Louisville - Nebraska Coach Amy Williams along with All-Big Ten guards Sam Haiby and Jaz Shelley met the media in the NCAA First Round press conference at the KFC Yum! Center on Thursday morning.

Williams, who led Nebraska to a No. 8 seed in the 2022 NCAA Tournament with a 24-8 record, said the strength of the Big Ten Conference has prepared the Huskers well for the postseason.

"I think the Big Ten this year, top to bottom, was incredibly competitive," Williams said. "The 18-game Big Ten schedule just is a grind, and for us to make a little run in the conference tournament and knock off Michigan, get to the semifinal game, I think built some confidence for our team. It has sharpened us up and prepared us for hopefully what we're going to face here in the NCAA Tournament."

Williams said she has great respect for the balance and experience of the No. 9 seed Gonzaga Bulldogs (26-6), who the Huskers will face on Friday afternoon in Louisville.

"I also have a ton of respect for when I look at their roster, it's senior, senior, senior, senior, junior, junior, a very heavy experienced roster," Williams said. "We have a couple freshmen in our starting lineup and so something that we know that when you watch film and you see a team that's not being rattled, that's continuing to play with poise, that's generally due to some experience, and I think that's something that stands out when we have been preparing for them."

Tip-off between Nebraska and Gonzaga is set for 2:30 p.m. (CT) at the KFC Yum! Center, with live television coverage provided by ESPN News.

Huskers Tip March Madness with Gonzaga

No. 8 Nebraska Cornhuskers (24-8, 11-7 Big Ten)
vs. No. 9 Gonzaga Bulldogs (26-6, 15-2 WCC)
Friday, March 18, 2022, 2:30 p.m. (CT)
NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament
KFC Yum! Center - Louisville, Kentucky
Live Television: ESPN News (John Brickley-PBP; Meghan McKeown)
Live Radio: Huskers Radio Network (2:15 p.m.)
Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst)
Lincoln (107.3 FM), Omaha (ESPN 590 AM), Huskers.com, Huskers App

Huskers Battle Bulldogs in NCAA First Round 
The No. 8 seed Nebraska women's basketball team shoots for an NCAA Tournament win when the Huskers battle the No. 9 seed Gonzaga Bulldogs on Friday in the NCAA Tournament First Round in Louisville, Ky.

Tip time for Nebraska's game with Gonzaga is set for 2:30 p.m. (CT) with live television coverage provided by ESPN News. All games in the 2022 NCAA Tournament will be televised by the ESPN family of networks.

No. 1 seed Louisville will square off with No. 16 seed Albany in Friday's second game at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville. The Cardinals and Danes will appear on ESPN2.

Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch will call the action on the Huskers Radio Network (B107.3 FM in Lincoln, along with 590 AM in Omaha), the Huskers App and Huskers.com.

The Huskers (24-8, 11-7 Big Ten) are making their second NCAA appearance under sixth-year head coach Amy Williams after earning their 15th overall NCAA bid in program history.

Nebraska finished sixth in the Big Ten Conference standings and No. 23 in the NCAA's NET rankings. NU's 24 wins are tied for fourth in school history, and the Big Red's three wins over AP Top 10 teams during the regular season also match the most in a season in program history. 

The Huskers are led by second-team All-Big Ten selections Jaz Shelley and Alexis Markowski and honorable-mention All-Big Ten picks Sam Haiby and Isabelle Bourne. Shelley was also a Big Ten All-Defensive Team choice by the league media while Markowski was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Nebraska's captains, Haiby and Bourne earned All-Big Ten recognition for the second time.

The Huskers, who are 11-4 since resuming competition after a COVID pause (Jan. 17-26), have won seven of their last nine games, including victories over then-AP No. 5 Indiana (72-55, Feb. 14) and then-AP No. 10 Michigan (76-73, March 4). Six of Nebraska's eight losses on the season have come at the hands of current AP Top 25 teams. 

