Montgomery, Ala. – The Nebraska men's tennis team (6-5, 0-0 Big Ten) upset No. 38 Alabama (8-4, 0-0 SEC), 4-3, on Saturday afternoon in the Blue Gray National Tennis Classic. The Huskers also picked up their second win of the day after Tulane defaulted.
 
Doubles action got underway on Friday evening, with the Huskers claiming the point. Roni Hietaranta and Shunya Maruyama took down Joao Ferreira and Zach Foster 6-0. Alabama evened up with a win on Court 2, with German Samofalov and Yair Sarouk defeating Nic Wiedenhorn and Leo Linquet, 6-4. The doubles point was then clinched by William Gleason and Calvin Mueller, as they took down Enzo Aguiard and Filip Planinsek, 6-4.
 
Singles action picked up on Saturday afternoon after a lengthy weather delay. Maruyama handled business on Court 3, defeating Samofalov, 6-1, 6-2. Alabama then answered a couple of times during singles as No. 51 Aguiard defeated Linquet, 6-1, 6-4, on Court 2. Alabama also picked up points on Court 4 and Court 5, with Matias Ponce De Leon defeating Gleason, 6-3, 6-4, and Roan Jones defeating Mueller, 6-2, 7-6 (0).
 
The Huskers picked up their other two points on Court 1 and Court 6. Hietaranta defeated No. 94 Planinsek, 7-6 (5), 6-4, on Court 1. The Huskers finished up the upset on Court 6, as Wiedenhorn stormed back to defeat Yair Sarouk, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, on Court 6.
 
This is Nebraska's first win over a top-50 ranked team since March 16, 2022, when the team defeated No. 48 UCF 4-3.
 
The Huskers advanced to play against Tulane, who they beat by a matter of default. The Big Red close out the Blue Gray National Tennis Classic with a 2-1 record.
 
NU heads to La Jolla, Calif., on Thursday, March 2 to take on Ball State.
 
Tennis Match Results
Alabama vs Nebraska
Feb 25, 2023 at Montgomery, Alabama (Lagoon Park)
 
Nebraska 4, #38 Alabama 3
 
Singles competition
1. Roni Hietaranta (NEB) def. #94 Filip Planinsek (UA) 7-6, 6-4
2. #51 Enzo Aguiard (UA) def. Leo Linquet (NEB) 6-1, 6-4
3. Shunya Maruyama (NEB) def. German Samofalov (UA) 6-1, 6-2
4. Matias Ponce De Leon (UA) def. William Gleason (NEB) 6-3, 6-4
5. Roan Jones (UA) def. Calvin Mueller (NEB) 6-2, 7-6
6. Nic Wiedenhorn (NEB) def. Yair Sarouk (UA) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
 
Doubles competition
1. William Gleason/Calvin Mueller (NEB) def. Enzo Aguiard/Filip Planinsek (UA) 6-4
2. German Samofalov/Yair Sarouk (UA) def. Nic Wiedenhorn/Leo Linquet (NEB) 6-4
3. Roni Hietaranta/Shunya Maruyama (NEB) def. Joao Ferreira/Zach Foster (UA) 6-0
 
Match Notes:
Alabama 8-4; National ranking #38
Nebraska 6-5

Huskers Race Past Roadrunners

11 Huskers combined for 14 hits as the Nebraska softball team (7-6) raced past CSU Bakersfield 10-1 in five innings. The Roadrunners fell to 3-12 on the season. 

Courtney Wallace moved to 5-3 on the season after recording the win in the circle. The senior held CSUB to four hits while allowing only one run. 

Reina Castillo (0-5) earned the loss for the Roadrunners. Castillo gave up 14 hits and 10 runs (eight earned). 

Offensively, every Husker in the starting lineup recorded hits. Billie Andrews, Caitlynn Neal and Courtney Wallace led NU with two hits while freshmen Alina Felix and Talia Tokheim smashed their first career homers. 

Lauren Randle led CSUB with two hits and the only run for the Roadrunners. 

The Huskers got out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning after the Roadrunners committed three errors. Billie Andrews led off, reaching first after a CSUB fielding error. With two outs, Wallace singled to right field, Andrews was able to advance to third and scored after a throwing error as Wallace advanced to third. Mya Felder followed with a single. Felder advanced to second on a throwing error while Wallace stole home. Katelyn Caneda and Abbie Squier each added singles, while Felder scored on Squier's hit. 

