Story by Alliance Sports Communications

Alliance Sports announced its plans for an innovative, state-of-the-art soccer stadium for Union Omaha. Positioned as the centerpiece of an extensive $300 million, 18-acre mixed-use project along Abbott Drive, the construction of the stadium with hard cost of $60 million is poised to start construction in the Fall of 2024, with doors opening to the public in the Spring of 2026. This strategic initiative not only aims to invigorate economic growth but also contributes to the dynamic evolution of downtown Omaha. Additionally, the project is actively pursuing legislation inclusion in the Sports Arena Facility Financing Assistance Act, anticipating a cumulative support of $25 million for the stadium project over 20 years.

Fans on the street outside the proposed stadium

The key components of the initial development plan include:

“The development planned by Alliance Sports is another commitment we all have to downtown Omaha and our urban core,” said Mayor Jean Stothert. “It will create additional opportunities for business and talent recruitment, tourism, conventions and meeting bookings, and youth sports events, growing our reputation as a sports competition and event destination that promotes Omaha to a national audience.”

An economic impact study conducted in 2021 projected the stadium would have a $99 million impact on the State of Nebraska and $168 Million to the City of Omaha from the stadium alone. The surrounding development is expected to further contribute with a projected $200 million impact and the creation of 450 new jobs.

“This district will help add to the exciting development already happening in downtown Omaha,” said Gary Green, co-founder of Alliance Sports. “It falls in line with the Chamber’s Urban Core Strategic Plan for bringing economic development and jobs to the heart of the city and we are very excited to see it moving forward.”

Union Omaha is currently playing matches at Werner Park in Papillion, sharing the park with the Omaha Storm Chasers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. Having the new stadium will allow expansion of the sport of soccer with the future addition of a women’s soccer team and a youth academy.

“This project will move professional soccer forward in Omaha and across the state,” said Martie Cordaro, Union Omaha President. “We anticipate 150 to 200 events a year will take place in the district including 20+ Union Omaha pro soccer matches, 15+ women’s team soccer matches, 20+ high school/college soccer matches, and 100+ community events for everyone to enjoy.”

Alliance Sports invites residents and visitors alike to look forward to a dynamic district that not only enhances the sports and entertainment landscape but also brings about substantial economic benefits and job opportunities.

Alliance Sports, founded in 2008 by Gary Green and Larry Botel, owns and operates the Omaha Storm Chasers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals; the Richmond Flying Squirrels, the San Francisco Giant’s Double-A affiliate; the Montgomery Biscuits, the Tampa Bay Rays’ Double-A affiliate; and Union Omaha, a USL League One team. Alliance Sports also owns the digital platform and publication Baseball America Magazine.

Story by Alliance Sports Communications<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">📍🏟️ Today, the Club announces plans for a 7,000-seat downtown stadium at Abbott Drive near the Missouri riverfront. Home to our men&#39;s and future women&#39;s teams, the development will also include retail, lodging &amp; outdoor entertainment. 🔗 <a href="https://t.co/S5AgGuoKjz">https://t.co/S5AgGuoKjz</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OneMeansAll?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OneMeansAll</a> <a href="https://t.co/BeiwPPluFm">pic.twitter.com/BeiwPPluFm</a>&mdash; Union Omaha (@Union_Omaha) <a href="https://twitter.com/Union_Omaha/status/1750550890740646034?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Alliance Sports announced its plans for an innovative, state-of-the-art soccer stadium for Union Omaha. Positioned as the centerpiece of an extensive $300 million, 18-acre mixed-use project along Abbott Drive, the construction of the stadium with hard cost of $60 million is poised to start construction in the Fall of 2024, with doors opening to the public in the Spring of 2026. This strategic initiative not only aims to invigorate economic growth but also contributes to the dynamic evolution of downtown Omaha. Additionally, the project is actively pursuing legislation inclusion in the Sports Arena Facility Financing Assistance Act, anticipating a cumulative support of $25 million for the stadium project over 20 years.<ul>
 <li>Aerial view of Abbot Drive site plan</li><li>Inside Union Omaha’s proposed new stadium</li><li>Entering the stadium at night</li><li>Fans on the street outside the proposed stadium</li><li>Aerial view of Abbot Drive site plan</li><li>Inside Union Omaha’s proposed new stadium</li>
 </ul>Fans on the street outside the proposed stadiumThe key components of the initial development plan include:<ul>
 <li>Soccer Stadium&nbsp;– A 7,000-seat soccer stadium serving as the new home for Union Omaha, Nebraska’s only professional soccer team. Plans include adding a women’s soccer team in the future.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Residential Units&nbsp;– Approximately 330 residential units, comprising a mix of apartments and townhomes, contributing to the urban living experience within the district.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Retail Space&nbsp;– A significant retail component of around 100,000 square feet, providing diverse shopping and dining options for residents and visitors.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Hotel&nbsp;– An approximately 140-key hotel, enhancing the area’s hospitality offerings and catering to the needs of the growing community.</li>
 </ul>“The development planned by Alliance Sports is another commitment we all have to downtown Omaha and our urban core,” said Mayor Jean Stothert. “It will create additional opportunities for business and talent recruitment, tourism, conventions and meeting bookings, and youth sports events, growing our reputation as a sports competition and event destination that promotes Omaha to a national audience.”An economic impact study conducted in 2021 projected the stadium would have a $99 million impact on the State of Nebraska and $168 Million to the City of Omaha from the stadium alone. The surrounding development is expected to further contribute with a projected $200 million impact and the creation of 450 new jobs.“This district will help add to the exciting development already happening in downtown Omaha,” said Gary Green, co-founder of Alliance Sports. “It falls in line with the Chamber’s Urban Core Strategic Plan for bringing economic development and jobs to the heart of the city and we are very excited to see it moving forward.”Union Omaha is currently playing matches at Werner Park in Papillion, sharing the park with the Omaha Storm Chasers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. Having the new stadium will allow expansion of the sport of soccer with the future addition of a women’s soccer team and a youth academy.“This project will move professional soccer forward in Omaha and across the state,” said Martie Cordaro, Union Omaha President. “We anticipate 150 to 200 events a year will take place in the district including 20+ Union Omaha pro soccer matches, 15+ women’s team soccer matches, 20+ high school/college soccer matches, and 100+ community events for everyone to enjoy.”Alliance Sports invites residents and visitors alike to look forward to a dynamic district that not only enhances the sports and entertainment landscape but also brings about substantial economic benefits and job opportunities.About Alliance SportsAlliance Sports, founded in 2008 by Gary Green and Larry Botel, owns and operates the Omaha Storm Chasers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals; the Richmond Flying Squirrels, the San Francisco Giant’s Double-A affiliate; the Montgomery Biscuits, the Tampa Bay Rays’ Double-A affiliate; and Union Omaha, a USL League One team. Alliance Sports also owns the digital platform and publication Baseball America Magazine.

Alliance Sports announces vision for Union Omaha with cutting-edge stadium

Story by NU Athletic Communications

One of the top golfers from the state of Texas, Danica Lundgren signed her National Letter of Intent to join the Nebraska women's golf team on Wednesday, Jan. 24, becoming the fourth member of Coach Jeanne Sutherland's 2024 class.

Lundgren, a senior at Vandegrift High School in Austin, Texas, was a first-team Class 6A all-state selection as a junior in 2023, helping the Vipers to a Texas UIL 6A Championship. She also helped Vandegrift to state runner-up finishes in 2021 and 2022.

Lundgren finished fifth individually at the 2023 Texas UIL 6-A state championship with rounds of 71 and 72 to finish at 143 (-1) on the 5,876-yard layout at Legacy Hills Golf Course in Georgetown. It followed her sixth-place finish at the Region IV Championship, which included an opening-round 67 (-5) on a 5,881-yard layout at the Golf Club of Texas in San Antonio.

"Danica is the type of player we love at Nebraska," Sutherland said. "She's an excellent player, a strong student and a wonderful person. She has helped her team win a state championship, which makes her the third player in our class this season that can claim that honor. Both Eden (Lohrbach) and Bridget (Butler) also led their team to their respective state championships. Danica will not only fit in well, she will help us raise our level of play going forward."

Lundgren was named the Southern Texas PGA Junior Golfer of the Year in November of 2023. She compiled 55 victories with the STPGA since 2015, including a victory at the STPGA Prestige Tour Alamo City Shootout with rounds of 70 and 66 to finish at 136 (-8) at Brackenridge Park Golf Course in San Antonio in April of 2023. She will be formally presented with her Junior Golfer of the Year honor at the STPGA's 56th Annual Awards Banquet on Monday, Feb. 5.

As a young golfer, Lundgren tied for fourth in the Girls 10-11 Division at the 2018 Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia.

"I chose Nebraska because they prioritize athletes by providing an abundance of resources to help them succeed. The amount of support given is like no other school," Lundgren said. "Both Coach Sutherland and Coach (Matt) Zedrick have plenty of experience as coaches and with the game, which was the driving factor in my decision. I wanted to play for a program where I could continue to grow and progress while expanding my knowledge of golf because there is always something new to learn.

Another factor that made me choose Nebraska was the competitiveness of the team. I needed a team with players that would push me to perform and truly earn my spot to play. I like to be surrounded by girls who have the same passion to work and play hard. I am 100 percent sure I found those people. Overall, I'm so honored to have this opportunity to play for Nebraska, and I can't wait to play the game I love as a Husker."

Lundgren joins a Husker incoming class that includes Eden Lohrbach (Ames, Iowa), Bridget Butler (Barrington, Illinois) and Olivia Lovegrove (Lincoln, Nebraska).

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsOne of the top golfers from the state of Texas, Danica Lundgren signed her National Letter of Intent to join the Nebraska women's golf team on Wednesday, Jan. 24, becoming the fourth member of Coach Jeanne Sutherland's 2024 class.Lundgren, a senior at Vandegrift High School in Austin, Texas, was a first-team Class 6A all-state selection as a junior in 2023, helping the Vipers to a Texas UIL 6A Championship. She also helped Vandegrift to state runner-up finishes in 2021 and 2022.Lundgren finished fifth individually at the 2023 Texas UIL 6-A state championship with rounds of 71 and 72 to finish at 143 (-1) on the 5,876-yard layout at Legacy Hills Golf Course in Georgetown. It followed her sixth-place finish at the Region IV Championship, which included an opening-round 67 (-5) on a 5,881-yard layout at the Golf Club of Texas in San Antonio."Danica is the type of player we love at Nebraska," Sutherland said. "She's an excellent player, a strong student and a wonderful person. She has helped her team win a state championship, which makes her the third player in our class this season that can claim that honor. Both Eden (Lohrbach) and Bridget (Butler) also led their team to their respective state championships. Danica will not only fit in well, she will help us raise our level of play going forward."Lundgren was named the Southern Texas PGA Junior Golfer of the Year in November of 2023. She compiled 55 victories with the STPGA since 2015, including a victory at the STPGA Prestige Tour Alamo City Shootout with rounds of 70 and 66 to finish at 136 (-8) at Brackenridge Park Golf Course in San Antonio in April of 2023. She will be formally presented with her Junior Golfer of the Year honor at the STPGA's 56th Annual Awards Banquet on Monday, Feb. 5.As a young golfer, Lundgren tied for fourth in the Girls 10-11 Division at the 2018 Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia."I chose Nebraska because they prioritize athletes by providing an abundance of resources to help them succeed. The amount of support given is like no other school," Lundgren said. "Both Coach Sutherland and Coach (Matt) Zedrick have plenty of experience as coaches and with the game, which was the driving factor in my decision. I wanted to play for a program where I could continue to grow and progress while expanding my knowledge of golf because there is always something new to learn.Another factor that made me choose Nebraska was the competitiveness of the team. I needed a team with players that would push me to perform and truly earn my spot to play. I like to be surrounded by girls who have the same passion to work and play hard. I am 100 percent sure I found those people. Overall, I'm so honored to have this opportunity to play for Nebraska, and I can't wait to play the game I love as a Husker."Lundgren joins a Husker incoming class that includes Eden Lohrbach (Ames, Iowa), Bridget Butler (Barrington, Illinois) and Olivia Lovegrove (Lincoln, Nebraska).

Lundgren signs with Huskers as a top Texan

Story by Omaha Supernovas Communications&nbsp;

OMAHA, Neb. –&nbsp;In the inaugural match of the Pro Volleyball Federation, the Omaha Supernovas fell to the Atlanta Vibe in a five-set thriller (24-26, 23-25, 25-17, 25-19, 13-15) Wednesday at the CHI Health Center. A record-breaking crowd of 11,624 packed the stands for Omaha and Atlanta becoming the biggest American crowd to attend a women’s professional volleyball match.&nbsp;

Four Supernovas reached double-digit kills on the night including a team-high 16 from outside hitter Brooke Nuneviller. Iowa native Jess Schaben-Lansman chipped in 13 while former Wisconsin middle blocker Danielle Hart slammed down 12 kills on a .360 hitting percentage.&nbsp;

Outside hitter Bethania de la Cruz recorded 10 kills while recording three aces from behind the service line. Supernovas middle blocker Tori Dixon led Omaha with five blocks while posting a .391 clip on nine kills.&nbsp;

Outside hitter Leah Edmond led the Vibe with a match-high 27 kills. Alli Linnehan added 13, and Grace Cleveland recorded 11. Atlanta had a balanced defensive effort with five players posting multiple blocks to outpace the Supernovas 15-13.&nbsp;

Set 1:&nbsp;The Vibe jumped out to an early 2-0 lead after back-to-back Linnehan kills. Atlanta expanded its lead behind a Tori Dilfer-Stringer service run early in the set. The Supernovas mounted a mid-set comeback and tied the set 24-24 after a missed serve from the Vibe. Edmond locked up the set two points later&nbsp;at 26-24. Nuneviller led the Supernovas with four kills in the first set and posted a .250 hitting percentage. Edmond led the Vibe with a .286 hitting percentage on six kills. The Vibe out blocked the Supernovas 5-1.&nbsp;

Set 2:&nbsp;After going back-and-forth early on, the Vibe went up 14-9 behind a Shelly Fanning service run. A kill by Nia Reed and a smartly placed ball by Natalia Valentín-Anderson brought the Supernovas within one (16-17). Bethania de la Cruz served up a critical ace for the Supernovas to cut the Vibe’s lead to 22-20. Another tough serve by de&nbsp;la Cruz led to an overpass kill by Dixon. Two Nuneviller kills tied the set 23-23, but a net violation on the Supernovas ended the set 25-23 in favor of the Vibe. Dixon tallied an impressive four blocks and added two kills for the Supernovas. Edmond once again led the Vibe with six kills.&nbsp;

Set 3:&nbsp;The Supernovas took their largest lead of the game after a 6-0 service run by Nuneviller. The Vibe fought back with a 3-0 run of their own that was ended by a Dixon kill on the slide to make it 13-9 Supernovas. The Supernovas controlled the rest of the set and won 25-17 on a Vibe service error. The middles came up big for the Supernovas in the third. Dixon posted a .400 hitting percentage and Hart tallied a .357 hitting percentage.&nbsp;

