Sports – Page 649 – North Platte Post Archive

No. 16 NPCC Lady Knights Defeat Colby

Posted on December 4, 2013

The North Platte Community College Lady Knights basketball team (4-5) defeated the Colby Community College Lady Trojans (2-10) 54-38 on Tuesday night at McDonald-Belton Gymnasium.

The Lady Knights would start the game off slow before opening up a 29-16 lead at intermission. The second half would see the teams exchange baskets before the Lady Knights finished off the Lady Trojans. The Lady Knights out-rebounded the Lady Trojans 53-38 and forced 25 turnovers.

DaVontaye Merritt led the Lady Knights with 14 points and seven rebounds. April Stull and Jordan Dickerson were also in double-figures for the Lady Knights with 11 and 10 points respectively. Amanda Miller led the Lady Knights with 19 points.

“We got off to a slow start,” said assistant coach Nolan Collins “but the girls played good defense tonight. We were able to limit them to one shot most trips as we ou-rebounded them 27 to 18 on the defensive end of the court.”

The Lady Knights return to action on Friday Dec. 6 as they travel to York to face the York College JV at 6 p.m. The Lady Knights return home on Saturday Dec. 7 as they host Lamar Community College at 5:30 p.m. and Northeastern Junior College Dec. 11 to finish out the fall semester. The game with Lamar precedes the men’s game and will be broadcast live on ESPN Radio 1410 and online.

Ohio State’s Braxton Miller Claims Second Consecutive Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year Award

Posted on December 3, 2013

Rosemont, Ill. – For the second consecutive season, Ohio State’s Braxton Miller was named the Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year, the Big Ten Conference announced on Tuesday. Also among Tuesday’s individual award winners from the 2013 football season were Wisconsin’s Chris Borland as the Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year, Penn State’s Christian Hackenberg as the Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year and Michigan State’s Mark Dantonio as the Hayes-Schembechler and Dave McClain Coach of the Year.

Since the honor began in 1990, Miller becomes the first player in Big Ten history to claim two consecutive Offensive Player of the Year awards. The only other player to earn the conference’s top offensive honor twice was Purdue quarterback Drew Brees (1998 and 2000). Prior to 1990, Indiana running back Anthony Thompson won two consecutive Player of the Year Awards in 1988 and 1989. Miller is the fifth Buckeye to collect the award, along with Joe Germaine (1998), Orlando Pace (1996) and Heisman Trophy winners Troy Smith (2006) and Eddie George (1995). The Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year for the second straight year, Miller averaged 265 yards of total offense per game and accounted for 29 total touchdowns in leading Ohio State to a perfect 12-0 record.

Voted first-team All-Big Ten for the third straight season, Borland is the fifth Badger to receive the conference’s top defensive award, following Erasmus James (2004), Jamar Fletcher (2000), Tom Burke (1998) and Troy Vincent (1991). Borland was named the Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year and leads Wisconsin and ranks third in the conference with 9.3 tackles per game. He also tied the conference record with his 14^th career forced fumble earlier this season.

An honorable mention All-Big Ten selection, Hackenberg is the third Nittany Lion and second in as many seasons to be named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, joining Deion Barnes (2012) and Curtis Enis (1995). The quarterback ranked third in the conference with 246.2 passing yards per game and connected on 20 touchdown passes. Hackenberg was named the Big Ten’s Freshman of the Week five times this season, which ranks second since the award began in 2010.

Dantonio claims his second Big Ten Coach of the Year laurel in the last four years after being honored in 2010, when he became the fourth Michigan State coach to earn the award. In his seventh year in East Lansing, Dantonio led the Spartans to an 11-1 overall mark, including an 8-0 record in conference play and the outright Legends Division title. He coached six players to first-team All-Big Ten status, including Shilique Calhoun, the Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year, and Darqueze Dennard, the Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year.

For more information on the Big Ten’s enhanced football awards program, and to read more about the trophy namesakes, visitbigten.org.

