HUSKER WOMEN’S HOOPS HOSTS SPARTANS:
The Nebraska women’s basketball team returns to Pinnacle Bank Arena for a pivotal midweek battle with Michigan State tonight.
Tip-off between the Big Red (12-9, 4-6 Big Ten) and the Spartans (11-10, 3-7 Big Ten) is set for 7:30 p.m.
Nebraska has dropped three of its last four games with all of the losses to current top-10 Big Ten opponents. Michigan State has lost five of its last six with four setbacks to top-25 Big Ten foes at game time.
Both teams are battling for position in the conference standings for the conference tournament and at-large bids in the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
Nebraska enters the week at No. 41 in the NCAA NET rankings, two spots ahead of No. 43 Michigan State.
LOPER FOOTBALL SIGNS 25 IN HELD’S FIRST CLASS:
The Nebraska Kearney football team announced Wednesday the names of seven transfers and 18 high school seniors who will play for the Lopers this fall.
The class breaks down to 13 defensive players, 10 on offense and two specialists. By position, there are six d-linemen, four receivers, three defensive backs, linebackers and tight ends, two o-linemen, a quarterback, punter and kicker. Next, 13 are Nebraskans with Kansas (three), Alabama, Florida and Georgia (two apiece), Arizona, California and Oklahoma (one apiece) also represented. Finally, four of the transfers are currently enrolled at UNK and going through winter conditioning.
Notable transfers include former Kearney High kicker Gabe Heins returning home after a brief stint at Nebraska and linebacker Joko Willis from Auburn.
UNK went to the Capitol City for prep talent, adding four Lincoln natives, while signing four from the Omaha metro area. This prep class is used to winning as five incoming Lopers were part of state title or state runner up squads in 2022 and 2021.
Full class details can be found at KGFW.com.
NEBRASKA FOOTBALL INKS TOP 25 CLASS:
After signing more than two dozen scholarship players in December, the Nebraska football team added more recruits on Wednesday.
The Huskers received a National Letter of Intent from five high school players, which had all previously committed to the Big Red. The new signees are Sua Lefotu, Jeremiah Charles, Demitrius Bell, D’Andre Barnes, and Ismael Smith Flores.
Joining the quintet are multiple players from the NCAA transfer portal. Arik Gilbert, Jacob Hood, and MJ Sherman all played at Georgia in 2022.
These additions bring Nebraska’s incoming class to 39 players, 11 of which are from the NCAA transfer portal.
The final surprise of the class was Barnes, a Colorado defensive back who committed to Nebraska on Wednesday. Barnes played both wide receiver and defensive back at Regis Jesuit. On offense, he had 37 receptions for 785 yards and nine scores; on defense, he had 55 tackles, six interceptions, eight pass breakups, and two forced fumbles. He is also the reigning 200 meter champion in Colorado.
NEBRASKA FOOTBALL SIGNING DAY – MATT RHULE COMMENTS:
RHULE – IN A SPRINT TO COMPETE:
Matt Rhule, Nebraska Football head coach wrapped up his first recruiting cycle as leader of the Big Red today and spoke about how he’s excited to finally get into developing the Huskers quickly…
The Huskers nabbed 39 players in this year’s class; mostly coming from traditional high school or JUCO recruits, but adding 11 players from the transfer portal.
RHULE – PORTAL IS GREAT FOR NEBRASKA:
Nebraska Football head coach Matt Rhule was asked his thoughts on the transfer portal after his first stint returning to collegiate recruiting during his first months at the Big Red…
The Huskers added eleven players – including three from the Georgia Bulldogs – over the off-season.
RHULE – STANDARD IS TO WORK HARD IN RECRUITMENT:
Nebraska Football head coach Matt Rhule spoke at his signing day press conference about the mentality the Big Red coaching staff has when it comes to the recruiting process…
The Huskers appeared to wrap up a Top 30 class by the final tally for Rhule’s first recruiting cycle.
UNK TENNIS RANKED FIFTH IN MIAA:
The Nebraska Kearney women’s tennis team is picked fifth in the 2023 MIAA preseason coaches’ poll.
Washburn (six first place; 62 points) is the favorite with Central Oklahoma (three first place; 54 points) second and Northwest Missouri third (47). UNK tallied 39 points to trail Missouri Western (46) and be ahead of Northeastern State (30).
Last spring, the Lopers went 4-4 in MIAA duals to place fifth after the regular season and then lost their opening round MIAA Tournament match to Northwest. UCO (24-2, 8-0) won the MIAA regular season and tourney titles before finishing as Division II National Runners Up. The Bronchos, however, lost the majority of its lineup from that squad.
