MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The college basketball coaching fraternity runs deep, a collegiality among competitors that's stronger than in most other sports.

Here's yet another example: Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg recently connected with his Michigan counterpart, Juwan Howard, to offer advice and encouragement while Howard recovers from Sept. 15 heart surgery to remove an aortic aneurysm and repair his aortic valve.

“We had the exact same procedure,” said Hoiberg, whose 10-year NBA playing career ended suddenly in 2005 when his defect was discovered. “I just told him, ‘I’m here for you if you have any questions.’ I know that recovery’s a bear. It’s really tough to come back from.”

Howard’s conditions were identified following a routine medical check. Michigan announced last month that Howard was expected to fully recover in six to 12 weeks and could return to the court in four to six weeks. Assistant coach Saddi Washington, who represented the Wolverines at Big Ten Media Day in Minnesota, said Tuesday there was no specific timetable for seeing Howard on the sideline.

“You know my boss, right? He is a very motivated individual to get back,” Washington said. “Quite honestly, we want him back when he’s ready. He’s going to listen to his team of doctors, and he’s going to go through the process of working through his rehab and getting healthy, but I know the competitive spirit that he has, and he’s going to be running through the door when his time comes. We’re just going to hold down the fort and forge forward and try to prepare these young men for this season.”

Michigan opens the season Nov. 7 against UNC Asheville. Associate head coach Phil Martelli will serve as the interim head coach, with Washington and Howard Eisley maintaining their roles and Jay Smith elevated to a third assistant position while Howard is out.

“Coach Juwan has done a great job in preparing me personally. It’s one of the reasons I love working for him, working with him, working at the University of Michigan,” Washington said. “He’s always given us as assistants a voice in the program, for opportunities like this when he sent me a text and said, ‘Hey, you know, I would love for you to represent me and the program on Media Day.’ There was no question.”

The Wolverines were picked to finish 11th in the 14-team conference in the preseason media poll, after missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time in eight years and losing their top three scorers. They've added transfers Nimari Burnett (Alabama), Olivier Nkamhoua (Tennessee) and Tray Jackson (Seton Hall).

“Coach Juwan has full support and full confidence in the staff, full confidence in the guys in that locker room,” Washington said. “We have just forged forward. Hopefully he’s happy with the work that we’ve been able to put in in his absence. We can’t wait to have him back.”

THE PORTAL LEADS TO PENN STATE

No team in the Big Ten underwent more of a makeover than Penn State, after head coach Micah Shrewsberry left for a raise at Notre Dame and was replaced by Mike Rhoades after the Nittany Lions reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

As is custom in college basketball these days following a coaching change, the transfer portal cranked up in Happy Valley and left Rhoades with only three returning players. So he opened up the inbound door and signed 10 new players in less than two months, a list highlighted by D'Marco Dunn and Puff Johnson from North Carolina and Ace Baldwin Jr., who followed Rhoades from VCU.

“It’s a short amount of time from when we first arrived on campus until now and when the season starts,” Johnson said. “We’ve got a lot of new players. But we’ve done a lot of team bonding outside of basketball to make sure that we’re constantly communicating on the court.”

For Rhoades, the best recruiting job might have been with Jameel Brown, who came to Penn State because of Shrewsberry and entered the transfer portal in the spring but ultimately pulled out and stayed put after a meeting with his parents and Rhoades at his new office.

“I said, ‘Give it a chance, and if you don’t feel good about it after a couple of weeks, that should tell you something,’” Rhoades said. “If you don’t have two feet in, it’s not going to work no matter what.”

BATTLING BACK

Ohio State has one of the biggest potential impact transfers in Jamison Battle, who left his home state program, Minnesota, to enjoy more winning and have a better opportunity to play in the NCAA Tournament in his final year of college eligibility.

“The internal pressure that you put on yourself being in your home state, knowing you want it so bad for Minnesota and what I wanted to do, mentally and physically I was just drained,” Battle said. “It was hard last year for me just to see how I was struggling and how I was letting so much get to me.”

Battle, who started his career at George Washington, had his scoring average drop five points per game during a trying season with the last-place Gophers.

“We really needed him, and I think he felt that,” Buckeyes coach Chris Holtmann said, adding: "People in our league know who he is. They don’t want to leave him open, and we know how valuable that is for an efficient offense.

