVKxu0nnuXdhDIAhHccDVbJvRi5PbILJS5e2ZKkWvTIE1w==">link</a>&nbsp;to see where the Supernovas are this summer!&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Season tickets are now on sale! For more information on becoming a 2025 season ticket member, visit the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Xl1qUBfd6pkjXrzJThV43X0tseLnJBaq7bbBQs9MEpnN8Z5LMCYBkrFENv3VWGSrWHUBuI4dYghuyj7Sg9cxOQJHvZAzrzEnwDKrZtgzansOFcIK0DboPmAttW_pzcS-19UuSRFSHNM-MaDmSjjErmvh2eGXQBWKDBNSORNWGrY=&amp;c=E9IjFAwlqbP6zw4FjO74n967_3N-66Ny8UQqIsL86EJ5MTDh79cicQ==&amp;ch=aSNkozJhsVKxu0nnuXdhDIAhHccDVbJvRi5PbILJS5e2ZKkWvTIE1w==">Supernovas Ticket FAQ page</a>&nbsp;or by calling 402-502-5268.&nbsp;

Supernovas sign former Creighton Libero Allison Whitten 

ROSEMONT, Ill.&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Big Ten Conference announced Wednesday that Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis will host the 2025 TIAA Big Ten Women’s and Men’s Basketball Tournaments, with future events headed to United Center in Chicago, T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.

“We look forward to partnering with the cities of Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, and Las Vegas as they host the Big Ten Basketball Tournaments from 2025-28,” said Big Ten Commissioner, Tony Petitti. “Each city will be an exciting postseason opportunity for our student-athletes, coaches, and fans, both locally and from across the country.”

The 2025 TIAA Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament will take place March 5-9, followed by the 2025 TIAA Men’s Basketball Tournament from March 12-16. The events will be the first to feature a 15-team field following the additions of Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington this summer.

The Big Ten also announced basketball tournament locations for 2026-28. The women’s tournament will remain in Indianapolis in 2026 before moving to Las Vegas in 2027 and Detroit in 2028. The Big Ten will host the men’s tournament in Chicago for the 12th&nbsp;time in 2026, return to Indianapolis in 2027, and head to Las Vegas in 2028. This will mark the first time Big Ten Tournaments will be held in Las Vegas or Detroit.

The TIAA Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament&nbsp;returns&nbsp;to Indianapolis next season, where it has been&nbsp;held&nbsp;27 times since the tournament began in 1982. Eight different programs have claimed&nbsp;a&nbsp;tournament title,&nbsp;with Iowa winning the last three tournament championships.

The TIAA Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament&nbsp;is back in&nbsp;Indianapolis for the 14th time. Seven different teams have claimed the Big Ten Tournament title since the inaugural event in 1998, including Illinois&nbsp;winning&nbsp;its fourth tournament championship in 2024.

An overview of future Big Ten Women’s and Men’s Basketball Tournament sites can be found below.

Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament Future Sites:

Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament Future Sites:

Story by Big Ten CommunicationsROSEMONT, Ill.&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Big Ten Conference announced Wednesday that Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis will host the 2025 TIAA Big Ten Women’s and Men’s Basketball Tournaments, with future events headed to United Center in Chicago, T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.“We look forward to partnering with the cities of Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, and Las Vegas as they host the Big Ten Basketball Tournaments from 2025-28,” said Big Ten Commissioner, Tony Petitti. “Each city will be an exciting postseason opportunity for our student-athletes, coaches, and fans, both locally and from across the country.”The 2025 TIAA Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament will take place March 5-9, followed by the 2025 TIAA Men’s Basketball Tournament from March 12-16. The events will be the first to feature a 15-team field following the additions of Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington this summer.The Big Ten also announced basketball tournament locations for 2026-28. The women’s tournament will remain in Indianapolis in 2026 before moving to Las Vegas in 2027 and Detroit in 2028. The Big Ten will host the men’s tournament in Chicago for the 12th&nbsp;time in 2026, return to Indianapolis in 2027, and head to Las Vegas in 2028. This will mark the first time Big Ten Tournaments will be held in Las Vegas or Detroit.The TIAA Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament&nbsp;returns&nbsp;to Indianapolis next season, where it has been&nbsp;held&nbsp;27 times since the tournament began in 1982. Eight different programs have claimed&nbsp;a&nbsp;tournament title,&nbsp;with Iowa winning the last three tournament championships.The TIAA Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament&nbsp;is back in&nbsp;Indianapolis for the 14th time. Seven different teams have claimed the Big Ten Tournament title since the inaugural event in 1998, including Illinois&nbsp;winning&nbsp;its fourth tournament championship in 2024.An overview of future Big Ten Women’s and Men’s Basketball Tournament sites can be found below.Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament Future Sites:<ul>
 <li>March 5-9, 2025 – Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indianapolis)</li><li>March 4-8, 2026 – Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indianapolis)</li><li>March 3-7, 2027 – T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas)</li><li>March 1-5, 2028 – Little Caesars Arena (Detroit)</li>
 </ul>Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament Future Sites:<ul>
 <li>March 12-16, 2025 – Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indianapolis)</li><li>March 11-15, 2026 – United Center (Chicago)</li><li>March 10-14, 2027 – Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indianapolis)</li><li>March 8-12, 2028 – T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas)</li>
 </ul>

Big Ten Conference announces 2025-28 Basketball Tournament sites

Nebraska Soccer Head Coach John Walker announced Wednesday that 2023 Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year Ellie Felt will transfer from Oregon State and join the Huskers in January of 2025.&nbsp;

A Portland, Oregon native, Felt has an impressive resume as she played in the 2022 High School All-American Game, was named to the Sports Illustrated Best High School Players in the Nation last year and earned two-time All-American honors. Additionally, she was a two-time USA Today HSSA Girls Soccer Player of the Year and Metro League Player of the Year.&nbsp;

On the club side, the midfielder competed for Coach Joaquim Capuia at Portland Thorns Academy where she was ranked top five nationwide in assists and was named to the Best 11 for the Northwest Conference, three-time All-American USCA for Club Youth Girls, ECNL All-Conference in 2022 and 2023, and an IMG Top 150 Players in the U.S. for 2024 graduates.&nbsp;

“I chose Nebraska because of the incredible coaching staff and their ability to develop players to the next level, as well as the hard working and competitive culture of the girls,” Felt said. “I also appreciate the support that Nebraska provides their athletes to help them succeed at the highest level.”

