Huskers – Page 124 – North Platte Post Archive

Huskers in NCAA Tournament for 1st Time Since 2008

Posted on May 26, 2014

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska is back in the NCAA baseball tournament for the first time since 2008.

The Cornhuskers (40-19) will play Friday in the Stillwater Regional against Cal State Fullerton (32-22) of the Big West Conference. Big 12 regular-season champion and host Oklahoma State (45-16) plays Binghamton (25-25) of the America East Conference.

Winners of the double-elimination regionals advance to the best-of-three super regionals.

Nebraska finished second in the Big Ten in the regular season and lost to Indiana in the conference tournament championship game for the second straight year.

The Huskers will be making their 13th appearance in the national tournament. They’re 31-25 all-time in the tournament and reached the College World Series in 2001, 2002 and 2005.

19,965 at B10 Final Sets Conference-Tourney Mark

Posted on May 25, 2014

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The crowd of 19,965 at the Big Ten tournament final between Indiana and Nebraska set an NCAA record for attendance at a conference baseball tournament game.

The tournament was played at TD Ameritrade Park, the home of the College World Series. Nebraska was the host, and its appearance in the championship game Sunday accounted for the big crowd.

Top-seeded Indiana defeated the No. 2-seeded Cornhuskers 8-4 to earn the Big Ten’s automatic berth in the NCAA tournament.

The Big Ten tournament’s five-day attendance was a conference-record 62,020 — 10 times the total for the 2013 event held at Target Field in Minneapolis. The previous NCAA record for single-game attendance at a conference tournament was 17,860 for an Atlantic Coast Conference game between Florida State and North Carolina in 2005.

Huskers Fall in Title Game to Top-Seeded Hoosiers, 8-4

Posted on May 25, 2014

Omaha – For the second straight year the No. 20 Nebraska baseball team (40-19) fell to the top-seeded No. 9 Indiana Hoosiers (42-13) in the title game at the Big Ten Tournament. The Hoosiers jumped out to a 3-0 lead through two innings, which ended up propelling the Hoosiers to an 8-4 victory over the Huskers.

All-Big Ten Tournament performer Ryan Boldt lead the Huskers on the day, going 3-for-4 at the plate from his leadoff spot, including his ninth double of the season. Tanner Lubach also chipped in a pair of hits to end a spectacular weekend for the junior catcher, has he hit .500 (6-for-12) during the five-day event.

Fans packed TD Ameritrade Park on Sunday to watch the conference championship game, with 19,965 fans passing through the gates. It set a NCAA record for a conference tournament game and was the second-largest crowd to watch a college baseball game in 2014. The largest crowd of the season so far came on May 13 at Turner Field in Atlanta, when 21,310 fans attend a contest between Georgia and Georgia Tech.

The Hoosiers came through with the first big hit of the game, as Dustin DeMuth’s two-out double scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Both runners that scored reached base via a walk, while DeMuth tied an Indiana school record with his 61^st career double.

Indiana took a 3-0 lead in the second when NU starter Austin Christensen uncorked a two-out wild pitch that allowed Will Nolden to score. Nolden led off the inning with a base hit.

Nebraska forced IU starter Sullivan Stadler out of the game in the third when Boldt picked up the Huskers’ first hit of the game to put runners on first and second with no outs. Luke Harrison came out of the bullpen and after Jake Placzek moved both runners into scoring position with a sac bunt, Harrison needed to retire Michael Pritchard and Pat Kelly in order. Pritchard hit a hard liner, but it was right to left fielder Brad Hartong, while Kelly grounded out 5-3 to end the inning.

Following back-to-back one-out singles by Lubach and Darby in the fourth, the Huskers were primed to get on the board, but Harrison dug in and got Christensen to fly out before striking out Steven Reveles to strand NU’s fifth and sixth runners of the game.

With three hits through the first four innings, the Huskers got three-straight hits to start the fifth with consecutive singles by Boldt and Placzek, along with a bunt single by Pritchard that loaded the bases. Harrison nearly got a double-play ball off the bat of Kelly, but the ground ball went through Casey Rodrigue’s legs at second base, allowing a pair of runs to score. Headley stepped up with the tying run at third base and grounded into a 3-6-3 double play, but Pritchard crossed home on the play to even the game at 3-3.

