Huskers – Page 89 – North Platte Post Archive

Lady Huskers Sign Best Class, Top Recruit in School History

Posted on November 12, 2014

Lincoln – For the second consecutive season, Nebraska has signed the best recruiting class in school history, according to ESPN. Coach Connie Yori’s four-player recruiting class has been ranked No. 8 nationally by ESPN and features the highest profile recruit in Husker basketball history – two-time state Gatorade High School Player of the Year Jessica Shepard.

Shepard, who is a member of the USA Basketball U18 National Team, is ranked as the No. 3 overall player and the No. 1 post in the country by ESPN.

Lanie Page, a 2014 Kansas Player of the Year selection, joins Shepard in the ESPN Top 100 at No. 82 and has been ranked as high as No. 19 nationally over the past year. She is set to join her older sister, Kaylee, who is freshman for the Huskers this season and was a top-100 player in Nebraska’s No. 9 recruiting class by ESPN last year.

While Shepard and Page headline the class, Lincoln native Maddie Simon and Kansan Rachel Blackburn add size, strength and potential as top-150 recruits to a four-player class that is set to replace the most successful class of seniors in Nebraska history – Emily Cady, Hailie Sample, Tear’a Laudermill and Brandi Jeffery. Four years ago, the current class of Husker seniors formed a top-25 recruiting class that has gone on to average 25 wins per season and three straight NCAA Tournament trips for the Big Red.

“Our coaches have done another great job in identifying young women who can come in, fit into our culture and make an impact while also continuing to develop their skills as college players and grow as students and citizens at Nebraska,” Yori said. “We have waited a long time for Jess Shepard’s signing day, and it is an exciting day for everyone around Husker women’s basketball. What makes it even more exciting is that Lanie Page, Maddie Simon and Rachel Blackburn give us a well-rounded class of great young women.

“I think the things that stand out about this group is they are great young players, who have shown excellent character, who are from great families. They also have proven themselves as strong students with all four of them carrying better than a 3.6 GPA. They have all been competitors and winners at the high school level, and we’re excited to give them a chance to keep proving themselves as college student-athletes here at Nebraska.”

Jessica Shepard

6-4, Forward, Fremont, Neb. (Fremont)

The highest ranked recruit in the history of Nebraska women’s basketball and arguably the best high school player the state has ever produced, Jessica Shepard will join the Huskers as a true freshman in 2015-16. Shepard, who competed on the gold-medal winning USA Basketball team at the 2014 FIBA Americas U18 Championships, is the No. 3 recruit in the Class of 2015, according to ESPN. The 6-4 forward heads into her senior season at Fremont High School as a two-time Nebraska Gatorade Girls Basketball Player of the Year (2013, 2014) and three-time first-team Super-State (Lincoln Journal Star) and All-Nebraska (Omaha World-Herald) pick.

Nebraska Coach Connie Yori said Shepard has the talent and skills expected of one of the top high school players in the nation, but it is her character and competitive drive that makes her even more special.

“It’s no secret that Jess is the youngest player I’ve ever offered a scholarship to as a head coach. We knew Jess was a very special player, even at a young age, and it feels like this day has taken a long time to arrive,” Yori said. “Jess has a rare combination of size, skill, athleticism, versatility and a high basketball IQ. She is a skilled ball-handler who has the ability to take defenders to the basket. She has spent most of her high school career being double- and triple-teamed, so she has become an outstanding passer with both vision and poise. She is also developing her three-point game to complement the other ways she can score.

“What I love most about Jess is that in spite of all of her accolades, she has remained very humble and she isn’t satisfied. She continues to work on every aspect of her game. That says a lot about her character and competitiveness.”

Shepard, who committed to Nebraska in the summer of 2011, said it has always been her dream to play for the Huskers.

“I chose Nebraska because I grew up in Nebraska and have always wanted to represent my school, community and state at the University playing for Coach Yori and the great staff,” Shepard said. “I committed to Coach Yori and the University of Nebraska prior to my freshman year in high school.”

As a junior in 2013-14, Shepard averaged a Class A state record 30.4 points per game to go along with 15.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists in leading the Tigers to a 22-4 record and a state tournament berth for Coach Tony Weinandt. It was just Fremont’s second bid to state since 1985. Her performances included a career-high 43 points against Lincoln East and 40 points against Kansas High School power Bishop Miege and a top-10 ranked Papillion-LaVista team.