Big Ten Football Award Honorees and Trophy Namesakes

Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year: Braxton Miller, Ohio State

Named for Northwestern’s Otto Graham and Ohio State’s Eddie George

Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year: Chris Borland, Wisconsin

Named for Minnesota’s Bronko Nagurski and Michigan’s Charles Woodson

Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year: Christian Hackenberg, Penn State

Named for Minnesota’s Darrell Thompson and Indiana’s Antwaan Randle El

Hayes-Schembechler Coach of the Year (coaches vote): Mark Dantonio, Michigan State

Named for Ohio State’s Woody Hayes and Michigan’s Bo Schembechler

Dave McClain Coach of the Year (media vote): Mark Dantonio, Michigan State

Named for Wisconsin’s Dave McClain

Walker Named Regional Coach of the Year

Posted on December 3, 2013

Nebraska Head Coach John Walker was named the 2013 National Soccer Coaches Association of America Great Lakes Regional Women’s Coach of the Year on Tuesday after guiding the Huskers to both the Big Ten Conference Regular Season and Tournament Championships.

Walker, who was also tabbed Big Ten Coach of the Year, guided the Huskers to a 19-4-1 record, its highest win total since 2000 and qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005. Prior to falling to Boston College in the NCAA Second Round, NU won 17 of 18 contests and held the nation’s longest and program’s fifth-best win streak of 10 games. The Huskers went 10-1 in the Big Ten with an undefeated conference road resume.

Nebraska made a splash on the national scene in 2013 achieving a No. 10 ranking in the NSCAA Coaches Poll as well as a No. 4 rating in the national RPI. In 20 years of NU soccer, Walker’s program boasts a 282-124-21 mark including 11 NCAA Tournament appearances and 10 conference titles.

Storm Add Aibel, Trade Haydon

Posted on December 3, 2013

KEARNEY, Neb. – Tri-City Storm head coach and general manager Jim Hulton announced roster moveson Tuesday afternoon, which included the addition of forward Nolan Aibel to the active roster.

Aibel was selected by Tri-City in the third round in Phase I of the 2013 USHL Draft. He spent the beginning of his season with the New Jersey Rockets of the Eastern Hockey League (EHL) and is expected to join the Storm for the remainder of the 2013-14 season.

A native of Brookville, N.Y., Aibel is committed to play collegiately at Yale Unviersity, the defending NCAA National Champions.

With the Rockets in 2012-13, Aibel had seven goals and 20 assists. So far this season he has accounted for six goals and eight assists in the team’s first 15 games.

In a corresponding move, the Storm have also traded forward Steven Haydon to the New Jersey Hitmen of the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL).

Haydon, who was drafted in the tenth round in Phase II of the 2013 USHL Draft, registered a goal and an assist in 11 games. Known for his physical play, Haydon had three fighting majors this season.

Tri-City heads to the state of Iowa for three games this week. The Storm battle Waterloo on Thursdaynight, before heading to Des Moines and Cedar Rapids on Friday and Saturday. All three games begin at7:05 p.m. and can be heard live on The Breeze, 94.5 FM.

Huskers Hit Road for Top 20 Showdown at North Carolina

Posted on December 3, 2013

The Nebraska women’s basketball team hits the road for the second time this season, traveling to Chapel Hill, N.C., Wednesday to take on No. 18 North Carolina in a top-20 battle in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

Tip-off between the No. 15 Huskers (6-1) and the No. 18 Tar Heels (6-2) is set for 5 p.m. (CT), with live video coverage on ESPN3.com with Dean Linke and Bobby Hundley on the call.

The game can be heard live on the Husker Sports Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and The Wolf 93.3 FM in Omaha. Free live audio is available on Huskers.com.

