LOPER VOLLEYBALL BEGINS MIAA TOURNAMENT IN ST. JOE:
The 12th-ranked Nebraska Kearney volleyball team heads to St. Joseph, Mo., this weekend in search of its sixth MIAA Tournament title.
This year’s eight-team event is being played at a neutral site – the St. Joseph Civic Arena – Thursday through Saturday. UNK (26-4), the second seed, faces hometown Missouri Western (11-17) at noon in the tourney’s first match. The Griffons are on a three-match win streak that includes a four-set victory over No. 20 Washburn.
The Lopers downed Mo West on Oct. 22nd in Kearney (-23, -23, -19) while taking care of the Griffs in four sets (-23, 23-25, -15, -23) on Sept. 23rd in St. Joe. UNK is now 49-14 all-time vs. MWSU.
The Lopers previously won this event in 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 while also taking the 2021 MIAAA Tournament.
The winner plays Friday at 5 p.m. against either Central Missouri (19-11) or Pittsburg State (16-13). All matches can be viewed on The MIAA Network.
SIX LOPERS NAMED TO ALL-MIAA TEAM:
The 12th-ranked Nebraska Kearney Lopers have placed six on the 2022 All-MIAA volleyball team.
Making the first team is outside hitter Emersen Cyza (Alliance), middle blocker Bailee Sterling (Kearney), setter Peyton Neff (North Platte) and libero Jensen Rowse (Minden). Cyza is a repeat first-teamer with Sterling bumping up from 2021 second-team accolades. Neff and Rowse are honored for the first time.
Receiving honorable mention accolades was middle blocker Fallon Stutheit (Johnson) and right side Lauren Taubenheim (Lincoln). This is Taubenheim’s second All-MIAA honor and the first for Stutheit.
NEBRASKA MEN READY TO DEFEND PBA FROM OMAHA:
Nebraska looks to improve to 2-0 on the season on Thursday night, as the Huskers host Omaha at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tipoff for the intrastate matchup between the Huskers and Mavericks is set for 7 p.m.
The Huskers (1-0) are coming off a 79-66 win over Maine Monday night in the season opener. The Huskers placed three players in double figures, led by senior Sam Griesel’s 22 points and nine rebounds
Under the direction of first-year coach Chris Crutchfield, Omaha comes to Lincoln looking for its first win of the season. Crutchfield, who played both basketball and football at Omaha, returns to his alma mater after spending the 2021-22 season as an assistant at Oregon.
KGFW’s pregame begins at 6 PM with Kent Pavelka on the call from the Huskers Radio Network.
HUSKER FOOTBALL PRACTICE COMMENTS – COORDINATORS:
WHIPPLE – QUARTERBACK PRACTICE UPDATE:
Offensive Coordinator Mark Whipple spoke to the media on Wednesday after practice and began his comments updating the quarterback situation for Saturday…
Nebraska has listed Casey Thompson as day-to-day heading into Michigan, while Logan Smothers and Chubba Purdy continue to take regular rotations at the No. 1 spot in practice.
WHIPPLE – TEAM DOES NOT HAVE TO GET MOTIVATED FOR MICHIGAN:
Mark Whipple, Nebraska Offensive Coordinator spoke about his offense’s need to get up and amped to play a stellar Michigan defense…
Nebraska has opened up contests very strong the past few weeks, but struggled beyond the first quarter. The Huskers open as four touchdown underdogs to the Wolverines on Saturday.
WHIPPLE – DROPPED PASSES MUST BE FIXED:
Mark Whipple, Nebraska Offensive Coordinator said at his Wednesday press conference that his team desperately needs to improve on the dropped passes from his receivers…
Nebraska dropped multiple passes against Minnesota at home last Saturday, and hopes to remedy the issue prior to taking on No. 3 Michigan.
BUSCH – GOOD PRACTICES; TEAM IS READY:
Nebraska interim defensive coordinator Bill Busch opened his comments after Wednesday’s practice about the level of practice his Huskers have had this week…
The Huskers have their biggest test of the season at No. 3 Michigan this Saturday as kickoff is set for 2:30 PM.
BUSCH – CORUM BEST BACK HUSKERS HAVE SEEN:
Bill Busch, Nebraska interim defensive coordinator, had the highest of praise for Michigan running back Blake Corum leading into their matchup with the Wolverines…
Nebraska has given up a 100 yard rusher in consecutive weeks to Illinois’ Chase Brown and Mohammed Ibrahim.
