GALLAS & WILRICH TO LEAD LOPERS IN INTERIM:
Nebraska Kearney Athletic Director Marc Bauer announced today that Levi Gallas and Jake Willrich will serve as co-interim head coaches for the football program after the recent departure of Josh Lynn.
Gallas is the Lopers defensive coordinator and defensive line coach and has been at UNK since 2017. Willrich currently is the special teams coordinator, secondary coach and lead academic coach and has been a Loper for the past seven years.
UNK will move with urgency in the replacement of Lynn, who was the 18th head coach in school history. He recently announced plans to be the head coach at Division II-member West Texas A&M University. With the Holiday Break upcoming, recruiting season in session – D2 signing date is February 1st, 2023 – and the transfer portal open, Bauer hopes to name a head coach by the end of the month.
FORMER LOPER SWANSON REPEATS AS ALL-AMERICAN; HEADS TO TUALNE:
Nebraska Kearney redshirt senior strong safety Darius Swanson is a repeat selection to the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2 CCA) All-American team.
Swanson makes the second-team after making the first-team in 2021. He became UNK’s first two-time defensive All-American since UNK Hall of Famer Jon Gustafson (defensive end) in 1983 and 1984.
The co-captain had another strong year for the Lopers as he registered 66 tackles (39 solo), broke up eight passes, had three interceptions for 44 yards and a touchdown and forced two fumbles. Missing the last game of the year due to injury, Swanson led UNK in INT’s and passes defended, was tied for the lead in PBU’s and ranked fourth in tackles. He was part of a defense that held seven opponents under 19 points.
Swanson, who’ll use his “COVID” year to play at FBS-member Tulane in 2023, ranks 24th in UNK history in career tackles with 190 (121 solo). The soon-to-be UNK graduate also had seven career INT’s and 16 career PBU’s.
HUSKER FOOTBALL SET TO HOST ARKANSAS TRANSFER QUARTERBACK:
Arkansas transfer quarterback Malik Hornsby has set an official visit to Nebraska.
Hornsby will visit Lincoln starting Thursday and will stay through the weekend.
The former four-star recruit has a history with new Huskers head coach Matt Rhule dating back to Rhule’s time with Baylor. Hornsby came very close to committing to the Bears coming out of Fort Bend Marshall High School in Missouri City, Texas. But when Rhule left Baylor for the Carolina Panthers following the 2019 season, Hornsby pivoted in his recruitment toward Arkansas.
The Huskers could have a returning starting quarterback in Casey Thompson. Thompson has not yet announced whether he’ll return for the 2023 season.
RODRIGUEZ NAMED TO AVCA ALL-AMERICAN SECOND TEAM:
Nebraska sophomore libero Lexi Rodriguez was named a second-team All-American on Wednesday by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA).
Rodriguez earned the second All-America honor of her career as she was a first-team selection last year and the AVCA National Freshman of the Year. This season, Rodriguez averaged 4.26 digs per set and led the Huskers to a nation-leading opponent hitting percentage of .128. The Sterling, Ill., native also recorded 25 service aces and had 135 set assists in the Huskers’ 6-2 system.
A team captain, Rodriguez was a unanimous selection to the All-Big Ten Team two weeks ago.
Rodriguez’ All-America honor gives the Nebraska volleyball program a nation-leading 99 awards all-time.
FRANCE DOWNS CINDERELLA MOROCCO FOR WORLD CUP FINAL APPEARANCE:
Soccer’s latest superstar against perhaps the sport’s greatest player in the World Cup final just about everyone was hoping for.
France and Kylian Mbappé are headed back to the biggest game in soccer, and to a much-anticipated matchup with Argentina, after ending Morocco’s historic run at the World Cup on Wednesday.
In front of the country’s president, France beat Africa’s first ever semifinalist 2-0, with Mbappé playing a part in goals by Theo Hernandez in the fifth minute and substitute Randal Kolo Muani in the 79th.
France will face off with Argentina in Sunday’s World Cup final.
CALIFORNIA REGENTS APPROVE UCLA MOVE TO BIG TEN:
UCLA cleared a major hurdle toward joining the Big Ten Conference in 2024, getting approval for the move from the University of California Board of Regents on Wednesday.
The regents voted 11-5 to affirm the Bruins’ move during a special meeting on the university’s Westwood campus. A simple majority was needed to pass.
The regents imposed conditions to mitigate the impact of the move on athletes, including UCLA investing an additional $12 million in nutritional support, mental health services, academic support while traveling and charter flights to reduce travel time.
UCLA will also have to pay the University of California at Berkeley between $2 million and $10 million because of how the move will affect the Cal athletic program. The regents will determine the precise total once the upcoming Pac-12 Conference media rights deals are completed.
NFL SCORES/SCHEDULES:
THURSDAY:
San Francisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks – 7:15 PM (Amazon Prime)
Local Results & Schedules:
THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:
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)