Nebraska slipped to 6-1 on the season with a 76-72 loss to Washington State in Lincoln on Saturday. The setback snapped the Huskers’ 10-game winning streak against Pac-12 Conference foes. NU owns wins over UCLA and Utah this season. North Carolina, which also owns a win over UCLA (78-68) this year, also suffered a loss to an unranked Pac-12 foe over the weekend. The Tar Heels dropped a 94-81 overtime decision to Arizona State in their second game of the Cancun Challenge on Friday, Nov. 29.

The game between the Huskers and Tar Heels will showcase two of the nation’s most explosive front lines. Nebraska’s starting forwards of Jordan Hooper, Emily Cady and Hailie Sample will make their 75th straight starts together. The experienced trio has powered Nebraska to back-to-back NCAA Tournament trips, including the 2013 NCAA Sweet 16. They enter the game averaging 40.9 points and 26.3 rebounds.

North Carolina’s starting trio of Diamond DeShields, Stephanie Mavunga and Xylina McDaniel are just as potent, but not as experienced. DeShields, a 6-1 freshman guard, is averaging 16.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. Mavunga, a 6-3 freshman forward, has averaged 14.8 points and 10.5 boards per game, while McDaniel, a 6-2 sophomore forward, has contributed 10.5 points and 5.8 boards per game. McDaniel, the daughter of former NBA star Xavier McDaniel, DeShields, the daughter of former Major Leaguer Delino DeShields, and Mavunga have combined for 40.8 points and 21.4 boards per game.

Robinson Heads All-Big Ten Team

Posted on December 3, 2013December 3, 2013

Nebraska senior Kelsey Robinson leads three Husker volleyball players who earned All-Big Ten honors from the league’s coaches on Tuesday. A native of Bartlett, Ill., Robinson became the first Husker to earn Big Ten Player-of-the-Year accolades.

Robinson paces a Husker contingent that also includes freshman Kadie Rolfzen and junior Mary Pollmiller. Nebraska saw Robinson and Rolfzen earn All-Big Ten honors, while Pollmiller earned honorable-mention accolades. Kadie Rolfzen was also named to the All-Freshman Team as a unanimous pick. In addition, senior Morgan Broekhuis was selected as Nebraska’s Sportsmanship Award honoree.

Robinson earned player-of-the-year accolades and a unanimous All-Big Ten award after totaling 481 kills on the season and 4.50 kills per set for the Huskers. She is hitting at a clip of .323 for the year and has a total of 356 digs for an average of 3.33 digs per set. In conference play, Robinson tallied 352 kills and a hitting percentage of .349. She led the Big Ten in kills (4.69) and points (5.41) per set during the conference season. She has 19 double-doubles on the season and was named the Big Ten Player of the Week four times in 2013. She was also honored as the AVCA/Sports Imports Player of the Week once as a senior. She has tallied 10 or more kills 26 times in 2013 and hit .300 or better 19 times. Robinson notched a career-high-tying 29 kills against Wisconsin on Oct. 5 and a season-high 23 digs against Texas on Sept. 22.

Rolfzen put together a stellar freshman campaign for the Huskers in 2013. She has made an immediate impact for NU, totaling 341 kills on the year and 240 digs. During conference play she had 267 kills for an average of 3.56 kills per set and hit at a clip of .292. She was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week once in 2013. Rolfzen has posted 10 or more kills 21 times in 2013 and hit at a clip of .300 12 times as a freshman. She has also notched 11 double-doubles for the Huskers and recorded a career-high 20 kills and 17 digs twice.

Pollmiller garnered honorable-mention accolades as she has recorded 1,142 assists on the year, for an average of 10.67 assists per set. During Big Ten play, she posted 832 assists and averaged 11.09 assists per set. Pollmiller has helped Nebraska hit .300 or better in nine matches in 2013, including a season-high .418 hitting percentage against Indiana on Nov. 23. She has totaled 50 or more assists six times as a junior and notched four double-doubles on the season. Pollmiller tallied a season-high 62 assists against Texas on Sept. 22 and was named the Big Ten Setter of the Week four times in 2013.

The Big Ten also recognized 12 Sportsmanship Award honorees. The student-athletes chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. These student-athletes must also be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. Broekhuis received the honor for her contributions this season.