The honorary captain of both the Lincoln Journal Star Super-State and Omaha World-Herald All-Nebraska teams, Shepard’s junior season scoring average surpassed her 24.6 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.8 steals per game as a sophomore at Lincoln Southeast. She powered the Knights to the 2013 Class A state title, before moving with her family to Fremont in the summer of 2013.

As a freshman, Shepard earned her first Super-State and Class A honors by averaging 17.8 points and 9.1 rebounds in leading Lincoln Southeast to a state runner-up finish.

A three-time first-team All-Heartland Athletic Conference selection, Shepard is on track to finish among the top players in Nebraska high school history in both points and rebounds.

As a member of the USA Basketball U18 Team at the FIBA Americas Championship, Shepard averaged 12.6 points and 3.8 rebounds per game while helping the team to a 5-0 record and a gold medal. She hit 66.7 percent of her shots from the field in the tournament.

Shepard played her club basketball for the All Iowa Attack under Coach Dickson Jensen in 2013-14. She also played her first season of high school volleyball for Fremont as a senior in 2014.

She is also an outstanding student, carrying a 3.90 grade-point average. She has earned academic all-state and all-conference honors, as well as a spot in the National Honor Society. She is a four-year honor roll selection.

The daughter of Mark and Kim Shepard, Jessica comes from a basketball family. Her older sister, Taylor, and older brother, Clayton, both play college basketball for Midland University in Fremont. She also has three younger sisters, Samantha (15), Emma (13) and Sarah (11).

Lanie Page

6-2, Guard, Alma, Kan. (Wamego)

Lanie Page joins fellow 2014 signee among ESPN’s top 100 recruits in the 2014 signing class, coming in at No. 82 overall as the No. 11 wing in the nation. She was also ranked as the No. 76 player in the nation by Blue Star Basketball. As a junior at Wamego High School, Page averaged 17.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.9 steals and 2.7 blocked shots alongside her older sister, Kaylee, in helping the Red Raiders to a Class 4A state runner-up finish with a 24-1 record. Kaylee is a freshman at Nebraska this season. The sisters also helped Wamego to a state championship under the direction of their father and coach, Jim, in 2013. As a sophomore, Lanie averaged 16.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 3.4 steals and 2.4 blocks.

Page was also a varsity starter as a freshman, despite being just 13 years old after testing out of eighth grade to go straight from seventh grade to high school. She averaged 12.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 3.0 steals and 2.8 blocks despite sometimes going up against girls five years older than her.

Page enters her senior season with 1,137 points, 462 rebounds, 199 assists, 230 steals and 198 blocks in her career. She has hit 94 career threes and has connected at a 35 percent rate during her career, including going 36-of-81 (.444) as a junior. Last season against Marysville, Page erupted for a career-high 40 points in a 65-34 win.

Nebraska Coach Connie Yori said Page’s versatility could help the Huskers for years to come.

“Lanie has great size to go along with an excellent skill-set that goes beyond her age,” Yori said. “She’s has good length, and she can score from the mid-range or shoot the three. She is a versatile athlete who has the potential to be able to play inside and outside for us. Lanie plays with an edge that I really loved during the recruiting process. We are thrilled she is a Husker.”

As a junior in 2014, Page was the Sports in Kansas Player of the Year across all classes. She was the Kansas Sports.com Sophomore of the Year in 2013. She is a two-time first-team Class 4A pick by the KBCA. She was also a three-time letterwinner in tennis for Wamego, earning a state runner-up finish in 2013. In the classroom, Page carries nearly a 3.8 grade-point average and has been an honor roll student all four years.

“I chose Nebraska because of the education, facilities, resources and the people in Lincoln are good Midwestern-type people, and those are the kind of people I love to be around,” Page said. “Everyone is so supportive and polite, and it’s just a great atmosphere.”

Lanie is the daughter of Jim and Wendy Page. She has an older sister, Kaylee, and an older brother, James. Kaylee is a freshman wing at Nebraska in 2014-15. James is a 6-6 sophomore at Grinnell College. Lanie’s father played college basketball at Johnson County Community College and Pittsburg State. Her mother played collegiately at Emporia State.