Set 4:&nbsp;A balanced offensive effort helped the Supernovas to capture a close fourth set. Six Supernovas registered kills, with Hart’s five kills on a .300 hitting percentage. An early service run put the Supernovas up 8-4. They held the lead for the rest of the set. A tough hit by Gina Mancuso-Prososki led to an overpass put away by Dixon to get the Supernovas to set point. Schaben-Lansman posted her third block of the night to finish the set 25-19 in favor of the Supernovas and send the match to a decisive fifth set.&nbsp;

Set 5:&nbsp;Dixon got the Supernovas on the board first with her ninth kill of the match. The two teams traded points early on in the set, but the Vibe went up 10-8 after an Edmond kill. The Supernovas logged two kills of their own to even it at 10-10. Putting the Supernovas up 13-10, de la Cruz went on a service run which included two aces. A block by the Vibe and three straight kills by Edmond sealed the 15-13 set five victory for the Vibe.&nbsp;

The Supernovas continue their homestand, facing the San Diego Mojo on Saturday, Feb. 3 at 6 p.m CST.&nbsp;

The Supernovas are one of seven U.S. teams for the 2024 inaugural season: Omaha Supernovas,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001yETr0CaU_TfOhjbifVoVUEokVlKMmA9R0mcUuGKnZV9cXu_g0eY0C_cF6gGirTdPBcD2ZulTOJLFGkUEjUHmC0I3NcNf9kqII_UoOVJ6pckw2an9fENEuPK4njgNz1uy0KGWRTNiQTh70YO8FFSr3AqgIB87BJ58FC_B5KsrfSmTaVQl6Ls4RCCEeeJ0Ci8l&amp;c=pnTt_3t_ufy0N6WO9EJc3OcIztxdgjDCp1BIHZhQGfnofpVfaxTlGg==&amp;ch=y_uppW7rx4fZnOn2ZRdzofuN7peO8t_s7Wx1ZSCshtb2YyhHM94nFw==" target="_blank">Atlanta Vibe</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001yETr0CaU_TfOhjbifVoVUEokVlKMmA9R0mcUuGKnZV9cXu_g0eY0C_cF6gGirTdPdzOxQI1mDoXs99Tmqsc9-eMqb_orruqLqvGvWYwqx6UkLKY3O6m5cB6lzi8iOl8DZGRnk0SzTIwLgw2FdHB8zw==&amp;c=pnTt_3t_ufy0N6WO9EJc3OcIztxdgjDCp1BIHZhQGfnofpVfaxTlGg==&amp;ch=y_uppW7rx4fZnOn2ZRdzofuN7peO8t_s7Wx1ZSCshtb2YyhHM94nFw==" target="_blank">Orlando Valkyries</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001yETr0CaU_TfOhjbifVoVUEokVlKMmA9R0mcUuGKnZV9cXu_g0eY0C_cF6gGirTdPa85B---mVkjwZJRsk3ww10jv-sP9ruG3ntK4nxs8JNhKHLKalKNkmHJoG-k2vxDemGGuqACxtT9pMfpL4BzzRg==&amp;c=pnTt_3t_ufy0N6WO9EJc3OcIztxdgjDCp1BIHZhQGfnofpVfaxTlGg==&amp;ch=y_uppW7rx4fZnOn2ZRdzofuN7peO8t_s7Wx1ZSCshtb2YyhHM94nFw==" target="_blank">Columbus Fury</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001yETr0CaU_TfOhjbifVoVUEokVlKMmA9R0mcUuGKnZV9cXu_g0eY0C_cF6gGirTdPQrcWaYCIhGhGPD-CnY1fGk09LLZdYjQuLUvrXAYm4kn2f7aCdTndpjMpNGe6XNkAkWI7pplXyiL7vFbEjgWtTw==&amp;c=pnTt_3t_ufy0N6WO9EJc3OcIztxdgjDCp1BIHZhQGfnofpVfaxTlGg==&amp;ch=y_uppW7rx4fZnOn2ZRdzofuN7peO8t_s7Wx1ZSCshtb2YyhHM94nFw==" target="_blank">Grand Rapids Rise</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001yETr0CaU_TfOhjbifVoVUEokVlKMmA9R0mcUuGKnZV9cXu_g0eY0C_cF6gGirTdPUp8dO3XilcEFGxVhUm7sWaCamwFKUPr5JTCUW32hGotylEJIMVILebYTX0nSAPgTztJb0CwTOsn288oOmAy8ew==&amp;c=pnTt_3t_ufy0N6WO9EJc3OcIztxdgjDCp1BIHZhQGfnofpVfaxTlGg==&amp;ch=y_uppW7rx4fZnOn2ZRdzofuN7peO8t_s7Wx1ZSCshtb2YyhHM94nFw==" target="_blank">San Diego Mojo</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001yETr0CaU_TfOhjbifVoVUEokVlKMmA9R0mcUuGKnZV9cXu_g0eY0C_cF6gGirTdP-00WI5x8EC2oH7Gld6ggLjE1Lt7sis6JPZyOsT4MYtOeDLL3hI7K74Kymaaq7POa-mWwlNMM1b15iMfN6COEkw==&amp;c=pnTt_3t_ufy0N6WO9EJc3OcIztxdgjDCp1BIHZhQGfnofpVfaxTlGg==&amp;ch=y_uppW7rx4fZnOn2ZRdzofuN7peO8t_s7Wx1ZSCshtb2YyhHM94nFw==" target="_blank">Vegas Thrill</a>. Three expansion teams,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001yETr0CaU_TfOhjbifVoVUEokVlKMmA9R0mcUuGKnZV9cXu_g0eY0C_cF6gGirTdPw7iD-r5tjwXa92Tfz1cVmjZHjqqrAQht-Hv2lRqR0Kb78LJAICMtenTP46pn_SvLdkmwT-w_uhRL40lw-RxrGyRxilQpL6VZ&amp;c=pnTt_3t_ufy0N6WO9EJc3OcIztxdgjDCp1BIHZhQGfnofpVfaxTlGg==&amp;ch=y_uppW7rx4fZnOn2ZRdzofuN7peO8t_s7Wx1ZSCshtb2YyhHM94nFw==" target="_blank">Dallas Pro Volleyball</a>, Kansas City Pro Volleyball and Indianapolis Pro Volleyball have been announced for 2025. The Supernovas will have 12 home and 12 away matches as part of a 24-match schedule across a 16-week regular season.&nbsp;&nbsp;

When the regular season concludes, the Supernovas are aiming to be one of the top four squads in the standings that will compete for the Pro Volleyball Federation Championship in May. The location of the championship will be determined and announced at a later date

Story by Omaha Supernovas Communications&nbsp;OMAHA, Neb. –&nbsp;In the inaugural match of the Pro Volleyball Federation, the Omaha Supernovas fell to the Atlanta Vibe in a five-set thriller (24-26, 23-25, 25-17, 25-19, 13-15) Wednesday at the CHI Health Center. A record-breaking crowd of 11,624 packed the stands for Omaha and Atlanta becoming the biggest American crowd to attend a women’s professional volleyball match.&nbsp;Four Supernovas reached double-digit kills on the night including a team-high 16 from outside hitter Brooke Nuneviller. Iowa native Jess Schaben-Lansman chipped in 13 while former Wisconsin middle blocker Danielle Hart slammed down 12 kills on a .360 hitting percentage.&nbsp;Outside hitter Bethania de la Cruz recorded 10 kills while recording three aces from behind the service line. Supernovas middle blocker Tori Dixon led Omaha with five blocks while posting a .391 clip on nine kills.&nbsp;Outside hitter Leah Edmond led the Vibe with a match-high 27 kills. Alli Linnehan added 13, and Grace Cleveland recorded 11. Atlanta had a balanced defensive effort with five players posting multiple blocks to outpace the Supernovas 15-13.&nbsp;Set 1:&nbsp;The Vibe jumped out to an early 2-0 lead after back-to-back Linnehan kills. Atlanta expanded its lead behind a Tori Dilfer-Stringer service run early in the set. The Supernovas mounted a mid-set comeback and tied the set 24-24 after a missed serve from the Vibe. Edmond locked up the set two points later&nbsp;at 26-24. Nuneviller led the Supernovas with four kills in the first set and posted a .250 hitting percentage. Edmond led the Vibe with a .286 hitting percentage on six kills. The Vibe out blocked the Supernovas 5-1.&nbsp;Set 2:&nbsp;After going back-and-forth early on, the Vibe went up 14-9 behind a Shelly Fanning service run. A kill by Nia Reed and a smartly placed ball by Natalia Valentín-Anderson brought the Supernovas within one (16-17). Bethania de la Cruz served up a critical ace for the Supernovas to cut the Vibe’s lead to 22-20. Another tough serve by de&nbsp;la Cruz led to an overpass kill by Dixon. Two Nuneviller kills tied the set 23-23, but a net violation on the Supernovas ended the set 25-23 in favor of the Vibe. Dixon tallied an impressive four blocks and added two kills for the Supernovas. Edmond once again led the Vibe with six kills.&nbsp;Set 3:&nbsp;The Supernovas took their largest lead of the game after a 6-0 service run by Nuneviller. The Vibe fought back with a 3-0 run of their own that was ended by a Dixon kill on the slide to make it 13-9 Supernovas. The Supernovas controlled the rest of the set and won 25-17 on a Vibe service error. The middles came up big for the Supernovas in the third. Dixon posted a .400 hitting percentage and Hart tallied a .357 hitting percentage.&nbsp;Set 4:&nbsp;A balanced offensive effort helped the Supernovas to capture a close fourth set. Six Supernovas registered kills, with Hart’s five kills on a .300 hitting percentage. An early service run put the Supernovas up 8-4. They held the lead for the rest of the set. A tough hit by Gina Mancuso-Prososki led to an overpass put away by Dixon to get the Supernovas to set point. Schaben-Lansman posted her third block of the night to finish the set 25-19 in favor of the Supernovas and send the match to a decisive fifth set.&nbsp;Set 5:&nbsp;Dixon got the Supernovas on the board first with her ninth kill of the match. The two teams traded points early on in the set, but the Vibe went up 10-8 after an Edmond kill. The Supernovas logged two kills of their own to even it at 10-10. Putting the Supernovas up 13-10, de la Cruz went on a service run which included two aces. A block by the Vibe and three straight kills by Edmond sealed the 15-13 set five victory for the Vibe.&nbsp;The Supernovas continue their homestand, facing the San Diego Mojo on Saturday, Feb. 3 at 6 p.m CST.&nbsp;The Supernovas are one of seven U.S. teams for the 2024 inaugural season: Omaha Supernovas,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001yETr0CaU_TfOhjbifVoVUEokVlKMmA9R0mcUuGKnZV9cXu_g0eY0C_cF6gGirTdPBcD2ZulTOJLFGkUEjUHmC0I3NcNf9kqII_UoOVJ6pckw2an9fENEuPK4njgNz1uy0KGWRTNiQTh70YO8FFSr3AqgIB87BJ58FC_B5KsrfSmTaVQl6Ls4RCCEeeJ0Ci8l&amp;c=pnTt_3t_ufy0N6WO9EJc3OcIztxdgjDCp1BIHZhQGfnofpVfaxTlGg==&amp;ch=y_uppW7rx4fZnOn2ZRdzofuN7peO8t_s7Wx1ZSCshtb2YyhHM94nFw==" target="_blank">Atlanta Vibe</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001yETr0CaU_TfOhjbifVoVUEokVlKMmA9R0mcUuGKnZV9cXu_g0eY0C_cF6gGirTdPdzOxQI1mDoXs99Tmqsc9-eMqb_orruqLqvGvWYwqx6UkLKY3O6m5cB6lzi8iOl8DZGRnk0SzTIwLgw2FdHB8zw==&amp;c=pnTt_3t_ufy0N6WO9EJc3OcIztxdgjDCp1BIHZhQGfnofpVfaxTlGg==&amp;ch=y_uppW7rx4fZnOn2ZRdzofuN7peO8t_s7Wx1ZSCshtb2YyhHM94nFw==" target="_blank">Orlando Valkyries</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001yETr0CaU_TfOhjbifVoVUEokVlKMmA9R0mcUuGKnZV9cXu_g0eY0C_cF6gGirTdPa85B---mVkjwZJRsk3ww10jv-sP9ruG3ntK4nxs8JNhKHLKalKNkmHJoG-k2vxDemGGuqACxtT9pMfpL4BzzRg==&amp;c=pnTt_3t_ufy0N6WO9EJc3OcIztxdgjDCp1BIHZhQGfnofpVfaxTlGg==&amp;ch=y_uppW7rx4fZnOn2ZRdzofuN7peO8t_s7Wx1ZSCshtb2YyhHM94nFw==" target="_blank">Columbus Fury</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001yETr0CaU_TfOhjbifVoVUEokVlKMmA9R0mcUuGKnZV9cXu_g0eY0C_cF6gGirTdPQrcWaYCIhGhGPD-CnY1fGk09LLZdYjQuLUvrXAYm4kn2f7aCdTndpjMpNGe6XNkAkWI7pplXyiL7vFbEjgWtTw==&amp;c=pnTt_3t_ufy0N6WO9EJc3OcIztxdgjDCp1BIHZhQGfnofpVfaxTlGg==&amp;ch=y_uppW7rx4fZnOn2ZRdzofuN7peO8t_s7Wx1ZSCshtb2YyhHM94nFw==" target="_blank">Grand Rapids Rise</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001yETr0CaU_TfOhjbifVoVUEokVlKMmA9R0mcUuGKnZV9cXu_g0eY0C_cF6gGirTdPUp8dO3XilcEFGxVhUm7sWaCamwFKUPr5JTCUW32hGotylEJIMVILebYTX0nSAPgTztJb0CwTOsn288oOmAy8ew==&amp;c=pnTt_3t_ufy0N6WO9EJc3OcIztxdgjDCp1BIHZhQGfnofpVfaxTlGg==&amp;ch=y_uppW7rx4fZnOn2ZRdzofuN7peO8t_s7Wx1ZSCshtb2YyhHM94nFw==" target="_blank">San Diego Mojo</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001yETr0CaU_TfOhjbifVoVUEokVlKMmA9R0mcUuGKnZV9cXu_g0eY0C_cF6gGirTdP-00WI5x8EC2oH7Gld6ggLjE1Lt7sis6JPZyOsT4MYtOeDLL3hI7K74Kymaaq7POa-mWwlNMM1b15iMfN6COEkw==&amp;c=pnTt_3t_ufy0N6WO9EJc3OcIztxdgjDCp1BIHZhQGfnofpVfaxTlGg==&amp;ch=y_uppW7rx4fZnOn2ZRdzofuN7peO8t_s7Wx1ZSCshtb2YyhHM94nFw==" target="_blank">Vegas Thrill</a>. Three expansion teams,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001yETr0CaU_TfOhjbifVoVUEokVlKMmA9R0mcUuGKnZV9cXu_g0eY0C_cF6gGirTdPw7iD-r5tjwXa92Tfz1cVmjZHjqqrAQht-Hv2lRqR0Kb78LJAICMtenTP46pn_SvLdkmwT-w_uhRL40lw-RxrGyRxilQpL6VZ&amp;c=pnTt_3t_ufy0N6WO9EJc3OcIztxdgjDCp1BIHZhQGfnofpVfaxTlGg==&amp;ch=y_uppW7rx4fZnOn2ZRdzofuN7peO8t_s7Wx1ZSCshtb2YyhHM94nFw==" target="_blank">Dallas Pro Volleyball</a>, Kansas City Pro Volleyball and Indianapolis Pro Volleyball have been announced for 2025. The Supernovas will have 12 home and 12 away matches as part of a 24-match schedule across a 16-week regular season.&nbsp;&nbsp;When the regular season concludes, the Supernovas are aiming to be one of the top four squads in the standings that will compete for the Pro Volleyball Federation Championship in May. The location of the championship will be determined and announced at a later date

Supernovas fall to Vibe in Five-Set thriller in front of record-breaking crowd  

Five players from Canada's 2018 world junior team have taken a leave of absence from their current clubs in recent days amid a report that five members of that team have been asked to surrender to police to face sexual assault charges.

