NU Notes: Huskers Head to Iowa this Weekend
NEBRASKA at IOWA
April 21-23, 2023
Duane Banks Field | Iowa City, Iowa
Friday, April 21 – 6:05 p.m. CT
Pitching: LHP Emmett Olson (5-1, 3.35 ERA) vs. RHP Brody Brecht (3-2, 3.20 ERA)
TV/Streaming: B1G+
Radio: Huskers Radio Network – Huskers.com, Huskers App
Saturday, April 22 – 2:05 p.m. CT
Pitching: RHP Jace Kaminska (5-2, 3.98 ERA) vs. RHP Marcus Morgan (1-1, 5.34 ERA)
TV/Streaming: B1G+
Radio: Huskers Radio Network – Huskers.com, Huskers App
Sunday, April 23 – 1:05 p.m. CT
Pitching: TBD vs. RHP Ty Langenberg (3-2, 4.87 ERA)
TV/Streaming: B1G+
Radio: Huskers Radio Network – Huskers.com, Huskers App
Nebraska continues Big Ten play this weekend, as the Huskers travel to Iowa for a three-game series at Duane Banks Field in Iowa City, Iowa.
Friday's series opener is set for 6:05 p.m., while Saturday's first pitch is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. The series finale between the Huskers and Hawkeyes is set for 1:05 p.m. on Sunday.
All three games of this weekend's series can be seen on B1G+. Fans can also listen to Ben McLaughlin and Logan Foster call the action on the Huskers Radio Network. The games on Friday and Sunday can be heard on KLIN (1400 AM) in Lincoln and KXSP (590 AM) in Omaha, while Saturday's game will be carried on 105.3 The Bone in Lincoln. Every game this season can be heard for free on Huskers.com and the Official Nebraska Huskers App for both iOS and android devices.
Nebraska vs. Iowa
• Nebraska and Iowa are locked in a series split through 46 all-time meetings on the baseball diamond.
• The Huskers and Hawkeyes have played 26 times since the Big Red joined the Big Ten, with Iowa holding a 16-10 advantage.
• Nebraska is 6-9 through 15 games in Iowa City against Iowa as Big Ten foes.
2-For-.400
• Nebraska is one of two teams nationally with two everyday starters hitting at least .400 this season at the plate, joining Virginia.
• Anderson is hitting .417 with 13 doubles, two triples, 13 homers, 45 RBI and 29 runs, while Matthews is adding nine doubles, two triples, 13 home runs, 53 RBI and 41 runs with a .409 hitting clip.
Anderson, Matthews Join Elite Company
• Through April 19, Max Anderson and Brice Matthews are two of the six players nationally hitting at least .400 at the plate with 13-plus home runs and 45 or more RBI this season.
Trio of Huskers Reach 10-HR Mark
• Through 33 games, Max Anderson, Brice Matthews and Gabe Swansen have reached double-digit home-run totals with 13, 13 and 10 homers, respectively.
• With the 36 combined home runs from the trio of Huskers, the Huskers have three players with 10-plus homers for the first time since Alex Gordon (19), Curtis Ledbetter (13) and Brandon Fusilier (12) in 2005.
• NU's leader in home runs has finished with 10 in each of the last two seasons, while Scott Schreiber's 18 homers in the 2018 campaign is the last time a Husker surpassed the 10-homer mark for the whole season.
Burnham on Base
• Playing predominantly in the No. 9 spot in the lineup and most recently the No. 2 spot through 25 starts, Casey Burnham is third on the team with a .452 on-base percentage.
• Burnham's ability to get on base in different ways has been a key component to Brice Matthews' team-leading 53 RBI this season from the leadoff spot.
• The Kansas transfer is hitting .329 with eight doubles, a triple, a home run, six walks and 13 hit-by-pitches, while third on the team with 27 runs scored.
Huskers Boast Top Improved Offense
• With its improved offensive production, the Huskers are the only school in the country to rank among the 10 most-improved offenses in batting average, slugging percentage, scoring, doubles per game and home runs per game from the 2022 season to the 2023 season.
• Only two other teams - Northeastern (CAA) and VMI (SoCon) - rank among the 10 most-improved offenses in four of those five categories. The closest a Power Five program comes to matching Nebraska's improvement is South Carolina (SEC) and Florida (SEC), who each rank among the nation's 10 most-improved offenses in three of the five categories.
Huskers Ride Rare 14-Game Home Run Streak
• Nebraska enters the weekend with Creighton having homered in 14 consecutive games.
