SWEET SIXTEEN RESULTS/MATCHUPS:
THURSDAY RESULTS:
No. 4 Arkansas 74 – 68 No. 1 Gonzaga
No. 2 Villanova 63 – 55 No. 11 Michigan
No. 2 Duke 78 – 73 No. 3 Texas Tech
No. 5 Houston 72 – 60 No. 1 Arizona
FRIDAY MATCHUPS:
No. 3 Purdue v. No. 15 Saint Peter’s – 6 PM
No. 1 Kansas v. No. 4 Providence – 6:30 PM
No. 4 UCLA v. No. 8 North Carolina – 8:30 PM
No. 10 Miami v. No. 11 Iowa State – 9 PM
KEARNEY BASEBALL POSTPONES PIUS TOURNAMENT:
The Kearney High baseball has had another contest postponed due to poor field conditions and weather for the Lincoln Pius X Tournament originally scheduled for Friday and Saturday.
The Bearcats will likely play Saturday’s contests at the originally scheduled Friday times. Those have yet to be confirmed.
UNK WRESTLING’S JENSEN NAMED CONFERENCE COACH OF THE YEAR:
The Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced its 2021-22 Wrestling postseason awards and All-MIAA teams.
Head coach of the Lopers Dalton Jensen was voted as the MIAA Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season.
Dalton Jensen was voted the 2021-22 Coach of the Year after leading Nebraska Kearney to its fourth national title. The Lopers totaled totaled 127 points to win the Division II title while also awarding a league-high eight All-Americans.
HUSKER BASEBALL PREPARES FOR WEEKEND WITH MICHIGAN
Nebraska opens Big Ten play with a weekend series vs. Michigan on Friday-Sunday, March 25-27 at Hawks Field.
First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 7:32 p.m., followed by a 2:02 p.m. start on Saturday and an 11:02 a.m. first pitch on Sunday.
Nebraska dropped a non-conference series at home last weekend vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
Michigan enters the weekend with an 11-9 record after falling 8-2 at Xavier on Wednesday night.
ZAVIER BETTS HUSKER FUTURE UNCERTAIN:
Nebraska head coach Scott Frost announced on Thursday that wide receiver Zavier Betts is no longer with the Nebraska football team.
According to a source with knowledge of the situation, when the Huskers returned from spring break Betts was a no-show on Sunday and has not been with the team all week.
The Omaha World Herald reports that Betts is meeting with the coaching staff Friday to discuss his future with the team.
Betts’ Huskers career has been a mixed bag after hauling in 32 catches for 417 yards and one touchdown over 18 games of action in 2020 and 2021.
Wide receiver remains one of the deeper position rooms on the team led by Trey Palmer, Omar Manning, Alante Brown, and Brody Belt.
HUSKER PRACTICE COMMENTS: SCOTT FROST
FROST – BETTS NO LONGER WITH TEAM
Head Coach Scott Frost confirmed on Thursday post-practice that sophomore receiver Zavier Betts is currently not a Husker…
As Frost eluded to, he would not elaborate further on why Betts was no longer with the team. The Bellevue West grad had last reported to the Huskers on March 14 during Spring Break.
FROST – NO COMMENTS ON INJURIES YET
Head Coach of the Nebraska Football team Scott Frost would not speak into more detail about potential injuries that the Huskers are facing this spring session…
The Huskers are currently without a tight end active in spring camp with an in-season rep, and have faced some injuries in the linebacking corp as well.
FROST – RECEIVERS ARE LOOKING STRONG UNDER JOSEPH
Nebraska Wide Receivers coach Mickey Joseph has been a highlight of the Big Red’s offseason changes, and Husker Head Coach Scott Frost has noticed some of the improvements in the wideouts…
The Huskers will be without Zavier Betts after he was reportedly no longer with the team, but do return a nucleus of starters and experienced veterans.
FROST – YOUNG TIGHT ENDS NEED TO STEP UP
The Nebraska Tight End position has been rattled with injuries this spring, as the top four tight ends returning from last year’s squad have all been injured or are unavailable this spring. Head Coach Scott Frost highlighted some new faces that will need to step up…
Frost added that Travis Vokalek will not return this spring but did not comment on the status of Thomas Fidone or Chancellor Brewington and the extent of their injuries.
FROST – OFFENSIVE LINE IS SHOWING TREMENDOUS IMPROVEMENT
With a new offensive assistant coach manning the offensive line and some turnover coming from departures to the NFL, the Huskers were looking for improvements in the trenches and Head Coach Scott Frost added Thursday that he feels that unit is coming along…
Frost added he’s been impressed with how new offensive line coach Donovan Raiola has been handling his opportunity for the Big Red.
NEBRASKA BASKETBALL ROSTER CHANGES:
Nebraska Head Coach Fred Hoiberg confirmed Thursday that Eduardo Andre, Keon Edwards and Trevor Lakes have entered their names in the NCAA transfer portal.