NHL players Michael McLeod and Cal Foote of the New Jersey Devils,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flyers-carter-hart-0637fcbae8f8005147edb1582e5dc74d">Carter Hart of the Philadelphia Flyers</a>, Dillon Dube of the Calgary Flames and former NHL player Alex Formenton, who is now with a team in Europe, all have been granted indefinite leave, with the absences announced over the past four days.

The Flyers and Swiss club HC Ambri-Piotta cited personal reasons for Hart's and Formenton's leaves; the Swiss club also said Formenton has been allowed to return to Canada. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dillon-dube-flames-leave-mental-health-367bd328d4f66cdb01481673969b7418">Flames cited Dube's mental health</a>, and the Devils did not give a reason Wednesday in announcing McLeod and Foote were on leave.

Messages left for the agents representing all five players and multiple messages sent to Hart's lawyer seeking comment were not immediately returned. The NHL Players' Association declined to comment.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-canada-hockey-ontario-sexual-assault-a2fcb263bfafd1c824a28b2f43caae21">London, Ontario, police launched an investigation</a>&nbsp;in 2022 after word emerged that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nhl-sports-canada-lawsuits-sexual-assault-9e81b3ec0df1fa23ce7a69f8e630bfaf">Hockey Canada had settled</a>&nbsp;a lawsuit with a woman who said she was sexually assaulted by eight members of that gold medal-winning team at a gala. The Globe &amp; Mail, citing unnamed sources, reported Wednesday that five players from that team were asked to surrender to police in the city halfway between Toronto and Detroit to face charges of sexual assault.

A spokesperson for London Police would not confirm the report when contacted by The Associated Press. “When there is an update to provide, we will share with media outlets,” Sgt. Sandasha Bough said Wednesday.

London Police announced Wednesday they would be holding a news conference on Feb. 5 to share further details “in relation to a sexual assault investigation dating back to 2018.”

Earlier in the day, Flyers general manager Daniel Briere opened his midseason state-of-the-organization news conference by saying: "We are aware of this morning’s press reports on a very serious matter. We will respond appropriately when the outcomes of the investigations are made public.

“The NHL has been very clear that teams should refer all investigation-related questions to them. In the meantime, members of the organization, including Flyers players, will not be commenting any further. That's all we can say at the moment, unfortunately."

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nhl-sports-hockey-los-angeles-montreal-94e7a3a44b7bd4a571e0795cb9dc6860">The NHL opened its own investigation</a>&nbsp;in 2022 and pledged to make those findings public.

Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told The Associated Press by email Wednesday the league would issue a statement when it is appropriate, adding there's nothing more he could currently say. At the Stanley Cup Final in June, Daly said an independent investigator had completed work and he expected a report by midsummer that the league would then review.

“We have been in contact with the London police, continue to want to be in contact with them, make sure that there’s visibility with respect to what our process is,” Daly said June 3. “And to the extent we can understand what theirs is, that would be the goal. And then I can’t prejudge what happens from there."

The Flyers announced Hart's leave of absence Tuesday in the aftermath of the 25-year-old coming off one of his worst starts of an otherwise strong season when he allowed five goals on 15 shots in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/avalanche-flyers-score-nathan-mackinnon-bb70924626fd843241920f0c09cbb327">a loss to Colorado</a>&nbsp;before being pulled. Briere said he did not know if the situation contributed to Hart's recent play in any way.

“I really can’t tell because we don’t know anything,” Briere said. “We’re not aware of anything. I think there’s a lot of speculation. That’s all we know.”

Asked after practice in Newark, New Jersey, if the absences of McLeod and Foote were related to the report, Devils coach Lindy Ruff said: “I don’t know. I don’t know.”

The Flames, in their Sunday announcement, about Dube said, "Dillon is under the care of health professionals, and we request that Dillon’s privacy is respected during this period.”

Formenton, 24, was a 2017 second-round draft pick of the Ottawa Senators, who did not re-sign him in 2022 after his contract expired, despite holding his rights. He has played in Switzerland's National League A since.

It was not immediately clear if or when the NHL would release the findings of its investigation or what punishments may come out of it for any players involved. There was also no clarity on the three other players alleged to be involved.

Hockey Canada has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-canada-hockey-sexual-assault-24c5f5271f08e1ff46846936ef77e5ff">made wholesale changes</a>&nbsp;after a scathing independent report and lost major sponsors in the nearly two years since this and other scandals emerged.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nhl-sports-hockey-sexual-assault-justin-trudeau-96d4df34ecd9cd44851d546f25884ae4">CEO Scott Smith was ousted</a>&nbsp;and the board of directors also resigned in October 2022, related to how Hockey Canada handled sexual assault allegations and how it paid out settlements.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nike-hockey-canada-8c65b1a47fff9bfe18772b1c5f20b486">Nike last year permanently ended its partnership</a>&nbsp;with the organization after earlier pausing it, along with other sponsors, given the heavy criticism of Hockey Canada leadership.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706131909598.jpeg" alt="FILE - The Canadian team poses for a photo after winning the gold medal with a 3-1 win over Sweden during the third period the title game of the IIHF world junior hockey championships, Friday, Jan. 5, 2018, in Buffalo, N.Y. Five players from Canada's 2018 world junior team have taken a leave of absence from their respective clubs in recent days amid a report that five members of that team have been asked to surrender to police to face sexual assault charges. New Jersey’s Michael McLeod and Cal Foote, Philadelphia’s Carter Hart, Calgary’s Dillon Dube and former NHL player Alex Formenton have all been granted indefinite leave, with the absences announced this week. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - The Canadian team poses for a photo after winning the gold medal with a 3-1 win over Sweden during the third period the title game of the IIHF world junior hockey championships, Friday, Jan. 5, 2018, in Buffalo, N.Y. Five players from Canada's 2018 world junior team have taken a leave of absence from their respective clubs in recent days amid a report that five members of that team have been asked to surrender to police to face sexual assault charges. New Jersey’s Michael McLeod and Cal Foote, Philadelphia’s Carter Hart, Calgary’s Dillon Dube and former NHL player Alex Formenton have all been granted indefinite leave, with the absences announced this week. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY STEPHEN WHYNOAssociated PressFive players from Canada's 2018 world junior team have taken a leave of absence from their current clubs in recent days amid a report that five members of that team have been asked to surrender to police to face sexual assault charges.NHL players Michael McLeod and Cal Foote of the New Jersey Devils,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flyers-carter-hart-0637fcbae8f8005147edb1582e5dc74d">Carter Hart of the Philadelphia Flyers</a>, Dillon Dube of the Calgary Flames and former NHL player Alex Formenton, who is now with a team in Europe, all have been granted indefinite leave, with the absences announced over the past four days.The Flyers and Swiss club HC Ambri-Piotta cited personal reasons for Hart's and Formenton's leaves; the Swiss club also said Formenton has been allowed to return to Canada. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dillon-dube-flames-leave-mental-health-367bd328d4f66cdb01481673969b7418">Flames cited Dube's mental health</a>, and the Devils did not give a reason Wednesday in announcing McLeod and Foote were on leave.Messages left for the agents representing all five players and multiple messages sent to Hart's lawyer seeking comment were not immediately returned. The NHL Players' Association declined to comment.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-canada-hockey-ontario-sexual-assault-a2fcb263bfafd1c824a28b2f43caae21">London, Ontario, police launched an investigation</a>&nbsp;in 2022 after word emerged that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nhl-sports-canada-lawsuits-sexual-assault-9e81b3ec0df1fa23ce7a69f8e630bfaf">Hockey Canada had settled</a>&nbsp;a lawsuit with a woman who said she was sexually assaulted by eight members of that gold medal-winning team at a gala. The Globe &amp; Mail, citing unnamed sources, reported Wednesday that five players from that team were asked to surrender to police in the city halfway between Toronto and Detroit to face charges of sexual assault.A spokesperson for London Police would not confirm the report when contacted by The Associated Press. “When there is an update to provide, we will share with media outlets,” Sgt. Sandasha Bough said Wednesday.London Police announced Wednesday they would be holding a news conference on Feb. 5 to share further details “in relation to a sexual assault investigation dating back to 2018.”Earlier in the day, Flyers general manager Daniel Briere opened his midseason state-of-the-organization news conference by saying: "We are aware of this morning’s press reports on a very serious matter. We will respond appropriately when the outcomes of the investigations are made public.“The NHL has been very clear that teams should refer all investigation-related questions to them. In the meantime, members of the organization, including Flyers players, will not be commenting any further. That's all we can say at the moment, unfortunately."<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nhl-sports-hockey-los-angeles-montreal-94e7a3a44b7bd4a571e0795cb9dc6860">The NHL opened its own investigation</a>&nbsp;in 2022 and pledged to make those findings public.Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told The Associated Press by email Wednesday the league would issue a statement when it is appropriate, adding there's nothing more he could currently say. At the Stanley Cup Final in June, Daly said an independent investigator had completed work and he expected a report by midsummer that the league would then review.“We have been in contact with the London police, continue to want to be in contact with them, make sure that there’s visibility with respect to what our process is,” Daly said June 3. “And to the extent we can understand what theirs is, that would be the goal. And then I can’t prejudge what happens from there."The Flyers announced Hart's leave of absence Tuesday in the aftermath of the 25-year-old coming off one of his worst starts of an otherwise strong season when he allowed five goals on 15 shots in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/avalanche-flyers-score-nathan-mackinnon-bb70924626fd843241920f0c09cbb327">a loss to Colorado</a>&nbsp;before being pulled. Briere said he did not know if the situation contributed to Hart's recent play in any way.“I really can’t tell because we don’t know anything,” Briere said. “We’re not aware of anything. I think there’s a lot of speculation. That’s all we know.”Asked after practice in Newark, New Jersey, if the absences of McLeod and Foote were related to the report, Devils coach Lindy Ruff said: “I don’t know. I don’t know.”The Flames, in their Sunday announcement, about Dube said, "Dillon is under the care of health professionals, and we request that Dillon’s privacy is respected during this period.”Formenton, 24, was a 2017 second-round draft pick of the Ottawa Senators, who did not re-sign him in 2022 after his contract expired, despite holding his rights. He has played in Switzerland's National League A since.It was not immediately clear if or when the NHL would release the findings of its investigation or what punishments may come out of it for any players involved. There was also no clarity on the three other players alleged to be involved.Hockey Canada has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-canada-hockey-sexual-assault-24c5f5271f08e1ff46846936ef77e5ff">made wholesale changes</a>&nbsp;after a scathing independent report and lost major sponsors in the nearly two years since this and other scandals emerged.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nhl-sports-hockey-sexual-assault-justin-trudeau-96d4df34ecd9cd44851d546f25884ae4">CEO Scott Smith was ousted</a>&nbsp;and the board of directors also resigned in October 2022, related to how Hockey Canada handled sexual assault allegations and how it paid out settlements.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nike-hockey-canada-8c65b1a47fff9bfe18772b1c5f20b486">Nike last year permanently ended its partnership</a>&nbsp;with the organization after earlier pausing it, along with other sponsors, given the heavy criticism of Hockey Canada leadership.

Five players from 2018 Canada world junior team take leave of absence from their clubs

OMAHA, Neb.&nbsp;– The&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001bdQXHv5YKehcE4PriE0nI-kr12cZRIEYWG8iiA2JbcGtJE_kMMBNPZJCijdZAoTgYEMYDB1pIcGxfMQfyP-tgLWdOI5UYIYuamPO5Y1QfMW68CCkZtV4HqS-PBSNfquES6M-z0jEP0tuOOfZb5VYaA==&amp;c=QvkadsUn4uW8kzk2bWs01OdDXQv96YBQfLRiZATCqy45hTw8e06JFw==&amp;ch=PX3sklrEBHR85VYPOe8YgsiP_yRQt86PQEQhGGU6rGNmCaSx7UMmPQ==" target="_blank">Omaha Supernovas,</a>&nbsp;Nebraska’s professional volleyball team in the newly-established&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001bdQXHv5YKehcE4PriE0nI-kr12cZRIEYWG8iiA2JbcGtJE_kMMBNPZJCijdZAoTgaoNMRDnbdfHka4KC4ERcMkEXdNEZJZywRU_1WVU3EkxKY7Ic1yGAFXOMT-PcQxatdp8UB4ep5Bk6TSVLUOL8QQ==&amp;c=QvkadsUn4uW8kzk2bWs01OdDXQv96YBQfLRiZATCqy45hTw8e06JFw==&amp;ch=PX3sklrEBHR85VYPOe8YgsiP_yRQt86PQEQhGGU6rGNmCaSx7UMmPQ==" target="_blank">Professional Volleyball Federation</a>, are excited to announce the official 14-person active roster ahead of Omaha’s franchise opener against the Atlanta Vibe at the CHI Health Center at 7 p.m. for the first Pro Volleyball Federation match.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The final roster includes a mix of NCAA national champions, All-Americans and Olympians. That also includes two college practice players. The Supernovas are proud to present the following players:&nbsp;&nbsp;

That also includes two practices player who are:

The Supernovas are led by AVCA Hall of Fame coach Shelton Collier, who brings an illustrious 41-year volleyball coaching career to Omaha. He’s aided by one of the top coaching staffs in the Pro Volleyball Federation which includes Laura ‘Bird’ Kuhn, John Corbelli, John Xie and Thomas Robson.&nbsp;

Omaha enters the inaugural season as the preseason favorites, as revealed in the Pro Volleyball Federation preseason poll which was voted on by every head coach in the league. Supernovas outside hitter Bethania de la Cruz was voted to the preseason All-League team as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Atlanta Vibe comes into Omaha as the Supernovas’ main rival for league supremacy, landing No. 2 in the Pro Volleyball Federation poll with 32 points, compared to Omaha’s 33. The Vibe boasts one of the best outside hitters and liberos in the league with former Kentucky attacker Leah Edmund and Stanford graduate Morgan Hentz. &nbsp;

Tori Dilfer-Stringer looks set to run the offense as the Vibe’s setter. Dilfer-Stringer made her Team U.S.A. debut at the 2022 Pan American Cup after finishing a historic career at Louisville. She was one of the primary reasons why the Cardinals made their first Final Four in 2021 with Dilfer-Stinger making the AVCA All-American First Team marking the first such honor in program history. &nbsp;