• The 14-game stretch surpassed a 12-game streak set earlier this season, which was snapped against Illinois State.
• The 14-game streak is the longest single-season streak in program history since 1998, where the Big Red homered in 21 consecutive games.
• NU has totaled 31 homers in the 14-game stretch, including four games with three-plus home runs.
Shutting 'em Down From the Pen
• Over the course of the last 11 games, the Nebraska bullpen has pitched 50.1 strong innings and picked up a pair of saves.
• In the 11-game stretch, the NU relievers have posted a 1.97 ERA and allowed 11 earned runs, while stifling opponents to a .181 batting average.
• The Husker bullpen has allowed just five extra-base hits (three doubles and two home runs) while striking out 55 batters and walking 17 in the last 11 games.
Numbers to Know
2 – Nebraska and Virginia are the only two teams in the country with two everyday starters hitting at least .400 on the season.
3 – With seven home runs vs. Northwestern on Sunday, the Huskers became the third team to homer seven times in a game against a Power Five opponent in 2023, joining Miami and Texas State.
8 – Through 33 games, the Nebraska offense sits eighth nationally with a .556 slugging percentage.
10 – With Brice Matthews (13), Max Anderson (13) and Gabe Swansen (10) leading the home run barrage this season, the Huskers have three players with 10-plus homers for the first time since 2005.
14 – With 186 career hits, Max Anderson is 21 hits shy of becoming the 27th Husker in program history to reach the 200-hit mark in his career at Nebraska.
Huskers Host Badgers for Three-Game Series
Nebraska By the Numbers
- Nebraska is first in the conference in batting average (.321) and is 15th in the nation.
- The Huskers are second in the Big Ten in shutouts with 11 and are ranked 25th in the NCAA.
- NU ranks second in the Big Ten and 22nd in the NCAA with a .520 slugging percentage.
- Katelyn Caneda is fifth in the Big Ten with a .398 batting average, a mark that leads the Big Red.
- Billie Andrews and Brooke Andrews are third in the conference with 11 home runs this season.
- Billie Andrews and Katelyn Caneda are fourth and fifth in the Big Ten in total hits.
- Courtney Wallace has recorded the most wins in the Big Ten with 19. She is also sixth in the NCAA.
- Courtney Wallace is also third in the conference with three saves, a number that is 31st in the nation.
- Wisconsin holds a .274 batting average which ranks ninth in the Big Ten.
- Kayla Konwent leads the Badgers with a .370 batting average. Konwent has tallied 34 hits and 18 runs with six doubles and nine home runs.
- Konwent also leads the teams in RBI with 27.
- Katie Keller has hit 36 hits and nine doubles, leading both categories for the Badgers.
- Wisconsin's pitching staff holds a 2.33 ERA, a number that ranks third in the Big Ten and 33rd in the NCAA.
- Maddie Schwartz leads the Badgers in the circle with an 8-9 record, pitching 93.0 innings and tallying 55 strikeouts.
- Schwartz (1.73) and Gabi Salo (1.75) are fourth and fifth in the conference in ERA.
- Schwartz has tallied three saves this season, a number that ranks fourth in the conference and 35th in the nation.
- Sarah Harness recorded her 500th career strikeout this year. The junior has tallied 82 strikeouts this season and has combined for over 500 including her three seasons at Southern Illinois.
- Billie Andrews and Brooke Andrews have recorded a home run in the same game five times during their careers at Nebraska.
- Billie Andrews has tallied 11 home runs this season, she is now seventh all-time in Nebraska history in career homers with 38.
- Andrews is one of 12 returning players in the NCAA who hit 20 or more home runs last season.
- Sarah Harness recorded a no-hitter against New Mexico on Feb. 24, 2023. It marked the first no-hitter by a Nebraska pitcher since 2016.
- Mya Felder is the only returning Big Ten player who received All-Big Ten, All-Defensive and All-Tournament honors in 2022.
- Courtney Wallace is one of six returning Rawlings/NFCA Gold Glove recipients from last season.
Tickets for "Volleyball Day in Nebraska" On Sale Next Week
Tickets to the "Volleyball Day in Nebraska" event in Memorial Stadium this August will go on sale next week.
Nebraska will host Omaha at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 30 in a regular-season match in Memorial Stadium. As part of a local doubleheader celebrating the impact of volleyball on the state, Nebraska-Kearney will play Wayne State in an exhibition match at 4:30 p.m. Gates will open at 3:30 p.m.