Page chose Nebraska over Texas Tech and Kansas State, although she only visited Texas Tech.

Maddie Simon

6-2, Guard, Lincoln, Neb. (Pius X)

An emerging player with the coveted combination of size, speed, strength and skill, Maddie Simon joins Jessica Shepard as Nebraska natives in the Huskers’ 2014 signing class. Simon was ranked as the No. 22 player in the nation at her position by ESPN, while being ranked No. 149 overall by Blue Star Basketball.

As a junior at Lincoln Pius X in 2013-14, Simon led the Thunderbolts to a 21-3 record and a Class B runner-up finish by averaging 19.8 points, seven rebounds, two assists and one steal per game. She joined Shepard as a first-team Lincoln Journal Star Super-State and Omaha World-Herald All-Nebraska selection for Coach Bill Rice in 2013-14. She was also a first-team All-Class B pick as a junior. Her top performance came with a 35-point, 13-rebound eruption against Omaha Gross.

Simon was a second-team Class A all-stater as a sophomore after averaging 16.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 2012-13. She hit 48 percent of her shots from the field and 74 percent of her free throws.

Nebraska Coach Connie Yori said Simon’s athleticism and continual development give her the chance for an outstanding career.

“Since we first saw Maddie at our basketball camp when she was a freshman, she has improved some aspect of her game each time we’ve watched her,” Yori said. “She has developed into a very good passer and shooter who will fit well in our offensive system. Maddie can get out and run, drive in transition, hit mid-range jumpers and hit the three. She has been a three-sport star in high school, and we think that athleticism will translate into being a versatile defender for us. I think she is a recruiting steal, and we couldn’t be happier that she has decided to stay in Lincoln and play for the Huskers.”

Simon said she has grown up feeling close to the Nebraska program and is excited she can continue her career as a Husker.

“I love the coaches and players. The facilities and fan support for women’s basketball are also great, but most of all Lincoln is my hometown,” Simon said. “I have grown up watching and wanting to play here my whole life.”

Simon played her club basketball for the Nebraska Lasers for Coach Allen Simpson. She averaged 20 points, eight rebounds and three assists for the club.

A tremendous all-around athlete, Simon expects to be a four-year letterwinner in both basketball and track and field, while adding three letters in golf. She was the Class A state runner-up in both the 100 and 300 hurdles in 2014. She also finished third in the 100, while adding a runner-up finish in the 300 in 2013. She was also a member of Pius X’s All-Class gold medal-winning 4×400 relay in 2013. She also qualified for the state tournament in golf in 2013. Simon owns better than a 3.6 GPA and has been an honor roll student for four years at Lincoln Pius X.

The daughter of Doug and Nicole (Ali) Simon, Maddie has two older brothers, Bennett and Zach, who both graduated from the University of Nebraska. Maddie’s mother was a hurdler and a CoSIDA Academic All-American during her college career at Nebraska.

Simon chose Nebraska over Iowa, Iowa State, Oklahoma State and Creighton.

Rachel Blackburn

6-3, Forward, Easton, Kan. (Leavenworth)

Rachel Blackburn filled in the final piece of a talented four-player Nebraska signing class in 2014. The 6-3 power forward out of Leavenworth High School in Kansas was ranked as the No. 63 player in the nation by Blue Star Basketball and No. 69 by Prospects Nation. She was also the No. 17 post in the country according to ESPN.

Blackburn averaged 10 points and 10 rebounds as a junior for the 2014 Class 5A state champions, while also leading the Sunflower League in the number of charges drawn for Coach Derek Zeck.

Nebraska Coach Connie Yori said Blackburn’s toughness and energy could make her a fan favorite for years to come.

“Husker fans are going to love Rachel because she represents what we’ve built our program on,” Yori said. “She’s tough, hard-working, skilled and is a great energy player. Rachel comes from a program where she has competed at a high level and has had great coaching. She’s been pushed at the high school level, so she understands the consistent effort that it will take to be successful at Nebraska. Rachel also has natural leadership qualities. She’s a mature young lady who plays with both passion and intelligence.”

Blackburn said Nebraska’s winning tradition and family atmosphere were important factors in her decision to become a Husker.

