LOPERS END 25th IN D2 ALL-SPORTS TROPHY STANDINGS:
Nebraska-Kearney tallied 475.50 points to finish 25th in the race for the 2021-22 Learfield Directors’ Cup.
The Cup is the Division II “All-Sports” Trophy, given annually to the school that scores the most points at NCAA Championships over the fall, winter and spring seasons
Ranking third among MIAA schools, this is UNK’s highest place and point total in 14 years (16th/494.50; 2007-08).
The Blue & Gold scored 118.50 points in the fall, 205.0 in the winter and added 152 in the spring. Not surprisingly, the MIAA had a strong showing as seven members ranked in the top 41 and 10 in the top 88. Central Missouri (8th/671.25) and Washburn (21st/482.0) were ahead of the Lopers.
HUSKER HOOPS RECEIVE BIG TEN MATCHUPS FOR UPCOMING SEASONS:
The Nebraska Men’s and Women’s basketball teams received their home Big Ten Conference matchups for the upcoming 2022-23 seasons.
The Husker women, who are coming off a 24-9 season that culminated with a trip to the 2022 NCAA Tournament, will feature marquee matchups with Iowa, Maryland, Michigan and Ohio State in what promises to be one of the most loaded Big Ten home schedules in Big Red history. They return all five starters from a team that closed the regular season with three straight Big Ten wins before notching a pair of victories at the conference tournament, and is the preseason No. 22 team in the nation according to the most recent ESPN rankings.
The Nebraska men welcomes six teams which made the NCAA Tournament, including regular-season co-champs Illinois and Wisconsin, as well as Big Ten Tournament champion Iowa. NU will also host NCAA Tournament qualifiers Ohio State, Michigan State and Purdue, as well as Maryland, Minnesota, Northwestern and Penn State.
Nebraska’s Big Ten road slate includes seven NCAA Tournament teams in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, Rutgers, as well as Maryland, Minnesota and Penn State.
Find full details on the Husker women here and the Nebraska Men’s schedule here.
NEBRASKA BASEBALL ADDS OKLAHOMA STATE TRANSFER:
The Huskers continued a busy baseball offseason Wednesday by adding the Oklahoma State utilityman Cayden Brumbaugh, who was in the transfer portal for less than a week. He still has three years of eligibility after appearing in 13 games (four starts) this spring for the Cowboys, who were the No. 7 national seed in the NCAA Tournament but bowed out in the regional round.
It’s a moment of life coming full circle for Brumbaugh, a native of Edmond, Oklahoma, who took an official visit to NU’s campus late in 2019 after coach Will Bolt and his staff took over in Lincoln. The Huskers finished second in his recruitment — the speedy hitter committed to OSU soon after — but the impression lasted.
Big Red coaches reached out within five minutes of his name popping into the portal this time.
Brumbaugh can play all over the field but will come to Nebraska as a center fielder. He was 7-for-22 (.318) with OSU this spring, arriving as a top-250 shortstop prospect in the 2021 class, according to Perfect Game.
HUSKER SOFTBALL ADDS TRANSFER TO ROSTER:
The Nebraska softball team has added right-handed pitcher Sarah Harness to its roster. Harness joins the Huskers as a transfer from Southern Illinois, where she earned All-MVC First Team honors last season.
Harness has spent the past three seasons with Southern Illinois and will have two years of eligibility at Nebraska. Harness has appeared in the circle 84 times in her collegiate career with 55 starts. She boasts a 2.31 career ERA with 436 strikeouts through 442.1 innings.
JOHANSSON NAMED BIG TEN FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR FOR T&F:
Nebraska thrower Axelina Johansson was named the Big Ten Women’s Outdoor Freshman of the Year on Thursday in a vote by the league’s head coaches.
Johansson finished third in the shot put at the NCAA Outdoor Championships to earn the bronze medal along with USTFCCCA First-Team All-America honors. She was the top freshman nationally in any of the NCAA field events.
Johansson was the Big Ten runner-up in the shot put with the No. 3 throw in NU outdoor history, 60-4 (18.39m).
NEW WEST ALL-STAR BASKETBALL GAMES HELD IN MINDEN TONIGHT:
All-Star action continues tonight in Minden as the New West All-Star Classic Conference contests tip-off this evening.
Athletes from the Southwest, LouPlatte, Fort Kearney, and Republican Plains Activity Conferences will participate and compete against each other in boys and girls basketball action tonight at Minden High School.
Games start at 5 PM with the girls’ contests playing first between the Southwest Conference and LouPlatte Conference at Minden High School while the FKC and RPAC battle at CL Jones Middle School. The same matchups will be held by the boys with their games being held directly after the conclusion of the girls.
NEW WEST ALL-STAR VOLLEYBALL RESULTS:
In last night’s New West All-Star Classic contests for volleyball, the Southwest Conference came out victorious over the FKC, LouPlatte, and RPAC conferences to earn the All-Star title.
The SWC won in two of three sets (25-16, 20-25, 25-18) over the FKC at Minden High School to claim the championship. The LouPlatte won the consolation match over RPAC in two sets (25-23, 25-16).
Chelsea Fischer of Pleasanton and Kailtyn Scott of Broken Bow were named MVPs of the All-Star contests.
Local Results & Schedules:
THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:
WEDNESDAY:
- STANLEY CUP FINALS: Game 1 @ Colorado
- Colorado Avalanche 4 – 3 Tampa Bay Lightning (OT) (COL 1-0)
THURSDAY:
- POST 52: @ Big Stick Tournament
- @ Billings Blue Jays – 4:30 PM
- NBA FINALS: Game 6 @ Boston – 8 PM
- Golden State Warriors @ Boston Celtics (GSW 3-2)
FRIDAY:
- POST 52: @ Big Stick Tournament
- @ Post 320 Shooters – 4:30 PM
- @ Post 22 Expos – 7 PM
- Runza Seniors: v. Grand Island Home Federal – 2:30 PM
- Pregame on KGFW at 2:15 PM
- Runza Seniors: v. GI U-Save – 5 PM
- Pregame on KGFW at 4:45 PM
SATURDAY:
- POST 52: @ Big Stick Tournament
- @ Sturgis Post 33 Missiles – 11:30 AM
- STANLEY CUP FINALS: Game 2 @ Colorado – 7 PM
- Tampa Bay Lightning @ Colorado Avalanche – 7 PM (COL 1-0)
SUNDAY:
- POST 52: @ Big Stick Tournament
- @ Fort Morgan – 11:30 AM
- NBA FINALS: TBA Game 7 @ Golden State – 7 PM
- Boston Celtics @ Golden State Warriors
