Nebraska College Sports

[Deleted]

Dead coach walking.....

[bamorin]

Sept 17, 2013 13:41:23 GMT -5 ETGator1 said:

Dead coach walking.....

Maybe not..........I'm sure a lot of schools would take a coach that bad-mouths Knebraska.

[nu5ncbigred]

Oh whatever! It's just taking him some time to unlearn all the bad habits and poor social skills he picked up where he went to college for 4 years.

[nu5ncbigred]

All the Gold Burroughs Sees is in Lincoln
bullet Jordan Burroughs Video
bullet Nearly 83,000 Twitter Followers
bullet Second FILA World Championship
bullet The Recruiting Ripple





Jordan Burroughs Video Nearly 83,000 Twitter Followers Second FILA World Championship The Recruiting Ripple
Randy York's N-Sider

Official Blog of the Huskers

Wrestling’s biggest walking billboard won another world championship Wednesday in Budapest, Hungary. And now, as the world continues to turn, Olympic gold medalist Jordan Burroughs has all of 24 days to prepare for his next major milestone – his Saturday, Oct. 12 wedding in Buffalo, N.Y., to Lauren Mariacher, whose brother wrestled for American University in the 2011 NCAA Tournament. “As luck would have it, she happened to be sitting right in front of the mat that I was wrestling on,” Burroughs told me the day before he joined Nebraska coaches Mark Manning and Bryan Snyder on flights to Frankfort and Budapest.

“A world championship is important to me, but it isn’t even close to what it’s going to be like getting married,” Burroughs said. “Lauren saw me and apparently thought I was good-looking. A couple days later she sent me a message on Facebook to congratulate me on winning the NCAA. A couple months after that, I was in Buffalo doing a clinic for a local high school and had the audacity to send her a message, even though I didn’t know her. We finally connected by phone, and I told her I was going to be there for a couple days and maybe we could meet each other, hang out or do something together like a movie or dinner.”

Talk about the power of social media. “I know, it’s crazy, but she’s so awesome,” Burroughs said. “She has more energy than me. She’s been a sports writer in Buffalo for two years. While she was working, she ran a marathon and got her Master’s at Columbia University within a matter of months of each other. What I’ve done can’t even compare to what she’s done. She is an amazing woman, and getting married will be the absolute highlight of my life.”

Burroughs Proud Scherr Rescued Wrestling

A second world championship moved Burroughs to 65 consecutive wins. He went to Budapest as the only 2012 London Olympic champion competing in the 2013 World Championships. Somehow, wrestling is on the same kind of roll that Burroughs is. Nine days ago, the International Olympic Committee announced that wrestling had defeated baseball/softball and squash for a spot in the 2020 Summer Games. “Everybody had a great presentation, but we had a Nebraska wrestler making our presentation,” Burroughs said.

Burroughs viewed his Olympic gold as an achievement that represented the Nebraska Way, and he sees fellow former Husker Jim Scherr as the pivot man who saved wrestling as a viable world-class sport. Scherr was also the first Olympian ever selected to lead the United States Olympic Committee as its CEO.

“I watched his presentation from Buenos Aires on my computer, and he did an amazing job for our sport,” Burroughs said. “I was scared, and I was sweating. It felt like I was watching the most suspenseful movie I’ve ever watched. I don’t know if wrestling would have gone off the deep end if one of those other sports had beaten us out, but I do know it would have put wrestling in a dangerous place.

“When you lose something and then get it back, you’re more fired up than ever,” Burroughs told me. “What we did and what Jim Scherr was able to communicate will make wrestling more popular than it has ever been. We’ve added more weight classes. We’ve added more gender equity, and we’ve positioned ourselves to be more relevant.”

Fans Flock to Burroughs’ Twitter Account

Within 10 seconds of a worldwide announcement that wrestling was alive and well again, Jordan Burroughs tweeted the good news. Within five minutes of that tweet were nearly 1,000 retweets, so he wasn’t the only one strapped to his computer sweating bullets. Within five hours or so, the number of retweets reached 5,000.

Burroughs thinks beyond mere numbers. He’s a man of faith, and if you watch this video, produced by his fiancé, you’ll understand that she’s just as down-to-earth as he is. “We’re so excited to get married and then come back to live in Lincoln,” he said. “We just bought a house on Sheridan Boulevard. I love Lincoln, the coaches, the environment and the facilities I train in. I’m not leaving here. We have everything we want. The city’s great, the people are great, and this is where we want to call home.”

Burroughs may have struck gold in London, and he may have just won gold in Budapest, but the gold he sees and values most is right here in Lincoln.