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsNebraska Soccer Head Coach John Walker announced Wednesday that 2023 Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year Ellie Felt will transfer from Oregon State and join the Huskers in January of 2025.&nbsp;A Portland, Oregon native, Felt has an impressive resume as she played in the 2022 High School All-American Game, was named to the Sports Illustrated Best High School Players in the Nation last year and earned two-time All-American honors. Additionally, she was a two-time USA Today HSSA Girls Soccer Player of the Year and Metro League Player of the Year.&nbsp;On the club side, the midfielder competed for Coach Joaquim Capuia at Portland Thorns Academy where she was ranked top five nationwide in assists and was named to the Best 11 for the Northwest Conference, three-time All-American USCA for Club Youth Girls, ECNL All-Conference in 2022 and 2023, and an IMG Top 150 Players in the U.S. for 2024 graduates.&nbsp;“I chose Nebraska because of the incredible coaching staff and their ability to develop players to the next level, as well as the hard working and competitive culture of the girls,” Felt said. “I also appreciate the support that Nebraska provides their athletes to help them succeed at the highest level.”

Huskers add Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year

North Platte, Ne - The annual North Platte Ambassadors Junior Golf Tournament was held this week in North Platte for youth golfers. Tuesday's golf was held at the Lake Maloney Golf Course and Wednesday's FINALS were held at Rivers Edge Golf Course. 105 golfers golfed in the 2-day event.

North Platte, Ne - The annual North Platte Ambassadors Junior Golf Tournament was held this week in North Platte for youth golfers. Tuesday's golf was held at the Lake Maloney Golf Course and Wednesday's FINALS were held at Rivers Edge Golf Course. 105 golfers golfed in the 2-day event.RESULTS<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722514135822.jpeg" alt="Girls 7-9" />
 <figcaption>Girls 7-9</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>7-9 Girls</h2>1st Place Hanami Kitabatake 1682nd Place Jozlyn Weber&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722514299929.jpeg" alt="Girls 11-14" />
 <figcaption>Girls 11-14</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Girls 11-14</h2>1st Place Janee Wagner 1002nd place Gia Baker 1013rd place Myla Panas 1154th place Izetta Schultz 1215th place Hadley Amen 124&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722514381127.jpeg" alt="Girls 15-18" />
 <figcaption>Girls 15-18</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Girls 15-18</h2>1st Place Allie Jones 1732nd place Laney Peters 187&nbsp;3rd place Stephanie Budke 1884th place Amelia Wenburg 1945th place Kaylee Olsen 195&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722514464396.png" alt="Boys 7-9" />
 <figcaption>Boys 7-9</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Boys 7-9</h2>1st place Henry Amen, 702nd place Cooper Rippen, 833rd place Ryan O’Neill 924th place Ryder Schmoldt 1105th place Aric Sharp 117&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722514543308.png" alt="Boys 10-11" />
 <figcaption>Boys 10-11</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Boys 10-11</h2>1st place Greyson Roelfs 852nd place Kaden Brown 873rd place Alec Simonson 964th place Colin Bode 985th place Seve Jarzynka 105&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722514617211.png" alt="Boys 12-13" />
 <figcaption>Boys 12-13</figcaption>
 </figure>Boys 12-131st place Jude Swarm, 1722nd place Jackson Weaver 1743rd place Mattix Woodburn 182&nbsp;4th place Tucker Ehlers 1835th place Teetsn O’Brien 194&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722514701965.png" alt="Boys 14-15" />
 <figcaption>Boys 14-15</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Boys 14-15&nbsp;</h2>1st place Keaton Loop, 1612nd place Ben Werner 1663rd place Aidan Truesdale 1674th place Chase Wingett 1745th place Ty Vaughn 177&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722514780901.jpeg" alt="Boys 16-18" />
 <figcaption>Boys 16-18</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Boys 16-18&nbsp;</h2>1st place Luke Borges&nbsp; 1532nd place Landon Kmoch 1543rd Reid Loop 1594th place Landon Shepherd 1665th place Kyce Shimmin 167

Jr Ambassadors Golf Tournament FINAL Results

North Platte, Neb. - Day 2 of the Junior Ambassador Classic Golf Tournament kicked off this morning at the Lake Maloney Golf course earlier this morning. Boys and Girls ages 7-18 from around the state gather around North Platte to not only compete for the top prize at one of the most prominent Junior Golf Tournaments in Nebraska but, also to help new Golfers looking to get into their first-ever tournament.&nbsp;The Junior Ambassador Classic is designed to help instill courage and confidence in players who are new to competitive golf and introduce youth golfers to other players.

Trophies will be awarded to the top performers in all flights and divisions for the two-day tournament.  The trophy presentations will be held at the end of play on July 31st at Lake Maloney Golf Club from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm.&nbsp;

Results will also be posted on northplatepost.com following the conclusion of each day.&nbsp;

North Platte PostNorth Platte, Neb. - Day 2 of the Junior Ambassador Classic Golf Tournament kicked off this morning at the Lake Maloney Golf course earlier this morning. Boys and Girls ages 7-18 from around the state gather around North Platte to not only compete for the top prize at one of the most prominent Junior Golf Tournaments in Nebraska but, also to help new Golfers looking to get into their first-ever tournament.&nbsp;The Junior Ambassador Classic is designed to help instill courage and confidence in players who are new to competitive golf and introduce youth golfers to other players.Trophies will be awarded to the top performers in all flights and divisions for the two-day tournament. The trophy presentations will be held at the end of play on July 31st at Lake Maloney Golf Club from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm.&nbsp;Results will also be posted on northplatepost.com following the conclusion of each day.&nbsp;

