Story by UNK Athletic Communications

Kearney, Neb. –&nbsp;Sophomore first baseman Sydney Young went 3 for 4 with two RBI's and senior Sydney Rader threw six no-hit innings to help Missouri Western State down Nebraska Kearney,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lopers.com/sports/softball/stats/2025/missouri-western-st-/boxscore/8203">8-0</a>, in a MIAA Tournament first round game Wednesday night in Hays, Kan.&nbsp;

The 10th-seeded Lopers finish up at 23-27 while the seventh-seeded Griffons improve to 32-20 and move on to face nationally-ranked Pittsburg State on Thursday.&nbsp;Mo West scored in four different innings as six players had at least one hit with four adding an RBI. In the circle, Rader improved to 21-9 and worked around five walks to toss her ninth shut out of the spring. Finally, the Norfolk native fanned five over 92 pitches.&nbsp;California sophomore&nbsp;Daniella Morillas&nbsp;(8-6) and Central City freshman&nbsp;Jerzie Schindler&nbsp;threw for UNK with Arizona junior left fielder&nbsp;Alivia De La Cruz&nbsp;drawing two walks from the two hole. Finally, All-MIAA shortstop&nbsp;Mary Chvatal&nbsp;walked once to push her career total to 79, three shy of tying the school mark.UNK will lose first baseman&nbsp;Leah Jurgens&nbsp;(Lincoln), second baseman&nbsp;Rylyn Nelson&nbsp;(Sterling, Colo.) and outfielders&nbsp;Eden McNally&nbsp;(Castle Rock, Colo.),&nbsp;Kelsey Cordes&nbsp;(Waverly) and&nbsp;Madisyn Simms&nbsp;(Canada) and OF/DP&nbsp;Addy Deal&nbsp;(Ft. Collins, Colo.) to graduation. Additionally, sophomore pitcher&nbsp;Lauryn Haggadone&nbsp;(York) is moving on to Nursing school after missing this spring due to injury. Jurgens ends up with 955 putouts in the field, sixth most in school history.

Story by UNK Athletic CommunicationsKearney, Neb. –&nbsp;Sophomore first baseman Sydney Young went 3 for 4 with two RBI's and senior Sydney Rader threw six no-hit innings to help Missouri Western State down Nebraska Kearney,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lopers.com/sports/softball/stats/2025/missouri-western-st-/boxscore/8203">8-0</a>, in a MIAA Tournament first round game Wednesday night in Hays, Kan.&nbsp;The 10th-seeded Lopers finish up at 23-27 while the seventh-seeded Griffons improve to 32-20 and move on to face nationally-ranked Pittsburg State on Thursday.&nbsp;Mo West scored in four different innings as six players had at least one hit with four adding an RBI. In the circle, Rader improved to 21-9 and worked around five walks to toss her ninth shut out of the spring. Finally, the Norfolk native fanned five over 92 pitches.&nbsp;California sophomore&nbsp;Daniella Morillas&nbsp;(8-6) and Central City freshman&nbsp;Jerzie Schindler&nbsp;threw for UNK with Arizona junior left fielder&nbsp;Alivia De La Cruz&nbsp;drawing two walks from the two hole. Finally, All-MIAA shortstop&nbsp;Mary Chvatal&nbsp;walked once to push her career total to 79, three shy of tying the school mark.UNK will lose first baseman&nbsp;Leah Jurgens&nbsp;(Lincoln), second baseman&nbsp;Rylyn Nelson&nbsp;(Sterling, Colo.) and outfielders&nbsp;Eden McNally&nbsp;(Castle Rock, Colo.),&nbsp;Kelsey Cordes&nbsp;(Waverly) and&nbsp;Madisyn Simms&nbsp;(Canada) and OF/DP&nbsp;Addy Deal&nbsp;(Ft. Collins, Colo.) to graduation. Additionally, sophomore pitcher&nbsp;Lauryn Haggadone&nbsp;(York) is moving on to Nursing school after missing this spring due to injury. Jurgens ends up with 955 putouts in the field, sixth most in school history.

Lopers fall to Griffs in MIAA's

Chadron State has wrapped up its annual spring football session.  Head Coach Jay Long breaks down the progress made on offense, defense and much more heading into the summer.

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 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Chadron State has wrapped up its annual spring football session. Head Coach Jay Long breaks down the progress made on offense, defense and much more heading into the summer.<div><iframe title="CSC Sports Journal: Spring Football Wrap with Jay Long - 4/30/25" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=7xq4r-1896c7a-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1b1b1b&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=c73a3a" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎙PODCAST: CSC Sports Journal - Spring Football Wrap with Jay Long - 4/30/25

Story by NU Athletic Communications

Nebraska softball junior Jordyn Bahl was named the Big Ten Player of the Week, the conference announced Monday. The honor marked Bahl’s fifth of the season, as she has been recognized as the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week four times.&nbsp;

The last time a Nebraska player won Big Ten Player of the Week and Big Ten Pitcher of the Week in the same season was Tatum Edwards in 2014. The last time an NU athlete won five weekly awards in one season was Peaches James in 2004.&nbsp;

Bahl notched a team-high .625 batting average across the Huskers’ three games against Washington last weekend. She reached base in seven of her eight trips to the plate, notching five hits and two walks. She knocked three home runs – one in the 12-8 win on Friday and two in the 6-0 win on Sunday. Sunday marked the second multi-homer game of her career. Bahl also added three runs and eight RBIs.

With her two home runs on Sunday, Bahl now has 34 extra-base hits on the season, which is one shy of tying the school record. She now has 55 runs on the season, which is tied for the seventh-highest total in school history.&nbsp;

On Friday, Bahl became the first player in Nebraska history to notch 15 doubles and 15 home runs in the same season. She also brought her RBI total above 50 for the season, making her the first Husker since Billie Andrews in 2022 to have 50+ runs, hits and RBIs in the same season.

Nebraska will take on the Maryland Terrapins from May 2-4. The weekend will mark NU’s fan appreciation weekend.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsNebraska softball junior Jordyn Bahl was named the Big Ten Player of the Week, the conference announced Monday. The honor marked Bahl’s fifth of the season, as she has been recognized as the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week four times.&nbsp;The last time a Nebraska player won Big Ten Player of the Week and Big Ten Pitcher of the Week in the same season was Tatum Edwards in 2014. The last time an NU athlete won five weekly awards in one season was Peaches James in 2004.&nbsp;Bahl notched a team-high .625 batting average across the Huskers’ three games against Washington last weekend. She reached base in seven of her eight trips to the plate, notching five hits and two walks. She knocked three home runs – one in the 12-8 win on Friday and two in the 6-0 win on Sunday. Sunday marked the second multi-homer game of her career. Bahl also added three runs and eight RBIs.With her two home runs on Sunday, Bahl now has 34 extra-base hits on the season, which is one shy of tying the school record. She now has 55 runs on the season, which is tied for the seventh-highest total in school history.&nbsp;On Friday, Bahl became the first player in Nebraska history to notch 15 doubles and 15 home runs in the same season. She also brought her RBI total above 50 for the season, making her the first Husker since Billie Andrews in 2022 to have 50+ runs, hits and RBIs in the same season.Nebraska will take on the Maryland Terrapins from May 2-4. The weekend will mark NU’s fan appreciation weekend.

Bahl named Big Ten Player of the Week

Story by NU Athletic Communications&nbsp;

Lincoln, Neb. | Hawks Field at Haymarket Park

Pitching: RHP Tucker Timmerman (0-1, 6.39 ERA) vs. RHP Tanner Duke (2-2, 4.39 ERA)

Radio: Huskers.com, Huskers Radio Network, Huskers App

• Tuesday's midweek matchup with Kansas State can be seen on the Big Ten Network, with Larry Punteney and Jeff Leise on the call.

• Fans can also listen to Ben McLaughlin and Nick Handley call the action Tuesday night on the Huskers Radio Network.

• 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 and Kansas State have met 293 times on the diamond, with the Huskers holding a 174-119 advantage in the all-time series over the Wildcats.

• K-State has two victories over the Big Red this season, collecting wins of 9-6 at the Frisco Classic and 12-8 in Manhattan.

McConnaughey to Miss Remainder of 2025 Season

• Nebraska Coach Will Bolt announced the first week in March that junior right-handed pitcher Mason McConnaughey will miss the remainder of the 2025 season after suffering an arm injury against Sam Houston at the Frisco Classic.

• McConnaughey began the season as the first husker named to the Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List since 2016 and earned Preseason All-American recognition from D1Baseball and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

• Led by four Huskers hitting .350-or-better in the last 10 games, the Husker offense holds a .307 batting average with 45 extra-base hits in Nebraska's last 10 games.