[mscott59]

Sept 22, 2013 8:12:11 GMT -5 nu5ncbigred said:

Oh whatever! It's just taking him some time to unlearn all the bad habits and poor social skills he picked up where he went to college for 4 years.

what article is this from, jerry? i know you don't post anything that doesn't come out of the unl s-i dept. lol i'm shocked that someone in that role would diss bo's alma mater like that.

mark scott
tosu 81

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[nu5ncbigred]

Memorial Stadium
The home of the Huskers since 1923 and the location of a continuing NCAA-record consecutive sellout streak, Memorial Stadium provides one of the most exciting game-day experiences in all of college football.
History Attendance Records Tours

One of the “Cathedrals of College Football,” according to The Sporting News, Memorial Stadium is one of the most intimidating locations to play in all of sports.

With expanded capacity now reaching beyond 85,000, Nebraska has continued its NCAA-record streak of consecutive sellouts that dates back to 1962 and is at 325 games entering the 2013 season. Nebraska celebrated its 300th consecutive sellout with a stadium record crowd against Louisiana-Lafayette in 2009.

While maintaining its traditional charm, Memorial Stadium has also become one of the most high-tech stadiums in the country. In 1994, the stadium was the first on-campus stadium to feature big-screen instant replay boards. Several upgrades have been made in the past two decades, keeping the Memorial Stadium game experience as one of the nation’s best.

Inscribed on the four corners of the stadium are the following words, written by former UNL professor of philosophy Hartley Burr Alexander:

Southeast: "In Commemoration of the men of Nebraska who served and fell in the Nations Wars."
Southwest: "Not the victory but the action; Not the goal but the game; In the deed the glory."
Northwest: "Courage; Generosity; Fairness; Honor; In these are the true awards of manly sport."
Northeast: "Their Lives they held their countrys trust; They kept its faith; They died its heroes."

Game Day at Nebraska
When you walk in here, you see nothing but red. I can't recall walking into another stadium and seeing such an amazing, monochromatic scene and so much loyalty. When they're stirred up when Nebraska is challenged - that's when this crowd can become one of the most intimidating in college football. - Chris Fowler

Game days at Nebraska are unlike any in college football. Fans line the streets of Lincoln waiting to enter the “Sea of Red,” while the marching band parades up Stadium Drive as thousands of red-clad fans look on. The “Third-Largest City” in Nebraska on game days, Memorial Stadium has been sold out for every game since 1962—an incredible streak of more than 300 games and counting.

The Huskers emerge from the famous “Tunnel Walk” to the sound of “Sirius” and the fans stay at a frenzied pitch until the final play of the game when they graciously cheer for the opposing players as they exit the field.

For as long as anyone can remember, the Huskers have touched a lucky horseshoe on their way from the locker room to the field. The horseshoe hangs above the door as Nebraska leaves the North Stadium.

The Tunnel Walk, which began in 1994, has become an integral part of Memorial Stadium’s game-day experience. It was created as a way for fans to share in the excitement of the team emerging from the locker room, something only a few could do before HuskerVision’s cameras and big screens came to Memorial Stadium. The sounds of the Alan Parsons Project’s “Sirius,” and the roar of the 85,000 frenzied fans rock the stadium as the Huskers burst through the locker room doors and into the tunnel on their way to the Memorial Stadium Field Turf.


East Stadium Expansion
In April of 2011 the University of Nebraska began construction expanding the East Stadium of Memorial Stadium. When construction is complete in 2013 East Stadium will be roughly twice as tall as it originally was, accommodate more than 6,000 extra fans with 38 additional suites, and house the Nebraska Athletic Performance Lab.

Under the direction of Judith M. Burnfield, PhD, PT the Nebraska Athletic Performance Lab will allow researchers space to conduct advanced research on everything from the biomechanics of elite athletes to athletic and nutrition supplements to biomarkers that measure saliva and recovery time to cardiovascular research to athletic equipment issues such as helmet and footwear design. This research will allow for innovative solutions that will benefit athletes in terms of their safety and athletic performance which will also scale to the benefit of the general public.

[nu5ncbigred]

NU soccer team clinches Big Ten title





















TED KIRK/Lincoln Journal Star


Nebraska defeated Indiana 3-1 to win the Big Ten regular-season championship at the Nebraska Soccer Field on Friday, Nov. 1, 2013.





6 hours ago • By BRENT C. WAGNER / Lincoln Journal Star

(2) Comments

The players knew what they were talking about after all.

Since last summer, players on the Nebraska women’s soccer team had concluded their team huddles saying "Big Ten champs."

