The Nebraska volleyball program announced its top-ranked recruiting class according to PrepVolleyball.com on National Letter of Intent Signing Day on Wednesday. 

Head Coach John Cook and the Huskers secured the signings of five prospects, all ranked in the top 13 nationally by PrepVolleyball.com. The 2023 signing class includes outside hitter Harper Murray (No. 2 overall), setter Bergen Reilly (No. 4 overall), libero Laney Choboy (No. 5 overall), opposite hitter Caroline Jurevicius (No. 7 overall) and middle blocker Andi Jackson (No. 13 overall). 

Led by assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Jaylen Reyes, the Huskers have now signed the No. 1 class twice in the last three years, and they had the second-ranked class last year. 

"The class of 2023 is a special class," Cook said. "We fill our needs at every position, and they all have very high-level international experience representing the USA. The bonds they formed on those teams have run deep and they all plan to start school in January. All five of them are also exceptional students. We have been inspired being around them as they have big goals and they 'Dream Big'. This group of athletes are super competitive, fun to watch, and they will raise the level of our gym. I want to thank Kelly Hunter and Jaylen Reyes for their hard work on this class, along with all the people at Nebraska who work with our program. This is why we say, 'There is No Place Like Nebraska.'"

All five signees will enroll at Nebraska in January, and all five have been chosen to play in the 2022 Under Armour All-America Game. The signing class already has experience playing with each other and with current Huskers. Choboy, Jackson, Murray and Reilly all played on the U.S. Girls U19 Team that won gold at the Pan American Cup this summer in Tulsa, Okla. Reilly was the tournament MVP and Best Setter, while Murray was the Best Spiker and Choboy was the Best Receiver. Nebraska freshman Maggie Mendelson was also on the team, giving the Huskers five of the 13 roster spots. 

In 2021, Choboy, Jurevicius, Murray and Reilly joined Mendelson and Bekka Allick on the U.S. Girls U18 Team that took home the bronze medal from the FIVB World Championships in Mexico. 

2023 Nebraska Volleyball Signing Class
Laney Choboy, 5-3, Libero, Raleigh, N.C. (Leesville Road)
• Ranked No. 5 overall and the No. 1 libero by PrepVolleyball.com
• Won gold with the U.S. Girls U19 Team at the 2022 Pan American Cup and was named the Best Receiver at the tournament
• Competed on the U.S. Girls U18 Team at the 2021 FIVB World Championships, earning the bronze medal
• Selected to play in the 2022 Under Armour All-America Game 
• Attends Leesville Road High School in Raleigh, N.C.
• Playing as a hitter for her high school team, averaging a team-best 3.6 kills per set and 4.3 digs per set as a senior in 2022
• Plays club volleyball for NC VB Academy and was a three-time club MVP

Cook Quote
"Laney was a very recent addition to our class, but she's a very important addition. All of our best teams the last eight years have had two great liberos on our roster. As a top-five recruit and the No. 1 libero in this class, once Laney decided to re-open her recruiting, we jumped at the chance to get her to Lincoln. She has played with the rest of her classmates the past couple summers on the U.S. Under 18 and 19 Teams as the starting libero. As a solid serve receiver and an elite defender, Laney will come in and compete for a spot on the court. Her competitiveness and work ethic will be contagious to the rest of our team."

Caroline Jurevicius, 6-2, Opposite Hitter, Chardon, Ohio (Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin)
• Ranked No. 7 overall and the No. 1 opposite hitter by PrepVolleyball.com
• Competed on the U.S. Girls U18 Team at the 2021 FIVB World Championships, earning the bronze medal
• Selected to play in the 2022 Under Armour All-America Game 
• Attends Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin High School in Chardon, Ohio
• Averaging 4.7 kills per set with a .350 hitting percentage as a senior in 2022, along with 157 digs, 31 blocks and 26 service aces
• Led Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin to the Ohio DII state championship match as a sophomore in 2020
• Plays club volleyball for AVC
• Father is Joe Jurevicius, who was a Super Bowl champion wide receiver with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002 

Cook Quote
"Caroline is one of the best opposites in this class. In recruiting, finding a player who can play opposite at an international level can be difficult. Caroline played on the U.S. Under 18 Team that went to the World Championships in 2021, so she brings invaluable international experience as well. Having a mom who was a college track star and a father who played in the NFL, CJ has the physicality to be an international level opposite, and we are excited that she chose to be a Husker so we can help her achieve her goals. She brings a physicality that will instantly raise the level of our program and we expect her to push to play once she gets to Lincoln."

Andi Jackson, 6-3, Middle Blocker, Brighton, Colo. (Brighton)
• Ranked No. 13 overall and the No. 3 middle blocker by PrepVolleyball.com
• Won gold with the U.S. Girls U19 Team at the 2022 Pan American Cup
• Selected to play in the 2022 Under Armour All-America Game 
• Attends Brighton High School in Brighton, Colo. 
• As a senior in 2022, averaging 3.4 kills per set with a .382 hitting percentage
• Leading the Bulldogs with 63 service aces and 194 digs
• Played club volleyball for The Diff 
• A standout athlete, qualified for the USATF National Championships in the long jump at age 10

Cook Quote
"Andi comes from a family of elite athletes. Her mom was a high jumper and her dad played hockey in Alaska where she was born. Andi is a once-in-a-decade type of athlete and has only gotten more and more physical the older she's gotten. She played outside hitter for both her club and high school teams but has spent time as a middle blocker with the U.S. Under 19 Team this summer. We discovered Andi when Christina Houghtelling sent me a video of her as she was giving her lessons and told me she could be a special player for Nebraska, but we would have to work to get her. What is so interesting is she reminds me a lot of Christina and has tons of potential for development just like Christina did. Andi is a fun player who works hard and does it all with a smile. We expect her to come in and make a big impact on our team from day one and compete hard for playing time."

Harper Murray, 6-2, Outside Hitter, Ann Arbor, Mich. (Skyline)
• Ranked No. 2 overall and the No. 2 outside hitter by PrepVolleyball.com
• Won gold with the U.S. Girls U19 Team at the 2022 Pan American Cup and received the Best Spiker award at the tournament
• Had 13 kills and two blocks in the 3-0 win over Brazil in the championship match 
• Competed on the U.S. Girls U18 Team at the 2021 FIVB World Championships, earning the bronze medal
• Selected to play in the 2022 Under Armour All-America Game 
• Named an AVCA High School First-Team All-American
• Attends Skyline High School in Ann Arbor, Mich.
• As a senior in 2022, averaging 6.0 kills per set with a .410 hitting percentage 
• Leading the Eagles with 73 aces and 372 digs
• Older sister, Kendall Murray, is a junior outside hitter at Michigan 
• Plays club volleyball for Legacy
• Won the AAU U16 National Championship with Legacy in 2021

Cook Quote
"We have recruited Harper for a very long time, going back to when she was 13 years old. From a young age she has been one of the top six-rotation outside hitters in this class. Coming from a Big Ten family (her late father, Vada, played football at Michigan and her sister currently plays volleyball at Michigan), she understands and thrives in a space where there are high expectations. Harper has played on the U.S. Under 18 and Under 19 Teams the past couple of summers, so she is coming to Lincoln with some valuable international experience. We expect Harper to come in right away and push to be a six-rotation outside hitter from the day she steps on campus."

