NU Notes: Huskers Hunt Road Win at Northwestern
Nebraska Cornhuskers (13-9, 5-6 Big Ten)
at Northwestern Wildcats (8-14, 1-10 Big Ten)
Monday, February 6, 2023, 6 p.m. (CT)
Welsh Ryan Arena - Evanston, Illinois
Live TV: BTN
Mike Hall (PBP), Naz Hillmon (Analyst)
Live Radio: Huskers Radio Network (5:45 p.m.)
Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst)
Lincoln (107.3 FM/1400 AM), Omaha (590 AM), Huskers.com, Huskers App
Huskers Hunt for Road Win at Northwestern
The Nebraska women's basketball team returns to Big Ten road action Monday when the Huskers take on Northwestern in Evanston, Ill.
Tip-off between the Big Red (13-9, 5-6 Big Ten) and the Wildcats (8-14, 1-10 Big Ten) is set for 6 p.m. (CT) with live television coverage provided by the Big Ten Network with Mike Hall and Naz Hillmon on the call.
The game also can be heard across the Huskers Radio Network with Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch on 107.3 FM and 1400 AM in Lincoln along with 590 AM in Omaha, Huskers.com and the Huskers App.
Nebraska is coming off a 71-67 win over Michigan State on Thursday night at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln. The Huskers built a 21-point third-quarter lead before a furious Spartan rally trimmed the margin to 68-67 with 12 seconds left. Nebraska sealed the win with 11 points at the free throw in the fourth quarter.
Isabelle Bourne, a 6-2 junior from Canberra, Australia, led Nebraska with 20 points and nine rebounds, including eight points and four boards in the fourth quarter. Bourne, a two-time honorable-mention All-Big Ten choice, is averaging 11.2 points and 6.4 rebounds.
Alexis Markowski notched her 10th double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds against the Spartans. The 6-3 sophomore who ranks second in the Big Ten with 9.6 rebounds per game, was named to the Lisa Leslie Award Top 10 on Friday, Feb. 3. Markowski was the 2022 Big Ten Freshman of the Year and ranks second among the Huskers with 12.1 points per game while leading the Big Red with 1.0 block per contest.
Sam Haiby added her first double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds against the Spartans. Since returning to the starting lineup against Michigan (Dec. 28), the 5-9 graduate guard from Moorhead, Minn., is averaging 11.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.2 steals. Over the last five games, those numbers have increased to 13.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.4 steals.
Jaz Shelley continues to be a leader for the Huskers. The 5-9 guard from Moe, Australia (pronounced MO-ee), is averaging team bests with 12.5 points, 6.5 assists and 1.6 steals. Shelley is 10 points away from reaching 1,000 in her college career (694-Nebraska; 296-Oregon).
Maddie Krull (Omaha, Neb.) rounds out Nebraska's starting five with 5.6 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists on the season. Krull has scored in double figures in four of the last seven games. During that span, she has upped her averages to 9.6 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.6 steals while knocking down 35.7 percent (10-28) of her three-pointers.
Nebraska Cornhuskers (13-9, 5-6 Big Ten)
34 - Isabelle Bourne - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 11.2 ppg, 6.4 rpg
40 - Alexis Markowski - 6-3 - So. - C/F - 12.1 ppg, 9.6 rpg
1 - Jaz Shelley - 5-9 - Jr. - G - 12.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg
4 - Sam Haiby - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 9.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg
42 - Maddie Krull - 5-9 - So. - G - 5.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg
Off the Bench
21 - Annika Stewart - 6-3 - So. - F - 6.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg
14 - Callin Hake - 5-9 - Fr. - G - 5.5 ppg, 1.5 rpg
15 - Kendall Moriarty - 6-1 - So. - G - 3.6 ppg, 1.8 rpg
44 - Maggie Mendelson - 6-5 - Fr. - F/C - 2.9 ppg, 2.4 rpg
32 - Kendall Coley - 6-2 - So. - F/G - 1.9 ppg, 1.6 rpg
2 - Trinity Brady - 5-11 - Jr. - G - 2.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg
3 - Allison Weidner (Out) - 5-10 - So. - G - 10.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg
Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)
Seventh Season at Nebraska (109-93); 16th Season Overall (302-202)
Northwestern Wildcats (8-14, 1-10 Big Ten)
10 - Caileigh Walsh - 6-3 - So. - F - 12.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg
20 - Paige Mott - 6-1 - Jr. - F - 8.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg
1 - Kaylah Rainey - 5-6 - Sr. - G - 5.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg
3 - Sydney Wood - 5-11 - Gr. - G/F - 10.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg
23 - Jasmine McWilliams - 5-11 - Jr. - G - 3.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg
Off the Bench
15 - Courtney Shaw - 6-0 - Gr. - F - 5.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg
2 - Carline Lau - 5-9 - Fr. - G - 5.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg
21 - Melannie Daley - 5-11 - So. - G - 4.6 ppg, 0.9 rpg
33 - Laya Hartman - 5-11 - Sr. - G - 2.4 ppg, 1.5 rpg
11 - Hailey Weaver - 5-11 - So. - G - 2.4 ppg, 1.4 rpg
22 - Alana Goodchild - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 2.2 ppg, 0.4 rpg
13 - Mercy Ademusayo - 6-4 - So. - F - 1.5 ppg, 1.3 rpg
42 - Anna Morris - 6-3 - Jr. - F - 1.3 ppg, 1.2 rpg
Head Coach: Joe McKeown (Kent State, 1979)
15th Season at Northwestern (249-212); 37th Season Overall (758-386)
Scouting The Northwestern Wildcats
Coach Joe McKeown brings his 15th Northwestern team into Monday night's game hungry for a second Big Ten win. The Wildcats are coming off a 74-64 loss at Penn State on Thursday, which followed their lone conference victory, a 70-67 win at Wisconsin (Jan. 29). Prior to the win over the Badgers, Northwestern was 0-9 in the league.