It seemed like a pretty lofty goal for a program that hasn’t had the success it once had, not finishing above third in the conference standings in any of the past seven years. Since joining the Big Ten Conference, Nebraska finished seventh and 10th.

The Huskers broke the huddle again Friday saying "Big Ten champs," and this time they really were.

Nebraska clinched the conference regular-season championship with a 3-1 victory against Indiana in front of a season-high crowd of 704 at the Nebraska Soccer Field.

A tie would have given the Huskers at least a share of the title, but Jaycie Johnson’s game-winning goal with 23 minutes remaining made it so the Huskers could really celebrate.

The Huskers received a trophy, slipped on championship T-shirts and hats, and were greeted by athletic director Shawn Eichorst.

The program last won a conference regular-season championship in 2000, back in the Big 12. NU's last conference tournament title came in 2002.

“We’ve been saying it since the summer that we were going to be Big Ten champs, so it’s finally true,” senior defender Ari Romero said. “Once we set our minds to something and put in the effort and all the hard work, we’re capable of anything.”

The 18th-ranked Huskers (15-3-1) finished with a 10-1 conference record and a six-match winning streak.

It didn't come easy. The winning streak included four one-goal games and an overtime win against No. 16 Penn State last Sunday that put Nebraska in position to clinch the title.

“All season long we've been fighting and doing everything our coaches have asked us to and not willing to give in at any moment, whether we’re down a goal or whether we’re up a goal,” said goalkeeper Emma Stevens, a rare goalie to help her own cause with a fluke score on a long drop kick for the final goal of the game.

Nebraska was 7-12-1 last season, and with next week’s Big Ten Tournament and the NCAA Tournament still to come, the team already has one of the biggest turnarounds in the program's 20-year history.

The Huskers took a 1-0 lead in the 33rd minute on a goal by junior forward Mayme Conroy, an Omaha Skutt grad and one of 10 Nebraskans on the team. Her goal was set up by a long run by senior forward Jordan Jackson.

Conroy calmly settled the ball and sent it past a couple of defenders into the far corner of the net from about 12 yards for her eighth goal of the season.

Two minutes into the second half, Indiana tied the match 1-1 on a penalty-kick goal by Lisa Nouanesengsy.

Johnson got the winner 20 minutes later when she punched in a crossing pass from freshman Courtney Claassen in front of the goal. It was the team-leading 10th goal of the season for Johnson, a freshman from Lake Winnebago, Mo.

The final goal was memorable because it was scored by Stevens, the senior goalkeeper.

Her drop kick from near her own goal took one big bounce near the penalty box on the opposite side of the field and got past Indiana goalie Shannon Flower. Stevens' kick got plenty of help from the windy and wet conditions, and Flower misjudged the bounce.

It was the first time a Husker goalie had ever scored a goal.

“I was being told to kick it long and I went to drop kick it and I see it sailing and initially I just thought the keeper was going to catch it,” Stevens said. “All of a sudden, I see it go over her head and I heard screaming and I see people running to me and I was in shock. I could not believe that it went in.”

Usually it’s Stevens running to midfield to celebrate with her teammates. This time, they were rushing back to Stevens.

“We didn't even know what to do,” Romero said. “We were just running in circles and we ran to her. I didn't even know what to say. I was asking, ‘Did that really happen? Did that really count?'”

Stevens had scored as a field player in high school, but never as a goalkeeper.

“It’s something that you get to say, ‘OK, I scored in the game that we won the Big Ten Conference title in’, and that’s just amazing,” Stevens said.

[nu5ncbigred]

Husker bowlers No. 1 in preseason poll





GWYNETH ROBERTS/Lincoln Journal Star


Nebraska bowler Liz Kuhlkin sports a "National Champions" hat at a news conference on Monday at Memorial Stadium.





October 02, 2013 11:30 am • Lincoln Journal Star

The defending NCAA champion Nebraska bowling team is ranked No. 1 in the National Ten Pin Coaches Association preseason poll released Wednesday.

The Huskers received 19 of the 26 first-place votes and had 744 points, well ahead of second-place Vanderbilt, who was last year’s national runner-up.

NU returns four starters, including All-American and Junior Team USA member Liz Kuhlkin, as the Huskers begin their bid for a fifth national title since the NCAA began sanctioning the sport in 2003-04.

The Commodores received two first-place votes and had 671 points. Central Missouri, which was No. 1 much of last season, is third and received three first-place votes, while Arkansas State was fourth after receiving the other two first-place votes. Maryland-Eastern Shore was fifth. Rounding out the top 10 were Sam Houston State, Fairleigh Dickinson, Wisconsin-Whitewater, Stephen F. Austin and Saint Francis.

