Huskers – Page 112 – North Platte Post Archive

Huskers Closing In On Season Opener

Posted on August 28, 2014

Lincoln, Neb. – The Nebraska football team continued its preparation for Saturday’s season opener on Thursday with a one-hour walk-through inside the Hawks Championship Center. Head Coach Bo Pelini spoke to the media after the team’s workout.

“We had a good day,” Pelini said. “We got accomplished what we wanted to get accomplished. We’ll finish up our preparation tomorrow and be ready to go.”

Pelini said that tackles Givens Price and Matt Finnin will both play on the offensive line during Saturday’s game.

“(Givens) has had a good camp,” Pelini said. “He’s practiced well. He’s gotten better. I thought he followed up a good spring and did well at guard. We moved him out to tackle in the fall. He looks even more comfortable. I think he did a good job. We have a lot of confidence in him.”

Pelini also addressed the role of kicker for Saturday’s game, saying that both Drew Brown and Mauro Bondi will see time.

“We’ll start the game with Drew Brown as the field goal kicker and Mauro as the kickoff guy,” Pelini said.

Pelini added that the newcomers will be ready to go for their first college football game.

“They’ve played a lot of football up to this point against good competition,” Pelini said. “A lot of good on good. They are ready to go and just execute their football.”

Saturday’s matchup with Florida Atlantic begins at 2:30 p.m. (CT) at Memorial Stadium. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.

Huskers Play Butler, Marquette Over Weekend

Posted on August 28, 2014

The Nebraska soccer team begins its second week of competition on Friday against Butler at the Nebraska Soccer Field at 5:30 p.m. (CT) before traveling to Milwaukee, Wis., to face Marquette on Sunday at 1 p.m.

The Huskers and Bulldogs will be meeting for the first time in series history on Friday. Both teams enter the contest with a 1-1 record after the first weekend of play. The game will be streamed on Huskers.com.

NU takes on Marquette on Sunday at Valley Fields for the second time in series history, with the Huskers holding a 1-0-0 advantage all time. In 1994, Nebraska defeated the Golden Eagles, 2-1, at home. This year’s matchup will be streamed on GoMarquette.com.

Last Time Out: Huskers Split Opening Weekend Games
Nebraska opened the regular season on Friday, Aug. 22 with a 4-0 victory over SMU before falling to DePaul, 2-1, on Sunday, Aug. 24 at the Nebraska Soccer Field.

Against the Mustangs, goalkeeper Kelly Schatz earned a shutout in her first career start at the position. She compiled five saves, four of which came in the second half. Caroline Gray, Caroline Flynn, Jaycie Johnson and Sydney Miramontez scored for the Huskers in the home opener.

Against the Blue Demons, Johnson scored the lone goal for the Huskers in the 89th minute off an assist from Flynn, but DePaul had already built a 2-0 lead. Elise Wyatt scored for the Blue Demons in the 16th minute before Abby Reed added a goal in the 85th minute.

Scouting the Butler Bulldogs
Butler enters Friday’s match with a 1-1 record after competing in the Boilermaker Challenge Cup last weekend. On Friday, the Bulldogs earned a 3-2 win over Ohio in double overtime before dropping a 1-0 decision to Miami (Ohio) on Sunday.

Kelly Mahoney led Butler on the weekend by scoring two goals, while goalkeeper Madison Card earned two saves over 193 minutes. Elise Kotsakis added a score and Stephanie Kaylor tabbed two assists.

Scouting the Marquette Golden Eagles
Marquette opened the 2014 campaign with a 3-0 win over Loyola-Chicago on Friday, but fell by a 1-0 margin to Northwestern on Sunday. Darian Powell paced the Golden Eagles with two goals on five shots as Ashley Handwork scored an additional one. Goalkeeper Amanda Engel gave up one goal in 180 minutes of action, while earning six saves in a 1-1 weekend.

Johnson Continues to Produce on Offense
Nebraska’s leading goal scorer from 2013, Jaycie Johnson, started 2014 where she left off from last season and scored twice during the opening weekend.

Johnson assisted on Nebraska’s first goal against SMU on Friday before adding the Huskers’ third goal of the game in the 32nd minute off an assist from Mayme Conroy. Johnson took five shots for the game, three of which were on goal.

A Lake Winnebago, Mo. native, Johnson took two shots against DePaul and scored a goal in the 89th minute off an assist from Caroline Flynn. Johnson’s five points and seven shots lead the team after two games.

Final Season at Nebraska Soccer Field
The Huskers are in their 10th and final season at the Nebraska Soccer Field before moving into the Nebraska Soccer and Tennis Complex next season. Since moving to campus in 2005, NU has compiled a 64-25-12 record and has 10 home games remaining in 2014.

2014 Season Outlook
Nebraska’s 2014 team includes five seniors in Head Coach John Walker’s 21st season at the helm of the school’s soccer program. The Huskers also welcomed back All-Big Ten second-team member Jaycie Johnson, who is a sophomore in 2014 after leading the team with 17 goals last season. The Huskers added 12 newcomers in the offseason in addition to their 12 returning letterwinners from 2013.

Huskers to Make Three BTN Appearances
Nebraska will appear on the Big Ten Network three times this season, while also making seven Big Ten Digital Network showings.

The Huskers open BTN’s 2014 soccer coverage on Thursday, Sept. 11 against Northwestern at the Nebraska Soccer Field. The game is scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m.

