RUNZA SENIORS AIM FOR FIRST WIN AT COLUMBUS:
After a difficult start to the season starting winless in the first five contests, the Kearney Runza Seniors aim for their first win of the year against Columbus in Pawnee Park tonight.
First pitch will come at the conclusion of the Post 52 matchup and is anticipated for a 7:30 PM start time. Pregame coverage on KGFW will begin at 7:20 PM with Alex Hammeke on the call. Tune in to the broadcast on 1340 KGFW, 96.1 FM, on the free KGFW mobile app, and online at KGFW.com.
STORM’S WILMER NAMED FORWARD OF THE YEAR:
The USHL and Tri-City Storm announced Tuesday Jeremy Wilmer was named the League’s Forward of the Year for the 2021-22 season.
Wilmer finished the season with a league-leading 98 points (25-73-98) in 60 games. The 73 assists from the Boston University commit was 13 more than the next skater in the USHL. Wilmer’s 98 points was the third-most in a single season in USHL Tier I history.
The Rockville Centre, N.Y. native finished among league leaders with 30 powerplay assists (1st), 36 powerplay points (2nd) and a +38 plus-minus rating (3rd).
McCANN INDUCTED INTO CALIFORNIA HALL OF FAME:
UNK assistant wrestling coach Tom McCann was inducted into the California Wrestling Hall of Fame this past weekend in Laguna Hills, California.
McCann joined 11 other inductees and nine “Lifetime Service Award” inductees at the ceremony at the Laguna Hills Community Center. His award was presented by his former teammate, Olympian Richard Tamble, who competed in the Greco-Roman division in the 1968 Games.
McCann started his 55-year coaching career at Mountain Valley High school in Colorado before moving to Kearney High School where he coached for 42 years.
His high school coaching record included 355 dual wins and 131 tournament titles. He coached 362 state qualifiers, 161 state medalists, 64 finalists and 34 state champions.
The 1998 Kearney team won the state championship, scoring a record number of points and pins. The 1998 and 1999 teams won 17 straight tournaments.
McCann was named the National Wrestling Coaches Association Nebraska Coach of the Year in 1998, the National Federation Coaches Association Nebraska Coach of the Year in 2000 and the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Coach of the Year 2001.
McCann just finished his 10th year as an assistant coach at UNK. During this time, UNK has finished in the top eight nationally; winning the NCAA Division II championship in 2013 and 2022 and finishing second in 2014, 2015 and 2021.
FERGUSON WRAPS UP SEASON WITH OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIP; LOPER T&F ENDS WITH THREE ALL-AMERICANS:
Wes Ferguson defended his 800-meter national title and Abby Everitt earned her second All-American honor in the high jump to lead Nebraska-Kearney on the final day of the 2022 NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships in Allendale, Mich.
UNK had nine qualifiers with Ben Arens (Ainsworth) earning All-American honors in the steeplechase on Friday night. Ferguson (Fremont) is now a three-time All-American and two-time national champion with Everitt (O’Neill) joining her older sister, Emily, as a two-time AA high jumper.
This was UNK’s final athletic competition of the 2021-22 academic year. Fall camps will begin in early August in preparation for the 2022-23 campaign.
BIG WEEK OF RECRUITMENT IN STORE FOR HUSKER FOOTBALL:
This weekend Nebraska will host as many as 15 official visitors in Lincoln as summer recruitment kicks into high gear for the top teams across college football.
In terms of a visit weekend, this will be by far the biggest of the Scott Frost era in terms of numbers. The previous high for official visitors was nine, back for the 2019 Ohio State game when College GameDay was in Lincoln.
The last time NU hosted double-digit official visitors in one weekend was in 2017 when they had 11 prospects in town during Mike Riley’s final season against Wisconsin.
A list of recruits scheduled for the weekend and the month of June can be found here. Some notable names scheduled to visit on Saturday include: Lincoln East’s Malachi Coleman, receiver Joshua Manning, Scottsbluff’s Brock Knutson, Elkhorn South’s Maverick Noonan, as well as Georgia verbal commit Johnathan Hughley.
HUSKER BASEBALL ADDS GRAND ISLAND NATIVE:
Two days after its starting center fielder said goodbye, Nebraska has found another leading contender for the job.
Former Kansas outfielder and Grand Island product Casey Burnham committed to the Huskers out of the portal as a graduate transfer on Saturday as NU’s busy stretch of roster moves continues. Burnham will be a fifth-year player next season — the speedy left-hander has started 100 college games and is a career .257 hitter.
Burnham comes aboard two days after senior outfielder Cam Chick elected not to use his fifth season of eligibility. Like Chick, Burnham gets on base — he reached at a clip of more than 41% with Kansas this season despite a wrist injury that limited him to 27 games.
The Grand Island product will head to Alaska for summer ball but will return to the Huskers in the fall.
Results & Schedules:
THIS WEEK IN LOCAL/NATIONAL SPORTS:
TUESDAY:
- POST 52 Junior Baseball @ Columbus – 5 PM @ Pawnee Park
- Runza Seniors Baseball @ Columbus – 7:30 PM @ Pawnee Park
- Pregame on KGFW at 7:20 PM
- NHL WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: Game 1 @ Colorado
- Edmonton Oilers @ Colorado Avalanche – 7 PM
WEDNESDAY:
- POST 52 Junior Baseball v. Hastings – 5 PM @ Memorial Field
- Runza Seniors Baseball v. Hastings – 7:30 PM @ Memorial Field
- Pregame on KGFW at 7:30 PM
- NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: Game 1 @ New York
- Tampa Bay Lightning @ New York Rangers – 7 PM
THURSDAY:
- NBA FINALS: Game 1 @ Golden State
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- Boston Celtics @ Golden State Warriors – 8 PM
- NHL WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: Game 2 @ Colorado
- Edmonton Oilers @ Colorado Avalanche – 7 PM
FRIDAY:
- POST 52 Junior Baseball v. Kearney Junior Invite
- Runza Seniors Baseball @ Omaha Central Tournament
- NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: Game 2 @ New York
- Tampa Bay Lightning @ New York Rangers – 7 PM
SATURDAY:
- POST 52 Junior Baseball v. Kearney Junior Invite
- Runza Seniors Baseball @ Omaha Central Tournament
- NEBRASKA SHRINE BOWL: North v. South – 6 PM @ Ron & Carol Cope Stadium
- NHL WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: Game 3 @ Colorado
- Edmonton Oilers @ Colorado Avalanche – 7 PM
SUNDAY:
- POST 52 Junior Baseball v. Kearney Junior Invite
- Runza Seniors Baseball @ Omaha Central Tournament
- NBA FINALS: Game 2 @ Golden State
- Boston Celtics @ Golden State Warriors – 7 PM
- NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: Game 3 @ New York
- Tampa Bay Lightning @ New York Rangers – 7 PM
