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Pollmiller Named B1G Co-Setter of the Week

 

Mary Pollmiller (Photo courtesy of Hail Varsity)
Mary Pollmiller (Photo courtesy of Hail Varsity)

Senior setter Mary Pollmiller was named Big Ten Co-Setter of the Week, the conference office announced on Monday. The award is the fifth career weekly Big Ten honor for Pollmiller and the first of this season for her or any Husker.

Pollmiller led the Huskers to a pair of road sweeps at Rutgers and Maryland over the weekend. The Littleton, Colo., native averaged 11.67 assists per set and tallied seven kills, eight digs and two blocks. Pollmiller tallied 42 assists in the win against Rutgers on Friday. She added 28 at Maryland on Saturday with five kills on nine attacks for a .556 attacking percentage, helping the team hit .329 for the match.

The senior captain guided the Huskers to back-to-back conference road sweeps in the same weekend trip for the first time since joining the Big Ten in 2011, the 13th weekend with two road matches. Pollmiller shared the honor with Wisconsin’s Lauren Carlini.

Paige, Harrell Head AP Preseason Team

BasketballDuke’s Jahlil Okafor has become the third freshman in five years to be named to The Associated Press’ preseason All-American team.

The rest of the team, announced Monday, has a bit more experience: North Carolina junior point guard Marcus Paige, Wisconsin senior forward Frank Kaminsky, Louisville junior forward Montrezl Harrell and Wichita State junior point guard Fred VanVleet.

North Carolina’s Harrison Barnes in 2010 and Andrew Wiggins of Kansas last season also made the AP’s preseason team as freshmen.

Paige was the leading vote getter, named on 58 ballots by the 65-member national media panel. Harrell was second with 56 votes.

Kaminsky led the Badgers to the Final Four last season and VanVleet played there with the Shockers two years ago.

Royals Extend Qualifying Offer to Shields

James Shields
James Shields

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals extended a $15.3 million qualifying offer Monday to right-hander James Shields, which assures Kansas City of draft pick compensation if its staff ace signs a major league contract with another team before June 8.

Shields has until Nov. 10 to accept, and it is expected he will not. In the past two years, none of the 22 free agents given qualifying offers have accepted.

Kansas City has expressed interest in re-signing Shields, who helped the Royals reach the playoffs for the first time in 29 years and win the AL pennant. But with higher-payroll clubs in the market for pitching, Shields is expected to sign elsewhere.

If that happens, the Royals would receive a compensatory draft pick between the first and second rounds of next year’s amateur draft.

Nebraska at Wisconsin, Six-Day Pick

nebraska_helmetThe Big Ten has announced that its television partners will use a six-day pick on football games on Nov. 15, including Nebraska at Wisconsin. The game will kick off at either 11 a.m. or 2:30 p.m. and will be televised by either ABC, ESPN or ESPN2.

Huskers Ranked Seventh in Preseason Poll

UNLThe Nebraska wrestling team opens its 2014-15 campaign with the No. 7 ranking in the USA Today/NWCA Coaches Poll.

The Huskers return all seven NCAA qualifiers from last season, including All-Americans James Green (157) and Robert Kokesh (174). Both Green and Kokesh collected victories in the NWCA All-Star Classic on Saturday night in Philadelphia, Pa.

Tim Lambert (125), Jake Sueflohn (149), Austin Wilson (165), TJ Dudley (184) and Collin Jensen (HWT) all competed in the 2014 NCAA Championships. All seven wrestlers are ranked by InterMat heading into the season, as well as junior Anthony Abidin, who garnered the No. 17 spot at 141 pounds. 

The Huskers will face five teams that are ranked in the preseason poll, including Big Ten foes Michigan (9th), Illinois (13th), Wisconsin (18th) and Northwestern (19th). No. 25 Wyoming hosts Nebraska on Friday at 4 p.m. (CT) in the Huskers’ dual opener.