Nebraska will host Big Ten newcomer Maryland on Sunday, Sept. 28 at 2 p.m., on BTN. The game was originally set for 1 p.m., but was changed for TV scheduling. NU’s final regular season appearance on the network comes at Michigan on Thursday, Oct. 2 at 2:30 p.m.

Huskers Host Top-15 Teams in Season-Opening AVCA Showcase

Posted on August 27, 2014

The seventh-ranked Nebraska volleyball team opens its season this weekend with a pair of top-15 showdowns at the Bob Devaney Sports Center as part of the 2014 AVCA Showcase. The Huskers face 13th-ranked Florida State on Friday at 7 p.m., before taking on No. 3 Stanford on Sunday. In a change from the original schedule, Sunday’s match will start at Noon and will be televised live by the Big Ten Network.

Facing ranked opponents will be a common theme for Nebraska this season in the 40th anniversary of volleyball becoming an official varsity sport at NU. The Huskers will play 13 of their 29 regular-season matches against teams ranked in the preseason poll, the second-highest total nationally. Nebraska also will see its share of successful postseason teams, as NU will play 12 matches against teams that advanced to a 2013 NCAA Regional (round of 16) or further. Nine of those 12 matches will come during the Big Ten Conference season, while the Big Ten also has eight programs ranked among the top 16 teams in the preseason poll.

Before the Huskers turn their attention to the competitive conference season, a young Nebraska squad has a chance to make an immediate splash on the national scene this weekend. NU is the only top-10 team facing a pair of ranked opponents in the opening weekend. Sunday’s match-up with No. 3 Stanford is the lone top-10 match-up of the opening weekend.

Nebraska is opening the season against a ranked opponent for the first time since a sweep of No. 14 Kentucky in the 2010 AVCA Showcase at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha. The Huskers will be facing a ranked opponent in the season opener for the eighth time in Head Coach John Cook’s 15 seasons. Nebraska is 6-1 when facing a ranked opponent under Cook in the season opener. With two wins this weekend, the Huskers would open the season with consecutive victories over ranked opponents for the first time since 2008 and just the fourth time in program history.

Nebraska returns all but one starter from last year’s team, which finished with a 26-7 record and a No. 7 national ranking after a second consecutive trip to an NCAA Regional Final. The one loss is a big one, as outside hitter Kelsey Robinson was the Big Ten Player of the Year, a first-team AVCA All-American and a finalist for the Honda Award. While Robinson’s production will be missed, the Huskers still return the vast majority of their production from a season ago. Nebraska returns 96 percent of its assists from 2013, 73 percent of its blocks, 71 percent of its digs and 67 percent of its kills.

The Huskers also bring back 2013 third-team All-American Kadie Rolfzen, along with honorable-mention All-Americans Mary Pollmiller and Meghan Haggerty. Pollmiller is the lone senior on a 16-player Nebraska roster that features 11 freshmen and sophomores. NU’s one senior ties for the fewest in school history, while the 11 underclassmen tie for the most. Nebraska is also the only ranked team with fewer than two seniors.

As the lone senior, Pollmiller is one of three Husker captains for the 2014 season, along with junior outside hitter Alicia Ostrander and sophomore libero Justine Wong-Orantes.

Scouting the Florida State Seminoles
Florida State earned a No. 13 ranking in the preseason AVCA poll after posting a 26-8 record that included a second-place ACC finish in 2013. FSU advanced to its fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament last season, falling to national runner-up Wisconsin in the NCAA Regional Semifinal before earning a No. 11 final ranking.

Florida State ranked 19th nationally with a .266 hitting percentage in 2013, and the Seminoles were 37th with an average of 13.9 kills per set. FSU also ranked 22nd with 2.8 blocks per set.

FSU is led in 2014 by second-year captains Katie Mosher and Sarah Wickstrom, the Seminoles’ only seniors. The duo has guided Florida State to an 82-19 record the past three seasons.

Mosher tallied 506 digs in 2013, when she was a second-team All-ACC selection. Mosher’s dig total ranked fifth in FSU history, and her efforts earned her an invite to try out for the U.S. Collegiate National Team that toured China this summer. Wickstrom guided an FSU offense that led the ACC with a .266 hitting percentage in 2013. She recorded a team-high 854 assists in a two-setter system, splitting time with Hailey Luke (605 assists).

Nicole Walch returns after leading Florida State with 447 kills in 2013. Walch ranked 85th nationally with an average of 3.6 kills per set last fall. Sarah Burrington is back after pacing FSU with 174 blocks in 2013 – ranking 18th nationally with 1.4 blocks per set – while adding 226 kills. The Seminoles must replace four players who tallied more than 150 kills last season, including Elise Walch, who was second on the team with 330 kills.

Florida State is led by Chris Poole, who brings a 156-40 record into his seventh season at FSU. Poole has earned 19 wins over ranked teams. Before he arrived in Tallahassee, Florida State owned just nine wins over ranked teams in the first 27 seasons of the program.

Scouting the Stanford Cardinal
Stanford debuted at No. 3 in the 2014 preseason AVCA poll, earning a preseason top-10 ranking for the 33rd consecutive season, spanning the entire history of the poll dating back to 1982. The Cardinal finished as the Pac-12 runner-up in 2013, compiling a 27-6 record. Stanford saw its season end in the NCAA Regional Final, when eventual national champion Penn State knocked off the Cardinal in five sets. Stanford ended the 2013 season ranked fifth.