Despite an 8-14 overall record and a 1-10 Big Ten mark, the Wildcats are extremely dangerous. Their two losses to nationally ranked Illinois were by a total of nine points. They also played both Michigan and Purdue to 11 points before their 10-point road loss at Penn State.
McKeown's Cats have also prided themselves on their defense, but they have surrendered 71.3 points per game this season, and that number has grown to 76.0 points in league games. They have also struggled on the offensive end, averaging just 61.2 points in Big Ten action and 64.8 points overall.
Northwestern is traditionally outstanding at forcing turnovers, but the Wildcats carry a minus-1.9 turnover margin this year. A year ago, Northwestern carried a plus-4.7 turnover margin with National Defensive Player of the Year Veronica Burton. Two seasons ago, Northwestern's turnover margin was plus-9.3.
Caileigh Walsh leads Northwestern with 12.0 points and 5.0 rebounds this season. She leads the Cats with 25 three-pointers but has hit just 28.4 percent of her long-range attempts. The 6-3 forward is the only Wildcat to start all 22 games this season.
Veteran Sydney Wood gives Northwestern two starters averaging in double figure, pitching in 10.9 points and 5.0 rebounds along with a team-best 2.3 steals. The graduate student has made 81career starts for the Wildcats despite missing all but four games last year with an injury.
Paige Mott, a 6-1 junior forward, adds 8.4 points and 4.3 rebounds, while Kaylah Rainey and Jasmine McWilliams round out Northwestern's probable starters. The 5-6 Rainey leads the Cats with 3.4 assists while adding 1.7 steals to her 5.1 points per game.
Northwestern gets regular contributions off the bench from Courtney Shaw (5.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg), Caroline Lau (5.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg) and Hailey Weaver (2.4 ppg, 1.4 rpg), who have each played in all 11 Big Ten games.
The Wildcats are hitting just 38.4 percent of their shots from the field through 11 Big Ten games, including just 29.8 percent of their three-pointers. They also have hit just 67.4 percent of their free throws, while getting out-rebounded (38.5-34.7 rpg). League opponents are hitting 45.3 percent from the field, including 32.7 percent from long range, while connecting on 70.4 percent of their free throws. The Cats have a negative scoring margin (76.0-61.6) and a negative turnover margin (17.0-14.5) in conference play.
Nebraska vs. Northwestern Series History
Nebraska leads the all-time series with Northwestern, 13-8, including three consecutive wins against the Wildcats.
Last season, the Huskers worked their way to a 73-59 victory over Northwestern at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Senior Day in Lincoln (Feb. 27, 2022). Isabelle Bourne led three Huskers in double figures with 20 points on perfect three-point shooting (3-3), while Alexis Markowski added a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds and a pair of threes. Jaz Shelley added 17 points and five assists while knocking down 3-of-6 threes, as the Huskers combined to go 9-for-18 from beyond the arc.
All-American Veronica Burton led Northwestern with 16 points and four steals but went just 3-for-14 from the floor and committed five turnovers. Laya Hartman was the only other Wildcat to finish in double figures with 12 points. Northwestern went 8-for-23 from long range and 19-for-23 at the free throw line but hit just 8-of-36 (.222) two-point attempts against the Huskers.
In the last meeting in Evanston (Feb. 17, 2021), Nebraska battled to a 71-64 win, as Isabelle Bourne finished with 21 points and a career-high 17 rebounds, while Kate Cain added 22 points and eight boards for Nebraska. The Huskers overcame a 28-4 turnover deficit by out-rebounding the Cats, 52-33.
Nebraska notched a 65-63 win at Pinnacle Bank Arena (Dec. 31, 2020) to start the three-game winning streak. Sam Haiby hit a wild putback of her own miss as time expired. The play was ESPN SportCenter's Top Play. Haiby led the Huskers with 19 points, eight rebounds and five assists, while Isabelle Bourne added a double-double with 11 points and 10 boards. The Huskers lost the turnover battle, 24-7, but won the boards 47-35.
In the last three games in the series, Northwestern has produced a 70-22 (+48) turnover margin, while Nebraska has dominated the boards, 142-99 (+43) rebounding edge.
The Huskers are 6-5 against the Cats in Evanston and raced to an 88-56 win over Northwestern at the 2012 Big Ten Tournament (March 1). Nebraska is 6-3 all-time against Northwestern in Lincoln dating back to a 65-64 win at the Devaney Center on Nov. 29, 1980. The two teams will meet in Lincoln to complete the season series again on Nebraska's Senior Day (Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023).
Injuries Altering Nebraska's Season
While Nebraska is squarely in the hunt for a second straight NCAA Tournament bid (NET No. 39), the Huskers have had their journey through the season challenged with several injuries to key players.
Despite Nebraska returning five starters (Isabelle Bourne, Alexis Markowski, Jaz Shelley, Allison Weidner, Sam Haiby) from last year's team that went 24-9 overall and 11-7 in the Big Ten, Haiby missed 10 of the first 11 games this season with a leg injury suffered in practice (Sept. 12).
Trinity Brady, a fourth-year guard, started the first eight games in place of Haiby, before Brady suffered a concussion in the first half of a loss at No. 9 Virginia Tech (Dec. 1). Brady has missed the last 14 games.
Despite the loss of Brady and the absence of Haiby, Nebraska notched an impressive 90-67 road win at No. 20 Maryland (Dec. 4) in the first start by Maddie Krull as a Husker.
However, prior to Nebraska's next game with Wisconsin (Dec. 7), the Huskers lost Isabelle Bourne to an upper body injury suffered in practice. Bourne missed three games, as Annika Stewart made the first three starts of her career. Nebraska went 3-0 with wins over Wisconsin, Samford and Wyoming.
Bourne returned to the starting lineup for a 3OT win over Kansas (Dec. 21), but Allison Weidner suffered a season-ending leg injury early in the fourth quarter of the victory over the Jayhawks. Weidner has missed Nebraska's last nine games and underwent season-ending surgery (Jan. 10).