Nebraska volleyball season-ticket holders will have the opportunity to purchase tickets on Tuesday, April 25 at 10 a.m. (CT). The general public can begin purchasing tickets on Wednesday, April 26 at 10 a.m. (CT). Tickets are not part of the Nebraska volleyball season-ticket package. Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets online at Huskers.com/tickets. Tickets can also be purchased over the phone (800-8-BIG-RED) or in person at the Nebraska Athletics Ticket Office (625 Stadium Drive Suite E). There will be a purchase limit of 12 tickets per account.
A ticket will gain entrance to both volleyball matches and a concert that will take place on the field following the matches. Tickets will be $25 for adults and $5 for high school age and under. Everyone, regardless of age, must have a ticket for admittance.
See below for a list of Frequently Asked Questions about Volleyball Day in Nebraska. More detailed information will be announced closer to the event date.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and how can I buy tickets?
Nebraska volleyball season-ticket holders will have the first opportunity to purchase tickets on Tuesday, April 25 at 10 a.m. (CT). The general public can begin purchasing tickets on Wednesday, April 26 at 10 a.m. (CT). Tickets are not part of the Nebraska volleyball season-ticket package. Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets online at Huskers.com/tickets. Tickets can also be purchased over the phone (800-8-BIG-RED) or in person at the Nebraska Athletics Ticket Office (625 Stadium Drive Suite E).
How much do tickets cost?
Tickets are $25 for adults and $5 for high school age and under. UNL students will receive an email with information on how to purchase student tickets. Students from the other three participating institutions should contact their respective athletic departments.
Do I need a ticket for a young child even if they sit on my lap?
Yes. Everyone, regardless of age, must have a ticket for admittance.
Is there a limit to how many tickets I can buy?
Yes. There will be a limit of 12 tickets per account.
What will the court setup be?
The middle of the court will be near the 20-yard-line on the north half of Tom Osborne Field. The court direction (baseline to baseline) will run from north to south. The team benches will be on the east side of the court and stadium. The concert stage will be set up on the south half of Tom Osborne Field. Disclaimer: Volleyball court and concert stage layout is subject to change. Memorial Stadium field configuration may be modified to accommodate an increase in fan capacity, artist requests or volleyball team accommodations.
Why is the Nebraska-UNO match a regular-season match and the UNK-Wayne State match an exhibition?
Nebraska and UNO will play during the second week of the NCAA Division I women's volleyball regular season. The first official competition date for NCAA Division II women's volleyball programs this year is Aug. 31, so UNK-Wayne State will be an exhibition.
Is seating reserved or general admission?
All tickets sold are reserved seats. There are no general admission seats.
What time will Memorial Stadium gates open?
Gates will open at 3:30 p.m., 60 minutes prior to the start of the first match.
Can I bring a purse/backpack into Memorial Stadium?
The Nebraska Athletics Clear Bag Policy will be in effect for the match as with all other home Nebraska Athletics events. Please click here for more information on what is permissible and what is not.
Will there be alcohol sold at the event?
If approved by the University of Nebraska Board of Regents, there will be alcohol sales at the event.
How will parking be handled?
Parking information will be made available later this summer.
Who is the performing artist for the concert?
The performing artist will be announced at a later date once an official contract has been signed.
What if the Volleyball Day in Nebraska matches are canceled because of inclement weather?
If Volleyball Day in Nebraska matches are moved to the Bob Devaney Sports Center due to inclement weather, Nebraska Athletics will accommodate as many ticket holders as possible. Tickets for matches at the Devaney Center will be allocated in the same order as the tickets for Memorial Stadium were purchased. There will be a maximum of 4 tickets allowed per account, not to exceed the quantity of tickets purchased for the matches at Memorial Stadium. Ticket holders will be notified by email in July of their status for tickets for the contingency plan at the Devaney Center. Any tickets not awarded at the Devaney Center will be refunded within 4-6 weeks after the event.
Will there be a Tunnel Walk and, if so, can fans line up along the red carpet?
There will be a volleyball version of the Tunnel Walk. However, the tunnel area along the red carpet will be strictly limited to tickets with field access.
Who will get tickets with field access?
Tickets with field access will include Nebraska volleyball courtside season-ticket holders, students from the participating schools, and ADA.
Will there be autographs?
No, there will not be any autograph sessions at Volleyball Day in Nebraska. However, the Nebraska volleyball team will sign autographs on Fan Day on the day of the Red-White Scrimmage in August.
Will chairback seats be available for rent?
Yes, chairback seats will be available for rent similar to a Nebraska football home game.