Andre has been one of NU’s primary backups in the frontcourt the past two seasons, appearing in 50 contests. The 6-foot-11 forward from London, England, played in 30 games and averaged 3.1 points on 57 percent shooting and 3.2 rebounds per game.
Edwards played in 22 games in 2021-22 after transferring in from DePaul prior to last season.
Lakes spent two years in the Husker program and appeared in 22 games for NU after transferring from the University of Indianapolis.
HUSKER SOFTBALL HEADS TO ANN ARBOR FOR MICHIGAN WEEKEND:
The Nebraska softball team travels to Ann Arbor, Mich., this weekend for a three-game Big Ten Conference series with the No. 19 Michigan Wolverines. The teams will open conference play with a game on Friday at 5:30 p.m. (CT) followed by a game on Saturday at 1 p.m. (CT). The series finale is set for 2 p.m. (CT) on Sunday.
Nebraska (19-9) has won five of its last seven games with an offense that leads the Big Ten in numerous categories including hits, runs, RBIs, home runs, on base percentage and batting average.
McDERMOTT EXTENDS WITH CREIGHTON:
Creighton coach Greg McDermott has signed a new multi-year contract after leading the Bluejays to the NCAA Tournament’s round of 32.
Athletic director Marcus Blossom announced the new deal Thursday. Terms weren’t disclosed.
McDermott owns a 276-137 record with seven NCAA Tournament appearances in 12 seasons at Creighton and has the second-highest win total in program history.
FORMER BEARCAT GABLE SIGNS WITH CFL:
Kearney High School graduate Josh Gable has signed with the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League, first reported by the Kearney Hub.
Gable, a soccer/football standout for the Bearcats, has had several tryouts with NFL franchises and has posted viral videos of kicking trick shots. He was on the New England Patriots’ practice roster in 2019.
Most recently, Gable kicked for the Massachusetts Pirates of the Indoor Football League where he is this week’s Special Teams Player of the Week after kicking a game-winning 33-yard field goal for the Pirates, who are the defending IFL champions.
UNK WRESTLING EARNS MORE DOMINANT ACCOLADES:
Five members of the national championship Nebraska-Kearney wrestling team find themselves on the 2021-22 NCAA awards list for dominance.
The NCAA recognizes leaders in Division I, II and III in the categories of “Most Dominant”, “Falls” and “Technical Falls.”
The Most Dominant standings are calculated by adding the total number of team points awarded through match results and dividing that number by the total number of matches wrestled.
Super senior Matt Malcom (Glenwood, Ia.) won his second national championship to complete a 24-0 season vs. D2 competition at 165 pounds. He earned the Division award for “Most Dominant” with a 4.63 average team points this season.
In falls, redshirt sophomore Lee Herrington (Kearney H.S.) ranked 16th in D2 with eight in 24:47. The leader was Nicholas Mason of Tiffin (Ohio) with 17 in 52:56
COREY HOELCK UNK PRO DAY COMMENTS:
HOELCK – ANXIOUS PRIOR TO PRO DAY, BUT MEANT TO BE THERE
Former UNK Football Offensive Lineman Corey Hoelck spoke with KGFW’s Austin Jacobsen about his recent Pro Day in front of NFL Scouts on Tuesday at the practice facility for the Huskers. Hoelck adds he was anxious to get the day started earlier this week…
Hoelck added that scouts were impressed with his performance and that the Dallas Cowboys showed major interest in the former Loper.
HOELCK – NFL INTEREST SHOWED BACK IN 2019
Former UNK Football star Corey Hoelck recently completed his Pro Day at the Hawks Practice Facility in Lincoln on Tuesday. The Loper alum added however that the NFL’s interest in the Giltner native’s services came back when he was still a redshirt junior…
Hoelck is likely to be an undrafted free agent. The last Loper alum to be asked to an NFL training camp was Hoelck’s teammate – the late Hinwa Allieu – as he signed with the Atlanta Falcons practice squad in 2020.
Local Results & Schedules:
THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:
THURSDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
-
- GIRLS SOCCER: v. North Platte
- North Platte 1-0
- BOYS SOCCER: v. North Platte
- Kearney 6-0
- GIRLS SOCCER: v. North Platte
FRIDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:BASEBALL: @ Lincoln Pius X Tournament
- POSTPONED to Saturday
- T&F: UNK Invite (Boys Only)
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- BASEBALL: @ Lincoln Pius X Tournament
- POSTPONED to Saturday
- BASEBALL: @ Lincoln Pius X Tournament
- 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
- BASEBALL: @ Lincoln Pius X Tournament
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- BASEBALL: @ Lincoln Pius X Tournament
- Time & Opponent TBA
- BASEBALL: @ Lincoln Pius X Tournament
- 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)