• Joshua Overbeek has powered the Huskers with a .405 batting average, hitting four home runs and driving in a team-high 16 RBI while posting a .811 slugging percentage.

• Cayden Brumbaugh has been a spark plug at the top of the lineup, batting .400 with 12 hits, 11 runs scored and a .558 on-base percentage boosted by 11 walks drawn.

• Gabe Swansen has delivered in key moments, hitting .375 with nine hits, including three doubles and two homers, and tallying 12 RBI.

• Case Sanderson has provided consistent production, batting .357 with 10 hits, five RBI and a .438 on-base percentage.

Swansen Turns in Career Day in Series Finale

• Gabe Swansen matched his career-high totals in hits, runs and doubles and set a new career high in RBI in Nebraska's 21-5 win at Maryland in seven innings on Sunday.

• Swansen went 4-for-5 at the plate with a home run, two doubles, seven RBI and three runs scored in the series finale against the Terrapins.

• With the seven runs driven in, the senior became the first Huskers since Josh Scheffert in 2012 to tally seven RBI in a game.

• Nebraska is 123-27 under head coach Will Bolt when scoring at least six runs.

• The Big Red have scored six-plus runs in 19 of the 21 victories this season, defeating No. 16 Vanderbilt (6-4), San Diego State (13-0), Louisiana (6-1), Washington (6-2), Wichita State (10-1), Pepperdine (9-6, 11-4). USC (6-5), Oregon State (7-3, 16-7), Rutgers (8-5, 10-5), No. 22 Kansas (7-5), Iowa (6-4), Creighton (6-3), Northwestern (14-4) and Maryland (7-2, 21-5).

• The Husker offense reached the six-run mark 34 times last season, compiling a 28-6 record.

• Nebraska scored six-plus runs in 33 contests (26-7) in 2023 after tallying at least six runs 23 times (19-4) in 2022, 28 times (26-2) in 2021 and seven times (5-2) in 2020.

• Since joining the Big Ten in 2012, Nebraska has scored 30-plus runs in a three-game conference series 10 times after last weekend's series win at Maryland.

• The Big Red totaled its fifth-highest Big Ten series total after racking up 33 runs against the Terrapins in College Park last weekend.

Big Red’s Highest-Scoring Game Under Coach Bolt

• Nebraska recorded its highest-scoring game under head coach Will Bolt in the Huskers' 21-5 run-rule victory at Maryland on Sunday afternoon.

• The 21 runs in Sunday's series finale marked the first time the Huskers have totaled 20-plus runs since opening the 2019 campaign with a 21-6 win at UC Riverside.

• The Huskers have scored 17-plus runs nine times in six seasons under Bolt, including three games with 19-or-more runs.

• Riley Silva has been hit by pitch 41 times in his two seasons as a Husker, which sits sixth all-time in program history.

• Silva is five away from tying Kale Kiser (2009-12) in fifth and six shy of Kash Kalkowski (2009-13) and Bryan Peters (2010-13) in third.

• True freshmen Blake Encarnacion, Gavin Blachowicz and Pryce Bender have put up strong numbers in the month of April for the NU bullpen.

• The trio have totaled a combined 2.81 ERA, allowing five earned runs across 16 combined innings of work in 15 total appearances.

• Bender picked up the first two wins of his career in Nebraska's midweek matchups against No. 22 Kansas and Creighton.

Lockdown Luke: Broderick Among Saves Leaders

• Junior Luke Broderick enters Tuesday night tied for ninth nationally and is one of 16 closers with at least nine saves on the season.

• Broderick holds a 2-1 record and nine saves with a 4.19 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 19.1 innings across 17 appearances this season.

• The Omaha, Neb., native's nine saves are the most by a Husker reliever since Spencer Schwellenbach (10) in 2021.

• Broderick is one save shy of reaching ninth on the single-season charts at NU and becoming the 12th Husker reliever in program history to reach double-digit saves in a season.

Story by NU Athletic Communications&nbsp;Lincoln, Neb. | Hawks Field at Haymarket ParkTuesday, April 29 – 6:02 p.m.Pitching: RHP Tucker Timmerman (0-1, 6.39 ERA) vs. RHP Tanner Duke (2-2, 4.39 ERA)TV/Streaming: BTNRadio: Huskers.com, Huskers Radio Network, Huskers AppFollow the Game• Tuesday's midweek matchup with Kansas State can be seen on the Big Ten Network, with Larry Punteney and Jeff Leise on the call.• Fans can also listen to Ben McLaughlin and Nick Handley call the action Tuesday night on the Huskers Radio Network.• 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. Kansas State• Nebraska and Kansas State have met 293 times on the diamond, with the Huskers holding a 174-119 advantage in the all-time series over the Wildcats.• K-State has two victories over the Big Red this season, collecting wins of 9-6 at the Frisco Classic and 12-8 in Manhattan.McConnaughey to Miss Remainder of 2025 Season• Nebraska Coach Will Bolt announced the first week in March that junior right-handed pitcher Mason McConnaughey will miss the remainder of the 2025 season after suffering an arm injury against Sam Houston at the Frisco Classic.• McConnaughey began the season as the first husker named to the Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List since 2016 and earned Preseason All-American recognition from D1Baseball and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.Big Bats in NU’s Last 10 Games• Led by four Huskers hitting .350-or-better in the last 10 games, the Husker offense holds a .307 batting average with 45 extra-base hits in Nebraska's last 10 games.• Joshua Overbeek has powered the Huskers with a .405 batting average, hitting four home runs and driving in a team-high 16 RBI while posting a .811 slugging percentage.• Cayden Brumbaugh has been a spark plug at the top of the lineup, batting .400 with 12 hits, 11 runs scored and a .558 on-base percentage boosted by 11 walks drawn.• Gabe Swansen has delivered in key moments, hitting .375 with nine hits, including three doubles and two homers, and tallying 12 RBI.• Case Sanderson has provided consistent production, batting .357 with 10 hits, five RBI and a .438 on-base percentage.Swansen Turns in Career Day in Series Finale• Gabe Swansen matched his career-high totals in hits, runs and doubles and set a new career high in RBI in Nebraska's 21-5 win at Maryland in seven innings on Sunday.• Swansen went 4-for-5 at the plate with a home run, two doubles, seven RBI and three runs scored in the series finale against the Terrapins.• With the seven runs driven in, the senior became the first Huskers since Josh Scheffert in 2012 to tally seven RBI in a game.Lucky Number Six in the Bolt Era• Nebraska is 123-27 under head coach Will Bolt when scoring at least six runs.• The Big Red have scored six-plus runs in 19 of the 21 victories this season, defeating No. 16 Vanderbilt (6-4), San Diego State (13-0), Louisiana (6-1), Washington (6-2), Wichita State (10-1), Pepperdine (9-6, 11-4). USC (6-5), Oregon State (7-3, 16-7), Rutgers (8-5, 10-5), No. 22 Kansas (7-5), Iowa (6-4), Creighton (6-3), Northwestern (14-4) and Maryland (7-2, 21-5).• The Husker offense reached the six-run mark 34 times last season, compiling a 28-6 record.• Nebraska scored six-plus runs in 33 contests (26-7) in 2023 after tallying at least six runs 23 times (19-4) in 2022, 28 times (26-2) in 2021 and seven times (5-2) in 2020.Offensive Outburst Against Big Ten Foes• Since joining the Big Ten in 2012, Nebraska has scored 30-plus runs in a three-game conference series 10 times after last weekend's series win at Maryland.• The Big Red totaled its fifth-highest Big Ten series total after racking up 33 runs against the Terrapins in College Park last weekend.Big Red’s Highest-Scoring Game Under Coach Bolt• Nebraska recorded its highest-scoring game under head coach Will Bolt in the Huskers' 21-5 run-rule victory at Maryland on Sunday afternoon.• The 21 runs in Sunday's series finale marked the first time the Huskers have totaled 20-plus runs since opening the 2019 campaign with a 21-6 win at UC Riverside.• The Huskers have scored 17-plus runs nine times in six seasons under Bolt, including three games with 19-or-more runs.Silva Climbing All-Time HBP Chart• Riley Silva has been hit by pitch 41 times in his two seasons as a Husker, which sits sixth all-time in program history.• Silva is five away from tying Kale Kiser (2009-12) in fifth and six shy of Kash Kalkowski (2009-13) and Bryan Peters (2010-13) in third.Youth Movement on the Mound in April• True freshmen Blake Encarnacion, Gavin Blachowicz and Pryce Bender have put up strong numbers in the month of April for the NU bullpen.• The trio have totaled a combined 2.81 ERA, allowing five earned runs across 16 combined innings of work in 15 total appearances.• Bender picked up the first two wins of his career in Nebraska's midweek matchups against No. 22 Kansas and Creighton.Lockdown Luke: Broderick Among Saves Leaders• Junior Luke Broderick enters Tuesday night tied for ninth nationally and is one of 16 closers with at least nine saves on the season.• Broderick holds a 2-1 record and nine saves with a 4.19 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 19.1 innings across 17 appearances this season.• The Omaha, Neb., native's nine saves are the most by a Husker reliever since Spencer Schwellenbach (10) in 2021.• Broderick is one save shy of reaching ninth on the single-season charts at NU and becoming the 12th Husker reliever in program history to reach double-digit saves in a season.