Water bottle policy?
Fans are permitted to bring an empty water bottle into the stadium. Food and drinks will also be available for purchase at the concession stands inside Memorial Stadium.
Will fans be able to exit and re-enter the stadium?
No. Re-entry will not be permitted at any point during or between the volleyball matches and concert.
Will the matches be on TV/Radio?
The Nebraska-UNO outdoor match will be televised on the Big Ten Network and streamed on the FOX Sports app. Television and streaming details for the UNK-Wayne State match are still being worked out. Huskers Radio Network will broadcast the Nebraska-UNO match, while the UNK-Wayne State match will also have a radio broadcast of its own.
Huskers Ready for Fighting Illini Collegiate
The Nebraska men's golf team will travel to Urbana-Champaign, Ill. for the Fighting Illini Spring Collegiate April 22-23 to wrap up the regular season.
Hosted by the University of Illinois at the newly renovated Atkins Golf Club (Par 71, 7,538 Yards), the tournament will serve as a tune-up for several Big Ten teams before Big Ten Championships in Galloway, N.J. at the Galloway National Golf Club later this month.
No.3 Illinois comes in as the heavy favorite, along with No. 32 Northwestern. The Fighting Illini are led by Adrien Dumont de Chassart, the reigning Big Ten Golfer of the Year and the No. 6 ranked player nationally according to Golfstat.
Along with the Big Red and the two Illinois schools, Indiana, Michigan and Michigan State are the other Big Ten programs set to compete. Ball State, Eastern Michigan, and Loyola Marymount round out the nine-team field.
Nebraska has steadily improved their play this spring, which culminated in the best round in school history (274, -14) in the second round of the Tiger Collegiate in Columbia, Mo. April 10. Leading the charge for the Huskers was Gentry Scheve, who set new career-bests with a six-under 66 (-6) in his second round, a final tally of 208 (-8), and a final individual finish of 12th. The junior from Emporia, Kan. carries a 73.11 stroke average through nine rounds in 2022-23, also on pace for the best average of his career thus far.
Will Marshall, who qualified in the No.1 spot in the Nebraska lineup for the fourth straight tournament, carries a 73.08 stroke average through 23 rounds in 2022-23. He has set multiple career-best marks this spring, including a new 54-hole best at the Tiger Collegiate (210, -6). He also golfed to a 67 (-5) at the Seahawk Intercollegiate March 27, and has finished inside the top-25 four times.
Two more Huskers who set new career-bests at the Tiger Collegiate and will appear in the lineup this weekend are Reed Malleck (Jr., York, Neb.) and Davis Johnson (Fr., Chaska, Minn.). Malleck tied his career-low round of three-under 69, along with a his first career top-25 finish. His three-round aggregate of 211 (-5) also was a new low.
Johnson will make his second straight lineup appearance after making his lineup debut in Missouri last week. He tied his career-low round of 71 (-1) and golfed to a final score of 218 (+2), also a high mark for the first year Husker.
Grant Jabenis, another first year Husker, rounds out the Husker lineup this weekend in Illinois. He carries a stroke average of 74.06 in his first season with the Big Red, and tallied a career-best 2nd place finish at the Stampede at the Creek in Omaha, Neb. April 11, his second top-5 finish competing individually this spring.
Evan McDermott (75.08) and Caleb Badura (75.16) will both be competing as individuals this weekend outside the Nebraska lineup. Badura, the fifth-year senior from Aurora, tied his career-low round last time out at the Tiger Collegiate (68), while McDermott finished tied for 13th with an aggregate score of 220 (+4) at the Stampede.
For live updates throughout the tournament, make sure to follow on Twitter and Instagram at HuskersGolf. Live scoring for the Fighting Illini Spring Collegiate can be found at Golfstat.com.
Fighting Illini Spring Collegiate
Urbana-Champaign, Ill.
Atkins Golf Club
Par 71, 7,538 Yards
April 22-23, 2023
Nebraska Lineup
1. Will Marshall (Sr., Elburn, Ill.)
2. Gentry Scheve (Jr., Emporia, Kan.)
3. Reed Malleck (Jr., York, Neb.)
4. Davis Johnson (Fr., Chaska, Minn.)
5. Grant Jabenis (So., Omaha, Neb.)
IND. Evan McDermott (Fr., Spring Lake, Mich.)
IND. Caleb Badura (Sr., Aurora, Neb.)
Tournament Info - (All Times C.T.)
