Sports – Page 588 – North Platte Post Archive

McMurphy Commits To Play At Bentley This Fall

Posted on March 12, 2014

KEARNEY, Neb. – The Tri-City Storm announced Wednesday that forward Ryan McMurphy has committed to play Division I college hockey next season at Bentley University in the Atlantic Hockey conference.

“Once I was there it felt like home,” McMurphy said after his visit to the campus earlier this week. “I would like to thank my family and all of my past coaches for all of their support throughout the years.”

McMurphy said it was a dream come true for him to reach his goal of playing in college and the USHL helped him get to where he wanted to go.

“I think the goal for most youth hockey players is to be in the USHL because it’s the league that produces the most Division I scholarships,” McMurphy said. “I think coming here to Tri-City definitely helped me to achieve my goal of playing D1.”

A top-notch student, McMurphy wanted the best academic experience possible, and was impressed with what Bentley had to offer in the classroom.

“I knew I wanted to go to a strong academic school,” McMurphy said. “When Bentley called me I really enjoyed the fact that they have a great business school. It’s a good spot for me.”

With the school located just outside of Boston in Waltham, Mass., McMurphy also loved the proximity to a big city. Although McMurphy was far from big cities while growing up in Broken Arrow, Okla., he spent his high school years in the Dallas area.

“I really enjoyed how nice the campus was in a suburb of Boston,” McMurphy said. “It’s close to the big city and minutes from the downtown area.”

On the ice, Bentley has had a successful season, finishing in second in the Atlantic Hockey conference standings and earning a bye in the first round of the playoffs last week. McMurphy is hoping to contribute as a freshman and help continue the school’s success.

This year the 19-year-old has had a more offensive role in his second season with the Storm, accounting for 10 goals and six assists. His 16 points are seventh-best on the team, but the center also holds many other roles on the team including a spot on the penalty kill.

McMurphy has now appeared in 106 games with Tri-City in the last two seasons, scoring 24 total points and three game-winning goals.

But it isn’t just Ryan who is proud about his future plans. His family back in Oklahoma was also thrilled about his next step.

“My family was really excited about it,” McMurphy said. “They wanted me to do what I want and they will support me the whole way. They thought this was a great opportunity for me both in hockey and education.”

McMurphy and the Storm are back in action this weekend when they host the Sioux City Musketeers on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. at the Viaero Event Center.

NCAA Selection Committee Faces Complex Choices

Posted on March 12, 2014

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The NCAA tournament selection committee will have some tough choices this weekend.

It must determine where to seed Kansas in lieu of Joel Embiid’s back injury. It must evaluate where to put unbeaten Wichita State and how it views Syracuse, which has lost four of its last six. It must still find the top 36 at-large teams in a bracket that committee chairman Ron Wellman believes will be the most wide open he can remember.

And all of it must be finished by Sunday night.

Wellman told reporters Wednesday that committee members will be in touch with schools about injuries and may even come up with multiple brackets as a backup plan to help them deal with Sunday afternoon games.

Committee meetings begin Wednesday afternoon.

Broncos Agree to Deals with Talib, Ward

Posted on March 12, 2014March 12, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos spent the first day of free agency bolstering their defensive backfield, agreeing to a four-year deal with Pro Bowl safety T.J. Ward on Tuesday and then hours later reaching an agreement on a six-year contract with cornerback Aqib Talib.

Talib and Ward will play in a secondary that will be without Champ Bailey, who was released last week, and may be moving on from Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who entered free agency without a new deal from the Broncos.

Ward had 129 tackles and two interceptions for Cleveland last year.

Talib was a shutdown corner for New England in 2013. He hurt his knee early in the AFC Championship against Denver when he was bumped by Wes Welker on a crossing route.

—Previous Story—

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos have revamped their defensive secondary by agreeing to a deal with Pro Bowl safety T.J. Ward on Tuesday.

Ward is coming off a season in which he had 129 tackles and two interceptions for the Cleveland Browns.

General manager John Elway called Ward a “young, explosive strong safety who is going to bring a lot of energy and toughness to our secondary.” The Broncos struggled at safety last season, especially after losing Rahim Moore, who underwent emergency surgery to fix a blood-flow problem in his lower left leg in November.