The Huskers open the season Nov. 8 at the Crusader Classic in Valparaiso, Ind.

[nu5ncbigred]

Huskers Preseason Pick to Win Big Ten

Nebraska Coach Connie Yori Big Ten Media Day Quotes
Chicago - Nebraska was voted the preseason pick to win the Big Ten women's basketball regular-season title by both conference coaches and media in 2014. The picks were announced before the start of Big Ten Media Day in Chicago on Thursday morning.

The Big Ten coaches and select media panel chose the Huskers to finish on top of the final conference standings, while defending champion Penn State was picked No. 2. Michigan State was No. 3 in a selection process where voters only chose their top three teams. The Big Ten does not do a full preseason ranking of all 12 teams in women’s basketball.

It is the first time as a Big Ten member institution and the first time under Coach Connie Yori that the Huskers have been a preseason pick to win a conference title.

Husker senior Jordan Hooper was a unanimous choice of Big Ten coaches to the preseason All-Big Ten team. The 6-2 forward from Alliance, Neb., also earned a spot on the five-player media team. Preseason Big Ten Player of the Year Maggie Lucas from Penn State was a unanimous choice to both all-conference teams, while Minnesota’s Rachel Banham added a unanimous selection from the league media.

Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Nebraska
2. Penn State
3. Michigan State

Preseason Media Poll
1. Nebraska
2. Penn State
3. Michigan State

Preseason Coaches Team
Klarissa Bell, Sr., G, Michigan State
Rachel Banham, Jr., G, Minnesota
Jordan Hooper, Sr., F, Nebraska
Maggie Lucas, Sr., G, Penn State
Courtney Moses, Sr., G, Purdue

Coaches Preseason Player of the Year: Maggie Lucas, Penn State

Preseason Media Team
Samantha Logic, Jr., G, Iowa
Rachel Banham, Jr., G, Minnesota
Jordan Hooper, Sr., F, Nebraska
Maggie Lucas, Sr., G, Penn State
Courtney Moses, Sr., G, Purdue

Media Preseason Player of the Year: Maggie Lucas, Penn State

[nu5ncbigred]

Erstad: Alex Gordon Facility ‘Best in Country’
bullet Photo Album





Photo Album Alex Gordon Complex Ribbon Cutting
Randy York's N-Sider

The Alex Gordon Training Complex was formally dedicated Friday, and the ceremonial ribbon-cutting event gave the indoor practice facility’s two primary tenants a chance to rave about the impact it has on Nebraska’s baseball and softball programs. Husker Softball Coach Rhonda Revelle recalled getting a phone call on a Saturday night and being a bit reluctant to answer a number from one of her players. “Coach,” the student-athlete said. “Everything’s good. I just need to know if we can turn the lights off in the new facility.” Revelle turned around and looked at Darin Erstad, Nebraska’s head baseball coach, while telling the story. “At that moment,” she told Erstad, “I knew how significant this facility would be for both programs.”

Erstad picked up on Revelle’s anecdote and multiplied the enthusiasm. “The whole thing here is recruiting and development,” he said, “so we encourage recruits to go out and compare what others might have across the country against what we have. We have the best baseball/softball facility in the country. I’ll put it up against anybody. It gives me goose bumps just talking about it. I wish you could see when other teams show up here. They walk through the doors and you should see the looks on their faces. ‘What is this? … This is ridiculous!’ You can see their eyes light up, and you really appreciate what you have and how fortunate you are to help with the development of our student-athletes.”

Eichorst: Erstad, Revelle Two of Country’s Best Coaches

Nebraska Director of Athletics Shawn Eichorst kicked off the dedication ceremony, acknowledging how the $4.75 million indoor practice facility “reflects our commitment to baseball and softball” and how the Huskers are blessed to “have two of the best coaches in the country”, both of whom benefit from the vision of his predecessor, Tom Osborne. Eichorst congratulated Gordon on earning a third Gold Glove Award earlier this week to match his summer MLB All-Star status and commended him and wife Jamie for being donors not looking for recognition. “That’s what makes Nebraska so special,” Eichorst said.

Revelle recalled Osborne visiting her office and asking what she needed to be more successful as a head coach. Her answer was as simple as it was quick. “We need an indoor facility where our student-athletes can go 24/7 year-round,” she said, envisioning such a facility as an essential equalizer for Northern schools in terms of recruiting and athletic development. Erstad said the Alex Gordon Training Complex not only helps develop Husker student-athletes, but also helps little kids throughout the community. "You should see how many come through our doors almost every day," he said.