Stanford returns four starters, plus its libero, from last year’s squad. The Cardinal ranked among the nation’s top 30 teams last season in blocks per set (4th, 3.0), hitting percentage (4th, .308), assists per set (9th, 13.8), kills per set (10th, 14.8) and digs per set (28th, 16.8). Stanford returns 2013 All-America selections Inky Ajanaku (first team), Madi Bugg (second team), Jordan Burgess (honorable mention) and Kyle Gilbert (honorable mention). The Cardinal must replace middle blocker Carly Wopat, a two-time first-team All-American.

While Wopat led the team in kills (315) and blocks (156), Stanford returns three players who had more than 290 kills in 2013. Burgess tallied 309 kills, while Brittany Howard registered 304 kills. Ajanaku put down 291 kills and hit a team-high .438, the ninth-best percentage nationally. Ajanaku also finished second to Wopat with 148 blocks, ranking 21st nationally. Gilbert returns after ranking second in the Pac-12 with 5.0 digs per set in 2013, while Bugg will again lead the Stanford offense after averaging a conference-best 11.9 assists per set, a total that ranked seventh nationally.

Stanford is led by John Dunning, who has compiled a 368-67 record entering his 14th season with the Cardinal. Dunning ranks fifth nationally among all NCAA Division I active coaches in career winning percentage, just ahead of NU’s John Cook. Dunning has led Stanford to a pair of NCAA titles and four runner-up finishes.

Quick Hitters

Nebraska features the fewest seniors (1) and most underclassmen (11) in school history this fall.
With its preseason No. 7 ranking, Nebraska has appeared in every one of the AVCA’s 463 all-time weekly polls.
NU and Stanford are the only two programs to appear in every AVCA poll, dating back to its inception in 1982.
Nebraska has spent a nation-leading 418 weeks in the top 10 with its preseason No. 7 ranking.
The Huskers are 224-0 under Cook when hitting .300 or better.
NU is 364-14 (.963) when winning the first set under John Cook.
Nebraska is 138-37 against ranked teams under Cook (.789).
Just over one-third of Cook’s total victories at Nebraska (415) have come against ranked teams.
Nebraska is 35-4 all-time in season openers, including 13-1 under Cook.
Including this weekend, NU will have played five straight matches vs. ranked opponents dating back to 2013.
The Huskers played nine of their final 14 matches in 2013 against ranked teams, going 6-3 in that stretch.
Nebraska is the only top-10 team that will play two matches against ranked opponents in the opening weekend.
Sunday’s match with Stanford is the only match of the opening weekend featuring a pair of top-10 teams.
This weekend will mark the 202nd and 203rd consecutive sellouts. NU owns a 188-13 record during the streak.

A Brief Look at the 2014 Nebraska Volleyball Team
Despite being among the youngest squads in school history, Nebraska returns plenty of experience from a 2013 campaign that saw the Huskers post a 26-7 record, advance to an NCAA Regional Final for the second consecutive season and finish the year with a No. 7 ranking. Although the Huskers feature the fewest seniors (1) and most underclassmen (11) in school history this fall, Nebraska still returns five starters – plus libero Justine Wong-Orantes – from 2013.

The lone player Nebraska must replace is a key loss, as Kelsey Robinson concluded her career by earning first-team All-America honors in 2013. She was also chosen as the Big Ten Player of the Year and a finalist for the Honda Award. Robinson led NU in kills (530), attacks (1,206) and aces (32) last fall, while ranking second in digs (229) and fourth in blocks (70). Despite Robinson’s graduation, Nebraska still returns plenty of production in 2014.

Nebraska returns 96 percent of its assists from last season, led by senior Mary Pollmiller. After splitting time early last season with Kelly Hunter, Pollmiller emerged as the Huskers’ full-time setters and went on to record 1,279 assists. Pollmiller ranks third nationally in career assists (4,019), and she earned honorable-mention All-America accolades in 2011 and 2013.
NU returns every middle blocker from the 2013 roster. Four Huskers saw action at middle blocker last season, and all four players were either freshmen or sophomores. The group figures to benefit from another year of experience, as Nebraska aims to improve upon its No. 14 national ranking in blocks last season. Junior Meghan Haggerty, an honorable-mentoin All-America selection in each of her first two seasons, paces the middles, while sophomore Cecilia Hall was an honorable-mention all-region pick as a redshirt freshman in 2013.
Led by returning libero Justine Wong-Orantes, Nebraska returns 71 percent of its digs from last season. Wong-Orantes tied the Husker freshman record with 399 digs in 2013, and she is one of four returning Huskers who totaled more than 200 digs last year.
Offensively, Nebraska returns more than two-thirds of its kills from a year ago, despite Robinson’s absence. Sophomore Kadie Rolfzen, a third-team All-American last fall, is the leading returner after she totaled 377 kills in 2013, the third-highest freshman total in school history. Her twin sister Amber added 244 kills and overall, Nebraska returns seven of its top eight kill leaders from last season.
Nebraska returns three players who garnered All-America recognition in 2013, including third-team selection Kadie Rolfzen and honorable-mention picks Mary Pollmiller and Meghan Haggerty.