Weidner's injury hastened the return of Sam Haiby to the starting lineup for Nebraska's Big Ten loss to No. 14 Michigan (Dec. 28).
Nebraska was forced to make another adjustment to its starting five in a win at Purdue (Jan. 18), when Maddie Krull missed a start because of illness. Freshman Callin Hake made her first career start and played well with eight points and three rebounds. Krull also played huge off the bench, overcoming illness for one of her best performances of the season, finishing with 15 points in the victory over the Boilermakers.
The only two Huskers to start all 22 contests this season are Jaz Shelley and Alexis Markowski, despite Markowski battling multiple nagging injuries from preseason to the present. Shelley ranks second in the Big Ten with 35.1 minutes played per game.
Huskers Face Historic Strength of Schedule
Nebraska's game with No. 10 Iowa (Jan. 28) was its ninth this season against an AP Top 25 team at game time, and the Huskers are scheduled to face at least two more current top-25 foes. If those numbers hold, it would give NU a school-record-tying 11 games against AP Top 25 teams. No other Nebraska team has ever faced more than 11 AP Top 25 opponents (2000-01).
Since entering the Big Ten (2011-12), the Huskers had never played more than eight games in a season against AP Top 25 foes prior to this season.
Nebraska's game with Iowa was its fourth against an AP Top 10 team this season. The Huskers have never faced more than five AP Top 10 teams in the same season, and the Huskers will meet current AP No. 6 Iowa again on Feb. 18 in Lincoln, after playing current No. 18 Michigan in Ann Arbor (Feb. 12).
The Huskers could face additional games against AP Top 25 foes, if Illinois regains a spot in the rankings. The Fighting Illini slipped out of the poll Monday and are the top team receiving votes outside the top 25. Nebraska plays Illinois Feb. 9 in Lincoln and Feb. 22 in Champaign.
Nebraska Notables
Isabelle Bourne recently became the 36th 1,000-point scorer in Nebraska history, achieving the milestone in the fourth quarter of NU's win over Penn State (Jan. 11). She is just the 22nd player in NU history to achieve the combined career milestones of 1,000 points (1,056) and 500 rebounds (568) joining teammate Sam Haiby (1,496 points, 597 rebounds) in that prestigious group.
Sam Haiby is one of just four players in Nebraska history to rank among the school's top 20 in points (13th, 1,496), rebounds (20th, 597) and assists (8th, 442). Haiby joins Maurtice Ivy, Anna DeForge and Emily Cady as the only other Huskers on that elite list.
Preseason All-Big Ten center and 2022 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Alexis Markowski (Lincoln, Neb.) is one of the Big Ten's top rebounders, averaging 9.6 boards to go along with her 12.1 points per contest. The 6-3 center owns 10 double-doubles on the season and leads the Huskers with 22 blocks.
Jaz Shelley opened Big Ten play with 29 points in a road upset at No. 20 Maryland (Dec. 4), before pumping in 31 points in a win over Wisconsin (Dec. 7). She also had 21 points and five assists in a loss to No. 14 Michigan (Dec. 28). She just missed a triple-double with 10 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in a win over Penn State (Jan. 11).
Nebraska has knocked down 10 or more threes on nine occasions this season and is 9-0 when hitting double-digit threes. Nebraska's most recent double-digit three-point effort came on 13-of-28 shooting against Penn State (Jan. 11).
Kendall Moriarty put the exclamation point on the win over Penn State (Jan. 11) with a running, half-a-hook three from beyond halfcourt in the closing seconds to beat the shot clock. Moriarty's improbable shot, which came on a Nebraska baseline inbounds play, was Scott Van Pelt's "The Best Thing I Saw Today" on ESPN.
Husker Numbers to Watch
Sam Haiby needs four points to become the 13th player in Husker history to score 1,500 career points. Haiby is 45 points away (1,496) from matching Angie Miller for No. 12 on Nebraska's all-time scoring list (1,541 points, 1984-87).
Jaz Shelley is 10 points away from 1,000 in her college career (694-Nebraska; 296-Oregon).
Sam Haiby is two assists away from No. 7 on the NU career list (444, Amy Stephens, 1985-89).
Sam Haiby needs three rebounds to reach 600 in her career, and 14 rebounds to climb to No. 19 by matching Pyra Aarden (611, 1993-96) on Nebraska's career rebound list.
Jaz Shelley is two three-pointers away from 129 in her Husker career, which would move her into the top 10 on Nebraska's career three-point list. Shelley has 127 made threes in 54 games (2.4 pg) as a Husker. The only player in NU's top 10 to hit threes at a faster clip in her career is Natalie Romeo, who connected on 155 threes in 55 games (2.8 pg) as a Husker (2014-15, 2015-16). Amy Stephens, one of the greatest shooters and scorers in Nebraska history, hit 129 threes in 57 games (2.3 pg) in the first two seasons of the three-point shot in women's college basketball (1987-88, 1988-89). Nebraska's all-time three-point leader, All-American and 2014 Big Ten Player of the Year Jordan Hooper, hit 295 threes in 131 career games (2.3 pg).
Isabelle Bourne is 13 points away from catching Kate Galligan at No. 31 on NU's scoring list (1,069, 1993-96) and 18 points from Tina McClain at No. 30 (1,074, 1994-97). Issie's older sister, Callie, recently reached the 1,000-point mark in her fifth season at Idaho State, achieving the milestone at San Diego (Nov. 25) in career game No. 118.
Isabelle Bourne ranks No. 23 on the Nebraska career rebound list with 568 and needs six rebounds to catch Nafeesah Brown at No. 22 (574).
Alexis Markowski is 12 points away from 700 and 24 rebounds away from 500 in her career.
Maddie Krull is nine points away from 600 in her college career.
Huskers Open Spring in Florida
The Nebraska women's golf team tees up its 2023 spring season by traveling to Boca Raton for the FAU Paradise Invitational, Feb. 6-7.