Gordon and Wife Jamie Felt Time Was Right to Give

Gordon said he and Jamie feel “very fortunate” to be UNL graduates and thought the time was right to give back to a school that helped them succeed academically and athletically. “We’re very grateful that our names will be associated with the University of Nebraska for years to come,” Gordon said, recalling how he used an old warehouse to practice indoors when it was snowing outside during his Husker playing days. “I wanted to give a direct gift to the baseball program and Mike Dobbs put all of this together. I didn’t expect anything like this.”

The indoor practice facility was specifically designed for baseball and softball and has 18,000 square feet of climate-controlled practice space that allows student-athletes to work on all phases of their game. The space can be configured to use as many as six spacious batting cages. The cages can be retracted to open up all of the 120-foot by 150-foot space for live game simulation. The entire facility is netted, allowing Husker players to take live batting practice. The field turf surface looks and feels like real grass, and the field includes anchors to lock down bases for use during practices.

Gordons Marvel at Lincoln's Explosive Growth

Like Erstad and Revelle, Alex and Jamie Gordon marvel at Nebraska's commitment to world-class facilities. As much as the Gordons love Kansas City, they decided to build a house in Lincoln. They see their hometown experiencing a downtown renaissance with the new Pinnacle Bank Arena for basketball and concerts, an expanded East Memorial Stadium that pushes capacity past 91,000 and a one-of-a-kind research area that bridges academic-related studies with athletic-related innovation.

Gordon will tailgate with lifelong friends before Saturday's Nebraska-Northwestern game and go inside the stadium to watch the action. The Gordons were asked about the opportunity to be recognized sometime before or during the the nationally televised game. They declined, not because they didn't appreciate the gesture. Like Eichorst indicated in his opening remarks, they're Nebraskans. And like Darin and Jessica Erstad, they didn't donate to be recognized. They contributed to help their alma mater compete at the highest level.

[nu5ncbigred]

Huskers Crowned B1G Tournament Champions
bullet 2013 Big Ten Tournament Central

2013 Big Ten Tournament Central B1G Tournament Finals Box Score B1G Tournament Finals Play-by-Play
Champaign, Ill. – The Nebraska soccer program added a second 2013 Big Ten Conference trophy to its mantle on Sunday with a 1-0 win over Iowa to claim its first Big Ten Tournament Championship. Jaycie Johnson's penalty kick goal in the 30th minute was the difference as the Huskers locked up both the regular-season and tournament titles for the fourth time in school history and for the first time since 2000.

Johnson, who leads NU with 13 goals, earned a penalty kick chance in the 30th minute after an excellent through ball from junior Mayme Conroy. The speedy freshman converted on the ensuing penalty kick opportunity, beating the Iowa keeper to the right side with a powerful shot to give NU the 1-0 edge. The score was the first allowed by Iowa in four matches and was enough to clinch the tournament crown.

The Nebraska defense had a tough tasks on its hands as Iowa outshot the Huskers by a 16-11 margin. However, NU allowed just three shots on goal while putting up four attempts on target. Jordan Jackson led the Big Red with five attempts.

Ari Romero, Kylie Greischar, Mayme Conroy, Jordan Jackson and Maritza Hayes each played the full 90 minutes for Nebraska. Sunday's clean sheet was the seventh shutout of the year for NU as the Huskers held Iowa scoreless for the first time in 2013.

Senior goalkeeper Emma Stevens, who also worked the entire 90, made three stops in the title battle and made some excellent touches late in the match to avoid the equalizer en route to her 18th win of the year. The victory for the Corona, Calif., native was the 36th of her career.

The 18th-ranked Huskers (18-3-1) are on a season-best nine-game win streak and have won 16 of their last 17 matches for the first time since 2002, when NU ran off 22 wins in its first 23 matches. NU has now scored in 18 consecutive matches, its longest streak since 2000, when Nebraska scored in its first 23 contests. The 18 victories are also NU's most since 2000.

In a brief ceremony following the title celebration, Jackson, Romero and Johnson were all named to the 2013 Big Ten All-Tournament Team. Johnson was selected Offensive Player the Tournament, while Romero was named Defensive Player of the Tournament.

The Huskers appeared in a conference tournament championship match for the seventh time, improving to 6-1 in such matches. The Big Ten Tournament title was a first in school history, while Nebraska registered its first conference tournament title since winning the 2002 Big 12 Tournament. The 2013 tournament title is the 10th conference championship for Head Coach John Walker after starting the NU soccer program 20 years ago. Nebraska has captured regular-season titles in 1996, 1999, 2000 and now 2013, while taking home tournament titles in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2013.