The full match notes can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001bdQXHv5YKehcE4PriE0nI-kr12cZRIEYWG8iiA2JbcGtJE_kMMBNPVSLOiyKVyqSH3wI_hnSVOpbsnX20_x9yWBOu2ZfbPHXCeGHDJFe0yMkqZHh5mJcDd1SDdAhNLsGyZs3hlAfzwP9keN-fQZd9uETVqsLq2IQCrnQ-A0gYIegvBI9-IiPgFYNlHdbNPRanicHj1Ys7-WJ2ybprebhbERsJpkwq6H_BWsB4Yw2QEM=&amp;c=QvkadsUn4uW8kzk2bWs01OdDXQv96YBQfLRiZATCqy45hTw8e06JFw==&amp;ch=PX3sklrEBHR85VYPOe8YgsiP_yRQt86PQEQhGGU6rGNmCaSx7UMmPQ==" target="_blank">here</a>. &nbsp;

Coverage of the Supernovas match against the Vibe will be streamed online, free throughout the state, on&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001bdQXHv5YKehcE4PriE0nI-kr12cZRIEYWG8iiA2JbcGtJE_kMMBNPVXS8nARFOxzxbGRbb3xvOKxeq1J3bugFEtLTDq5aLDzY70pmTf5EaoF5sUqjGVf5Z1pPVq3K8IuQIGJM4tX3UkeW8LhPppvEt-RKDP6zRkB&amp;c=QvkadsUn4uW8kzk2bWs01OdDXQv96YBQfLRiZATCqy45hTw8e06JFw==&amp;ch=PX3sklrEBHR85VYPOe8YgsiP_yRQt86PQEQhGGU6rGNmCaSx7UMmPQ==" target="_blank">NewsChannelNebraska.com</a>&nbsp;as well as the free News Channel Nebraska app on Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV. Fans are also able to listen to all the action on the ‘Supernovas Radio Network’ with flagship station&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001bdQXHv5YKehcE4PriE0nI-kr12cZRIEYWG8iiA2JbcGtJE_kMMBNPVXS8nARFOxzfXNOtOYxUB9ZNlqlM_Zfzm5VJG4-aobr8ADroXfT_bwEV4jo73wbqnEEFwCYt23dlfruFqdChJ7X-wqsEllSgA==&amp;c=QvkadsUn4uW8kzk2bWs01OdDXQv96YBQfLRiZATCqy45hTw8e06JFw==&amp;ch=PX3sklrEBHR85VYPOe8YgsiP_yRQt86PQEQhGGU6rGNmCaSx7UMmPQ==" target="_blank">93.7 The Ticket FM</a>.&nbsp;

REAL PRO VOLLEYBALL&nbsp;competition will officially begin in the United States with the Omaha Supernovas hosting the Atlanta Vibe in the first match in league history at the CHI Health Center in downtown Omaha on January 24, at 7 p.m. CST. Nebraska supports volleyball better than anyone, as evidenced by the more than 92,000 fans that turned out this season for a collegiate match at the Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium in August, setting a new world record for the highest attended women’s sporting event. Several Supernovas were in attendance and recognized at the world record match.&nbsp;

The Supernovas are one of seven U.S. teams for the 2024 inaugural season: Omaha Supernovas,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001bdQXHv5YKehcE4PriE0nI-kr12cZRIEYWG8iiA2JbcGtJE_kMMBNPZJCijdZAoTg7xWLLu9NCT-ct3DvJ5y-kURP9REHJ5QquN0-SViqosB9Gry_gauyQ1nxLGMWtbieDLqjDrf1W-f8X8t-7rY_ponCjIViWMYDwpm-yWJGWdsNuTGSZUcDXynDhW2lyOVn&amp;c=QvkadsUn4uW8kzk2bWs01OdDXQv96YBQfLRiZATCqy45hTw8e06JFw==&amp;ch=PX3sklrEBHR85VYPOe8YgsiP_yRQt86PQEQhGGU6rGNmCaSx7UMmPQ==" target="_blank">Atlanta Vibe</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001bdQXHv5YKehcE4PriE0nI-kr12cZRIEYWG8iiA2JbcGtJE_kMMBNPZJCijdZAoTg3z0idLM34l7h7ejTEZaguA18AlvGCHZD2fNY1CUgnnYGS5L1A8qd3BqbVg8kbElSoQqf5BFJbKBxengeByyJ6g==&amp;c=QvkadsUn4uW8kzk2bWs01OdDXQv96YBQfLRiZATCqy45hTw8e06JFw==&amp;ch=PX3sklrEBHR85VYPOe8YgsiP_yRQt86PQEQhGGU6rGNmCaSx7UMmPQ==" target="_blank">Orlando Valkyries</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001bdQXHv5YKehcE4PriE0nI-kr12cZRIEYWG8iiA2JbcGtJE_kMMBNPZJCijdZAoTgsiCwX4EQ5r541SLAlJmX_0YGZey_0OeFkZPsziZ17Ul1ly6J8g6nO7Nu8wtk9Tn_SdCBa69G1txnungPnwRHFA==&amp;c=QvkadsUn4uW8kzk2bWs01OdDXQv96YBQfLRiZATCqy45hTw8e06JFw==&amp;ch=PX3sklrEBHR85VYPOe8YgsiP_yRQt86PQEQhGGU6rGNmCaSx7UMmPQ==" target="_blank">Columbus Fury</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001bdQXHv5YKehcE4PriE0nI-kr12cZRIEYWG8iiA2JbcGtJE_kMMBNPZJCijdZAoTgMMKSqoIv8VpmOy3Pois8-BVxu2X3ISDdm57iL9zrkrgfYG5Z8hihXJ8L8lZmT4H6tiFkAFpgx-uRDiUjgDH5bA==&amp;c=QvkadsUn4uW8kzk2bWs01OdDXQv96YBQfLRiZATCqy45hTw8e06JFw==&amp;ch=PX3sklrEBHR85VYPOe8YgsiP_yRQt86PQEQhGGU6rGNmCaSx7UMmPQ==" target="_blank">Grand Rapids Rise</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001bdQXHv5YKehcE4PriE0nI-kr12cZRIEYWG8iiA2JbcGtJE_kMMBNPZJCijdZAoTgI-GJ3M94QUy7BCRV_iqJo7SeN-5jatYLSNAVO5GagCO-Ne8JLbHMObx0FasvzfL0ykzOhiBrXDvGmQdx0TNrzw==&amp;c=QvkadsUn4uW8kzk2bWs01OdDXQv96YBQfLRiZATCqy45hTw8e06JFw==&amp;ch=PX3sklrEBHR85VYPOe8YgsiP_yRQt86PQEQhGGU6rGNmCaSx7UMmPQ==" target="_blank">San Diego Mojo</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001bdQXHv5YKehcE4PriE0nI-kr12cZRIEYWG8iiA2JbcGtJE_kMMBNPZJCijdZAoTgZ_GpG1SDl768bNlNMjsPugQ4wRWq-t_dU4ZGjD4P3cMAkXefUvCmSdSYlqCBpj_14ijLIPJIpVbMljs4o_twMg==&amp;c=QvkadsUn4uW8kzk2bWs01OdDXQv96YBQfLRiZATCqy45hTw8e06JFw==&amp;ch=PX3sklrEBHR85VYPOe8YgsiP_yRQt86PQEQhGGU6rGNmCaSx7UMmPQ==" target="_blank">Vegas Thrill</a>. Three expansion teams,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001bdQXHv5YKehcE4PriE0nI-kr12cZRIEYWG8iiA2JbcGtJE_kMMBNPZJCijdZAoTgKHVgrWvEVLx7moJbsoOywhzqpymdZf6bno4UQ_nYeTdIk2K6nY14xqh-2RcJLzG_EAp1JXTSqUej6bndrAE4IZhmlVUtKSlK&amp;c=QvkadsUn4uW8kzk2bWs01OdDXQv96YBQfLRiZATCqy45hTw8e06JFw==&amp;ch=PX3sklrEBHR85VYPOe8YgsiP_yRQt86PQEQhGGU6rGNmCaSx7UMmPQ==" target="_blank">Dallas Pro Volleyball</a>, Kansas City Pro Volleyball and Indianapolis Pro Volleyball have been announced for 2025. The Supernovas will have 12 home and 12 away matches as part of a 24-match schedule across a 16-week regular season.&nbsp;&nbsp;

When the regular season concludes, the Supernovas are aiming to be one of the top four squads in the standings that will compete for the Pro Volleyball Federation Championship in May. The location of the championship will be determined and announced at a later date.&nbsp;

The Omaha Supernovas aim to be the premier home of professional volleyball throughout the world. The team is owned by global music sensation&nbsp;Jason Derulo&nbsp;and entrepreneurs&nbsp;Danny White&nbsp;and&nbsp;Chris Erickson, Co-Founders of City+Ventures, an investment and business acceleration organization headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.&nbsp;

Pro Volleyball Federation is&nbsp;REAL PRO VOLLEYBALL&nbsp;and the premier women’s professional volleyball league in North America. Pro Volleyball Federation will begin play in January 2024 with world class players and coaches, including some of America’s greatest volleyball players and elite players from around the world. Our entire focus is on ensuring that our level and quality of play, our treatment of players, the quality of our event presentations, and our day-to-day fan experience is world class and the very best offered in North America. For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001bdQXHv5YKehcE4PriE0nI-kr12cZRIEYWG8iiA2JbcGtJE_kMMBNPZJCijdZAoTgaoNMRDnbdfHka4KC4ERcMkEXdNEZJZywRU_1WVU3EkxKY7Ic1yGAFXOMT-PcQxatdp8UB4ep5Bk6TSVLUOL8QQ==&amp;c=QvkadsUn4uW8kzk2bWs01OdDXQv96YBQfLRiZATCqy45hTw8e06JFw==&amp;ch=PX3sklrEBHR85VYPOe8YgsiP_yRQt86PQEQhGGU6rGNmCaSx7UMmPQ==" target="_blank">ProVolleyball.com</a>.&nbsp;