The Huskers open the NCAA Tournament on Friday, Dec. 6, when they face Fairfield at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. The match is set to start at 7 p.m., or 30 minutes after the 4:30 p.m. match between Miami (Fla.) and Oregon. The first-round winners will then meet on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 7 p.m.

ALL-BIG TEN

JOCELYNN BIRKS, So., OH, ILL

Jennifer Cross, Sr., MB, MICH

LAUREN WICINSKI, Sr., OH, MSU

TORI DIXON, Sr., MH, MINN

ASHLEY WITTMAN, Sr., OH, MINN

KELSEY ROBINSON, Sr., OH, NEB

Kadie Rolfzen, Fr., OH, NEB

Stephanie Holthus, Sr., OH, NU

DEJA McCLENDON, Sr., OH, PSU

Micha Hancock, Jr., S, PSU

KATIE SLAY, Sr., MB, PSU

ARIEL SCOTT, Sr., OH, PSU

Val Nichol, Jr., OH/S, PUR

Lauren Carlini, Fr., S., WIS

Honorable Mention

Liz McMahon, Jr., OPP, ILL

Alexis Mathews, Sr., MB, MSU

Kori Moster, Jr., LIB, MSU

Mary Pollmiller, Jr., S, NEB

Kaitlyn Leary, Sr., OH, OSU

Carly Cramer, Sr., LIB, PUR

ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM

Abby Cole, RS, MICH

Chloe Reinig, OH, MSU

Hannah Tapp, MB, MINN

KADIE ROLFZEN, OH, NEB

Taylor Sandbothe, MB, OSU

LAUREN CARLINI, S, WIS

Haleigh Nelson, MB, WIS

Unanimous selections in CAPS

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Kelsey Robinson, NEB

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Kori Moster, MSU

SETTER OF THE YEAR

Micha Hancock, PSU

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR

Lauren Carlini, WIS

COACH OF THE YEAR (COACHES AND MEDIA)

Russ Rose, PSU

SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD HONOREES

Courtney Abrahamovich, ILL

Jade Henderson, IND

Alli O’Deen, IOWA

Brittany Lee, MICH

Kristen Kelsay, MSU

Daly Santana, MINN

Morgan Broekhuis, NEB

Katie Dutchman, NU

Andrea Kacsits, OSU

Maggie Harding, PSU

Katie Griffin, PUR

Annemarie Hickey, WIS

Big Ten Announces 2013 Postseason Volleyball Honors

Posted on December 3, 2013

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten announced its postseason volleyball awards on Tuesday, with student-athletes from four schools earning recognition following the conclusion of the 2013 regular season. Nebraska’s Kelsey Robinson has been named the Big Ten Player of the Year by a vote of the conference’s coaches, while Michigan State’s Kori Moster and Wisconsin’s Lauren Carlini were tabbed Defensive Player and Freshman of the Year, respectively. Penn State’s Micha Hancock earned Setter of the Year honors, while Nittany Lion head coach Russ Rose was tabbed Coach of the Year by Big Ten coaches and media.

Robinson led the Big Ten in kills (4.69) and points (5.41) per set during the conference season, helping Nebraska to the No. 8 overall seed in the NCAA Championship. The Husker senior also hit at a .349 clip on 765 total attempts. Robinson becomes the first Nebraska player to win the Player of the Year award.

Moster averaged 4.65 digs per set this season en route to being tabbed the top defensive player in the conference for the second year in a row. The Spartan junior is the only Michigan State player to have earned Defensive Player of the Year honors and just the second student-athlete to collect multiple defensive accolades, joining Minnesota’s Paula Gentil who won three straight from 2002-04.

Hancock takes home her second consecutive Big Ten Setter of the Year award. The Penn State junior led the Big Ten in assists (11.47) and service aces (.52) per set in conference play. Hancock was named Big Ten Setter of the Week five times this season.