Husker Baseball preview vs. Kansas State

For the third time in program history, the Nebraska men’s tennis team will compete in the NCAA DI Men’s Tennis Championships. The No. 40 Huskers (15-9, 8-5 Big Ten) accomplished the most conference wins ever in a season, as well as two ranked upsets, led by second-year head coach Peter Kobelt to earn their tournament bid. The Big Red will face Baylor in the first round in Lubbock, Texas on either Friday, May 2, or Saturday, May 3.

Returning to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 14 years, the Huskers will travel to Texas for the first and second round weekend hosted by Texas Tech. NU is set to take on the No. 18 Baylor Bears for the second time this season, and the 31st ever meeting between teams.

The at-large bid marks the program’s third-ever tournament appearance, the only others coming in 2010 and 2011 under head coach Kerry McDermott. This year, Nebraska joins 36 other at-large selections to make the tournament, which also features seven other Big Ten teams. The field of 64 paves the road to Waco, Texas, for the third and final weekend of the NCAA Tournament. The first and second rounds are hosted at 16 campus sites and will decide which programs make it to the super-regional round, May 9-11.

NU makes the tournament after a tough regular season slate, including 13 ranked opponents with five being in the top 25. The Huskers most notably took down No. 17 Michigan, 5-2, and No. 26 USC, 4-2. Nebraska also reached as high as No. 38 in the ITA team rankings, the highest standing since 2012-13 when NU reached No. 33.

NCAA Tournament matches begin on Friday, May 2 across host sites. Coverage and updates will be shared on Huskers.com and team social media, @HuskerMTennis.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsFor the third time in program history, the Nebraska men’s tennis team will compete in the NCAA DI Men’s Tennis Championships. The No. 40 Huskers (15-9, 8-5 Big Ten) accomplished the most conference wins ever in a season, as well as two ranked upsets, led by second-year head coach Peter Kobelt to earn their tournament bid. The Big Red will face Baylor in the first round in Lubbock, Texas on either Friday, May 2, or Saturday, May 3.Returning to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 14 years, the Huskers will travel to Texas for the first and second round weekend hosted by Texas Tech. NU is set to take on the No. 18 Baylor Bears for the second time this season, and the 31st ever meeting between teams.The at-large bid marks the program’s third-ever tournament appearance, the only others coming in 2010 and 2011 under head coach Kerry McDermott. This year, Nebraska joins 36 other at-large selections to make the tournament, which also features seven other Big Ten teams. The field of 64 paves the road to Waco, Texas, for the third and final weekend of the NCAA Tournament. The first and second rounds are hosted at 16 campus sites and will decide which programs make it to the super-regional round, May 9-11.NU makes the tournament after a tough regular season slate, including 13 ranked opponents with five being in the top 25. The Huskers most notably took down No. 17 Michigan, 5-2, and No. 26 USC, 4-2. Nebraska also reached as high as No. 38 in the ITA team rankings, the highest standing since 2012-13 when NU reached No. 33.NCAA Tournament matches begin on Friday, May 2 across host sites. Coverage and updates will be shared on Huskers.com and team social media, @HuskerMTennis.

Huskers earn third-ever NCAA Tournament Bid

Stauffer formally coached at Cozad,&nbsp;Niobrara-Verdigre

<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fccslonghorns%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0A5BU2Za7f7xAGhLiNvi39CtC5JRTAFnHfuQoYVVwJAKtK9NABTRyb3dpHynE6tkgl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="590" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>Stauffer formally coached at Cozad,&nbsp;Niobrara-Verdigre<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fccslonghorns%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0LsPiTtrvmd7kr9UL3vzbrGGu8GC9nhECm8Rh3sveTNbQRgzy3FV66uiQFQuxv7Bsl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="590" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>

Chase County hires new coaches for girls basketball and volleyball

KEARNEY – University of Nebraska at Kearney head softball coach Katie Ackermann had two rules for the 2025 season.

“The game itself is hard enough,” she explained. “If you can’t play it with people you truly enjoy being around, then it’s really not fun at all.”

In her sixth season leading the UNK program, Ackermann is focused on creating a positive team culture and supportive environment. Winning is still important, she said, but you have to take the right steps to achieve success.

Nobody has bought into this philosophy more than the “Colorado girls.”

“I think they’re a real reason why our culture is the way it is,” Ackermann said. “I’m very thankful for everything they’ve done for us.”

“It’s hard for me to even put into words what they’ve done for me personally and professionally. They’ve made me a better coach and a better person. And they’ve shown me what I really want the future of this program to be. They’ve been nothing short of amazing.”

Outfielders Addy Deal and Eden McNally and second baseman Rylyn Nelson are more than just teammates. The Colorado natives are roommates and best friends.

“I honestly don’t know what we’re going to do without each other,” McNally said with a smile. “We’ve grown such a dependency on each other, and we have such a good time together. It’s definitely going to suck when it comes to an end.”

The trio first met at Northeastern Junior College in Nelson’s hometown of Sterling, where they were part of the best softball team in school history. The Plainswomen won a total of 71 games during their two seasons together there and captured the program’s first-ever Region 9 championship.

“There was nothing that could stop that team,” said Deal, a Fort Collins native. “It was awesome.”

Deal hit .452 with 20 homers, 31 doubles, 93 runs scored and 148 RBIs over those two seasons, and McNally added 44 stolen bases, 59 RBIs and 109 runs scored while batting .379. Nelson played three seasons for Northeastern, earning NJCAA All-American honors twice. She finished her junior college career with a .446 batting average, 222 RBIs, 239 runs scored and a school-record 72 homers.

Of course, those kinds of numbers are going to catch the attention of coaches at four-year schools.

Former UNK assistant Jason Miller saw the eye-popping stats while scouting for players who could boost the Lopers’ offensive production, and Ackermann was already familiar with Northeastern from her time coaching at McCook Community College. She successfully recruited Northeastern transfer Stacy Bott, a UNK pitcher and utility player in 2022 and 2023, a couple years earlier.

“They were Region 9 champions. They were leading the nation in batting average and home runs. We knew these players would be a great fit for our program,” Ackermann said.

The UNK coaches traveled to Sterling to watch Northeastern play and meet the trio in person. At that time, Deal was seriously considering a commitment to UNK rival Fort Hays State, but the Lopers had a wild card up their sleeve.

What if the three of them came to Kearney together?

“It was like a sign from God,” Deal said. “I would get to continue playing with my two best friends for two more years. I knew this was the place where I needed to go.”

She committed first, then the others followed.

“If you’re going to go to a new place, you might as well go with your two best friends,” said McNally, a Castle Rock native.

Nelson agreed, putting off her plan to coach high school softball in Sterling so she could join her pals in Nebraska.

They came to Kearney in summer 2023 – sight unseen.

Transitioning to a new state, new city, new school and new program is never going to be easy, and there were certainly bumps in the road.

“That first fall, we were all kind of struggling with the new environment,” Deal said. “We didn’t really know a lot of people, so we really leaned on each other in the beginning. I don’t know if I would have made it without them here to support me.”

“That was my biggest selling point for coming to UNK,” Nelson added. “I didn’t want to keep playing softball because I didn’t want to start over in a new place. But coming here with two of my best friends was a total game changer. Now, I couldn’t imagine the last two years without my teammates and coaches.”

After a brief adjustment period, the Colorado girls found their stride both on and off the diamond.

“Once the spring season rolled around, I feel like we got a lot closer with our teammates. It was a lot easier to kind of let loose, have fun and play the game we know how to play,” Nelson said. “This season has been even better because I feel like we were able to connect as a team a lot quicker. The entire team just clicked immediately, and I think that shows up a lot more on the field, too.”

“We came in as three really big competitors, which I think helps the team, but we also like to have a lot of fun with each other,” Deal added. “We know that if you’re friends with your teammates, you’re going to play better. I think that was really important for us.”

Because of the close bonds they’ve created, Deal, McNally and Nelson all say this year’s team is the best of their careers.