Bergen Reilly, 6-1, Setter, Sioux Falls, S.D. (O'Gorman)
• Ranked No. 4 overall and the No. 1 setter by PrepVolleyball.com
• Won gold with the U.S. Girls U19 Team at the 2022 Pan American Cup and was named MVP and Best Setter of the tournament
• Competed on the U.S. Girls U18 Team at the 2021 FIVB World Championships, earning the bronze medal
• Was called up to the U.S. Women's National Team in September of 2022 for the Pan Am Final Six and appeared in 11 sets and made two starts to help the Americans earn the silver medal
• Selected to play in the 2022 Under Armour All-America Game
• Named an AVCA High School First-Team All-American 
• Attends O'Gorman High School in Sioux Falls, S.D.
• Is a two-time South Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year after leading O'Gorman to back-to-back Class AA state championships in 2020 and 2021
• As a senior outside hitter for the Knights, leads the team with 4.6 kills per set with a .307 hitting percentage, as well as 55 service aces and 258 digs
• Plays club volleyball for Kairos 

Cook Quote
"Bergen is from Sioux Falls and is the top-ranked setter in this class. She has a ton of high-level experience playing on the U.S. Under 18 and 19 Teams, where she won Best Setter and Tournament MVP at the Pan Am Cup this summer. She also got to compete with the U.S. National Team in the Dominican Republic, which is extremely rare for a high school player to be called up to the senior national team. Not only is Bergen a phenomenal technical setter, but what sets her apart is her demeanor on the court. She has a very calm presence and is a great leader. The setter position requires a lot of intangible skills, and we can see those in Bergen. We expect her to be the leader and glue of our 2023 class and to fight for the starting setter position next fall."

Whipple Details Offensive Philosophy

Nebraska Offensive Coordinator Mark Whipple met with members of the media following Wednesday's practice. He started by providing an update on the quarterback situation.

"Casey (Thompson) has gotten better, a lot better," Whipple said. " Logan (Smothers) and Chubba (Purdy), I've seen a little more confidence in those guys compared to last week, just handling things better. See where everybody is at tomorrow afternoon. Casey has played enough that you can get him ready quicker. He's mentally there, been in the meetings. The two other guys got some game action, so I feel better about it."

He explained what his message has been to the quarterbacks this week and touched on Michigan.

"Sometimes you gotta get a message across. They've been really good. We have a good room, those guys have been a lot of fun to be around," he said. "I've seen them learn, seen them grow and take steps forward. This is the biggest step of their career. Going into Michigan is no easy task. This kind of game, you hope you don't have to motivate somebody as much. You look at (Michigan's) numbers, how they play. They're fast, physical and have a solid scheme they believe in and play with a lot of confidence. We've gotta, far and away, put our best game together on offense. If we execute, operate at a good level then we will have a good chance to see where this goes."

He expanded on his overall offensive philosophy and how he calls each game.

"It still comes down to you got to score more points. I would've been satisfied if we won 21-20. I don't care if we win 3-2. You gotta look at the scoreboard and play it off the way it was that way. We weren't as aggressive in the end of the half last week. Up 10-0, said hey we want to get out of here. Against Purdue, we went thirty seconds down the field. That comes down to your personnel and where you're at by looking at the scoreboard. If you're down 20-10, you may look to go for some things. Same with score with third down calls and if you are going to have two plays. Each game is its own story, that's the beauty of football."

Nebraska visits the big house when they take on 3rd ranked Michigan on Saturday, November 12. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. (CT) and radio coverage will provided by the Husker Radio Network on 98.7 FM (in Sidney) newschannelnebraska.com, and the free NCN app.

Huskers Gymnastics Adds Six to 2023 Signing Class

The Nebraska men's gymnastics team added six gymnasts to the 2023 signing class. Head Coach Chuck Chmelka received six national letters of intent from Luke James, Anthony Koppie, Chase Mondi, Alex Nitache, Max Odden, and Cole Partridge. 

Luke James comes to Nebraska all the way from Cape Town, South Africa, where he trained at City Of Birmingham Gymnastics Club under coach Lee Woolls. James competed in the British Team Championships, where the honors of taking first-place and being named champions were received. James will join the Huskers in January 2023 and compete with Nebraska this season. 

Anthony Koppie, a native of Fayetteville, Georgia, is set to join the Huskers after training at Roswell Gymnastics leading up to his commitment to the Big Red. Koppie is a six-time national qualifier and competed in the 2022 U.S. Gymnastics Championships. As a two-time Junior Olympic national championship competitor, Koppie earned a sixth-place finish on vault in 2021.

Chase Mondi will join the Cornhuskers from Lawrence, Kansas, after training under coach Mike Thomas and Steve Glickley at Emerald City Gymnastics. Mondi was a 2021 National Champion on floor, a four-time level ten Kansas State Champion in the all-around, 2021 all-around regional champion, and a 2022 Elite Team Cup Champion on vault. Mondi also is a four-time Academic All-American, in addition to being a two-time Region Three Elite team member.

Alex Nitache is set to join the 2023 signing class, a native of Knoxville, Tennessee, where he trained under Matt Henry at Gymtek Academy. Nitache qualified for the 2022 National U.S. Championships, where he prevailed to finish second in the all-around, and finished in first on vault in the competition. Nitache is also a two-time national team member, along with a 2021 U.S. National Champion.

Max Odden will join Nebraska next year from Scottsdale, Arizona. Odden competed for North Valley Gymnastics under coach Travis Rainer. Odden competed in the 2022 U.S. Gymnastics Championships, where he notched a fifth-place finish on still rings. At the 2022 Elite Team Cup, Odden earned first team honors. He also qualified for the 2022 Winter Cup in Frisco, Texas.

Cole Partridge, a native from Bountiful, Utah, is set to compete for NU during the 2023-24 season. Partridge competed under coach Adam Jacobs at USA Gymnastics World. Partridge finished third on pommel horse and fifth in the all-around at the 2021 U.S. Gymnastics Championships. Partridge qualified for the 2022 Winter Cup and competed at the 2021 Men's Development Program National Championships, where he finished second on floor and third in the all-around.

Brink Welcomes Four Gymnastics Signees

Head Coach Heather Brink is excited to announce the addition of four future Husker gymnasts to the 2023 women's gymnastics signing class. 

Olivia Burns (Blue Springs, Mo.), Whitney Jencks (Madison, S.D.), Jenna Sarotretto (Georgetown, Ont., Canada), and Isabel Sikon (San Antonio, Texas) have signed their letters of intent and will join the roster for Nebraska's women's gymnastics 2023-24 season. 