Geoff ExstromOMAHA, Neb.&nbsp;– The&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001bdQXHv5YKehcE4PriE0nI-kr12cZRIEYWG8iiA2JbcGtJE_kMMBNPZJCijdZAoTgYEMYDB1pIcGxfMQfyP-tgLWdOI5UYIYuamPO5Y1QfMW68CCkZtV4HqS-PBSNfquES6M-z0jEP0tuOOfZb5VYaA==&amp;c=QvkadsUn4uW8kzk2bWs01OdDXQv96YBQfLRiZATCqy45hTw8e06JFw==&amp;ch=PX3sklrEBHR85VYPOe8YgsiP_yRQt86PQEQhGGU6rGNmCaSx7UMmPQ==" target="_blank">Omaha Supernovas,</a>&nbsp;Nebraska’s professional volleyball team in the newly-established&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001bdQXHv5YKehcE4PriE0nI-kr12cZRIEYWG8iiA2JbcGtJE_kMMBNPZJCijdZAoTgaoNMRDnbdfHka4KC4ERcMkEXdNEZJZywRU_1WVU3EkxKY7Ic1yGAFXOMT-PcQxatdp8UB4ep5Bk6TSVLUOL8QQ==&amp;c=QvkadsUn4uW8kzk2bWs01OdDXQv96YBQfLRiZATCqy45hTw8e06JFw==&amp;ch=PX3sklrEBHR85VYPOe8YgsiP_yRQt86PQEQhGGU6rGNmCaSx7UMmPQ==" target="_blank">Professional Volleyball Federation</a>, are excited to announce the official 14-person active roster ahead of Omaha’s franchise opener against the Atlanta Vibe at the CHI Health Center at 7 p.m. for the first Pro Volleyball Federation match.&nbsp;&nbsp;The final roster includes a mix of NCAA national champions, All-Americans and Olympians. That also includes two college practice players. The Supernovas are proud to present the following players:&nbsp;&nbsp;No. 1 Natalia Valentín-Anderson, SNo. 2 Sydney Hilley, SNo. 3 Kendall White, LNo. 5 Brooke Nuneviller, OHNo. 6 Tori Dixon, MBNo. 7 Gina-Mancuso-Prososki, OHNo. 10 Jess Schaben-Lansman, OHNo. 13 Paige Briggs, OHNo. 14 Nia Reed, OPPNo. 15 Allison Mayfield, OHNo. 18 Bethania de la Cruz, OHNo. 23 Gabby Thompson, LNo. 27 Emma Willis, MBNo. 81 Danielle Hart, MBThat also includes two practices player who are:No. 24 Sophia Davis, MB, James MadisonNo. 25 Maggie Cartwright, OPP, ArkansasThe Supernovas are led by AVCA Hall of Fame coach Shelton Collier, who brings an illustrious 41-year volleyball coaching career to Omaha. He’s aided by one of the top coaching staffs in the Pro Volleyball Federation which includes Laura ‘Bird’ Kuhn, John Corbelli, John Xie and Thomas Robson.&nbsp;Omaha enters the inaugural season as the preseason favorites, as revealed in the Pro Volleyball Federation preseason poll which was voted on by every head coach in the league. Supernovas outside hitter Bethania de la Cruz was voted to the preseason All-League team as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Atlanta Vibe comes into Omaha as the Supernovas’ main rival for league supremacy, landing No. 2 in the Pro Volleyball Federation poll with 32 points, compared to Omaha’s 33. The Vibe boasts one of the best outside hitters and liberos in the league with former Kentucky attacker Leah Edmund and Stanford graduate Morgan Hentz. &nbsp;Tori Dilfer-Stringer looks set to run the offense as the Vibe’s setter. Dilfer-Stringer made her Team U.S.A. debut at the 2022 Pan American Cup after finishing a historic career at Louisville. She was one of the primary reasons why the Cardinals made their first Final Four in 2021 with Dilfer-Stinger making the AVCA All-American First Team marking the first such honor in program history. &nbsp;The full match notes can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001bdQXHv5YKehcE4PriE0nI-kr12cZRIEYWG8iiA2JbcGtJE_kMMBNPVSLOiyKVyqSH3wI_hnSVOpbsnX20_x9yWBOu2ZfbPHXCeGHDJFe0yMkqZHh5mJcDd1SDdAhNLsGyZs3hlAfzwP9keN-fQZd9uETVqsLq2IQCrnQ-A0gYIegvBI9-IiPgFYNlHdbNPRanicHj1Ys7-WJ2ybprebhbERsJpkwq6H_BWsB4Yw2QEM=&amp;c=QvkadsUn4uW8kzk2bWs01OdDXQv96YBQfLRiZATCqy45hTw8e06JFw==&amp;ch=PX3sklrEBHR85VYPOe8YgsiP_yRQt86PQEQhGGU6rGNmCaSx7UMmPQ==" target="_blank">here</a>. &nbsp;Coverage of the Supernovas match against the Vibe will be streamed online, free throughout the state, on&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001bdQXHv5YKehcE4PriE0nI-kr12cZRIEYWG8iiA2JbcGtJE_kMMBNPVXS8nARFOxzxbGRbb3xvOKxeq1J3bugFEtLTDq5aLDzY70pmTf5EaoF5sUqjGVf5Z1pPVq3K8IuQIGJM4tX3UkeW8LhPppvEt-RKDP6zRkB&amp;c=QvkadsUn4uW8kzk2bWs01OdDXQv96YBQfLRiZATCqy45hTw8e06JFw==&amp;ch=PX3sklrEBHR85VYPOe8YgsiP_yRQt86PQEQhGGU6rGNmCaSx7UMmPQ==" target="_blank">NewsChannelNebraska.com</a>&nbsp;as well as the free News Channel Nebraska app on Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV. Fans are also able to listen to all the action on the ‘Supernovas Radio Network’ with flagship station&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001bdQXHv5YKehcE4PriE0nI-kr12cZRIEYWG8iiA2JbcGtJE_kMMBNPVXS8nARFOxzfXNOtOYxUB9ZNlqlM_Zfzm5VJG4-aobr8ADroXfT_bwEV4jo73wbqnEEFwCYt23dlfruFqdChJ7X-wqsEllSgA==&amp;c=QvkadsUn4uW8kzk2bWs01OdDXQv96YBQfLRiZATCqy45hTw8e06JFw==&amp;ch=PX3sklrEBHR85VYPOe8YgsiP_yRQt86PQEQhGGU6rGNmCaSx7UMmPQ==" target="_blank">93.7 The Ticket FM</a>.&nbsp;REAL PRO VOLLEYBALL&nbsp;competition will officially begin in the United States with the Omaha Supernovas hosting the Atlanta Vibe in the first match in league history at the CHI Health Center in downtown Omaha on January 24, at 7 p.m. CST. Nebraska supports volleyball better than anyone, as evidenced by the more than 92,000 fans that turned out this season for a collegiate match at the Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium in August, setting a new world record for the highest attended women’s sporting event. Several Supernovas were in attendance and recognized at the world record match.&nbsp;The Supernovas are one of seven U.S. teams for the 2024 inaugural season: Omaha Supernovas,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001bdQXHv5YKehcE4PriE0nI-kr12cZRIEYWG8iiA2JbcGtJE_kMMBNPZJCijdZAoTg7xWLLu9NCT-ct3DvJ5y-kURP9REHJ5QquN0-SViqosB9Gry_gauyQ1nxLGMWtbieDLqjDrf1W-f8X8t-7rY_ponCjIViWMYDwpm-yWJGWdsNuTGSZUcDXynDhW2lyOVn&amp;c=QvkadsUn4uW8kzk2bWs01OdDXQv96YBQfLRiZATCqy45hTw8e06JFw==&amp;ch=PX3sklrEBHR85VYPOe8YgsiP_yRQt86PQEQhGGU6rGNmCaSx7UMmPQ==" target="_blank">Atlanta Vibe</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001bdQXHv5YKehcE4PriE0nI-kr12cZRIEYWG8iiA2JbcGtJE_kMMBNPZJCijdZAoTg3z0idLM34l7h7ejTEZaguA18AlvGCHZD2fNY1CUgnnYGS5L1A8qd3BqbVg8kbElSoQqf5BFJbKBxengeByyJ6g==&amp;c=QvkadsUn4uW8kzk2bWs01OdDXQv96YBQfLRiZATCqy45hTw8e06JFw==&amp;ch=PX3sklrEBHR85VYPOe8YgsiP_yRQt86PQEQhGGU6rGNmCaSx7UMmPQ==" target="_blank">Orlando Valkyries</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001bdQXHv5YKehcE4PriE0nI-kr12cZRIEYWG8iiA2JbcGtJE_kMMBNPZJCijdZAoTgsiCwX4EQ5r541SLAlJmX_0YGZey_0OeFkZPsziZ17Ul1ly6J8g6nO7Nu8wtk9Tn_SdCBa69G1txnungPnwRHFA==&amp;c=QvkadsUn4uW8kzk2bWs01OdDXQv96YBQfLRiZATCqy45hTw8e06JFw==&amp;ch=PX3sklrEBHR85VYPOe8YgsiP_yRQt86PQEQhGGU6rGNmCaSx7UMmPQ==" target="_blank">Columbus Fury</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001bdQXHv5YKehcE4PriE0nI-kr12cZRIEYWG8iiA2JbcGtJE_kMMBNPZJCijdZAoTgMMKSqoIv8VpmOy3Pois8-BVxu2X3ISDdm57iL9zrkrgfYG5Z8hihXJ8L8lZmT4H6tiFkAFpgx-uRDiUjgDH5bA==&amp;c=QvkadsUn4uW8kzk2bWs01OdDXQv96YBQfLRiZATCqy45hTw8e06JFw==&amp;ch=PX3sklrEBHR85VYPOe8YgsiP_yRQt86PQEQhGGU6rGNmCaSx7UMmPQ==" target="_blank">Grand Rapids Rise</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001bdQXHv5YKehcE4PriE0nI-kr12cZRIEYWG8iiA2JbcGtJE_kMMBNPZJCijdZAoTgI-GJ3M94QUy7BCRV_iqJo7SeN-5jatYLSNAVO5GagCO-Ne8JLbHMObx0FasvzfL0ykzOhiBrXDvGmQdx0TNrzw==&amp;c=QvkadsUn4uW8kzk2bWs01OdDXQv96YBQfLRiZATCqy45hTw8e06JFw==&amp;ch=PX3sklrEBHR85VYPOe8YgsiP_yRQt86PQEQhGGU6rGNmCaSx7UMmPQ==" target="_blank">San Diego Mojo</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001bdQXHv5YKehcE4PriE0nI-kr12cZRIEYWG8iiA2JbcGtJE_kMMBNPZJCijdZAoTgZ_GpG1SDl768bNlNMjsPugQ4wRWq-t_dU4ZGjD4P3cMAkXefUvCmSdSYlqCBpj_14ijLIPJIpVbMljs4o_twMg==&amp;c=QvkadsUn4uW8kzk2bWs01OdDXQv96YBQfLRiZATCqy45hTw8e06JFw==&amp;ch=PX3sklrEBHR85VYPOe8YgsiP_yRQt86PQEQhGGU6rGNmCaSx7UMmPQ==" target="_blank">Vegas Thrill</a>. Three expansion teams,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001bdQXHv5YKehcE4PriE0nI-kr12cZRIEYWG8iiA2JbcGtJE_kMMBNPZJCijdZAoTgKHVgrWvEVLx7moJbsoOywhzqpymdZf6bno4UQ_nYeTdIk2K6nY14xqh-2RcJLzG_EAp1JXTSqUej6bndrAE4IZhmlVUtKSlK&amp;c=QvkadsUn4uW8kzk2bWs01OdDXQv96YBQfLRiZATCqy45hTw8e06JFw==&amp;ch=PX3sklrEBHR85VYPOe8YgsiP_yRQt86PQEQhGGU6rGNmCaSx7UMmPQ==" target="_blank">Dallas Pro Volleyball</a>, Kansas City Pro Volleyball and Indianapolis Pro Volleyball have been announced for 2025. The Supernovas will have 12 home and 12 away matches as part of a 24-match schedule across a 16-week regular season.&nbsp;&nbsp;When the regular season concludes, the Supernovas are aiming to be one of the top four squads in the standings that will compete for the Pro Volleyball Federation Championship in May. The location of the championship will be determined and announced at a later date.&nbsp;ABOUT OMAHA SUPERNOVAS&nbsp;The Omaha Supernovas aim to be the premier home of professional volleyball throughout the world. The team is owned by global music sensation&nbsp;Jason Derulo&nbsp;and entrepreneurs&nbsp;Danny White&nbsp;and&nbsp;Chris Erickson, Co-Founders of City+Ventures, an investment and business acceleration organization headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.&nbsp;ABOUT PRO VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION&nbsp;Pro Volleyball Federation is&nbsp;REAL PRO VOLLEYBALL&nbsp;and the premier women’s professional volleyball league in North America. Pro Volleyball Federation will begin play in January 2024 with world class players and coaches, including some of America’s greatest volleyball players and elite players from around the world. Our entire focus is on ensuring that our level and quality of play, our treatment of players, the quality of our event presentations, and our day-to-day fan experience is world class and the very best offered in North America. For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001bdQXHv5YKehcE4PriE0nI-kr12cZRIEYWG8iiA2JbcGtJE_kMMBNPZJCijdZAoTgaoNMRDnbdfHka4KC4ERcMkEXdNEZJZywRU_1WVU3EkxKY7Ic1yGAFXOMT-PcQxatdp8UB4ep5Bk6TSVLUOL8QQ==&amp;c=QvkadsUn4uW8kzk2bWs01OdDXQv96YBQfLRiZATCqy45hTw8e06JFw==&amp;ch=PX3sklrEBHR85VYPOe8YgsiP_yRQt86PQEQhGGU6rGNmCaSx7UMmPQ==" target="_blank">ProVolleyball.com</a>.&nbsp;

Supernovas Finalize Active Roster, Prepare For Historic First Match

Behind a career-high performance from Rienk Mast, Nebraska posted an 83-69 win over Ohio State on Tuesday evening.

Mast was dominant, hitting 13-of-17 shots from the field, including 6-of-8 behind the en route to a career-high 34 point, 10-rebound, four-assist effort.

Mast, who posted his fifth double-double of the season, had 21 points in the second half on 9-of-10 shooting as his 34-point night topped his previous career high of 30 set in the 2023 MVC Tournament.

Nebraska (15-5, 5-4 Big Ten) shot nearly 50 percent from the field and hit 14 3-pointers, including four by C.J. Wilcher, who came off the bench and added 16 points and three assists. Brice Williams gave NU a trio of double-figure nights with 14 points and seven rebounds. Nebraska dished out 19 assists and had just six turnovers in the win.

Nebraska, which trailed by as many as nine in the first half, had built a 10-poit lead on the first possession of the first half before the Buckeyes used an 8-1 run to pull within 46-43 after Zed Key’s basket with 17:25 remaining.

Wilcher then provided a big moment, hitting a pair of corner 3-pointers in a span of 1:12 that extended Nebraska’s cushion to 52-43.

The Buckeyes (13-6, 3-5) pulled to within five at 52-47 before Mast took over. The 6-foot-10 junior scored five straight points as part of a 7-0 run to push the lead to 12. He then scored NU’s next 10 points, including back-to-back 3-pointers as the Huskers built an 18-point advantage with 6:51 remaining, and NU would lead by double figures the rest of the night.

Ohio State started off hot, hitting their first four shots of the night to race to a 9-4 lead before NU settled in. OSU hit eight of their first 13 shots and built a 22-13 lead after a pair of Bruce Thornton free throws at the 11:36 mark capped a 9-0 run.

Nebraska’s bench would ignite the crowd of over 14,000 at Pinnacle Bank Arena, as Wilcher had five points in an 8-0 run to pull NU within one after a putback by freshman Eli Rice.

Nebraska trailed 30-26 before Mast hit consecutive 3-pointers to give NU a 32-30 lead. NU held the Buckeyes to two field goals in the final 4:30 and took control of the contest with a 17-5 spurt to close the half. Mast had 11 of his 13 first-half points as Nebraska took a 43-35 lead into the locker room after a Williams putback in the final seconds of the half.

NU hits the road to face Maryland this Saturday, Jan. 27 at 11 a.m. (CT). The game will be aired on BTN and will be available on the Huskers Radio Network.&nbsp;

By NU Athletics CommunicationsBehind a career-high performance from Rienk Mast, Nebraska posted an 83-69 win over Ohio State on Tuesday evening.Mast was dominant, hitting 13-of-17 shots from the field, including 6-of-8 behind the en route to a career-high 34 point, 10-rebound, four-assist effort.Mast, who posted his fifth double-double of the season, had 21 points in the second half on 9-of-10 shooting as his 34-point night topped his previous career high of 30 set in the 2023 MVC Tournament.Nebraska (15-5, 5-4 Big Ten) shot nearly 50 percent from the field and hit 14 3-pointers, including four by C.J. Wilcher, who came off the bench and added 16 points and three assists. Brice Williams gave NU a trio of double-figure nights with 14 points and seven rebounds. Nebraska dished out 19 assists and had just six turnovers in the win.Nebraska, which trailed by as many as nine in the first half, had built a 10-poit lead on the first possession of the first half before the Buckeyes used an 8-1 run to pull within 46-43 after Zed Key’s basket with 17:25 remaining.Wilcher then provided a big moment, hitting a pair of corner 3-pointers in a span of 1:12 that extended Nebraska’s cushion to 52-43.The Buckeyes (13-6, 3-5) pulled to within five at 52-47 before Mast took over. The 6-foot-10 junior scored five straight points as part of a 7-0 run to push the lead to 12. He then scored NU’s next 10 points, including back-to-back 3-pointers as the Huskers built an 18-point advantage with 6:51 remaining, and NU would lead by double figures the rest of the night.Ohio State started off hot, hitting their first four shots of the night to race to a 9-4 lead before NU settled in. OSU hit eight of their first 13 shots and built a 22-13 lead after a pair of Bruce Thornton free throws at the 11:36 mark capped a 9-0 run.Nebraska’s bench would ignite the crowd of over 14,000 at Pinnacle Bank Arena, as Wilcher had five points in an 8-0 run to pull NU within one after a putback by freshman Eli Rice.Nebraska trailed 30-26 before Mast hit consecutive 3-pointers to give NU a 32-30 lead. NU held the Buckeyes to two field goals in the final 4:30 and took control of the contest with a 17-5 spurt to close the half. Mast had 11 of his 13 first-half points as Nebraska took a 43-35 lead into the locker room after a Williams putback in the final seconds of the half.NU hits the road to face Maryland this Saturday, Jan. 27 at 11 a.m. (CT). The game will be aired on BTN and will be available on the Huskers Radio Network.&nbsp;<h2>RELATED STORIES</h2>

Mast's career night lifts Huskers over Ohio State

Story by NPCC Athletic Communications

North Platte, Neb. – Strong defense helped North Platte limit Western Nebraska early, but a long run reversed the momentum in the second half and carried the Cougars to a 50-40 win inside the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium.

Dazjanae Greene led the Knights with 12 points on 5-of-12 shooting from the field, while Jada Thompson chipped in 11 points to round out the North Platte players in double figures.

Cougars were held at bay offensively, as the Knights forced 18 turnovers in the opening twenty minutes of action. The relentless defense limited the Cougars to five points in the second quarter, while Greene orchestrated the offense to a 23-18 halftime lead.

The margin grew to nine on a three from Thompson in the opening 4:03 of the third quarter, before the Cougars unleashed a long run to steal the momentum. A 17-0 run powered by strong rebounding and quick transition buckets helped Western Nebraska take a 42-34 lead.

The margin was extended to 46-36 with 4:37 remaining, before a short spurt trimmed the deficit to six on a pullup jumper by Greene. Western Nebraska held strong to their lead in the closing minutes and sealed the game out at the free throw line.

North Platte was limited to just 27.9 percent (17-61) shooting from the field, which included 22.2 percent (4-18) from long range. Cougars shot 39.1 percent (18-46) from the floor, while winning the rebounding battle 39-37 in their win.

Knights (11-8) hit the road for a three-game road trip beginning with Southeast Community College on Saturday. Tip is set for 5 p.m. in Lincoln, Neb.