“I chose Nebraska because of the success of the program and the fan base,” Blackburn said. “Family is very important to me, and I feel like the Nebraska coaches and players are a close-knit family.”

Blackburn, who was an honorable-mention Class 5A all-state selection as a junior by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association, owns the Leavenworth career record with her .675 career field goal percentage. She owns a career-high 36-point performance. Blackburn played her club basketball for Coach Derek Zeck and the MoKan Eclipse.

A talented all-around athlete, Blackburn set the Leavenworth school record with a javelin throw of 125-7 as a sophomore in 2013. She won the Sunflower League title and qualified for the state meet in the event.

Blackburn is also an excellent student, carrying a 3.8 grade-point average as a senior. She has been an honor roll selection all four years of high school

The daughter of Col. David (Ret.) and Lisa Blackburn, Rachel has an older sister, Rebecca, and a younger sister, Katelyn. Blackburn chose Nebraska over Arizona, Kansas State, Texas Tech, Iowa State and Wake Forest.

Huskers Add Four Talents for 2015

Posted on November 12, 2014

Lincoln – Nebraska volleyball head coach John Cook announced the 2015 Husker newcomers on National Letter of Intent Signing Day Wednesday. Mikaela Foecke, Kenzie Maloney, Tiani Reeves and Brooke Smith will all join the Husker program as freshmen next season.

“We could not be more excited to get the 2015 class on campus,” Cook said. “They provide depth at all positions and should expect to compete for significant playing time. All four athletes are great competitors who are used to winning and competing at a high level. They are all great students and leaders on their teams and in their communities, so we believe that they will have a great impact in our life skills program and as future leaders on our team.”

Mikaela Foecke, 6-3, MB/OH, Fort Madison, Iowa (Holy Trinity Catholic)
Mikaela Foecke (pronounced FECK-ee) will join the Huskers from Holy Trinity Catholic High School in Fort Madison, Iowa. Foecke was one of the country’s most highly touted recruits, rated the No. 2 prospect according to PrepVolleyball.com. Foecke earned MaxPreps 2013 Junior Volleyball Player of the Year honors after averaging more than six kills per set as a junior and leading Holy Trinity to a 45-6 record and the Iowa Class 1A state championship match.

Foecke, 6-3, is capable of playing every attacking position. She was the Iowa Gatorade Player of the Year and Iowa Girls Coaches Association Player of the Year last season, and she was named to MaxPreps’ Preseason All-American Volleyball Team prior to her senior season. Last week, Foecke was named an Under Armour First-Team All-American. She was a member of the USA 20-and-Under National Team as a 17-year-old, winning gold at the Norceca Championship in Guatemala last summer.

Foecke led the state of Iowa in kills as a sophomore (5.43 per set), junior (6.08 per set) and is on pace to do so again as a senior (6.35 per set). She is hitting .635 this season and has become an all-around force with 369 career service aces and 470 blocks. She played club volleyball with Club Fusion.

Coach Cook on Foecke: “Mikaela Foecke is the type of player that was made for the Nebraska volleyball program. She is a small-town Iowa kid who has an outstanding work ethic and attitude. She has one of the most powerful arms in the 2015 class, and we will expect her to contribute to the team right away as a freshman. Most of her experience is at middle blocker, but she is talented and athletic enough to play multiple spots on the floor. Mikaela has been a starter on the U.S. Youth National Team, as well as on the Junior National Team, so she has plenty of experience on the ‘big stage’.”

Kenzie Maloney, 5-8, DS/L, Louisville, Ky. (Assumption)
Kenzie Maloney joins the Huskers as a defensive specialist/libero from Assumption High School in Louisville, Ky. Maloney was named an Under Armour Second-Team All-American last week, as well as the Kentucky Seventh Region Player of the Year this season. She is rated as the top libero by PrepVolleyball.com and the No. 24 overall prospect.

The 5-8 Maloney helped lead Assumption to three straight state championships from 2011-13 and was a Kentucky 3-A first-team all-state pick. In her sophomore season in 2012, Assumption finished 41-2 with a No. 5 national ranking.

Along with Foecke, Malone was a starter on the U.S. Youth National Team that won a silver medal in the Youth World Championships in 2013. Maloney played club volleyball for KIVA and developed a reputation as an outstanding athlete who can cover the whole court.