BUSCH – FARMER SUSPENSION HURTS HUSKERS:
Myles Farmer is suspended for the upcoming Michigan contest on Saturday after being arrested for a DUI on Saturday night after the Minnesota contest. Defensive coordinator Bill Busch spoke on the loss of the starting safety and the impact on the senior…
Nebraska’s suspension is currently set for only the Michigan game, announced by interim Head Coach Mickey Joseph earlier this week.
NEBRASKA VOLLEYBALL SIGNS TOP RANKED CLASS:
The Nebraska volleyball program announced its top-ranked recruiting class according to PrepVolleyball.com on National Letter of Intent Signing Day on Wednesday.
Head Coach John Cook and the Huskers secured the signings of five prospects, all ranked in the top 13 nationally. The 2023 signing class includes outside hitter Harper Murray (No. 2 overall), setter Bergen Reilly (No. 4 overall), libero Laney Choboy (No. 5 overall), opposite hitter Caroline Jurevicius (No. 7 overall) and middle blocker Andi Jackson (No. 13 overall).
Led by assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Jaylen Reyes, the Huskers have now signed the No. 1 class twice in the last three years, and they had the second-ranked class last year.
All five signees will enroll at Nebraska in January, and all five have been chosen to play in the 2022 Under Armour All-America Game.
NEBRASKA MEN’S HOOPS RECEIVES RECRUITMENT BOOST WITH RICE:
Nebraska Men’s Basketball Coach Fred Hoiberg announced Wednesday that Eli Rice (Gallatin, Tenn.) has signed a National Letter-of-Intent to play for the Husker basketball program in 2023-24.
Rice is a 6-foot-7, 195-pound guard who will play for IMG Academy’s postgraduate team this season after spending his senior year at Beech (Tenn.) High School. A three-star recruit by 247Sports, Rivals and On3, he was rated No. 194 nationally in the 247Sports composite rankings and among the top-25 recruits in the state of Florida by 247Sports.
Rice also considered Georgetown and VCU before signing with Nebraska.
HUSKER WOMEN’S HOOPS SIGN TWO STATE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR:
The Nebraska women’s basketball program signed a pair of state players of the year, as two-time North Dakota Gatorade of the Year Logan Nissley and 2021 Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year Natalie Potts signed their National Letters of Intent to join the Huskers Wednesday.
Nissley, a 5-10 guard from Bismarck, N.D. has been ranked as the No. 91 player in the Class of 2023 by ESPN after averaging more than 21 points and three steals while hitting 47 percent of her three-pointers as a junior.
Potts, a 6-2 power forward averaged 20.7 points and 9.3 as a sophomore to earn Gatorade and MaxPreps Missouri Player-of-the-Year honors after leading Incarnate Word Academy to a Class 6A state championship in 2021.
NFL SCORES/SCHEDULES:
THURSDAY:
Atlanta Falcons @ Carolina Panthers – 7:15 PM
Local Results & Schedules:
THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:
THURSDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- N/a
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- N/a
- UNK:
- Volleyball: MIAA Tournament @ St. Joseph, MO – 12 PM
- UNK v. Missouri Western State
- Volleyball: MIAA Tournament @ St. Joseph, MO – 12 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Nebraska Men’s Basketball v. Omaha (6 PM – 9:45 PM)
FRIDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- N/a
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- N/a
- UNK:
- Swimming: @ Eagle Invitational, Oklahoma City, OK – 10 AM/6 PM
- Women’s Basketball: v. Minnesota-Crookston @ Health & Sports Center – 7 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Nebraska Volleyball v. Iowa (5:30 PM – 8:45 PM)
SATURDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Unified Bowling: @ Grand Island Invite @ Westside Lanes – 1 PM
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- N/a
- UNK:
- Swimming: @ Eagle Invitational, Oklahoma City, OK – 10 AM/6 PM
- Wrestling; @ Dakota Wesleyan Open, Mitchell, SD – 9 AM
- Football: @ Northeastern State, Tahlequah, OK – 2 PM
- Women’s Basketball v. Southwest Minnesota St. @ Health & Sports Center – 4 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Nebraska Football @ Michigan (10:30 AM – 9:30 PM) – KGFW
- Nebraska Football @ Michigan (1:45 PM – 7:45 PM) – KQKY-HITS 106
SUNDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- N/a
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- N/a
- UNK:
- Swimming: @ Eagle Invitational, Oklahoma City, OK – 10 AM/6 PM
- Wrestling: v. Chadron State @ Health & Sports Center – 12 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- N/a