No. 8 Nebraska Cornhuskers (24-8, 11-7 Big Ten)
34 - Isabelle Bourne - 6-2 - So. - F - 11.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg
40 - Alexis Markowski - 6-3 - Fr. - F/C - 12.8 ppg, 8.0 rpg
1 - Jaz Shelley - 5-9 - So. - G - 13.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg
3 - Allison Weidner - 5-10 - Fr. - G - 7.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg
4 - Sam Haiby - 5-9 - Jr. - G - 10.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg
Off the Bench
14 - Bella Cravens - 6-3 - Jr. - F - 6.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg
21 - Annika Stewart - 6-3 - Fr. - F - 5.3 ppg, 2.2 rpg
32 - Kendall Coley - 6-2 - Fr. - F/G - 2.4 ppg, 1.7 rpg
5 - MiCole Cayton - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 2.4 ppg, 1.2 rpg
11 - Ruby Porter - 5-10 - Fr. - G - 2.0 ppg, 0.9 rpg
10 - Whitney Brown - 5-8 - Fr. - G - 1.5 ppg, 0.6 rpg
15 - Kendall Moriarty - 6-1 - Fr. - G - 1.4 ppg, 0.4 rpg
Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)
Sixth Season at Nebraska (96-83); 15th Season Overall (289-192)

No. 9 Gonzaga Bulldogs (26-6, 15-2 West Coast Conference)
1 - Anamaria Virjoghe - 6-5 - RSr. - F - 3.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg
23 - Melody Kempton - 6-1 - Sr. - F - 10.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg
4 - Abby O'Connor - 6-0 - Sr. - G/F - 6.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg
11 - Kayleigh Truong - 5-9 - Jr. - G - 10.8 ppg, 2.4 rpg
13 - Cierra Walker - 5-8 - RSr. - G - 9.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg
Off the Bench
14 - Kaylynne Truong - 5-8 - Jr. - G - 10.8 ppg, 2.1 rpg
15 - Yvonne Ejim - 6-1 - So. - F - 10.0 ppg, 5.6 rpg
12 - Eliza Hollingsworth - 6-3 - RSo. - F - 3.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg
35 - Bree Salenbien - 6-2 - Fr. - G - 2.6 ppg, 1.4 rpg
24 - McKayla Williams - 6-1 - So. - G - 1.9 ppg, 2.2 rpg
5 - Maud Huijbens - 6-3 - Fr. - F - 1.5 ppg, 1.3 rpg
0 - Esther Little - 6-2 - Fr. - G - 0.2 ppg, 0.5 rpg
Head Coach: Lisa Fortier (CSU Monterey Bay, 2004)
Eighth Season at Gonzaga (204-53); Eighth Season Overall (204-53)

Nebraska's All-Big Ten Honors
• Alexis Markowski (Lincoln, Neb.) captured Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Year honors from both the conference coaches and media when the league announced its annual awards on March 1. Markowski was also the only unanimous choice on the coaches' five-player Big Ten All-Freshman Team, while claiming second-team All-Big Ten honors from both the coaches and media. An eight-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week, Markowski averaged a double-double each of the final five weeks of the regular season while helping the Huskers to a 11-4 record over the last 15 games.

• Jaz Shelley (Moe, Australia) joined Markowski on the All-Big Ten Second Team by both the coaches and media. The 5-9 first-year Husker was the only player in the Big Ten to rank among the top 20 in the league in all five major statistical categories - scoring (14th), rebounding (15th), assists (5th), steals (5th) and blocks (11th). Shelley was one of five players on the media's Big Ten All-Defensive Team. 

• Sam Haiby (Moorhead, Minn.) claimed All-Big Ten accolades for the second time by earning honorable-mention recognition from the coaches and media. A second-team All-Big Ten choice in 2020-21, Haiby continued to prove herself as one of the most versatile guards in the league, averaging 10.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.3 steals in her fourth year as a Husker. In the victory over Northwestern (Feb. 27), Haiby became the first Husker in history to achieve the combined career milestones of 1,000 points (1,361), 500 rebounds (526) and 400 assists (413).

• Isabelle Bourne (Canberra, Australia) joined Haiby on the coaches' honorable-mention All-Big Ten team. The 6-2 forward was also an honorable-mention choice last season. Bourne is surging down the stretch in 2021-22, averaging 14.1 points and 4.2 rebounds the past 10 games.

• Bella Cravens (Laie, Hawaii) completed Nebraska's conference honors by earning a Big Ten Sportsmanship Award for the second consecutive season. Cravens is averaging 6.0 points and 5.5 rebounds as one of NU's top players off the bench during the second half of the season. She started 15 games early in the year for the Big Red.