Coach Cook on Maloney: “I have had the opportunity to see Kenzie develop since she was 13 years old playing club at KIVA. From the first day I saw her, I knew she was going to be something special. Her athletic ability and smoothness as a player has developed her into the top-ranked libero of the 2015 class. Kenzie knew Nebraska was the place for her within 15 minutes of her visit, and we could not be more excited to see what she will bring to the culture of our program. Kenzie was a teammate of Mikaela Foecke and a starter on the U.S. Youth National Team in 2013, and that experience can only help her transition to big-time college volleyball.”

Tiani Reeves, 6-1, MB/OH, Gothenburg, Neb. (Gothenburg)
Tiani Reeves joins the Huskers from Gothenburg High School in central Nebraska. Reeves was named an Under Armour Third-Team All-American last week. As a junior, the 6-1 middle blocker/outside hitter amassed 369 kills and hit .350 for the Swedes and was a Lincoln Journal Star first-team Super-State pick. She helped Gothenburg finish 27-5 last season and displayed one of the best reaches in Nebraska high school volleyball history.

Reeves played club volleyball for Nebraska ONE and was a standout track and field athlete, winning the Class B long jump and triple jump state titles, while finishing second in the 200 meters. Reeves also competed in the track and field Junior Olympics

Coach Cook on Reeves: “Tiani Reeves is one of the best athletes in the state. Originally it looked like Tiani would do track at the collegiate level, as she is an outstanding track athlete on the high school and national level. So we feel blessed to get a heck of an athlete that we can develop into a great volleyball player. This summer Tiani was one of the best athletes at our Elite camp and blew the entire coaching staff away by the level of her improvement with the short amount of time she has been focusing on volleyball.”

Brooke Smith, 5-10, S, Weatherford, Texas (Azle)
Brooke Smith joins the Huskers from Azle High School in Weatherford, Texas. Smith is the lone setter in the Huskers’ 2015 class. She will provide depth behind Kelly Hunter, the only other setter on the Huskers’ roster for next season. Smith led Azle High to a 20-16 record in 2013 and helped her Tejas Volleyball club reach the Junior Olympics this summer.

Smith is a three-time first-team all-district selection and was named the district newcomer of the year, two-time district server of the year and three-time MVP of her varsity squad.

Coach Cook on Smith: “Brooke Smith rounds out our 2015 class and will fill a much needed position at setter (with the only setter on the roster for next season being Kelly Hunter). She is a great athlete and fiery competitor who we can’t wait to get in our gym and see compete. Her mother, Janine, was a national champion volleyball player at the University of Texas and was the head coach at UT-Arlington for 10 years. Her father, Warren, was a pole vaulter and decathlete at Texas, and Brooke is also a great pole vaulter. Brooke’s aunt (Jill Gremmel) was also an all-Big 12 setter. So she has some tremendous bloodlines, and we’re fortunate that she wants to be a part of our program.”

Neb’s Abdullah Goes Through Practice in Knee Brace

Posted on November 11, 2014

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Running back Ameer Abdullah made it through 11th-ranked Nebraska’s practice wearing a brace on his left knee, a positive sign for the Cornhuskers as they prepare for Saturday’s key Big Ten West game at No. 22 Wisconsin.

The three-time 1,000-yard rusher left the Nov. 1 game against Purdue in the first quarter with a sprained and bruised his knee. The Huskers didn’t play last week.

Offensive coordinator Tim Beck said Abdullah participated in all drills Tuesday and “looked pretty good.”

Abdullah declined interviews after practice.

Huskers Eager for Saturday Showdown

Posted on November 11, 2014

Lincoln, Neb.- The Nebraska football team continued its preparations for its Saturday afternoon Big Ten West showdown with the Wisconsin Badgers on Tuesday afternoon, as the Huskers practiced for nearly two hours inside of the Hawks Championship Center and outside on the Ed and Joyanne Gass practice fields.

Nebraska offensive coordinator Tim Beck met with the media following Tuesday’s practice, mentioning that senior All-America candidate Ameer Abdullah looked pretty good out on the practice field today.