Huskers Serve Up Youth in 2014
The 2014 Nebraska volleyball team is one of the youngest squads in the nation and arguably the youngest in program history. The Huskers’ 16-player roster features one senior (Mary Pollmiller), four juniors, six sophomores and five freshmen.

The one senior on this year’s roster ties for the fewest in Nebraska history, as this marks the seventh time in the 40-year history of the program that a Husker team has had only one senior.
Nebraska boasts 11 underclassmen on its roster, tied for the most underclassmen on a roster in school history. Nebraska’s 1978 roster featured 14 underclassmen and its 1979 roster featured 12 underclassmen, but NU fielded both a varsity and JV team both seasons, and the varsity roster consisted of fewer than 11 underclassmen.
The Huskers feature the fewest seniors of any team ranked in the preseason AVCA Top 25.
Of the more than 330 Division I volleyball programs, Nebraska is one of 48 teams featuring one or no senior.
NU is one of 64 teams nationally with 11 or more underclassmen on its 2014 roster.

Huskers’ Lone Senior Among the Nation’s Best
Tri-captain Mary Pollmiller is Nebraska’s lone senior in 2014. The Huskers may only have one senior, but Pollmiller is one of the nation’s top setters. She is in her second season at Nebraska after spending her first two years at Tennessee in 2011 and 2012. Pollmiller was the 2011 SEC Freshman of the Year, and she has earned honorable-mention AVCA All-America accolades twice in her career, including last season (also in 2011). Pollmiller owns 4,019 career assists entering this season, a total that ranks third nationally. The nation’s top three active players in career assists are all Big Ten Conference setters.

Top Freshmen Look to Build on Impressive Rookie Seasons
Sophomores Kadie Rolfzen and Justine Wong-Orantes produced two of Nebraska’s top statistical freshman seasons at their positions in 2013. Rolfzen, an outside hitter, tallied 377 kills as a freshman, while Wong-Orantes produced a team-leading 399 digs.

Rolfzen’s 377 kills and 3.46 kills per set both ranked as the third-highest totals ever by a Husker freshman.
Rolfzen was named a third-team AVCA All-American as a freshman, and she was also the AVCA North Region Freshman of the Year and a first-team All-Big Ten selection.
Wong-Orantes’ 399 digs tied for the highest freshman total in Husker history.
In 2013, Wong-Orantes became just the third Husker freshman to lead the team in digs.
This fall, Wong-Orantes will look to become the first player in school history to lead the Huskers in digs as both a freshman and sophomore.

Keil and Fien Hope Strong 2013 Finishes Aide Bids For 2014 Starting Roles
Junior outside hitter Kelsey Fien and sophomore middle blocker Melanie Keil are both competing for starting spots this season. While both players figure to see action in Nebraska’s rotation, their bids for starting roles were boosted by strong performances at the 2013 NCAA Tournament.

Fien saw her most extensive action in three months in Nebraska’s sweep of Fairfield in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, totaling eight kills on 15 swings. Her eight kills were the third-highest total of her career, and Fien’s .467 hitting percentage and one error were both career bests among the seven matches where she has taken at least 10 swings.
Keil produced 10 kills on 19 swings with six blocks while appearing in two of Nebraska’s four NCAA Tournament matches last season. She came up one shy of her career high with five kills apiece against Fairfield and No. 1 Texas. With Nebraska’s other middle blockers struggling against the top-ranked Longhorns, Keil produced five kills on nine error-free swings after sitting out NU’s previous two NCAA Tournament matches.
Keil’s NCAA Tournament performance highlighted a strong overall finish to her freshman season. While appearing in 10 of Nebraska’s final 13 matches, Keil totaled 27 of her 32 kills and 21 of her 29 blocks in November and December. She was one of the Huskers’ best attackers against top competition, as she combined for seven kills in only 14 swings against Penn State and Texas.

Husker History in Season Openers
Nebraska is 35-4 all-time in season openers, including a 13-1 record under 15th-year Head Coach John Cook. The Huskers have won four straight season openers since suffering a 3-0 loss to No. 16 Michigan at the 2009 AVCA Showcase in Omaha. NU owns a 20-3 record when the season opener is played in Lincoln, and the Huskers are 8-3 when facing a ranked opponent in the season opener, including 6-1 under Cook.
Tough Schedule Begins This Weekend

Nebraska is scheduled to play 13 of its 29 matches this season against teams that were ranked in the preseason AVCA Top 25. NU will begin its tough slate immediately by facing 13th-ranked Florida State on Friday and No. 3 Stanford on Sunday.

Nebraska is set to face four ranked teams in its nine-game non-conference schedule before playing nine of its 20 Big Ten Conference matches against ranked teams. The Big Ten placed eight teams in the preseason AVCA poll, with all eight teams ranked in the top 16.

Forty-five percent of NU’s regular-season matches will come against teams ranked in the preseason.
The Huskers are the only top-10 team playing a pair of ranked opponents in the opening weekend.
Nebraska’s 13 matches against preseason ranked teams are the second-highest total nationally.
The Huskers played a school-record 15 regular-season matches against ranked teams last season, a mark Nebraska could challenge this season.
NU’s four non-conference matches against ranked teams are the third-most of any top-25 team.
Among the 13 matches against preseason top-25 teams are six matches vs. top-10 opponents.
Nebraska will host the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 teams in the AVCA preseason poll.
In addition to the ranked opponents, NU will play 15 matches – more than half its schedule – against 2013 NCAA Tournament teams, including 12 matches against teams that advanced to the round of 16.