NEW SPOT

The Big Ten brought its annual media day event, with coaches and players from all 14 teams, to Minnesota in connection with the conference tournament next March. Target Center will be a first-time host for the men's event after staging the women's tourney for a second straight year.

“What's centrally located now? Playing in Utah?” Izzo quipped.

Purdue is favored to win the Big Ten again. Can the Boilermakers end the league's March trouble?

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Big Ten got an unexpected boost in the offseason when Zach Edey decided to return to Purdue for a fourth year.

But the question remains whether Edey’s towering presence will make a difference next March. Or will Purdue’s well-publicized struggles in the NCAA Tournament — emblematic of the entire conference’s recent postseason failures — persist?

The 7-foot-4, 300-pound Edey was the runaway winner of the AP National Player of the Year award last season, when he averaged 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game. He helped lead the Boilermakers to the Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Then Purdue became just the second top seed in history to lose in the first round when it was stunned 63-58 by No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson. That was the most painful of a long list of March disappointments for the Boilermakers, who were knocked out by No. 15 seed Saint Peter's in 2022 and No. 13 seed North Texas in 2021.

Purdue coach Matt Painter, speaking at Big Ten men's basketball media day on Tuesday, said those losses have led to some long offseasons.

“I think that’s part of coaching. Like, you don’t sit around and shine your trophies. You sit around and wonder why in the hell you couldn’t beat somebody 17 years ago on a cold Wednesday night,” Painter said. “The thing that I’ve always tried to do, and it’s probably the hardest route but the best route, is you’ve got to face it. Don’t run from something. Face it, take it on, and that’s how you’re going to hopefully reverse that scenario where you’re going to be better in March.”

Painter's team is the consensus favorite to repeat as Big Ten champion, and it's easy to see why. The Boilermakers return all five starters, including Edey, who could become just the second player — Virginia's Ralph Sampson won three in a row from 1981-83 — to win consecutive Player of the Year awards.

“If the opportunity presented itself, I would be glad to take that podium and accept that award,” Edey said. “But that’s not my goal for the next season.”

Edey listed a number of team-oriented goals, including reaching the Final Four and winning a national title. But the Big Ten hasn't sent a team to the Final Four since 2019, when Michigan State made it. And Tom Izzo's Spartans were the conference's most recent national champions, all the way back in 2000.

The Big Ten led the country with eight teams in the 2023 tournament. Michigan State was the only squad to advance past the second round and lost in the Sweet 16.

Izzo, who's rarely at a loss for words, struggled to come up with an explanation for the Big Ten's postseason shortcomings.

“I’m supposed to have an educated answer since I’ve been part of the problem,” Izzo said. “It isn’t for lack of trying. I think I’ve been in three or four Final Fours where there’s been another Big Ten team in it. If we keep knocking on the door, that thing’s going to open again.”

Iowa coach Fran McCaffrey chalked the problem up to the one-and-done nature of March Madness.

“Any time you play in a tournament situation where if you lose you’re out, anything can happen. That’s why the pros play best of seven. The best teams advance,” McCaffrey said. “Our league has the most teams in. That’s indicative of how good the league is and how many good players we have.”

Major changes are looming that could have a significant effect on the conference's postseason fortunes. Next year, the league will expand to 18 teams, adding Southern California, UCLA, Oregon and Washington. The influx of new talent — and new ways of playing the game — could better prepare Big Ten teams for national competition in March.

“We’re going to see athleticism and different styles of basketball that maybe we don’t see in this conference,” Maryland coach Kevin Willard said. "I think it’s going to help Michigan State see how a West Coast team plays so that when you get a West Coast team in the NCAA Tournament, maybe your players have seen a different style. Because this league, we’re all pretty much similar in the way we play. Seeing a UCLA, seeing an Oregon who plays matchup zones and presses a little bit is going to help these guys in March be a little bit more prepared.”

RED EVENS RED-WHITE SERIES ON TUESDAY

By: NU Athletic Communications

Red bounced back with a 4-2 win to even Nebraska baseball’s Red-White Series at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park on Tuesday afternoon.

Red scored four runs on nine hits, while White tallied two runs on four hits and an error.

Jackson Brockett earned the win on the mound, allowing two runs on four hits with three strikeouts and two walks in 4.1 innings. Tucker Timmerman collected the save after dealing 2.1 hitless innings with a strikeout and two walks.