Friday, April 21 (Practice Round)
Saturday, April 22 (Rounds 1&2) - 7:30 a.m. (CT) - Shotgun Start
Sunday, April 23 (Round 3) - 8:00 a.m.. (CT) - Shotgun Start
Live Scoring: GolfStat.com
Tournament Field (9 Teams)
Ball State
Illinois
Indiana
Michigan
Michigan State
Nebraska
Northwestern
Eastern Michigan
Loyola Marymount
Huskers Fire Best Round in School History
After Nebraska fired the best round in school history on April 10, (274, -14), the Huskers concluded play at the Tiger Collegiate (Columbia, Mo.) with three-round tally of 844 (-20), their best mark of the season. This performance helped the Huskers earn a seventh place finish out of 14 teams.
Nebraska was led by Gentry Scheve (Jr., Emporia, Kan.) who set new career-bests in three categories. His six-under 66 in his second round was the best round by any Nebraska golfer this season and two strokes off the school record set by Brady Schnell on March 20, 2006.
Overall, all five Huskers in the lineup set or tied their career-low rounds navigating the Club at Old Hawthorne. Along with Scheve, Will Marshall (68), Caleb Badura (68), Reed Malleck (69), and Davis Johnson (71) all set or tied their previous career-best round.
Marshall Model of Consistency
Will Marshall has provided a steady presence in the Husker lineup throughout the 2022-23 season. His stroke average of 73.08 through 23 rounds this spring is the best among Husker lineup regulars.
Along with his four top 25 finishes this season, he has set new career-bests in multiple categories. His five-under 67 in the third round of the Seahawk Intercollegiate on March 27 beat his previous best of 68 (-4), which he had done four times prior. He also set a new career-best 54-hole tally when he finished with a six-under 210 at the Tiger Collegiate on April 11.
The senior from Elburn, Ill. has placed inside the top-50 in every tournament for the Big Red in the 2022-23 season and will make his fourth straight appearance atop the Husker lineup in Illinois.
Crockett Sets Husker Record For Season Stroke Average
Harry Crockett (So., Oxted, England) transferred to Nebraska in the fall of 2022 and made an immediate impact on the Husker program. Crockett golfed to an exceptional 71.82 stroke average in 11 rounds, the best average in school history.
His highlight of the season included two 67 (-5) performances, which he achieved in the final-round of the Purdue Fall Invitational Oct. 11 and White Sands Bahamas Invitational Oct. 30. He finished 3rd in Purdue, and nearly added another top-10 when he finished 11th in the Bahamas.
Nebraska Wraps Up Regular Season at Wisconsin
The No. 49 Nebraska men's tennis team (12-9, 4-4 Big Ten) heads to Madison, Wisc., for its final regular season match of the season against No. 54 Wisconsin on Saturday, April 22 at 12 p.m. CT at the Nielsen Tennis Stadium.
Scouting Wisconsin (11-9, 4-4 Big Ten)
• The Badgers enter the matchup on a two-game losing streak after dropping both of their weekend matches to No. 26 Illinois and No. 23 Northwestern.
• Wisconsin has the No. 64 doubles pair in the country, made up of Gabriel Huber and Michael Minasyan. The duo has a 12-12 record this season.
• With the two teams having the same conference record, this match will have implication in the Big Ten Tournament seeding and post-season competition.
Series History
Nebraska is 5-12 all-time against Wisconsin. The Huskers have dropped the last seven matches to the Badgers, including most recently in April of 2022 when NU lost 4-3 in Lincoln.
Huskers Continue to Sit in Top 50 of ITA Team Rankings
Even with Nebraska's two losses in the state of Illinois this past weekend, the Cornhuskers remain ranked inside of the top 50 of the ITA team rankings for the eighth-straight weekend.
Up Next
Following the Wisconsin match, the Huskers will head to Bloomington, Ind., for the Big Ten Tournament from April 27 through April 30. More information about seeding and opponents will come the week of the tournament.
Huskers Set for Big Ten Championship
The 14-team conference field will be challenged by a 6,045-yard, par-71 layout in Pennsylvania. Action tees off with the opening round on Friday, April 21 at 7:30 a.m. (CT), before Saturday's second round also gets underway at 7:30 a.m. (CT). Sunday's final round is set for a 7 a.m. (CT) start.
No. 13 Northwestern enters the tournament as the favorite, while No. 30 Ohio State, No. 33 Maryland, No. 35 Michigan State, No. 37 Michigan, No. 43 Purdue and No. 48 Nebraska put seven Big Ten teams among the top 50 in the Golfweek national rankings.