“He (Abdullah) looked good today, moving around, running and going through all of our stuff, it did not limit him in any way,” Beck said. “He looked pretty good.”

Beck added that last week’s bye could not have come soon enough. With some of the Husker football team battling bumps and bruises, NU used the bye week to rest up leading into the Freedom Trophy matchup versus the Badgers.

“Just getting healthy in the bye week, we also did a lot of self-scouting and getting a good jump on Wisconsin,” Beck said. “It is good, it is always good to have that this late in the season, to give the guys a chance to rest those bumps and bruises.”

With temperatures projected to be in the low-to-mid 30’s at kickoff Saturday, NU used cold weather in Lincoln Tuesday to start preparing themselves for what they will see in Maddison.

“I think it is important, we know it is going to be loud up there, just to get an opportunity to communicate and do all the things that we need to do to make sure we don’t have any self-inflicted wounds for the game.”

The Nebraska football team will continue its preparations for its Saturday afternoon game on Wednesday afternoon. The Huskers Big Ten conference clash against Wisconsin will be nationally televised on ABC at 2:30 pm (Central).

Nebraska’s Nate Gerry Liking View from Secondary

Posted on November 11, 2014

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Safety Nate Gerry (Gary) has turned into one of Nebraska’s biggest defensive playmakers after spending last season at linebacker.

He’s intercepted a pass in three straight games and in four of the last five. He’s the Cornhuskers’ second-leading tackler.

Gerry said he’s happier playing in the secondary. Coach Bo Pelini said Gerry was needed to bolster depth in a young linebacker corps. The plan was for Gerry to play his more natural safety position this year.

Pelini said Gerry has a better understanding of the defense because of his experience at linebacker.

The 11th-ranked Cornhuskers play at No. 22 Wisconsin on Saturday.

Abdullah Named Finalist for Two Awards

Posted on November 11, 2014

Lincoln – University of Nebraska senior I-back Ameer Abdullah was selected as a finalist for a pair of awards Tuesday afternoon. The Homewood, Ala., native was chosen as one of 10 finalists for the 2014 Senior CLASS Award and one of 12 finalists for the 2014 Wuerffel Trophy.

Both awards combine athletic accomplishments along with off-field performances. The Senior CLASS (Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School^®)Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities. The Wuerffel Trophy is a national award that honors the college football player who best exhibits exemplary community service.

Abdullah has been a standout on the field and in the community during his tenure at Nebraska, as he returned to school for his senior year to complete his degree.

Abdullah has been one of the nation’s top players in 2014, as the senior ranks among the national leaders in all-purpose yards (1,691, first), rushing yards (1,250, fifth) and points scored (114, fourth) entering Saturday’s nationally televised game with No. 22 Wisconsin. Abdullah, who has led the Huskers to an 8-1 record and a No. 11 national ranking, has four 200-yard rushing games this season and is the only player in the FBS ranks with two games with 300 all-purpose yards, including a school record 341 all-purpose yards against Rutgers. He has been the Big Ten’s Player of the Week four times in 2014.

During his career, Abdullah is the only Husker in 125 years of Nebraska football to post three 1,000-yard rushing seasons and trails only 1983 Heisman Trophy winner Mike Rozier on Nebraska’s career rushing chart. Abdullah leads all active FBS players in career rushing yards (4,227), yards from scrimmage (4,817), 100-yard games (23) and all-purpose yards (6,605). In addition, he also ranks second on the Big Ten’s all-time all-purpose yards list.

Abdullah, who will graduate from Nebraska in December with a degree in history, has been named to Nebraska’s Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll three times and was an academic All-Big Ten selection in 2013. One of the most active Huskers in the community, Abdullah was named to the 2014 Brook Berringer and Tom Osborne Citizenship Teams, as he has worked with numerous groups during his career, including elementary schools, team hospital visits and the Uplifting Athletes organization to raise awareness for pediatric brain cancer.