Tri-Captains Named
During Nebraska’s summer trip to Japan and China, the players and coaching staff gathered and discussed captains for the upcoming season. The players unanimously selected Mary Pollmiller as captain, and Pollmiller then sought help in leading the 2014 Huskers. After Pollmiller’s request for additional captains, junior Alicia Ostrander and sophomore Justine Wong-Orantes were also named captains.

The seventh-ranked Nebraska volleyball team opens its season this weekend with a pair of top-15 showdowns at the Bob Devaney Sports Center as part of the 2014 AVCA Showcase.

Huskers Inch Closer to Season Opener

Posted on August 26, 2014

Lincoln, Neb.- The Nebraska football team continued its preparations for their season opening game versus Florida Atlantic Tuesday afternoon, as the Huskers practiced for just less than two hours at the Hawks Championship Center and outside on the Ed and Joyanne Gass practice fields.

Both offensive coordinator Tim Beck and defensive coordinator John Papuchis met with the media following practice.

Coach Papuchis noted that the Husker defense has had a good week of preparation for Florida Atlantic. Papuchis said that NU is ready to roll for theAug. 30 season kickoff with the Owls.

“I thought we have had a solid three days, today was probably the highest tempo and highest energy day in terms of getting the most work in for Florida Atlantic,” Papuchis said. “I thought they came out focused and ready to roll coming off of the off day yesterday.”

Papuchis also mentioned that he has seen a huge jump competitively on the defensive line from last year to this year, but the players still need to prove it on the field.

“I have seen a tremendous amount of growth, which you would expect from the first to the second year. We still have to go out on the field and prove it,” Papuchis said. “I don’t think they are near their ceiling and nor should they, we still have to go prove it on the field before we go out and start handing out awards.”

As for true freshmen that are in the mix to play on the defensive side of the ball, Papuchis threw out a few names that Husker fans should expect to see on the field Saturday.

“There are a couple of guys that are in the mix, Kieron Williams is in the mix, Josh Kalu is in the mix, Chris Jones and DJ Foster are the guys that I would have a chance,” Papuchis said. “Whether they do or not is still to be determined, but we are planning on those guys.”

Offensively, Coach Beck noted that he has seen some good improvement in the backfield with the Huskers talented trio of running backs, mainly by Terrell Newby and Imani Cross.

“I think Terrell is understanding things better as a sophomore now, he is running a bit harder, and just has a better feel for it. Same with Imani—I think Imani knows who he is and does a great job in there. Good leader and a tough physical runner.”

According to Beck, offensively don’t plan on seeing too many true freshmen in the game for NU. Beck did mention wide receiver De’Mornay Pierson-El as a possible contributor.

The Huskers will be back on the practice fields Monday as the Nebraska football team will enter game week preparations for the 2014 season opener versus Florida Atlantic just one week from today, on August 30. Check back here or at Huskers.com for a practice report and video coverage following practice immediately.

Fresno State President Issues Ice Bucket Challenge to Football Opponents (video)

Posted on August 26, 2014

Fresno State President Joseph I. Castro answered the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge with a football spin in anticipation of this week’s season opener. In a video released by Fresno State, Castro challenged the university presidents of each school on Fresno State’s schedule, including University of Nebraska President James Linder.

The Bulldogs host Nebraska at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 13 at Bulldog Stadium.

“Here at Fresno State, we’re used to Gatorade showers, but we’re also serious about conserving water, so we’ll just save the Gatorade shower for next time,” Castro said in the video.

With respect to the current drought in California, Castro made sure to conserve water by doing the challenge at the university’s swimming pool. Fresno State senior linebackers Karl Mickelsen and Donavon Lewis dumped water on Castro while he joked about saving the Gatorade shower for later. Fresno State has won back to back Mountain West Conference championships and is favored to win the West division again this season.

School mascot Timeout was also on hand. The video shows Castro checking his Twitter account (@JosephICastro) after launching the new DISCOVERe student tablet program and seeing various challenges from Fresno State’s football team, students and university vice presidents.

Castro answered the challenge to help raise awareness for ALS, and he donated to the charity. Fresno State opens its season Saturday at No. 15 USC and also plays Utah, Southern Utah, New Mexico, San Diego State, UNLV, Boise State, Wyoming, San Jose State, Nevada, and Hawaii this season.

Nebraska Athletics Memorial Stadium Improvement Project

Posted on August 26, 2014

As the 2014 Nebraska Football season kicks off this upcoming Saturday against Florida Atlantic, the Nebraska Athletic Department is excited to unveil the many fan experience improvements that have been made within Memorial Stadium this past summer.

Sound System Replaced in Memorial Stadium:
As part of Memorial Stadium improvements, the new sound system is a replacement of the previous 20-year old sound system. The new, single-point source sound system is housed in the North end zone and will provide greater clarity and consistency of sound for all fans inside Memorial Stadium. The sound system will continue to be fine-tuned each game and is expected to be fully functional at the start of the first game.