"We are excited about the class of 2023, and I look forward to them joining us in Lincoln and becoming part of the Husker family," Brink said. "Each brings their own unique strengths that will add depth to our team. I have no doubt their experience, skill level and passion will make an impact on Nebraska Gymnastics." 

Olivia Burns, Blue Springs, Missouri 
Olivia Burns is a level 10 gymnast training at Xtreme Gymnastics in Lees Summit, Mo. under coach Alisha Robinson. She is a two-time Nationals qualifier and finished 11th in the all-around competition in 2022. She claimed the vault title at Regionals in 2021 as well as a fourth-place finish in the all-around. Burns was the Missouri state champion on beam in 2021 and the all-around champion in 2022. 

The daughter of Brian and Karen Burns, Olivia was born on July 2, 2005. She has two sisters, Kyra and Mia. Olivia intends on majoring in sports media and communications at Nebraska. 

Burns on Nebraska: "I chose Nebraska because it felt like the place I could call my home away from home. I knew the resources offered could set me up to thrive in academics and athletics while also setting me up for success after college. The team and coaches in the gymnastics program were so welcoming, and I knew I could call them a second family." 

Whitney Jencks, Madison, South Dakota 
Whitney Jencks is a level 10 gymnast training at Twin City Twisters in Champlin, Minn.. Jencks finished fourth on floor and seventh in the all-around at the 2022 National Championships. She added a sixth-place finish on floor at the 2021 National Championships. 

Jencks is from Madison, South Dakota, and attends Madison High School. 

The daughter of David and Rachael Jencks, Whitney was born on July 22, 2005. She has three sisters, Marissa, Ainsley and Audrey, and two brothers, Ryan and Tyler. 

Jencks on Nebraska: "I chose Nebraska because of this amazing team atmosphere, and I loved the coaching staff. The resources and opportunities that Nebraska offers for academics and athletics is exceptional." 

Jenna Sarotretto, Georgetown, Ontario, Canada
Jenna Sarotretto is a senior international elite gymnast from Georgetown, Ontario, Canada, training at Futures Gymnastics under coaches Lawson Hamer and Kim White. She is a three-time Canadian National Team member. 

The daughter of Marc Sartoretto, Jackie Ferrell and the late Denis Strasbourg, Jenna was born on April 29, 2005. She has two sisters, Daniella and Julia. She intends on majoring in animal science at Nebraska.  

Sarotretto on Nebraska: "I chose Nebraska because of the team atmosphere and the incredible unlimited support given to student athletes. There is truly no place like Nebraska!" 

Isabel Sikon, San Antonio, Texas 
Isabel Sikon is a level 10 gymnast training at Mavericks Gymnastics under coaches Steve Arkell and Gaby Avilez-Arkell. She is a three-time National Qualifier and finished 10th on vault in 2021. In 2019, Sikon was an all-around finalist at the Youth Olympic Games. 

The daughter of Marcin and Elizabeth Sikon, Isabel was born on Sept. 20, 2004. She has two sisters, Mariah and Abigail. Isabel is from San Antonio, Texas, and intends on majoring in advertising and public relations at Nebraska.  

Sikon on Nebraska: "I chose Nebraska because of the amazing support system and culture within the gymnastics program. Heather and Brian never failed to make me feel welcomed and appreciated. I am really looking forward to utilizing the top notch facilities and endless opportunities. The morals and values that the University and gymnastics program hold was the icing on the cake." 

Huskers Add Two Time All-Conference Golfer Rhett Hughes

Nebraska head coach Judd Cornell announced the signing of two-time COAC Conference All-American Rhett Hughes Wednesday afternoon. Hughes is the sole commitment of Cornell's first recruiting class. 

Hughes comes to Nebraska from Edmond, Oklahoma and attends Edmond Santa Fe High School, where he will graduate in the spring of 2023. Hughes is coming off a stellar junior season, where he placed runner up at the Oklahoma boy's junior amateur. He also placed 3rd at the Red River Challenge which consists of the top juniors in Texas and Oklahoma.

"It's been great getting to know Rhett and he's going to be a fantastic fit to our program," Cornell said. "He will have a great opportunity to play immediately and really grow as a player. He's shown that he can compete with some of the top juniors in the country on multiple occasions and I'm really excited for him because he's going to have a great career here."

Hughes chose Nebraska over Grand Canyon University and Pacific. When asked about why he chose Nebraska, he said "it's closer to home, it's a higher level of competition, and I've always loved Lincoln and its environment," he said. "I've always wanted to play in a Power 5 conference."

Hughes also placed fourth at the AJGA GreatLife Junior Challenge along with finishing 10th at the Oklahoma 6A-1 State Championships. 

Hughes will join a young and talented Nebraska roster in 2023-24 which currently consists of six first year players: Nicholas Canales, Quinn Yost, Davis Johnson, Evan McDermott, Grant Jabenis, and Harry Crockett.

Huskers to Finish Fall Season at FGCU Bonita Bay Classic

Fort Meyers, Fla. - The Nebraska men's tennis team travels to the bay area this weekend for the FGCU Bonita Bay Classic, Nov. 11-13. Matches will be played at the Bonita Bay Club in Fort Meyers, Fla., and will feature four Divison I teams competing in a head-to-head style format.

Nebraska begins play on Friday at 3:00 p.m. (CT) as it takes on Flordia Gulf Coast, the host school for the tournament. The Huskers then meet Memphis on Saturday morning at 11:30 a.m. (CT), and end the competition with a match against Virginia Tech on Sunday at 9:00 a.m. (CT). 

Seven Huskers will travel to the final tournament of the fall season, with Ilarion Danilchenko being the only one staying behind.

Roni Hietaranta is coming off a fabulous performance at the Big Ten Individual Championships, winning three-straight singles matches to earn a spot in the semifinals. The Lappeenranta, Finland native now boasts seven singles wins in the fall, the most of any Husker thus far. He has been victorious in seven of his first 10 matches this year and looks to finish the fall campaign strong this weekend.

Lars Johann had a strong outing at the Big Ten Individual Championships, rattling off three-straight singles victories in consolation play last weekend. In his first year of game action, the Saarbruecken, Germany native holds seven total wins, which ranks second most for the Big Red.

After not competing last weekend, Calvin Mueller returns to action fresh off a Round of 8 appearance at the ITA Regionals. Mueller held a five-match winning streak earlier this season, the longest of any Husker. Nic Wiedenhorn will also travel this weekend, boasting a 2-2 fall singles record with a win in each of his first two tournaments.

Rudi Christiansen, William Gleason and Shunya Maruyama round out the field for NU, combining for eight wins this season. Each took home a victory last weekend and will look to finish the 2022 fall campaign with some momentum for the spring. 

Revelle Welcomes Five Signees to Nebraska Softball

The Nebraska softball program added five talented student-athletes to its roster on Wednesday, announced Head Coach Rhonda Revelle. The 2023 signing class was ranked No. 18 accoding to Extra Inning Softball. 