White’s Drew Christo suffered the loss after surrendering three runs, two earned, on four hits with four strikeouts and two walks in three innings. Mason McConnaughey allowed one run on four hits in 3.1 innings of work while striking out three and issuing one walk. Brooks Kneifl recorded the final two outs for White and allowed one hit.

Red’s Will Walsh went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and two runs. Ben Columbus was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk. Dylan Carey recorded a double, while Case Sanderson, Clay Bradford, Bryce Hughes and Aaron Manias recorded one hit apiece.

Max Buettenback had a 1-for-3 afternoon with two RBI for White. Joshua Overbeek went 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored, while Gabe Swansen and Garrett Anglim had one hit each.

Red raced out to a three-run lead behind three hits and an error in the top of the first inning. Riley Silva reached on an error and stole second before scoring on Sanderson’s RBI single to right. Red’s lead doubled to two after Walsh’s RBI double to right plated Sanderson, while Columbus ripped a 3-2 pitch back up the middle for an RBI single to score Walsh and make it 3-0.

The two teams exchanged a pair of scoreless frames in the second and third innings before White plated two runs to make it a one-run game. Swansen’s one-out single up the middle, followed by Overbeek’s double to left had runners on second and third with one out. Buettenback came through with a two-RBI single, lacing an 0-2 pitch to right to score Swansen and Overbeek.

Red immediately got one of the runs back in the top of the fifth off two hits. A one-out single by Walsh, and a walk issued to Columbus had runners on first and second. Bradford doubled the lead for Red with a two-out RBI single to right, scoring Walsh to stretch the lead to 4-2 through five innings.

White brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh after Dylan Hufft drew a two-out walk on full count and advanced to second on defensive indifference. Timmerman induced a groundout to shortstop to collect the save and preserved Red’s 4-2 win on Tuesday afternoon.

The Red-White Series wraps up with the series finale set for 2:30 p.m. tomorrow afternoon at Hawks Field.

HUSKERS FINISH FIFTH AT PURDUE

Four Huskers produced top-25 individual performances to power the Nebraska men’s golf team to a fifth-place finish in a 15-team field at the Purdue Fall Invitational on Tuesday in West Lafayette, Ind.

The Big Red finished with a season-best, three-round team total of 855 (+3), just two strokes back of No. 9 Illinois, which tied for third at 853 (+1) with No. 79 VCU. The hosts from No. 40 Purdue claimed the team title after firing the tournament's best round with a 275 (-9) on Tuesday. The Boilermakers finished at 842 (-10) to secure a one-shot win over No. 84 Illinois State in second at 843 (-9). 

The No. 87 Huskers, who continue to climb in the national standings, finished three shots ahead of No. 54 UNLV and nine strokes in front of No. 85 Ball State among the seven top-100 teams in the tournament field.

Harry Crockett, a junior from Oxted, England, wrapped up his best tournament of the season with a final-round 71 to close at even-par 213 to tie for 12th in the tournament after an opening-round 70 (-1) and a second-round 72 on Monday. Crockett's effort came on a par-71, 7,275-yard layout at the Ackerman-Allen Golf Course.

Sophomore Quinn Yost  (Farmington, N.M.) and junior Hamish Murray (Sydney, Australia) finished right behind Crockett with one-over-par scores of 214 to tie for 17th. 

Murray matched Crockett for Nebraska's best final-round score with a 71, to follow his rounds of 73 and 70 on Monday. Yost, who fired a 68 (-3) in Monday's second round, added a 72 on Tuesday to close another impressive tournament.

Senior Gentry Scheve (Emporia, Kan.) rounded out the four Huskers in the top 25 by tying for 21st overall at 215. Scheve entered the day tied for eighth at 140 (-2) and played an outstanding front nine to move to three-under-par, ran into trouble on the back. 

Reed Malleck (York, Neb.) completed the Husker contingent with a 77 on Tuesday to close at 222 (+9) in a tie for 54th.

Jackson Buchanan (Illinois) and Valentin Peugnet (Illinois State) shared individual medalist honors with 54-hole scores of 204 (-9).

Nebraska returns to action at the Little Rock Invitational (Oct. 15-16) to complete the fall season.