The Roadrunners added one in the bottom of the third. A lead off double from Lauren Randle put a runner on second. A ground out advanced Randle to third. Reina Castillo singled to left field, driving in a run. NU worked out of the inning, holding the 3-1 lead. 

NU extended its lead to 6-1 in the fourth. With one out, Alina Felix smashed a solo homer to left field for her first home run of her career. Singles from Billie Andrews, Caitlynn Neal and Wallace loaded the bases. Felder was walked, bringing home Andrews. Caneda drove in another run after being hit by a pitch. Squier looked to take advantage of the loaded bases, but a fly out ended the inning as the Huskers took the 6-1 lead. 

The Big Red added four more in the fifth. Gray led off with a single followed by Felix being walked. A groundout from Billie Andrews advanced the runners to second and third. Brooke Andrews singled, scoring Gray. Felix added another run on the throw on the play. Neal doubled and scored after a two-run homer from Talia Tokheim, her first of her career. Ashley Smetter came in to pinch hit, recording her first Husker hit with a single to left center. The Huskers went into the bottom of the inning ahead, 10-1. 

A double play in the bottom of the fifth ended the Roadrunners chances as NU completed the 10-1 run-rule victory. 

The Huskers return to action at approximately 7:45 p.m. (CT) to take on New Mexico. Fans can listen to the action live on the Huskers Radio Network and Huskers.com with the call from Nate Rohr. 

Game Notes 

• Alina Felix made her first career start as the designated player in tonight's game. 
• Felix smashed her first career homer in the fourth inning with a solo shot to left field. 
• Talia Tokheim came in as a pinch hitter in the fifth inning. Tokheim hit a two-run home run, marking her first career homer as a Husker. 
• This marked Nebraska's second run-rule victory this season.

Huskers Win Five Titles at B1G Indoor Championships

GENEVA, Ohio - Five Nebraska track and field athletes came away with gold medals on the final day of the Big Ten Indoor Track and Field Championships at the SPIRE Institute on Saturday. 

Mayson Conner (high jump), Jonah Wilson (shot put), Axelina Johansson (shot put), Darius Luff (60-meter hurdles) and Nick Bryant (600 meters) all won individual titles to lead the Huskers on a strong final day at the conference meet. The Husker men came up just shy of a team title, scoring 103 points. Wisconsin was victorious with 110 points. The NU women finished eighth with 52 team points. Michigan was the women's champion with 109 points. 

Conner claimed his fifth career gold medal in the high jump after clearing 7-3 (2.21m). He successfully defended his Big Ten indoor crown and now has won the high jump at the last three Big Ten meets (indoor and outdoor). He became the Nebraska men's first ever three-time conference indoor champion in the high jump. 

Luff earned his first Big Ten title in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 7.65. The Lincoln High graduate took care of business as the top seed in the event one year after being disqualified from the final for a false start. 

Wilson, a senior transfer from Washington, claimed a dominant victory in the shot put. His throw of 68-5 (20.85m) was not only good for the gold medal, it was the No. 2 throw in school history and No. 2 in the NCAA this season. 

Johansson made it a shot put sweep for the Huskers after winning the women's title. Her best throw was 62-7 1/4 (19.08m), which won by more than a full meter. Johansson won her first Big Ten gold medal after finishing third and second at last year's conference championships as a freshman. 

Bryant pulled off a big win in the 600 meters with a school-record time of 1:15.37. He broke Dmitrijs Milkevics' time of 1:15.60 set in 2005. Bryant's win gave the Husker men a big lift in the team race toward the end of the meet, but Wisconsin clinched the team title with 23 points in the 3,000 meters. 

In addition to the five gold medalists, the Huskers had six other athletes earn medals on Sunday. 

Brithton Senior grabbed the silver medal in the 60-meter hurdles by finishing just behind Luff in a time of 7.71, giving the Huskers a 1-2 finish in the race. 

Jenna Rogers was the runner-up in the high jump after clearing a personal-best 6-2 1/4 (1.89m), which is tied for second in school history and is fourth in the NCAA this season.

The men's 4x400-meter relay team of Jacob Hyde, Garrett Kaalund, Niko Schultz and Bryant took home the silver medal after a season-best time of 3:08.13. 