The 14 teams in the tournament, hosted by Florida Atlantic University, will face a challenging 6,204-yard, par-72 layout at the Osprey Point Golf Club. Pre-tournament action begins with Sunday's practice round, before the Huskers open competition on Monday with a shotgun start at 7 a.m. (CT). Following a 36-hole day on Monday, the tournament will conclude with the final round on Tuesday, beginning again with a shotgun start at 7 a.m. (CT).
The Huskers will be challenged by a strong field that includes Wisconsin and Indiana from the Big Ten, along with Vanderbilt and Missouri from the SEC. Kansas State adds Big 12 Conference representation, while South Florida and the hosts from FAU add Florida flavor. Brigham Young, Colorado State, Georgia Southern, Kennesaw State, Mercer and UTSA round out the field that features 11 top-100 teams. Live scoring for the tournament will be available through GolfStat.com.
True freshman Kelli Ann Strand leads Nebraska into the spring after posting a team-best 72.07 stroke average and a trio of top-five individual finishes through her first five college tournaments.
Graduate student Megan Whittaker added five top-30 finishes and a 72.97 stroke average during the fall. Sophomore Miu Takahashi (73.24) contributed a trio of top-25 finishes, including an individual title at the Dale McNamara Invitational (Oct. 10-11), while junior Lindsey Thiele has provided solid play with five top-40 showings and a 74.00 stroke average.
Nebraska earned top 25 national rankings from Golfweek (No. 19, Sept. 22) and the Mizuno WGCA Poll (No. 20, Sept. 23), and the Huskers enter the spring at No. 47 in the GolfStat head-to-head rankings. Nebraska is one of seven Big Ten teams in the top 50, joining Michigan (29), Ohio State (35), Northwestern (37), Michigan State (43), Maryland (46) and Purdue (48).
FAU Paradise Invitational
Location: Boca Raton, Florida
Host: Florida Atlantic
Course: Osprey Point Golf Club
Par / Yardage: Par 72 / 6,204 yards
Schedule
Monday, Feb. 6 (Rounds 1/2): 7 a.m. (Shotgun)
Tuesday, Feb. 7 (Round 3): 7 a.m. (Shotgun)
Live Scoring: GolfStat.com
14 Participating Teams (GolfStat Ranking)
Brigham Young (87)
Colorado State (77)
Florida Atlantic (194)
Georgia Southern (69)
Indiana (114)
Kansas State (97)
Kennesaw State (55)
Mercer (101)
Missouri (91)
Nebraska (47)
South Florida (70)
UTSA (85)
Vanderbilt (19)
Wisconsin (64)
Nebraska Lineup
1. Kelli Ann Strand
2. Megan Whittaker
3. Miu Takahashi
4. Michaela Vavrova
5. Lindsey Thiele
IND - Andrea Velez
NCAA Championship Changes
The NCAA Women's Golf Championship will expand from 24 to 27 teams in 2023 at the Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz. (May 19-24).
The 2023 NCAA Championship features six regional sites with 12 teams and six individuals qualifying in each region (72 teams, 36 individuals overall).
Regionals will be held at the University of Georgia Golf Course (Athens), PGA National Resort (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.), Palouse Ridge Golf Club (Pullman, Wash.), Lonnie Poole Golf Course (Raleigh, N.C.), TPC San Antonio (Texas) and The Club at Chatham Hills (Westfield, Ind.), May 8-10, 2023.
Huskers Finish 1-2 at Big Ten Match Play
Jeremy Sisson fired a 70 (-2) on Saturday to lead the Huskers, but Nebraska dropped two of three matches at Big Ten Match Play in Palm Coast, Fla., at the Hammock Beach Resort.
After dropping his first matchup against Minnesota's Harrison Arnold, Sisson picked up a 6&5 win against Rutgers' Luke Wells before tying Penn State's Jake Griffin on Saturday afternoon. He finished with a 1-1-1 record to pace the Big Red.
After Friday mornings practice round against Michigan State, the Huskers dropped their first match to Minnesota 5-0. Evan McDermott, the true freshman from Spring Lake, Mich., lost a close matchup with Minnesota's Jacob Pedersen, dropping a 1 up decision. McDermott bounced back and won a 3&2 decision over Rutgers' Weston Jones on Saturday.
Nebraska bounced back Saturday morning, handling Rutgers 4-1 in the morning match. Will Marshall won a 1 up decision over RU's Rhett Sellers, and Reed Malleck picked up a 2&1 victory over Rutgers' James Newton.
In the Saturday afternoon match, Nebraska lost a close 3-0-2 decision to Penn State. Despite battling back and forth, Caleb Badura tied Penn State's Jud Langille, and Reed Malleck lost a 2 up decision to PSU's Jimmy Myers.
Results
vs. Minnesota (Friday PM)
Harrison Arnold (MN) 4&2 over Jeremy Sisson (NEB)
Lincoln Johnson (MN) 2&1 over Will Marshall (NEB)
Jacob Pedersen (MN) 1UP over Evan McDermott (NEB)
Antoine Sale (MN) 4&3 over Quinn Yost (NEB)
Bennet Swavely (MN) 6&5 over Caleb Badura (NEB)
vs. Rutgers (Saturday AM)
Jeremy Sisson (NEB) 6&5 over Luke Wells (RU)
Will Marshall (NEB) 1UP over Rhett Sellers (RU)
Evan McDermott (NEB) 3&2 over Weston Jones (RU)
Reed Malleck (NEB) 2&1 over James Newton (RU)
Noah Kumar (RU) 5&4 over Caleb Badura (NEB)
vs. Penn State (Saturday PM)
Jeremy Sisson (NEB) tied Jake Griffin (PSU)
Patrick Sheehan (PSU) 4&3 over Evan McDermott (NEB)
James Allen (PSU) 4&2 over Quinn Yost (NEB)
Caleb Badura (NEB) tied Jud Langille (PSU)
Jimmy Meyers (PSU) 2UP over Reed Malleck (NEB)
Up Next
Nebraska heads west to California for a couple of practice rounds at the PGA West Golf Course in Palm Springs, Calif Feb. 11-12. After that, they will head back to Palm Springs, competing in The Prestige, hosted by Stanford on the Greg Norman Course. For updates on Nebraska Golf, follow on Twitter/Instagram @HuskersGolf.