WiFi Inside Memorial Stadium Increases Connectivity:
The explosive growth of smartphones, tablets and other wireless devices in the past decade has fueled demand for continuous connectivity. In past years, connectivity and cell phone service at Memorial Stadium has been limited. The WiFi replaces a much smaller system that had been previously installed, and the new wireless network system will allow fans better access to Internet applications from their smartphones, regardless of carrier or location. The new system should relieve stress to cellular networks for voice calls and text messaging. The new system will eventually extend the WiFi into parking lots and campus garages.

Our long-term goal for WiFi is to provide all 90,000-plus fans in Memorial Stadium with better connectivity to their mobile devices. In order to accomplish this goal, we have installed the largest collegiate only stadium system available. At this time, the WiFi structure has been fully installed (800 antennas in Memorial Stadium, under East/West Balconies, in handrails in North/South stadiums), and at the first home football game against Florida Atlantic, when all 90,000-plus fans are in stadium, we will be able to test/adjust the system, as utilization will determine necessary adjustments for access (i.e. some areas of stadium may require more access points). Access points will be adjusted and improved for fans each game this season in order to provide fans with the best connectivity possible.

In order to connect to the new wireless system, fans inside Memorial Stadium will just need to look for the identifier “FanXP” on their wireless settings and connect. The Verizon DAS has been enhanced to improve overall performance. Additionally, both AT&T and US Cellular are adding DAS equipment to improve their customer’s experience.

WiFi will be on in a testing capacity for the first game or two, and we expect there will be areas that we will need to fine-tune as the season continues.

IPTV Improvements to Enhance Digital TV Signal:
IPTV (Internet Protocol television) will be fully functional for the first home game, which will allow for an improved digital TV signal to all TVs in the stadium and the suites will have an improved surround sound features.

Nebraska Huskers App to Include Real-Time Stats, Video and Stadium Information:
As the WiFi is fine-tuned throughout the season, we will be in the process of rolling out additional features through the Official Nebraska Huskers App, such as exclusive streaming video to fans mobile devices while in the stadium. The goal is to roll these additional features out as quickly as possible and by mid-season.

The Official Nebraska Huskers App is available now in the Apple App and Google Play stores, and has news, roster information, schedules, and photo galleries for all of Nebraska’s 24 sports. Daily video and streaming audio content is available for purchase ($4.99 one-time annual fee) via an in-app upgrade. The app can be found by searching “Official Nebraska Huskers” in the app stores. There is an iPad version available that does not does not support some in-game features. In addition, free radio audio will still be provided on Huskers.com.

Game-day features that will be launched in the app for all fans will include news, roster/bios, schedules, photo galleries, real-time stats, stadium information such as maps of concessions and restrooms and a grouped Social Media page for interactive voting, news, and trending players. All in-stadium features will be free to access for fans via the app, but most will not be ready for the first game, including the in-game video.

Exciting New Fan Experience Improvements for 2014 Football Game Day:
There will be some added elements to the Tunnel Walk for the 2014 season, so Be Ready! In addition, some very special events will take place this season: The UNL Cornhusker Marching Band has refined their pre-game show that will feature new formations; The September 20th football game against Miami will feature tributes and a reunion of the 1994 National Championship team; Nebraska Athletics will hold its first ever “Weekend Of Champions” reunion for the Rutgers game that will recognize teams which are celebrating decade milestones, including the 1984 Wrestling team, the 1984 Women’s Track and Field team, the 1984 Softball team, the 1994 Men’s Gymnastics team, and the 2004 Bowling team; and Nebraska will celebrate its Veterans & Military Day Salute game on Saturday, November 1st against Purdue with new added elements this year.

For Fans Requesting Assistance:

Nebraska Athletics will have four customer service booths/kiosks: one inside the East and West concourses and one outside the East and West concourses.
At the game, tell a fan host about the sound and connectivity in your section, we need your input in order to improve services each week.
Text Messaging Service: For fan assistance, text to 69050 and start your message with UNLPD, standard text message rates will apply.
After the game, Go to Huskers.com and click on “tell us about your experience” located at the bottom of the page.

Erstad Announces Hiring of Mike Kirby

Posted on August 26, 2014

Lincoln – Nebraska baseball Head Coach Darin Erstad announced on Tuesday morning that he has hired Mike Kirby as the team’s assistant head coach. Kirby will direct the Husker offense, coach Nebraska’s infielders, oversee base running and will coach third base. With 12 seasons of coaching experience at the Division I level, Kirby comes to Nebraska after spending the last three seasons at Cal State Fullerton under Rick Vanderhook. It was Kirby’s second coaching stint with the Titans.

“I’m excited to have Mike as a member of our coaching staff,” Erstad said. “He has been part of winning programs and fits the type of baseball we want to play at Nebraska. Mike has shown that he is not only a great teacher of the game, but he is also one of the top recruiters in the country.”

“It’s an honor to come coach at a special place like Nebraska,“ Kirby said. “I have a lot of respect for Coach Erstad and what he has done not only during his time at Nebraska, but also for the way he played the game. I knew (Pitching) Coach (Ted) Silva when he played at Cal State Fullerton, so I already feel like a part of the Husker staff. I’m excited to have the opportunity to help build on the success of Nebraska baseball. I can’t wait for the season to get started.”

During his last three seasons at Fullerton, Kirby coached first base, infielders and served as the program’s recruiting coordinator. His first class in 2012 was ranked 23rd in the country by Baseball America, producing National Freshman Pitcher of the Year Thomas Eshelman and Big West Conference Pitcher of the Year Justin Garza. Both Eshelman and Garza pitched for the USA Collegiate Baseball National Team this summer, while Eshelman was named an All-American each of the past two seasons.