Samantha Bland (Chino Hills, Calif.), Emmerson Cope (Topeka, Kan.), Elisa Gulfin (Brea, Calif.), Caitlin Olensky (Montville, N.J.), and Malia Thoms (Lincoln, Neb.) will join the Huskers next fall. 

"Our goal each year is to bring high character student-athletes that are wired to work to become the best they can be in the classroom, community, and on the playing field," Revelle said. 

"We believe this 2023 class checks all of those boxes. Along with being team-first players, these players have the talent and work ethic to keep this program moving in a positive direction and focusing on chasing excellence in everything we do. We are proud to welcome this group of high-level achievers." 

Samantha Bland, INF, R/R, Chino Hills, Calif. 
Samantha Bland, a native of Chino Hills, Calif., is a four-year varsity letterwinner and two-year captain for Chino Hills High School. She held a .424 batting average and led her team in RBIs and HRs last season. Bland, who is a two-time LA Times All-Star and First Team All-State selection, will play her senior season of high school softball in the spring. 

Bland plays club softball for Corona Angels under coach Marty Tyson. Bland helped the Corona Angels 16U team to an Alliance Fastpitch National Championship Runner-Up finish with coach Dena Slye. Bland was ranked a four-star athlete by OnDeck. 

The daughter of Damon and Daniela Bland, Samantha was born on January 29, 2005. She has one younger brother, Nico. Samantha has earned scholar-athlete honors for her academic success at Chino Hills High School.

"Samantha is a gifted athlete that has smooth hands, quick feet, and very good range in the middle infield," Revelle said. "She has great defensive instincts, and offensively, she is a strong hitter that can drive the ball out of the yard. We are so grateful that Samantha said yes to the Red Team as we know she will step in and be an impact player."

Bland on Nebraska: "I chose Nebraska because I wanted to learn from one of the best coaching staffs around, and I want to compete for a Big Ten Championship." 

Emmerson Cope, RHP, R/R, Topeka, Kansas
A pitcher and infielder ranked as the 26th overall recruit by Extra Innings Softball, Emmerson Cope joins the Huskers as a right-handed pitcher and offensive threat. She hit .457 with 21 doubles and 11 home runs in this summer's club softball season. Cope has been named to the Alliance All-Summer Team twice and earned Alliance HFL Player of the Year honors while playing for Ryan Taylor and Aces Fastpitch. 

Cope also earned First-Team All-State, First-Team All-City, First-Team All-Conference, and Conference Player of the Year honors while playing high school softball for Washburn Rural. 

The daughter of Wayne Cope and Laura Parker, Emmerson was born on July 23, 2005. She has two sisters, Bayleigh Cope and Logan Parker, and two brothers, Zach and Greyson Cope. Emmerson plans to major in communication sciences and disorders. 

"We are excited to have Emmerson don the scarlet and cream as she has elite power and is one of the hardest hitting players to come out of the entire 2023 class," Revelle said. "Her bat packs a punch. On the defensive side of the ball, Emmerson is a pitcher who is crafty on the mound with her mix of speeds, making it difficult for opponents to time her up." 

Cope on Nebraska: "I chose Nebraska because of the family atmosphere I experienced on day one with the coaches and the amazing opportunities the school provides for your  future." 

Elisa Gulfin, RHP, R/R, Brea, Calif. 
Elisa Gulfin, a Brea, Calif., native, joins the Huskers as a right-handed pitcher and a leader in the circle. Gulfin, who will play her senior season at Saint Paul High School this spring, is a two-time team captain. 

Gulfin plays club softball for the Corona Angels under coach Marty Tyson. 

The daughter of Erik and Michelle Gulfin, Elisa was born on Sept. 5, 2005. Elisa has been named to the Honor Roll and recognized as a high achieving scholar-athlete at Saint Paul. She intends to major in psychology. 

"Elisa is a right-handed pitcher who loves nothing more than competing in the circle," Revelle said. "Elisa, a fiery competitor, is motivated and driven to win and lead from the pitcher's mound. We are anxious to get her to Nebraska and working with Coach (Lori) Sippel where she will continue to grow, develop and shine as a Husker." 

Gulfin on Nebraska: "I chose Nebraska because the coaching staff on the softball team is unmatched. Nebraska has the best support in place to help me succeed, and I also get to play softball at an elite level." 

Caitlin Olensky, LHP, L/L, Montville, New Jersey
Caitlin Olensky, who was named No. 60 in the 2023 recruiting class by Extra Innings Softball, will play her final high school season this spring at Montville High School. Olensky will join the Huskers as a left-handed pitcher as well as an impactful player on offense. 

Olensky earned all-state honors last spring after finishing with a .469 batting average and 27 RBIs. In the circle, Olensky holds the single-season record for her high school after recording 252 strikeouts in 120 innings. She also tallied six no-hitters and finished the season with a 0.52 ERA. Olensky led her team to a conference championship and it's first ever county title. 

Caitlin was born on August 22, 2005 and is the daughter of James and Joann Olensky. She has one younger sister, Jaime, and one younger brother, Zack. She intends to major in psychology. 

"We are thrilled with the addition of Caitlin, as she is passionate about studying the game and intentional about working her talent," Revelle said. "A left-handed pitcher, Caitlin gets a lot of swings and misses, largely because of her tight spin with good movement. We believe Caitlin will be ready to take the circle for the Red Team and continue her winning ways."

Olensky on Nebraska: "I chose Nebraska because I fell in love with the coaches and the environment when I visited the campus." 

Malia Thoms, INF/OF, L/R, Lincoln, Neb. 
Malia Thoms is the No. 42-ranked recruit in the 2023 class by Extra Innings Softball and is from Lincoln, Neb. Thoms was a four-year starter at Waverly High School, earning conference honors every year and was named the offensive player of the year. 

Thoms plays club softball for Aces Fastpitch coached by Ryan Taylor. Last summer, Thoms tallied 17 home runs, 17 doubles, six triples and finished with a 1.203 OPS. 

The daughter of Dustin and Sena Thoms, Malia was born on Feb. 1, 2005. Malia has two brothers, Ridge and Hunter. She has been named to the Honor Roll and intends on majoring in elementary education. 

"A heart and soul person, Malia is an individual that only knows one way to do things, she gives her all," Revelle said. "Malia is ALL N. Malia is a homegrown Husker who takes a lot of pride in being the best she can be for the Red Team. A left-handed power hitter, look for Malia to step on the field at Bowlin Stadium ready to make an impact for the Cornhuskers." 

Thoms on Nebraska: "I chose Nebraska because I realized how important representing my home state would be, it is close to home and family, I am able watch my little brothers grow up, and lastly meeting all of the coaches and support staff, I knew this was my home away from home." 

Rifle Team Gets New Addition

The Nebraska Rifle team announced the addition of Charlotte (Charlie) Mick for the 2023-24 season on Wednesday. 

Mick hails from Colorado, where she attended Highland High School, then went to Colorado State University for college. She did not shoot at Colorado State, as they do not have a rifle program. She will have four years of eligibility with the Huskers.

