KPS, UNK SIGN TEN-YEAR AGREEMENT TO SHARE FACILITIES:
Kearney Public Schools and the University of Nebraska at Kearney have signed an agreement to continue sharing facilities. The 10-year extension from June 2023 continues toJune 2033.
UNK will have access to the Kearney High School pool/natatorium and track, while KPS will access the UNK Cope Stadium and football field.
Kearney Public Schools and the University of Nebraska at Kearney have had a long-standing relationship supporting each other on multiple fronts. KPS has used the athletic facilities at UNK and hosted KPS graduation at the Health and Sports Center for the past 20 years.
LEACH PASSES AWAY FROM HEART COMPLICATIONS; DIES AT 61:
Mike Leach, the gruff, pioneering and unfiltered college football coach who helped revolutionize the game with the Air Raid offense, has died following complications from a heart condition, Mississippi State said Tuesday. He was 61.
Leach, who was in his third season as head coach at Mississippi State, fell ill Sunday at his home in Starkville, Mississippi. He was treated at a local hospital before being airlifted to University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, about 120 miles (200 kilometers) away. He died Monday night.
In 21 seasons as a head coach at Texas Tech, Washington State and Mississippi State, Leach went 158-107.
DAVIS NAMED AFCA ALL-AMERICAN FOR SECOND TIME:
Redshirt senior quarterback TJ Davis is a repeat selection to the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II All-American team.
Davis (Colorado Springs) makes the second-team once again as 2021 Harlon Hill Trophy winner Tyson Bagent of Shepherd (W.V.) was the first-team selection. Both are 2022 Harlon Hill finalists.
Slated to be a super senior in 2023, Davis joins left tackle Cole Manhart (2013 and 2014) as the only two-time AFCA All-American Lopers. He also is UNK’s first-ever two-time AA quarterback (D2 and NAIA levels).
HUSKER FOOTBALL LANDS TWO RECRUITS ON MONDAY:
Matt Rhule’s new Husker Football staff continues to build the future of the Big Red on the recruitment trail, landing two recruits to kick off the week.
The first commitment came from 2023 IMG Academy cornerback Syncere Safeeullah.
Safeeullah announced his commitment on social media, though he hadn’t been slated to officially visit Nebraska until this weekend. That visit is still planned as he gets a chance to check out what will be his new home in a month. The defensive back is an early enrollee.
He had seven interceptions, including two pick sixes, 11 pass breakups, 43 tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and blocked punt this past season.
Later Monday, Sacramento California JUCO defensive end Kai Wallin officially committed to the Huskers.
The 6-foot-5, 230-pound Wallin was blown away by his official visit over the weekend. Wallin also visited Oregon State and Kansas.
Wallin can transfer to Nebraska in January and will have three years of eligibility remaining with a redshirt.
SHELLEY EARNS BIG TEN HONOR ROLL WEEKLY AWARD:
Nebraska’s Jaz Shelley earned a spot on the Big Ten Weekly Honor Roll for her performances that helped the Husker women’s basketball team to a 2-0 record last week.
The 5-9 guard from Moe, Australia, opened the week with a huge 31-point effort in Nebraska’s 82-54 pounding of Wisconsin at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Shelley connected on 7-of-12 threes against the Badgers to help the short-handed Huskers to a runaway victory in opening a five-game home stand.
She closed the week with 15 points, three rebounds, a game-high six assists, a block and a steal in Nebraska’s 71-46 victory over Samford. For the week, Shelley averaged 23.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists, while hitting 54.5 percent (18-33) of her shots from the field, including 9-of-16 threes (.563).
Nebraska (8-3, 2-0 Big Ten) returns for the third game of its five-game home stand at Pinnacle Bank Arena by playing host to Wyoming on Sunday.
TORNQVIST NAMED USHL DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK:
Tri-City Storm defenseman Sebastian Törnqvist has been named the USHL’s Defenseman of the Week for the first time in his career following his performance for the Storm last weekend.
Törnqvist scored twice, notched two assists, and recorded four points last weekend for Tri-City. He also posted a plus/minus rating of +3.
Törnqvist is the first Storm defenseman to be honored with a USHL weekly award this season.
PURDUE NEW No. 1 IN AP COLLEGE BASKETBALL POLL:
Purdue picked up wins over West Virginia, No. 15 Gonzaga and No. 12 Duke in consecutive weeks to win the Phil Knight Legacy tournament earlier in the season.