Prior to the start of last season, Nebraska’s recruiting class was ranked 11^th by Baseball America and Cal State Fullerton was one spot behind at 12^th.

Before returning to Fullerton, Kirby was instrumental in helping George Horton put the Oregon Ducks on the national scene. Kirby played a large role in four consecutive top-25 recruiting classes, including three ranked in the top 10 and a program-best No. 5 ranking in 2010.

Kirby was also responsible for coaching first base and working with the team’s outfielders.

In his three seasons with the Ducks, the program produced seven All-Pac 10 position players and four major league draft picks

In 2010, the Ducks made a remarkable jump after finishing 14-42 in 2009. They finished the year with a 40-24 mark, having advanced to the postseason for just the third time in school history and the first since 1964. It was the second biggest turn around by a college baseball team since the NCAA began keeping the stat in 1998. The Ducks finished the season on four national polls after reaching the elimination game at the Norwich Regional.

After spending nine years working in sales for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (1999-2008), Kirby joined Buddy Goldsmith’s UNLV coaching staff for the 2008 season. While in Las Vegas he served as the Rebels’ third base coach and helped develop the catchers. While in Las Vegas, Kirby was instrumental in helping Xavier Scruggs win the Mountain West Conference’s triple crown with a .379 average, 20 home runs and 65 RBIs.

Kirby saw his first action in Fullerton in 1991 and spent eight of the next nine seasons as either a student assistant (one year), facilities manager (three years) or assistant coach (four years). He left the Titans briefly to assist at Los Angeles City College in 1996.

From 1991 to 1999, Kirby helped the Titans to six Big West Conference titles, four College World Series appearances (1992, 1994, 1995, 1999) and a national championship in 1995. He helped groom nine (Frank Charles, Steve Sisco, Phil Nevin, Dante Powell, Jeremy Giambi, Mark Kotsay, Mike Lamb, Aaron Rowand and Reed Johnson) former Titan position players for the major leagues and tutored four of the five Titan Olympians (Brian Loyd, Kotsay, Jason Moler and Nevin).

Kirby worked on Cal State Fullerton coaching staffs that included current Division I head coaches Augie Garrido, Horton, Dave Serrano and Vanderhook, and also played his last season of college ball under then-Long Beach State Head Coach and former Titan assistant Dave Snow.

Kirby played two seasons of junior college ball at Cerritos College under Horton in 1988 and 1989, when the Falcons won two state championships. He finished up his collegiate career with the 49ers in 1990.

Kirby earned his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Cal State Fullerton in 1994. He and his wife, Melissa, have two daughters, Payten and Lauren.

It’s All About Winning to Huskers’ Ameer Abdullah

Posted on August 25, 2014

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Ameer Abdullah is poised to become the first Nebraska player to record three 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

Earning that distinction doesn’t seem to rank very high among his goals.

Abdullah said Monday all he wants is to win games and a championship. He said he’s willing to do anything to help the Huskers make it to the Big Ten championship game, even if it means playing on the punt-block unit.

Coach Bo Pelini said Abdullah has added size and explosiveness and that his drive to win has been palpable since the spring.

The 22nd-ranked Huskers open Saturday at home against Florida Atlantic.

Extensive TV Coverage for Nebraska Volleyball in 2014

Posted on August 25, 2014

Lincoln – The Nebraska Athletic Department and the Big Ten Conference announced on Monday afternoon that at least 23 of Nebraska’s 29 volleyball matches during the 2014 season will be televised or streamed online. All 16 home matches during the 2014 season will be carried on TV or online via BTN, ESPN, NET, BTN Plus (subscription required) or HuskersNSide (subscription required).

The Big Ten Network will carry six matches nationally in 2014, while another eight home matches and three road matched will be carried live on BTN’s new online streaming platform, BTN Plus, which will be part of BTN2Go.com.

Fans looking for information on BTN Plus should go here – http://www.btn2go.com/packages?type=0. Fans can get a conference-wide annual pass for $119.95 (monthly pass is $14.95), which allows them access to every sport for every team. If fans only want Nebraska content the annual pass is $79.95 or fans can pay month-by-month at $9.95.

Along with their six stints on BTN, the Huskers will make a pair of appearances on ESPN in 2014. NU’s home match with Illinois on Saturday, Oct. 18 will be carried live on ESPN3 (tape delay on ESPN2 at Noon on Oct. 19) and the Huskers’ road match at Wisconsin on Sunday, Oct. 26 will be shown live on ESPN2 at 4 p.m.

NET Television will continue its coverage of Nebraska volleyball in 2014, as the in-state network will carry five matches, including non-conference matches with Creighton (Sept. 17) and Texas (Sept. 20). NET will also broadcast three Big Ten matches, including Ohio State (Oct. 4), Northwestern (Oct. 15) and Maryland (Nov. 16). Every match carried by NET will also be available nationwide on BTN Plus.

Nebraska’s first TV appearance of the year will be a top-10 match up during the AVCA Showcase, when the No. 7 Huskers host No. 3 Stanford at the Devaney Center on Sunday, Aug. 31, at Noon. The match was originally scheduled for 1 p.m., but was moved up an hour for TV.