Tyus Wilson cleared 7-0 1/2 (2.15m) in the high jump to finish in third place. Maxwell Otterdahl also earned a bronze medal by finishing third in the shot put at 65-3 1/2 (19.90m). And Rhianna Phipps garnered the bronze medal in the triple jump with a season-best leap of 42-9 1/2 (13.04m). 

Lotavia Brown finished fourth in the triple jump at 42-4 1/4 (12.91m), a personal best. Ashley McElmurry was sixth at 42-0 1/2 (12.81m), and Peace Omonzane placed eighth with a mark of 41-2 1/4 (12.55m). 

Taylor Latimer finished fifth in the shot put with a distance of 55-8 1/4 (16.97m). Amelia Flynt placed eighth with a personal-best 52-1 1/4 (15.88m). 

The Husker women scored 15 points each in the triple jump and shot put. 

Micaylon Moore took fourth place in the triple jump after a new personal best on his last attempt, 51-11 (15.82m). 

Madi Scholl cleared a personal-best 5-9 3/4 (1.77m) to tie for fifth in the high jump. Riley Masten matched her personal best of 5-8 1/2 (1.74m) to tie for eighth. Reid Nelson tied for sixth in the men's high jump at 6-9 (2.06m).  

Matthias Algarin and Kolby Heinerikson scored in the heptathlon by finishing fifth and sixth, respectively. Algarin totaled 5,319 points, while Heinerikson scored 5,266 points, a new PR. 

Kaalund and Schultz both scored individual points in addition to their silver medal in the 4x400-meter relay. Kaalund finished sixth in the 200 meters with a time of 21.16. Schultz was seventh in the 800 meters in 1:48.67, a personal best that ranks fifth in school history. 

Huskers Notch Season-Best Score at Big Fives

Lincoln, Neb. - The Nebraska women's gymnastics team notched a season-best team score of 196.925, finishing in second in the Big Five meet. 

No. 19 Michigan State claimed a first-place finish with a team score of 196.675. The Huskers outscored No. 13 Ohio State (196.750), No. 18 Minnesota (195.800) and Rutgers (195.225) to finish in second. 

The Big Red set numerous season-best scores including the best team scores on vault, uneven bars and floor. Individually, seven Huskers combined to set 11 new career-high scores. 

Sophomore Emma Spence shined as she claimed the uneven bars title with a 9.900 and finished tied for second in the all-around with a 39.575.

Rotation One
The Huskers started the afternoon on balance beam, earning a team score of 49.075. Sophia McClelland led with a 9.875 followed by a 9.850 from Emma Simpton. Emma Spence tallied a 9.825 while Allie Gard earned a 9.775. Ayzhia Hall added a 9.750 and Clara Colombo rounded out the rotation with a 9.725. 

Michigan State's Giana Kalefe tallied a 9.925 on balance beam to claim the individual title. 

Rotation Two
Nebraska had a bye during rotation two. 

Rotation Three
NU tallied their best floor score of the season with a score of 49.350 during rotation three. Halle Rorke (9.875), McClelland (9.900) and Spence (9.900) all matched personal bests on the event. Kylie Piringer added a 9.850 while Martina Comin notched a 9.825. Katie Kuenemann finished with a 9.800. 

Gabrielle Stephen and Nikki Smith from Michigan State both earned a 9.950, enough for the event title. 

Rotation Four 
The Big Red followed it up with another season-best score of 49.375 on vault. All six gymnasts recorded season-best personal scores as well. Spence led with a 9.925 while Kinsey Davis notched a 9.900. Comin earned a 9.875 and Hall tallied a 9.850. Kuenemann finished with a 9.825 while McClelland rounded out the rotation with a 9.775. 

Minnesota's Maddie Quarles claimed the title on vault, tallying a perfect 10.0 on the event. 

Rotation Five
Nebraska finished the meet on uneven bars, matching a season-best score of 49.125. Spence led the Big Red with a 9.900, claiming the event title. Colombo followed with a season-best 9.875 while Gibson notched a career-best 9.825. Simpton added a season-best of her own with a 9.775 while Davis earned a 9.750. McClelland finished with a 9.050 due to a fall. 

Tiarre Sales from Minnesota shared the event title on uneven bars with Spence, matching her 9.900. 

All-Around
Spence finished tied for second in the all-around with a career-best 39.550. McClelland earned a 38.600, finishing in 10th. 

Stephen of Michigan State claimed the all-around title with a score of 39.575. 