Huskers In the NCAA Tournament
• Nebraska will be making its 15th NCAA Tournament appearance and its ninth since 2007 (last 15 tournaments), while making its second appearance as a No. 8 seed. 

• The Huskers own eight all-time NCAA Tournament wins with their last coming in the first round over Fresno State at UCLA in 2014. The Huskers advanced to NCAA Sweet Sixteens in 2010 and 2013. 

• Nebraska earned the No. 8 seed for the first time in 2008, defeating No. 9 Xavier and then-head coach Kevin McGuff (Ohio State), 61-58, in College Park, Md.

• Nebraska is 2-3 all-time in the NCAA Tournament in 8/9 games, with all three losses by four points or less. Most recently, the Huskers dropped a 72-69 decision as the No. 9 seed to No. 8 Syracuse in Columbia, S.C., in the 2015 NCAA Tournament.    

• The Huskers were a No. 9 seed and lost 64-61 to No. 8 seed Temple and then-head coach Dawn Staley in Raleigh, N.C., in 2007 (the first of the last 15 overall NCAA tournaments).

• The Huskers have advanced to the NCAA Second Round on six occasions.

Huskers Chasing History
• The 2021-22 Huskers have put themselves in position to chase history by recording 24 wins. Another victory by Nebraska would move the Huskers into a tie for the third-most single-season victories (25) in school history.

• The last time Nebraska notched more than 21 wins came with a 26-7 season in 2013-14, when the Huskers won the Big Ten Conference Tournament championship in Indianapolis.

• Nebraska has produced its 18th 20-win season in program history in 2021-22 and its first since Coach Amy Williams led the Big Red to a 21-11 campaign in 2017-18, when she was named Big Ten Coach of the Year.

2021-22 Big Red Dominant at Pinnacle Bank Arena
• Nebraska tied a school record by winning 16 home games at Pinnacle Bank Arena in 2021-22. The Huskers finished 16-1, matching the 1997-98 (16-0), 2009-10 (16-0) and 2013-14 (16-2) teams for most home wins. Coach Amy Williams was a senior guard on Nebraska's 1997-98 team coached by 2022 Women's Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Paul Sanderford.

• Nebraska's 16 home wins matched UNLV for the most in NCAA Division I women's basketball this season. Only four other teams (NC State, Drexel, Albany, American) recorded 15 home wins entering the NCAA Tournament.

• The Huskers didn't just win at home, they won big, posting the largest home combined cumulative margin of victory in school history despite losing a game to Big Ten co-champion Iowa (Jan. 9). The 2021-22 Huskers produced a total victory margin of 429 points (25.2 ppg). The 2009-10 Huskers that earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and finished No. 3 in the AP final regular-season poll won their 16 games by a total of 388 points (24.3 ppg).

• Nebraska delivered double-digit margins in 15 of 16 home wins, including wins over top-10 Michigan (79-58) and Indiana (72-57) teams, with only Creighton falling by single digits (67-62).

• The Huskers also ranked No. 13 nationally in total attendance (76,317) and 17th in average home attendance (4,489) entering the NCAA Tournament..

Nebraska Numbers to Watch
• Nebraska's three wins over top-10 opponents represent the second time in school history the Huskers have posted multiple wins over top-10 teams in the same season, joining the 2009-10 campaign when NU recorded three top-10 victories.

• Through games March 13, the Huskers ranked among the top 25 teams nationally in 12 statistical categories, including scoring offense (8th, 78.5), assists (9th, 564), assists per game (10th, 17.6 apg), total rebounds (10th, 1,347), assist-to-turnover ratio (15th, 1.25), three-point field goals made (15th, 270), rebounds per game (16th, 42.1 rpg), scoring margin (18th, +14.3 ppg),  three-point field goals made per game (21st, 8.4 pg), three-point field goal percentage (22nd, .356), three-point field goal attempts (23rd, 759) and field goal percentage (25th, .448)

• Nebraska leads the Big Ten in scoring margin (+14.3 ppg), total rebounds (42.1 rpg), field goal percentage defense (.382) and three-point field goals made per game (8.4).

• Nebraska ranks eighth nationally in scoring offense with 78.5 points per game. The only time in the last 25 years NU has averaged more than 75 points per game in a season came in 2009-10 (77.4 ppg). That Husker team went unbeaten in the regular season, won the Big 12 regular-season title and advanced to Nebraska's first NCAA Sweet Sixteen as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.    

