College Park, Md. – Due to rain today in College Park, Md., Nebraska baseball’s series opener against Maryland has been postponed to tomorrow. The two teams will now play a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 11 a.m. (CT).
As of now, the games tomorrow will not be on TV or streamed online. Greg Sharpe and Lane Grindle will have the call of both games on the Husker Sports Network.
Registration is now available for all sessions of the 2015 Big Red Football School, conducted by Nebraska football coaches and staff. Youth football players have several options for affordable and specialized camps through the Big Red Football School.
The camps will be conducted from June 1 to June 12 on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus. Available camps include Big Man Camp, Quarterback and Skill Positions Camp, Youth Camp, Specialist Camp and Friday Night Lights Elite Camp.
The Friday Night Lights Elite camps will be held on Friday, June 5 and Friday, June 12 for boys entering grades 10-12. This camp will offer players with higher skill levels the opportunity to continue to progress and improve their football ability. The Big Man camps will be offered on Monday, June 1 and Monday, June 8. These specialized camps for boys entering grades 9-12 emphasize the development of the basic fundamentals, technique and concepts of offensive and defensive line play.
The Specialist day camps will be held on the afternoons of Friday, June 5 and Friday, June 12 and are open to boys entering grades 9-12. This camp emphasizes the development of the basic fundamentals of snapping, holding, kicking and punting. The Quarterback and Skill Positions camps will be held on Tuesday, June 2 and Tuesday, June 9. The camp for boys entering grades 9-12 emphasizes the development of the basic fundamentals of both offensive and defensive positions, specifically quarterback, wide receiver, running back, tight end, linebacker, cornerback and safety.
The Nebraska staff will also offer two sessions of Youth Camp on June 3-4 and June 10-11. The camp is open for boys and girls entering grades 3-8 and has an emphasis on the fundamentals of the game and is geared toward children of all football abilities. Campers will be grouped according to age/grade, height and ability level. Current Nebraska student-athletes will assist with the camp coaching and instruction.
Cost for the Youth Camp is $100, the Big Man, Friday Night Lights and QB and Skills Camp are all $50 and the Specialist Camp is $30. More information and registration is available now by visiting https://www.bigredfootballschool.com/.
2015 Big Red Football School Summer Camps
Big Man Camp (Grades 9-12)
Session 1: Monday, June 1, 1-4 p.m., $50
Session 2: Monday, June 8, 1-4 p.m., $50
QB & Skill Positions Camp (Grades 9-12)
Session 1: Tuesday, June 2, 1-4 p.m., $50
Session 2: Tuesday, June 9, 1-4 p.m. $50
Youth Camps (Grades 3-8)
Session 1: Wednesday–Thursday, June 3-4, 1-4 p.m. , $100
Session 2: Wednesday–Thursday, June 10-11, 1-4 p.m., $100
Specialist Camp (Grades 9-12)
Session 1: Friday, June 5, 1:30-3 p.m., $30
Session 2: Friday, Jun 12, 1:30-3 p.m., $30
Friday Night Lights Elite Camp (Grades 10-12)
Session 1: Friday, June 5, 6-9 p.m., $50
Session 2: Friday, June 12, 6-9 p.m., $50
Lincoln – The No. 18 Nebraska baseball team (23-7, 3-0 Big Ten) will play its first Big Ten road series of the season this weekend three-games against the No. 17 Maryland Terrapins (19-7, 4-2 Big Ten) in College Park, Md. Friday night’s series opener will be the first ever meeting between the two programs.
The series opens at 6:05 p.m. (CT) on Friday night and will be carried nationally on the Big Ten Network. The teams are then scheduled to play at 1:05 p.m. on Saturday before wrapping on the series on Sunday at 11:05 a.m. Sunday’s finale will also be show on BTN, but will be broadcast on tape delay at 2 p.m. Fans can watch Sunday’s game live on BTN2Go.
The Terrapins were the preseason favorite to win the conference by the league’s coaches, while the Huskers were picked second. The Huskers enter the weekend atop the conference standings with a 3-0 conference record, while Maryland is in a four-way tie for third place with a 4-2 league record.
Nebraska is 9-1 over its last 10 games and has posted a 18-3 record since the start of March. Maryland enters the weekend a perfect 7-0 at Bob Smith Stadium this season, including a series sweep of Minnesota in its first ever Big Ten series two weeks ago. The former ACC member was on the road in Ann Arbor, Mich., last weekend and dropped a series against Michigan, 2-1.