Facing the top of IU’s lineup in the bottom of the fifth, NU reliever Bob Greco struck out Rodrigue to start the frame. All-American Kyle Schwarber then gave the Hoosiers the advantage with a solo blast down the right-field line that put IU back in front 4-3. Greco retired Sam Travis and Scott Donley in order to keep the Hoosiers’ lead at one run through five complete.

IU pushed its lead to four runs in the bottom of the sixth, with two of the three runs unearned following a two-out error. After one run crossed the plate, Reveles fumbled a two-out grounder from Rodrigue. Schwarber made it hurt when he followed with a two-RBI single.

The Huskers trimmed Indiana’s four-run lead to a three-run deficit in the seventh, starting with a leadoff double by Boldt, his third hit of the game. The freshman scored three pitches later when he moved to third on a groundball play by Placzek that was followed by a throwing error by shortstop Nick Ramos. IU reliever Jake Kelzer didn’t allow any more damage though, retiring NU’s 3-4-5 hitters in order.

Nebraska had the tying run at the plate in the top of the eighth in Boldt. Kelzer jumped ahead 0-2, before a lightning streak forced a 43-minute rain delay. Following the delay, Kelzer’s first pitch got away from Schwarber for a passed ball, putting both Huskers in scoring position. Boldt tried to pick up his fourth hit of the game with a hard hit up the middle, but Kelzer snagged the grounder to end NU’s threat.

The Huskers now wait to learn where they will be playing in next week’s NCAA Tournament, which will be announced tomorrow during the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship Selection/Road to Omaha Show that runs from 11 a.m. to Noon (CT) on ESPNU.

The 16 regional host sites will be announced tonight at around 8 p.m. (CT). The host sites will be shown on the BottomLine of ESPN, as well as @NCAACWS andfacebook.com/NCAACWS.

2014 Big Ten All-Tournament Team

P – Christian Morris, Indiana

P – Aaron Bummer, Nebraska

P – Kyle Kubat, Nebraska

C – Joel Fisher, Michigan State

1B – Dan Olinger, Minnesota

2B – Pat Kelly, Nebraska

2B – Casey Rodrigue, Indiana

3B – Dustin DeMuth, Indiana

SS – Travis Maezes, Michigan

OF – Kyle Schwarber, Indiana

OF – Cam Gibson, Michigan State

OF – Ryan Boldt, Nebraska

DH – Scott Donley, Indiana

Most Outstanding Player: Kyle Schwarber

Kubat Stifles Wolverines, Huskers to Play for Big Ten Title

Posted on May 24, 2014May 25, 2014

Omaha – Behind a career-high 8.2 innings from Kyle Kubat and four doubles by the Husker offense, the Nebraska baseball team posted a 6-1 win over the Michigan Wolverines on Saturday morning in front of more than 12,000 fans at TD Ameritrade Park to advance onto the Big Ten Tournament title game for the second straight year. The Huskers will play either Indiana or Michigan State tomorrow at 1 p.m. for the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Now 40-18 on the season, the Huskers have won 40 games for the first time since 2008 when Nebraska ended the year with a 41-16-1 record following a loss to Oral Roberts in the NCAA Tournament.

Kubat was nearly untouchable on the day, giving up just three hits to the Wolverines and striking out a season-high six. Michigan’s lone run came in the top of the ninth when Kubat hit leadoff hitter Travis Maezes, who moved to second on a wild pitch and then scored following consecutive fly outs to right field that allowed Maezes to move up a base each time.

A product of Creighton Prep High School in Omaha, Kubat retired the Wolverines in order six times on the day and only allowed two runners on the base in the same inning once. Kubat is now 3-0 in three career starts against the Wolverines, including a pair of wins at the Big Ten Tournament. In 27.2 innings against the Wolverines, Kubat has allowed six runs on 19 hits, while striking out 23 with a 1.63 ERA.

Michigan starter Keith Lehmann allowed four hits and two walks over 5.1 innings in his second start of the year, but the Huskers made the most of their opportunities with a pair of runs off the 6-1 freshman. NU’s offense cashed in a one out walk in the fourth and Kelly scored in the sixth after his one-out double knocked Lehmann out of the game.

Nebraska’s 5-6-7 hitters combined to go 6-for-10 on the afternoon with two runs scored and two RBIs. The Huskers increased their tournament double total to 10 with four doubles, including one each from Kelly, Michael Pritchard, Austin Darby and Tanner Lubach.