Purdue Fall Invitational
Oct. 9-10, 2023
West Lafayette, Indiana
Ackerman-Allen Golf Course (Par 71, 7,275 Yards)

Final Team Results
1. Purdue - 291-276-275=842 (-10)
2. Illinois State - 277-283-283=843 (-9)
T3. VCU - 289-278-286=853 (+1)
T3. Illinois - 284-285-284=853 (+1)
5. Nebraska - 290-276-289=855 (+3)
6. Miami (Ohio) - 284-288-285=857 (+5)
7. UNLV - 289-284-285=858 (+6)
8. Northern Illinois - 281-279-301=861 (+9)
9. Central Arkansas - 278-289-296=863 (+11)
10. Ball State - 294-277-293=864 (+12)
11. Butler - 293-290-290=873 (+21)
12. Western Kentucky - 292-293-295=880 (+28)
13. Dayton - 301-291-294=886 (+34)
14. Eastern Michigan - 294-294-299=887 (+35)
15. DePaul - 302-291-310=903 (+51)

Final Individual Results
T1. Jackson Buchanan, Illinois - 68-69-67=204 (-9)
T1. Valentin Peugnet, Illinois State - 67-66-71=204 (-9)
3. Herman Wibe Sekne, Purdue - 71-70-65=206 (-7)
4. Zach Place, Northern Illinois - 67-68-72=207 (-6)
5. Alex McCulla, Illinois State - 70-70-68=208 (-5)
T6. Max Herendeen, Illinois - 72-66-71=209 (-4)
T6. Mattias Varjun, VCU - 72-67-70-=209 (-4)
T6. *Ryan Voois, Illinois - 72-68-69=209 (-4)
9. Sam Easterbrook, Purdue - 73-67-70=210 (-3)
T10. Jerry Ji, Illinois - 71-70-71=212 (-1)
T10. Veikka Viskari, VCU - 69-70-73=212 (-1)

Nebraska Individuals
T12. Harry Crockett - 70-72-71=213 (E)
T17. Quinn Yost - 74-68-72=214 (+1)
T17. Hamish Murray - 73-70-71=214 (+1)
T21. Gentry Scheve - 73-67-75=215 (+2)
T54. Reed Malleck - 74-71-77=222 (+9)

STRAND TAKES SECOND IN OKLAHOMA

Kelli Ann Strand produced a final-round 70 (-2) to claim a runner-up finish in an 86-player field with a three-round total of 206 (-10) at the Dale McNamara Invitational on Tuesday.

Strand, a sophomore from Challis, Idaho, closed the 54-hole tournament on the par-72, 6,246-yard layout at the Golf Club of Oklahoma in Broken Arrow at 10-under-par, including an opening-round 70 (-2) and a second-round 66 (-6) on Monday.

Strand's final round included an eagle on the par-5, 484-yard 18th hole to go along with three birdies, 11 pars and a trio of bogeys.

Only UTSA's Camryn Carreon put up better scores than Strand in the tournament, taking medalist honors with a 204 (-12) that included a final-round 67 (-5) after rounds of 69 and 68.

South Florida's Melanie Green, who entered the final round in a tie with Strand atop the individual leaderboard, settled for a 72 on Tuesday to finish third at 208 (-8).

As a team, Nebraska matched USF and BYU for the second-best final round, trailing only UTSA's 286. The Huskers finished fifth overall with an 870 (+6) in a 14-team field that featured 10 top-100 teams.

The hosts from Tulsa took the team title with an 856 (-8), two strokes better than USF at 858 (-6), while UTSA took third at 860 (-4). Colorado State claimed fourth at 862 (-2).

Nebraska senior Michaela Vavrova notched a top-25 finish for the Huskers with a 219 (+3) that included a final-round 73. 

Junior Miu Takahashi added a final-round 73 of her own to finish at 224 (+8) in a tie for 44th, while freshman Arden Louchheim carded Nebraska's second-best individual round of the day with a 71 (-1) on Tuesday to tie for 60th at 228 (+12).

Junior Lena Hassert completed Nebraska's lineup with a final-round 75 to close at 226 (+10) in a tie for 52nd.

Fellow junior Andrea Velez rounded out the Husker contingent at the Dale McNamara Invitational with a three-round total of 229 (+13) to tie for 62nd while playing as an individual outside Nebraska's lineup.

The Huskers return to action at the Landfall Tradition in Wilmington, N.C., Oct. 27-29.