Friday night will see a showdown between two of the league’s top pitchers in Nebraska senior Chance Sinclair and Maryland sophomore Mike Shawaryn. Sinclair is 7-0 all-time in nine Big Ten starts and has won each of his last three starts entering Friday. A freshman All-American by multiple publications last season, Shawaryn is 6-0 this season in seven starts with a 2.11 ERA. The Carneys Point, N.J., product has struck out 54 and walked just seven over 47.0 innings of work.
Saturday’s 1:05 p.m. meeting with be between a pair of lefties, with senior Kyle Kubat scheduled to start for Nebraska against Maryland sophomore Tayler Stiles. Kubat will be in search of his 20th career win and is coming off of consecutive starts where he totaled nine strikeouts. Stiles is a 6-2 native of Bowie, Md., and is 2-2 on the year with a 3.81 ERA. In 26.0 innings he has allowed 26 hits, walked five and struck out 25.
After starting sophomores in the first two games, the Terrapins are scheduled to throw senior right hander Bobby Ruse on Sunday against Nebraska sophomore Derek Burkamper. Burkamper is 4-1 on the season and has won each of his past three starts. The Muscatine, Iowa, native is coming off a career-long 8.1 innings outing against Texas, where he also struck out a career-high six batters. Ruse set a Maryland single-season record last year with 31 appearances, including four starts. This year he has made three starts in eight appearances and has a 4-1 record with a 5.19 ERA. In 26.0 innings he has struck out 25, while walking eight.
Papillion, Neb. – Freshman Scott Schreiber found the perfect time for the first home run of his Husker career, as the Menasha, Wis., native broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the 10th inning with a two-out solo home into the left field seats at Werner Park. Senior Josh Roeder took the mound in the bottom of the 10th and struck out the side to notch his ninth save of the season.
The No. 18 Huskers are now 23-7 on the year following the 3-2 win over the Omaha Mavericks.
The Mavs scored first on the night and after the Huskers tied the game 1-1 in the fifth, UNO retook the lead 2-1 in the bottom of the frame. NU tied the game again, 2-2, in the seventh and after neither team scored in the eighth or ninth, Schreiber delivered the biggest hit of his young Husker career.
After the Huskers stranded a pair of singles to start the game, the Mavs struck first on the night with a run in the bottom of the first. Alex Schultz led off the frame with a double and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Clayton Taylor. Nebraska starter Zack Engelken lasted just 0.1 of an inning after giving up a double and two walks to three of UNO’s first four batters.
Fellow freshman Jake Meyers took over for Engelken in the first with one out and a pair of runners on base, the Omaha Westside got two straight ground balls to limit the damage to one run. Meyers went on to throw a season-high 4.1 innings, allowing one run on four hits with a season-high four strikeouts.
Following a one-out single by Austin Christensen in the second, Omaha starter Shane Meltz hit a groove and retired 10 straight Huskers before Jake Placzek lined a single to left field with one out in the fifth. Meltz came back and got Ryan Boldt for the second out of the inning, but Placzek moved to second on the play. Jake Schleppenbach stepped up and drove a RBI single to right field that tied the game, 1-1. Meltz then walked Blake Headley before retiring Ben Miller to end the top of the fifth.
Meyers came out and retired the first two UNO batters he faced in the bottom of the fifth, but then Schultz came calling with a solo home run that just snuck over the left-field wall. Cole Gruber followed with a double, and the Huskers turned the ball to Jake Hohensee, who retired Taylor to end the fifth, but not before the Mavs regained the lead, 2-1.
The Huskers kept battling and tied the game in the seventh when Boldt led off with a single and scored all the way from first on a double by Schleppenbach. The Mavs then took back the momentum when Headley flew out to center, Schleppenbach tagged on the play and tried to take third, but was cut down on a perfect throw by Schultz. UNO reliever Corey Binger retired Ben Miller to end the inning with the game tied, 2-2.
Luis Alvarado led off the top of the eighth with second single of the night and was later in scoring position when he stole second base. The Huskers were unable to come up with a hit though and he was stranded at second at the end of the inning.
The Mavs then had a shot to score in the bottom of the eighth after Alex Mortensen hit a one-out double and NU reliever Max Knutson hit Daniel Jewitt. The HBP ended up helping the Huskers, as Knutson got a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning with the game tied 2-2.