Johansson, Steinforth Break School and Devaney Records
LINCOLN, Neb. - On the final day of the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational, two Nebraska school records were shattered as Axelina Johansson broke the women's shot put record and Till Steinforth set a new men's heptathlon mark. Both were also Devaney Center facility records. The Huskers finished the two-day meet with nine event titles.
Johansson set a new shot put school record on her second throw, only to break it again on her third throw with a winning mark of 63-4 (19.30m). The previous indoor school record was 60-7 3/4 (18.48m) by Tressa Thompson in 1997. Johansson's career mark vaulted her to No. 1 in the NCAA this season, and it's the second-best shot put throw worldwide in 2023. She is now the Swedish indoor national record-holder, and her throw is the second-best collegiate indoor throw of all-time.
Steinforth's 6,082 points in the heptathlon is the third-best score in the NCAA and No. 1 in the Big Ten this season, and it topped the previous school record of 5,894 by Bjorn Barrefors in 2012. On Friday, Steinforth won the heptathlon 60m in 6.87 and the long jump with a mark of 24-11 (7.59m). He completed the historic effort on Saturday with two additional first-place finishes in the 60m hurdles (7.96) and the pole vault (17-0 3/4, 5.20m), which was a personal best.
Mayson Conner also had a career day, making it over 7-4 1/4 (2.24m) in the high jump, a new personal best. Conner won the high jump competition and moved into ninth place by himself in school history. He improved his Big Ten-leading and No. 2 NCAA mark as well.
Nebraska brought the 1-2 punch in the men's 60m hurdles final, with Darius Luff claiming the win in 7.74 and Brithton Senior placing second in 7.77. In the women's 60m hurdles, Johanna Ilves clocked an 8.48 to finish fifth.
Jonah Wilson threw a distance of 66-6 (20.27m) to be named men's shot put champion. Kevin Shubert added a third-place finish with a mark of 62-2 1/4 (18.95m), while Nick Ronnfeldt was fourth at 56-6 3/4 (17.24m).
In addition to Johansson's shot put win, Taylor Latimer took runner-up honors with a throw of 53-7 1/2 (16.34m), while Kalynn Meyer was fifth at 52-6 3/4 (16.02m).
The Husker men claimed spots 3-5 in the men's high jump standings behind Conner's win. Tyus Wilson cleared a PR 7-0 1/2 (2.15m) to finish third, Michael Hoffer cleared 6-11 (2.11m), and Ashriel Dixon made it over an indoor personal-best 6-9 (2.06m). Brooklyn Miller (5-8 1/2, 1.74m) and Madi Scholl (5-7, 1.70m) pitched in top-five finishes in the women's high jump, placing second and fourth, respectively.
Rhianna Phipps and Lotavia Brown finished second and third for the Big Red in the women's triple jump. Phipps jumped 40-6 1/4 (12.35m), while Brown had a mark of 40-2 1/4 (12.25m).
The Huskers took second place in both the men's and women's 800m, as both Niko Schultz (1:50.13) and Lindsey Blehm (2:13.59) ran personal bests. Lorenzo Paissan placed third in the men's 60m with a time of 6.81, and he was also third in the 200m in 21.83. Jacob Hyde was the runner-up with a personal-best time of 21.80. Cami Merickel finished third in the 3,000m with a time of 10:14.60, a new PR.
Matthias Algarin finished fifth in the men's heptathlon with a personal-best score of 5,398. His top finish was in the 60m, taking third in 6.99.
The Husker men (Julian Watson, Nick Bryant, Schultz, Garrett Kaalund) won the 4x400 relay title with a time of 3.10.36. In the women's 4x400 relay (Karlie Moore, Ilves, Ramonia Clarke, Meghan Walker), Nebraska finished third in 3:47.51.
The Huskers are set to travel to Fayetteville, Ark. for the Tyson Invitational, Feb. 10-11. Events will begin at 2:15 p.m. on Friday at the Randal Tyson Indoor Track.
Huskers Fall to Cornell
Lincoln, Neb. — The Nebraska men's tennis team (2-2, 0-0 Big Ten) got off to a strong start in doubles play, but was unable to keep the momentum going in singles play and fell to Cornell (4-0, 0-0 Ivy League) 4-1 on Saturday afternoon at the Dillon Tennis Center.
The match got underway with doubles play, which saw three closely contested sets. William Gleason and Calvin Mueller grabbed the first set of doubles play, taking down Cornell's Adit Sinha and Radu Papoe 6-4 on Court 2. Cornell quickly evened it up, with Samuel Paquette and Petar Teodorovic taking down NU's Lars Johann and Roni Hietaranta 7-5 on Court 3.
The Huskers clinched the important doubles point with an impressive come-from-behind win by the duo of Nic Wiedenhorn and Shunya Maruyama on Court 1 against Cornell's Vladislav Melnic and Jack McCarthy. With the set tied at 6-6, Nebraska fell behind 5-1 in the tiebreaker, but rallied off six straight points to take the set 7-6 (5).
In singles action, Cornell caught fire and never looked back, winning four straight singles matches to clinch the overall win. On Court 6, #116 McCarthy defeated Ilarion Danilchenko 6-1, 6-4. This was Danilchenko's first appearance this season. Cornell picked up their second match point on Court 3 with Teodorovic defeating Nebraska's Johann 6-4, 6-4.
Cornell inched closer to the overall match victory thanks to Papoe defeating #75 Hietaranta 7-6 (2), 6-3 on Court 1. Cornell's Sinha defeated Mueller 6-4, 6-4 on Court 4 to seal the win.