Day 2 of the Junior Ambassador Classic Golf Tournament gets under way

<h2>Boys 7-9</h2>Henry Amen 34Cooper Rippen 42Ryder Schmoldt 57Max Burwick 59<h2>Boys 10-11</h2>Kaden Brown 45Greyson Roelfs 46Colin Bode 49Alec Simonson 49Seve Jarzynka 60<h2>Boys 12-13</h2>Jude Swarm 88Jaxson Weedman 88Tucker Ehlers 91Mattix Woodburn 94Teegan O’Brien 99<h2>Boys 14-15</h2>Keaton Loop 79Ben Werner 80Aidan Truesdale 83Karter Phillips 85Chase Wingett 89<h2>Boys 16-18</h2>Luke Borges 73Kyce Shimmin 77Landon&nbsp; Kmoch 79Landon Shepherd 80Reid Loop 85

Jr Ambassadors Golf Tournament boys results from Day 1

Lincoln, Neb. — The 2024 Cornhusker State Games concluded Sunday, with 27 sports across venues in Lincoln, Omaha, Weeping Water, Raymond, and other locations.

Overall, the Cornhusker State Games attracted&nbsp;8,157&nbsp;participants in 70 sports compared to 8,127 in 2023. Shooting sports brought in the most participants with 633. Track and Field drew 617, while Volleyball hosted 507 athletes. Ice Hockey and Basketball followed with 458 each.&nbsp;

In Youth Golf, Anna Midyett from Bennington secured gold in Girls 11 and under stroke play and, alongside Perrey Hernon from Elkhorn, won the 9-11 division 2-person scramble. This followed her recent gold in the Girls 11-12 division at the Youth Golf State Championships from last weekend in Columbus, further highlighting her achievements as last year's CSG Youth Female Athlete of the Year.

In Cornhole, Jerry Hill and Greg Mazankowski, both from Kearney, took home gold medals in the competitive doubles and senior doubles categories.

Joseph Dustin from Lincoln secured the title of 5K Road Race champion with a finish time of 16:30. Hana Takahashi of Blair earned the title of overall female winner, crossing the line in 22:30.

Diego Serkel of Lincoln had a standout performance in Karate, winning gold in KATA adult brown belt, KUMITE men brown/red belt, and KATA adult brown/red belt. Maria Snyder, also from Lincoln, matched this success by taking gold in KATA adult black belt, KUMITE women black belt, and KATA adult black belt 3rd degree.&nbsp;

Powerlifting saw Marsha Busse from Lincoln dominate, winning four gold medals in women's raw master (40+), women's raw master (40+) - 100 kg, women's raw open - 100 kg, and women's raw master (40+) bench only. She also earned a bronze in women's raw open bench only (all). Busse was also the 2021 Senior Female Athlete of the Year.

In Racquetball, Roscoe (Ross) Halsey from Olathe, KS, claimed gold in men's A singles and men's doubles with partner Ron Bacon from Lincoln, who also secured a silver in men's A singles.

Alexander Atkinson from Council Bluffs, IA, excelled in the .22 Prone Shooting event, capturing gold medals in both the open sub junior and match sub junior categories.

In Adult Trap shooting, Aemal Khattak from Lincoln won gold in the 16-yard senior and HOA senior categories and took silver in the handicap senior division. Braeden Cooper from Waverly also had a notable performance, winning gold in the HOA open and handicap open events, and a bronze in ATA class B in Adult Trap. He also received a gold in the 12 gauge junior division (18U) in Adult Skeet.

Josalin Stock from Lincoln shined in Tennis, securing gold in the G16 singles, G16 doubles with Pearl Stempson (Lincoln), and women's open doubles with Stacia Jacobsen (Lincoln).

For a complete list of results, visit the CSG&nbsp;<a href="https://b8oyr9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001qn0ZrYafFTGTZ0uC5v2zkbD6hsEvwUXYQyCmMZHRBAsHIR_OalToLjFQGhLLuFZLHe5tfTeps5YygDrhu-6GZY_f50RTIsi_dND6QMVpw_tjplsXmVYjb_QamdTWCKcMY2uVQ7l2Oy5HPauV8luiWCQcO8SR-HKh3rq3FCLrYlnvoXP_wMysIQGVpolptGq2&amp;c=R5MXqdb9_OM4uP8el4Ke7jbugmHVdoaNnuRRAbGSCs_FjXygrTV15w==&amp;ch=43munseePKU-Z8zB2EgS66TRn5Gnq42SSp6FU7Lz0-ZHaZfvRjEUqg==" target="_blank">RESULTS</a>&nbsp;page.&nbsp;Those interested can still purchase CSG merchandise for a limited time&nbsp;<a href="https://b8oyr9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001qn0ZrYafFTGTZ0uC5v2zkbD6hsEvwUXYQyCmMZHRBAsHIR_OalToLhHpTnnDYLgRlza7R3BcNJn5JNEvulErDXL5DQjZijgSE5QptRnfHqkki3_gZrISS5ZOs9_plFGZ_tH6kWWsDhmLAoYYXihsHvo40mdHF1-pYyj1iHJJwGQxGSmZ9kRZ3QM7s4gOi-GP5escHK7_5RXVCjWU6vZZL3kQkI1VMwSlER8rcXcBrZeHbctAWDRdjg0SguOMSMEYOFY8jl0emmKi2Rbh_7cXIKwW9YFmuyCAHOuiYBY8NzTko8vwUPvHVQiKi5XS-u6J9a2SSEprs3Nz0OVZtq15j8YEATZWzQSL&amp;c=R5MXqdb9_OM4uP8el4Ke7jbugmHVdoaNnuRRAbGSCs_FjXygrTV15w==&amp;ch=43munseePKU-Z8zB2EgS66TRn5Gnq42SSp6FU7Lz0-ZHaZfvRjEUqg==" target="_blank">HERE</a>.&nbsp;Photos of most CSG events can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://b8oyr9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001qn0ZrYafFTGTZ0uC5v2zkbD6hsEvwUXYQyCmMZHRBAsHIR_OalToLr7JYKWTdiNX3fO4vgCTVt3XHifUkBWe8OB-r5dj5mAnHDxoYnKThA3aVNhO1-_UDGQUzflD788VIEqIf07MBgwQhzZ5GGLadG0aq83-djF9Yj78vX5j7C9K9-RL2gAJyg==&amp;c=R5MXqdb9_OM4uP8el4Ke7jbugmHVdoaNnuRRAbGSCs_FjXygrTV15w==&amp;ch=43munseePKU-Z8zB2EgS66TRn5Gnq42SSp6FU7Lz0-ZHaZfvRjEUqg==" target="_blank">HERE</a>.