Earlier in the day, Denver brought back one of Peyton Manning’s targets, agreeing to a two-year deal with receiver Andre Caldwell.

Eric Decker, one of Manning’s go-to receivers, is a free agent.

Chiefs’ Free Agents Find Big Deals Elsewhere

Posted on March 11, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs were quiet on the opening day of free agency, even as several players who were instrumental in their turnaround found big deals elsewhere.

The Falcons agreed to five-year contracts with defensive tackle Tyson Jackson and offensive guard Jon Asamoah on Tuesday. Both of them were draft picks of former Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli, who has since joined the front office in Atlanta.

Meanwhile, Pro Bowl left tackle Branden Albert agreed to a five-year deal with the Dolphins, Pro Bowl punt returner Dexter McCluster was headed to the Titans and offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz agreed to terms with the New York Giants.

The only move Kansas City made was to re-sign defensive back and special teams star Husain Abdullah. The Chiefs had earlier re-signed linebacker Frank Zombo.

Broncos, WR Andre Caldwell Agree to 2-Year Deal

Posted on March 11, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos have brought back one of Peyton Manning’s targets, agreeing to a two-year deal with receiver Andre Caldwell on Tuesday.

Caldwell came on late in the season when Wes Welker was sidelined with a concussion. The 28-year-old Caldwell caught 11 of his 16 passes over the final three games of the season.

His most productive game in 2013 was against San Diego on Dec. 12, when he had six receptions for 59 yards and two TDs.

Caldwell was held without a catch in a 43-8 loss to Seattle in the Super Bowl.

Over his six-year career, Caldwell has 141 catches and nine scores. He spent his first four seasons with Cincinnati after the Bengals took him in the third round of the 2008 draft.

Big Ten Conference Celebrates 100th Anniversary of Big Ten Medal of Honor

Posted on March 11, 2014

Rosemont, Ill. – The Big Ten, the nation’s oldest collegiate conference, commemorates the 100^th anniversary of a very unique tradition – the Big Ten Medal of Honor. The conference’s most exclusive award was the first of its kind in intercollegiate athletics to recognize academic and athletic excellence. As part of the celebration, the conference is launching a national campaign to pay tribute to the rich tradition established in 1915 and showcase the benefits of the student-athlete experience across its campuses.

Awarded to one male and female student-athlete from the graduating class of each member institution, the Big Ten Medal of Honor recognizes the educational emphasis placed on athletics. The Big Ten Medal of Honor places equal importance on academics and athletics and pre-dates many of the biggest national awards that focus entirely on athletics, including the Heisman Trophy and Naismith Award.

Over the past century, more than 1,300 student-athletes from Big Ten universities have earned this distinction. These individuals have translated their campus experience as student-athletes into success in all walks of life including medicine, science, politics, business and sports.

“The Big Ten Medal of Honor fulfills our promise and commitment to broad-based programs that provide students-athletes the opportunity to earn a degree from a top-tier university and compete at the highest levels athletically,” said Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany. “In the coming months, we look forward to celebrating these individuals who embody the student-athlete experience and demonstrate excellence in both academics and athletics while preparing for success later in life.”

Since 1896, the Big Ten has provided opportunities for students to earn a first-rate education. Ten member institutions rank in the top 31 of all public universities, and the Big Ten leads all conferences with more than 1,500 Academic All-Americans. Big Ten Medal of Honor winners embody this scholastic tradition and represent continued success following their education.

As part of the Big Ten Medal of Honor’s historic anniversary, the conference is launching a 100-day campaign to help announce this year’s honorees and celebrate the prominent winners of the past 99 years. The integrated effort, which begins this week and extends throughJune 18, includes profiling notable winners and stories each day on social channels and the conference website. Big Ten on-campus celebrations will feature past award recipients, recognition ceremonies and promotion of the award campus-wide.

The Best of the Best

Out of the more than 8,200 student-athletes at the 12 Big Ten institutions, only 24 are recognized each year with the Big Ten Medal of Honor.