Iowa earned the top spot in the rankings, while Minnesota (2nd) and Cornell (3rd) round out the top three. Big Ten teams Ohio State (4th) and Penn State (5th) are also in the top five.

This weekend, the Huskers will compete in the Cowboy Open on Saturday in Laramie, Wyo., after battling No. 25 Wyoming on Friday night. NU’s first home dual is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 16 against Maryland at the NU Coliseum at 1 p.m. All five of Nebraska’s remaining home duals will be held at the Devaney Center.

USA Today/NWCA Coaches Poll (Preseason)
1. Iowa
2. Minnesota
3. Cornell
4. Ohio State
5. Penn State
6. Missouri
7. Nebraska
8. Oklahoma State
9. Michigan
10. Edinboro
11. Virginia
12. Virginia Tech
13. Illinois
14. Pittsburgh
15. Lehigh
16. Iowa State
17. Northern Iowa
18. Wisconsin
19. Northwestern
20. Oregon State
21. Oklahoma
22. Old Dominion
23. North Dakota State
24. Ohio
25. Wyoming

This Week in Nebraska Athletics

Wednesday Nov. 5                 Volleyball                   Purdue (BTN)                                                          Devaney Center                          6:30 p.m.

Thursday     Nov. 6                 Men’s Basketball       SW Minnesota St. (exhibition) (BTN Plus)         Pinnacle Bank Arena                 7 p.m.

Fri.-Sun.       Nov. 7-9             Bowling                      at Crusader Classic                                                 Valparaiso, Ind.                          11 a.m.

Friday           Nov. 7                 Wrestling                    at Wyoming                                                             Laramie, Wyo.                             4 p.m.

Saturday       Nov. 8                 Wrestling                    at Cowboy Open                                                     Laramie, Wyo.                             10 a.m.

Saturday      Nov. 8                 Swimming & Diving  Arkansas                                                                  Devaney Natatorium                  11 a.m.

Saturday      Nov. 8                 Volleyball                   Indiana (HuskersNside)                                         Devaney Center                          7 p.m.

Sunday         Nov. 9                Women’s Basketball  Concordia-St. Paul (exhibition)                           Pinnacle Bank Arena                 2 p.m.

Abdullah, Gregory Named Semifinalists for National Awards

Ameer Abdullah
Ameer Abdullah

Nebraska standouts Ameer Abdullah and Randy Gregory were named semifinalists for prestigious national awards Monday morning. Abdullah is one of 20 semifinalists for the Maxwell Award, while Gregory is among 20 semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award. Both awards are presented by the Maxwell Football Club.

Abdullah has rushed for 1,250 yards and scored 19 touchdowns through nine games to power the Nebraska offense. Abdullah leads the nation, averaging 187.9 all-purpose yards per game and has recorded two of the four 300-plus all-purpose yardage games in the nation this season. Abdullah also ranks in the top 10 nationally in rushing yards and scoring. In 2014, Abdullah has moved to No. 2 on the Big Ten career all-purpose yardage list and is on pace to challenge Nebraska’s career rushing record.

Abdullah is one six running backs on the Maxwell Award semifinalist list, including fellow Big Ten backs Tevin Coleman and Melvin Gordon.

Gregory continues to be a dominant force on the Nebraska defense. Gregory has a team-high 5.5 sacks despite missing nearly two full games early in the season. The 6-6, 245-pound Gregory has 37 total tackles on the year, and also leads the Huskers with 14 quarterback hurries. He also has an interception, a blocked field goal and three pass breakups.

Randy Gregory
Randy Gregory

Gregory is one of three Big Ten defenders on the list, including Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa and Michigan State end Shilique Calhoun.

The Maxwell Award is given annually to the Collegiate Player of the Year, while the Chuck Bednarik Award is given to the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year. The three finalists for each award will be announced on Monday, Nov. 24, and the winners will be announced at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Thursday, Dec. 11.