Ackermann gives these three players a ton of credit for creating that feeling.

“I never see them apart. When they show up, they show up together. When they leave, they leave together,” she said with a laugh.

“They feed off each other in the most positive way. When one of them is having a hard day, the other one brings the energy. They’re really genuine people with great character.”

Beyond that, they have a deep passion and love for the game. Ackermann describes them as tough-minded and gritty – “the true definition of ballplayers.”

“You don’t run into kids like this very often. When they show up to the yard, they are absolutely ready to work. They want to get better,” she said. “They also bring this sense of ‘we can beat anybody.’ It doesn’t matter who we’re going to face, we’re going to beat them.”

Earlier this season, the Lopers completed a rare doubleheader sweep against conference foe Washburn, then picked up the program’s first-ever win against 15th-ranked Rogers State. They’ll wrap up the regular season Saturday at Fort Hays with a chance to earn a trip to the MIAA Tournament for the first time since 2022.

“I wouldn’t want anything more than to make the conference tournament for these girls and give them absolutely what they’ve wanted since they got here,” Ackermann said.

Deal, McNally and Nelson have played a combined 240 games for the Lopers, recording 13 home runs, 21 steals, 92 runs, 120 RBIs and 165 hits.

All three of them will graduate in May. Deal and McNally are earning bachelor’s degrees in business administration with minors in marketing/management, and Nelson will receive a degree in general studies with emphases in physical education and family science.

After moving back to their home state, Deal plans to take a gap year while studying for the Law School Admission Test and McNally wants to work in residential real estate. Nelson still hopes to coach softball in Sterling while attending cosmetology school.

Although they’ll no longer be teammates, the Colorado girls will definitely remain close.

“We’ll always be hanging out,” Deal said with a smile.

“Yeah, we’ll be friends forever,” McNally added.

Story by UNK CommunicationsKEARNEY – University of Nebraska at Kearney head softball coach Katie Ackermann had two rules for the 2025 season.Work hard and be a good teammate.“The game itself is hard enough,” she explained. “If you can’t play it with people you truly enjoy being around, then it’s really not fun at all.”In her sixth season leading the UNK program, Ackermann is focused on creating a positive team culture and supportive environment. Winning is still important, she said, but you have to take the right steps to achieve success.Nobody has bought into this philosophy more than the “Colorado girls.”“I think they’re a real reason why our culture is the way it is,” Ackermann said. “I’m very thankful for everything they’ve done for us.”“It’s hard for me to even put into words what they’ve done for me personally and professionally. They’ve made me a better coach and a better person. And they’ve shown me what I really want the future of this program to be. They’ve been nothing short of amazing.”PACKAGE DEALOutfielders Addy Deal and Eden McNally and second baseman Rylyn Nelson are more than just teammates. The Colorado natives are roommates and best friends.“I honestly don’t know what we’re going to do without each other,” McNally said with a smile. “We’ve grown such a dependency on each other, and we have such a good time together. It’s definitely going to suck when it comes to an end.”The trio first met at Northeastern Junior College in Nelson’s hometown of Sterling, where they were part of the best softball team in school history. The Plainswomen won a total of 71 games during their two seasons together there and captured the program’s first-ever Region 9 championship.“There was nothing that could stop that team,” said Deal, a Fort Collins native. “It was awesome.”Deal hit .452 with 20 homers, 31 doubles, 93 runs scored and 148 RBIs over those two seasons, and McNally added 44 stolen bases, 59 RBIs and 109 runs scored while batting .379. Nelson played three seasons for Northeastern, earning NJCAA All-American honors twice. She finished her junior college career with a .446 batting average, 222 RBIs, 239 runs scored and a school-record 72 homers.Of course, those kinds of numbers are going to catch the attention of coaches at four-year schools.Former UNK assistant Jason Miller saw the eye-popping stats while scouting for players who could boost the Lopers’ offensive production, and Ackermann was already familiar with Northeastern from her time coaching at McCook Community College. She successfully recruited Northeastern transfer Stacy Bott, a UNK pitcher and utility player in 2022 and 2023, a couple years earlier.“They were Region 9 champions. They were leading the nation in batting average and home runs. We knew these players would be a great fit for our program,” Ackermann said.The UNK coaches traveled to Sterling to watch Northeastern play and meet the trio in person. At that time, Deal was seriously considering a commitment to UNK rival Fort Hays State, but the Lopers had a wild card up their sleeve.What if the three of them came to Kearney together?“It was like a sign from God,” Deal said. “I would get to continue playing with my two best friends for two more years. I knew this was the place where I needed to go.”She committed first, then the others followed.“If you’re going to go to a new place, you might as well go with your two best friends,” said McNally, a Castle Rock native.Nelson agreed, putting off her plan to coach high school softball in Sterling so she could join her pals in Nebraska.They came to Kearney in summer 2023 – sight unseen.BUILDING NEW BONDSTransitioning to a new state, new city, new school and new program is never going to be easy, and there were certainly bumps in the road.“That first fall, we were all kind of struggling with the new environment,” Deal said. “We didn’t really know a lot of people, so we really leaned on each other in the beginning. I don’t know if I would have made it without them here to support me.”“That was my biggest selling point for coming to UNK,” Nelson added. “I didn’t want to keep playing softball because I didn’t want to start over in a new place. But coming here with two of my best friends was a total game changer. Now, I couldn’t imagine the last two years without my teammates and coaches.”After a brief adjustment period, the Colorado girls found their stride both on and off the diamond.“Once the spring season rolled around, I feel like we got a lot closer with our teammates. It was a lot easier to kind of let loose, have fun and play the game we know how to play,” Nelson said. “This season has been even better because I feel like we were able to connect as a team a lot quicker. The entire team just clicked immediately, and I think that shows up a lot more on the field, too.”“We came in as three really big competitors, which I think helps the team, but we also like to have a lot of fun with each other,” Deal added. “We know that if you’re friends with your teammates, you’re going to play better. I think that was really important for us.”Because of the close bonds they’ve created, Deal, McNally and Nelson all say this year’s team is the best of their careers.Ackermann gives these three players a ton of credit for creating that feeling.“I never see them apart. When they show up, they show up together. When they leave, they leave together,” she said with a laugh.“They feed off each other in the most positive way. When one of them is having a hard day, the other one brings the energy. They’re really genuine people with great character.”Beyond that, they have a deep passion and love for the game. Ackermann describes them as tough-minded and gritty – “the true definition of ballplayers.”“You don’t run into kids like this very often. When they show up to the yard, they are absolutely ready to work. They want to get better,” she said. “They also bring this sense of ‘we can beat anybody.’ It doesn’t matter who we’re going to face, we’re going to beat them.”Earlier this season, the Lopers completed a rare doubleheader sweep against conference foe Washburn, then picked up the program’s first-ever win against 15th-ranked Rogers State. They’ll wrap up the regular season Saturday at Fort Hays with a chance to earn a trip to the MIAA Tournament for the first time since 2022.“I wouldn’t want anything more than to make the conference tournament for these girls and give them absolutely what they’ve wanted since they got here,” Ackermann said.FRIENDS FOREVERDeal, McNally and Nelson have played a combined 240 games for the Lopers, recording 13 home runs, 21 steals, 92 runs, 120 RBIs and 165 hits.All three of them will graduate in May. Deal and McNally are earning bachelor’s degrees in business administration with minors in marketing/management, and Nelson will receive a degree in general studies with emphases in physical education and family science.After moving back to their home state, Deal plans to take a gap year while studying for the Law School Admission Test and McNally wants to work in residential real estate. Nelson still hopes to coach softball in Sterling while attending cosmetology school.Although they’ll no longer be teammates, the Colorado girls will definitely remain close.“We’ll always be hanging out,” Deal said with a smile.“Yeah, we’ll be friends forever,” McNally added.

Best friends bring energy, grit to UNK softball team

The No. 18 Nebraska softball team will travel to Seattle, Wash., to take on the Washington Huskies in a three-game Big Ten series this weekend. Friday’s game is set for 8 p.m. (CT), Saturday’s contest will start at 5 p.m. (CT) and Sunday’s matchup will begin at 3 p.m. (CT).&nbsp;

NU was tabbed No. 18 by the NFCA Coaches Poll this week, No. 21 by USA Softball, No. 22 by Softball America and No. 23 by D1 Softball.