The remaining two matches went unfinished. On Court 2, Maruyama was trailing 6-2, 0-6, 3-5 to Melnic. On Court 5, Gleason was tied with Nathan Mao 2-6, 7-6 (5).
The Huskers return to the court on Wednesday at 5 p.m. CT to host Drake at the Dillon Tennis Center.
Tennis Match Results
Cornell vs Nebraska
Feb 04, 2023 at Lincoln, Nebraska (Dillon Tennis Center)
Cornell 4, Nebraska 1
Singles competition
1. Radu Papoe (COR) def. #75 Roni Hietaranta (NEB) 7-6 (7-2), 6-3
2. Shunya Maruyama (NEB) vs. Vladislav Melnic (COR) 6-2, 0-6, 3-5, unfinished
3. Petar Teodorovic (COR) def. Lars Johann (NEB) 6-4, 6-4
4. Adit Sinha (COR) def. Calvin Mueller (NEB) 6-4, 6-4
5. William Gleason (NEB) vs. Nathan Mao (COR) 2-6, 7-6 (7-5), unfinished
6. #116 Jack McCarthy (COR) def. Ilarion Danilchenko (NEB) 6-1, 6-4
Doubles competition
1. Nic Wiedenhorn/Shunya Maruyama (NEB) def. Vladislav Melnic/Jack McCarthy (COR) 7-6 (7-5)
2. William Gleason/Calvin Mueller (NEB) def. Adit Sinha/Radu Papoe (COR) 6-4
3. Samuel Paquette/Petar Teodorovic (COR) def. Lars Johann/Roni Hietaranta (NEB) 7-5
Match Notes:
Cornell 4-0
Nebraska 2-2
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (6,3,1,4) A-106
Huskers Top Purdue for Second Win This Weekend
West Lafayette, Ind. – Behind Silas Allred's second-straight pin, the Nebraska wrestling team (9-3, 5-1 Big Ten) got its second win of the weekend with a 22-12 victory over Purdue (4-9, 0-6 Big Ten) on Saturday evening.
Action started against the Boilermakers at 165 pounds where Bubba Wilson faced Purdue's Cooper Noehre. Wilson grabbed the early takedown in Period 1, an escape in Period 3 and another takedown in the closing seconds to tally the 5-4 decision.
Up next, Elise Brown Ton (174) made his dual debut with a 6-3 decision over Macartney Parkinson. Brown Ton scored three takedowns en route to his first career dual win and a 6-0 overall Husker lead.
#16 Lenny Pinto then wrestled Ben Vanadia at 184. Pinto dominated, scoring four takedowns, while only allowing three points, to claim the 12-3 major decision. At 197, #16 Allred tallied his second pin of the weekend as he got the fall over Purdue's Hayden Filipovich in Period 1.
At heavyweight, Cale Davidson got the call against Hayden Copass. Davidson scored a pair of escapes, but it was not enough, as Copass won by decision, 8-2. After a brief intermission, competition started again with the 125 bout. After two periods, Jacob Van Dee only trailed #3 Matt Ramos 4-3 with two minutes to go. In the final period, Ramos scored an escape to help secure the 5-3 decision over Van Dee.
Kyle Burwick then faced Dustin Norris at 133 and jumped out to a 4-1 lead with two takedowns through two periods. In Period 3, Norris tallied a takedown of his own, but Burwick was awarded a stall point en route to the 5-3 decision.
At 141, #6 Brock Hardy scored a takedown against #14 Parker Filius in Period 1, an escape in Period 2 and the riding time point in Period 3 to claim the 4-0 decision.
With the Huskers leading 22-6 overall, Blake Cushing battled Jaden Reynolds at 149. Cushing held the 4-3 advantage to start Period 3, but Reynolds tallied an escape to send the match into overtime. In sudden victory, Reynolds scored the takedown to win by decision, 6-4.
To close the night, Nebraska native Antrell Taylor faced #6 Kendall Coleman at 157. In Taylor's dual debut, he held his own but fell by decision, 6-3.
Up next, the Huskers head to Columbus to face Ohio State in their last away dual of the year. Action is set to begin at 6 p.m. CT and will be televised on BTN.
#10 Nebraska 22, Purdue 12
165: Bubba Wilson (NEB) dec. Cooper Noehre (PUR) 5-4 (NEB 3, PUR 0)
174: Elise Brown Ton (NEB) dec. Macartney Parkinson (PUR) 6-3 (NEB 6, PUR 0)
184: #16 Lenny Pinto (NEB) major dec. Ben Vanadia (PUR) 12-3 (NEB 10, PUR 0)
197: #16 Silas Allred (NEB) pinned Hayden Filipovich (PUR) (1:20) (NEB 16, PUR 0)
285: Hayden Copass (PUR) dec. Cale Davidson (NEB) 8-2 (NEB 16, PUR 3)
125: #3 Matt Ramos (PUR) dec. Jacob Van Dee (NEB) 5-3 (NEB 16, PUR 6)
133: Kyle Burwick (NEB) dec. Dustin Norris (PUR) 5-3 (NEB 19, PUR 6)
141: #6 Brock Hardy (NEB) dec. #14 Parker Filius (PUR) 4-0 (NEB 22, PUR 6)
149: Jaden Reynolds (PUR) dec. Blake Cushing (NEB) 6-4 SV-1 (NEB 22, PUR 9)
157: #6 Kendall Coleman (PUR) dec. Antrell Taylor (NEB) 6-3 (NEB 22, PUR 12)
Huskers Record Two Sweeps on Saturday
Lincoln, Neb. - The Nebraska women's tennis team (4-0, 0-0 Big Ten) hosted its first double header of the season on Saturday and swept the weekend, as the Huskers faced Gonzaga (2-2, 0-0 West Coast) and North Dakota (2-4, 0-0 Summit League) at the Dillon Tennis Center.