The Cornhusker State Games is conducted by the Nebraska Sports Council.&nbsp;Platinum partners include the Nebraska Medical Association, Pepsi-Cola of Lincoln, Nebraska Orthopaedic Center and Farmers Mutual of Nebraska.&nbsp;Learn more at&nbsp;<a href="https://b8oyr9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001qn0ZrYafFTGTZ0uC5v2zkbD6hsEvwUXYQyCmMZHRBAsHIR_OalToLlMubcw9dAEenreFo97xwkzShlhOlXd4j_u1-ibMxw2eufM44ZTr42zXWQVIpLmVEWHjn6hyEA-2PKTizIvxrfDFzVaFFq1Bq3qqbLiIbqYBcA-lhH1bc-4=&amp;c=R5MXqdb9_OM4uP8el4Ke7jbugmHVdoaNnuRRAbGSCs_FjXygrTV15w==&amp;ch=43munseePKU-Z8zB2EgS66TRn5Gnq42SSp6FU7Lz0-ZHaZfvRjEUqg==" target="_blank">NebraskaSportsCouncil.com</a>.

Nebraska Sports CouncilLincoln, Neb. — The 2024 Cornhusker State Games concluded Sunday, with 27 sports across venues in Lincoln, Omaha, Weeping Water, Raymond, and other locations.Overall, the Cornhusker State Games attracted&nbsp;8,157&nbsp;participants in 70 sports compared to 8,127 in 2023. Shooting sports brought in the most participants with 633. Track and Field drew 617, while Volleyball hosted 507 athletes. Ice Hockey and Basketball followed with 458 each.&nbsp;In Youth Golf, Anna Midyett from Bennington secured gold in Girls 11 and under stroke play and, alongside Perrey Hernon from Elkhorn, won the 9-11 division 2-person scramble. This followed her recent gold in the Girls 11-12 division at the Youth Golf State Championships from last weekend in Columbus, further highlighting her achievements as last year's CSG Youth Female Athlete of the Year.In Cornhole, Jerry Hill and Greg Mazankowski, both from Kearney, took home gold medals in the competitive doubles and senior doubles categories.Joseph Dustin from Lincoln secured the title of 5K Road Race champion with a finish time of 16:30. Hana Takahashi of Blair earned the title of overall female winner, crossing the line in 22:30.Diego Serkel of Lincoln had a standout performance in Karate, winning gold in KATA adult brown belt, KUMITE men brown/red belt, and KATA adult brown/red belt. Maria Snyder, also from Lincoln, matched this success by taking gold in KATA adult black belt, KUMITE women black belt, and KATA adult black belt 3rd degree.&nbsp;Powerlifting saw Marsha Busse from Lincoln dominate, winning four gold medals in women's raw master (40+), women's raw master (40+) - 100 kg, women's raw open - 100 kg, and women's raw master (40+) bench only. She also earned a bronze in women's raw open bench only (all). Busse was also the 2021 Senior Female Athlete of the Year.In Racquetball, Roscoe (Ross) Halsey from Olathe, KS, claimed gold in men's A singles and men's doubles with partner Ron Bacon from Lincoln, who also secured a silver in men's A singles.Alexander Atkinson from Council Bluffs, IA, excelled in the .22 Prone Shooting event, capturing gold medals in both the open sub junior and match sub junior categories.In Adult Trap shooting, Aemal Khattak from Lincoln won gold in the 16-yard senior and HOA senior categories and took silver in the handicap senior division. Braeden Cooper from Waverly also had a notable performance, winning gold in the HOA open and handicap open events, and a bronze in ATA class B in Adult Trap. He also received a gold in the 12 gauge junior division (18U) in Adult Skeet.Josalin Stock from Lincoln shined in Tennis, securing gold in the G16 singles, G16 doubles with Pearl Stempson (Lincoln), and women's open doubles with Stacia Jacobsen (Lincoln).For a complete list of results, visit the CSG&nbsp;<a href="https://b8oyr9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001qn0ZrYafFTGTZ0uC5v2zkbD6hsEvwUXYQyCmMZHRBAsHIR_OalToLjFQGhLLuFZLHe5tfTeps5YygDrhu-6GZY_f50RTIsi_dND6QMVpw_tjplsXmVYjb_QamdTWCKcMY2uVQ7l2Oy5HPauV8luiWCQcO8SR-HKh3rq3FCLrYlnvoXP_wMysIQGVpolptGq2&amp;c=R5MXqdb9_OM4uP8el4Ke7jbugmHVdoaNnuRRAbGSCs_FjXygrTV15w==&amp;ch=43munseePKU-Z8zB2EgS66TRn5Gnq42SSp6FU7Lz0-ZHaZfvRjEUqg==" target="_blank">RESULTS</a>&nbsp;page.&nbsp;Those interested can still purchase CSG merchandise for a limited time&nbsp;<a href="https://b8oyr9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001qn0ZrYafFTGTZ0uC5v2zkbD6hsEvwUXYQyCmMZHRBAsHIR_OalToLhHpTnnDYLgRlza7R3BcNJn5JNEvulErDXL5DQjZijgSE5QptRnfHqkki3_gZrISS5ZOs9_plFGZ_tH6kWWsDhmLAoYYXihsHvo40mdHF1-pYyj1iHJJwGQxGSmZ9kRZ3QM7s4gOi-GP5escHK7_5RXVCjWU6vZZL3kQkI1VMwSlER8rcXcBrZeHbctAWDRdjg0SguOMSMEYOFY8jl0emmKi2Rbh_7cXIKwW9YFmuyCAHOuiYBY8NzTko8vwUPvHVQiKi5XS-u6J9a2SSEprs3Nz0OVZtq15j8YEATZWzQSL&amp;c=R5MXqdb9_OM4uP8el4Ke7jbugmHVdoaNnuRRAbGSCs_FjXygrTV15w==&amp;ch=43munseePKU-Z8zB2EgS66TRn5Gnq42SSp6FU7Lz0-ZHaZfvRjEUqg==" target="_blank">HERE</a>.&nbsp;Photos of most CSG events can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://b8oyr9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001qn0ZrYafFTGTZ0uC5v2zkbD6hsEvwUXYQyCmMZHRBAsHIR_OalToLr7JYKWTdiNX3fO4vgCTVt3XHifUkBWe8OB-r5dj5mAnHDxoYnKThA3aVNhO1-_UDGQUzflD788VIEqIf07MBgwQhzZ5GGLadG0aq83-djF9Yj78vX5j7C9K9-RL2gAJyg==&amp;c=R5MXqdb9_OM4uP8el4Ke7jbugmHVdoaNnuRRAbGSCs_FjXygrTV15w==&amp;ch=43munseePKU-Z8zB2EgS66TRn5Gnq42SSp6FU7Lz0-ZHaZfvRjEUqg==" target="_blank">HERE</a>.The Cornhusker State Games is conducted by the Nebraska Sports Council.&nbsp;Platinum partners include the Nebraska Medical Association, Pepsi-Cola of Lincoln, Nebraska Orthopaedic Center and Farmers Mutual of Nebraska.&nbsp;Learn more at&nbsp;<a href="https://b8oyr9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001qn0ZrYafFTGTZ0uC5v2zkbD6hsEvwUXYQyCmMZHRBAsHIR_OalToLlMubcw9dAEenreFo97xwkzShlhOlXd4j_u1-ibMxw2eufM44ZTr42zXWQVIpLmVEWHjn6hyEA-2PKTizIvxrfDFzVaFFq1Bq3qqbLiIbqYBcA-lhH1bc-4=&amp;c=R5MXqdb9_OM4uP8el4Ke7jbugmHVdoaNnuRRAbGSCs_FjXygrTV15w==&amp;ch=43munseePKU-Z8zB2EgS66TRn5Gnq42SSp6FU7Lz0-ZHaZfvRjEUqg==" target="_blank">NebraskaSportsCouncil.com</a>.

