North Platte – First year coach Jeff Thurman continues to add to the North Platte Community College Lady Knight basketball team, signing Mackenna Turner from Arthur to a national letter of intent for the 2018-19 season.

Turner, a post player and wing, played three seasons for the Arthur County High School Lady Wolves.

During her career, Turner averaged 4.3 points per game and 4.4 rebounds per game in 56 games.

In her senior season, Turner averaged six points per game and 5.9 rebounds per game.  She also averaged two steals per game.

“I wanted to stay close to home, didn’t want to travel too far for my family and friends,” Turner said. “It is exciting and nerve-racking at the same time.”

Turner was salutatorian of her graduating class and was president of the National Honor Society at Arthur.  She is planning to major in nursing and will bring 12 hours of college credit with her through the dual credit program from Mid-Plains.  She did get her Certified Nursing Assistant certificate this summer.

Thurman said that Mackenna had talked to the previous coach and expressed interest in playing, so she reached out to him.

“Having an athlete from the area is huge for us, especially this late in recruiting,” Thurman said. “To find the caliber of student athlete she is and the kind of person she is, is awesome for us.

Mackenna is the daughter of Calvin and Deanna Turner.

Chicago – University of Nebraska wide receiver Stanley Morgan Jr. was one of the 10 players included on the 2018 preseason honors list released Monday morning in conjunction with 2018 Big Ten Media Day.
A panel of conference media members select 10 players – five from the East and West Divisions – as preseason nominations. Morgan, a two-time member of the Biletnikoff Award watch list, is the only wide receiver on the 10-player list.

Morgan leads an experienced Husker receiving corps, setting career bests with 61 catches, 986 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in 2017. A second-team All-Big Ten pick, Morgan ranked second in the conference in receiving yards and touchdowns and fourth in catches per game as a junior. His 986 receiving yards broke the school record held by 1972 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers, while Morgan’s five 100-yard receiving games were the most by a Husker in school history. In Big Ten play, he was in the top five among conference receivers in 100-yard games (first), receiving yards per game (second) and receptions per game (fifth).

Morgan, along with seniors Jerald Foster and Mick Stoltenberg, will represent the Huskers at 2018 Big Ten Media Days in Chicago today and tomorrow. Fans can watch much of the action on BTN and online at BTN.com and on the Fox Sports Go app beginning at 11 a.m. today.

2018 Big Ten Players to Watch
EAST DIVISION
Rashan Gary, Jr., DL, MICH
Brian Lewerke, Jr., QB, MSU
Nick Bosa, Jr., DE, OSU
J.K. Dobbins, So., RB, OSU
TRACE MCSORLEY, SR., QB, PSU

WEST DIVISION
Noah Fant, Jr., TE, IOWA
Stanley Morgan Jr., Sr., WR, NEB
Paddy Fisher, So., LB, NU
T.J. Edwards, Sr., LB, WIS
Jonathan Taylor, So., RB, WIS
Unanimous honoree in ALL CAPS

Nebraska Preseason Big Ten Honorees (2011-Present)
2018 – Stanley Morgan Jr., WR
2015 – Maliek Collins, DT
2015 – De’Mornay Pierson-El, WR
2014 – Ameer Abdullah, RB
2014 – Randy Gregory, DE
2013 – Taylor Martinez, QB
2012 – Rex Burkhead, RB
2011 – Jared Crick, DT
2011 – Lavonte David, LB