• Sophomore point guard Jaz Shelley has pulled down 200 total rebounds in 956 minutes this season. In two seasons (971 minutes) at Oregon (2019-20, 2020-21), the 5-9 Shelley totaled 70 rebounds.

• Shelley is the first Nebraska guard to get 200 total rebounds since Brandi Jeffery (209, 2014-15). The only other Husker guard to pull down 200 boards since the turn of the century was Keasha Cannon-Johnson (227, 2001-02; 251, 2003-04).

• Jaz Shelley leads Nebraska with 30 blocked shots in 31 games. She had six blocks in 55 games over two seasons at Oregon.

• In 32 games in 2021-22, Nebraska owns 236 steals - the most since Nebraska snagged 247 steals in 2012-13. Last season, the Huskers had just 120 steals in 26 games.

• Nebraska's minus-21 foul disparity (28-7) at Iowa (Jan. 16) marked the largest foul differential in program history (by NU or opponent) in 1,460 games over 48 seasons. It marked the first time in history that a Husker team held a negative foul differential of greater than 17. In NU's other 31 games this season, the Huskers own a positive foul differential of +0.8.

• Nebraska has hit 270 threes this season - the most in school history surpassing the 250 made threes in 2017-18 when the Huskers earned their last NCAA Tournament bid.

Scouting the Gonzaga Bulldogs
• Gonzaga enters its sixth NCAA Tournament under eighth-year Head Coach Lisa Fortier as the No. 9 seed in Louisville after winning the 2022 West Coast Conference Tournament title with a 71-59 victory over WCC regular-season champion BYU at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas (March 8).

• The Zags have won five straight games - all by double digits - heading into the NCAA Tournament, with their last loss coming at BYU (63-39) on Feb. 19. Gonzaga's only other loss in conference play came at the hands of the Cougars in Spokane, Wash., on Feb. 5 (62-50).

• Two of Gonzaga's other four losses on the year came to NCAA No. 1 seed and defending national champion Stanford, while the Bulldogs also suffered a 51-49 loss to Washington State (Dec. 8) and a 69-66 loss at UC Davis (Dec. 19).

• Like Nebraska, Gonzaga features a balanced lineup, led by WCC Tournament MVP Melody Kempton. The 6-1 senior forward from Post Falls, Idaho, is averaging team bests with 10.9 points and 6.3 rebounds. She scored 15 points in the WCC championship game win over BYU.

• Twins Kayleigh and Kaylynne Truong provide nearly identical numbers in the Bulldog backcourt. The guards from Houston, Texas, both average 10.8 points. Kayleigh leads the Zags with 111 assists while making 26 starts, while Kaylynne has added 108 assists in seven starts. Both have 30 steals on the year.

• Sophomore forward Yvonne Ejim, who averages 10.0 points and 5.6 rebounds per game off the bench, leads Gonzaga with 44 steals while ranking second on the team with 42 blocks.

• Cierra Walker, a redshirt senior transfer from Vanderbilt, has joined Melody Kempton in the starting five for all 32 games. Walker, a 5-8 guard from Oregon City, Ore., leads Gonzaga with 68 threes on 43.6 percent shooting while knocking down 91.2 percent (31-34) of her free throws. 

• Abby O'Connor, a 6-0 wing from South Bend, Ind., averages 6.5 points and 4.6 rebounds as a regular starter. O'Connor is a transfer from Loyola-Chicago. Anamaria Virjoghe rounds out Gonzaga's starting five by averaging 3.5 points and 5.6 rebounds, while leading the team with 43 blocks. Virjoghe is a redshirt senior from Romania who began her college career at NAIA Northwest Christian (2017-18).

• In addition to the Romanian Virjoghe, Gonzaga's roster includes players from England (Esther Little), the Netherlands (Maud Huijbens), Australia (Eliza Hollingsworth) and Canada (Yvonne Ejim).

• Gonzaga features a stingy defense that allows just 55.8 points per game, while holding opponents to just 27.1 percent three-point shooting and 36.9 percent success overall from the field. The Zags average 69.3 points per game and shoot 35.4 percent from three, while knocking down 77.2 percent of their free throws. Gonzaga owns a plus-10.4 rebound margin.