Final State Games Highlights and Statistic

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721841522544.png" alt="Bracket A" />
 <figcaption>Bracket A</figcaption>
 </figure>

American Legion State Baseball bracket Class A

After running short of players in several games about midseason a year ago when injuries took their toll, Chadron State College women’s basketball coach Travis Brewster has worked hard to make sure that doesn’t happen again in 2024-25.

              Brewster said he’s signed 11 newcomers. He also noted that most, if not all, of the players who were sidelined at various times a year ago have recovered and plan play again this coming season.  There are nine of them, giving the Eagles a 20-player roster.

              “The signees are excited to be coming to Chadron State and we’re excited to have them,” Brewster said.  “I think we’ve got a good group that will help us play with great tenacity and make us a better team.  I’m also sure we’ll have competitive practice and I know we’ll have a lot more depth.”   

              The returnees will include the likes of leading scorer Shay Powers (12.3 ppg), along with fellow seniors Olivia Waufle and Kylie Krise, along with sophomores Megan Counts, Liberty Line and Allison Olsen.  All of them were in the team’s primary rotation and averaged at least seven points a game.     

              Injuries and illness kept some of them from reaching their potential. It was a long season. The final record was just 6-20. The Eagles would have won more games if they’d stayed healthy.

              One thing Brewster looked for was more height.  Much of last season, the Eagles’ tallest player on the court was 5-10.  

              His newcomers in the front court include 6-foot-2 McKenzie Peterson, who shot 54% from the field, averaged 15.2 points and 7 rebounds while earning First-Team All-Conference at Dawson Community College in Montana last season.  Brewster said he is impressed by how well she runs the floor and her team orientation.

              The coach also landed 6-1 Malorie Bryne from Arvada West in Colorado, where she averaged 10 points and was selected to play in the state’s all-star game.  Tyra Ericksson, a native of Sweden, also is 6-1 and has the strength and ability to create mismatches, Brewster said.

              The backcourt recruits include highly-regarded Allison Richards, a 5-6 graduate of the Red Cloud School at Pine Ridge, S.D., and a First-Team All-Region choice both of her seasons at Northeast Community College at Norfolk.

              Last season, Richards averaged 23.9 points, fifth highest in NJCAA II in the nation, despite being the target of what Brewster calls “junk defenses” in nearly every game. She shot 40.3% from 3-point range while nailing 92 of them and was 108-136 from the free throw line for 79.4%.

              “Both her high school and college coaches have nothing but praise for her and I can see why,” Brewster said. 

              Another guard with college experience is 5-6 Jordyn Stokes. She played the past two seasons at Iowa Lakes College at Estherville, where she averaged 10.6 points and was Third-Team All-Region last winter. 

              As Chadron State fans already know, the Eagles’ freshman class will include 5-10 Demi Ferguson, the leading scorer at Chadron High each of the past four years and a 1,000-point career scorer.  As a senior in 2023-24, she averaged 13.9 points and 7.7 rebounds and this week is playing in the Nebraska Coaches Association All-Star Game in Lincoln. 

              Brewster said Ferguson’s “mindset and grit” are impressive. 

              Another incoming freshman who signed early with the Eagles is Ryann Barry of Pierre, S.D.  One of the Riggs High School football coaches contacted Brewster about her the soon after the CSC coach accepted the Chadron State job late last summer.

              It turns out that Barry not only was a basketball standout and a soccer all-stater, she also was the football team’s placekicker and booted 54 extra points last fall. The tipster said “she’s tough and has a big-time motor.” 