Dale McNamara Invitational
Oct. 9-10, 2023
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
Golf Club of Oklahoma (Par 72, 6,246 Yards)

Final Team Results
1. Tulsa - 283-285-288=856 (-8)
2. South Florida - 292-279-287=858 (-6)
3. UTSA - 290-284-286=860 (-4)
4. Colorado State - 289-284-289=862 (-2)
5. Nebraska - 301-282-287=870 (+6)
6. Kennesaw State - 302-283-289=874 (+10)
7. Sam Houston State - 297-286-293=876 (+12)
8. Brigham Young - 304-287-287=878 (+14)
9. Southern Miss - 295-298-295=888 (+24)
10. Arkansas State - 307-291-298=896 (+32)
11. Cal Poly - 300-294-304=898 (+34)
12. Abilene Christian - 296-293-311=900 (+36)
T13. Oral Roberts - 314-296-301=911 (+47)
T13. Oklahoma City - 309-287-315=911 (+47)

Final Individual Results
1. Camryn Carreon, UTSA - 69-68-67=204 (-12)
2. Kelli Ann Strand, Nebraska - 70-66-70=206 (-10)
3. Melanie Green, South Florida - 72-64-72=208 (-8)
4. Jenni Roller, Tulsa - 71-70-70=211 (-5)
5. Nyah Kelly, Kennesaw State - 74-68-70=212 (-4)
T6. Adeline Anderson, Brigham Young - 75-71-67=213 (-3)
T6. Andrea Bergsdottir, Colorado State - 71-70-72=213 (-3)
8. Jenn David, Sam Houston - 70-68-76=214 (-2)
9. Lacey Uchida, Colorado State - 75-70-70=215 (-1)
T10. Leonor Medeiros, South Florida - 73-68-75=216 (E)
T10. Sofia Torres, Colorado State - 71-71-74=216 (E)
T10. Lilly Thomas, Tulsa - 71-73-72=216 (E)
T10. Sydney Seigel, Tulsa - 69-71-76=216 (E)
T10. Alyssa Montgomery, South Florida - 72-74-70=216 (E)

Nebraska Individuals
2. Kelli Ann Strand - 70-66-70=206 (-10)
T23. Michaela Vavrova - 74-72-73=219 (+3)
T44. Miu Takahashi - 82-69-73=224 (+8)
T52. Lena Hassert - 76-75-75=226 (+10)
T60. Arden Louchheim - 81-76-71=228 (+12)
T62. Andrea Velez - 74-75-80=229 (+13)

HUSKERS RELEASE 2024 MEN’S GYMNASTICS SCHEDULE

Head Coach Chuck Chmelka and the Nebraska men's gymnastics team announced its 2024 schedule, highlighted by three home meets at the Bob Devaney Sports Center followed by competitive regular-season competition. 

Nebraska will launch its season-opener at the Rocky Mountain Open in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Saturday, Jan. 20, where the gymnasts will compete at Air Force’s home base. The meet is set to begin at 6:00 p.m. (CT).

The Huskers will then prepare to host their first home meet of the season, after taking a week off, on Saturday, Feb. 3, at the Devaney Center. They are set to compete head-to-head against Penn State for their first Big Ten regular-season conference meet of the season beginning at 6:00 p.m. (CT).

NU will hit the road to battle the Wolverines in a dual meet on Saturday, Feb. 10 at Michigan to take on the reigning Big Ten champions.

The gymnasts will make their way back to Lincoln where they are set to host a triangular with Army and Greenville on Saturday, Feb. 17 at 1:00 p.m. (CT).

Following the home triangular, the Huskers will collectively take a week off for the Winter Cup. Several individuals will be selected to compete at the distinguished event on Thursday, Feb. 23 at 7:00 p.m. CT.

The Big Red will hit the road in anticipation of a tri-meet against California and Air Force, where they are set to clash on Sunday, March 3 at noon in Berkeley, Calif.

At the final home dual of the season, the Huskers are set for a final Big Ten matchup facing the Fighting Illini. The competition will take place on Sunday, March 10.

After a bye week, the Huskers hit the road for their final regular-season dual of the season against Ohio State on Tuesday, March 26 beginning at 4:00 p.m. (CT) in Columbus, Ohio.

Postseason competition begins the weekend of April 5, as NU heads to Champaign, Ill., where Illinois will host the Big Ten Championships. Ohio State is slated to host the NCAA Championships in Columbus, Ohio, on April 19-20.