LaBarbera helps Ducks to 3-2 Win over Avs

Colorado-Avalanche-LogoDENVER (AP) — Defensemen Hampus Lindholm and Cam Fowler scored their first goals of the season 1:44 apart in the second period, and emergency starter Jason LaBarbera stopped 16 shots, lifting the Anaheim Ducks to a 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday night.

Corey Perry also scored for the Ducks, who went 3-1 on a four-game trip.

Dennis Everberg scored his first NHL goal, and Nathan MacKinnon added another for weary Colorado, which also lost at St. Louis in a shootout on Saturday.

LaBarbera made an unexpected start after he arrived earlier Sunday from Norfolk of the AHL. He was supposed to be the backup in place of Frederik Andersen, who was scratched due to leg tightness.

He got the start when John Gibson sustained a lower-body injury in warmups. Goaltending consultant Dwayne Roloson dressed, and was the backup in case something happened to LaBarbera.

Brady Outduels Manning, Patriots Romp 43-21

DenverBroncosFOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Tom Brady outdueled Peyton Manning, throwing for four touchdowns, and Julian Edelman returned a punt 84 yards for a score in leading the New England Patriots past the Denver Broncos 43-21 Sunday.

The 16th matchup between the all-time great quarterbacks wasn’t particularly competitive after the first quarter.

New England (7-2) won its fifth straight, halting the four-game winning streak for Denver (6-2) in emphatic fashion. Brady has 18 TD passes and one interception in those five victories.

Manning fell to 2-7 at Gillette Stadium and 5-11 overall against Brady, even though he threw for 438 yards and two touchdowns. He has at least two TD passes in 14 consecutive games, an NFL record.

In his 200th career start, Brady passed for 333 yards. He has won 155 of those, the most for any quarterback in that many starts.

Cady Powers No. 16 Huskers to Win Over Wildcats

Nebraska-Huskers-BasketballLincoln – Senior Emily Cady produced a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds in just 20 minutes to power No. 16 Nebraska to an 84-43 women’s basketball win over NCAA Division II No. 6 Wayne State on Sunday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

A Nebraska exhibition-record crowd of 4,948 fans saw Cady pour in 10 points by the first media timeout to lead the Big Red to a quick 10-point lead. She added 11 rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block in a dominant all-around performance. The 6-2 forward from Seward, Neb., hit 5-of-7 shots from the field and all 10 of her free throw attempts.

Cady led five Huskers in double figures, including 14 points from senior Brandi Jeffery. The 5-7 guard from Vacherie, La., hit a pair of early threes on her way to 14 points. She added seven boards, six steals and three assists, while going 6-of-9 from the field.

Senior guard Tear’a Laudermill pitched in 12 points, including a trio of second-half three-pointers, while junior point guard Rachel Theriot contributed 10 points and a game-high six assists.

Sophomore Allie Havers rounded out the Huskers in double figures with 10 points and five rebounds in just 14 minutes off the bench. The 6-5 center hit 5-of-8 shots from the floor for a Husker team that finished 53.2 percent (33-62) from the field for the game.

Nebraska outrebounded Wayne State, 47-31, and won the turnover battle, 16-13. The Huskers also held the Wildcats to just 28.6 percent shooting, including just 3-of-11 from three-point range.

All 13 Huskers who suited up saw action for at least four minutes in the game, including junior college transfer Anya Kalenta who played 16 minutes just four days after suffering a broken nose in practice. Kalenta finished with four points and four rebounds.

Freshman guard Natalie Romeo saw the most action of the newcomers, playing 25 minutes. Romeo finished with three points and four assists to go along with a pair of rebounds.

Darrien Washington added five points off the bench in just five minutes, while Kaylee Page, Emily Wood and Jasmine Cincore all saw their first action as Huskers.

Jordan Spencer led Wayne State with 11 points, while Katie Hoskins and Haley Moore each contributed eight points for the Wildcats.

The Huskers wrap up their two-game exhibition schedule next Sunday when they take on Concordia-St. Paul at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. with free live audio from the Husker Sports Network on Huskers.com.

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