Wins over Hofstra and Nebraska last week, combined with a loss by Houston, were enough to move the Boilermakers to No. 1 the AP Top 25 for the second straight season.
Purdue moved up three spots in The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll released on Monday, receiving 27 first-place votes from a 62-person media panel. No. 2 Virginia received 19 first-place votes to move up a spot, No. 3 Connecticut received 15 and No. 6 Tennessee also got one.
TEXAS MEN’S HOOPS COACH CHRIS BEARD SUSPENDED BY LONGHORNS:
Chris Beard, who coached Texas Tech to the 2019 NCAA championship game and was hired away by Texas with expectations that he would elevate his alma mater to the same level, was arrested early Monday on a felony family violence charge after a woman told police he strangled and bit her.
The school suspended Beard without pay “until further notice,” and assistant Rodney Terry directed No. 7 Texas to an 87-81 overtime win over Rice on Monday night.
Beard was arrested by Austin police and booked at the Travis County jail at 4:18 a.m. on a charge of assault on a family or household member in which their breath was impeded. The charge is a third-degree felony in Texas, with a possible punishment of two to 10 years in prison.
NFL SCORES/SCHEDULES:
MONDAY:
New England Patriots 27-13 Arizona Cardinals
Local Results & Schedules:
THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:
TUESDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Swimming & Diving: @ Hastings Dual – 4 PM
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Swimming & Diving: @ Hastings Dual – 4 PM
- Girls Basketball: @ Ravenna – 5:30 PM
- Boys Basketball: @ Ravenna – 7:30 PM
- Wrestling: Triangular v. GICC & North Platte St. Pats – 6 PM
- UNK:
- N/a
- 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:
- Boys Basketball: v. Papillion-LaVista @ Kearney High School – 6:15 PM
- KGFW Pregame at 6 PM
- Boys Basketball: v. Papillion-LaVista @ Kearney High School – 6:15 PM
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- N/a
- UNK:
- N/a
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Kearney High Boys Basketball v. Papillion-LaVista (6 PM – 8 PM)
FRIDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Wrestling: @ Flatwater Fracas Wrestling Tournament @ Heartland Events Center – 1 PM
- Swimming & Diving: @ Lincoln SE Invite – 1 PM
- Girls Basketball: @ Omaha Buena Vista – 6 PM
- KGFW Pregame at 5:45 PM
- Boys Basketball: @ Omaha Buena Vista – 7:30 PM
- KGFW Pregame after Girls v. OBV
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Swimming & Diving: Dive @ Lincoln SE Invite – 1 PM
- Girls Basketball: @ McCook – 5:30 PM
- Boys Basketball: @ McCook – 7:30 PM
- UNK:
- Women’s Basketball: v. Newman @ Health & Sports Center – 5 PM
- Men’s Basketball: v. Newman @ Health & Sports Center – 7 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Kearney High Girls Basketball @ Omaha Buena Vista (5:45 PM – 7:45 PM)
- Kearney High Boys Basketball @ Omaha Buena Vista (7:45 PM – 9:45 PM)
SATURDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Wrestling: @ Flatwater Fracas Wrestling Tournament @ Heartland Events Center – 9:30 AM
- Swimming & Diving: Lincoln SE Invite – 10 AM
- Boys Basketball: v. Elkhorn North @ Hastings College – Heartland Hoops Holiday Classic – 1:20 PM
- Pregame at 1 PM on KGFW
- Girls Basketball: v. Papillion-LaVista @ Kearney High School – 5:15 PM
- Pregame at 5 PM on KGFW
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Wrestling: v. KCHS Invite – 9 AM
- Boys Basketball: v. Sandy Creek @ Hastings College – 10 AM
- Swimming & Diving: @ Lincoln SE Invite – 10 AM
- UNK:
- Wrestling: v. Augustana @ Health & Sports Center – 12:15 PM
- Wrestling: v. York @ Health & Sports Center – 1:30 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Kearney High Boys Basketball: v. Elkhorn North (1 PM – 3 PM)
- Kearney High Girls Basketball: v. Papillion-LaVista (5 PM – 7 PM)
SUNDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- N/a
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- N/a
- UNK:
- Women’s Basketball v. Central Oklahoma @ Health & Sports Center – 2 PM
- Men’s Basketball v. Central Oklahoma @ Health & Sports Center – 4 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Nebraska Women’s Basketball v. Wyoming (1:45 PM – 5 PM)