Nebraska will now await its NCAA Tournament draw, after earning the Big Ten's automatic berth on Sunday. The field of 64 will be revealed on Monday at 3:30 p.m. with the NCAA Selection Show streamed live on NCAA.com.

2013 Big Ten Soccer All-Tournament Team
Illinois forward Jannelle Flaws
Indiana midfielder Kayleigh Steigerwalt
Michigan midfielder Tori McCombs
Minnesota forward Simone Kolander
Wisconsin forward Rose Lavelle
Penn State goalkeeper Britt Eckerstrom
Iowa defender Melanie Pickert
Iowa goalkeeper Hannah Clark
Nebraska defender Ari Romero
Nebraska forward Jordan Jackson
Nebraska forward Jaycie Johnson
Individual Awards
Defensive Player of the Tournament: Ari Romero, Nebraska
Offensive Player of the Tournament: Jaycie Johnson, Nebraska
Big Ten Champion
Nebraska

[nu5ncbigred]

Huskers Outlast No. 9 Minnesota 3-2





Box Score Volleyball vs. Minnesota 11/10/13
Minneapolis, Minn. –

The No. 11 Nebraska volleyball team (19-4, 12-2) handed the No. 9 Minnesota Gophers their first home loss of the 2013 season with a gritty 3-2 (25-22, 15-25, 27-25, 15-25, 15-11) win on Sunday afternoon at the Sports Pavilion.

Kelsey Robinson led the way for the Huskers with 23 kills and 18 digs on the day. Kadie Rolfzen notched a career-high 20 kills and posted 11 digs, while also hitting at a clip of .351. Mary Pollmiller dished out 61 assists, as Justine Wong-Orantes guided NU defensively with a career and match-high 24 digs.

The Huskers hit .254 for the match, while Minnesota hit .335. Nebraska was out-blocked 11.5-9, but out-dug the Gophers 71-58.

The Huskers took an 8-4 lead early in the first set on a kill from Robinson and forced the Gophers to use an early timeout. Minnesota posted a 3-0 run to cut NU’s lead to 12-10 as the Huskers used a timeout of their own. NU went up 18-16 on a kill from Kadie Rolfzen, but the Gophers posted a 3-0 run to tie the set at 20-20. Nebraska answered the Gopher run and took a 22-20 lead on a double-block from Haggerty and Robinson and went on to win the first set 25-22.

Robinson posted seven kills in the first set, while Kadie Rolfzen tallied five. Pollmiller handed out 17 assists as the Huskers hit .306 for the set. Minnesota hit .333 and both teams had two blocks each.

A double-block from Hall and Pollmiller knotted up the Huskers and Gophers at 8-8 in the second set, while a long rally results in a kill from Robinson, helping NU cut into Minnesota’s lead at 16-12. The Gophers gained the momentum through the set and went on a 6-0 run to go up 23-14, eventually posting a 25-15 second-set win.

Kadie Rolfzen and Robinson both had four kills in the second set. Nebraska hit just .212, while the Gophers hit .533. Minnesota tallied 1.5 team blocks, as NU had one.

Amber Rolfzen and Haggerty teamed up for a block to put NU up 8-5 early in the third set. Nebraska took a 13-9 lead after a kill from Hall and an ace from Kadie Rolfzen, as Minnesota used a timeout. The Huskers went up 16-11 on the heels of back-to-back kills from Robinson, but the Gophers responded as they cut into NU’s lead at 16-14. Minnesota tied the set at 20-20, but a block from Robinson and Hall distanced the Huskers at 22-20. The Gophers and Huskers fought point-for-point down the stretch, but a gutsy effort put the Huskers up 27-25.

Robinson notched six kills in the third set, while Kadie Rolfzen had four. Pollmiller handed out 15 assists as the Huskers hit .325 for the set. Minnesota hit at a clip of .244.

The Gophers came back energized in the fourth set, taking a 10-5 lead, later stretching it to 15-8 and forcing Nebraska to call a timeout. The Huskers failed to generate a rhythm through the set as Minnesota won the fourth set 25-15.

Haggerty led Nebraska in the fourth set with three kills, but NU hit just .111. The Gophers tallied a .406 hitting clip and out-blocked NU 4-0.

Kadie Rolfzen posted the first three kills of the fifth set, helping NU to a 3-0 lead, but Minnesota answered with three straight points to tie the set at 3-3. Robinson helped the Huskers regain the lead at 6-3, as NU then went up 10-6. The Huskers held on to win the fifth set 15-11.