Holding a 1-0 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth, the Huskers blew the game open when they sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs on four hits, three walks and a HBP. Kelly got the rally started with a one-out double and scored on a double by Darby. Lubach then squared up an offering from reliever James Bourque, but it went right to Maezes at shortstop for the second out of the inning. Bourque was in position to get the Wolverines out of the jam, but he hit freshman Ben Miller to load the bases and then he issued consecutive full-count walks to Steven Reveles and Ryan Boldt that plated a pair of runs. Jake Placzek then came through with a RBI infield single and Pritchard notched NU’s third bases-loaded walk of the inning to push NU’s lead to 6-0. Reliever Mac Lozer put an end to the bleeding when he got Kelly to strikeout looking.

With a 6-0 lead in his pocket, Kubat retired six straight Wolverines to cruise through the seventh and eighth innings. Kubat got the first two outs of the ninth before Luke Bublitz took the mound and struck out Patrick Kendall looking to send the Huskers to the title game.

Nebraska’s offense broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth when Lubach delivered a two-out single. The Huskers got their first base runner with less than two outs when Kelly worked a one-out walk and moved to second on a walk by Blake Headley, Lehmann’s first walks of the game. After Darby flied out to center, Lubach drove a 2-0 offering from Lehmann up the middle that plated Kelly. Lehmann kept the damage to one run by getting Miller to fly out.

After not getting a runner in scoring position through the first five innings, the Wolverines had their first scoring opportunity in the sixth when Maezes worked a two-out walk and moved to second on an infield single by Jacob Cronenworth. With Michigan’s No. 3 hitter, Jackson Glines, up, Kubat coaxed a fly ball out to Pritchard in left to end the threat and keep the Huskers in front, 1-0.

The Big Ten Network will have live coverage of tomorrow’s game, while Lane Grindle and Greg Sharpe will also have the call across the Husker Sports Network.

Tickets for tomorrow’s game can still be purchased through Ticketmaster online or tomorrow at the TD Ameritrade Box Office.

Williams Fills GA Position on Husker Staff

Posted on May 23, 2014May 25, 2014

Former Husker forward Meghin Williams will begin her pursuit of a coaching career as a graduate assistant manager on the Nebraska women’s basketball staff in 2014-15, Coach Connie Yori announced on Friday.

Williams’ primary responsibilities at Nebraska will include assisting with practice preparation and administrative duties, while coordinating Nebraska’s efforts on Twitter and Facebook. She will also help coordinate Nebraska’s practice players and will play a role with Nebraska Women’s Basketball Camps.

“We’re excited to give Meghin a chance to begin her career as a coach,” Yori said. “Meghin played a major role in developing great team chemistry on some of the best teams in school history here at Nebraska. She has a great personality and had to overcome quite a bit of adversity as a player, which should serve her well in her future as a coach.”

Williams, a four-year contributor on the court for Nebraska from 2009-10 through 2012-13, was a member of NU’s first two NCAA Sweet 16 teams as a freshman in 2010 and a senior in 2013. She also helped the Huskers to the 2012 NCAA Tournament.

Williams overcame nagging foot injuries throughout her career to play 98 career games. An outstanding leader, Williams helped the Huskers average nearly 24 wins per season during her four-year career.

Following the completion of the 2013-14 campaign when she worked as a student-assistant in the women’s basketball office, Williams participated in the “So You Want to be a Coach” program at the WBCA National Convention in Nashville.

Williams earned her bachelor’s degree in broadcasting from Nebraska in May of 2014 and is pursuing a master’s degree in education administration.

Bummer Carries Huskers to Win Over Spartans

Posted on May 22, 2014

Omaha – In front of more than 11,000 fans at TD Ameritrade Park on Thursday night, the Nebraska baseball team (39-18) improved to 2-0 at the Big Ten Tournament with a 3-2 victory over the Michigan State Spartans (30-24). With the win, the Huskers will have tomorrow off and will be back on the field at 9 a.m. on Saturday morning against either Iowa, Michigan or Indiana.

Junior lefty Aaron Bummer brought his best stuff to the park, as he allowed just four hits and two unearned runs over 7.0 innings of work, while striking out a career-high tying seven. Outside of the fifth inning when the Huskers committed a pair of errors that turned into two unearned runs, Bummer never allowed more than one base runner in an inning, including no one past second base. Bummer picked up his seventh win of the season in the victory, while Zach Hirsch earned his fourth save of the year with 2.0 innings of scoreless relief.