The Huskers had the go-ahead run on base in the top of the ninth when Boldt reached on an error by third baseman Justin Threlkeld and then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Schleppenbach. NU would strand its 11th runner of the night though, as UNO reliever Zach Williamsen retired Headley and Miller in order.
Omaha then had its chance to end the game in the ninth when Threlkend led off with a single and was in scoring position with one out following a bunt. Knutson struck out pinch hitter Adam Caniglia looking and then had to face Schultz, who was 3-for-4 on the night with a home run and two doubles. NU’s sophomore lefty won the battle and sent the game to extras with a 4-3 groundout.
The Huskers will be back in conference action this weekend with a three-game series against the Maryland Terrapins in College Park, Md. The Huskers and Terps open their series on Friday at 6:05 p.m. (CT), continue it on Saturday at 1:05 p.m. and wrap up the series on Sunday at 11:05 a.m. Friday’s game will be shown live on the Big Ten Network, and Sunday’s game will be shown on tape delay at 2 p.m.
Lincoln, Neb.- The Nebraska football team completed its 10th practice of the 2015 spring football season on Wednesday afternoon. The Huskers practiced for just over two hours outside on the Ed and Joyanne Gass practice fields in full pads.
Nebraska offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf spoke with media members following the conclusion of Wednesday’s practice. Langsdorf talked about the recent Husker quarterback play, mentioning that the quarterbacks are finally starting to settle into the new offense.
“I thought right before spring break and really the last couple of days I felt like we have made some progress,” Langsdorf said. “We have been able to repeat some concepts and I think the quarterbacks are getting more comfortable. I just think there is a comfort level for the players that is starting to come around.”
Langsdorf said that the first two or three practices can be especially tough on the quarterbacks, as they are all trying to learn a completely new system, in which the offense huddles up compared to running a no-huddle style of offense.
“I think day one, they are trying to figure out where to stand in the huddle and call the play, remember the snap count and who the reads are, there are a lot of stuff for them, now they are not having to think as much and they are more comfortable,” he said. “They are calling plays out, they are more comfortable with what the formation looks like and then what the starting point of the play is.”
He added, “I think all of that stuff for all of them has greatly improved since day one. I think they are playing faster because of it.”
Checking down to the backfield receiver is something Langsdorf really stressed the quarterbacks need to continue to work on.
“We have to get on the No. 2 and No. 3 receivers a little bit better, we have a good idea about No. 1, but getting to the second and third guy—especially the check down out of the backfield. Those kinds of throws are what we are kind of missing a bit.”
Nebraska returns to the practice field on Friday for its 11th workout of the spring. Check back at Huskers.com for updates.
Lincoln – In front of 7,319 fans, the largest crowd ever for a regular-season game between Nebraska and Creighton in Lincoln, the No. 18 Nebraska baseball team concluded its 16-game homestand on Tuesday night with a 5-1 win over the Creighton Bluejays, who entered the game on a seven-game winnings streak. The Huskers are now 22-7 on the year and finished the homestand with a 15-1 record. The last time the Huskers notched 22 wins before the month of April was 2005, when NU entered April with a 22-3 record.
The crowd of 7,319 was the 24th largest crowd in Hawks Field history and the largest crowd for Nebraska-Creighton game in Lincoln since 2005, when 8,304 fans watched the two teams play in the NCAA Lincoln Regional Final. It was also the largest crowd for a game at Hawks Field since 2008, when 8,648 fans watched the Huskers play the UC Irvine Anteaters in the NCAA Lincoln Regional.
Freshman Garett King continued Nebraska’s dominance on the mound, as he went a career-high 8.0 innings and issued only two hits to improve to 3-0 on the year. The 6-3 right hander struck out five and didn’t issue a walk for the second straight start. King was perfect through the first four innings, before Harrison Crawford led off the fifth with a triple down the right-field line that just escaped the out-stretched glove of Austin Darby. Crawford scored CU’s lone run of the game when Brett Murray lifted a sacrifice fly into center field.
Following the triple, King went on to retire 12 of the final 13 Jays he faced, before junior Jeff Chesnut took the mound in the ninth and retired the Jays in order to finish the win.
The Huskers now has a 2.32 ERA on the year, and a blistering 1.98 ERA in games at Hawks Field. In 16 games at home, the Husker arms piled up 122 strikeouts to 34 walks.