Live scoring for the six-count-four tournament will be available through GolfStat.com.
True freshman Kelli Ann Strand (Challis, Idaho) continues to lead Nebraska with a team-best 71.72 stroke average, which is on pace for a school record. She owns six top-10 finishes and 18 rounds better than par this season. She heads to the Big Ten Championship ranked among the top 115 players nationally by both Golfweek and GolfStat.
Graduate student Megan Whittaker expects to compete in her fourth and final Big Ten Championship. Whittaker tied for 18th at the 2021 conference tournament, before adding a tie for 33rd at last year's event. Whittaker owns a career-best 73.14 stroke average this season, which has helped her to top 250 national rankings in both Golfweek and GolfStat. She owns five top-20 showings on the year.
Miu Takahashi has matched Whittaker's stroke average with an identical 73.14 average over 32.5 rounds. Takahashi won the Dale McNamara individual title and owns four top-10 finishes on the year. The sophomore from Nasu-Machi, Japan is ranked among the top 250 players in NCAA Division I by Golfweek.
Juniors Lindsey Thiele (74.62), Michaela Vavrova (75.53) and Andrea Velez (76.77) round out Nebraska's six-count-four lineup at the Lady Buckeye. Vavrova will be making her third appearance at the Big Ten Championship including a tie for 17th at last year's tournament. She also tied for 33rd to help the Big Red to a runner-up team finish in 2021.
Thiele will be playing at the conference tournament for the second time, joining an appearance as a freshman in 2021.
Velez will be making her first championship appearance after taking second among the Huskers at the Lady Buckeye Invitational.
Big Ten Championship
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Fox Chapel Golf Club (Par 71/6,045 Yards)
Schedule
Friday, April 21 (Round 1): 7:30 a.m. (CT) (Tee Times)
Saturday, April 22 (Round 2): 7:30 a.m. (CT) (Tee Times)
Sunday, April 23 (Round 3): 7 a.m. (CT) (Tee Times)
Live Scoring: GolfStat.com
14 Participating Teams (Golfweek Rankings)
Northwestern (13)
Ohio State (30)
Maryland (33)
Michigan State (35)
Michigan (37)
Purdue (43)
Nebraska (48)
Illinois (56)
Minnesota (59)
Penn State (64)
Wisconsin (86)
Rutgers (105)
Iowa (107)
Indiana (122)
Nebraska Lineup (6-count-4)
1. Kelli Ann Strand
2. Miu Takahashi
3. Megan Whittaker
4. Lindsey Thiele
5. Michaela Vavrova
6. Andrea Velez
Freshman Strand Makes Instant Impact for Big Red
Kelli Ann Strand made a record-setting debut on her way to a title at the Green Wave Classic in New Orleans (Sept. 12-13).
Strand, a three-time Idaho state champion who was ranked among the top-310 players in the world (WAGR 308) before arriving at Nebraska, set the Husker freshman record with a second-round 65 (-7) while tying the NU record for best 54-hole tournament score with a 202 (-14) at the Bayou Oaks South Course. Strand's performance included a school freshman record 65 (-7) in the second round. The true freshman from Challis, Idaho, fired a 29 (-7) over the back nine in the second round before opening the third round with a 31 (-5) on the front nine, carding a 60 (-12) over those consecutive 18 holes splitting two rounds. The NCAA record for best round of women's golf is 61. Strand also was named the Big Ten Golfer of the Week (Sept. 15).
Strand, who earned her second straight Idaho Golf Association Women's Player of the Year award in December of 2022, won the Idaho Women's Match Play title. She added a runner-up finish at the Idaho Women's Amateur. She was also the runner-up at the Girls Junior Americas Cup (July 24-28) for the second straight year with a three-round total of 205 (-11). She captured third at the IMG Academy Junior World Championship (July 12-15) with a four-round total of 280 (-8), which came before competing at the U.S. Girls Junior Amateur in Kentucky (July 18-23), where she advanced to Match Play before finishing in a tie for 33rd.
Strand earned the No. 1 position in Nebraska's lineup for the season-opening Green Wave Classic by winning Nebraska's competitive qualifying rounds in advance of the tournament.
She leads Nebraska with a 71.72 stroke average over 32.5 rounds, which is on pace to shatter the school freshman record (73.90) and the overall school season record (72.18) - both held by All-American Kate Smith.
Strand is ranked No. 108 nationally by Golfweek and No. 114 by GolfStat.