Story by NPCC Athletic CommunicationsNorth Platte, Neb. – Strong defense helped North Platte limit Western Nebraska early, but a long run reversed the momentum in the second half and carried the Cougars to a 50-40 win inside the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium.Dazjanae Greene led the Knights with 12 points on 5-of-12 shooting from the field, while Jada Thompson chipped in 11 points to round out the North Platte players in double figures.Cougars were held at bay offensively, as the Knights forced 18 turnovers in the opening twenty minutes of action. The relentless defense limited the Cougars to five points in the second quarter, while Greene orchestrated the offense to a 23-18 halftime lead.The margin grew to nine on a three from Thompson in the opening 4:03 of the third quarter, before the Cougars unleashed a long run to steal the momentum. A 17-0 run powered by strong rebounding and quick transition buckets helped Western Nebraska take a 42-34 lead.The margin was extended to 46-36 with 4:37 remaining, before a short spurt trimmed the deficit to six on a pullup jumper by Greene. Western Nebraska held strong to their lead in the closing minutes and sealed the game out at the free throw line.North Platte was limited to just 27.9 percent (17-61) shooting from the field, which included 22.2 percent (4-18) from long range. Cougars shot 39.1 percent (18-46) from the floor, while winning the rebounding battle 39-37 in their win.Knights (11-8) hit the road for a three-game road trip beginning with Southeast Community College on Saturday. Tip is set for 5 p.m. in Lincoln, Neb.

Rally lifts Cougars past Knights

North Platte, Neb. – Davion Evans had a season best 26 points to lead three North Platte players in double figures, but Western Nebraska earned the 81-80 victory in overtime on Tuesday night.

Evans led the way to open the extra period, as a 6-2 burst gave the 75-71 advantage to the home team with 2:56 to play. Western Nebraska climbed back within one inside two minutes, before a deep three from JJ Harris put the Cougars out front for the final time.

North Platte finished the game shooting 43.5 percent (30-69) from the field, which included 33.3 percent (7-21) from long range. Western Nebraska forced 19 turnovers in the win, while connecting on 38.8 percent (31-80) of their shots from the floor

North Platte jumped out to an early 24-14 lead behind seven points from Bryce Baez. Evans joined the perimeter shooting parade to stretch the margin to 27-14, but a late rally narrowed the margin to six inside the final four minutes.

Evans ignited the offense with a mid-range jumper to end the rally with 3:35 remaining in the half. North Platte continued to match the Cougars down the stretch and took a 44-33 lead into the halftime break.

A 14-2 run in the early minutes of the second half helped the Cougars erase the double-digit halftime deficit. North Platte responded to knot the game up with 3:02 to play, before a quick 4-0 burst pushed the Knights lead to 69-65. The Cougars responded in the final minute to force the overtime period.

Knights (9-9, 1-3 Region IX South) continue Region IX South play on Saturday against Northeastern Junior College. Tip is set for 5 p.m. at the Bank of Colorado Event Center in Sterling.

Story by NPCC Athletic CommunicationsNorth Platte, Neb. – Davion Evans had a season best 26 points to lead three North Platte players in double figures, but Western Nebraska earned the 81-80 victory in overtime on Tuesday night.Evans led the way to open the extra period, as a 6-2 burst gave the 75-71 advantage to the home team with 2:56 to play. Western Nebraska climbed back within one inside two minutes, before a deep three from JJ Harris put the Cougars out front for the final time.North Platte finished the game shooting 43.5 percent (30-69) from the field, which included 33.3 percent (7-21) from long range. Western Nebraska forced 19 turnovers in the win, while connecting on 38.8 percent (31-80) of their shots from the floorNorth Platte jumped out to an early 24-14 lead behind seven points from Bryce Baez. Evans joined the perimeter shooting parade to stretch the margin to 27-14, but a late rally narrowed the margin to six inside the final four minutes.Evans ignited the offense with a mid-range jumper to end the rally with 3:35 remaining in the half. North Platte continued to match the Cougars down the stretch and took a 44-33 lead into the halftime break.A 14-2 run in the early minutes of the second half helped the Cougars erase the double-digit halftime deficit. North Platte responded to knot the game up with 3:02 to play, before a quick 4-0 burst pushed the Knights lead to 69-65. The Cougars responded in the final minute to force the overtime period.Knights (9-9, 1-3 Region IX South) continue Region IX South play on Saturday against Northeastern Junior College. Tip is set for 5 p.m. at the Bank of Colorado Event Center in Sterling.

Knights lose heartbreaker in overtime

A roster full of newcomers will make for a fun and fresh season for the North Platte Community College Knights Softball Team.

The Knights have only five returners this spring: hometown girl Juliana Ortiz, Amya Blake-Cosper, Sasha Strandberg, April Grace and Nancy Martinez-Sanchez, leaving 10 freshmen who will look to them for guidance and leadership.

“We have two returning pitchers in our sophomore class and three utility athletes,” said NPCC Head Softball Coach Janelle Higgins. “Nancy Martinez-Sanchez was the region’s defensive player of the year, so she is looking to repeat that honor. Our freshman class brings depth to our pitching circle for sure, but everyone is a utility player, so making a lineup is pretty fun as there are so many options to choose from.”

The freshmen include three players from Texas, two of whom are from San Antonio and who came highly recommended by Martinez-Sanchez.

Juliana is one of three athletes with a last name of Ortiz, and no, they’re not related.

The Knights look to build on the success of last year when they made it to the second round of the NJCAA Region 9 Tournament and scored an All-American selection in Elena Montoya.

In addition to Martinez-Sanchez’s defensive player of the year recognition, Ortiz and Grace were each selected as Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar Athletes.

“Expectations are always high,” Higgins said. “Like any year, our main focus is to be great humans, have fun and win some games.”

<a>The Knights kick off the season with a triangular in Arkansas City, Kan. Feb. 2. They will take on Seminole State College in a doubleheader beginning at noon.</a>

Story by NPCC Athletic CommunicationsA roster full of newcomers will make for a fun and fresh season for the North Platte Community College Knights Softball Team.The Knights have only five returners this spring: hometown girl Juliana Ortiz, Amya Blake-Cosper, Sasha Strandberg, April Grace and Nancy Martinez-Sanchez, leaving 10 freshmen who will look to them for guidance and leadership.“We have two returning pitchers in our sophomore class and three utility athletes,” said NPCC Head Softball Coach Janelle Higgins. “Nancy Martinez-Sanchez was the region’s defensive player of the year, so she is looking to repeat that honor. Our freshman class brings depth to our pitching circle for sure, but everyone is a utility player, so making a lineup is pretty fun as there are so many options to choose from.”The freshmen include three players from Texas, two of whom are from San Antonio and who came highly recommended by Martinez-Sanchez.Juliana is one of three athletes with a last name of Ortiz, and no, they’re not related.The incoming athletes are:<ul>
 <li>Jesusita Ruiz, of Imperial</li><li>Sherea Ortiz, of Commerce City, Colo.</li><li>Hailey Ortiz, of San Antonio, Texas</li><li>Sarah Perez, of San Antonio, Texas</li><li>Colby Keckler, of Nampa, Idaho</li><li>Jessica Ureste, of Hereford, Texas</li><li>MiaKoda Whitehorse, of Page, Ariz.</li><li>Serena Jimenez, of Littleton, Colo.</li><li>Eden Shimaoka, of Waimānalo, Hawaii</li><li>Madison Chamberlain, of Kingman, Ariz.</li>
 </ul>The Knights look to build on the success of last year when they made it to the second round of the NJCAA Region 9 Tournament and scored an All-American selection in Elena Montoya.In addition to Martinez-Sanchez’s defensive player of the year recognition, Ortiz and Grace were each selected as Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar Athletes.“Expectations are always high,” Higgins said. “Like any year, our main focus is to be great humans, have fun and win some games.”<a>The Knights kick off the season with a triangular in Arkansas City, Kan. Feb. 2. They will take on Seminole State College in a doubleheader beginning at noon.</a>

NPCC Softball full of new talent

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RPAC Tournament  Quarter Final Results and update

The Nebraska men's basketball team finishes a two-game homestand on Tuesday night, as the Huskers play host to Ohio State. Tipoff at Pinnacle Bank Arena is set for 6 p.m., and the game will be streamed on Peacock and carried on the Huskers Radio Network.

Some 300 Level tickets are available for Tuesday's game and can be purchased by visiting Huskers.com/Tickets, calling 800-8-BIGRED during business hours (Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-5 p.m.) or at PBA beginning at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday.&nbsp;Tuesday's game is part of the American Cancer Society's Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers Week, as the Husker coaches will be in suits and sneakers to raise awareness for cancer research. For more info on Suits and Sneakers Week, visit cancer.org

Nebraska (14-5, 4-4 Big Ten) comes off a gutty 75-69 win over Northwestern on Saturday. The Huskers, who were short-handed without Juwan Gary because of a calf injury, shot a season-best 55.3 percent from the floor and put five players in double figures. Josiah Allick moved into the starting lineup and led NU with 15 points while Keisei Tominaga had seven of his 14 points in a closing 10-4 run after Northwestern tied it at 65 with less than four minutes remaining.&nbsp;

Allick has stepped up in recent weeks, averaging 8.1 points per game on 77 percent shooting, 5.1 rebounds and nearly two assists per game over the last eight contests. &nbsp;The 6-foot-8 forward has led NU in scoring in two of the past three games. He also helped hold Northwestern to 38.1 percent shooting, its second-lowest total of the season, on Saturday.Ohio State (13-5, 3-4) snapped a three-game losing streak with a 79-67 win over Penn State on Saturday. The Buckeyes jumped out to a 16-0 lead and never trailed in holding Penn State to just 37.1 percent shooting. Evan Mahaffey and Roddy Gayle Jr. led OSU with 16 points apiece.

Worth Noting&nbsp;• Nebraska enters Tuesday's game with a 14-5 mark which is NU's best 19-game record since joining the Big Ten. The last time NU had a better record after 19 games was in 1995-96 (15-4). A win on Tuesday would be the best 20-game start since the 1990-91 team opened with an 18-2 record.

• Nebraska has snapped several long streaks this season. Saturday's win over Northwestern snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Wildcats dating back to 2019. NU had previously already ended losing streaks to Michigan State (11 games), Kansas State (seven games) and Indiana (seven games) during the 2023-24 campaign.

• Nebraska enters the Ohio State game averaging 78.3 points per game. It is NU's highest points per game average since averaging 80.2 points per game in the 1995-96 season and on pace to finish in the top 10 in single-season scoring average. &nbsp;It is also more than 12 points per game higher than NU's average at the 18-game mark last season (66.4 ppg). &nbsp;NU has climbed from 149th to 29th nationally in offensive efficiency in KenPom as of Jan. 21. In six January games, NU is averaging 79.8 points per game.&nbsp;

• The Huskers are 12-1 at Pinnacle Bank Arena this season, the most home wins since the 2018-19 campaign.&nbsp;

• &nbsp;C.J. Wilcher has been on a roll in recent weeks, averaging 11.8 points per game on 58 percent shooting over the last eight contests to raise his season average to 8.5 ppg. He is 19-of-35 from 3-point range (.543) in that stretch with six double-figure efforts.

• &nbsp;Keisei Tominaga enters the OSU game needing just three 3-pointers to break into NU's top-10 career chart. Tominaga, who leads NU with 40 3-pointers, has 142 for his career. Tominaga, who is fourth in the Big Ten in 3-pointers per game, is five behind Tyronn Lue (145, 1996-98) for 10th place. He has made three or more 3-pointers in four of the past six games dating back to Jan. 3.

• &nbsp;The Huskers are 20-8 over the last 28 games dating back to Feb. 1, 2023, which ranks second in winning percentage as of Jan. 20. Nebraska closed the 2022-23 season with six wins in their final nine conference contests. A big reason for that is NU's offense, as NU has averaged 77.1 ppg on 47 percent shooting in that stretch.

• The Huskers are now 24-5 under Fred Hoiberg when scoring at least 80 points, including 19-2 over the last three seasons. Both losses have come in overtime (104-100 in 4OT at NC State on Dec. 1, 2021; 87-82 in OT at Rutgers on Jan. 17, 2024). NU had won its last 17 games when reaching the 80-point plateau before the OT loss at Rutgers.

• One strength of the Huskers has been getting to the free throw line. NU has shot more free throws in 15 of 19 games in 2023-24 and its +91 differential is fourth in the Big Ten as of Jan. 21. Nebraska has made nearly as many free throws (299) as opponents have had attempts (304). NU allows just 16.0 free throw attempts per game to rank fourth in the Big Ten as of Jan. 22

• Nebraska enters Tuesday's game ranked second in the Big Ten in free throw shooting at 75.7 percent. &nbsp;It is on pace to be one of NU's highest season percentages. NU has not shot over 74 percent from the foul line since the 2011-12 season when NU shot a school-record 76.6 percent.&nbsp;

• Nebraska's bench has provided a spark, averaging 23.9 points per game. The Huskers' leading scorer has come from the bench six times (Hoiberg-Lindenwood; Wilcher-Rider, North Dakota and South Carolina State; Gary-Stony Brook; Allick-Iowa) and NU has had 18 double-figure efforts from its bench in 2023-24.&nbsp;

• Nebraska won its first seven games by 10 or more points. It was just the second time in over 100 years - the other was from Dec. 3-30, 1990 - that the Huskers won seven straight games by double figures.

• The Huskers finished non-conference action with a 10-1 mark, matching their best non-conference record since joining the Big Ten (also 2018-19). &nbsp;

Numbers to Know17 - Nebraska has won its last 17 games when scoring at least 80 points before the streak was broken in Wednesday's overtime loss. Over the past three seasons, NU is 19-2 when scoring 80+ points with both losses coming in overtime (at NC State, 2021; at Rutgers, 2024).

9.3 - NU leads the Big Ten with 9.3 3-pointers per game as of Jan. 22, an average which is on pace to challenge the single-season school record for 3-pointers per game (9.5/gm, 2001-02). The Huskers are 8-2 this season when hitting at least 10 3-pointers.

17 - Nebraska has held 17 of 19 opponents under 50 percent shooting. Dating back to last season, NU has held 22 of its last 26 opponents to under 50 percent shooting.&nbsp;

4 - Nebraska's 2023-24 roster features four career 1,000-point scorers (Josiah Allick, Jarron Coleman, Rienk Mast and Brice Williams). Williams became the most recent member of the 1,000-point club at Wisconsin on Jan. 6.

1.41 - Nebraska's assist-to-turnover ratio this season, which is sixth in the Big Ten as of Jan. 22. &nbsp;Over the last decade, NU's best assist-to-turnover ratio is 1.32, set in the 2018-19 season. Nebraska's 16.0 assists per game is the program's highest average since 1995-96 (17.37 apg).

About Ohio StateUnder the direction of seventh-year coach Chris Holtmann, Ohio State is 13-5 on the season and 3-4 in Big Ten play following Saturday's win over Penn State. Holtmann guided OSU to five 20-win seasons and four NCAA Tournament appearances before the streak was snapped last season as OSU went 16-19.