Mick has earned various accomplishments throughout her career. She earned a silver medal at the Colorado State Junior Olympics in overall air rifle. She was also a 4-H state champion for multiple years. She came in third overall at the CMP Regionals and fifth overall at the Dixie Double Juniors competition. 

"Charlie is an exceptional fit for our team," said Head Coach Mindy Miles. "Charlie has been on the upswing the last year, and we are excited to see what she can add to our team. I know our team members are looking forward to the addition."

Mick will join the team in the fall of 2023.

Husker Soccer Welcomes Three Additions

The Nebraska women's soccer team welcomed three new players on Nov. 9. The group includes two athletes from Nebraska and one from New York.

Reese Borer
Lincoln, Neb. (Norris High School)
Gretna Elite Academy
Defender

Reese Borer played for Coach Arnold Talero and current Husker volunteer assistant Sam Areman at Norris High School. She led her team to two consecutive state championship appearances in 2021 and 2022. She was named Class B Super State Second-Team and Class B All-State in 2022. Additionally, she was Academic All-State and Second-Team All-Nebraska in 2022. Borer plays club for Gretna Elite Academy, where she is coached by Mitch Kavanagh. As part of her club team, she was named ECNL U18/19 First-Team Midwest All-Conference. She plans to major in pre-health at UNL.
 
Borer on Nebraska: "I chose Nebraska because I have watched former teammates enjoy and excel in the program. Getting to be a Nebraska soccer player and represent my community is something I take pride in, and I look forward to competing against high level teams in the Big 10 Conference."

Kayma Carpenter
Lincoln, Neb. (Lincoln East High School)
Gretna Elite Academy
Forward
 
Kayma Carpenter is the second native Nebraskan in this year's signing class as she hails from Lincoln East High School in Lincoln, Neb., where she is coached by Emily Mathews. Carpenter helped her team to both the 2021 state semifinals and the 2022 state playoffs. Individually, she was First-Team Super State and First-Team All-Nebraska in 2021 and 2022. During the club season, Carpenter plays for Coach Chad Gleckler at Gretna Elite Academy. She led the team to the 2021 and 2022 ECNL National Playoffs. Carpenter is also successful in the classroom, as she earned Academic All-State honors in 2022 and was a three-time scholar-athlete award winner. She plans to major in Elementary Education at UNL.
 
Carpenter on Nebraska: "I chose Nebraska because of the team chemistry and the family-like atmosphere that the coaches and players create. I am also super impressed with the academic support that the University provided for its student-athletes. I grew up watching Husker soccer and being a ball girl and can't wait to be a part of such an amazing program."

Ella Rudney
Grand Island, N.Y. (Grand Island Senior High School)
Western New York Flash
Midfielder
 
New York native Ella Rudney plays for Coach Dave Bowman at Grand Island Senior High School. Individually, she has 74 goals, 34 assists and 182 points in 42 games. Rudney was first-team all-league, league player of the year, first-team All-Western New York, team MVP, team captain and All-New York State. Rudney was also a New York State Section 6 Class A Champion in 2019 and 2020. During the club season, Rudney plays for Coach Aaron Lines at Western New York Flash where her team was ECNL Ohio Valley Conference Champions in 2021. She also had individual success on her club team as she was named ECNL All-Conference team and ECNL Ohio Valley Player to Watch. On the academic side, she is a member of the National Honor Society and received the Comptroller Award (recognition of outstanding leadership) and the Outstanding Academic Excellence Award.
 
Rudney on Nebraska: "I chose Nebraska because of its commitment to development and the culture that was created by the staff and players. I have always wanted to play in a Power Five Conference, like the Big 10, and as a I stepped on campus, I knew Nebraska was the place for me to live out this dream."

Huskers Sign Two State Players of the Year

The Nebraska women's basketball program signed a pair of state players of the year, as two-time North Dakota Gatorade of the Year Logan Nissley and 2021 Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year Natalie Potts signed their National Letters of Intent to join the Huskers, Head Coach Amy Williams announced on Wednesday, Nov. 7.

Nissley, a 5-10 guard from Bismarck, N.D. has been ranked as the No. 91 player in the Class of 2023 by ESPN after averaging more than 21 points and three steals while hitting 47 percent of her three-pointers as a junior. She led Bismarck Century to a 50-game winning streak over two seasons before claiming a state runner-up finish in 2021-22. In the 2022 state championship game, Nissley put up 32 points, 11 rebounds and four assists. As a junior in 2020-21, Nissley powered Bismarck Century to a state title to win Gatorade and MaxPreps North Dakota Player of the Year honors after producing school records with 556 points (21.4 ppg), 100 assists and 93 steals while hitting 46.4 percent of her three-point attempts. A four-time volleyball letterwinner, she added a 2021-22 North Dakota Volleyball Player of the Year award with 361 digs, 357 kills, 34 blocks and 19 service aces while leading the Patriots to their second straight volleyball state championship..

Nissley played her club basketball for North Tartan - the same program as current Nebraska guard Sam Haiby.

"We are thrilled that we can finally make Logan's commitment to our program official," Williams said. "She is a prolific shooter and has an incredible feel for the game. Her skill-set translates perfectly to our team and system, and she is a great match for our team's culture. Her experience in winning multiple state championships will add to our winning culture. We are definitely excited to get her in a Husker uniform."

The daughter of Brad and Ashley Nissley, Logan was born Oct. 3, 2004 in Bismarck, N.D. She has a younger brother, Garrett. Logan plans to double major in marketing and management in the College of Business at Nebraska. She selected Nebraska over Gonzaga, Minnesota, Utah and Iowa.

"I chose Nebraska because of the family culture the girls brought to me when I visited," Nissley said. "The program itself and the facilities are amazing, but it felt like my second home and I knew it was meant for me. The coaches were unmatched and were by far my favorite because they cared about me as a person not just an athlete." 

Potts, a 6-2 power forward averaged 20.7 points and 9.3 as a sophomore to earn Gatorade and MaxPreps Missouri Player-of-the-Year honors after leading Incarnate Word Academy to a Class 6A state championship in 2021. She was also the St. Louis Metro Area Player of the Year. Incarnate Word finished No. 20 in the final espnW national rankings with a perfect 29-0 record. She also broke the Incarnate Word Academy single-game scoring record with 40 points on 19-of-21 shooting in a win over Ladue on Feb. 3, 2021. The previous record was held by two-time UConn first-team All-American Napheesa Collier. 

Potts followed her sophomore season with another impressive year, averaging 19.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.5 blocks to lead the Red Knights to a second straight state title. Potts hit 61.9 percent of her shots from the field as a junior. Potts opened her high school career with averages of 10.1 points and 8.3 rebounds as a freshman.

Potts, who played AAU basketball for Phee Elite, heads into her senior season ranked as the No. 1 recruit in the state of Missouri by Prep Girls Hoops.