Whittaker Back for Fifth Year to Lead Huskers in Big Ten
A hard-working golfer who has shown impressive improvement throughout her five collegiate seasons, Megan Whittaker returns to lead Nebraska in the hunt for an NCAA Regional bid in 2022-23. The graduate student from Elkhorn, Neb., produced Nebraska's No. 2 stroke average (74.04) in 2021-22, just missing an individual NCAA Regional bid. She trailed only NCAA Regional qualifier Kirsten Baete (73.94) among the Huskers.
Whittaker opened her fifth season as a Husker with a career-best 207 (-9) to take sixth at the Green Wave Classic. It followed a big summer for Whittaker that included a sweep of the Nebraska women's match play and stroke play championships and a berth in the U.S. Women's Amateur.
Whittaker also joined teammates Michaela Vavrova and Kelli Ann Strand as Big Ten Golfers to Watch heading into the 2022-23 season. Whittaker produced the first two top-10 individual finishes of her career while matching Baete and Vanessa Bouvet for the team lead with seven top-25 finishes last year.
In fact, Whittaker notched top-35 finishes in 18 consecutive collegiate tournaments, including a tie for 11th with a 213 (-3) at the Westbrook Spring Invitational (Feb. 26-27).
Whittaker has produced a career-best 73.14 stroke average over 32.5 rounds this season and is ranked No. 229 by GolfStat and No. 242 by Golfweek.
A star in the classroom and the community, Whittaker earned her bachelor's degree in finance in May of 2022. She is a four-time WGCA Scholastic All-American, a three-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection. In the community, she earned a prestigious Sam Foltz 27 Hero Leadership Award at Nebraska in 2021. She was also Nebraska's 2021 Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner for women's golf.
Whittaker's ties to Nebraska women's golf are very strong, as her mother Kim (Lefler) lettered as a golfer for the Huskers from 1991 to 1994, helping Nebraska advance to the 1994 NCAA West Regional as a senior.
Huskers in National Polls
Nebraska entered the top 25 in the national rankings for the first time in many years when the Huskers came in at No. 19 in the Golfweek rankings (Sept. 22). The Huskers also entered the Mizuno WGCA Coaches Poll at No. 20 (Sept. 23). Following a runner-up finish at the Dale McNamara Invitational, the Huskers remained in the top 25 at No. 23 in Golfweek (Oct. 13), while ranking No. 28 in the Mizuno WGCA Coaches Poll (Oct. 14).
Nebraska is No. 48 by Golfweek (April 19). Freshman Kelli Ann Strand heads to Pennsylvania ranked No. 108 by Golfweek, while sophomore Miu Takahashi (241) and graduate student Megan Whittaker (242) rank among the top 250 golfers in the nation. Huskers in The National Polls
Nebraska entered the top 25 in the national rankings for the first time in many years when the Huskers came in at No. 19 in the Golfweek rankings (Sept. 22). The Huskers also entered the Mizuno WGCA Coaches Poll at No. 20 (Sept. 23). Following a runner-up finish at the Dale McNamara Invitational, the Huskers remained in the top 25 at No. 23 in Golfweek (Oct. 13), while ranking No. 28 in the Mizuno WGCA Coaches Poll (Oct. 14).
Nebraska is No. 48 by Golfweek (April 19). Freshman Kelli Ann Strand heads to Pennsylvania ranked No. 108 by Golfweek, while sophomore Miu Takahashi (241) and graduate student Megan Whittaker (242) rank among the top 250 golfers in the nation.
Huskers Honor Daegan Page with Folds of Honor Bag
The Nebraska women's golf team is honoring Marine Corporal Daegan Page from Omaha as part of the Folds of Honor Military Tribute Program during the spring of 2023.
Page, who was one of 13 service men and women killed in action while helping to evacuate people from the Kabul Airport in Afghanistan on Aug. 26, 2021, has his name, rank and branch of service displayed on a Husker women's golf bag this season.
Megan Whittaker, a graduate student from Elkhorn, Neb., proudly carried the bag in Page's honor in Nebraska's first spring tournament as part of a nationwide program sponsored by the Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA). Kelli Ann Strand carried it during Nebraska's run to the Westbrook Spring Invitational title in Arizona, while Michaela Vavrova carried the honor bag at the Briar's Creek Invitational.
Folds of Honor is a preferred charitable partner of the WGCA and the GCAA, and the groups work together to ensure that no family is left behind in the fight to preserve American freedom. Through scholarships and other assistance, they give back to the spouses and children of soldiers killed or disabled in service to our country.
