BIG RED PREVIEW ON SATURDAY, COACH RHULE COMMENTS:
Roughly 3,500 Husker fans were in attendance on Saturday night for the first Big Red Preview presented by 1890 Nebraska, which is Nebraska’s NIL collective.
Coach Matt Rhule said that this is the new normal in college football, with Nebraska not being the only school to hold an open practice like this:
Nebraska fall camp continues into this week.
MONDAY OLYMPIC STORIES IN BRIEF:
LYLES WINS MENS 100M, BREAKS 20 YEAR US DROUGHT:
Noah Lyles has done it.
In a photo finish, Lyles just edged out Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson for the gold in the men’s 100m final. He ran a 9.79, while Team USA’s Fred Kerley ran a 9.81, good enough for a bronze medal.
Lyles is the first U.S. man to win gold in the 100m at the Olympics since Justin Gatlin in 2004, according to ESPN Stats & Information. It ends a 20-year American gold medal drought in the event.
4X200M FREE RELAY MAKES LEDECKY MOST RECORATED OLYMPIAN:
The U.S. didn’t edge Australia in swimming gold medals at the 2024 Paris Games until the final event — but when it did, it was in style. The U.S. squad set a world record in the women’s 4×100 medley relay (3.49.63) to snatch first place.
The win marked the United States’ eighth swimming gold medal, one more than Australia.
Team USA will finish with the most gold medals in swimming.
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER WINS OLYMPIC GOLF GOLD:
Golf returned to the Olympics in 2016 after a 100+ year absence. Not all of the top players opted in at Tokyo 2020, which had immense COVID implications. But the 2024 men’s tournament in Paris reminded us why one of the sport’s true global games belonged at the Olympics.
The final day’s leaderboard was as stacked as you’ll see. Jon Rahm, Xander Schauffele, Tommy Fleetwood, Hideki Matsyuama, Tom Kim and Rory McIlroy were among those fighting it out for their countries. Frenchman Victor Perez had a massive final day – going minus-8 – to springboard into contention. But with a 62 final round, it was Scheffler who came out on top for America, taking a one-stroke win over Tommy Fleetwood who took home silver for Great Britain. Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama won bronze. Schauffele had won the 2021 Olympic tournament, making it back-to-back golds for the U.S.
Rahm led for half of the day Sunday, but he unraveled on the back nine. It hasn’t been an easy go for the Spaniard in major events since going over to LIV.
US MEN’S 3X3 TEAM ELIMINATED:
A bumpy 3×3 run from the U.S. men’s team comes to an end. In a must-win game against the Netherlands, Team USA lost 21-6, failing to advance past the pool round and ending its Paris Games.
The U.S. started 0-4, then strung together two straight wins heading into the final pool game. But the U.S. couldn’t win a third straight, and a team that features Jimmer Fredette and Carson Barry, son of Basketball Hall of Famer Rick Barry, is sent home.
BUSCHINI NAMED TO RAY GUY AWARD PRESEASON WATCHLIST:
Senior Brian Buschini was one of 34 punters nationally named to the preseason watch list for the 2024 Ray Guy Award announced Friday.
The Ray Guy Award is presented annually to the nation’s top collegiate punter in the FBS, and Buschini has made the watch list in each of his three seasons at Nebraska. For his collegiate career, Buschini averages 43.7 yards per punt while placing nearly 35 percent of his career kicks inside the opponents’ 20-yard line.
Buschini has started at punter in each of the last two seasons for the Huskers. Last year, he started all 12 games, averaging 40.7 yards on 57 punts. He placed 35 percent (20-of-57) of his punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line with 19 fair catches, allowing only 19 returns.
Prior to Nebraska, Buschini spent three seasons at Montana from 2019 to 2021.
B1G OFFICIALLY WELCOMES WEST COAST SCHOOLS TO CONFERENCE:
The Big Ten Conference today officially admitted the University of Oregon, UCLA, USC and the University of Washington, bringing the total number of member institutions to 18. Competition will begin this season for all conference sports.
“We are excited today to officially welcome the University of Oregon, UCLA, USC and the University of Washington to the Big Ten Conference,” said Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti. “All four institutions feature a combination of world class academics and athletics that are a great fit for our conference, and we look forward to building long-lasting relationships with the administrators, coaches, student-athletes, alumni and fans.”
On June 30, 2022, the Big Ten’s Council of Presidents/Chancellors (COP/C) voted unanimously to admit the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and the University of Southern California (USC). A little more than a year later, on August 4, 2023, the COP/C voted unanimously once more to admit the University of Oregon and the University of Washington, with all four schools joining the Conference on August 2, 2024.
Athletically, Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington have won a combined 302 NCAA team championships and have 49 Olympians on Team USA at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games. On the football field, they’ve combined for 10 Heisman Trophies, 73 College Football Hall of Famers, 41 Rose Bowl championships and 173 First Round NFL draft picks, including six this year.
NEBRASKA TOPS VOLLEYBALL B1G PRESEASON POLL, FIVE NAMED TO PRESEASON TEAM:
Five student-athletes from the Nebraska volleyball team were named to the Preseason All-Big Ten Team on Thursday after a vote by the league’s 18 head coaches.
Merritt Beason and Lexi Rodriguez were unanimous selections to the 18-player Preseason All-Big Ten Team. They were joined by fellow Huskers Taylor Landfair, Harper Murray and Bergen Reilly on the team. All five players were All-Big Ten selections in 2023. Seventeen of the 18 players on the team were either All-Big Ten or All-Pac 12 First Team selections last season.