Carlini is the third Badger to be named Freshman of the Year and the first since Claudia Rodriguez in 2000. The setter paced the Wisconsin offense, averaging 10.87 assists per set. She has also accumulated a team-high 19 double-doubles this season.

Rose earns top billing among the conference’s coaches and media for the second consecutive year after guiding Penn State to a 28-2 overall record and a 19-1 mark in Big Ten play en route to its 10^th conference title in the last 11 years. The Nittany Lions also earned the No. 2 overall seed in the NCAA Championship. Rose’s award from the coaches marks his 12^th all-time and sixth in the last seven years, while his honor from the media is his eighth in the last nine years.

Fourteen Big Ten players were tabbed All-Big Ten by the conference’s coaches, with eight making the team via unanimous vote. Joining Robinson as unanimous All-Big Ten selections are Illinois’ Jocelynn Birks, Michigan State’s Lauren Wicinski, Minnesota’s Tori Dixon and Ashley Wittman, and Penn State’s Deja McClendon, Katie Slay and Ariel Scott. Rounding out the All-Conference Team are Michigan’s Jennifer Cross, Nebraska’s Kadie Rolfzen, Northwestern’s Stephanie Holthus, Penn State’s Hancock, Purdue’s Val Nichol and Wisconsin’s Carlini.

Carlini was unanimously voted to the All-Freshman Team, along with Nebraska’s Rolfzen. Michigan’s Abby Cole, Michigan State’s Chloe Reinig, Minnesota’s Hannah Tapp, Ohio State’s Taylor Sandbothe and Wisconsin’s Haleigh Nelson also appeared on the seven-player team.

The complete list of All-Big Ten honorees, individual award winners and Sportsmanship Award Honorees can be found below.

ALL-BIG TEN

JOCELYNN BIRKS, So., OH, ILL

Jennifer Cross, Sr., MB, MICH

LAUREN WICINSKI, Sr., OH, MSU

TORI DIXON, Sr., MH, MINN

ASHLEY WITTMAN, Sr., OH, MINN

KELSEY ROBINSON, Sr., OH, NEB

Kadie Rolfzen, Fr., OH, NEB

Stephanie Holthus, Sr., OH, NU

DEJA McCLENDON, Sr., OH, PSU

Micha Hancock, Jr., S, PSU

KATIE SLAY, Sr., MB, PSU

ARIEL SCOTT, Sr., OH, PSU

Val Nichol, Jr., OH/S, PUR

Lauren Carlini, Fr., S., WIS

Honorable Mention

Liz McMahon, Jr., OPP, ILL

Alexis Mathews, Sr., MB, MSU

Kori Moster, Jr., LIB, MSU

Mary Pollmiller, Jr., S, NEB

Kaitlyn Leary, Sr., OH, OSU

Carly Cramer, Sr., LIB, PUR

ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM

Abby Cole, RS, MICH

Chloe Reinig, OH, MSU

Hannah Tapp, MB, MINN

KADIE ROLFZEN, OH, NEB

Taylor Sandbothe, MB, OSU

LAUREN CARLINI, S, WIS

Haleigh Nelson, MB, WIS

Unanimous selections in CAPS

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Kelsey Robinson, NEB

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Kori Moster, MSU

SETTER OF THE YEAR

Micha Hancock, PSU

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR

Lauren Carlini, WIS

COACH OF THE YEAR (COACHES AND MEDIA)

Russ Rose, PSU

SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD HONOREES

Courtney Abrahamovich, ILL

Jade Henderson, IND

Alli O’Deen, IOWA

Brittany Lee, MICH

Kristen Kelsay, MSU

Daly Santana, MINN

Morgan Broekhuis, NEB

Katie Dutchman, NU

Andrea Kacsits, OSU

Maggie Harding, PSU

Katie Griffin, PUR

Annemarie Hickey, WIS

Filipino Basketball Player Tricks Opponent Into Not Playing Defense (Video)

Posted on December 3, 2013December 3, 2013

Huskers Host Hurricanes in Big Ten/ACC Challenge

Posted on December 2, 2013

The Nebraska basketball team begins one of its biggest weeks in the non-conference schedule Wednesday night, as the Huskers play host to defending ACC Champion Miami as part of the 2013 Big Ten/ACC Challenge Presented by DICK’s Sporting Goods.