Most honorees have seen tremendous success in careers outside of sports. Below is a small sampling of prominent Big Ten Medal of Honor Winners who have made significant contributions in fields as varied as medicine, science and business since graduating from a Big Ten university:

· Keith D. Nosbusch (Wisconsin, 1973, football), currently Chairman and CEO of Rockwell Automation
· Tim Gutshall (Iowa, 1979, football), a family physician that is currently Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Wellmark
· Tim Hacker (Wisconsin, 1986, track/cross country), a senior scientist in Wisconsin’s School of Medicine and director of the school’s Cardiovascular Physiology Core Laboratory
· Mike Hopkins (Illinois, 1992, football), a flight engineer for the International Space Station, he’s currently orbiting in space and will land back on earth later this month
- · Uta (Herrmann) Wolfe (Minnesota, 1992, swimming), currently an assistant professor at St. Thomas University where her study of senses and visuo-motor control recently led to her discovery of a new multi-sensory illusion
- · Jennifer Hsia (Indiana, 2001, tennis), an assistant professor and otolaryngologist at Minnesota, cares for patients with obstructive sleep apnea and sleep-disorder breathing

Other honorees feature some of today’s most legendary sports figures including:

· John Wooden (Purdue, 1932, basketball), a three-time All-American as a player, led UCLA to a record 10 NCAA basketball titles as a coach and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame
· Jerry Lucas (Ohio State, 1963, basketball), a two-time National Player of the Year, seven-time NBA All-Star and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame
· Tony Dungy (Minnesota, 1977, football), ended his career as school’s all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns and became the first African-American coach to win a Super Bowl
· Joe Girardi (Northwestern, 1986, baseball), current New York Yankees manager who led them to the 2009 World Series title and three World Series wins as a player in the 1990s
· Pat Fitzgerald (Northwestern, 1997, football), a two-time consensus All-American, will begin his ninth season as head coach at his alma mater and has guided Northwestern to five bowl games
· Drew Brees (Purdue, 2001, football), led school to Big Ten title and Rose Bowl Game as senior and the New Orleans Saints to a Super Bowl victory in 2010

To learn more about the Big Ten Medal of Honor, visit bigten.org. You can also follow the 100th anniversary celebration each day on Facebook.com/bigtenconference and on Twitter at @bigtenconf.

Jefferson, Walker Lead Bobcats Past Nuggets 105-98

Posted on March 10, 2014

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Al Jefferson scored 26 points and Kemba Walker added 24 as the Charlotte Bobcats won their seventh straight game at home, defeating the Denver Nuggets 105-98 on Monday night.

Jefferson made 10 of his first 14 field-goal attempts and also had a game-high 12 rebounds. Walker added seven assists for the Bobcats, who also received a big boost from Gary Neal off the bench. Neal made his first six field-goal tries, including three 3-pointers, and ended up with 19 points.

Josh McRoberts added 15 points for Charlotte, including a key 3-pointer with 6:15 left at the shot-clock buzzer to extend Charlotte’s lead to 90-82 after Denver had cut it to five at 87-82.

Ty Lawson scored 24 points to lead the Nuggets.

Big Ten Announces 2014 Men’s Basketball Postseason Honors, 3 Huskers Honored

Posted on March 10, 2014

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten men’s basketball All-Conference teams and individual award winners were announced on Monday, with Michigan’s Nik Stauskas earning Big Ten Player of the Year honors from the conference’s coaches and a media panel. Michigan head coach John Beilein claimed Coach of the Year laurels from the media while Nebraska head coach Tim Miles was named Coach of the Year by his peers. Indiana’s Noah Vonleh picked up Freshman of the Year accolades from the coaches and media. Ohio State’s Aaron Craft was named the Defensive Player of the Year while Wisconsin’s Nigel Hayes was voted the Sixth Man of the Year by the coaches.

Stauskas takes home the Big Ten Player of the Year award after leading the conference with 13 games of 20 or more points. A four-time Big Ten Player of the Week this season, Stauskas ranked among the top five with 17.0 points per game and a .447 shooting percentage from three-point range in Big Ten contests only. The sophomore earns the fifth Player of the Year award in program history and the second in as many years for Michigan, following 2013 recipient Trey Burke.