Last weekend, the Huskers hosted the Indiana Hoosiers in a two-game conference series. The Big Red dropped the first game, 2-6, but bounced back to run-rule IU in game two by a score of 12-4. Eight Nebraska athletes recorded a hit and four -- Samantha Bland, Kacie Hoffmann, Ava Kuszak and Ava Bredwell -- had two or more. Kylee Magee grabbed the win in the circle after tossing 4.0 innings and allowing four earned runs. She recorded five strikeouts, a season-high mark.&nbsp;

The Huskers are 33-11 on the season with a 12-4 mark in conference play, while Washington is 31-13 (9-6 Big Ten).&nbsp;

Friday’s game will be on FS1, Saturday’s contest will be televised on the Big Ten Network and Sunday’s matchup will be on B1G+. This weekend’s games will&nbsp; have a free radio broadcast with Camden Cohn on the call. The radio broadcast is available at Huskers.com/listen and on the official Huskers app.&nbsp;

The Nebraska softball team has not only made its mark on the field, but with attendance records posted in 2025.

The Nebraska softball team has enjoyed a solid season at the plate, most notably with its home run numbers.&nbsp;

Nebraska softball pitcher and utility player Jordyn Bahl has not only had an impact in the circle, but her offense is a force to be reckoned with.

Nebraska utilized the transfer portal this offseason, bringing in six new players -- Hannah and Lauren Camenzind and Kacie Hoffmann from Arkansas, Olivia DiNardo from Arizona, Kylee Magee from Arizona State and Ava Kuszak from Wisconsin.

Nebraska’s 2025 roster consists of 25 total athletes. Fourteen of those are returners.

Nebraska faced significant adversity in 2024, as a total of six players suffered season-ending injuries, including four that are returning for the 2025 season. Additionally, Arizona State transfer Kylee Magee had to use the offseason for rehab.&nbsp;

Washington is 31-13 on the season with a 9-6 mark in conference competition. The Huskies bat .292 on the season and have an ERA of 2.62.&nbsp;