La Vista, Neb., native Jake Placzek led the NU offensive attack with another great game against the Jays, going 3-for-5, including a double and his first career triple. In four career games against Creighton, Placzek is hitting .500 (7-for-14) with two doubles, one triple and six RBIs. Last season, Placzek delivered a walk-off single in a 5-4 extra-innings win in Lincoln and later in the year came through with a two-RBI single in the eighth inning that drove in the eventual game-winning runs in a 4-2 win at TD Ameritrade Park.
Placzek extended NU’s lead to 3-0 in the top of the second with a two-out double and then pushed the lead to 4-0 in the fourth with a triple. The junior then scored on a RBI single by Blake Headley that put the Huskers ahead 5-0.
NU’s first three batters in its lineup, Ryan Boldt-Placzek-Headley, finished the game a combined 8-for-14 with three runs scored and four RBIs.
After playing their last 16 games at home, the Huskers now head east down I-80 tomorrow for a meeting with the Omaha Mavericks at Werner Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
Lincoln – University of Nebraska men’s basketball coach Tim Miles announced Tuesday evening that freshman guard Tarin Smith has decided to transfer from the Husker program following the spring semester.
“My family and I have intensely thought about this decision, and we feel that it is best if I transfer at the end of this school year,” Smith said. “I would like to thank the University of Nebraska and the fans for this opportunity and their support and encouragement throughout the year.”
Smith, a 6-foot-2 guard from Ocean Township, N.J., played in all 31 games as a true freshman this season, averaging 4.5 points and 1.6 rebounds per game. He had a career-high 13 points in a loss to Ohio State on Feb. 26.
“I am disappointed in Tarin’s choice to transfer, but I support him and understand his decision,” Miles said. “Our entire program will miss him, and we wish him nothing but a successful future.”
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Nebraska junior volleyball player Briana Holman is one of 12 players selected to the U.S. Collegiate National Team that will play in the 2015 World University Games July 2-12 at Gwangju, South Korea.
It is the second career selection for Holman to the U.S. Collegiate National Team. The middle blocker from DeSoto, Texas was part of the USA team that participated in the Tour of China in 2014.
The World University Games happens every four years as a prelude to the Olympics the following summer.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for Briana,” Nebraska head coach John Cook said. “It’s been a dream of hers, and she will get to go to South Korea where the 1988 Olympics were held. This will be a high-level tournament, and the USA is sending its best possible team to try and medal. It will be a great experience for her, not only to go to Korea and play against the best competition in the world, but to get to meet and play with different student-athletes from other teams around the United States.”
The World University Games roster is part of USA Volleyball’s High Performance program’s Collegiate National Team. The squad has four players who finished their senior seasons in 2014, along with three seniors and five juniors.
Team USA for the World University Games includes setters Lexi Dannemiller (University of Michigan, West Chester, Ohio) and Micha Hancock (Penn State University, Edmond, Okla.). Opposites on the team are Khat Bell (University of Texas, Mesquite, Texas) and Alex Holston (University of Florida, Olney, Md.). Laura Larson (University of Arizona, Lakeville, Minn.) was named as the libero.
Middle blockers chosen to the World University Games roster are Nia Grant (Penn State University, Warren, Ohio), Briana Holman (University of Nebraska, DeSoto, Texas) and Paige Tapp (University of Minnesota, Stewartville, Minn.). Outside hitters selected to the team are Jordan Burgess (Stanford University, Fort Myers, Fla.), Carly Kan (University of Missouri, Honolulu), Andi Malloy (Baylor University, Allen, Texas) and Nicole Walch (Florida State University, Stuart, Fla.).
Mary Wise, head coach for the University of Florida, has been named the head coach for the team. She will be assisted by Kyle Robinson, the new University of Oklahoma assistant coach, and Dan Thomassen, Sage Hill High School volleyball coach and co-founder of Prime Volleyball Club in California.
“The World University Games is a unique event that we look forward to competing in come July,” Wise said. “We are fortunate to assemble such a talented group of players to represent USA Volleyball.”
The squad includes five AVCA All-America First-Team selections in 2014, including Burgess, Grant, Hancock, Holman and Holston. Further, Bell and Walch were AVCA All-America Second-Team selections in 2014, while Tapp was named to the third-team.
The World University Games squad will come together June 28 in Los Angeles before traveling to South Korea for the competition. The roster was selected through the U.S. Women’s National Team Open Tryouts held Feb. 20-22 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., along with an invitation-only training block held in January in Anaheim, Calif.