• While Gonzaga has appeared in each of the last five NCAA Tournaments that have been held dating back to 2017, the Bulldogs have earned just one tournament victory with a 68-51 win over No. 12 seed Little Rock in Corvallis, Ore., on March 23, 2019.

Nebraska vs. Gonzaga Series History
• Nebraska has faced Gonzaga once in school history, an 87-40 win over the Bulldogs in the season opener at the CableVision Classic on Nov. 24, 1995 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln. Current Nebraska Head Coach Amy (Gusso) Williams played one minute for the Huskers in that game, hitting a three-pointer - the second of her career. Two-time WNBA All-Star Anna DeForge led Nebraska with 22 points, eight rebounds and five assists.

• The 1995-96 Huskers advanced to the NCAA Tournament under Head Coach Angela Beck.

Huskers Ready for Rock Chalk Challenge

The Nebraska softball team (15-9) is set for the Rock Chalk Challenge in Lawrence, Kan., March 18-20. The Huskers will face three opponents in five games over the weekend.

On Saturday, March 19, NU will face Tulsa at 10 a.m. CT. Following game one, Nebraska will take on South Dakota at 12:30 p.m. CT.

On Sunday, March 20, the Huskers will face the Coyotes at 10 a.m. CT followed by a 12:30 p.m. CT matchup with the Golden Hurricane.

NU was originally set to take on Kansas as well, but due to weather, the schedule was condensed to two days.

The Huskers are coming off of a 4-3 record in California, claiming wins against Cal State Fullerton, Sacramento State, Boston University and Long Beach State. NU fell to No. 25 Central Florida and San Diego.

Scouting the Opponents
Tulsa (8-14) is coming off of a 2-2 weekend at the Texas Tech Invitational picking up two wins against Texas A&M - Corpus Christi and falling to Texas Tech twice. The Golden Hurricane has faced two ranked opponents this season. In the first weekend of the season, Tulsa faced the then No. 19 Louisiana, falling 8-0. At the Texas Classic, the Golden Hurricane faced No. 23 Texas, dropping the first game 14-1 and the second game 5-1.

South Dakota (13-7) is coming off of a 1-3 weekend a the Memphis Tournament, picking up a win against Memphis, but falling to Central Arkansas, Southeastern Louisiana and Memphis. The Coyotes were set to face No. 10 Oklahoma State, but the game was canceled due to snow and frigid temperatures. The Coyotes have faced one ranked opponent this season. At the Bearkat Classic, South Dakota took on then-ranked No. 25 Wichita State, winning 3-0.

Huskers Welcome Texas A&M-Corpus Christi this Weekend

NEBRASKA vs. TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI
March 18-20, 2022
Hawks Field | Lincoln, Neb.
 
Friday, March 18 – 6:35 p.m.
Pitching: LHP Kyle Perry (0-2) vs. RHP Tyler Miller (0-0)
TV/Streaming: B1G+
Radio: Huskers Radio Network – Lincoln (1400 AM), Omaha (590 AM), Huskers.com, Huskers App
 
Saturday, March 19 – 2:05 p.m.
Pitching: RHP Shay Schanaman (1-2) vs. Hayden Thomas (2-1)
TV/Streaming: B1G+
Radio: Huskers Radio Network – Lincoln (1400 AM), Omaha (590 AM), Huskers.com, Huskers App
 
Sunday, March 20 – 12:05 p.m.
Pitching: TBD vs. Leo Perez (1-1)
TV/Streaming: B1G+
Radio: Huskers Radio Network – Lincoln (1400 AM), Omaha (590 AM), Huskers.com, Huskers App
 
Nebraska continues its 10-game stretch at home, welcoming Texas A&M-Corpus Christi for a three-game series on Friday-Sunday, March 18-20 at Hawks Field.
 
First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 6:35 p.m., followed by a 2:05 p.m. start on Saturday and a 12:05 p.m. first pitch on Sunday.
 
All three games of this weekend's games will be broadcast live on B1G+. Fans can also listen to Greg Sharpe and Ben McLaughlin call all the action this weekend on the Huskers Radio Network. This weekend's games will be carried on KLIN (1400 AM) in Lincoln and KXSP (590 AM) in Omaha. Every game this season can be heard for free on Huskers.com and the Official Nebraska Huskers App for both iOS and Android devices.
 
