KEARNEY LITTLE LEAGUE SET TO BATTLE WISCONSIN TONIGHT:
The Kearney Little League Baseball team won the Nebraska State Championship last weekend over Gretna and will represent the state in the Midwest Regional tonight.
The Kearney squad left Central Nebraska on Tuesday to make the trip to outside-Indianapolis to battle Wisconsin tonight at 6 PM. The contest can be watched on ESPN+.
Last year, Hastings Little League advanced past the Midwest Regional to Williamsport, Pennsylvania for the Little League World Series.
FORMER HUSKER KAYLA CAFFEY TAKES TALENTS TO TEXAS:
Kayla Caffey has officially moved on from the Nebraska volleyball team, announcing her pledge to Texas on Friday.
Eyebrows were raised last week when Caffey, a second-team All-American last season, announced she was entering the transfer portal, citing a lack of scholarship from Nebraska.
In a social media post last week, Caffey said if she stayed at Nebraska, she wouldn’t be able to have one of the scholarships for the fall semester, and that she learned of that part of the equation just a few weeks ago.
Last winter, the NCAA granted Caffey a waiver to play this season, but Nebraska never confirmed Caffey would return to the team. Caffey joins Keonilea Akana as Huskers from the 2021 roster now playing for the Longhorns. Nebraska defeated Texas 3-1 to win the Austin (Texas) Regional last season en route to a runner-up finish.
LOPER VOLLEYBALL READY FOR FALL SEASON; REPORT ON MONDAY:
The Nebraska-Kearney volleyball team begins preparations for the 2022 season this coming Monday (Aug. 8), a week earlier than normal.
This is a “Division II Fall Festival” year, meaning several fall sports NCAA Championships are held at one site. This fall, that city is Seattle. In Festival years, the D2 volleyball calendar is basically moved up one full week.
UNK, aiming to make an unprecedented 23rd appearance in the NCAA Tournament, have a public scrimmage at former rival Nebraska-Omaha on Aug. 20 (Saturday) and then start the season the following Friday with the annual Rosella Meier Fall Classic.
UNK, going 26-7 (15-5 MIAA) in 2021 and finishing 11th in the national polls, still has plenty of talent. The returning All-MIAA selections are outside hitters Emersen Cyza (Alliance) and CeCe Beahm (Hastings St. Cecilia), right side/defensive specialist Lauren Taubenheim (Lincoln Pius X) and middle Bailee Sterling (Kearney H.S.). Ten others return including middles Michaela Bartels (Bennington) and Fallon Stutheit (Johnson), outside Asha Regier (Newton, Kan.) and defensive specialist Jensen Rowse (Minden).
HUSKER THURSDAY PRACTICE COMMENTS:
BUSCH – EVERY POSITION IS IMPORTANT FOR SPECIAL TEAMS:
New special teams coordinator for the Huskers Bill Busch spoke to the media after Thursday’s practice and said each player is beginning to understand how critical each position is…
Busch continued in saying Rahmir Johnson has gone from returning kicks to protecting kickers and returners, and has begun to flourish in the new role.
BUSCH – KICK, PUNT, SNAPS; MOST IMPORTANT PART OF SPECIAL TEAMS:
Nebraska Football’s special teams coordinator Bill Busch addressed the media after Thursday’s practice and spoke on the three critical parts of his unit for the season…
Brian Buschini, transfer punter from Montana, has been named the starting punter for the Huskers, while the long snapper and place kicker have yet to be determined.
BUSCH – EVERY POSITION GROUP PARTICIPATES IN SPECIAL TEAMS:
Nebraska Football is ready to correct their woes from special teams in the Scott Frost era. The first remedy was hiring special teams coordinator Bill Busch. Busch spoke to the media after Thursday’s practice and said each position group is stepping up in more ways than one…
Busch named Rahmir Johnson as a standout on the special teams unit as a personal protector and front line blocker on kick returns, while Anthony Grant appears to be the next kick returner for the Huskers.
RUUD – LINEBACKERS LOOK FRESH IN FALL CAMP:
Linebackers coach for the Blackshirts Barrett Ruud spoke to the media after Thursday’s practice and said he likes his rotation of linebackers so far…
Ruud mentioned that Luke Reimer and Nick Henrich have both stood out as leaders so far, and that freshman Ernest Hausmann is working hard to be a contributor this season.
RUUD – LEADERSHIP CONTINUES TO GROW UNDER REIMERS & HENRICH:
The linebacker unit for the Huskers holds the most returning experience for the Blackshirts coming into 2022. Luke Reimer and Nick Henrich both were name dropped by coach Barrett Ruud during his Thursday media conference about their budding leadership roles…
The Huskers are light on experience in the defensive backfield and defensive line, and will rely on their linebackers to set up another stingy return for the Blackshirts.
RUUD – HAUSMANN WORKING TOWARDS PLAYING TIME:
Columbus freshman Ernest Hausmann went from playing Class A football last fall to enrolling early to Nebraska in the spring, to now possibly garnering some playing time for the Huskers. Linebackers coach Barrett Ruud spoke more about the talented underclassman…
Hausmann had over 160 career tackles at Columbus and left early to enroll at Nebraska to participate in spring practices.
HUSKER LEGEND TRACK COACH RETIRES AFTER 42 YEARS:
Nebraska Head Track and Field Coach Gary Pepin, the leader of the Husker program for 42 years, announced his retirement on Thursday, bringing to a close one of the most successful coaching careers in collegiate track and field history.
In his 42 years as the head coach of the Husker Track and Field program, Pepin’s list of career accomplishments includes three NCAA Championship teams, 73 conference team titles, 59 individual NCAA Champions, 639 All-Americans, 597 individual conference champions and 68 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans.
A USTFCCCA Hall of Fame member, Pepin was named Big 12 and Big Ten Coach of the Year a combined 28 times, and he was the USTFCCCA Region Coach of the Year 11 times.
RAIDERS BEAT JAGUARS IN FIRST GAME OF NFL PRESEASON:
The Las Vegas Raiders gave coach Josh McDaniels a successful homecoming in his debut on their sideline.
Josh Jacobs, rookie Zamir White and Austin Walter ran well on a rain-soaked field and the Raiders routed Jacksonville 27-11 in the Hall of Fame game Thursday night, spoiling coach Doug Pederson’s first game with the Jaguars.
McDaniels grew up in this historic football town and played for his father, Thom McDaniels, at Canton McKinley High School on this field at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, known as Fawcett Stadium during his time as varsity quarterback and kicker.
Former Husker Ameer Abdullah scored on an 8-yard run in the second quarter for the Raiders as well.
Jacksonville hosts Cleveland next Friday night.
Las Vegas hosts Minnesota on Aug. 14.
GRINER SENTENCED TO NINE YEARS IN RUSSIAN PRISON:
A Russian court sentenced WNBA star Brittney Griner to nine years in prison Thursday, an expected conclusion to her trial that should allow negotiations for a prisoner swap to accelerate.
Griner, who was arrested Feb. 17 for bringing cannabis into the country, had been prepared for a harsh sentence, sources close to the player said. But she and her supporters have also been aware that Russia was not going to move forward with a trade that could bring her home until her trial was completed. A guilty verdict was considered a foregone conclusion, and Griner pleaded guilty July 7, though the case continued under Russian law.
Local Results & Schedules:
THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:
FRIDAY:
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Sports Nightly (6 PM – 8 PM)
SATURDAY:
- N/a
SUNDAY:
- N/a