Nebraska’s five selections were the most for any team in the conference; no one else had more than three.
GIFFORD NAMED TO ALLSTATE WUERFFEL TROPHY WATCH LIST:
Nebraska defensive back Isaac Gifford was named to the 2024 to Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List on Thursday. The Wuerffel Trophy highlights athletic and community service accomplishments.
Gifford has been active in the Huskers’ Life Skills program, including volunteering extensively at the Lincoln Food Bank, speaking at schools and helping with hospital visits and the Huskers’ annual road race to race money for the fight against pediatric brain cancer. For his efforts, he received the Sam Foltz 27 Hero Leadership Award last spring. He was also named to the Tom Osborne and Brook Berringer Citizenship Teams for his work in the community.
On the field, Gifford is a two-year starter who has anchored the Huskers’ defensive backfield. An All-Big Ten performer in 2023, he led Nebraska with 86 tackles, including 6.5 tackles for loss.
HIT FOR HEALTH CHARITY SOFTBALL EVENT HAPPENING TOMORROW:
A KHS Softball player is organizing a charity softball game this weekend.
Junior Ava Magnani has organized Hit for Health, a charity softball game that will benefit HelpCare Clinic at Patriot Park Field 5 on Saturday.
Admission is one item on the list of HelpCare Clinic’s needs, ranging from Blood Pressure cuffs to generic allergy medicine and office supplies. A GoFundMe page has also been made for those who would like to give monetarily as well.
BIG RED PREVIEW PRESENTED BY 1890 NEBRASKA SET FOR TOMORROW NIGHT:
Nebraska fans have their first opportunity to see the 2024 Husker football team on Saturday night at the Big Red Preview presented by 1890 Nebraska. The open practice at Memorial Stadium will give Husker fans an inside look at a full practice, as the team completes its first week of preseason camp.
Tickets for the Big Red Preview remain on sale at Huskers.com/tickets. All tickets for the Saturday night event are digital and tickets are $25 each. All proceeds from the event will go to 1890 Nebraska.
Memorial Stadium will open for the Big Red Preview at 5:30 p.m., with the Huskers set to take the field for practice at approximately 6:30 p.m.
HUSKER ATHLETICS MOVES TO CASHLESS CONCESSIONS:
The Big Red Preview event will be the first athletic event of the 2024-25 season to feature Nebraska Athletics’ new cashless concessions operation.
Nebraska has featured cashless concession operations for men’s and women’s basketball games at Pinnacle Bank Arena, and beginning this season all Husker athletic venues will move to cashless concessions.
Improved WiFi in the Memorial Stadium concourses for the 2024 season allows Nebraska to implement cashless concessions and improve the overall efficiency of the concession operations at home games.
Nebraska will also implement cashless operations at women’s soccer (Hibner Stadium) and volleyball (Devaney Center) this fall.
BIG TEN ANNOUNCES FUTURE SITES FOR MBB, WBB TOURNAMENTS:
The Big Ten Conference announced Wednesday that Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis will host the 2025 TIAA Big Ten Women’s and Men’s Basketball Tournaments, with future events headed to United Center in Chicago, T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
“We look forward to partnering with the cities of Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, and Las Vegas as they host the Big Ten Basketball Tournaments from 2025-28,” said Big Ten Commissioner, Tony Petitti. “Each city will be an exciting postseason opportunity for our student-athletes, coaches, and fans, both locally and from across the country.”
The 2025 TIAA Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament will take place March 5-9, followed by the 2025 TIAA Men’s Basketball Tournament from March 12-16. The events will be the first to feature a 15-team field following the additions of Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington this summer.
The TIAA Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament is back in Indianapolis for the 14th time. Seven different teams have claimed the Big Ten Tournament title since the inaugural event in 1998, including Illinois winning its fourth tournament championship in 2024.
An overview of future Big Ten Women’s and Men’s Basketball Tournament sites can be found below.
Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament Future Sites:
- March 5-9, 2025 – Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indianapolis)
- March 4-8, 2026 – Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indianapolis)
- March 3-7, 2027 – T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas)
- March 1-5, 2028 – Little Caesars Arena (Detroit)
Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament Future Sites:
- March 12-16, 2025 – Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indianapolis)
- March 11-15, 2026 – United Center (Chicago)
- March 10-14, 2027 – Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indianapolis)
- March 8-12, 2028 – T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas)
SPORTS GAMBLING PROPOSALS HEARD IN UNICAMERAL WEDNESDAY:
Proposals to allow online sports betting from anywhere in Nebraska, and to allow the Legislature to ask voters to legalize it this November, were heard Wednesday during the Legislature’s special session.
Nebraska currently allows sports betting, but only at casinos located at the state’s horseracing tracks. Sen. Eliot Bostar wants to expand that, sponsoring a constitutional amendment to allow mobile online sports betting anywhere. Bostar told a public hearing of the General Affairs Committee that Nebraska is missing out.
Former Nebraska football coach and congressman Tom Osborne was among those opposing the proposal, which he said could put additional pressure on student athletes. And he cast doubt on the economic benefits that are supposedly being lost.
The $32 million a year in tax revenue that supporters say the proposal would generate is about six-tenths of one percent of the $5.3 billion in property taxes levied last year. Efforts to reduce that amount continue, as senators consider other proposals in their ongoing special session.
MONDAY KGFW Sports Schedule:
- SPORTS NIGHTLY 6-8PM