              Barry started every game for the Class AA Riggs High basketball team her final three seasons. As a senior, she averaged 11.3 points, 4.6 rebounds. 4.0 assists and 3.1 steals while helping Riggs finish fifth at the state tournament with a 17-7 record.

              Not all of the recruits are mentioned in this article, but Brewster said each of them will have the opportunity to contribute this coming season and in the future.  

              “We went after players who their coaches said have a strong work ethic, are team-oriented, are athletic and are good students,” Brewster noted. “Of course, not all of them will start or probably even play this year.  Some of them will undoubtedly redshirt. But my staff and I are looking forward to working with them and helping them enjoy and benefit from their college experience at Chadron State.”

By: Con MarshallAfter running short of players in several games about midseason a year ago when injuries took their toll, Chadron State College women’s basketball coach Travis Brewster has worked hard to make sure that doesn’t happen again in 2024-25. Brewster said he’s signed 11 newcomers. He also noted that most, if not all, of the players who were sidelined at various times a year ago have recovered and plan play again this coming season. There are nine of them, giving the Eagles a 20-player roster. “The signees are excited to be coming to Chadron State and we’re excited to have them,” Brewster said. “I think we’ve got a good group that will help us play with great tenacity and make us a better team. I’m also sure we’ll have competitive practice and I know we’ll have a lot more depth.” The returnees will include the likes of leading scorer Shay Powers (12.3 ppg), along with fellow seniors Olivia Waufle and Kylie Krise, along with sophomores Megan Counts, Liberty Line and Allison Olsen. All of them were in the team’s primary rotation and averaged at least seven points a game. Injuries and illness kept some of them from reaching their potential. It was a long season. The final record was just 6-20. The Eagles would have won more games if they’d stayed healthy. One thing Brewster looked for was more height. Much of last season, the Eagles’ tallest player on the court was 5-10. His newcomers in the front court include 6-foot-2 McKenzie Peterson, who shot 54% from the field, averaged 15.2 points and 7 rebounds while earning First-Team All-Conference at Dawson Community College in Montana last season. Brewster said he is impressed by how well she runs the floor and her team orientation. The coach also landed 6-1 Malorie Bryne from Arvada West in Colorado, where she averaged 10 points and was selected to play in the state’s all-star game. Tyra Ericksson, a native of Sweden, also is 6-1 and has the strength and ability to create mismatches, Brewster said. The backcourt recruits include highly-regarded Allison Richards, a 5-6 graduate of the Red Cloud School at Pine Ridge, S.D., and a First-Team All-Region choice both of her seasons at Northeast Community College at Norfolk. Last season, Richards averaged 23.9 points, fifth highest in NJCAA II in the nation, despite being the target of what Brewster calls “junk defenses” in nearly every game. She shot 40.3% from 3-point range while nailing 92 of them and was 108-136 from the free throw line for 79.4%. “Both her high school and college coaches have nothing but praise for her and I can see why,” Brewster said. Another guard with college experience is 5-6 Jordyn Stokes. She played the past two seasons at Iowa Lakes College at Estherville, where she averaged 10.6 points and was Third-Team All-Region last winter. As Chadron State fans already know, the Eagles’ freshman class will include 5-10 Demi Ferguson, the leading scorer at Chadron High each of the past four years and a 1,000-point career scorer. As a senior in 2023-24, she averaged 13.9 points and 7.7 rebounds and this week is playing in the Nebraska Coaches Association All-Star Game in Lincoln. Brewster said Ferguson’s “mindset and grit” are impressive. Another incoming freshman who signed early with the Eagles is Ryann Barry of Pierre, S.D. One of the Riggs High School football coaches contacted Brewster about her the soon after the CSC coach accepted the Chadron State job late last summer. It turns out that Barry not only was a basketball standout and a soccer all-stater, she also was the football team’s placekicker and booted 54 extra points last fall. The tipster said “she’s tough and has a big-time motor.” Barry started every game for the Class AA Riggs High basketball team her final three seasons. As a senior, she averaged 11.3 points, 4.6 rebounds. 4.0 assists and 3.1 steals while helping Riggs finish fifth at the state tournament with a 17-7 record. Not all of the recruits are mentioned in this article, but Brewster said each of them will have the opportunity to contribute this coming season and in the future. “We went after players who their coaches said have a strong work ethic, are team-oriented, are athletic and are good students,” Brewster noted. “Of course, not all of them will start or probably even play this year. Some of them will undoubtedly redshirt. But my staff and I are looking forward to working with them and helping them enjoy and benefit from their college experience at Chadron State.”

CSC women's basketball: 11 newcomers joining key returners in '24-25

Men's gymnast Asher Cohen became Nebraska's 11th Academic All-American of the 2023-24 season, when he captured third-team honors on the Men's At-Large Team announced by the College Sports Communicators on Wednesday, July 17.

Cohen, a sophomore from Lakewood, Colo., claimed Nebraska's 18th men's gymnastics Academic All-America award and the first since Anton Stephenson earned first-team honors in 2019. Cohen brought home his Academic All-America award after posting a perfect 4.0 GPA as a biological sciences major while earning All-America honors with a sixth-place NCAA finish on still rings in 2024. He also competed on parallel bars for the Huskers at the NCAA Championships, helping Coach Chuck Chmelka's squad to a fourth-place team finish.

Cohen, who earned Academic All-Big Ten honors and a spot on the Tom Osborne Citizenship Team in 2024, also played a key role in helping the Huskers capture their first Big Ten regular-season championship since joining the conference in 2011.

CSC Men's At-Large Academic All-Americans included gymnasts, wrestlers, golfers, skiers, ice hockey, lacrosse, volleyball and water polo players in 2023-24.

Cohen's CSC Academic All-America award was the eighth for the Huskers during the spring athletic season, pushing Nebraska's all-time total to 362. The 11 Academic All-America awards for the Huskers in 2023-24 marked their highest single-season total since 2010-11.