"We are so excited to add Natalie to our Husker women's basketball family," Williams said. "She is a great fit for us both on and off the basketball court. She has an incredible motor, and her competitive spirit matches the values we have for our team. She is versatile and a proven winner from one of the most successful high school programs in the country. We can't wait to see her thrive in a Husker uniform."

The daughter of Eric and Sharon Potts, Natalie was born Nov. 7, 2004, in St. Louis, Mo. She has an older brother, Kyle, and a sister, Sarah. Natalie plans to major in sports management at Nebraska. She selected Nebraska over Gonzaga.

"I chose Nebraska because I loved the community and the family feel. Everything about the campus and the town was what I wanted," Potts said. "The coaching staff and the team are just super sweet and welcoming and just a good group of people to be around."

Huskers Battle Omaha Thursday Night

Nebraska looks to improve to 2-0 on the season on Thursday night, as the Huskers host Omaha at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tipoff for the intrastate matchup between the Huskers and Mavericks is set for 7 p.m. and the game will be carried online on B1G Plus (subscription required) and across the state on the Huskers' radio network. Tickets for Thursday's game are available by visiting Huskers.com/Tickets, contacting the Nebraska Athletic Ticket Office at 800-8-BIGRED during business hours (8 a.m.-5 p.m., Mon.-Fri.) or at the Pinnacle Bank Arena Ticket Office beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.

The Huskers (1-0) are coming off a 79-66 win over Maine Monday night in the season opener. The Huskers placed three players in double figures, led by senior Sam Griesel's 22 points and nine rebounds. Griesel, a transfer from North Dakota State, had 18 of his 22 in the second half in his Husker debut and came one rebound away from his fourth career double-double.

Juwan Gary added 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Keisei Tominaga had 19 points off the bench, including 3-of-7 from 3-point range, in the win. Nebraska never trailed in the contest and led by as many as 15 in the first half, but Maine got within one in the second half before the Huskers used a 14-1 surge to take control. Griesel and Tominaga combined for nine of the Huskers' 14 points in the decisive run, while the Huskers held Maine without a field goal for nearly five minutes, as the Black Bears went 0-of-8 from the field in that stretch.

One of the points of emphasis for the Huskers is improved rebounding and that showed in the opener, as NU enjoyed a 44-27 advantage on the glass, including a 16-5 edge in offensive caroms. Gary, a transfer from Alabama, grabbed eight of his career-high 11 boards on the offensive end, while the Huskers' backcourt of Griesel and Emmanuel Bandoumel combined for 17 rebounds. The +17 margin on the glass was the Huskers' best effort against a Division I opponent since Feb. 25, 2018.

Omaha (0-1) opened the season with an 89-64 loss at defending national champion Kansas on Monday. Jaeden Marshall's 13 points led four Mavs in double figures, as Omaha was within seven early in the second half before KU pulled away.
 
Numbers to Know
998 - Sam Griesel needs only two points on Thursday to reach 1,000 career points. Griesel averaged a career-best 14.3 points per game at North Dakota State in 2021-22.

20.2 - Sam Griesel's scoring average over his last nine games dating back to last season at North Dakota State, including seven 20-point efforts. In his first 91 games of his college career, he averaged 9.0 ppg with seven games of at least 20 points.

.779 - Nebraska is 53-15 (.779) against non-conference opponents since moving into Pinnacle Bank Arena in 2013-14.
 
Last Time Out
Sam Griesel's 22 points led three Huskers in double figures, as Nebraska used a decisive second-half run to put away Maine, 79-66, in the season opener at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Griesel scored 18 of his 22 points in the second half in his Husker debut, finishing with 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting and nine rebounds. 

Juwan Gary pitched in a double-double with 14 points and a career-high 11 rebounds, including eight offensive boards, while Keisei Tominaga had 19 points off the bench, including 10 during a two-minute first half surge.

Nebraska, which built a 40-28 lead at the break, saw Maine pull to within 54-53 after a 3-pointer from Gedi Juozapaitis with 13:00 left. That would be as close as it got, as Emmanuel Bandoumel's blocked shot on the defensive end and subsequent basket started a 14-1 Husker run.

Griesel and Tominaga combined for nine pointsin the spurt, as NU built a 68-54 lead with 8:35 left. The Huskers clamped down on the defensive end, as Maine missed eight straight shots and was 2-of-16 in a nearly 10-minute stretch after hitting 10 of its first 12 shots after halftime.
Juozapaitis led the Black Bears with 20 points, including 6-of-7 from 3-point range, while Kristians Feierbergs added 16 points and six rebounds in the loss.
 
Worth Noting

• Sam Griesel led NU with 22 points in his debut, his 42nd career double-figure effort and his 14th career 20-point game. His 22-point output was one of the highest-scoring debuts by a Husker in the last 50 years.  In fact, three of the the top four debuts have come in the last two seasons. 

20-Point Husker Debuts (Since 1972-73)

• Juwan Gary posted his third career double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. His other two came at Alabama during the 2021-22 season. Gary's 11 rebounds were a career-high, as his previous high was 10 on two occasions (vs. Louisiana Tech, vs. Drake, both in 2021-22).
   
• Gary had eight of the Huskers' 16 offensive rebounds, which was the most by the Huskers since the 2020-21 season opener vs. McNeese State (17). His eight offensive rebounds were the second-highest total nationally on opening night (9 by Clemson's Ian Schieffelin) and the most offensive boards by a Husker since Yvan Ouedraogo had 10 against Northwestern in 2020.

Most Offensive Boards (Big Ten Era)

• Nebraska enjoyed a +17 rebounding advantage against Maine, the Huskers' best against a Division I opponent since the 2017-18 season. NU, which was last in the Big Ten in rebounding margin in 2021-22, was without its top returning rebounder (Derrick Walker, 6.0 rpg) against Maine.
• Keisei Tominaga reached double figures for the eighth time in his career with 19 points, including 13 in the first half. It was his highest-scoring output since scoring a career-high 23 against South Dakota last season.
• Wilhelm Breidenbach tied a career high in points (nine) and grabbed a career-best seven rebounds, as Nebraska enjoyed a 28-10 advantage in bench scoring.
• Nebraska improved to 86-41 all-time in season openers and has won 20 of the past 22 openers.

Scouting Omaha
Under the direction of first-year coach Chris Crutchfield, Omaha comes to Lincoln looking for its first win of the season. Crutchfield, who played both basketball and football at Omaha, returns to his alma mater after spending the 2021-22 season as an assistant at Oregon. Crutchfield was the head coach at East Central University in Ada, Okla., in 2020-21 where he guided the school to a 10-9 record. He spent eight years at Oklahoma, serving as an associate head coach under Lon Krueger and also served on the staffs at Arkansas, Oral Roberts, TCU and New Mexico State during his career.

The Mavericks, who were picked ninth in the preseason Summit League poll, returned six players from a year ago. Sophomore Frankie Fidler is their top returnee and was a preseason All-Summit League pick. Fidler averaged 12.9 points per game and had 19 double-figure efforts last year, including a pair of 30-point nights. Fidler had 11 points in Monday's loss to Kansas. Junior forward Dylan Broughman started 22 contests and averaged 4.7 points and 3.1 rebounds per game last season, while junior forward Akol Arop, who spent two seasons at Nebraska (2019-21), started 18 games last year and averaged 5.4 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.  Former Husker graduate assistant Keenan Holdman is also on the Omaha staff, as Assistant Director of Player Personnel.