Beilein led the Wolverines to their first outright Big Ten Championship since 1986. Michigan boasts a 23-7 overall record and a 15-3 mark in Big Ten play this season, marking the fourth consecutive year that Beilein has guided the Wolverines to a top-four finish in the conference standings. He is just four wins shy of his 700^th career victory and five wins away from his 150^th victory at Michigan. He collects his first Big Ten Coach of the Year award and the first for a Michigan coach since 1985.

Under the guidance of Miles, Nebraska posted a record of 11-7 in conference play, giving the Cornhuskers the No. 4 seed and a first-round bye in the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament. With an overall record of 19-11, Nebraska is one victory shy of its first 20-win season since 2008. Miles claims his first Big Ten Coach of the Year award.

Vonleh is Indiana’s 10th Big Ten Freshman of the Year selection after becoming the first freshman to lead the conference in rebounding since Ohio State’s Greg Oden in 2006-07. Vonleh is the second Hoosier in the last three seasons to be named Freshman of the Year along with Cody Zeller in 2012. Vonleh averaged 11.0 points and 8.8 rebounds per game in Big Ten contests.

Craft collects Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year laurels after setting the conference record with 328 career steals. The 2012 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Craft becomes the sixth conference player to win the award twice and gives the Buckeyes their fifth individual defensive honor. Craft led the conference with 2.7 steals and 4.6 assists per game this season in Big Ten play.

Hayes is averaging 8.0 points per game off the bench for Wisconsin and shooting 53 percent in all contests. He becomes Wisconsin’s second Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year and first since Jason Bohannon in 2008.

Stauskas was a unanimous first-team All-Big Ten selection by both the coaches and the media. He was joined on the first team for both the coaches and media by Iowa’s Roy Devyn Marble, Michigan State’s Gary Harris, Nebraska’s Terran Petteway and Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky.

Joining Vonleh and Hayes on the coaches’ All-Freshman Team were Illinois’ Kendrick Nunn, Michigan’s Derrick Walton Jr., and Purdue’s Kendall Stephens. Craft was joined on the All-Defensive Team by his teammate Shannon Scott, Harris, Purdue’s A.J. Hammons and Wisconsin’s Josh Gasser.

The Big Ten also announced 12 Sportsmanship Award Honorees. The student-athletes chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. In addition, the student-athletes must be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. This season’s honorees are Illinois’ Joseph Bertrand, Indiana’s Will Sheehey, Iowa’s Mike Gesell, Michigan’s Jon Horford, Michigan State’s Denzel Valentine, Minnesota’s Austin Hollins, Nebraska’s Shavon Shields, Northwestern’s Drew Crawford, Ohio State’s Lenzelle Smith Jr., Penn State’s Tim Frazier, Purdue’s Travis Carroll and Wisconsin’s Ben Brust.

2013-14 All-Big Ten Men’s Basketball Team

FIRST TEAM

Roy Devyn Marble, Iowa
NIK STAUSKAS, MICHIGAN
Gary Harris, Michigan State
Terran Petteway, Nebraska
Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin

SECOND TEAM

Yogi Ferrell, Indiana
Caris LeVert, Michigan
Adreian Payne, Michigan State
D.J. Newbill, Penn State
Sam Dekker, Wisconsin

THIRD TEAM

Noah Vonleh, Indiana
Aaron White, Iowa
Aaron Craft, Ohio State
LaQuinton Ross, Ohio State
Tim Frazier, Penn State

As selected by Big Ten coaches

HONORABLE MENTION

Rayvonte Rice, Illinois
Glenn Robinson III, Michigan
Keith Appling, Michigan State
Denzel Valentine, Michigan State
Andre Hollins, Minnesota
Shavon Shields, Nebraska
Drew Crawford, Northwestern
A.J. Hammons, Purdue
Ben Brust, Wisconsin

ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM

Kendrick Nunn, Illinois
Noah Vonleh, Indiana
Derrick Walton Jr., Michigan
Kendall Stephens, Purdue
Nigel Hayes, Wisconsin

ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM

Gary Harris, Michigan State
Aaron Craft, Ohio State
Shannon Scott, Ohio State
A.J. Hammons, Purdue
Josh Gasser, Wisconsin

PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

Nik Stauskas, Michigan

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Aaron Craft, Ohio State

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR:

Noah Vonleh, Indiana

SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR:

Nigel Hayes, Wisconsin

COACH OF THE YEAR:

Tim Miles, Nebraska

UNANIMOUS SELECTIONS IN ALL CAPS

As selected by Media Voting Panel

FIRST TEAM

Roy Devyn Marble, Iowa
NIK STAUSKAS, MICHIGAN
Gary Harris, Michigan State
Terran Petteway, Nebraska
Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin

SECOND TEAM

Yogi Ferrell, Indiana
Caris LeVert, Michigan
Adreian Payne, Michigan State
Aaron Craft, Ohio State
D.J. Newbill, Penn State

THIRD TEAM

Noah Vonleh, Indiana
Aaron White, Iowa
Drew Crawford, Northwestern
Tim Frazier, Penn State
Sam Dekker, Wisconsin

HONORABLE MENTION

Rayvonte Rice, Illinois
Will Sheehey, Indiana
Glenn Robinson III, Michigan
Keith Appling, Michigan State
Denzel Valentine, Michigan State
Andre Hollins, Minnesota
DeAndre Mathieu, Minnesota
Shavon Shields, Nebraska
LaQuinton Ross, Ohio State
A.J. Hammons, Purdue
Ben Brust, Wisconsin
Josh Gasser, Wisconsin
Traevon Jackson, Wisconsin

PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

Nik Stauskas, Michigan

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR:

Noah Vonleh, Indiana

COACH OF THE YEAR:

John Beilein, Michigan

UNANIMOUS SELECTIONS IN ALL CAPS

Big Ten Sportsmanship Award Honorees

Joseph Bertrand, Illinois; Will Sheehey, Indiana; Mike Gesell, Iowa; Jon Horford, Michigan; Denzel Valentine, Michigan State; Austin Hollins, Minnesota; Shavon Shields, Nebraska; Drew Crawford, Northwestern; Lenzelle Smith Jr., Ohio State; Tim Frazier, Penn State; Travis Carroll, Purdue; Ben Brust, Wisconsin

NPCC Knights Softball Fall at South Mountain in Phoenix

Posted on March 10, 2014

Phoenix, AZ – The North Platte Community College softball team (2-5) opened up their eight game road trip that coincides with North Platte Community College’s spring break today in Phoenix, Ariz. dropping two games to the South Mountain Community College Lady Cougars 0-8 and 1-13.

Shannon Lieber took the loss on the mound in the opening game for the Knights. Siarra Velasquez had the lone hit in the first game for the Knights and also drew a walk. Soliel Atenza had a sacrifice and Sydney Standage was hit by a pitch. The Knights had five errors in the game, giving up only two earned runs.

In the second game of the day, Rylee Murphy took the loss on the mound. Velasquez, Atenza, Standage and Jazmin Change all had one hit and Lieber drew a walk. The Knights had five errors in the game, giving up six earned runs.

“We couldn’t get the bats going today and errors killed us,” said head coach Janelle Higgins. “We came out very timid and made errors right away digging ourselves in a hole both games and couldn’t get out of it.”

“South Mountain is a very fast and disciplined team at the plate. There pitchers were very strong and kept us very off balanced and was hard for us to adjust. They already have played over 20 games to our five,” said Higgins. I am proud of the team for never giving up in either game but we just couldn’t get anything going in our favor. ”

The Knights return to action tomorrow as they face the College of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas, Nevada tomorrow in a double-header at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. The Knights remain on the road the rest of the week for two more double-headers before returning home for their first home game against Western Nebraska Community College on March 18 at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Broncos’ Kuper Retires After 8 Years

Posted on March 10, 2014

DENVER (AP) — Broncos offensive lineman Chris Kuper is retiring after struggling with an ankle injury the last two seasons.

Kuper, a fifth-round pick in Denver’s 2006 draft, started 79 games at guard over eight seasons.

He dislocated his left ankle in the last game of the 2011 regular season, and though he started another seven games after that, he never returned to his previous level.

Kuper was the last player left on the Denver roster from a 2006 draft class that included Jay Cutler, Brandon Marshall and Elvis Dumervil.