Tuesday Afternoon Sports – Husker Baseball Wednesday Contest Cancelled, Husker Pro Day Participants, Winter Weather Changes Sports Schedules, Will Bolt Sports Nightly Comments, Local Sports Schedule

HUSKER BASEBALL CANCELED AGAINST SOUTH DAKOTA STATE:

Wednesday’s baseball game between Nebraska and South Dakota State has been canceled due to weather.

Nebraska opens Big Ten play this weekend, hosting Michigan on Friday-Sunday, March 25-27. First pitch on Friday is set for 7:30 p.m., followed by a 2 PM start on Saturday and first pitch on Sunday at 11 a.m. Friday and Sunday’s games will be broadcast on Big Ten Network, while Saturday’s game can be seen on Nebraska Public Media. Friday’s contest will also be on KGFW with pregame set for 7 PM. 

HUSKER PARTICIPANTS IN ANNUAL PRO DAY:

Following practice, several former Huskers worked out for NFL scouts at Nebraska’s annual Pro Day. Husker participants in Pro Day included: Austin Allen, Damion Daniels, Marquel Dismuke, JoJo Domann, Levi Falck, Cam Jurgens, Ben Stille, Cam Taylor-Britt, Samori Toure and Deontai Williams.

WINTER WEATHER POSTPONING SPRING SPORTS:

As winter weather makes its final push into spring, athletics for Kearney High and Kearney Catholic have had to adjust their originally planned schedules for the day today. 

Kearney High Baseball was planning on continuing their winning streak to Papillion-LaVista this afternoon, instead the contest has been postponed to a date to be determined. 

Meanwhile the Bearcat Boys and Girls Soccer teams will take on North Platte on Thursday at home rather than this evening with game times set to the same times at 5:30 and 7:30 start times. 

Kearney Catholic’s soccer teams were scheduled to go to GINW today and instead have been postponed to April 7. 

KEARNEY BASEBALL RUN RULES PAPILLION-LaVISTA SOUTH, TUESDAY CONTEST POSTPONED

The Kearney High Bearcat baseball team dominated the Titans of Papillion-LaVista South Monday afternoon with a run-rule 11-1 win at Memorial Field. 

Riley Miller earned the win on the mound, pitching all 5 innings. 

Kearney now sits at 3-0 on the season. Their contest with Papillion-LaVista originally scheduled for Tuesday has been postponed due to winter weather. A makeup date has yet to be announced. 

NEBRASKA BASEBALL SPORTS NIGHTLY COMMENTS:

BOLT – INCONSISTENT START FOR BIG RED BASEBALL

Head Coach for the Nebraska Baseball team Will Bolt joined Sports Nightly on Monday night and summarized the start for the Huskers in one word:

The Huskers will start Big Ten play later this weekend with a home series against Michigan starting on Friday.

BOLT – KNOW WHO CAN STEP UP

The Head Coach for the Nebraska baseball team Will Bolt spoke on Sports Nightly on Monday about how his team is beginning to get into a rhythm of who they can lean on for success later this season… 

The Huskers start Big Ten play on Friday against Michigan at home but can’t overlook South Dakota State in a home matchup on Wednesday.

BOLT – NOT IDEAL TO PUSH FRESHMEN EARLY

Will Bolt made his appearance on Sports Nightly Monday night and spoke about some of the struggles for the Husker Baseball Team has come from pushing too many young players in for experience… 

Bolt and his Huskers are looking to find a consistent hitting order before walking into Big Ten play with Michigan this weekend.

BRYCE MCGOWENS GOES PRO:

Nebraska freshman Bryce McGowens announced Monday morning that he is declaring for the 2022 NBA Draft and will sign with an agent.

McGowens, who was named the Big Ten Newcomer of the Year by the Associated Press, averaged a team-high 16.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game during the 2021-22 season en route to third-team All-Big Ten honors from both the coaches and the media.

The 6-foot-7, 179-pound guard was ninth in the Big Ten in scoring this past season, while ranking among the conference leaders in free throws made (162, 1st), free throws attempted (195, sixth), free throw percentage (.831, third) and minutes played (33.3, 13th). His 16.8 scoring average ranks third among true freshmen nationally, as McGowens is one of five true freshmen averaging at least 15.0 points per game entering this week’s postseason action. He also ranks second among Big Ten freshmen in rebounding.

The 2022 NBA Draft will take place on Thursday, June 23, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.

HUSKER VOLLEYBALL TRANSFER NAMED TO US COLLEGIATE NATIONAL TEAM:

USA Volleyball has announced players and staff on the 2022 U.S. Women’s Collegiate National Team (WCNT), including incoming Nebraska volleyball transfer middle blocker Kaitlyn Hord. 