Nebraska is 4-0 all-time against Omaha, including 2-0 since the Mavericks moved to Division I. The teams have not met since an 80-67 Husker win on Nov. 25, 2014. NU is 82-12 all-time against current Summit League teams.
 
Trio of Transfers Added in 2022-23
Nebraska added three Division I transfers in the offseason in Sam Griesel (North Dakota State), Emmanuel Bandoumel (SMU) and Juwan Gary (Alabama). The trio has combined for nearly 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in their college careers before enrolling at NU.

The trio made big impacts in their Husker debuts, combining for 52 points, 28 rebounds and six assists in the win over Maine. Griesel had a game-high 22 points, nine rebounds and three steals, while Gary posted a double-double with 14 and 11 boards. Bandoumel, who had six points, eight boards and three steals, provided the biggest play of the night with Maine threatening to take its first lead. Bandoumel blocked the shot at one end and got the basket at the other end to start a 14-1 spurt that pushed the lead back to 14.

If history is any indication, it will be likely that one of these three will pace NU in scoring, as a newcomer has topped the Husker scoring chart in each of the three seasons under Fred Hoiberg. Of the eight players who have averaged double figures under Hoiberg, all eight have been in their first year of competition at Nebraska.

Of the nine players who saw action against Maine, six players (Griesel, Bandoumel, Gary, Denim Dawson, Blaise Keita and Oleg Kojenets) were making their Husker debuts.
 
Adding Experience (Entering 2022-23)

 
Welcome Back Wilhelm
Sophomore Wilhelm Breidenbach made a big impact in his first regular-season game since suffering a season-ending knee injury last December. The 6-foot-10 forward tied or set career highs in points (nine), rebounds (seven) and assists (three) in 17 minutes off the bench. Breidenbach's efforts were a big reason NU enjoyed a 28-10 advantage in bench scoring.
 
Tominaga Stars on Japanese Team
Keisei Tominaga spent most of the summer playing with the Japanese Senior National Team for the first time. The 6-foot-2 guard made his debut in the FIBA World Cup Asia qualifier in early July and then starred for Japan in the 2022 Asia Cup. In seven games with the Senior National Team, Tominaga averaged 15.9 points per game while shooting 39.3 percent from the 3-point line. His best performance came against Australia in the Asia Cup quarterfinals, when he poured in 33 points on 12-of-20 shooting, including 8-of-15 from 3-point range. His performance helped Japan to its best Asia Cup finish since 2015.

The junior started the 2022-23 season off with a flourish, scoring 19 points off the bench in the Huskers' win over Maine. Tominaga hit 7-of-12 shots from the field, including a trio of 3-pointers, and added two rebounds and a blocked shot in 20 minutes. Tominaga's 19 points marked his second-highest total of his NU career (23 vs. South Dakota last season).
 
Revamped Husker Coaching Staff
In addition to nine new faces on the Husker roster (six scholarship and three walkons), the Husker staff also has several new faces this season.

• Assistant Coach Adam Howard comes to Nebraska after spending the last four seasons at South Alabama, helping the program to 75 wins in that span after the program had seven straight losing seasons. Last year, South Alabama won 21 games, the school's highest total since 2008. Howard also coached at Troy, Tennessee, Southern Miss and Morehead State after playing collegiately at Western Kentucky.
• Assistant Coach Ernie Zeigler comes to Lincoln after spending six years on Ben Howland's staff at Mississippi State. The Bulldogs had four postseason appearances between 2018-22. Zeiger spent six seasons as the head coach at Central Michigan (2007-12) and previously served stints at UCLA, Pittsburgh, Kansas State, Detroit and Bowling Green.
• mmanuel Tommy joined the staff as Director of Player Development. He was an assistant coach at Alabama A&M last season and had worked on the administrative side at both McNeese State and South Alabama.
• Two familiar faces in new positions are graduate managers Michael Bania and Payden Borders, both of whom worked as managers in the Husker program. Both graduated from Nebraska last May. 

Homegrown Huskers
The 2022-23 roster features four in-state products in Sam Griesel (Lincoln), Sam Hoiberg (Lincoln), Henry Burt (Omaha) and Cale Jacobsen (Ashland). Griesel is the Huskers' first scholarship recruit since Jake Muhleisen in the early 2000s. Before joining NU, Griesel made two other appearances in PBA in his college career.  While at North Dakota State, he started both games for the Bison in the 2020 Golden Window event at PBA, averaging 9.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. He had nine points and 12 rebounds in a 79-57 loss to the Huskers. No current Husker played against Griesel in that contest.
 
Pushing The Pace
One trait of a Fred Hoiberg coached team is to play at a fast pace. The Huskers have led the Big Ten in pace in each of the last three seasons according to KenPom, including top-20 rankings in 2019-20 (16th) and 2021-22 (19th). NU has been the only Big Ten team to rank in the top-50 in any of the past three seasons.

• In his eight seasons as a college head coach, Hoiberg's teams have ranked in the top-50 in tempo six times, including four times in the top-20.
• Prior to Hoiberg's arrival, the last time a Husker team was in the top-100 nationally in tempo according to KenPom was in 1999-2000 under Danny Nee.

 Playing with Pace (Adjusted Tempo per KenPom)

 
 Walker Looks to Continue Efficient Shooting
Nebraska returns one of the most efficient big men in college basketball in Derrick Walker. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 9.6 points per game on 68.3 percent shooting from the field in 2021-22. He broke NU's single-season field-goal percentage that was held by Larry Cox since the 1975-76 season. Walker was the only Big Ten player and one of just 14 players in Division I to shoot at least 65 percent and average at least eight points per game last season.
 
Walker's Busy Summer
Sixth-year senior Derrick Walker has taken advantage of his final year of college, immersing in a number of different activities since the end of last season.

• In July, Walker was one of a select group of Big Ten student-athletes, coaches, administrators, conference staff, and other key stakeholders to participate in the Big Life Series: Selma to Montgomery. The trip was a journey to Selma and Montgomery, Ala., for an immersive and educational experience at a key center of the civil rights movement. The group participated in a variety of activities including marching across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, site of the 1965 Bloody Sunday attack.
• He organized the inaugural Hoops with the Huskers Special Olympics camp, which allowed members of the Husker basketball program to work with more than 40 Special Olympians on shooting, basketball drills and one-on-one competitions.
• Walker also started "Tall Boy Trucking" in the offseason, after he purchased a semi-truck last year. Walker hired a driver and the company makes deliveries from coast to coast.