For the Senior CLASS Award, the list of 30 candidates was trimmed to 10 and nationwide fan voting begins immediately to help select the winner. Fans are encouraged to vote on the Senior CLASS Award website (seniorCLASSaward.com) through December 15. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I head coaches’ votes to determine the winner, which will be announced in January. The Wuerffel Trophy, which is voted on by the Wuerffel Trophy national directors, selection committee members and past winners, will be formally announced onDec. 9, 2014

Huskers Set for Rematch with Spartans

Posted on November 11, 2014

The No. 11 Nebraska volleyball team will face Michigan State for the second time this season on Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. The Spartans are the second repeat Big Ten opponent for the Huskers and first since the opening week home-and-home matches with Iowa. Each of the final six Husker matches is a rematch. NU defeated MSU 3-1 in East Lansing on Oct. 10.

The Huskers are 16-7 overall and 10-4 in the Big Ten after resounding home sweeps against No. 12 Purdue and Indiana last week. The Huskers have now won four straight conference matches by sweep for the first time since 2010, when the Huskers won eight Big 12 matches in a row by sweep. John Cook is in his 15th season as head coach at Nebraska and is 429-55 leading the Huskers.

The Spartans enter the week 13-12 overall and 6-8 in the Big Ten. Michigan State fell twice at home last week, 3-1 to Minnesota and 3-0 to Wisconsin, and has now lost five of its last six. The Spartans are 8-5 away from home this season but are 2-4 on the road in Big Ten play. Cathy George is in her 10th season as head coach with a record of 182-138.

Media Information
Wednesday’s match will only be streamed online with a HuskersNSide subscription. Fans can also listen to the action with John Baylor and Diane Mendenhall on the 25-station Husker Sports Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and The Wolf 93.3 FM in Omaha. Fans inside and outside the state of Nebraska will also be able to catch the live audio feed on Huskers.com for free. Live stats will be available at Huskers.com as well.

Series History
Nebraska is 13-2-2 all-time against Michigan State and is 5-2 against the Spartans since joining the Big Ten. NU won earlier this season in East Lansing on Oct. 10, 3-1 (25-20, 25-18, 22-25, 25-23). Kadie Rolfzen had 16 kills and 12 digs, while Alicia Ostrander (12) and Amber Rolfzen (10) also reached double-digit kills. The Huskers swept MSU in Lincoln last year on Nov. 15, 25-23, 25-13, 25-22.

Scouting Michigan State
Chloe Reinig leads the Spartans (13-12, 6-8 Big Ten) with 329 kills this season (3.66 per set). Alyssah Fitterer chips in 2.65 kills per set. Kori Moster averages 4.57 digs per set. Jazmine White leads the team in blocks at 1.22 per set. The Spartans are fourth in the B1G in blocks (2.60 per set) and second in aces (1.33 per set). MSU is holding opponents to a .173 hitting percentage this season, fourth-best in the Big Ten.

Up Next
Nebraska finishes its four-match home stretch with Maryland on Sunday at 2 p.m. That match will air on NET.

Noting the Huskers
• Nebraska turned in a record-setting defensive performance against Purdue last Wednesday before producing one of the best offensive outputs in school history on Sunday against Indiana. NU used 17 blocks to brush aside the Boilermakers, a three-set season high for the Big Red. The Huskers then hit .525 in the Indiana sweep, the sixth-best hitting percentage in school history and the best by a Husker team since 2000.
• The Huskers turned in two perfect sets against Indiana with zero attacking errors. NU had just one error-free set all season entering Saturday. The Huskers posted two error-free sets in a match for the first time in the John Cook era.
• Kadie Rolfzen leads the Huskers with 3.56 kills per set and ranks seventh in the Big Ten. The 2013 third-team AVCA All-American has 15 or more kills nine times this season. Rolfzen is also second on the team in digs with 2.67 per set.
• Kelsey Fien is second on the team in kills per set with 3.06. Over her last six matches, Fien is averaging 3.68 kills per set and hitting .349.
• Amber Rolfzen adds 2.16 kills per set with 1.75 digs per set and is second on the team in blocks with 61.
• Justine Wong-Orantes leads the Huskers in digs with 3.81 per set.
• Mary Pollmiller, the Huskers’ lone senior, has 832 set assists for 10.27 per set to rank fifth in the conference. She also adds a defensive presence at the net with 58 blocks to rank third on the team.
• Nebraska ranks second in the Big Ten and 17th nationally with 2.86 blocks per set. Meghan Haggerty is third in the Big Ten with 1.33 blocks per set and tied her career high with 11 against Purdue.
• The Huskers are 10-1 in matches played on Monday through Friday this season, while they are 6-6 in matches played on Saturday and Sunday.
• The Huskers are 231-0 when hitting .300 or better under John Cook.
• Nebraska is 377-16 when winning the first set under Cook.
• Cook is 141-42 (.770) against ranked opponents at Nebraska. Just under one-third of Cook’s total victories at Nebraska (429) have come against ranked teams.
• Nebraska volleyball leads the nation with 214 consecutive sellouts, the longest sellout streak in the history of NCAA women’s athletics. NU owns a 196-18 record during the streak.