OSU is led by a trio of sophomores who returned after playing significant roles in 2022-23. Bruce Thornton leads the Buckeye attack, as he is averaging 16.0 points and 4.4 assists per outing while posting a 4.4 assist-to-turnover ratio. &nbsp;Roddy Gayle Jr. is averaging 14.2 ppg and 5.1 rebounds per game while Felix Okpara is at 6.6 ppg along with team highs in both rebounds (7.6 rpg) and blocked shots (2.6 bpg) per game . Minnesota transfer Jamison Battle has given the Buckeyes an elite shooting threat, as he is averaging 14.4 ppg while shooting 45 percent from 3-point range.&nbsp;

Series History: Ohio State leads the all-time series, 20-6, in a series that dates back to 1936. The Buckeyes are 16-4 against the Huskers since Nebraska joined the Big Ten in 2011-12, but Nebraska has won the last two matchups. Tuesday's game will be just the seventh time in 21 meetings that OSU has not been ranked at game time against the Huskers since Nebraska joined the Big Ten.

Last Meeting: Sam Griesel scored 10 of his game-high 15 points in the second half, while Nebraska held Ohio State to 36 percent shooting in a 63-60 victory at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Jan. 18, 2023.

While Griesel kept the Huskers within striking distance early, it was some unsung heroes that gave Nebraska a hard-fought win. The Huskers trailed 49-47 with 8:55 remaining before Denim Dawson's basket keyed a decisive 8-0 run for the hosts. Jamarques Lawrence's 3-pointer gave NU a 52-49 lead it wouldn't relinquish before an Emmanuel Bandoumel basket and a Wilhelm Breidenbach free throw put NU up 55-49 with 5:14 left.&nbsp;

The game featured 13 lead changes and eight ties as neither team led by more than six points the entire evening. The&nbsp; Huskers held OSU without a field goal for over six and half minutes down the stretch and hit just enough free throws in the final two minutes to earn a second straight win over the Buckeyes. OSU closed to within 62-60 with 12.7 seconds remaining after a pair of free throws from Sean McNeil. C.J. Wilcher split a pair of free throws with 12.2 seconds remaining and the Huskers held on for a crucial home win.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsThe Nebraska men's basketball team finishes a two-game homestand on Tuesday night, as the Huskers play host to Ohio State. Tipoff at Pinnacle Bank Arena is set for 6 p.m., and the game will be streamed on Peacock and carried on the Huskers Radio Network.Some 300 Level tickets are available for Tuesday's game and can be purchased by visiting Huskers.com/Tickets, calling 800-8-BIGRED during business hours (Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-5 p.m.) or at PBA beginning at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday.&nbsp;Tuesday's game is part of the American Cancer Society's Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers Week, as the Husker coaches will be in suits and sneakers to raise awareness for cancer research. For more info on Suits and Sneakers Week, visit cancer.orgNebraska (14-5, 4-4 Big Ten) comes off a gutty 75-69 win over Northwestern on Saturday. The Huskers, who were short-handed without Juwan Gary because of a calf injury, shot a season-best 55.3 percent from the floor and put five players in double figures. Josiah Allick moved into the starting lineup and led NU with 15 points while Keisei Tominaga had seven of his 14 points in a closing 10-4 run after Northwestern tied it at 65 with less than four minutes remaining.&nbsp;Allick has stepped up in recent weeks, averaging 8.1 points per game on 77 percent shooting, 5.1 rebounds and nearly two assists per game over the last eight contests. &nbsp;The 6-foot-8 forward has led NU in scoring in two of the past three games. He also helped hold Northwestern to 38.1 percent shooting, its second-lowest total of the season, on Saturday.Ohio State (13-5, 3-4) snapped a three-game losing streak with a 79-67 win over Penn State on Saturday. The Buckeyes jumped out to a 16-0 lead and never trailed in holding Penn State to just 37.1 percent shooting. Evan Mahaffey and Roddy Gayle Jr. led OSU with 16 points apiece.Worth Noting&nbsp;• Nebraska enters Tuesday's game with a 14-5 mark which is NU's best 19-game record since joining the Big Ten. The last time NU had a better record after 19 games was in 1995-96 (15-4). A win on Tuesday would be the best 20-game start since the 1990-91 team opened with an 18-2 record.• Nebraska has snapped several long streaks this season. Saturday's win over Northwestern snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Wildcats dating back to 2019. NU had previously already ended losing streaks to Michigan State (11 games), Kansas State (seven games) and Indiana (seven games) during the 2023-24 campaign.• Nebraska enters the Ohio State game averaging 78.3 points per game. It is NU's highest points per game average since averaging 80.2 points per game in the 1995-96 season and on pace to finish in the top 10 in single-season scoring average. &nbsp;It is also more than 12 points per game higher than NU's average at the 18-game mark last season (66.4 ppg). &nbsp;NU has climbed from 149th to 29th nationally in offensive efficiency in KenPom as of Jan. 21. In six January games, NU is averaging 79.8 points per game.&nbsp;• The Huskers are 12-1 at Pinnacle Bank Arena this season, the most home wins since the 2018-19 campaign.&nbsp;• &nbsp;C.J. Wilcher has been on a roll in recent weeks, averaging 11.8 points per game on 58 percent shooting over the last eight contests to raise his season average to 8.5 ppg. He is 19-of-35 from 3-point range (.543) in that stretch with six double-figure efforts.• &nbsp;Keisei Tominaga enters the OSU game needing just three 3-pointers to break into NU's top-10 career chart. Tominaga, who leads NU with 40 3-pointers, has 142 for his career. Tominaga, who is fourth in the Big Ten in 3-pointers per game, is five behind Tyronn Lue (145, 1996-98) for 10th place. He has made three or more 3-pointers in four of the past six games dating back to Jan. 3.• &nbsp;The Huskers are 20-8 over the last 28 games dating back to Feb. 1, 2023, which ranks second in winning percentage as of Jan. 20. Nebraska closed the 2022-23 season with six wins in their final nine conference contests. A big reason for that is NU's offense, as NU has averaged 77.1 ppg on 47 percent shooting in that stretch.• The Huskers are now 24-5 under Fred Hoiberg when scoring at least 80 points, including 19-2 over the last three seasons. Both losses have come in overtime (104-100 in 4OT at NC State on Dec. 1, 2021; 87-82 in OT at Rutgers on Jan. 17, 2024). NU had won its last 17 games when reaching the 80-point plateau before the OT loss at Rutgers.• One strength of the Huskers has been getting to the free throw line. NU has shot more free throws in 15 of 19 games in 2023-24 and its +91 differential is fourth in the Big Ten as of Jan. 21. Nebraska has made nearly as many free throws (299) as opponents have had attempts (304). NU allows just 16.0 free throw attempts per game to rank fourth in the Big Ten as of Jan. 22• Nebraska enters Tuesday's game ranked second in the Big Ten in free throw shooting at 75.7 percent. &nbsp;It is on pace to be one of NU's highest season percentages. NU has not shot over 74 percent from the foul line since the 2011-12 season when NU shot a school-record 76.6 percent.&nbsp;• Nebraska's bench has provided a spark, averaging 23.9 points per game. The Huskers' leading scorer has come from the bench six times (Hoiberg-Lindenwood; Wilcher-Rider, North Dakota and South Carolina State; Gary-Stony Brook; Allick-Iowa) and NU has had 18 double-figure efforts from its bench in 2023-24.&nbsp;• Nebraska won its first seven games by 10 or more points. It was just the second time in over 100 years - the other was from Dec. 3-30, 1990 - that the Huskers won seven straight games by double figures.• The Huskers finished non-conference action with a 10-1 mark, matching their best non-conference record since joining the Big Ten (also 2018-19). &nbsp;Numbers to Know17 - Nebraska has won its last 17 games when scoring at least 80 points before the streak was broken in Wednesday's overtime loss. Over the past three seasons, NU is 19-2 when scoring 80+ points with both losses coming in overtime (at NC State, 2021; at Rutgers, 2024).9.3 - NU leads the Big Ten with 9.3 3-pointers per game as of Jan. 22, an average which is on pace to challenge the single-season school record for 3-pointers per game (9.5/gm, 2001-02). The Huskers are 8-2 this season when hitting at least 10 3-pointers.17 - Nebraska has held 17 of 19 opponents under 50 percent shooting. Dating back to last season, NU has held 22 of its last 26 opponents to under 50 percent shooting.&nbsp;4 - Nebraska's 2023-24 roster features four career 1,000-point scorers (Josiah Allick, Jarron Coleman, Rienk Mast and Brice Williams). Williams became the most recent member of the 1,000-point club at Wisconsin on Jan. 6.1.41 - Nebraska's assist-to-turnover ratio this season, which is sixth in the Big Ten as of Jan. 22. &nbsp;Over the last decade, NU's best assist-to-turnover ratio is 1.32, set in the 2018-19 season. Nebraska's 16.0 assists per game is the program's highest average since 1995-96 (17.37 apg).About Ohio StateUnder the direction of seventh-year coach Chris Holtmann, Ohio State is 13-5 on the season and 3-4 in Big Ten play following Saturday's win over Penn State. Holtmann guided OSU to five 20-win seasons and four NCAA Tournament appearances before the streak was snapped last season as OSU went 16-19.OSU is led by a trio of sophomores who returned after playing significant roles in 2022-23. Bruce Thornton leads the Buckeye attack, as he is averaging 16.0 points and 4.4 assists per outing while posting a 4.4 assist-to-turnover ratio. &nbsp;Roddy Gayle Jr. is averaging 14.2 ppg and 5.1 rebounds per game while Felix Okpara is at 6.6 ppg along with team highs in both rebounds (7.6 rpg) and blocked shots (2.6 bpg) per game . Minnesota transfer Jamison Battle has given the Buckeyes an elite shooting threat, as he is averaging 14.4 ppg while shooting 45 percent from 3-point range.&nbsp;Series History: Ohio State leads the all-time series, 20-6, in a series that dates back to 1936. The Buckeyes are 16-4 against the Huskers since Nebraska joined the Big Ten in 2011-12, but Nebraska has won the last two matchups. Tuesday's game will be just the seventh time in 21 meetings that OSU has not been ranked at game time against the Huskers since Nebraska joined the Big Ten.Last Meeting: Sam Griesel scored 10 of his game-high 15 points in the second half, while Nebraska held Ohio State to 36 percent shooting in a 63-60 victory at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Jan. 18, 2023.While Griesel kept the Huskers within striking distance early, it was some unsung heroes that gave Nebraska a hard-fought win. The Huskers trailed 49-47 with 8:55 remaining before Denim Dawson's basket keyed a decisive 8-0 run for the hosts. Jamarques Lawrence's 3-pointer gave NU a 52-49 lead it wouldn't relinquish before an Emmanuel Bandoumel basket and a Wilhelm Breidenbach free throw put NU up 55-49 with 5:14 left.&nbsp;The game featured 13 lead changes and eight ties as neither team led by more than six points the entire evening. The&nbsp; Huskers held OSU without a field goal for over six and half minutes down the stretch and hit just enough free throws in the final two minutes to earn a second straight win over the Buckeyes. OSU closed to within 62-60 with 12.7 seconds remaining after a pair of free throws from Sean McNeil. C.J. Wilcher split a pair of free throws with 12.2 seconds remaining and the Huskers held on for a crucial home win.

Huskers host Ohio State Tuesday night at PBA

OGALLALA- The Ogallala Indians are ready to kick off the 2024 Southwest Conference Tournament tonight in at Prairie View Gym in Ogallala. Live coverage of tonight's games will be on Flatrock 100.7 or&nbsp;<a href="https://flatrock1007.com/">click here</a>&nbsp;for online.

The girls will be taking on Ainsworth and the boys will battle with Valentine. We will carry all of Ogallala's games in the winner's bracket. Tonight's game can be heard on Flatrock 100.7 with&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/home">Canon Rath</a>.&nbsp;

Sandhills PostOGALLALA- The Ogallala Indians are ready to kick off the 2024 Southwest Conference Tournament tonight in at Prairie View Gym in Ogallala. Live coverage of tonight's games will be on Flatrock 100.7 or&nbsp;<a href="https://flatrock1007.com/">click here</a>&nbsp;for online.The girls will be taking on Ainsworth and the boys will battle with Valentine. We will carry all of Ogallala's games in the winner's bracket. Tonight's game can be heard on Flatrock 100.7 with&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/home">Canon Rath</a>.&nbsp;

Ogallala Southwest Conference basketball radio coverage

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Western Conference Invitational Tournament 

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RPAC Tournament Quarterfinals bracket

Girls Wrestling Invite at Hemingford&nbsp;

Girls Wrestling Invite at Hemingford&nbsp;110 — Ariel Patten 3rd190 — Haley Dunn 2ndBoys Wrestling Invite at Bayard106 — Tanner Paintin 4th138 — Mason Toner 2nd144 — Jacob Hatcher 3rd150 — Henry Taylor 2nd190 — Ernie Perez 3rd285 — Issiah Dunn 4th285 — Brecken Uehling 3rd285 — Juan Perez 1st&nbsp;&nbsp;

Perkins County boys and girls wrestling results from Friday

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Cheer gets 2nd place at the Heartland Dance Competition at Lincoln Christian High School! <a href="https://t.co/Qiy26Y45MX">pic.twitter.com/Qiy26Y45MX</a>&mdash; nphs_bulldogs (@nphs_bulldogs) <a href="https://twitter.com/nphs_bulldogs/status/1749219429668307028?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

NPHS Cheer get 2nd at Heartland Dance Competition

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Cotter Invite Swim results

New Castle, Del.&nbsp;– The Nebraska bowling team claimed a fifth-place finish at the Northeast Classic on Sunday and finished with an 10-3 overall record.

After five baker total pinfall matches and five traditional matches on Friday and Saturday, the Huskers bowled three best four-of-seven baker matches on Sunday for a chance to repeat as tournament champions after taking the crown last year.

In the first round of bracket play, the Huskers faced No. 3 Youngstown State with a starting lineup of Desiree Buchert, Lani Breedlove, Breanna Hartzler, Kayla Verstraete and Jillian Martin. The Penguins took two of the first three games of the contest, despite the Huskers winning game two (204-187). NU then grabbed game four (247-235) and game five (255-178) to take a 3-2 overall advantage in the match. However, Youngstown State responded with victories in game six (177-215) and game seven (188-245) as the Huskers fell, 3-4, to the Penguins before moving onto the second round of match play.&nbsp;

NU then met No. 6 Arkansas State in another best four-of-seven baker match. Arkansas State took the first game (178-237) and the second game (176-189). NU came back in game three with a 212-170 victory before the Red Wolves won game four (242-161) to take a 3-1 overall lead. The Huskers won the next game, 266-178, but fell 4-2 to Arkansas State (183-238) to secure a spot in the fifth-place game.

In the fifth-place game, the Huskers took on No. 5 Tulane. Nebraska took the first game (257-246) but the Green Wave responded with a victory in the second game (184-226). NU came back with wins in game three (227-188) and game four (186-183) to grab a 3-1 lead. Tulane won the next two games, 214-225, 159-213, to force a winner take all seventh game where NU battled and defeated Tulane (215-184) to finish fifth.

Individually, Buchert led the way for the Huskers with a 4th place finish and an average of 223.0. Verstraete was 10th (219.8), Breedlove finished 33rd (205.8), Hartzler was 41st (203.0) and Martin rounded out the group with a 195.4 average.