Last Time Out
Nebraska swept a two-game midweek series vs. New Mexico State this week. The Huskers jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the second on Tuesday, while posting a 12-6 win over the Aggies. Dawson McCarville tossed six one-hit innings, while garnering a career-high 10 strikeouts. NMSU held a 5-2 lead after seven innings before the Huskers climbed back with two runs in the eighth and ninth innings. The Huskers had a 6-5 win on Wednesday after a walk-off RBI single by Efry Cervantes in the bottom of the ninth.
 
3/15: Nebraska 12, New Mexico State 6
3/16: Nebraska 6, New Mexico State 5
 
Next Up
Nebraska is set for a midweek matchup against South Dakota State on Wednesday, March 23 at Hawks Field. First pitch between the Huskers and Jackrabbits is set for 6:35 p.m.
 
Scouting the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders
• Texas A&M Corpus-Christi enters the weekend with a 10-9 record after falling to No. 21 TCU and Tarleton State on Tuesday and Wednesday night on the road.

• Brendan Ryan leads the Islanders at the plate, hitting .384 with seven doubles, a triple, two home runs and 10 RBI on the season. Brandon Petkoff is .318 at the plate with three doubles, two homers and 12 RBI, while Max Puls has two homers and a team-high 16 RBI.

• Tyler Miller is 0-0 on the season in four starts, posting a 5.09 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 17.2 innings. Hayden Thomas has a 2-1 record with a 4.29 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 21 innings in five starts this season. In five starts, Leo Perez is 1-1 and has totaled 16 strikeouts in 20 innings with a 4.95 ERA.

• As a team, the Islanders are hitting .271 with 162 hits, 29 doubles, nine triples, 12 home runs and 112 runs. the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi pitching staff has a team ERA of 4.95, while allowing 108 runs, 88 earned, and striking out 152 strikeouts in 160 innings.

• Head coach Scott Malone is in his 15th season at the helm of the Islander program and holds a career record of 358-403.
 
The Series
• Nebraska leads the all-time series over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 3-0.

• In their last meeting, the Huskers posted a 7-1 win over the Islanders in Corpus Christi on Feb. 25, 2012.
 
Leading Off
• Garrett Anglim is hitting a team-best .355 at the plate, followed by Colby Gomes (.324) and Luke Jessen (.317).

• Griffin Everitt leads the Huskers with four home runs and 13 RBI this season is tied for second on the team with 11 runs.

• Brice Matthews has a team-high four doubles and 12 runs scored and is a perfect 7-for-7 in stealing bases this season.

• Emmett Olson has made a team-high seven appearances on the mound this season, followed by Tyler Martin and Mason Ornelas with six and five appearances, respectively.

• As a team, Nebraska is hitting .256 with 134 hits, 23 doubles, five triples, 10 homers and 78 runs.

• The Husker pitching staff has a team ERA of 4.10, while allowing 77 runs, 61 earned, and striking out 132 in 134 innings.
 
Home Sweet Home
• Nebraska is in the middle of a 10-game homestand at Hawks Field after playing three home games earlier this week.

• With the 6-5 walk-off victory against New Mexico State on Wednesday, the Huskers improved to 18-6 in home games under head coach Will Bolt.

• The Big Red went 10-5 last season at Hawks Field after going 5-1 in the 2020 campaign before the season was canceled due to COVID-19.

Huskers Fall in California Doubleheader

The Nebraska beach volleyball team dropped a pair of matches on Thursday in Northridge, California. The Huskers opened the day by falling 3-2 to Cal State Northridge and finished the day with a 4-1 loss to Concordia University-Irvine.

The Huskers are now 5-11 on the season.

Against CSUN, Bekka Allick and Lexi Rodriguez were winners as NU's No. 3 pair, 17-21, 21-18, 15-0 (forfeit). Nicklin Hames and Whitney Lauenstein were 21-18, 19-21, 15-13 winners in the No. 5 spot, and Kayla Caffey and Anni Evans picked up an exhibition win, 22-20, 21-10.

In the second  match of the day, Hames and Lauenstein were victorious again with a 21-19, 21-13 win over Concordia University-Irvine's No. 5 pairing.

The Huskers continue play in California on Friday with matches against CSUN (1 p.m. CT) and The Master's University (3 p.m. CT). 