Other home matches carried on BTN this season include Penn State (Oct. 3) and Purdue (Nov. 5). Fans will be able to watch the Huskers play on the road this season three times on the conference’s network starting with Nebraska’s visit to Michigan State on Friday, Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. BTN will also carry NU’s road match at Minnesota (Oct. 22) and its season-finale at Penn State on Saturday, Nov. 29 at 7:30 p.m.

Nebraska’s own HuskersNSide will stream any match that isn’t picked up by TV or BTN Plus.

The Huskers could have four other matches picked up by BTN, as the network reserves wildcard rights for matches on Oct. 31, Nov. 1, Nov. 8 and Nov. 12.

2014 Volleyball TV/Online Stream Schedule (subject to change)
Aug. 29 (7 p.m.) – Nebraska vs. Florida State (BTN Plus)
Aug. 31 (Noon) – Nebraska vs. Stanford (BTN) *

Sept. 12 (7 p.m.) – Nebraska vs. Denver (BTN Plus)
Sept. 13 (7 p.m.) – Nebraska vs. Colgate (HuskersNSide)
Sept. 17 (7 p.m.) – Nebraska vs. Creighton (NET/BTN Plus)
Sept. 20 (2 p.m.) – Nebraska vs. Texas (NET/BTN Plus)
Sept. 24 (7 p.m.) – Nebraska vs. Iowa (BTN Plus)

Oct. 3 (7 p.m.) – Nebraska vs. Penn State (BTN)
Oct. 4 (5 p.m.) – Nebraska vs. Ohio State (NET/BTN Plus)
Oct. 10 (7 p.m.) – Nebraska at Michigan State (BTN) *
Oct. 15 (7 p.m.) – Nebraska vs. Northwestern (NET/BTN Plus)
Oct. 18 (3 p.m.) – Nebraska vs. Illinois (ESPN3 Live, Tape Delay ESPN2 on Oct. 19 at Noon)
Oct. 22 (6:30 p.m.) – Nebraska at Minnesota (BTN) *
Oct. 26 (4 p.m.) – Nebraska at Wisconsin (ESPN2) *

Oct. 31 (6 p.m.) – Nebraska at Rutgers (BTN Plus)

Nov. 5 (6:30 p.m.) – Nebraska vs. Purdue (BTN) *
Nov. 8 (7 p.m.) – Nebraska vs. Indiana (HuskersNSide) ^
Nov. 12 (7 p.m.) – Nebraska vs. Michigan State (HuskersNSide) ^
Nov. 16 (2 p.m.) – Nebraska vs. Maryland (NET/BTN Plus)

Nov. 19 (6 p.m.) – Nebraska at Indiana (BTN Plus)
Nov. 22 (7 p.m.) – Nebraska vs. Michigan (BTN Plus)

Nov. 26 (7 p.m.) – Nebraska at Illinois (BTN Plus)
Nov. 29 (7:30 p.m.) – Nebraska at Penn State (BTN) *

home games in bold
* – game time changed due to TV
^ – potential BTN wildcard pick

Five Seniors Named 2014 Team Captains

Posted on August 25, 2014

Nebraska announced Monday that five seniors have been selected as captains for the 2014 season.

The group includes three offensive players in I-back Ameer Abdullah, receiver Kenny Bell and offensive guard Jake Cotton. The defense is represented by cornerback Josh Mitchell and safety Corey Cooper.

The players come from five different states including Nebraska (Cotton), Alabama (Abdullah), Colorado (Bell), Illinois (Cooper) and California (Mitchell). Cooper and Cotton have already earned their undergraduate degrees, while Abdullah, Bell and Mitchell are all on track to graduate this December.

This marks the second consecutive season Nebraska has elected season-long captains after choosing game captains during Bo Pelini’s first five seasons as head coach.

Last season, Nebraska selected four captains prior to the season and added two captains at season’s end, including Abdullah, who now joins a rare list of two-time Husker team captains. Abdullah is just the eighth player in school history to be a captain for two seasons, including five under Pelini.

Others on the list include Taylor Martinez, Rex Burkhead, Brett Maher and Alex Henery in recent years. Prior to Henery in 2009 and 2010, the most recent two-time captain was Ed Weir in 1924-25, while the first two-time captains were James H. Johnson in 1891-92 and John Westover in 1901-02.

Cotton’s selection as a captain marks the ninth straight year a native Nebraskan has been named a team captain, including five Lincoln natives in the group. Cotton is the only returning starter on the offensive line for the 2014 season and is set to line up at left guard for the Huskers for the second straight year.

A fifth-year senior, Bell is in position to become the first player in school history to lead Nebraska in receptions for four straight seasons. He could also become Nebraska’s all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards this season. Bell’s selection marks the second straight year a receiver has been elected a captain, joining Quincy Enunwa last season.

The defense is represented by a pair of fifth-year senior defensive backs in Cooper and Mitchell. Cooper, a native of Maywood, Ill., has started 17 games over the past two seasons and is Nebraska’s leading returning tackler. A California native, Mitchell has started 15 games during his Nebraska career and has been a contributor in the secondary and on special teams each of the three previous seasons.

Mitchell and Cooper mark the first pair of captains from the same position group since defensive linemen Zach Potter and Ty Steinkuhler were team captains in 2008. The last time two defensive backs were selected as captains in the same year came in 1999, when Mike Brown and Ralph Brown both served as team captains.