Nebraska returns home next weekend as the Huskers host Michigan State on Friday, Nov. 15 and Michigan on Saturday, Nov. 16.

[nu5ncbigred]

Huskers are Heroes in More Ways than One





Photo Album
Randy York's N-Sider

Official Blog of the Huskers

It’s a rainy Sunday night in Lincoln, about 24 hours after Nebraska won a football game for the ages over Northwestern. Nearly 200 first-year Husker student-athletes, representing all 24 varsity sports, arrive inside the Hawks Championship Field, Nebraska’s daily indoor practice home. Two of the 200 are true freshman football players from California – I-back Terrell Newby from Los Angeles and quarterback Johnny Stanton from Rancho Santa Margarita in Orange County. One of five Huskers who had a rushing attempt in Saturday’s 27-24 NU vs. NU thriller, Newby called Sunday night’s fourth annual Husker Heroes Event a “definite difference” in his decision to sign a National Letter of Intent with Nebraska over Oregon and Washington, his other two finalists. Ditto for Stanton, who selected the Huskers over Oregon and Oregon State.

The Nebraska Athletic Department and “Organizations Networking for Everyone with Special Needs” – a group that includes 11 participating sponsor groups – co-sponsor Husker Heroes. The event drew 800 people, counting family members of the invited special guests with special needs. Stacey Burling, a Nebraska Life Skills coordinator, has directed the last three Husker Heroes, which is part of a Life Skills class for all incoming Husker student-athletes. It might just be the most popular mandatory class in University of Nebraska-Lincoln history because it sets the tone for leadership and community service – two vital components in the Nebraska student-athlete experience.

For Newby, it was an eye-opener. “Events like this really made a difference in my recruiting process,” he said. “I’ve always aspired to help kids in any way I can, and this is a big deal for me. I saw things that I never saw at home, and I can honestly say it really moved me. It’s opened my heart and made me realize that we’re playing for these kids as much as anybody else. My commitment here is more than just football. It’s to the whole state and not just a special group of people. An experience like this really helped me understand why Nebraska is different than other places. It’s special.”

Stanton Wants to Visit as Many Hospitals as Possible

Stanton will never forget his unofficial visit to Nebraska and how much Life Skills and “all of the ways that we reach out to the community were stressed,” he said. “The whole concept became one of the main reasons I came here. When you realize how it all comes from the heart, you just want to get involved as much as you can. I want to visit as many hospitals as I can and get involved with my teammates and other student-athletes. I was very serious about going to Oregon or Oregon State, but this culture drew me in. Nebraska helps you see life in so many different ways.”

The N-Sider wandered around the indoor facility and found two more football players totally engaged in Husker Heroes. Dwayne Johnson Jr., a freshman offensive lineman from Houston, described Life Skills as giving back and caring about your community. “It was a huge part of the recruiting process for me,” he said. “An event like this one is one of the biggest reasons why I came here. I loved Nebraska. My parents loved it and my whole family loved it. The people here are Husker fans who see this as a memory they can hold onto all year long. Being here and being a part of it means everything I thought it would and even more. It inspires all of us just like we inspire them.”

Trey Foster, a redshirt freshman tight end from Lincoln Southeast, said the experience helped him realize the impact a student-athlete can have on people’s lives. “It’s so nice to see all the shining faces around here,” he said. “Everybody enjoys being here, and that’s why they come back. They’re smiling when they get here and smiling when they leave. They love getting their picture taken with you. We make them feel good, but I don’t know if they realize how good they make us feel.”

Kadie Rolfzen Gets Big Hugs and Several ‘I Love You’s’

Every student-athlete we interviewed was immersed in the experience and felt fortunate to be spending a Sunday night with individuals and families who were genuinely touched. Husker freshman volleyball player Kadie Rolfzen committed to Nebraska when she was in the eighth grade. “I had no idea about Life Skills or anything like this,” she said. “But this is something I’ve always wanted to do – put some smiles on some kids’ faces. It’s amazing how much they look up to you. They want to know how tall I am (6-foot-3) and they ask me what my favorite color is (green). I had several kids come up to me, look up at me and just give me the biggest hug and say: ‘I love you!’ while they’re giving me the hug. It is so precious. They’re like any other kid. They love Nebraska sports because they know we love them and care about them.”