Nebraska All-Time Men's Gymnastics Academic All-Americans (18)

Nebraska 2023-24 CSC Academic All-Americans (11)

CSC Academic All-Americans, All-Time Division I Top Five

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsMen's gymnast Asher Cohen became Nebraska's 11th Academic All-American of the 2023-24 season, when he captured third-team honors on the Men's At-Large Team announced by the College Sports Communicators on Wednesday, July 17.Cohen, a sophomore from Lakewood, Colo., claimed Nebraska's 18th men's gymnastics Academic All-America award and the first since Anton Stephenson earned first-team honors in 2019. Cohen brought home his Academic All-America award after posting a perfect 4.0 GPA as a biological sciences major while earning All-America honors with a sixth-place NCAA finish on still rings in 2024. He also competed on parallel bars for the Huskers at the NCAA Championships, helping Coach Chuck Chmelka's squad to a fourth-place team finish.Cohen, who earned Academic All-Big Ten honors and a spot on the Tom Osborne Citizenship Team in 2024, also played a key role in helping the Huskers capture their first Big Ten regular-season championship since joining the conference in 2011.CSC Men's At-Large Academic All-Americans included gymnasts, wrestlers, golfers, skiers, ice hockey, lacrosse, volleyball and water polo players in 2023-24.Cohen's CSC Academic All-America award was the eighth for the Huskers during the spring athletic season, pushing Nebraska's all-time total to 362. The 11 Academic All-America awards for the Huskers in 2023-24 marked their highest single-season total since 2010-11.Nebraska All-Time Men's Gymnastics Academic All-Americans (18)<ul>
 <li>Asher Cohen, Third Team (2024)</li><li>Anton Stephenson, First Team (2019)</li><li>Ethan Lottman, Second Team (2015)</li><li>Stephen Tetrault, First Team (2008)</li><li>Stephen Tetrault, Third Team (2007)</li><li>Ryan Sneed, Second Team (2003)</li><li>Marshall Nelson, Second Team (2000)</li><li>Jim Koziol, Third Team (1999)</li><li>Ted Harris, Second Team (1997)</li><li>Jason Christie, Third Team (1996)</li><li>Rick Kieffer, First Team (1995)</li><li>Sumner Darling, First Team (1994)</li><li>Sumner Darling, First Team (1993)</li><li>Sumner Darling, Third Team (1992)</li><li>Mark Warburton, 1st Team (1990)</li><li>Patrick Kirksey, Third Team (1990)</li><li>Tom Schlesinger, First Team (1988)</li><li>Tom Schlesinger, Honorable Mention (1986)</li>
 </ul>Nebraska 2023-24 CSC Academic All-Americans (11)<ul>
 <li>Eleanor Dale, Soccer, First Team</li><li>Sarah Weber, Soccer, Second Team</li><li>Lexi Rodriguez, Volleyball, First Team</li><li>Billie Andrews, Softball, Second Team</li><li>Brett Sears, Baseball, Second Team</li><li>Axelina Johansson, Women's Track &amp; Field/Cross Country, First Team</li><li>Emanuela Casadei, Women's Track &amp; Field/Cross Country, Third Team</li><li>Till Steinforth, Men's Track &amp; Field/Cross Country, First Team</li><li>Tyus Wilson, Men's Track &amp; Field/Cross Country, First Team</li><li>Micaylon Moore, Men's Track &amp; Field/Cross Country, Second Team</li><li>Asher Cohen, Men's At-Large, Third Team</li>
 </ul>CSC Academic All-Americans, All-Time Division I Top Five<ol>
 <li>Stanford - 373</li><li>&nbsp;Nebraska - 362</li><li>&nbsp;Notre Dame - 278</li><li>&nbsp;Alabama - 230</li><li>&nbsp;Penn State - 229</li>
 </ol>

Cohen claims Academic All-America Award

Story by UNK Athletic Communications

Kearney, Neb. –&nbsp;Redshirt sophomore heavyweight&nbsp;Crew Howard&nbsp;has earned second-team&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://academicallamerica.com/news/2024/7/16/2023-24-academic-all-america-mens-at-large-teams-announced-for-all-ncaa-naia-and-college-divisions.aspx">Academic All-American honors as selected by the College Sports Communicators (CSC)</a>.&nbsp;

The NCAA Division I, II, III and NAIA At-Large Academic All-American teams were released today. The “At-Large” category includes a variety of sports including wrestling, lacrosse, men’s volleyball, skiing, and water polo.

To earn this honor, a student-athlete must first qualify for the Academic All-District team. That includes a 3.50 cumulative grade point average and, for wrestling, to have competed in 70% of a team’s scored events. Next, each school is limited to six At-Large nominees per gender with top candidates forwarded to the national committee where CSC member vote on the makeup of the Academic All-American squad.&nbsp;&nbsp;Howard (Creston, Ia.) was one of Division II’s top heavyweights in 2023-24, going 29-4 and finishing third at the NCAA Championships in March. Nationally ranked throughout the season, he recorded eight falls, four tech falls and five majors en route to also winning a region title and earning second-team All-MIAA honors.&nbsp;Off the mat, Howard maintains a 4.00 GPA in Business Administration and was the MIAA “A Game” winner for having the highest GPA/most credit hours this past season among league wrestlers. He also was a National Wrestling Coaches Assoc. (NWCA) Scholar All-American.

He is the fifth&nbsp;Loper&nbsp;wrestling CSC/CoSIDA Academic All-American, following current head coach Dalton Jensen (2012), Mark Fiala (2014), Matt Malcom (2019) and Josh Portillo (2019).