Up Next 
The Huskers return to action Monday, Feb. 27 when they host No. 3 Michigan in a dual meet. It is start to begin at 6 p.m. (CT). The meet will be streamed live on BTN+ (subscription). Fans can follow the Huskers on Facebook at NebraskaWGym, Twitter at HuskersWGym or Instagram at HuskersWGymnastics for live updates during the meet.

Huskers Dominate Lobos in 15-0 Win

The Nebraska softball team (8-6) was dominant Saturday night in a 15-0 run-rule victory over New Mexico (6-7). The Huskers used an eight-hit eight-run first inning to power past the Lobos in their fourth game of the Troy Cox Classic in Las Cruces, N.M. 

10 Huskers combined for 13 hits including seven extra-base hits. Billie Andrews, Caitlynn Neal and Katelyn Caneda all notched two hits while Andrews led the Big Red with four RBIs. The junior finished with two doubles and one homer. 

As the Big Red dominated offensively, Kaylin Kinney had an impressive showing in the circle as she moved to 1-1 on the season. The junior recorded a career-best eight strikeouts while shutting out the Lobos. 

Taylor Snow (1-2) was in the circle for the Lobos, recording the loss. Snow pitched 0.2 innings, giving up eight hits and eight runs. 

The Big Red dominated the first inning recording eight hits and eight runs. All nine Huskers in the lineup reached base. After Billie and Brooke Andrews recorded outs, the Huskers went on to put 13 Huskers on base. Caitlynn Neal and Courtney Wallace started with singles followed by a two-run double from Mya Felder. Ava Bredwell added a single, scoring Felder and advancing to second on the throw. Sydney Gray hit a single up the middle, scoring Bredwell. Katelyn Caneda hit a single while Alina Felix hit a two-run double. Billie Andrews cleared the bases with a two-run homer to center field. The Lobos made a pitching change as Bella Mitchell entered the circle. Mitchell walked Brooke Andrews and Neal before hitting Wallace to load the bases. A flyout from Felder ended the inning as NU went ahead, 8-0. 

The Lobos looked to respond, reaching scoring position after two singles with two outs. However, Kinney recorded a strikeout to strand two for New Mexico. 

Nebraska added one more in the second. Bredwell was walked and advanced to third after two wild pitches. On a passed ball, Bredwell scored to make it 9-0. Samantha Fohrman entered the game in the circle for New Mexico, forcing two ground outs and getting the Lobos out of the inning. 

NU added five more runs in the third inning. Brooke Andrews led off with a walk, but she got out on the next play as Neal reached on a fielder's choice. Talia Tokheim entered as a pinch hitter, adding a single to left field. Felder was walked to load the bases. Bredwell was hit by a pitch, scoring Neal. Gray followed with a walk, scoring Tokheim. Caneda hit a single to center field, scoring two while a ground out from Billie Andrews scored one. The Huskers took a 14-0 lead into the bottom half of the inning. 

Caitlynn Neal opened the fourth inning with her first triple of the season to center field, but the Huskers were unable to capitalize, marking the first scoreless inning for NU of the game. 

After holding the Lobos scoreless in the fourth, Nebraska added one more in the fifth. Ashley Smetter led off with a double and scored after Billie Andrews added a double of her own. The Huskers went into the bottom of the fifth ahead, 15-0. 

Kinney held New Mexico in the final inning, recording two strikeouts and forcing a ground out as the Huskers secured the 15-0 run-rule victory. 
The Huskers return to action Sunday, Feb. 26 to face New Mexico in NU's final game of the Troy Cox Classic. First pitch is set for 10 a.m. and fans can listen to the action live on the Huskers Radio Network and Huskers.com with the call from Nate Rohr.

Game Notes

• Nebraska tallied 15 runs in tonight's win. This marked the most runs scored this season. 
• The last time Nebraska scored 15 runs was on March 29, 2022 against Creighton. 
• The Huskers recorded seven extra-base hits in tonight's game including five doubles, one triple and one home run. 
• The win marked the third run-rule victory for the Huskers this season. 
• The game also marked the fifth shutout of the 2023 season. 
• Billie Andrews hit two doubles in tonight's game, marking the first time the junior has hit two doubles in one game. 
• NU outscored opponents 25-1 during day two of the Troy Cox Classic. 

Huskers Return to Action on Monday to Face No. 3 Michigan