Tuesday Morning Sports – Loper Basketball Ready for Conference Media Day, UNK Volleyball Battles Emporia State, Purdue Practice Comments on Huskers, Rodriguez Earns Conference Award, Panthers Fire Rhule, Local Sports Schedule

LOPER BASKETBALL READIES FOR CONFERENCE MEDIA DAYS:

The 2022 MIAA Basketball Media Day begins today in Kansas City, Missouri.

The action begins at 9:15 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 11 with MIAA Commissioner Mike Racy announcing the results of the 2022-2023 Preseason Coaches and Media Polls. Following the Commissioner’s remarks, media day host Brenda VanLengen will welcome the first men’s and women’s head coaches to the stage.

The UNK women return the majority of its roster from a 24-8 team that reached the second round of the MIAA Tournament. Head coach Carrie Eighmey has the luxury of five fifth-year seniors as well as a big recruiting class.  

The Loper men posted a 11-17 record last winter with head coach Kevin Lofton welcoming back eight returners (six letterwinners plus two redshirts) and adding eight newcomers.

The event will be broadcast live, for free, on the MIAA Network. Fans who want to participate in media day can tweet a question for their favorite coach using the hashtag #AskMIAA.

UNK VOLLEYBALL BATTLES EMPORIA STATE AT HEALTH AND SPORTS CENTER:

After another successful weekend on the road, UNK Volleyball (19-2) returns home to defend the Health and Sports Center over the visiting Emporia State Hornets.

The Hornets are 4-16 on the year and amid a seven match losing streak. Their last win came against William Jewell in five sets on Sept. 20. Their last conference victory was in five sets over Fort Hays State on Sept. 10. 

UNK downed Emporia in a sweep at Emporia on Sept. 9 in the Hornets home opener. First serve tonight is set for 6 PM.

PURDUE COMMENTS ON HUSKERS – HEAD COACH JEFF BROHM:

BROHM – HUSKERS HAVE A GOOD OFFENSIVE MIX:

Purdue Head Coach Jeff Brohm gave high praise to the offensive balance of the Nebraska Football attack during his media comments on Monday…

Nebraska has settled as double digit point underdogs to the Boilermakers as the Big Red makes the trip to West Lafayette on Saturday night.

BROHM – SOME ADJUSTMENTS NEEDED FOR AN INTERIM COACH:

Nebraska Football continues to improve after the firing of head coach Scott Frost and naming Mickey Joseph as the interim. The Huskers’ opponent on Saturday – Purdue Head Coach Jeff Brohm – said that the interim position does require a few minor adjustments…

Nebraska travels to West Lafayette on a two game winning streak, including two consecutive contests where the Blackshirt defense has not allowed a score of any kind in the second half. 

HUSKERS’ RODRIGUEZ NAMED BIG TEN CO-DEFENSIVE POTW:

Nebraska sophomore libero Lexi Rodriguez was named Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Week on Monday

Rodriguez averaged 6.00 digs per set in Nebraska’s sweeps at Michigan State and No. 24 Michigan last week. The Sterling, Ill., native had a season-high 25 assists in a sweep over the Wolverines on Saturday night. She also had a pair of aces and was perfect on 17 reception attempts. Against Michigan State last Thursday, Rodriguez recorded 11 digs and an ace with 15 perfect receptions. 

Rodriguez earned her third career Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week award and the seventh overall Big Ten weekly honor of her career. 

PANTHERS’ REMOVE RHULE AS HEAD COACH:

Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper said he ran out of patience with Matt Rhule’s inability to get the franchise “over the hump.”

Tepper fired his second coach in four years on Monday, dismissing Rhule five games into his third losing season.

Rhule, the first NFL coach to be fired this season, went 11-27 with Carolina and leaves with roughly $40 million remaining on the seven-year, guaranteed $62 million contract he signed in 2020, when he made the jump from Baylor to the pros.

Rhule has now been rumored to head coaching openings in college football, including Nebraska and Wisconsin. 

KELCE’S FOUR TOUCHDOWNS UPEND HOT START BY RAIDERS:

The Kansas City Chiefs headed off to the locker room facing a big hole against the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday night, everything from the big plays to the officiating calls going the way of their longtime AFC West rivals.

One call in particular lit a fire under them. It was a dubious penalty on Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones for roughing Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, and nobody in the Kansas City locker room could believe it. But rather than stew over it, or lament their 10-point deficit, Patrick Mahomes and the rest of the Chiefs used it as motivation to storm from behind for the 30-29 victory.

The Chiefs’ were aided by tight end Travis Kelce’s big night, scoring four touchdowns.

The Chiefs host the Bills on Sunday in a rematch of January’s playoff overtime thriller.

NFL SCORES/SCHEDULES:

MONDAY:

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 30 – 29 Las Vegas Raiders

Local Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:

MONDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • Girls Golf: STATE @ Norfolk Country Club
    • Ends DAY 1 at 12th
      • T43 – Olivia James (+25, 97)
      • T46 – Addison Peterson (+26, 98)
      • T50 – Lauren Lydiatt (+27, 99)
      • T59 – Kaylee White (+29, 101)
      • 68 – Morgan Dowhy (+32, 104)

TUESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • Girls Golf: STATE @ Norfolk Country Club
  • Volleyball: @ Lincoln Pius X – 7 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • Volleyball: v. Emporia State @ Health & Sports Center – 6 PM
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Sports Nightly (6 PM – 8 PM)

WEDNESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • N/a
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Sports Nightly (6 PM – 8 PM)

THURSDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • Cross Country: DISTRICTS
  • Boys Tennis: STATE @ Koch Tennis Center – 4 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • Cross Country: DISTRICTS @ Elks Country Club, Hastings – 3:30 PM
  • Volleyball: v. Broken Bow – 5 PM
• UNK:
  • N/a
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Sports Nightly (6 PM – 8 PM)

FRIDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • Boys Tennis: STATE @ Koch Tennis Center – 4 PM
  • Football: v. Lincoln Northeast @ Ron & Carol Cope Stadium – 6 PM
    • KGFW Pregame at 5:30 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • Football: @ Centura – 7 PM
• UNK:
  • Cross Country: @ Platte River Rumble, Ashland NE – 1 PM
  • Women’s Soccer: v. Central Missouri @ Foster Field – 3 PM
  • Volleyball: @ Central Oklahoma – 4 PM
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Kearney High Football v. Lincoln Northeast (5 PM – 9 PM)

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • Volleyball: @ Newman – 1 PM
  • Football: v. Emporia State @ Ron & Carol Cope Stadium – 1 PM
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Nebraska Football @ Purdue (2:30 PM – 1:30 AM) – KGFW
  • Nebraska Football @ Purdue (5:45 PM – 11:45 PM) – HITS 106/KQKY

SUNDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • Women’s Soccer: v. Missouri Southern – 12 PM
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • N/a