Nebraska returns 15 letterwinners in 2024, including 2 All-Americans (Taylor Christopulos, and Zac Tiderman). The Huskers also added freshman Anthony Koppie, Chase Mondi, Alex Nitache, Max Odden, and Cole Partridge as they make their season debuts. The Nebraska gymnasts look to lead the way to the NCAA Championships for another shot at the national title.

Fans can follow the Huskers on Twitter at @HuskerMGym, Instagram at @HuskerMGym, and Facebook at facebook.com/HuskerMGym. 

2024 Nebraska Men's Gymnastics Schedule

Jan. 20 - at Rocky Mountain Open (Colorado Springs, Colo.) - 6:00 p.m.

Feb. 3 - Penn State (Devaney Center) - 6:00 p.m.

Feb. 10 - Michigan (Ann Arbor, Mich.) - TBA

Feb. 17- Army & Greenville (Devaney Center) - 1:00 p.m.

Feb. 23 - at Winter Cup (TBA) - 7:00 p.m.

March 3 - at Cal Berkeley, vs. Air Force (Berkeley, Calif.) - 12:00 p.m.

March 10 - Illinois (Devaney Center) - 1:00 p.m.

March 26 - at Ohio State (Columbus, Ohio) - 4:00 p.m.

April 5-6 - Big Ten Championships (Champaign, Ill.) - TBA

April 19-20 - NCAA Championships (Columbus, Ohio) - 1:00 & 7:00 p.m.

HUSKERS HOST MARYLAND, VISIT MINNESOTA

On a two-match conference winning streak, the Nebraska soccer team hosts Maryland on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. (CT) before traveling to Minnesota for a matchup on Sunday in Minneapolis, beginning at 1 p.m. (CT). Both matches will be streamed on Big Ten Plus. 

Last Time Out
Behind Eleanor Dale’s eighth brace of the season, the Nebraska soccer team defeated Iowa at Hibner Stadium 4-2 on Saturday afternoon in front of 1,390 fans.

Next Up
After this week’s conference matches, Nebraska will host Purdue on Thursday, Oct. 19 and travel to Illinois on Sunday to close out regular season play. 

Quick Notes

• The Huskers moved up eight spots in this week’s RPI as they are now ranked 16th. Penn State (first) is the only team in the Big Ten who is ranked higher, and NU is joined by Wisconsin (19th) and Michigan (24th) in the top 25. Also, NU broke into the rankings for the second time this season as the team is 19th in the Top Drawer Soccer poll. 
• Dale earned her fourth Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honor this week as she currently leads the country and conference in total goals (19) and game-winning goals (6), while also leading the conference in shots (83), shots on goal (38) and points (41). Additionally, she has tallied eight total braces on the season and is currently tied for seventh all-time in the Husker records in goals scored.
• Dale’s 19 goals and 41 points are the most in the Big Ten since 2013 when Illinois’ Jannelle Flaws had 23 goals and 48 points.
• Junior forward Weber has continued her strong offensive attack as she is second in the conference standings in shots (60) and shots on goal (27), fourth in points (20) and seventh in goals (7)
• Junior midfielder Florence Belzile, a member of this week's Top Drawer Soccer team, recorded three assists in Saturday’s game against Iowa and now has a team-high nine on the season, good for second in the conference.
• As a team, the Huskers are fifth in the nation in points per game (8.86) and assists per game (3.14), and sixth in total goals (14), shots per game (20.43) and shots on goal per game (9.64).
• In the goal, senior Sami Hauk has recorded 54 saves on the year and is currently third in saves per game (3.86).
• NU enters the week in fourth in the conference standings with 11 points (three points for a win, one point for a tie).
• Four of NU’s six freshmen have seen the pitch so far this year, led by Reese Borer who has played 214 minutes
• The Huskers’ six goals against Eastern Washington marked the most finishes the Huskers have tallied in a regular season match since the 2011 victory against Northern Arizona (8-1) and the most goals on the road since the win in 2009 at Kansas (7-4). Additionally, that was the first time since NU’s victory over Missouri in 2021 that the Big Red has netted four or more goals in the second half
• This season’s win over Eastern Washington also marked the 350th win in program history. Head Coach John Walker achieved the same milestone, having been at the helm of the program since its inception in 1994
• Nebraska’s devoted fan base has continued its strong attendance numbers at Hibner Stadium this season. In seven matches this season, NU welcomed 8,065 fans overall, an average of 1,152 per contest. This average ranks 23rd nationally and is fifth in the Big Ten.
• Head Coach John Walker is in his 30th season, alongside assistant coaches Savanah Anderson-Baer (first season), Ian Bridge (eighth season) and Marty Everding (26th season).     