UNK went 6-0 in the fall and also competed in two open tournaments.
The Lopers host Midwestern (Texas) State Friday at 4 p.m. in the Ernest Grundy Tennis Center to start the spring campaign. It’ll be UNK’s first dual in the new facility.
KEARNEY HIGH HAS SIX SIGN LETTER OF INTENT ON WEDNESDAY:
Kearney High School celebrated the spring edition of the National Letter of Intent signing day at their CHaT Auditorium yesterday, as six Bearcats signed to continue their athletic careers.
Ezzy Castro-Torres will continue her soccer career at Northeast Community College; Jhordy Solares signed to keep his talents in Nebraska at Scottsbluffs’ WNCC for soccer; Zach Watson will continue his pole vault career at UNK for Track & Field; Violet Timmons singed with MidAmerica Nazarene University for soccer; Gavin Goodner signed with Central Methodist University for baseball; and Brayden Self-Treffer will play soccer for Central Community College-Columbus.
HASTINGS COLLEGE FOOTBALL INKS 26 NEW RECRUITS:
Hastings College football inked 26 new recruits to a National Letter of Intent Wednesday, first reported by KSNB.
Several players from across the state were signed including multiple players from Grand Island and Hastings, such as: GISH’s Colton Marsh, St. Cecilia’s Cooper Butler, Carson Kudlacek, and Jayden Lagunas, and many others.
Local Results & Schedules:
THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:
WEDNESDAY:
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- Women’s Basketball: v. Doane
- HC 65-56 Doane
- Men’s Basketball: v. Doane
- DOANE 80-70 HC
- Women’s Basketball: v. Doane
THURSDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Swimming & Diving: v. Norfolk @ Kearney High School – 4 PM
- Wrestling: @ Grand Island – 7 PM
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Girls Basketball: v. Adams Central – 6 PM
- UNK:
- Women’s Basketball: @ Central Oklahoma – 5:30 PM
- Men’s Basketball: @ Central Oklahoma – 7:30 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Sports Nightly (6 PM – 7 PM)
- Nebraska Women’s Basketball v. Michigan State (7 PM – 10:15 PM)
FRIDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- N/a
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Wrestling: @ Arcadia-Loup City Invite – 2 PM
- UNK:
- Softball: v. Colorado Springs @ Lubbock, TX – 11 AM
- M/W T&F: @ Concordia Classic – 12 PM
- Softball: v. Eastern New Mexico @ Lubbock, TX – 3 PM
- Women’s Tennis: v. Midwestern State – 4 PM
- M/W T&F: @ Husker Invitational @ Lincoln, NE – 4:30 PM
- Wrestling: v. Fort Hays State @ Health & Sports Center – 7 PM
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- M/W T&F: @ Concordia Classic – 1 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Sports Nightly (6 PM – 8 PM)
SATURDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Swimming & Diving: Kearney High Diving Invite @ Kearney High School – 10 AM
- Girls Basketball: v. Lincoln Northeast @ Kearney High School – 3:30 PM
- KGFW Pregame at 3:15 PM
- Boys Basketball: v. Lincoln Northeast @ Kearney High School – 5:15 PM
- KGFW Pregame after KHS GBB
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Swimming & Diving: Kearney High Diving Invite @ Kearney High School – 10 AM
- Girls Basketball: v. Columbus Scotus Catholic – 2 PM
- Boys Basketball: v. Columbus Scotus Catholic – 4 PM
- UNK:
- M/W T&F: @ Husker Invitational @ Lincoln, NE – 12 PM
- Softball: v. Southwestern Oklahoma State @ Lubbock, TX – 11 AM
- Women’s Basketball: @ Newman – 1:30 PM
- Wrestling: v. Central Missouri @ Health & Sports Center – 2 PM
- Softball: @ Lubbock Christian @ Lubbock, TX – 3 PM
- Men’s Basketball: @ Newman – 3:30 PM
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- Softball: @ Ottawa, KS – 1 PM
- Women’s Basketball: @ Mount Marty – 2 PM
- Softball: @ Ottawa, KS – 3 PM
- Men’s Basketball: @ Mount Marty – 3:45 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Kearney Girls Basketball v. Lincoln Northeast (3:15 PM – 5:15 PM)
- Kearney Boys Basketball v. Lincoln Northeast (5:15 PM – 7:15 PM)
SUNDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- N/a
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- N/a
- UNK:
- Women’s Tennis: v. Hastings – 8 AM
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- N/a
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- N/a