The top of Nebraska’s lineup combined to go 6-for-14 at the plate with three RBIs, including two hits, two RBIs and a double from freshman Ryan Boldt. Along with Boldt, four other Huskers notched a double on the night, including the eventual game-winning RBI double by Michael Pritchard in the seventh. Thursday night marked the fifth time this season the Huskers have had at least five doubles in a game, while their last five-double game came in their series opener at Michigan on April 25.

With a 10-to-5 advantage in hits, the Huskers notched their 29th double-digit hit game of the year and improved to 30-1 on the year when out-hitting their opponent.

Nebraska took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third when Steven Reveles led off with his 11th double of the season and Boldt followed with a double on the ninth pitch of his at-bat for his 28th RBI of the year. Jake Placzek then laid down a bunt single and the Huskers had runners on the corners with no outs for their 3-4-5 hitters. MSU starter Cam Vieaux would only allow one run in the inning though, as he escaped major damage by striking out Pritchard, getting Pat Kelly to pop up and Blake Headley to line out.

After Bummer set the Spartans down in order in the bottom of the third, Tanner Lubach nearly notched the Huskers first ever home run at TD Ameritrade Park, but the 1-2 offering from Vieaux hit the top of the left field wall and Lubach had to settle for a leadoff double. Austin Darby moved Lubach to third base with a sacrifice bunt, but then Vieaux struck out Ben Miller looking on a full-count. With a runner still on third and two down, Reveles worked a walk that rolled over the Husker lineup and Boldt delivered again with a RBI single that put NU ahead 2-0.

With Bummer allowing just two hits through the first four innings, Nebraska’s defense let down its pitcher in the fifth by committing two errors and the Spartans took advantage with a pair of unearned runs to tie the game. Ryan Richardson led off the frame and reached on a throwing error by Placzek. Richardson later scored on a one-out single by Justin Hovis, who then moved to second on the play on a throwing error by Headley. After back-to-back walks loaded the bases, Blaise Salter hit what would have been the third out of the inning, but instead it was a sacrifice fly that scored Hovis. With the go-ahead run at third base, Bummer ended the inning on his own with his fifth strikeout of the night.

Nebraska’s offense got the lead back for Bummer in the seventh with its fourth and fifth doubles of the game on consecutive pitches. Placzek ripped the first pitch he saw into the left-field gap and then Pritchard followed with his 20th double of the year to put the Huskers ahead 3-2.

With his 20th double of the season, Pritchard became the eighth NU hitter to notch 20 or doubles in a season since 2000.

Holding a one-run lead, Bummer toed the rubber in the seventh and sat the Spartans down in order, including his seventh strikeout of the night to end the inning.

The Spartans made a late rally in the eighth when they got a two-out single and a walk to put the tying run in scoring position, but Hirsch got Richardson to groundout 6-3 to end the threat. The senior lefty then sat down MSU in order in the ninth to secure the win.

Nebraska continues through the winners bracket and will play on the Big Ten Network at 9 a.m. on Saturday morning. The loser of tonight’s game between Indiana and Michigan will play an elimination game against Iowa tomorrow, with the winner of tomorrow’s game facing the Huskers on Saturday.

5 College Players Waiting for Hall of Fame to Call, Including Crouch

Posted on May 22, 2014May 22, 2014

To be eligible for the College Football Hall of Fame, players must have been named to one of five All-America teams recognized by the NCAA and be 10 years removed from playing in college. They must also be nominated by their school. National Football Foundation members are given a ballot with dozens of eligible players each year and then the NFF’s honors court picks the inductees from the top vote-getters.

Now that Alabama star Derrick Thomas is in the Hall of Fame, here are five of the best players who were on this year’s ballot still waiting to get into the Hall:

Eric Dickerson, RB, SMU (1979-82) — One of the greatest running backs to ever play, but being a part of an SMU program that was given the death penalty by the NCAA for paying players is a big stumbling block.

Brian Bosworth, LB, Oklahoma (1984-86) — The Boz was a two-time All-American who played for some of coach Barry Switzer’s best Sooner teams. He was also a vocal and flamboyant critic of the NCAA and was suspended for what would have been the final game of his college career for a failed steroid test.

Ricky Williams, RB, Texas (1995-98) — The 1998 Heisman Trophy winner now takes Thomas’ place as the Hall of Fame’s most obvious omission. He left Texas as major college football’s career rushing leader with 6,592 yards.

Eric Crouch, QB, Nebraska (1997-2001) — The 2001 Heisman Trophy winner left Nebraska as the school’s career leader in total offense.