Up next, the Huskers travel to Arlington, Texas, on Friday, Jan. 26 through Sunday, Jan. 28, for the Prairie View A&amp;M Invite.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsNew Castle, Del.&nbsp;– The Nebraska bowling team claimed a fifth-place finish at the Northeast Classic on Sunday and finished with an 10-3 overall record.After five baker total pinfall matches and five traditional matches on Friday and Saturday, the Huskers bowled three best four-of-seven baker matches on Sunday for a chance to repeat as tournament champions after taking the crown last year.In the first round of bracket play, the Huskers faced No. 3 Youngstown State with a starting lineup of Desiree Buchert, Lani Breedlove, Breanna Hartzler, Kayla Verstraete and Jillian Martin. The Penguins took two of the first three games of the contest, despite the Huskers winning game two (204-187). NU then grabbed game four (247-235) and game five (255-178) to take a 3-2 overall advantage in the match. However, Youngstown State responded with victories in game six (177-215) and game seven (188-245) as the Huskers fell, 3-4, to the Penguins before moving onto the second round of match play.&nbsp;NU then met No. 6 Arkansas State in another best four-of-seven baker match. Arkansas State took the first game (178-237) and the second game (176-189). NU came back in game three with a 212-170 victory before the Red Wolves won game four (242-161) to take a 3-1 overall lead. The Huskers won the next game, 266-178, but fell 4-2 to Arkansas State (183-238) to secure a spot in the fifth-place game.In the fifth-place game, the Huskers took on No. 5 Tulane. Nebraska took the first game (257-246) but the Green Wave responded with a victory in the second game (184-226). NU came back with wins in game three (227-188) and game four (186-183) to grab a 3-1 lead. Tulane won the next two games, 214-225, 159-213, to force a winner take all seventh game where NU battled and defeated Tulane (215-184) to finish fifth.Individually, Buchert led the way for the Huskers with a 4th place finish and an average of 223.0. Verstraete was 10th (219.8), Breedlove finished 33rd (205.8), Hartzler was 41st (203.0) and Martin rounded out the group with a 195.4 average.Up next, the Huskers travel to Arlington, Texas, on Friday, Jan. 26 through Sunday, Jan. 28, for the Prairie View A&amp;M Invite.

Huskers finish Fifth at Northeast Classic

John Higgins Invitational Wrestling results

The Nebraska men’s tennis team improved to 4-0 on Sunday as the Huskers defeated Omaha and Creighton in the second double header of the season at Dillon Tennis Center.

The Big Red faced Omaha first, the 46th matchup between NU and Omaha. No. 3 doubles Shunya Maruyama and Leo Linquet got an early lead in their set, up 5-0. After dropping a game to Mavericks Quintan Van Wijk and Mikel Garmendia, the Husker pair took the match-winning game to finish it 6-1. On Court Two, Calvin Mueller and Nikolay Sysoev defeated Omaha’s Gabe Whiston and Ethan Gaubert, 6-2. No. 1 Anton Shepp and Nic Wiedenhorn faced Mavericks Mikhail Korkunov and Bryan Kuntz in an unfinished 5-3 match on Court One.In singles, senior Rudi Christiansen cleaned up on Court Six, defeating Omaha’s Whiston 6-0, 6-0. Next to finish was Linquet in the No. 4 slot, taking down Ethan Gaubert 6-1, 6-2. Shepp took the next singles point on Court Two, where he defeated Quintan Van Wijk 6-3, 6-2. Wiedenhorn took on Maverick Mikel Garmienda and won 6-2, 6-4. Mueller and Maruyama were the last on, competing in the No. 1 and No. 3 slots respectively. Mueller defeated Korkunov 7-5, 6-2, and Maruyama won his match against Bryan Kunta 6-4, 6-2. The Huskers won the dual 7-0, its 36th win in the series.&nbsp;

Next up, the Huskers took on the Creighton Bluejays for the second time in the 2023-24 season. Linquet and Maruyama grabbed a quick 6-3 win on Court Three against CU’s Gandini and Daijima. Court One pushed into a 6-6 tiebreak, where Shepp and Wiedenhorn could not outlast Lanahan and Maline, dropping the seventh game, final score 6-7, [7-9]. Down to Court Two for the doubles point, Mueller and Sysoev secured the win 7-5.

In singles, Shepp took the first singles win in the No. 2 slot against Lanahan. Lanahan’s match against Mueller in the previous matchup between the teams went three sets. Shepp defeated Lanahan 6-4, 6-2. Next to finish was Mueller on Court One, defeating Patel 6-0, 6-2.&nbsp;

With only one point to go for the win, Maruyama competed in the No. 3 slot and took on Bluejay Gandini. After being down 1-4 in the first set, the senior came back to win six games in a row to take a 6-4, 1-0 lead. Maruyama defeated Gandini 6-4, 6-1 to secure the third singles point, and match winning point for the Big Red. NU won the dual 4-0 and improved to 4-0 on the season.&nbsp;

Up next, the Huskers hit the road for the&nbsp;<a href="https://wearecollegetennis.com/championships/ita-kick-off-weekend/#:~:text=The%2015th%20annual%20Intercollegiate%20Tennis,various%20facilities%20across%20the%20country." target="_blank">ITA Kick-Off Weekend</a>&nbsp;held in Lexington, Ky. NU will face Alabama first on Jan. 26, and either #10 Kentucky or Notre Dame the following day. Times are TBA, and more live video and stats information will be shared as it becomes available. Stay tuned to team&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/HuskerMTennis?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank">social media</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-tennis" target="_blank">Huskers.com</a>&nbsp;for updates and content. The rest of the 2023-24 Nebraska Men’s Tennis Schedule can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-tennis/schedule" target="_blank">here</a>.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsThe Nebraska men’s tennis team improved to 4-0 on Sunday as the Huskers defeated Omaha and Creighton in the second double header of the season at Dillon Tennis Center.The Big Red faced Omaha first, the 46th matchup between NU and Omaha. No. 3 doubles Shunya Maruyama and Leo Linquet got an early lead in their set, up 5-0. After dropping a game to Mavericks Quintan Van Wijk and Mikel Garmendia, the Husker pair took the match-winning game to finish it 6-1. On Court Two, Calvin Mueller and Nikolay Sysoev defeated Omaha’s Gabe Whiston and Ethan Gaubert, 6-2. No. 1 Anton Shepp and Nic Wiedenhorn faced Mavericks Mikhail Korkunov and Bryan Kuntz in an unfinished 5-3 match on Court One.In singles, senior Rudi Christiansen cleaned up on Court Six, defeating Omaha’s Whiston 6-0, 6-0. Next to finish was Linquet in the No. 4 slot, taking down Ethan Gaubert 6-1, 6-2. Shepp took the next singles point on Court Two, where he defeated Quintan Van Wijk 6-3, 6-2. Wiedenhorn took on Maverick Mikel Garmienda and won 6-2, 6-4. Mueller and Maruyama were the last on, competing in the No. 1 and No. 3 slots respectively. Mueller defeated Korkunov 7-5, 6-2, and Maruyama won his match against Bryan Kunta 6-4, 6-2. The Huskers won the dual 7-0, its 36th win in the series.&nbsp;Next up, the Huskers took on the Creighton Bluejays for the second time in the 2023-24 season. Linquet and Maruyama grabbed a quick 6-3 win on Court Three against CU’s Gandini and Daijima. Court One pushed into a 6-6 tiebreak, where Shepp and Wiedenhorn could not outlast Lanahan and Maline, dropping the seventh game, final score 6-7, [7-9]. Down to Court Two for the doubles point, Mueller and Sysoev secured the win 7-5.In singles, Shepp took the first singles win in the No. 2 slot against Lanahan. Lanahan’s match against Mueller in the previous matchup between the teams went three sets. Shepp defeated Lanahan 6-4, 6-2. Next to finish was Mueller on Court One, defeating Patel 6-0, 6-2.&nbsp;With only one point to go for the win, Maruyama competed in the No. 3 slot and took on Bluejay Gandini. After being down 1-4 in the first set, the senior came back to win six games in a row to take a 6-4, 1-0 lead. Maruyama defeated Gandini 6-4, 6-1 to secure the third singles point, and match winning point for the Big Red. NU won the dual 4-0 and improved to 4-0 on the season.&nbsp;Up next, the Huskers hit the road for the&nbsp;<a href="https://wearecollegetennis.com/championships/ita-kick-off-weekend/#:~:text=The%2015th%20annual%20Intercollegiate%20Tennis,various%20facilities%20across%20the%20country." target="_blank">ITA Kick-Off Weekend</a>&nbsp;held in Lexington, Ky. NU will face Alabama first on Jan. 26, and either #10 Kentucky or Notre Dame the following day. Times are TBA, and more live video and stats information will be shared as it becomes available. Stay tuned to team&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/HuskerMTennis?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank">social media</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-tennis" target="_blank">Huskers.com</a>&nbsp;for updates and content. The rest of the 2023-24 Nebraska Men’s Tennis Schedule can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-tennis/schedule" target="_blank">here</a>.

Huskers sweep Omaha, Creighton on Sunday

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2023-2024 RPAC Tournament update

The Mid-Plains Community College Rodeo Team will host its annual scholarship banquet on March 2 at Venue 304 in North Platte. The social hour will begin at 5:30 p.m. followed by a prime rib dinner at 7 p.m.

The event, which is open to the public, serves as a time to recognize the accomplishments of MPCC’s rodeo athletes while also raising funds for the team.

Activities will include presentations by the coaches and athletes, live and silent auctions and an award ceremony.

Tickets are $75 each or $500 for a table of eight. They can be purchased until Feb. 23 at:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.silentauctionpro.com/login.php" target="_blank">silentauctionpro.com/login.php</a>. Anyone who would like to buy a ticket for the banquet or participate in any of the auctions will have to first create an account on the website.

The team will also draw a raffle winner for a Traeger Pro 780 Pellet Grill donated by Mike’s Motorcycle and ATV Repair in North Platte.

Mike’s Motorcycle and ATV Repair also donated a cover for the grill. Bomgaars in North Platte donated the following accessories:

Raffle tickets are $10 each. They can be purchased at the college’s welcome centers in McCook, North Platte, Broken Bow, Imperial, Ogallala and Valentine.

They are also available through the Wranglers booster committee by calling (308) 535-3606 or emailing&nbsp;<a href="mailto:rodeo@mpcc.edu">rodeo@mpcc.edu</a>; by emailing MPCC Rodeo Team coaches&nbsp;Aukai Kaai, at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:kaaik@mpcc.edu">kaaik@mpcc.edu</a>,&nbsp;or Keeley Vaughan,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:vaughank@mpcc.edu">vaughank@mpcc.edu</a>&nbsp;or by contacting any MPCC Rodeo Team member.

Heather JohnsonMPCCThe Mid-Plains Community College Rodeo Team will host its annual scholarship banquet on March 2 at Venue 304 in North Platte. The social hour will begin at 5:30 p.m. followed by a prime rib dinner at 7 p.m.The event, which is open to the public, serves as a time to recognize the accomplishments of MPCC’s rodeo athletes while also raising funds for the team.Activities will include presentations by the coaches and athletes, live and silent auctions and an award ceremony.Tickets are $75 each or $500 for a table of eight. They can be purchased until Feb. 23 at:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.silentauctionpro.com/login.php" target="_blank">silentauctionpro.com/login.php</a>. Anyone who would like to buy a ticket for the banquet or participate in any of the auctions will have to first create an account on the website.The team will also draw a raffle winner for a Traeger Pro 780 Pellet Grill donated by Mike’s Motorcycle and ATV Repair in North Platte.Mike’s Motorcycle and ATV Repair also donated a cover for the grill. Bomgaars in North Platte donated the following accessories:<ul>
 <li>A grill brush</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>A three-piece BBQ tool set - turner, tongs and basting brush</li><li>Three bags of Traeger Premium Pellets in hickory, apple and a maple/cherry blend</li><li>A 5-gallon bucket with lid for storing pellets or marinating meat</li>
 </ul>Raffle tickets are $10 each. They can be purchased at the college’s welcome centers in McCook, North Platte, Broken Bow, Imperial, Ogallala and Valentine.They are also available through the Wranglers booster committee by calling (308) 535-3606 or emailing&nbsp;<a href="mailto:rodeo@mpcc.edu">rodeo@mpcc.edu</a>; by emailing MPCC Rodeo Team coaches&nbsp;Aukai Kaai, at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:kaaik@mpcc.edu">kaaik@mpcc.edu</a>,&nbsp;or Keeley Vaughan,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:vaughank@mpcc.edu">vaughank@mpcc.edu</a>&nbsp;or by contacting any MPCC Rodeo Team member.

Tickets on sale for MPCC Rodeo Team Scholarship Banquet

By Alex Benzegala Panhandle Post

On Friday night Alliance and Ogallala girls' and boys' basketball face off in a battle between two competitive schools in Western Nebraska, as there will also be coverage on KCOW and Panhandle Post in Alliance. Our sister station "Flatrock 100. 7 in Ogallala tonight will also be streaming the simulcast of the KCOW broadcast as well.

The girls game features two teams that have played tough schedules and have also played strong defense all season. Alliance is 5-7 after shutting down 9-4 Gordon-Rushville on Tuesday night and will try to contain an Ogallala team that is 7-6 lead by standout athletes all over the court. Certain matchups of intrigue will be the frontcourt of Jaelynne Clarke and CeeCee Hudson, vs.&nbsp; Marlee Ervin &amp; Laney Caskey.

By Alex Benzegala Panhandle PostOn Friday night Alliance and Ogallala girls' and boys' basketball face off in a battle between two competitive schools in Western Nebraska, as there will also be coverage on KCOW and Panhandle Post in Alliance. Our sister station "Flatrock 100. 7 in Ogallala tonight will also be streaming the simulcast of the KCOW broadcast as well.The girls game features two teams that have played tough schedules and have also played strong defense all season. Alliance is 5-7 after shutting down 9-4 Gordon-Rushville on Tuesday night and will try to contain an Ogallala team that is 7-6 lead by standout athletes all over the court. Certain matchups of intrigue will be the frontcourt of Jaelynne Clarke and CeeCee Hudson, vs.&nbsp; Marlee Ervin &amp; Laney Caskey.Ogallala is coming off of a tough loss to Scottsbluff on Tuesday, 46-34 and hopes to get back on track against the Bulldogs on Friday.On the boy's side, Alliance will try to top one of the best teams arguably in the state in Ogallala, as the Indians are 13-1 and Alliance is 5-7. The Bulldogs are coming off a resounding win over Gordon-Rushville 73-18 on Tue, while Ogallala beat 10-4 Scottsbluff 71-65.&nbsp;Espen Lanik, Tristen Timbers and Seth Meyring provide the leading scoring punch for Alliance, while Ogallala leans on Caden Rezac, Mario Bush, Harry Caskey when healthy, among others.Coverage begins tonight at approximately 5:30-5:45 with the girl's game, then boys to follow. Listen live in Alliance on KCOW 92.5 and 1400, and online at kcowradio.com.&nbsp;In Ogallala tonight, tune in on "Flatrock 100. 7.