The team includes 38 of the country’s top collegiate women’s volleyball players and a coaching staff of seven, including three Olympic medal winners and two others with Olympic coaching experience. 

Hord announced her transfer from Penn State to Nebraska in January. Hord earned All-America recognition each of her four seasons at Penn State, including first-team honors in 2019, second-team accolades in 2021 and third-team recognition in 2020. She was an honorable-mention All-American as a freshman in 2018.

TUESDAY SPORTS NIGHTLY SCHEDULE:

Tuesday’s Sports Nightly show will include a recap of the Nebraska Pro Day hosted today at the Nebraska Practice Facility. 

UNK FOOTBALL PREPARES FOR BUSY SPRING PRACTICE PERIOD:

The Nebraska-Kearney football team begins preparations for the 2022 season on Wednesday, March 23, with the start of spring practice.

The Lopers will work out the NCAA-allotted 15 times between March 23 and April 23. Weather permitting, UNK will practice three days per week between 4:15-6:45 p.m. (estimated end time) at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium at Foster Field. Practices are open to the public; see the scheduled dates below. The lone Saturday scrimmage will run from around 9-11:30 a.m. 

Head coach Josh Lynn and his staff must replace one All-American and five other All-MIAA players off a team that went 10-3 in 2021, reached the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs and finished the year ranked 15th. Among the key departures are All-American right tackle Corey Hoelck and fellow All-MIAA selections Jacob Browne (center), Dayton Sealey (running back), Travis Holcomb (outside backer), Matt Krzysztalowicz (right guard) and Blake Schroeder (defensive end). Starters Blake Bubak (free safety), Shane Henderson (nose guard), Nathan Slusarski (long snapper), Kyler Van Housen (tight end) and Terrell Williams (corner) have graduated as well.  

The Lopers do return key starters such as Harlon Hill Trophy Runner-Up TJ Davis, as well as running back Montrez Jackson and receiver Micahel Koch. An All-American at safety returns as Darius Swanson mans the defensive backfield, while linebackers Jacey Nutter and Zach Schlager provide more experience. 

The 2022 season begins at Missouri Southern State on Sept. 1 (Thurs.), with fall camp beginning the first week of August.

Local Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:

MONDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • BASEBALL: v. Papillion-LaVista South
    • KHS 11-1
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • BASEBALL: v. Papillion-LaVista South
    • 11-1

TUESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • BASEBALL: @ Papillion-LaVista
    • POSTPONED; Date TBA
  • GIRLS SOCCER: v. North Platte
    • POSTPONED to Thursday, 3/24
  • BOYS SOCCER: v. North Platte 
    • POSTPONED to Thursday, 3/24
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • GIRLS TENNIS: @ GICC – 4 PM
  • BASEBALL: @ Papillion-LaVista
    • POSTPONED; Date TBA
  • BOYS SOCCER: @ GINW
    • Postponed to April 7th
  • GIRLS SOCCER: @ GINW
    • Postponed to April 7th

WEDNESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • N/a
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a

THURSDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • T&F: Lincoln Northeast Relays (Girls Only)
  • GIRLS SOCCER: v. North Platte – 5:30 PM
  • BOYS SOCCER: v. North Platte – 7:30 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • GIRLS TENNIS: v. Hastings – 4 PM
  • T&F: @ Minden Triangular – 4 PM
• UNK:
  • N/a
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a

FRIDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • BASEBALL: @ Lincoln Pius X Tournament
    • 11 AM v. Norris
    • 1:30 PM v. Lincoln Pius X
  • T&F: UNK Invite (Boys Only)
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • BASEBALL: @ Lincoln Pius X Tournament
    • 11 AM v. Norris
    • 1:30 PM v. Lincoln Pius X
• UNK:
  • M/W TRACK & FIELD: @ Emporia Relays – 3 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • MENS GOLF: @ Doane University Invite

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • BASEBALL: @ Lincoln Pius X Tournament
    • Time & Opponent TBA
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • BASEBALL: @ Lincoln Pius X Tournament
    • Time & Opponent TBA
• UNK:
  • M/W TRACK & FIELD: @ Emporia Relays – 3 PM
  • SOFTBALL: v. Fort Hays State @ Patriot Park – 1 PM, 3 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • MENS GOLF: @ Doane University Invite
  • MENS TENNIS: @ Mount Marty University
  • WOMENS TENNIS: @ Mount Marty University
  • BASEBALL: v. Dordt University @ Duncan Field – 1 PM (Doubleheader)
  • SOFTBALL: v. Briarcliff – 1 PM (Doubleheader)