Jerome Brown, DT, Miami (1983-86) — A dominating defensive tackle on some of the Hurricanes’ greatest teams. He was killed in a car crash in 1992 at the age of 27.

Huskers Open Big Ten Tournament with Walk-Off Win

Posted on May 21, 2014May 21, 2014

Omaha – Headed into the bottom of the ninth down by three runs, the No. 20 Nebraska baseball team (38-18) plated four runs in its final at-bat, capped by a walk-off sacrifice fly by Tanner Lubach, on its way to a 7-6 opening-round victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes (30-27) in front of one of the largest crowds in Big Ten Tournament history. The win sets up a 5 p.m. meeting tomorrow with the Michigan State Spartans, who opened the tournament with a 2-1 victory over Illinois.

The victory was the Huskers’ sixth walk-off of the season and marked the 14th time this season the Huskers have won a game when they trailed or were tied after the sixth inning.

After cutting OSU’s lead in half in the fifth with three runs, the Huskers went hitless over the next three innings. With All-American closer Trace Dempsey on the mound in the ninth, freshman Ben Miller snapped the hitless streak with a leadoff single and was replaced on the bases by fellow freshman Quinn McGill. Dempsey then hit Steven Reveles and walked Ryan Boldt to load the bases with no out. With a right hander on the mound, Darin Erstad called on lefty Christian Cox to pinch hit and the junior worked a full count, but struck out for the first out of the inning. Michael Pritchard was up next and worked a four-pitch walk to force home NU’s first run of the inning. With clean-up hitter Pat Kelly due up and the tying run at second base, the Buckeyes turned the ball over to Tyler Giannonatti. Kelly, who was named first-team All-Big Ten for the second straight season on Monday, came through with a two-RBI game-tying single, his third hit of the day. The Buckeyes then intentionally walked Blake Headley to load the bases and setup a potential double-play ball, but the game was not meant for extra innings as Lubach lifted a 1-0 offering from Giannonatti into shallow center field and Pritchard beat a throw home by Troy Montgomery to complete the Husker comeback.

The improbable comeback marked the fourth time this season the Huskers have defeated the Buckeyes in their final at-bat of the game.

Kelly was 3-for-5 with three RBIs to lead the Huskers, while Pritchard chipped in a pair of RBIs without getting a hit. Kelly leads the Huskers with 21 multi-hit games and 16 multi-RBI games on the year.

The ninth-inning rally wouldn’t have been possible without the work of Nebraska’s bullpen. Following OSU’s six-run fourth inning, three Husker relievers combined to allow just one hit over 5.0 scoreless innings. Luke Bublitz tossed a scoreless fifth before Jeff Chesnut and Austin Christensen each threw 2.0 innings of relief, including a pair of perfect innings from Christensen, who earned the win to improve to 3-0 on the year.

After the teams combined to score no runs on four hits through the first three innings, the Buckeyes broke the game open in the top of the fourth. OSU sent 11 batters to the plate and scored six runs on six hits. Aaron Gretz got the scoring started when he dropped a base-loaded double on the left-field line that scored two runs. The Buckeyes then executed a squeeze bunt and NU starter Chance Sinclair saw his day come to an end after Gretz scored on a wild pitch. Bob Greco took the mound and gave up three straight singles that scored a pair of runs before getting Pat Porter to bounced into an inning-ending fielder’s choice.

The Huskers cut OSU’s lead in half in the bottom of the fifth with three runs, starting with an RBI double by Jake Placzek. Pritchard then hit a dribbler out in front of the plate and OSU Tanner Tully tried to cut down Reveles at home, but the Husker shortstop slid under Gretz’s tag for the second run of the inning. Kelly kept the runs coming with an RBI single, before Tully got Headley to fly out for the second out of the inning. Tully, the 2014 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, then walked Lubach to load the bases, just his seventh walk of the season in 91.0 innings of work. With the tying runs on bases, Austin Darby stepped to the plate and was unable to keep the rally going with his third strikeout of the game.

Nebraska and Michigan State meet in tomorrow night’s winner bracket game at 5 p.m. on the Big Ten Network, with the winner getting Friday off and moving to Saturday’s 9 a.m.game against a team from the loser’s bracket.

Stephens Returns to Nebraska

Posted on May 21, 2014

Lincoln – One of the most successful players in Husker history is back in Nebraska again, as Coach Connie Yori announced the addition of Amy Stephens to NU’s 2014-15 coaching staff on Wednesday, May 21.