Daegan William-Tyeler Page would have celebrated his 25th birthday on Feb. 6, 2023, when the Husker women's golf team opens its spring season at the FAU Paradise Invitational in Boca Raton, Fla., on Monday. He was born in Red Oak, Iowa and moved to Omaha at age 5. He was an avid hockey player, competing for the state champion Westside Warriors, before graduating from Millard South High School in 2016. Page also loved skateboarding, the outdoors and animals.
Cpl. Page was a rifleman in 1st Platoon, Company G, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment. To learn more about Daegan Page, or to help others "Live the Dae Way" visit the Cpl. Daegan Page Foundation website at daeganpage.org.
Huskers Head to Waco for Michael Johnson Invitational
Field events at Clyde Hart Stadium get underway at 11 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Running events begin at 6 p.m. Friday and Noon Saturday.
The NU men are No. 14 in the USTFCCCA Outdoor Rankings, while the women are No. 21. Prior to having last weekend off, the Husker men climbed all the way to No. 6, their highest national ranking since 2009. And the women's team held the No. 11 rank, their best in-season ranking since 2011.
Husker junior Maddie Harris is the national leader in the women's javelin after her school-record 193-1 (58.85m) at the Jim Click Shootout. Darius Luff ranks fourth in the nation in the 110-meter hurdles with a school-record time of 13.39. Jonah Wilson ranks fifth in the shot put at 65-4 1/4 (19.92m), as does Till Steinforth in the decathlon (7,845).
Steinforth Named B1G Field Athlete of the Week
Nebraska sophomore Till Steinforth was named the Big Ten Men's Field Athlete of the Week on April 12. Steinforth captured the decathlon title at the Jim Click Shootout in Tucson, Ariz., posting nine personal-best marks and six event wins. Steinforth tallied 7,845 points through the 10 events, moving him up to fourth in school history.
It's the second career Big Ten weekly award for Steinforth. He was also the Big Ten Men's Indoor Field Athlete of the Week on Feb. 8.
Steinforth opened the decathlon on day one with a 100m victory in 10.69 and a long jump win with a personal-best mark of 25-2 (7.67m). In the shot put, Steinforth threw for 45-9 (13.94m) to lead the decathletes. He closed the day with a third-place finish in the high jump with a personal-best 6-4 3/4 (1.95m) and a runner-up finish in the 400m with a personal-best 49.42.
After taking three decathlon events on the first day, Steinforth opened day two with a decathlon 110m hurdles victory in 14.52. He pitched in another personal-best performance in the pole vault, clearing 16-0 3/4 (4.90m) to win it, moving him up to first in the overall decathlon standings with two events remaining. In the javelin, Steinforth threw for 181-2 (55.22m) to gather his sixth win. Steinforth covered the track in 4:52.50 during the 1500m to cap off his 10 events and secure the title.
2023 Indoor Season Recap
The Huskers are coming off a record-breaking indoor season under first-year head coach Justin St. Clair. Nebraska had 10 indoor All-Americans, while the men had their best national finish (eighth) since 2009 and the women had their best national finish (14th) since 2006. Axelina Johansson (second, women's shot put), Jonah Wilson (second, men's shot put) and Darius Luff (third, 60m hurdles) all took home NCAA medals.
Nebraska's five Big Ten indoor champions included Luff (60m hurdles), Nick Bryant (600m), Mayson Conner (high jump), Wilson (men's shot put) and Johansson (women's shot put). The men finished second in the team standings while the women finished eighth.
The Huskers also had five new school records set during the indoor season: Luff (60m hurdles), Bryant (600m), Till Steinforth (heptathlon), Johansson (shot put) and Taylor Latimer (weight throw). NU athletes also combined for 22 new top-10 marks in school history.
2022 Outdoor Season Recap
The Huskers collected six Big Ten titles at the 2022 Big Ten Outdoor Championships in Minneapolis. Maddie Harris repeated as the Big Ten javelin champion, while Jenna Rogers won the high jump title as a freshman. Mayson Conner won the men's high jump crown, as he and Rogers won all four Big Ten high jump crowns in 2022. Maxwell Otterdahl was the Men's Field Athlete of the Championships after sweeping the shot put and discus titles. The men's 4x400-meter relay team of Jacob Hyde, Alex Nelson, Cory Berg and Nick Bryant also won gold in a surprising upset.
At the NCAA Outdoor Championships, Harris finished second in the javelin while Johansson placed third in the shot put. The Huskers finished with eight All-Americans.