The U.S. Collegiate National Team program also includes a China Tour roster that will be announced later this week, along with a 36-player group that will train and compete in conjunction with the USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships in June.
U.S. Women’s World University Games Roster
Name (Position, School, 2015 College Year, Hometown)
Khat Bell (OPP, University of Texas, Grad, Mesquite, Texas)
Jordan Burgess (OH, Stanford University, Sr., Fort Myers, Fla.)
Lexi Dannemiller (S, University of Michigan, Grad, West Chester, Ohio)
Nia Grant (MB, Penn State University, Grad, Warren, Ohio)
Micha Hancock (S, Penn State University, Grad, Edmond, Okla.)
Briana Holman (MB, University of Nebraska, Jr., DeSoto, Texas)
Alex Holston (OPP, University of Florida, Jr., Olney, Md.)
Carly Kan (OH, University of Missouri, Jr., Honolulu, Hawaii)
Laura Larson (L, University of Arizona, Jr., Lakeville, Minn.)
Andi Malloy (OH, Baylor University, Sr., Allen, Texas)
Paige Tapp (MB, University of Minnesota, Jr., Stewartville, Minn.)
Nicole Walch (OH, Florida State University, Sr., Stuart, Fla.)
Head Coach: Mary Wise (University of Florida)
Assistant Coach: Kyle Robinson (University of Oklahoma)
Assistant Coach: Dan Thomassen (Prime Volleyball Club, Sage Hill High School, Calif.)
Trainer: Meredith Dillon (West Valley College)
Lincoln, Neb. – Nebraska volleyball head coach John Cook announced on Tuesday that Alexa Ethridge, Maddie Haggerty and Kira Larson are leaving the Nebraska volleyball program. Each player has been given a full release to transfer.
“We are very thankful for the contributions these three young women have provided to our program, both on and off the court,” Cook said. “Alexa, Maddie and Kira are great talents and special people with high character. They all have bright futures ahead of them, and we wish them nothing but the very best. We are totally supportive of their decisions.”
Ethridge was a defensive and serving specialist for the Huskers the past two seasons, appearing in 66 career matches. Larson played in 15 matches this season as a redshirt freshman, registering 13 kills and 10 blocks. Haggerty sat out her freshman season with a lingering injury.
The Huskers, who just wrapped up their third sand season with a 6-2 record, will now begin preparing for their only spring match on April 25 against Kansas State in Grand Island.
Lincoln – Following a 4-1 week for the Nebraska baseball team, that included a sweep of the nationally-ranked Texas Longhorns, senior Kyle Kubat was named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week and freshman Elijah Dilday was named Big Ten Co-Freshmen of the Week by the conference office on Tuesday morning. The Huskers have earned three weekly awards from the league office this season, as Ryan Boldt was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Feb. 23.
One day after being tabbed as one of Collegiate Baseball’s Louisville Slugger National Players of the Week, Kubat earned his first career weekly honor from the Big Ten office. The senior lefty has been lights out for the Huskers on Saturdays this season and was on top of his game against the No. 16 Longhorns. Kubat tossed 8.0 shutout inning and notched a career-high nine strikeouts for the second straight week. Following a two-out single by Brooks Marlow in the fourth, Kubat retired the final 13 Longhorns he faced. It was the senior’s third career outing of at least 8.0 innings and trailed only his 8.2-inning effort against Michigan at last season’s Big Ten Tournament.
Kubat, along with relievers Jake Hohensee, Colton Howell and Jeff Chesnut limited the Longhorns to four hits and three walks on the day, while piling up 19 strikeouts. The most strikeouts by a Husker staff since 2009 when NU notched 22 punch outs in a 15 inning game against Louisiana-Lafayette. After the Longhorns produced three hits through the first three innings, they then didn’t record another hit until Ben Johnson led off the 14th with a single. Texas totaled just seven base runners and had a runner in scoring position only twice all game.
After missing the first 20 games of the year with a shoulder injury to his non-throwing arm, Dilday has quickly made his impact on the Husker offense and defense. The St. Charles, Mo., native started all five of NU’s games last week in left field and hit .462 on the week with at least one hit in every game. The 6-1 Dilday notched his first career multi-hit game, including a two-out RBI double in the third, in NU’s sweep clinching win over the Longhorns on Sunday. Dilday struck out once all week, while slugging .538 with an on-base percentage of .500, and he also played stellar defense with multiple diving catches.