Story by UNK Athletic CommunicationsKearney, Neb. –&nbsp;Redshirt sophomore heavyweight&nbsp;Crew Howard&nbsp;has earned second-team&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://academicallamerica.com/news/2024/7/16/2023-24-academic-all-america-mens-at-large-teams-announced-for-all-ncaa-naia-and-college-divisions.aspx">Academic All-American honors as selected by the College Sports Communicators (CSC)</a>.&nbsp;The NCAA Division I, II, III and NAIA At-Large Academic All-American teams were released today. The “At-Large” category includes a variety of sports including wrestling, lacrosse, men’s volleyball, skiing, and water polo.To earn this honor, a student-athlete must first qualify for the Academic All-District team. That includes a 3.50 cumulative grade point average and, for wrestling, to have competed in 70% of a team’s scored events. Next, each school is limited to six At-Large nominees per gender with top candidates forwarded to the national committee where CSC member vote on the makeup of the Academic All-American squad.&nbsp;&nbsp;Howard (Creston, Ia.) was one of Division II’s top heavyweights in 2023-24, going 29-4 and finishing third at the NCAA Championships in March. Nationally ranked throughout the season, he recorded eight falls, four tech falls and five majors en route to also winning a region title and earning second-team All-MIAA honors.&nbsp;Off the mat, Howard maintains a 4.00 GPA in Business Administration and was the MIAA “A Game” winner for having the highest GPA/most credit hours this past season among league wrestlers. He also was a National Wrestling Coaches Assoc. (NWCA) Scholar All-American.He is the fifth&nbsp;Loper&nbsp;wrestling CSC/CoSIDA Academic All-American, following current head coach Dalton Jensen (2012), Mark Fiala (2014), Matt Malcom (2019) and Josh Portillo (2019).

Loper earns second-team Academic All-American honors

Story by NU Athletic Communications&nbsp;

The Nebraska women’s tennis team continues to build its roster with the addition of sophomore transfers Yuzu Miyoshi and Tiziana Rossini for the 2024-25 season.

Miyoshi competed at No. 1 singles and doubles as a freshman at Sophia University in Japan and was named the 2022 player of the year. From Kawasaki, Kagawa, Japan, Miyoshi joins the Big Red with three years of eligibility remaining. Prior to college, she competed in the Kanto Junior Tennis Championship and was named Japan Junior Tennis Tour Champions - Champion.

“I’m super excited to add Yuzu to our Husker family,” Head Coach German Dalmagro said. “She’s very talented and eager to get to work. Her best tennis is ahead of her, and we are very fortunate she chose us to help her with her development. She will be a great college player. She’s very motivated and works hard, and she’s an even better person. I know she will make our team better on and off the court. Looking forward to having her here this fall.”

“The coaches and the teammates are a great fit for me, and Nebraska has the best tennis facilities,” Miyoshi said. “I believe Nebraska would be the best environment where I can improve my tennis.”

Rossini joins the Huskers after a decorated freshman season at VCU. Named Atlantic 10 Freshman of the Year, the Argentinian also tallied a 14-4 singles record.&nbsp;

“I’m super excited to add Tizi to our Husker family,” Dalmagro said. “I have known her for a couple years now, and I know she will make an impact right away. She’s had a great freshman year, and I know she will continue to raise her level once she gets to Nebraska. She’s a great competitor and plays with a lot of passion. Looking forward to seeing that passion while competing with her teammates. We are fortunate she chose Nebraska to continue her education and her tennis.”

Rossini has reached WTA rankings as high as 1003 in singles, as well as 874 in doubles. She also achieved an Argentina National Ranking of No. 2 and earned various titles including Argentina National Champion, W15 doubles champion and W15 singles semifinalist.

“I chose Nebraska because I think it’s exactly what I was looking for,” Rossini said. “An ambitious team, hungry for more and a place where I can grow as a person, student and player.”

Story by NU Athletic Communications&nbsp;The Nebraska women’s tennis team continues to build its roster with the addition of sophomore transfers Yuzu Miyoshi and Tiziana Rossini for the 2024-25 season.Miyoshi competed at No. 1 singles and doubles as a freshman at Sophia University in Japan and was named the 2022 player of the year. From Kawasaki, Kagawa, Japan, Miyoshi joins the Big Red with three years of eligibility remaining. Prior to college, she competed in the Kanto Junior Tennis Championship and was named Japan Junior Tennis Tour Champions - Champion.“I’m super excited to add Yuzu to our Husker family,” Head Coach German Dalmagro said. “She’s very talented and eager to get to work. Her best tennis is ahead of her, and we are very fortunate she chose us to help her with her development. She will be a great college player. She’s very motivated and works hard, and she’s an even better person. I know she will make our team better on and off the court. Looking forward to having her here this fall.”“The coaches and the teammates are a great fit for me, and Nebraska has the best tennis facilities,” Miyoshi said. “I believe Nebraska would be the best environment where I can improve my tennis.”Rossini joins the Huskers after a decorated freshman season at VCU. Named Atlantic 10 Freshman of the Year, the Argentinian also tallied a 14-4 singles record.&nbsp;“I’m super excited to add Tizi to our Husker family,” Dalmagro said. “I have known her for a couple years now, and I know she will make an impact right away. She’s had a great freshman year, and I know she will continue to raise her level once she gets to Nebraska. She’s a great competitor and plays with a lot of passion. Looking forward to seeing that passion while competing with her teammates. We are fortunate she chose Nebraska to continue her education and her tennis.”Rossini has reached WTA rankings as high as 1003 in singles, as well as 874 in doubles. She also achieved an Argentina National Ranking of No. 2 and earned various titles including Argentina National Champion, W15 doubles champion and W15 singles semifinalist.“I chose Nebraska because I think it’s exactly what I was looking for,” Rossini said. “An ambitious team, hungry for more and a place where I can grow as a person, student and player.”

Huskers add Transfers Yuzu Miyoshi, Tiziana Rossini

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

State Games Opening Weekend Highlights

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sears taken in Seventh Round of MLB Draft by Atlanta Braves

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

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

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

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

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

Knapton announced as Diving Addition

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Caron selected in Fourth Round of MLB Draft by Seattle Mariners

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

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

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

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

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

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

Buettenback, Sanderson selected to Northwoods League All-Star Game

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

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

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

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

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

Huskers take seven titles at Speedo Summer Sectionals

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

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

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

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

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

First Loper in nine years earns Academic All-American honors

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Richard Clark named Head Rifle Coach

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kearney native selected as next AD at Chadron State College

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

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

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

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