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsThe No. 18 Nebraska softball team will travel to Seattle, Wash., to take on the Washington Huskies in a three-game Big Ten series this weekend. Friday’s game is set for 8 p.m. (CT), Saturday’s contest will start at 5 p.m. (CT) and Sunday’s matchup will begin at 3 p.m. (CT).&nbsp;NU was tabbed No. 18 by the NFCA Coaches Poll this week, No. 21 by USA Softball, No. 22 by Softball America and No. 23 by D1 Softball.Last weekend, the Huskers hosted the Indiana Hoosiers in a two-game conference series. The Big Red dropped the first game, 2-6, but bounced back to run-rule IU in game two by a score of 12-4. Eight Nebraska athletes recorded a hit and four -- Samantha Bland, Kacie Hoffmann, Ava Kuszak and Ava Bredwell -- had two or more. Kylee Magee grabbed the win in the circle after tossing 4.0 innings and allowing four earned runs. She recorded five strikeouts, a season-high mark.&nbsp;The Huskers are 33-11 on the season with a 12-4 mark in conference play, while Washington is 31-13 (9-6 Big Ten).&nbsp;Friday’s game will be on FS1, Saturday’s contest will be televised on the Big Ten Network and Sunday’s matchup will be on B1G+. This weekend’s games will&nbsp; have a free radio broadcast with Camden Cohn on the call. The radio broadcast is available at Huskers.com/listen and on the official Huskers app.&nbsp;Leading Off<ul>
 <li>Nebraska now has 85 home runs on the season and has the school record for most homers in a season.</li><li>Nebraska has been prone to big innings, scoring four or more runs in an inning 35 times, including 15 innings with six or more runs and seven innings with eight or more runs.</li><li>Ava Kuszak is currently tied for eighth place in school history with 16 home runs on the season, and Jordyn Bahl is tied for fourth in school history with 31 extra-base hits.&nbsp;</li><li>The Huskers are ranked No. 18 in the NFCA Poll. NU has been ranked by the NFCA every week this season.</li><li>Nebraska is currently ranked sixth nationally in run differential, tied with Oklahoma. NU has scored 365 runs to its opponents’ 136, for a differential of 229.&nbsp;</li><li>With her next home run, Jordyn Bahl would become the first player in school history to notch 15 homers and 15 doubles in the same season. Bahl also reached 100 appearances in her career in the series against Indiana.</li><li>NU currently has three athletes batting above .400 -- Jordyn Bahl, Ava Kuszak and Olivia DiNardo. The only time the Huskers have finished the season with multiple batters above .400 was when it had two in 2015.</li>
 </ul>Huskers Drawing Large CrowdsThe Nebraska softball team has not only made its mark on the field, but with attendance records posted in 2025.<ul>
 <li>On Saturday, April 19, the Huskers drew a crowd of 2,699 fans, which is the largest crowd in program history. It overtook the previous record crowd of 2,691, which was set on April 27, 2024 against Northwestern. NU has grabbed five of the top 10 marks in school history so far this season.</li><li>The Big Red is currently ranked fourth nationally in average attendance with 2,228 fans per game. Alabama is first (3,745), Oklahoma is second (3,468) and Arkansas is third (2,912). NU has ranked in the top 10 nationally in average attendance six times -- including 2025 -- in program history.</li>
 </ul>Husker Home Run Quick HittersThe Nebraska softball team has enjoyed a solid season at the plate, most notably with its home run numbers.&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Nebraska is third in the nation with 85 home runs in only 44 games and is on pace to hit 97 home runs in a 50-game regular season. NU broke the school record for single-season home runs against Creighton on April 9.</li><li>A total of 14 Huskers have hit a home run this season, including 13 players with multiple home runs.</li><li>The Huskers have homered five times in a game on five occasions this season, including three consecutive games to open the Troy Cox Classic.</li><li>Nebraska has produced 15 innings this season with multiple home runs, including five innings with three or more home runs.</li><li>Nebraska has hit back-to-back home runs seven times this season, including three times with three consecutive home runs that includes a school-record four straight home runs against San Jose State on Feb. 22.</li><li>Ava Kuszak (twice), Jordyn Bahl, Samantha Bland, Abbie Squier, Emmerson Cope (twice) and Hannah Camenzind have all had a multi-homer game this season, including three-home run games from Kuszak against Montana on Feb. 16 and Bland at Iowa on April 5, both of which tied the Nebraska and Big Ten records for home runs in a game.</li><li>Kuszak has hit more home runs herself (16) than 83 NCAA Division I teams. Together, Kuszak (16) and Jordyn Bahl (14) have combined for 30 home runs. Their two-player combined total of 30 home runs would rank 121st among all NCAA Division I teams this spring and would be more than four Big Ten schools have hit as a team.</li><li>Eleven Huskers – Bahl, Kuszak, Squier, Cope, Bland, Bella Bacon, Alina Felix, Hannah Camenzind, Malia Thoms and Lauren Camenzind – have already matched or exceeded their career season highs in home runs.</li>
 </ul>Bahl Solid at the PlateNebraska softball pitcher and utility player Jordyn Bahl has not only had an impact in the circle, but her offense is a force to be reckoned with.<ul>
 <li>Bahl ranks in the top 25 nationally in slugging percentage (12th), runs per game (13th),&nbsp; extra-base hits (13th), batting average (18th), runs (21st) and doubles (23rd).&nbsp;</li><li>On the season, 31 of Bahl’s 60 hits have gone for extra bases. She averages an extra-base hit every 4.2 at bats and almost one extra-base hit per game.</li><li>Bahl has nearly as many hits herself as she has allowed as a pitcher. Bahl has 60 hits in 131 at bats at the plate and in the circle, she has allowed only 79 hits in 575 opponent at bats.</li><li>Bahl has also scored more runs herself (52) than she has allowed (51) in 140.0 innings in the circle.</li>
 </ul>Huskers in the Record Books<ul>
 <li>The 2025 Nebraska softball team is first in school history with 85 home runs on the season.</li><li>As it stands, the 2025 squad is second in school history in extra-base hits with 172 on the season. It would rank first in batting average (.354), slugging percentage (.643) and on-base percentage (.435).&nbsp;</li><li>The Big Red scored 10+ runs in five straight games from Feb. 14-16 for the first time in program history.</li><li>NU notched five home runs in three straight games for what is believed to be the first time in school history.</li><li>In the Huskers’ game against San Jose State at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, they hit four straight home runs for the first time in program history.</li><li>Nebraska scored 102 runs in its first 10 games of the season, which marked the quickest the team has hit the 100-run milestone. The Huskers scored 200 runs in their first 23 games of the season, which marked the quickest the team has hit the 200-run milestone.</li><li>NU scored 300 runs through 37 games, which marked the quickest the team has hit the 300-run milestone. Before this year, the fastest pace was games 43 in 2015.</li><li>Ava Kuszak and Samantha Bland have both posted three-homer games and are now tied with Kaylan Jablonski and Christie McCoy for the school record for home runs in a game.&nbsp;</li><li>Kuszak is currently tied for eighth place in school history with 16 home runs on the season, and Jordyn Bahl is tied for fourth in school history with 31 extra-base hits.&nbsp;</li><li>If the season ended today, Bahl would be first in school history in batting average (.458), Kuszak would be tied for seventh (.409) and DiNardo would be eighth (.408). Bahl would also rank first in slugging percentage (.924), while Kuszak would rank second (.866).&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Huskers Hit the PortalNebraska utilized the transfer portal this offseason, bringing in six new players -- Hannah and Lauren Camenzind and Kacie Hoffmann from Arkansas, Olivia DiNardo from Arizona, Kylee Magee from Arizona State and Ava Kuszak from Wisconsin.<ul>
 <li>Hannah Camenzind was a second-team All-SEC member in 2023. Over her two seasons with the Razorbacks, she posted a 14-3 record with 3.11 ERA over 119.1 total innings. At the plate, she batted .308.</li><li>Lauren Camenzind was a third-team NFCA All-South Region member in 2023. Over her two seasons at Arkansas, she played in 86 games (79 starts) at both catcher and shortstop.</li><li>DiNardo racked up numerous accolades during her two years at Arizona. She was a second-team NFCA All-West Region member in 2023 and a Third-Team member in 2024 and was named a Second-Team All-Pac-12 and Pac-12 All-Freshman Team honoree in 2023. Over the course of two seasons with the Wildcats, DiNardo started 102 games and built up a batting average of .340, along with 15 doubles, 20 home runs and 74 RBIs.</li><li>Hoffmann played in 106 games with 96 starts during her time with Arkansas. She hit .244 and logged 16 doubles, 15 home runs and 47 RBIs.&nbsp;</li><li>Kuszak earned second-team All-Big Ten honors and third-team NFCA All-Great Lakes Region accolades in 2024. During her two seasons at Wisconsin, she played in 76 games with 65 starts and notched 16 doubles, 10 home runs and 33 RBIs on a .278 batting average.</li><li>Magee was named a member of the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team at Arizona State in 2023. She suffered an injury early in the 2024 season. She pitched in 27 games with 24 starts and compiled a 3.51 ERA and two saves, along with striking out 79 batters in 89.2 innings.</li>
 </ul>What Nebraska Returned in 2025Nebraska’s 2025 roster consists of 25 total athletes. Fourteen of those are returners.<ul>
 <li>The Huskers welcomed back 14 letterwinners from last season – Bella Bacon, Jordyn Bahl, Samantha Bland, Ava Bredwell, Katelyn Caneda, Dakota Carter, Emmerson Cope, Alina Felix, Mckinley Malecha, Caitlin Olensky, Abbie Squier, Malia Thoms, Talia Tokheim and Haidyn Warner.</li><li>NU returned half of its starting lineup from 2024 in outfielder Samantha Bland, catcher Ava Bredwell, first baseman Bella Bacon, second baseman Katelyn Caneda and designated player Emmerson Cope.</li><li>Nebraska returned three of its top five hitters from 2024 – Ava Bredwell (.329), Emmerson Cope (.304) and Alina Felix (.302).&nbsp;</li><li>Returners Ava Bredwell, Samantha Bland, Bella Bacon and Katelyn Caneda each started in more than 95 percent of the Huskers’ games last season.</li>
 </ul>Huskers Returning from InjuriesNebraska faced significant adversity in 2024, as a total of six players suffered season-ending injuries, including four that are returning for the 2025 season. Additionally, Arizona State transfer Kylee Magee had to use the offseason for rehab.&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Jordyn Bahl suffered a knee injury in the Huskers’ 2024 season opener that required season-ending surgery. Bahl was a First-Team All-American, the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year and one of 10 national finalists for player of the year in 2022 and 2023.&nbsp;</li><li>Abbie Squier, a returning All-Big Ten and all-region selection, returns after being out for the 2024 season due to surgery. In 2022 and 2023, she was the Big Red’s starting left fielder.&nbsp;</li><li>Dakota Carter, the Huskers’ designated player, was deemed out for the 2024 season before it even began. In 2023, she scored 13 runs as a pinch runner and appeared in 39 games.&nbsp;</li><li>Caitlin Olensky suffered a season-ending injury in the Huskers’ conference opener against Illinois last year. Before her injury, she compiled a record of 3-2 with a team-best 3.30 ERA.</li><li>Emmerson Cope was out for almost a month of the 2024 season after battling a back injury. When she was in the lineup, the Topeka, Kan., native amassed an ERA of 4.76 in the circle. She racked up 21 hits, 10 runs, six homers and 19 RBIs.&nbsp;</li><li>Talia Tokheim missed the first 23 games of the season while rehabbing an injury from 2023. She returned for nine games before suffering another season-ending injury in game three of the Penn State series. In her limited time on the field, she notched 46 total bases and seven home runs.</li><li>Kylee Magee suffered a season-ending injury after racking up six appearances with four starts in her sophomore year with the Sun Devils. In her first two years at Arizona State, she struck out 79 batters in 89.2 innings.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Scouting Washington (31-13, 9-6 Big Ten)Washington is 31-13 on the season with a 9-6 mark in conference competition. The Huskies bat .292 on the season and have an ERA of 2.62.&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Washington and Nebraska have common opponents in Howard, Utah, Montana and UCLA. The Huskies are 4-3 against those opponents, while the Huskers are 4-1.&nbsp;</li><li>Washington’s pitching staff ranks sixth nationally and second in the Big Ten in strikeout-to-walk ratio and seventh nationally and third in the Big Ten in strikeouts per seven innings.</li><li>Alexis DeBoer is 12th nationally and fourth in the Big Ten with 17 home runs on the season. She bats .364 and has a team-high 48 RBIs and 47 runs, along with seven doubles.</li><li>Jadyn Glab has started every game for the Huskies and has a .308 batting average. She has 12 home runs and eight doubles, along with 41 hits and 37 runs.&nbsp;</li><li>Alycia Flores has 28 RBIs on the season and a team-high 10 doubles. She has racked up 32 runs and 37 hits, along with five home runs.</li><li>Ava Carroll has played in 42 games and owns a batting average of .337 on the season. She has 18 RBIs, five doubles and a homer on 34 hits.</li><li>Giselle Alvarez has posted 28 RBIs, seven home runs, four doubles and 31 hits in 2025.</li><li>Jade Bubke has nine RBIs, two home runs and four doubles on 21 hits across 27 games started.&nbsp;</li><li>Sophi Mazzola owns a .291 batting average and has 32 hits, 26 runs, 21 RBIs, four doubles and four homers on the year.</li><li>Charity Sevaaetasi and Riley Peschek have batting averages of .265 and .217, respectively. Sevaaetasi has 16 RBIs and five home runs, while Peschek adds 18 RBIs on 18 hits.</li><li>Morgan Reimer has pitched the most innings for the Huskies at 94.1 and has a 2.75 ERA. She has a record of 13-6 and has struck out 110 batters and allowed 37 earned runs.</li><li>Sophia Ramuno has the lowest ERA on the team at 2.04, along with a record of 9-4 across 92.2 innings. She has struck out 122 batters and allowed 27 earned runs.</li><li>Stevie Hansen has tossed 69.0 innings for Washington and has an ERA of 2.54 and a 7-2 record. She has allowed 25 earned runs while striking out 64 batters.</li><li>Rylee Rehbein rounds out the pitching staff. She is 2-1 with a 3.64 ERA and has struck out 23 batters while allowing 23 earned runs.&nbsp;</li><li>Heather Tarr is in her 21st season with the Huskies and has a career record of 851-326-1. She began her career at Washington in 2005.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>

Huskers head West for series at Washington

Lincoln –&nbsp;Nebraska Men’s Basketball Coach Fred Hoiberg announced Thursday that St. Thomas transfer Kendall Blue has signed with the Nebraska men’s basketball program.

Blue, a 6-foot-6, 190-pound guard from Woodbury, Minn., joins the Husker program after scoring over 1,000 career points in three seasons at St. Thomas. He started 89 of 100 career games at the school, helping the program to consecutive 20-win seasons.

“Kendall is someone we targeted because of his combination of length, versatility and experience,” Hoiberg said. “He’s a high IQ player who does a lot of things well, whether it is spacing the floor with his shooting or initiating offense. Defensively, he has good instincts and the size to guard multiple positions. Kendall started the past three seasons at St. Thomas and expanded his role each season.”

