JOSEPH – WEDNESDAY SPORTS NIGHTLY COMMENTS:
JOSEPH – CULTURE NEEDED A CHANGE IN RECEIVER ROOM:
New Wide Receivers and associate Head Coach Mickey Joseph will be new to the Nebraska sidelines this fall, but after chatting on Sports Nightly last night Joseph said this spring his first goal was to establish a new identity…
Joseph has infused new talent through the transfer portal in additions such as Marcus Washington and Trey Palmer, while also recruiting new faces such as DeColdest Crawford, and keeping a mixture of last year’s Huskers with Alante Brown, Oliver Martin, and Omar Manning.
JOSEPH – DIFFERENT TREY PALMER THAN AT LSU:
Trey Palmer joined the Husker Football team after the hiring of new receivers coach Mickey Joseph. Joseph was asked on Sports Nightly Wednesday night about his former Tiger receiver…
Joseph added the talent at LSU kept Palmer from truly shining on the field, but he does expect the new Husker receiver to make big plays this fall for the Big Red.
JOSEPH – WASHINGTON THE “BULLY” OF THE RECEIVERS:
Along with new faces from recruitment and the transfer portal for the Nebraska receivers room comes Marcus Washington from Texas. Washington joins former teammate Casey Thompson on the Big Red, and receivers coach Mickey Joseph spoke on Wednesday’s Sports Nightly about his new mentality he brought…
Washington had 18 receptions for 277 yards and two scores last year for Texas.
MARTINEZ – WILL ALWAYS HAVE LOVE FOR NEBRASKA:
Former Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez spoke at Big 12 media days yesterday for his new team – the Kansas State Wildcats – after hitting the transfer portal this past offseason. Martinez was asked about what his relationship is with Nebraska during his time at the podium…
Martinez left the Husker program as the all-time leader in yards gained as well as holding numerous other passing records. Martinez left the Huskers in search of a fresh start and has stated he wanted a chance to shed the “can’t win games” label in hopes of making the NFL.
LOPER T&F EARNS NATIONAL ACADEMIC AWARDS:
The Nebraska-Kearney track and field team recently qualified for national team and individual academic honors from the U.S. Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
In order to qualify for the “All-Academic” team award, a program must have at least a 3.00 cumulative grade point average.
The Loper women came in with a 3.528 with the UNK men at a solid 3.294. Cal State East Bay (3.64) and Kentucky Wesleayn (3.725) were the men’s and women’s team GPA leaders, respectively.
The Loper men had nine make the cut in throwers Ross Berggren (Batavia, Ill.) and Alex Goracke (Giltner), distance runners Ben Arens (Ainsworth), Myles Bach (Cedar Rapids, Ia.), Luke Stuckey (McCool Junction) and Justin Vrooman (Juniata), hurdler Jack Drahota (Ravenna), vaulter Alex Homan (Creighton) and high jumper Trevor Bills (Elkhorn). Arens, Berggren, Goracke and Stuckey are all repeat selections.
Seven UNK women qualified in distance runners Grace Bonsall (Kearney), Mara Hemmer (Fremont) and Destiny Reinke (Imperial), throwers Jaida McEwen (Norton, Kan.) and Anna Squiers (Kearney Catholic), vaulter Gabrielle Oborny (David City Aquinas) and high jumper Abby Everitt (O’Neill). Reinke, McEwen, Squies and Everitt also earned this honor last summer.
FUTURE HUSKER SOFTBALL SMETTER NAMED HIGH SCHOOL ALL-AMERICAN:
Infielder Ashley Smetter cemented her status as one of the top incoming freshmen in the country when she was named a third-team high school All-American by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA).
Smetter, a four-year letterwinner at Lincoln Southwest, capped her high school career last fall by leading the Silverhawks to its second state title in four years as the starting second baseman. She was named a Super State First Team selection in 2020 and 2021.
n her senior campaign, Smetter led the Silverhawks in nearly every offensive category including batting average (.493), on-base percentage (.590), stolen bases (27), runs (63), hits (66), slugging percentage (.873), doubles (18) and triples (3). She also tallied nine home runs through the 2021 season. At second base, Smetter finished with a .978 fielding percentage.
BIG 12 COMMISSIONER: “OPEN FOR BUSINESS”
New Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark declared the league “open for business,” saying that while nothing is imminent all options will be considered as he takes over with conference realignment again shaking college sports.
Yormark made his introductory remarks Wednesday at the start of the conference’s football media days at AT&T Stadium. He was named Bob Bowlsby’s successor two weeks ago. The next day it was announced Southern California and UCLA would be leaving the Pac-12 to join the Big Ten in 2024, setting off all kinds of speculation about what moves might follow.
The former Roc Nation executive and CEO of the Brooklyn Nets officially begins work Aug. 1, but he has already been plenty busy with Big 12 business; emphasizing revenue streams and more national appeal for the Big 12 brand.
10 ROYALS WON’T MAKE TRIP TO TORONTO DUE TO COVID-19 POLICIES:
The Kansas City Royals will be without 10 of the 26 players on their active roster for their upcoming trip to Toronto due to Canadian restrictions on travelers who aren’t vaccinated against COVID-19.
Manager Mike Matheny said Wednesday the club will be without hitters Andrew Benintendi, Hunter Dozier, Cam Gallagher, Kyle Isbel, MJ Melendez, Whit Merrifield and Michael A. Taylor along with pitchers Dylan Coleman, Brad Keller and Brady Singer.
The team is set to play four games in Toronto. The 10 players will be placed on the restricted list and forfeit four days of pay and major league service time in accordance with the terms of MLB’s collective bargaining agreement.
Local Results & Schedules:
THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:
THURSDAY:
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Sports Nightly (6 PM – 8 PM)
FRIDAY:
- POST 52 Juniors: AREA 7 DISTRICT TOURNAMENT:
- TBA
- Runza Seniors: AREA 7 DISTRICT TOURNAMENT:
- Runza Seniors v. Scottsbluff WESTCO Zephyrs @ Hastings Duncan Field – 4:30 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Runza Seniors v. Scottsbluff WESTCO Zephyrs @ Hastings Duncan Field – 4:30 PM
- KGFW Pregame at 4:15 PM
- Sports Nightly (7:30 PM – 8 PM)
- Runza Seniors v. Scottsbluff WESTCO Zephyrs @ Hastings Duncan Field – 4:30 PM
SATURDAY:
- POST 52 Juniors: AREA 7 DISTRICT TOURNAMENT:
- TBA
- Runza Seniors: AREA 7 DISTRICT TOURNAMENT:
- TBA
SUNDAY:
- POST 52 Juniors: AREA 7 DISTRICT TOURNAMENT:
- TBA
- Runza Seniors: AREA 7 DISTRICT TOURNAMENT:
- TBA