Scouting the Maryland Terrapins

• Maryland is 3-6-5 overall with a 0-5-1 record in Big Ten play. The Terrapins are coming off four-straight losses in conference play
• Nebraska leads the all-time series, 5-0-1, dating back to the first meeting between the schools in 2014. Most recently, the teams tied 0-0 in 2021 in Maryland
• Head Coach Meghan Ryan Nemzer is in her first season at Maryland. Previously, she spent eight seasons as Rutgers’ Associate Head Coach. Nemzer is assisted by Katie Ely, Alex Ng and Kenie Wright. 

Scouting the Minnesota Gophers

• Minnesota is 5-4-4 this season with a 1-3-2 record in Big Ten play. The Gophers face Ohio State on Thursday night before their matchup against Nebraska on Sunday
• NU leads the all-time series between the two teams, 9-7-2, dating back to 1996. The Huskers are on a two-match winning streak against the Gophers as NU won 2-0 in 2021 and 1-0 in 2022.
• Head Coach Erin Chastain is 21-18-10 in her third season at Minnesota. Chastain is assisted by Maya Hayes, Allie Wisner and Tarah Nupson.

DALE EARNS FOURTH CAREER, SECOND-STRAIGHT BIG TEN AWARD

Senior Eleanor Dale earned back-to-back Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors and her fourth of the season after recording her 18th and 19th goals and her eighth brace on Saturday against Iowa. 

Dale currently leads the country and conference in total goals (19) and game-winning goals (6), while also leading the conference in shots (83), shots on goal (38) and points (41). Additionally, she is currently tied for seventh all-time in the Husker records in goals scored in a season, and her total goals and points are the most in a season in the Big Ten since 2013 when Illinois’ Jannelle Flaws had 23 goals and 48 points.

Dale is the first Husker to earn Offensive Player of the Week since Faith Carter received the nod on Sept. 25, 2018. This recognition is the fourth overall weekly award of the season, and first since Sami Hauk (Goalkeeper of the Week) and forward Abbey Schwarz (Freshman of the Week) won their respective awards in 2021.

Additionally, junior Florence Belzile was named to the Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week after she recorded three assists over the weekend. 

The Huskers, who are 9-2-3 and 3-1-2 in Big Ten, return to action on Thursday, Oct. 12 at home against Maryland. Action is slated to begin at 7:05 p.m. (CT) and will be streamed on Big Ten Plus. 

2023 Big Ten Women’s Soccer Players of the Week 

Aug. 22
O: Megan Nemec, Minnesota
D: Cori Dyke, Penn State
Co-GK: Katheine Asman, Penn State
Co-GK: Erin McKinney, Wisconsin
F: Ella Ottey, Wisconsin

Aug. 29
O: Josie Aulicino, Northwestern
D: Lauren Costello, Indiana
GK: Erin McKinney, Wisconsin
F: Piper Coffield, Indiana

Sept. 5
O: Eleanor Dale, Nebraska
D: Samantha Cary, Iowa
GK: Megan Plaschko, Minnesota
F: Kennedy Bell, Maryland

Sept. 12
O: Eleanor Dale, Nebraska
D: Samantha Cary, Iowa
GK: Stephanie Sparkowski, Michigan
F: Olivia Bodmer, Rutgers

Sept. 19
O: Paige Webber, Indiana
Co-D: Caterina Regazzoni, Northwestern
Co-D: Kate Wiesner, Penn State
GK: Stephanie Sparkowski, Michigan
F: Bella Najera, Michigan State 

Sept. 26
O: Emerson Sargeant, Michigan State
D: Hope Paredes, Indiana
GK: Jamie Gerstenberg, Indiana
F: Bella Najera, Michigan State

Oct. 3
O: Eleanor Dale, Nebraska
D: Samantha Cary, Iowa
GK: Macy Enneking, Iowa
F: Amanda Schlueter, Ohio State

Oct. 10
O: Eleanor Dale, Nebraska
D: Regan Dalton, Michigan State
GK: Katherine Asman, Penn State
F: Pipe Coffield, Indiana