Blue started all 34 games last season, averaging 12.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.0 steal per game, as St. Thomas posted a 24-10 mark in 2024-25. He ranked 17th&nbsp;in the Summit League in scoring while shooting 51 percent from the field and 42 percent from 3-point range. Blue finished in the top 15 of the Summit League in assists (13th), rebounding (13th) and steals (13th).&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He earned a spot on the Summit League All-Tournament team in 2025, averaging 15.0 ppg, 4.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game in helping the&nbsp;Tommies&nbsp;reach the title game. He had 21 points in the win over North Dakota in the semifinals and nearly had a double-double in the title game against Omaha with 10 rebounds, nine points and three assists. He had 23 double-figure outings on the year, including four 20-point games. His best game of the season came at Oklahoma State, when he finished with 18 points, including 4-of-7 from 3-point range, and a season-high 11 rebounds.

As a sophomore, Blue started all 33 games and averaged 10.6 ppg, 4.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. He tallied 18 double-figure efforts, including a career-high 22-point performance against Portland State where he went 7-of-9 from the field, including 6-of-7 from 3-point range, He also had 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting against Marquette and his first career double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds against Omaha. He closed the year by averaging 13.5 ppg on 65 percent shooting and 6.5&nbsp;rpg&nbsp;over the final four games of the year.&nbsp;

He broke into the starting lineup as a freshman, playing in all 33 games, including 22 starts, as he averaged 7.3 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. He had 15 double-figure efforts, including a season-high 15 points against North Dakota State.

Story by NU Athletic Communications&nbsp;Lincoln –&nbsp;Nebraska Men’s Basketball Coach Fred Hoiberg announced Thursday that St. Thomas transfer Kendall Blue has signed with the Nebraska men’s basketball program.Blue, a 6-foot-6, 190-pound guard from Woodbury, Minn., joins the Husker program after scoring over 1,000 career points in three seasons at St. Thomas. He started 89 of 100 career games at the school, helping the program to consecutive 20-win seasons.“Kendall is someone we targeted because of his combination of length, versatility and experience,” Hoiberg said. “He’s a high IQ player who does a lot of things well, whether it is spacing the floor with his shooting or initiating offense. Defensively, he has good instincts and the size to guard multiple positions. Kendall started the past three seasons at St. Thomas and expanded his role each season.”Blue started all 34 games last season, averaging 12.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.0 steal per game, as St. Thomas posted a 24-10 mark in 2024-25. He ranked 17th&nbsp;in the Summit League in scoring while shooting 51 percent from the field and 42 percent from 3-point range. Blue finished in the top 15 of the Summit League in assists (13th), rebounding (13th) and steals (13th).&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He earned a spot on the Summit League All-Tournament team in 2025, averaging 15.0 ppg, 4.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game in helping the&nbsp;Tommies&nbsp;reach the title game. He had 21 points in the win over North Dakota in the semifinals and nearly had a double-double in the title game against Omaha with 10 rebounds, nine points and three assists. He had 23 double-figure outings on the year, including four 20-point games. His best game of the season came at Oklahoma State, when he finished with 18 points, including 4-of-7 from 3-point range, and a season-high 11 rebounds.As a sophomore, Blue started all 33 games and averaged 10.6 ppg, 4.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. He tallied 18 double-figure efforts, including a career-high 22-point performance against Portland State where he went 7-of-9 from the field, including 6-of-7 from 3-point range, He also had 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting against Marquette and his first career double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds against Omaha. He closed the year by averaging 13.5 ppg on 65 percent shooting and 6.5&nbsp;rpg&nbsp;over the final four games of the year.&nbsp;He broke into the starting lineup as a freshman, playing in all 33 games, including 22 starts, as he averaged 7.3 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. He had 15 double-figure efforts, including a season-high 15 points against North Dakota State.

Kendall Blue to join Huskers 

Des Moines, Iowa - Till Steinforth scored the top world decathlon mark and Keyshawn Strachan threw a javelin school record as the Nebraska track and field team finished the second day of competition at the Drake Relays.&nbsp;

Steinforth set a new Drake Relays decathlon record with 8,265 points as he earned the 100m (10.65), long jump (7.90m, 25-11), shot put (15.28m, 50-1 ¾), 400m (47.96) and 100mH (14.09) event titles on the way to the decathlon win.&nbsp;

In the WACT men’s javelin, Strachan threw a school record as he claimed the event title, going 81.01m (265-9). Dash Sirmon also competed in the event, earning a fifth-place finish with a mark of 73.90m (242-5). On the women’s side, Husker alum Rhema Otabor claimed the win (58.20m, 190-11), and senior Maddie Harris finished fourth (56.50m, 185-4).&nbsp;

Nebraska had two runners finish in the top eight of the men’s 800m as Sam Easley placed fifth (1:50.58) and Gabe Nash was seventh (1:50.74). In the 3,000m steeplechase, Cami Merickel placed sixth, running 10:36.10, and Grant Wasserman ran a personal-best 8:57.84 for 14th.&nbsp;

Trevor Acton was sixth in the men’s 10,000m with a time of 30:33.11, and in the men’s 1500m, Kaleb Sharp ran 3:53.33 for 13th.

Up next, the Huskers continue competition at the Drake Relays tomorrow with running events at 12:15 p.m. (CT) and field events at 1:30 p.m. (CT).&nbsp;

1. Keyshawn Strachan - 81.01m (265-9)&nbsp;

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsDes Moines, Iowa - Till Steinforth scored the top world decathlon mark and Keyshawn Strachan threw a javelin school record as the Nebraska track and field team finished the second day of competition at the Drake Relays.&nbsp;Steinforth set a new Drake Relays decathlon record with 8,265 points as he earned the 100m (10.65), long jump (7.90m, 25-11), shot put (15.28m, 50-1 ¾), 400m (47.96) and 100mH (14.09) event titles on the way to the decathlon win.&nbsp;In the WACT men’s javelin, Strachan threw a school record as he claimed the event title, going 81.01m (265-9). Dash Sirmon also competed in the event, earning a fifth-place finish with a mark of 73.90m (242-5). On the women’s side, Husker alum Rhema Otabor claimed the win (58.20m, 190-11), and senior Maddie Harris finished fourth (56.50m, 185-4).&nbsp;Nebraska had two runners finish in the top eight of the men’s 800m as Sam Easley placed fifth (1:50.58) and Gabe Nash was seventh (1:50.74). In the 3,000m steeplechase, Cami Merickel placed sixth, running 10:36.10, and Grant Wasserman ran a personal-best 8:57.84 for 14th.&nbsp;Trevor Acton was sixth in the men’s 10,000m with a time of 30:33.11, and in the men’s 1500m, Kaleb Sharp ran 3:53.33 for 13th.Up next, the Huskers continue competition at the Drake Relays tomorrow with running events at 12:15 p.m. (CT) and field events at 1:30 p.m. (CT).&nbsp;Drake Relays ResultsWomen’s Javelin WACT1. Rhema Otabor - 58.20m (190-11)4. Maddie Harris - 56.50m (185-4)DecathlonTill Steinforth - 8,265 pts.&nbsp;1. 100m - 10.651. Long Jump - 7.90m (25-11)1. Shot Put - 15.28m (50-1 ¾)2. High Jump - 1.98m (6-6)1. 400m - 47.961. 100mH - 14.094. Discus - 41.44m (135-11)5. Pole Vault - 4.75m (15-7)2. Javelin - 56.02m (183-9)6. 1500m - 4:50.10&nbsp;Men’s Javelin WACT1. Keyshawn Strachan - 81.01m (265-9)&nbsp;5. Dash Sirmon - 73.90m (242-5)Men’s 1500m UD/CD13. Kaleb Sharp - 3:53.33Men’s 800m UD/CD5. Sam Easley - 1:50.587. Gabe Nash - 1:50.74Women’s 3000m Steeplechase Open6. Cami Merickel - 10:36.10Men’s 3000m Steeplechase Open14. Grant Wasserman - 8:57.84Men’s 10,000m Invite6. Trevor Acton - 30:33.11

Steinforth, Strachan set top marks at Drake Relays 

Area Sports Scores from 4-24

By: Paxton Ritchie&nbsp; CSC Sports Information Director

CHADRON, Neb. – Chadron State football's 2025 spring game will be open to the public on Friday at 5 p.m. at Elliott Field, featuring multiple free opportunities to win prizes and purchase game-worn CSC apparel. 

The start time of 5 p.m. is an hour earlier than previously announced, with the event taking place slightly earlier in the evening due to weather forecasts. 

All fans who attend the spring game will be entered, free of charge, into a raffle to win a grand prize of two season tickets to the Eagles for the 2025 season. 

School-age children and Chadron State College students in attendance will have the opportunity to be selected to come onto the field during Friday's activities and attempt to catch either a pass or a punt from a CSC football player to win a prize. 