Leslee Smith, a junior forward from the British Virgin Islands and a junior college transfer on Tim Miles’ men’s basketball team, said the event helped him understand why it is important to serve the community that supports the Huskers. “I’ve really enjoyed working the inflatable basketball station and meeting all the kids and really meeting their families,” he said. “It warms your heart when you see how much they look up to you and how much they care. We’ve worked so hard all summer and all fall and we’re so ready to open the season Friday night at Pinnacle Bank Arena, so helping others on a Sunday night was a good thing. It gives you balance and inspires you to play even harder.”

Two Husker student-athletes – Lotte Sjulin, a freshman softball outfielder from Omaha and Sarah Firestone, a freshman javelin and discus thrower for the Husker women’s track and field team – worked in tandem Sunday night. “This is really special for me,” Sjulin said. “I came to events like this with my family because my little sister has a learning disability, so it’s really cool to be with these kids,” she said. “I look up to everyone here because I’m on the other side of it now. It’s still emotional because you’re giving instead of receiving. When you see kids who look you in the eye and tell you they want to be like you … that’s why I got here early. We’re doing a walk-around in the first session, so we can see every single station before doing one station in our session – the fitness obstacle course.”

Top Field Recruit Wants to Give Kids Time of Their Life

Firestone, the other half of the freshman tandem, is from Mercersburg, Pa., where she was a two-time AAU national champion in the javelin and a two-time NFL Punt, Pass & Kick national champion in her age group (2006, 2008). When you reach her competitive level, you’re always looking for what separates the great programs from the very good programs. “Life Skills was a real draw for me to come to Nebraska,” she said. “I’ve been given so much in athletics, and this is one of the first times I’ve really been able to give back to kids who really care. They may not have a lot of physical abilities but they’re so happy. It’s awesome to see them have the time of their life, whether they’re dribbling a basketball through a cone or getting an autograph on a piece of paper. I had opportunities to go to Penn State or Minnesota but this is where I wanted to be. This is a real highlight for me.”

Two freshman soccer players, who teamed up for a goal in last Friday’s 3-1 win over Indiana, were equally enthusiastic, talking about Life Skills two days after clinching the Huskers’ first Big Ten Conference Championship in the sport. Courtney Claassen, a freshman midfielder from Parkville, Mo., could have stayed in her home state and played in the Big 12, but “we loved Nebraska and wanted the chance to be part of something like this,” she said. “I love Nebraska even more than I did when I committed.” Claassen said it’s hard to describe the feeling of getting an assist in a game that clinched the Big Ten title and it’s just as hard to describe how much an event like Husker Heroes means. “It’s just amazing,” she said, “and I am so glad I came here.”

Equally amazed and equally grateful, Jaycie Johnson, a freshman forward from Lake Winnebago, Mo., and Nebraska’s leading 2013 scorer, said the Heroes event “honestly tops everything off here for me,” she said. “Winning a Big Ten title and then getting to hang out with kids that love you is just an amazing experience. They all impact my life so much and inspire me so much, I can’t even describe it. I love it when kids see a football player and their eyes just light up, and it’s the same deal if you’re a basketball player, a volleyball player, a soccer player, whatever … they just love Huskers. They all want to be in our shoes, and that just humbles me so much. I wish they could do what I get to do every day, and I never take that for granted because one day it could be taken away. We’re all so blessed to be able to meet these kids and love them just like they love us.”

Westerkamp Decision Influences New Husker Pitcher

Brandon Pechloff is a redshirt junior pitcher from Oakbrook Terrace, Ill. “I was Jordan Westerkamp’s quarterback when he was a sophomore in high school,” the 6-foot-8 Pechloff told me in between sessions of helping special guests play inflatable basketball. Pechloff played two years as a quarterback at Western Carolina. “I always had such great respect for Jordan choosing Nebraska when he could have gone almost anywhere else,” he said. “I wanted to transfer and play football, but there weren’t any openings at quarterback, so I contacted Darin Erstad about playing baseball.

“I made the right decision to come here,” Pechloff said. “I wanted to go to the best school so I could push myself in every aspect of my life – the weight room, on the field and everywhere else. Nebraska sets the standard in almost anything a student-athlete wants to look at. Attending this event just shows what kind of family Nebraska Athletics really is. This place gives so much back to the community without ever asking for anything in return. Nebraska is a tradition that would be hard for anyone to pass up, and it’s just an incredible feeling to be a part of it.”

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Voices from Husker Nation

Absolutely, positively some of the best pictures I've seen on Huskers.com. Talk about capturing the essence of Nebraska Life Skills in a public event, this takes the cake. Every photo makes me smile and puts a tear in my eye. God bless the Nebraska Athletic Department for looking at life beyond who wins and who loses. Every single person in every picture wins here. I love the Huskers. GO BIG RED! Anne Thompson, Omaha, Nebraska