To start off the day, Nebraska beat Gonzaga 4-0. The doubles matches began with Anfisa Danilchenko and Samantha Alicea claiming the win against Kianna Oda and Rose Hayes on Court 2, 6-0. Raphaëlle Lacasse and Ana Carmen Zamburek played at the No. 1 spot against Adrianna Sosnowska and No. 115 Cate Broerman, clinching the doubles point for NU, 7-5. Rounding out doubles play was an unfinished match in the No. 3 spot between Lucy Loy and Isabel Adrover Gallego against Gonzaga's Caroline Wernli and Tiegan Aitken, 6-5.
To begin singles play against Gonzaga, Adrover Gallego secured a win against Oda on Court 3, 6-1, 6-2. In the No. 6 spot, Loy bested Wernli 6-3, 6-4. On Court 2, Danilchenko was down 4-0 in the first set, but came back in a tie break and won the match against Sosnowska 7-6 (5), 6-2, clinching the win for NU.
The teams decided to conclude the match with Carmen Zamburek on Court 1, Alicea on Court 4 and Lacasse on Court 5.
The Huskers won the second match of the day against the Fighting Hawks 4-0. In the No. 2 position, the duo of Alicea and Danilchenko beat North Dakota's Jule Schulte and Nore Heinitz, 6-2. On Court 3, Adrover Gallego and Vivien Sandberg clinched the doubles point for NU against Charlotte Bowles and Nyah Kauders, winning the match 6-4. The teams decided to conclude doubles play with Lacasse and Carmen Zamburek leading on Court 1.
Alicea began singles play in the No. 4 position, defeating Jansson 6-2, 6-1. On Court 5, Sandberg bested Schulte, 6-4, 6-2. In the No. 3 position, Adrover Gallego beat Heinitz 6-1, 6-4, clinching the second match of the day for NU.
The teams decided to conclude the match with Carmen Zamburek on Court 1, Danilchenko on Court 2, and Loy on Court 6.
Up next, the Huskers stay home to face Colorado State on Friday at 4 p.m. CT.
Nebraska 4, Gonzaga 0
Singles competition
1. Ana C. Zamburek (NEB) vs. No.115 Cate Broerman (GU) 6-1, 6-7 (3-7), 1-2, unfinished
2. Anfisa Danilchenko (NEB) def. Adrianna Sosnowska (GU) 7-6 (7-5), 6-2
3. Isabel A. Gallego (NEB) def. Kianna Oda (GU) 6-1, 6-2
4. Samantha Alicea (NEB) vs. Rose Hayes (GU) 6-2, 3-6, 1-0, unfinished
5. Raphaelle Lacasse (NEB) vs. Tiegan Aitken (GU) 3-6, 6-6, unfinished
6. Lucy Loy (NEB) def. Caroline Wernli (GU) 6-3, 6-4
Doubles competition
1. Raphaelle Lacasse/Ana C. Zamburek (NEB) def. Adrianna Sosnowska/No.115 Cate Broerman (GU) 7-5
2. Anfisa Danilchenko/Samantha Alicea (NEB) def. Kianna Oda/Rose Hayes (GU) 6-0
3. Lucy Loy/Isabel A. Gallego (NEB) vs. Caroline Wernli/Tiegan Aitken (GU) 5-6, unfinished
Match Notes:
Gonzaga 2-2
Nebraska 3-0
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (3,6,2)
A-61
Nebraska 4, North Dakota 0
Singles competition
1. Ana C. Zamburek (NEB) vs. Sapir Sela (UND) 6-4, 5-2, unfinished
2. Anfisa Danilchenko (NEB) vs. Nyah Kauders (UND) 6-7 (6-8), unfinished
3. Isabel A. Gallego (NEB) def. Nore Heinitz (UND) 6-1, 6-4
4. Samantha Alicea (NEB) def. Andrea Jansson (UND) 6-2, 6-1
5. Vivien Sandberg (NEB) def. Jule Schulte (UND) 6-4, 6-2
6. Lucy Loy (NEB) vs. Angela Georgieva (UND) 6-1, 2-6, 1-0, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. Raphaelle Lacasse/Ana C. Zamburek (NEB) vs. Andrea Jansson/Sapir Sela (UND) 5-2, unfinished
2. Samantha Alicea/Anfisa Danilchenko (NEB) def. Jule Schulte/Nore Heinitz (UND) 6-2
3. Isabel A. Gallego/Vivien Sandberg (NEB) def. Charlotte Bowles/Nyah Kauders (UND) 6-4
Match Notes:
North Dakota 2-4
Nebraska 4-0
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (4,5,3)
A-41
No. 4 Huskers Fall to No. 5 Wolverines
Lincoln, Neb.- The No. 4 Nebraska men's gymnastics team returned to competition at the Devaney Center for the season home opener against the No. 5 Michigan Wolverines where they fell by a 406.650-408.200 margin on Saturday evening, despite taking four event titles.
Taylor Christopulos led NU with the all-around title (81.55). Cooper Giles matched his season best on pommel horse (14.10) to take home the event title, while Chris Hiser collected the rings title (14.15). Donte McKinney rounded out the title winners with a 14.05 on high bar.
Floor
Nebraska began the competition on floor collecting a season-high team score of 69.70. Christopulos led the squad, tying his career-best with a score of 14.40. Moritz Mueller added a season-best score of 14.15 while Luke James (14.10) and James Friedman (13.85) each tallied career highs on the event. Hiser (13.20) rounded out the Huskers' first rotation.
Michigan's Adam Wooten claimed the event title with a 14.65.
Pommel Horse
NU moved to pommel horse for the second rotation (63.80) with Giles winning the event with a 14.10, tying his season best. Nathan York established a career-best (13.65), tying for second place. Travis Wong came in with a 12.65, and James Friedman followed with a 12.40. Christopulos finished the rotation with a score of 11.85.