Tipoff is set for 8:35 p.m. (central) and the contest will be broadcast nationally on ESPNU with Mark Neely and Tim McCormick on the call. The game will also be available on the WatchESPN app for iOS or android devices.

Wednesday’s matchup with the Hurricanes will be carried across the state on the 27-station Husker Sports Network with Kent Pavelka and Matt Davison calling all of the action, including flagship stations KLIN (1400 AM/94.5 FM) and KFAB (1110 AM). The game can be heard for free on Huskers.com and is available on the Huskers’ app on iOS or android devices.

A very limited number of tickets are available in the 200 and 300 Levels with prices ranging from $7-$15. Visit Huskers.com or call 800-8-BIGRED for more information.

The Huskers come into Wednesday’s game with a 5-2 record following a 63-58 win over Northern Illinois on Saturday afternoon. Nebraska saw a 13-point second-half lead cut to one, but were able to hold on behind efforts from Leslee Smith and Deverell Biggs. Smith had 13 points, nine rebounds and three steals, including a key offensive rebound and putback late after NIU cut the lead to two. Biggs finished with season bests in both points (18) and rebounds (four) while going 6-of-8 from the line, including four straight free throws in the final minute to preserve the win.

It has been no surprise that Nebraska has gotten strong bench play in recent weeks since Ray Gallegos and Deverell Biggs returned to the fold on Nov. 17. Over the last five games, the Huskers are averaging 36.4 points per game off the bench. Biggs is averaging 12.0 points off the bench for the Huskers, while Gallegos is chipping in 8.0 points per game, including a team-high 12 3-pointers. Biggs is one of three Huskers averaging double figures entering Wednesday’s game, joining sophomores Terran Petteway (16.0 ppg) and Shavon Shields (12.4 pgg).

Miami comes to Lincoln with a 5-3 record after a 2-1 showing at the Wooden Legacy in Anaheim. The Hurricanes are rebuilding after graduating all five starters from a team that won 29 games and reached the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2012-13. The Hurricanes are coming off their most impressive win of the year, overcoming a 10-point deficit to down Arizona State, 60-57, on Sunday.

Big Ten Issues Public Reprimand of Nebraska Football Head Coach Bo Pelini and Announces Institutional Fine

Posted on December 2, 2013

Rosemont, Ill. – The Big Ten office today issued a public reprimand of Nebraska football head coach Bo Pelini for violating the Big Ten Sportsmanship Policy following Nebraska’s game against Iowa on Nov. 29, 2013. In addition, the conference announced that the institution has been fined $10,000 as a result of the violation.

The Big Ten determined that Pelini’s postgame comments regarding officials were in violation of Big Ten Conference Agreement 10.01, which states in part that “The Big Ten Conference expects all contests involving a member institution to be conducted without compromise to any fundamental element of sportsmanship. Such fundamental elements include integrity of competition, civility toward all, and respect, particularly toward opponents and officials.” Coaches are teachers as well, and there is an expectation that they set the example for student-athletes and others in areas of sportslike conduct.

“The University of Nebraska embraces and supports the Big Ten Conference’s Sportsmanship Policy,” said Nebraska Director of Athletics Shawn Eichorst. “In that regard, we were disappointed with Coach Pelini’s actions this past Friday regarding game officials. We immediately recognized and addressed the situation with Coach Pelini and the Big Ten Conference. In addition, Coach Pelini acknowledged and accepted responsibility for the inappropriateness of his actions and issued a public apology in advance of this reprimand.”

The Big Ten Conference considers this matter concluded and will have no further comment.