Husker Roster has International Flavor
Nebraska's 2022-23 roster will once again have an international flavor, as it will feature a quartet of international players in Emmanuel Bandoumel (Canada), Blaise Keita (Mali), Keisei Tominaga (Japan) and Oleg Kojenets (Lithuania). During Fred Hoiberg's four seasons at Nebraska, the Huskers have had players from nine countries (Australia, Canada, England, France, Iceland, Japan, Lithuania, Mali and Slovenia).
 
Three Huskers on Opening-Night Rosters
Nebraska is well represented on NBA Opening Night rosters with Isaiah Roby (San Antonio), Dalano Banton (Toronto) and Bryce McGowens (Charlotte). The group is joined by Tyronn Lue, who begins his third season as head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers.

• Nebraska's three active NBA players is the most since the 2007-07 season (Eric Piatkowski, Mikki Moore and Lue)
• McGowens became the 15th former Husker to make his NBA debut on Oct. 19, as he saw action in Charlotte's win over San Antonio.
• Five members of the 2021-22 team are playing professionally, including Bryce McGowens (NBA), Trey McGowens (G League), Lat Mayen (Australia), Alonzo Verge Jr. (Poland) and Kobe Webster (Netherlands).
• In all, 25 former Huskers are playing professionally around the world, including 10 players from Hoiberg's three Husker teams.

Huskers to be Tested in 2022-23
Nebraska will have a challenging schedule this upcoming season. The Huskers will play a minimum of 25 power conference teams during the season, including five (St. John's, Creighton, Boston College, Kansas State and Oklahoma) in non-conference action. Depending on the results of the ESPN Events Invitational, NU could see as many as seven power conference teams during non-conference action, including six away from home.

• Nebraska will play at least 13 games in the regular season against ranked teams or teams receiving votes in the AP or Coaches Preseason poll. The Huskers will face No. 9/9 Creighton, No. 13/14 Indiana, No. 22/22 Michigan and No. 23/23 Illinois while six other teams (Purdue, Michigan State, Ohio State, Iowa, Rutgers, Wisconsin) received votes. NU could also face Memphis during the ESPN Events Invitational in Orlando.
• Nebraska has 16 regular-season games against teams that reached postseason play in 2021-22. The Big Ten had nine NCAA teams in 2021-22, and Nebraska will face that group a combined 13 times (Illinois-2, Iowa-2, Michigan State-2, Purdue-2, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio State, Rutgers and Wisconsin). In non-conference action, NU will face Creighton in Omaha and will face Oklahoma in the ESPN Events Invitational opener. The Huskers will also square off against either Seton Hall or Memphis the following day.

McGowens Becomes Highest Drafted Husker since 1998
Bryce McGowens became the second Husker drafted in as many years, as he was the No. 40 pick of the Charlotte Hornets in the 2022 NBA Draft last June. He was the highest Husker drafted since Tyronn Lue went No. 23 overall in 1998. McGowens averaged 16.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game in 2021-22, earning third-team All-Big Ten honors from both the coaches and media.

• McGowens' 16.8 points per game ranked third nationally among true freshmen in 2021-22. The top two true freshmen in scoring were Paolo Banchero (Duke) and Jabari Smith (Auburn) and those two were picked first and third, respectively, in the 2022 NBA Draft.
• With Dalano Banton (No. 46 in 2021) and McGowens, Nebraska has players selected in consecutive NBA Drafts for the first time since 1998 and 1999.
• McGowens was one of nine Big Ten players selected in the 2022 NBA Draft. The nine picks were the most of any conference and the highest total since 10 Big Ten players were selected in the 1990 NBA Draft.

Huskers Annually Rank Among NCAA Attendance Leaders
Since moving into Pinnacle Bank Arena, the Huskers have been among the national leaders in attendance. The Huskers have ranked in the top 15 in attendance every year since 2013-14, ranking in the top 10 on three occasions, most recently 2021-22. 
•  Nebraska is one of eight schools in the country to average 15,000+ fans per contest in each of the last seven seasons (2014-20, 2022), joining Kentucky, Syracuse, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Indiana, Kansas and Creighton. The NCAA did not count attendance figures during the 2020-21 season because of Covid-19.
 
Huskers Add Top-30 Recruiting Class
For the second straight season, Nebraska pulled in a top-30 national recruiting class, as the 2022 class was rated No. 28 by Rivals. The class included incoming freshmen Ramel Lloyd Jr. and Jamarques Lawrence, as well as junior college transfer Blaise Keita. It also included Denim Dawson, who signed with Nebraska in November and enrolled for the start of the spring 2022 semester.
Lloyd was ranked No. 88 nationally by ESPN and was a top-100 recruit in the 247Sports Composite rankings, while Lawrence was ranked among the top 150 players by Rivals at the end of his senior season. Keita was ranked as the No. 1 overall JUCO player by 247Sports and No. 4 by JUCORecruiting.com.  The Huskers' 2021 freshmen class was ranked as high as 13th nationally by ESPN and also earned top-25 recognition by 247Sports and Rivals.
 
Ramel Lloyd Jr.  to Redshirt
Fred Hoiberg announced following the Maine game that freshmen Ramel Lloyd Jr. would likely redshirt the 2022-23 season. Lloyd averaged 11.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game at Sierra Canyon (Calif.) High School last season. He was one of five 2022 Sierra Canyon seniors who are in the Division I ranks this season.
 
All in the Family
Several members of the 2022-23 Huskers have family members who have played basketball at the college or professional levels. The list is led by Fred Hoiberg, who played in the NBA for a decade after a standout career at Iowa State. In addition, Ramel Lloyd was a Parade All-American who scored over 1,600 points at the college level at Syracuse and Long Beach State. Both Aleh Kojenets and Jurga Paliaukaite played at UNC Wilmington, while Paliaukaite holds the UNC Wilmington women's record with 10 blocked shots in a game.  Keisei Tominaga's father didn't play college basketball, but was a center on the Japanese national team at the 1998 FIBA World Championship and played professionally in Japan for a decade.
 

 
NBA Coaches: Back to School
Fred Hoiberg is one of eight active NCAA coaches to have coached in the NBA, as he spent three-plus seasons with the Chicago Bulls from 2015 to 2018. Hoiberg's 270 regular-season NBA games rank third among the eight former NBA coaches in the collegiate ranks. Hoiberg is also one of former 23 former NBA players as Division I head coaches in 2022-23.
 
Division I Coaches with NBA Head Coaching Experience

 
SIngle-Game Tickets Now on Sale
Single-game tickets for the 2022-23 schedule are now on sale. A select number of 300 Level seats are available for $7 apiece for non-conference games and $10 each for each of the Huskers' 10 Big Ten matchups, including games with Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Ohio State and Iowa. The single-game tickets are one of several options to purchase Husker basketball tickets for the 2022-23 season. In addition, the Six-Game Mini-Plan which allows fans to pick 300 Level seats for any six games during the 2022-23 season for just $30 while supplies last.
To purchase, visit Huskers.com/Tickets or call the Nebraska Athletic Ticket Office at 800-8-BIGRED during business hours (8 a.m.-5 p.m., Mon.-Fri.).