Fien, Haggerty Win B1G Weekly Honors
For the second straight week, Husker volleyball took home weekly Big Ten honors. On Nov. 10, Kelsey Fien was named Big Ten Player of the Week, and Meghan Haggerty won Defensive Player of the Week. Fien led the Huskers offensively in sweeps over No. 12 Purdue and Indiana. The junior from Bakersfield, Calif., averaged 4.3 kills per set with a match-high 15 kills along with four blocks against Purdue. Fien added 11 kills and a career-best .526 hitting percentage against Indiana. The honor is the first of Fien’s career. Haggerty, a junior from Glen Ellyn, Ill., led two dominant Husker defensive performances. Against Purdue, Haggerty tied her career high with 11 blocks, the most by a Big Ten player in three sets this season. She averaged 2.2 blocks per set on the week and had six kills and a .444 hitting percentage. It’s Haggerty’s second-career B1G Defensive Player of the Week honor.

No. 11 Huskers Look to Overcome Top 25 Road Demons

Posted on November 10, 2014

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska goes into Saturday’s game at No. 22 Wisconsin looking to overcome its demons in road games against opponents ranked in the Top 25.

The 11th-ranked Cornhuskers (8-1, 4-1 Big Ten) have lost four of their last five on the road against Top 25 teams. Since Bo Pelini took over in 2008, the Huskers are 3-8 in those games.

Pelini said Monday it’s hard to beat good teams in tough environments. He said history will have nothing to do with what happens against the Badgers (7-2, 4-1).

In its only Top 25 road game this season, Nebraska was down 24 points in the fourth quarter to Michigan State before closing to 27-22. Each of the Huskers’ previous three Top 25 road losses was by at least 25 points.

Fien, Haggerty Pick Up Big Ten Weekly Awards

Posted on November 10, 2014

Kelsey Fien was named Big Ten Player of the Week, and Meghan Haggerty earned Defensive Player of the Week, the conference office announced on Monday.

Fien led the Huskers offensively in sweeps over No. 12 Purdue and Indiana. The junior from Bakersfield, Calif., averaged 4.3 kills per set with a match-high 15 kills along with four blocks against Purdue. Fien added 11 kills on 19 attacks against Indiana for a career-best .526 hitting percentage. Fien is the first Husker to be named B1G Player of the Week since Kelsey Robinson on Nov. 18 last season. The honor is the first of Fien’s career.

Haggerty, a junior from Glen Ellyn, Ill., led two dominant Husker defensive performances last week. Against Purdue, Haggerty tied her career high with 11 blocks, the most by a Big Ten player in three sets this season. She averaged 2.2 blocks per set on the week and had six kills and a .444 hitting percentage. After helping limit the Boilermakers to a .098 hitting percentage, Haggerty and the Huskers held Indiana to a -.013 hitting percentage on Saturday. It’s Haggerty’s second-career B1G Defensive Player of the Week honor.

The Huskers are back in action Wednesday at 7 p.m. against Michigan State.

Neb’s Pelini Not Sure Abdullah to be Full Strength

Posted on November 10, 2014

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska coach Bo Pelini isn’t as optimistic as he was last week about whether star running back Ameer Abdullah would be full strength for Saturday’s game at No. 22 Wisconsin.

Abdullah left the Nov. 1 game against Purdue with a sprained and bruised left knee. Pelini said Monday that Abdullah didn’t practice during the 11th-ranked Cornhuskers’ bye week, though “he worked out on the field.”

Last Tuesday, Pelini said the three-time 1,000-yard rusher was “doing great” and should be “100 percent” for the Badgers.

Pelini said Monday he still believed Abdullah would be fine but added, “I’m not a doctor.”