Rings
The Huskers competed on rings for rotation three, earning a season-best 68.25 for the squad. Hiser led the rotation (14.15), snagging the event title for NU. Asher Cohen notched a career-beset (13.75), landing in fourth, while captain Liam Doherty-Herwitz tied his career-best (13.85). James Friedman followed with a 13.00, while Christopulos anchored the rotation (13.40), a season-best.
Vault
Christopulos maintained momentum for the Big Red putting up a 14.55 and finishing among the top-three scores during the fourth rotation on vault. McKinney followed in fifth, tying teammate James (14.30). Doherty-Herwitz and Zac Tiderman both scored a 14.25, capping the rotation. Nebraska finished with a team score of 71.65.
Landen Blixt led the Wolverines with a 14.85 to take home the event title.
Parallel Bars
Cohen impressed on parallel bars for Nebraska, setting a career-best (13.65), alongside teammate Christopulos with an additional career-best (13.90) for the night. Friedman collected a 13.60 on the rotation. Wong (13.45) and Pepe (11.45) wrapped up Nebraska's showing on parallel bars (66.05).
Evegeny Siminiuc and Virgil Watkins shared the event title, both tallying a 14.15 for Michigan.
High Bar
Two-time All-American on high bar, McKinney showed out for the closing rotation, claiming the event title for the Huskers with a 14.05. Tiderman mirrored energy taking second place (13.90). Christopulos took fourth (13.45), and Toby Liang in seventh (12.85). Joey Pepe also competed for the Huskers (12.10). The Huskers finished with a team score of 66.35 on high bar.
Up Next
The Huskers will return to competition on Friday, Feb. 17 in a triangular against Oklahoma and Simpson College in Lincoln, Neb. The meet will commence at 7 p.m. (CT) with a live video stream for B1G+ subscribers. Fans can follow @NebraskaMensGym on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter for live updates during the meet.
Huskers Sign Schmucker to 2023-24 Class
Nebraska Head Coach Pablo Morales announced the addition of Jordyn Schmucker to the swimming and diving program on Sunday, Feb. 5. Schmucker is the third diver to sign for the 2023-24 season and the ninth member of the class.
As a record-breaking diver from Farmington, Minn., Schmucker will add valued experience to the NU diving corps.
Schmucker broke her high school's 20-year-old one-meter record during her freshman season and went on to re-set the record two more times. Schmucker also garnered seven records at other schools in the South Suburban Conference.
During Schmucker's senior season, she was named team captain, Section 1AA Diver of the Year and earned a second-place finish at the 2022 Minnesota State High School Swim and Dive Tournament on the one-meter. Schmucker was also ranked No. 1 among all swimmers and divers in the South Suburban Conference.
In her time diving for Farmington Senior High School, Schmucker went undefeated in dual meet competition.
Schmucker also represented the Northstar Diving Club at the 2022 Zone D Diving Meet.
In 2020, Schmucker was honored as an NISCA Diving All-American and was considered for the honor again in 2021.
"I chose Nebraska because of the school's excellent nutrition and health science programs," Schmucker said. "As an athlete, I always knew I wanted to compete at the collegiate level, and having a strong connection with the coach and team is extremely important. By the end of my official visit to Nebraska, I knew it was exactly where I belonged."
Huskers Finish in Third at PRC Championships
Fairbanks, Alaska- The No. 6 Nebraska Rifle team finished in third place at the Patriot Rifle Conference (PRC) Championships with a final aggregate score of 4,724.
As a team in the air rifle event on Sunday, the Huskers shot a score of 2,376 to finish third in that event. Nebraska's aggregate of 4,724 is both the second-highest total of the season and in Nebraska Rifle history.
Nebraska's third-place showing was impressive considering the field had five of the top 11 teams in the country. No. 1 TCU won the event with a score of 4,750, edging out No. 2 Alaska-Fairbanks by a point. No. 7 Air Force (4,708), No. 11 Ohio State (4,694) and UTEP (4,567) rounded out the field.
In the air rifle event, Ossi recorded a 597 to lead the Huskers. Ossi's 597 ties her personal best and earned a sixth-place finish in the event. She made the final in the air rifle event and placed second there.
"Overall, we placed third in the conference," said Head Coach Mindy Miles. "The team performed well over the weekend and pulled together a good score, considering the air rifle was a bit rough. Cecelia made the final again and competed in the gold medal match against the top qualifying individual and lost by just two points (one shot). The two were neck-and-neck the entire match and the other competitor took over in the last shot. Cecelia did incredibly well the entire match. The team tied together a solid score just two points below our season best."
Junior All-American Cecelia Ossi led NU in the aggregate with a sixth-place finish and score of 1,187, which is her personal best. Emma Rhode earned a 1,180, Vittoria Watts shot a 1,179, Madelynn Erickson recorded a 1,178, Mackenzie Strauch posted a 1,170 and Camilla Johannessen scored a 1,164.
Rhode followed Ossi's air rifle effort with a score of 595. Watts (592), Erickson (592), Camilla Johannessen (589) and Strauch (588) rounded out the field for Nebraska.
No. 1 TCU finished first overall (4,750), No. 2 Alaska-Fairbanks finished second (4,749) and Nebraska finished third (4,724). No. 7 Air force was fourth (4,708), No. 11 Ohio State was fifth (4,694) and UTEP finished sixth (4,567).
Up next, Nebraska will travel to Columbus, Ohio to take on No. 10 Akron and No. 11 Ohio State in the NCAA Qualifiers on Feb. 18. The match is set to start at 8 a.m. (CT).
Today's Individual Scores
Madelynn Erickson
Air Rifle Aggregate
592 1,178
Camilla Johannessen
Air Rifle Aggregate
589 1,164
Cecelia Ossi
Air Rifle Aggregate
5927 1,187
Emma Rhode
Air Rifle Aggregate
595 1,180
Mackenzie Strauch
Air Rifle Aggregate
588 1,170
Vittoria Watts
Air Rifle Aggregate
592 1,179