Stephens, an Alliance, Neb., native who ranks among the top five Huskers in history in points (1,976, 4th), assists (444, 5th) and steals (280, 3rd), rejoined Yori’s staff for the second time. Stephens was also a member of Yori’s first Nebraska coaching staff in 2002-03, before being named the head coach at Drake in 2003.

“We’re really excited to have Coach Stephens back at Nebraska,” Yori said. “She is an outstanding coach and person, and we think she can really help our players in their individual skill development and with our team defense. Her head coaching experience is invaluable, and she has tremendous experience in recruiting as well. She is a great fit for our program right now.”

Stephens spent nine seasons as the head coach at Drake, compiling a 151-130 record. In 2008, Stephens led the Bulldogs to the Missouri Valley Conference title. The previous season, she guided Drake to the Missouri Valley Tournament title and an automatic bid to the 2007 NCAA Tournament. She also led the Bulldogs to four WNIT bids.

Stephens spent the 2013-14 season as the associate head coach at Memphis after spending 2012-13 as an assistant coach at Saint Louis.

Stephens will be Nebraska’s defensive coordinator while playing a major role in opponent scouting and recruiting.

“I’m so excited to be back at Nebraska,” Stephens said. “Coach Yori has done an unbelievable job in building Nebraska’s program to a consistent conference championship contender and a top-25 national program. I feel extremely fortunate to have another chance to work at Nebraska and contribute to the continued rise of this program.”

The 46-year-old Stephens was the first assistant coach hired by Yori in 2002, as she was named to Yori’s first Husker staff on June 27, just one day after Yori officially began her coaching duties as the ninth head women’s basketball coach in school history.

Stephens came back to the Husker program after spending eight extremely successful seasons at Nebraska-Kearney. She compiled a 197-43 record with the NCAA Division II Lopers. UNK averaged nearly 25 wins per season, won five Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference titles and made seven consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament. She was a four-time RMAC Coach of the Year. The Lopers also had an NCAA Division II record 87-game homecourt winning streak during Stephens’ stint at UNK. She was a WBCA national coach-of-the-year finalist in 2000.

Although Stephens was one of the most successful head coaches at the NCAA Division II level for the past eight seasons at Nebraska-Kearney, she jumped at the opportunity to join Yori’s Nebraska staff.

Before beginning her career as a head coach at UNK in 1994-95, Stephens served as an assistant coach at Iowa State for two seasons (1992-93 and 1993-94). She spent one season as an undergraduate assistant coach at Nebraska (1990-91), before spending one season (1991-92) as an assistant coach at Omaha South High School.

Stephens started 113 games during her Nebraska career and earned Kodak All-District V honors as a senior in 1988-89. She was also a first-team All-Big Eight Conference selection as a senior. As a junior in 1987-88, Stephens helped the Huskers to their only Big Eight title and the first NCAA Tournament appearance in school history. She was a member of the 1989 U.S. National Team and played professionally in the Women’s Basketball League in Germany.

In February 2000, Stephens claimed one of five spots on Nebraska’s All-Century Team as part of the school’s celebration of 25 years of women’s intercollegiate athletics. Stephens was also inducted in the Nebraska High School Hall of Fame in 1999.

Stephens earned her bachelor’s degree in physical education from Nebraska in 1991 and completed her master’s degree in educational administration from Nebraska-Kearney in 1997.

Huskers Selected for Big Ten Sportsmanship Awards

Posted on May 20, 2014

The Big Ten Conference announced its 2014 outdoor track and field individual award winners on Tuesday. Nebraska senior Travis Englund was selected as the Huskers’ sportsmanship award honoree for the men, while senior Annie Jackson was honored on the women’s side. Englund and Jackson join Trevor Vidlak and Ellie Grooters, who were both named sportsmanship award honorees during the indoor season.

The Huskers competed at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships last weekend, with the women finishing second and the men third. Earning first-team All-Big Ten honors for the women were Annie Jackson and Maggie Malone, while Ellie Ewere claimed second-team accolades. Jake Bender, Levi Gipson, Cody Rush, Miles Ukaoma, Drew Wiseman and Chad Wright captured first-team honors for the men, while Patrick Raedler and Christian Sanderfer earned second-team accolades.

Nebraska will now turn its attention to the NCAA West Regional in Fayetteville, Ark., on May 29-31.