CSUN 3, Nebraska 2
1. Lauren Eknoian/Emily Sparks (CSUN) def. Kenzie Knuckles/Madi Kubik (NEB) 22-20, 21-10
2. Mikaela Maughan/Seyvion Waggoner (CSUN) def. Keonilei Akana/Ally Batenhorst (NEB) 21-13, 21-16
3. Bekka Allick/Lexi Rodriguez (NEB) def. Darbi Honeycutt/True McCullough (CSUN) 17-21, 21-18, 15-0 (forfeit)
4. Kailey Klein/Victoria Rogers (CSUN) def. Hayden Kubik/Lindsay Krause (NEB) 17-21, 21-16, 15-13
5. Nicklin Hames/Whitney Lauenstein (NEB) def. Abbey Sweeting/Jadin Williams (CSUN) 21-18, 19-21, 15-13
Exh. Kayla Caffey/Anni Evans (NEB) def. Layla Cederlind/Madison Klungel (CSUN), 22-20, 21-10
Order of Finish: 2,4,1,5,3

Concordia University-Irvine 4, Nebraska 1
1. Hannah Phair/Vanessa Bernzen (CUI) def. Kenzie Knuckles/Madi Kubik (NEB), 16-21, 21-17, 15-8
2. Hailee Ryan/Sara Ostijic (CUI) def. Lexi Rodriguez/Bekka Allick (NEB), 21-18, 21-12
3. Ellie Cary/Bella Bush (CUI) def. Ally Batenhorst/Keonilei Akana (NEB), 12-21, 21-12, 15-11
4. Tatum Smith/Shannon Evans (CUI) def. Lindsay Krause/Hayden Kubik (NEB), 16-21, 21-18, 15-12
5. Whitney Lauenstein/Nicklin Hames (NEB) def. Olivia Highstreet/Eva Prewit (CUI), 21-19, 21-13
Order of finish: 2,4,5,3,1

Four Huskers Advance in NCAA Quarterfinals

Detroit – Ridge Lovett, Mikey Labriola, Eric Schultz and Christian Lance advance to the 2022 NCAA Championship quarterfinals after claiming victories in their respective second round matches on Thursday evening. All eight qualifying Nebraska wrestlers remain alive as the team ends the first day in seventh place with 14.5 points. 

Lovett (149) was the first Husker to secure his spot in Friday's quarterfinals, defeating Campbell's #7 Joshua Heil by decision, 8-1. Lovett scored a takedown and four nearfall points in Period 2 to hold the 4-1 advantage. In the final period, Lovett recorded four more points en route to his first quarterfinal appearance. 

Labriola (174) will make his third NCAA Championship quarterfinal as he advanced with a 3-2 decision over Purdue's #25 Gerrit Nijenhuis. The conference rematch went in favor of Labriola this time as the junior scored three points in Period 2 to secure the win. 

Schultz (197) also earned a spot in the quarterfinals as he defeated #14 Greg Bulsak of Rutgers. The pair wrestled a scoreless first period before Schultz tallied a takedown in each of the final two periods to claim the 4-3 victory by decision. 

Rounding out the group as the fourth and final Husker to qualify for the quarterfinals was Lance at heavyweight. Lance faced Air Force's #5 Wyatt Hendrickson in the Round of 16 and the two were tied 0-0 after Period 1. The senior then scored first in the second period with an escape and tallied two takedowns in the third on his way to the 5-4 decision. 

Chad Red Jr., Peyton Robb and Taylor Venz fell in their respective second round bouts, but will wrestle back through the consolation bracket on Friday. Red Jr. (141) managed to come from behind and tie up his match with a pair of takedowns in Period 3 but was unable to come out on top in overtime against #3 Sebastian Rivera of Rutgers. Robb (157) held the 5-4 advantage over Lehigh's #7 Josh Humphreys to start the final two minutes, but Humphreys attacked late and grabbed the 8-5 decision. At 184, Venz fell to Ohio State's #7 Kaleb Romero, 5-1. Venz scored first with an escape in Period 2 before Romero scored five-straight points to send the Husker to wrestlebacks. 

Bubba Wilson (165) ended the night by advancing in the consolation bracket. Wilson earned a 3-1 decision over Gardner-Webb's #22 Rodrick Mosley in the first consolation round, scoring a takedown and an escape to earn his first win of the day.

Session III quarterfinals and consolation matches get started Friday at 10 a.m. (CT). Semifinals will be contested starting at 7 p.m. (CT). 
 

2022 NCAA Championships 
Detroit, Mich. | Little Caesar's Arena  
Individual Results – Sessions I and II

141 pounds: #19 Chad Red Jr. (1-1)
First Round: #19 Chad Red Jr. (NEB) dec. #14 Dresden Simon (CMU), 6-5
Second Round: #3 Sebastian Rivera (RUT) dec. #19 Chad Red Jr. (NEB), SV-1 7-6

149 pounds: #10 Ridge Lovett (2-0)
First Round: #10 Ridge Lovett (NEB) dec. #23 Jaden Abas (STAN), 4-2
Second Round: #10 Ridge Lovett (NEB) dec. #7 Joshua Heil (CAMP), 8-1

157 pounds: #10 Peyton Robb (1-1)
First Round: #10 Peyton Robb (NEB) pinned #23 Markus Hatman (ARMY) (1:51)
Second Round: #7 Josh Humphreys (LEH) dec. #10 Peyton Robb (NEB), 8-5

165 pounds: #27 Bubba Wilson (1-1)
First Round: #6 Cameron Amine (MICH) dec. #27 Bubba Wilson (NEB), 3-1
Cons. First Round: #27 Bubba Wilson (NEB) dec. #22 Rodrick Mosley (GW), 3-1

174 pounds: #9 Mikey Labriola (2-0) 
First Round: #9 Mikey Labriola (NEB) dec. #24 Joel Devine (ISU). 5-2
Second Round: #9 Mikey Labriola (NEB) dec. #25 Gerrit Nijenhuis (PUR), 3-2

184 pounds: #10 Taylor Venz (1-1)
First Round: #10 Taylor Venz (NEB) dec. #23 Travis Stefanik (PRIN), 9-2
Second Round: #7 Kaleb Romero (OHST) dec. #10 Taylor Venz (NEB), 5-1

197 pounds: #3 Eric Schultz (2-0)
First Round: #3 Eric Schultz (NEB) maj. dec. #30 Cole Urbas (PENN), 15-6
Second Round: #3 Eric Schultz (NEB) dec. #14 Greg Bulsak (RUT), 4-3

285 pounds: #12 Christian Lance (2-0)
First Round: #12 Christian Lance (NEB) dec. #21 Tyrie Houghton (NCST), 3-2
Second Round: #12 Christian Lance (NEB) dec. #5 Wyatt Hendrickson (AF), 5-4
 

Team Results (Top 10)

1 Penn State 27.5
2 Arizona State 22.0
3 NC State 21.5
4 Michigan 21.0
5 Iowa 20.5
6 Northern Iowa 15.0
7 Nebraska 14.5
7 Virginia Tech 14.5
9 Cornell 14.0
9 Oregon State 14.0

Haebig Notches Top 24 Finish on Friday

Atlanta, Ga. -- During the fourth session at the 2022 NCAA Championships, Autumn Haebig earned a spot in the Top 24 200 freestyle swimmers nationwide, clocking a 1:45.69 to place 23rd.

This marks the second completed event in Haebig's freestyle trifecta at the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta. On Thursday morning, the fifth-year senior from Wisconsin posted a season-best 500 freestyle time of 4:43.46 to move up 19 spots from her seeded finish and place 28th.

The action wraps up on Saturday as Haebig will compete in the 100 freestyle prelims at 9 a.m. (CT), with hopes of earning a spot in the finals on Saturday evening. Live video coverage will be provided by ESPN3 and live stats are available through the Meet Mobile app.

Stivrins Makes Athletes Unlimited Pro Debut

Former Nebraska volleyball All-American Lauren Stivrins made her professional volleyball debut this week with Athletes Unlimited. 

Stivrins had eight kills, four blocks and three service aces to lead Team De La Cruz to a 68-59 (25-13, 18-25, 25-21) victory over Team McClendon on Wednesday at Fair Park Coliseum in Dallas. The middle blocker earned MVP 1 honors while hitting .250 in the victory and producing four of the team's seven blocks. 

Athletes Unlimited tracks individual player points throughout the season based on wins, stats and MVP honors. After one match played, Stivrins ranks second in the league with 308 total points, trailing only Karsta Lowe's 357 points. 

Stivrins and Team De La Cruz will play again on Friday at 8:30 p.m. CT on FS2.