Also, for Eagle super-fans, Chadron State's game-worn gray jerseys from the 2024 season will be available for purchase at the spring game. Jerseys can be bought for $150. Any CSC student-athletes or recent Eagle football alumni wishing to buy their own game-used jerseys will be charged a rate of $130 to purchase. 

Unlike in past years, the 2025 spring game will not feature another school as an opponent and will not be played like a timed, continuous game. The new format allows Eagle student-athletes to showcase and compete against one another with the goal of maintaining depth, avoiding injuries and involving other CSC students and community members in the day's festivities. 

The football portion of the spring game will feature different matchups (first/second team offense vs. first/second team defense, for example) playing out a series from a certain spot on the field. The "mini-games" featuring kids, students and community members will take place between some of the matchups, including an on-field "punt, pass and kick" competition among CSC football players.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745509899470.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By: Paxton Ritchie&nbsp; CSC Sports Information DirectorCHADRON, Neb. – Chadron State football's 2025 spring game will be open to the public on Friday at 5 p.m. at Elliott Field, featuring multiple free opportunities to win prizes and purchase game-worn CSC apparel. The start time of 5 p.m. is an hour earlier than previously announced, with the event taking place slightly earlier in the evening due to weather forecasts. All fans who attend the spring game will be entered, free of charge, into a raffle to win a grand prize of two season tickets to the Eagles for the 2025 season. School-age children and Chadron State College students in attendance will have the opportunity to be selected to come onto the field during Friday's activities and attempt to catch either a pass or a punt from a CSC football player to win a prize. Also, for Eagle super-fans, Chadron State's game-worn gray jerseys from the 2024 season will be available for purchase at the spring game. Jerseys can be bought for $150. Any CSC student-athletes or recent Eagle football alumni wishing to buy their own game-used jerseys will be charged a rate of $130 to purchase. Unlike in past years, the 2025 spring game will not feature another school as an opponent and will not be played like a timed, continuous game. The new format allows Eagle student-athletes to showcase and compete against one another with the goal of maintaining depth, avoiding injuries and involving other CSC students and community members in the day's festivities. The football portion of the spring game will feature different matchups (first/second team offense vs. first/second team defense, for example) playing out a series from a certain spot on the field. The "mini-games" featuring kids, students and community members will take place between some of the matchups, including an on-field "punt, pass and kick" competition among CSC football players.

CSC football spring game is open to public Friday night

Story by NU Athletic Communication

College Park, Md. | Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium

Pitching: LHP Will Walsh (4-5, 4.72 ERA) vs. LHP Kyle McCoy (3-2, 3.15 ERA)

Pitching: RHP Ty Horn (1-4, 7.15 ERA) vs. RHP Joey McMannis (1-1, 8.89 ERA)

Pitching: LHP Jackson Brockett (1-3, 4.06 ERA) vs. TBD

• All three games of this weekend's series at Maryland can be seen on B1G+.

• Fans can also listen to Ben McLaughlin and Nick Handley call the action this weekend on the Huskers Radio Network.

• Through 21 all-time meetings, Maryland holds a 12-9 advantage over Nebraska in the all-time series.

• In their last meeting, the Huskers won two of three games against the Terrapins in Lincoln last season.

• Nebraska last visited College Park in 2023, where the 23rd-ranked Terrapins took two of three games against the Big Red.

• With Brett Sears taken in the 2024 MLB Draft, Drew Christo's transition to the bullpen and Mason McConnaughey's season-ending injury, it's a new-look weekend rotation for the Huskers this year.

• Redshirt senior Will Walsh gets the nod on Friday night and holds a 4-5 record on the season with a 4.72 ERA, 43 punchouts and opposing batting average of .238 in 53.1 innings.

• Sophomore Ty Horn is set to take the mound in game two for the Huskers this weekend. Horn is 1-4 with a 7.15 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 45.1 innings of work.

• Senior Jackson Brockett is scheduled to start the series finale, holding a 1-3 record with a 4.06 ERA and 26 strikeouts across 10 appearances, including nine starts.

• Nebraska is 121-27 under head coach Will Bolt when scoring at least six runs.

• The Big Red have scored six-plus runs in 17 of the 19 victories this season, defeating No. 16 Vanderbilt (6-4), San Diego State (13-0), Louisiana (6-1), Washington (6-2), Wichita State (10-1), Pepperdine (9-6, 11-4). USC (6-5), Oregon State (7-3, 16-7), Rutgers (8-5, 10-5), No. 22 Kansas (7-5), Iowa (6-4), Creighton (6-3) and Northwestern (14-4).

Walsh Among Active Career Leaders in Free Passes

• Redshirt senior Will Walsh comes into the weekend ranked among DI's active career leaders in fewest walks allowed per nine innings, sitting fourth with 1.59 walks per nine innings.

• Walsh has surrendered 29 free passes in 163.2 innings in his time as a Husker and is one of two P4 pitchers ranked in the top five.

• Junior Luke Broderick enters the weekend tied for sixth nationally and is one of 13 closers with at least nine saves on the season.

Six-Game Surge: Relievers Combine for 29 K, 8 ER

• Nebraska's bullpen has been dominant over the last six games, combining for a 2.20 ERA in 32.2 innings of work.

• Husker relievers have held opposing hitters to a .198 batting average while tallying 29 strikeouts and allowing just eight earned runs in that stretch.

• Junior Luke Broderick has led the back end of the bullpen with three saves, posting a 1.93 ERA and seven strikeouts in 4.2 innings across four appearances.

• Pryce Bender has logged a bullpen-high 5.2 innings during the stretch, allowing just one earned run and striking out five with a 1.59 ERA.

• In his return to the mound, Tucker Timmerman tossed 4.2 scoreless innings over two relief outings, surrendering just three hits and striking out five.

• Gavin Blachowicz and Grant Cleavinger have combined for 5.1 shutout innings, holding opposing hitters to a .111 batting average with five total strikeouts.

• Nebraska's bullpen has limited opponents to just three home runs and nine extra-base hits over the six-game stretch.

Jesske One of Toughest Sophomores to Strike Out

• Will Jesske goes into the weekend as one of 14 sophomores nationally, including one of four P4 sophomores, to average 10-or-more at-bats per strikeout this season.

• Jesske has struck out just eight times in 86 at-bats this season while hitting .256 with four doubles, a triple, three homers, 13 RBI and 16 runs scored in 32 games played this season.

Buettenback, Overbeek Pacing Huskers in April

• Max Buettenback and Joshua Overbeek have led the Husker offense in Nebraska's 14 games this month.

• Buettenback is batting .385 (20-of-52) with four doubles, four home runs, 14 RBI and 10 runs scored while posting an OPS of 1.151 in the 14-game stretch.

• Overbeek is hitting .354 (17-of-48) with four doubles, four homers, 12 RBI and nine runs scored while recording a 1.095 OPS in the span of 14 games this month.

• Cayden Brumbaugh leads the Big Red with 48 hits and 13 doubles while batting .302 with 33 runs scored, two home runs, 22 RBI and eight stolen bases in 40 starts this season.

• Max Buettenback owns a team-best .620 slugging percent and is hitting .315 at the plate with seven doubles, seven home runs, 22 RBI and 21 runs scored across 30 games.

• Case Sanderson is batting .294 and ranks second on the team with a .419 on-base percentage, adding five doubles, a triple, one home run, 14 RBI and 20 runs scored in 36 games.

• Devin Nunez is batting .293 with three home runs, 15 RBI and 14 runs scored across 27 games as a freshman.

• Joshua Overbeek has tallied 13 extra-base hits and is batting .280 on the season with four home runs, 17 RBI and 19 runs scored in 36 games, while Will Jesske has chipped in with four doubles, a triple, three home runs, 13 RBI and 16 runs scored.

• Dylan Carey leads the team with 31 RBI and ranks second in both home runs (6) and doubles (11) while batting .271 with 31 runs scored in 41 starts.

• Riley Silva is hitting .260 with a team-best .432 on-base percentage, scoring 15 runs and adding six stolen bases in 37 games this season.

• Tyler Stone is batting .263 with 10 doubles, seven home runs and 23 RBI, while Cael Frost has collected four doubles and six home runs while driving in 23 runs and scoring 19 times in 34 games.

• Gabe Swansen is hitting .221 with six doubles, three home runs and 22 RBI in 32 games, while Robby Bolin holds a .322 batting average with three extra-base hits, five RBI and 14 runs scored in 59 at-bats.

• Luke Broderick ranks among the national leaders with nine saves, holding a 2-1 record with 27 strikeouts in 19.1 innings and a 4.19 ERA.

• Drew Christo has made 19 appearances and recorded one save, logging 32.1 innings with 34 strikeouts and a .256 opponent batting average.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationApril 25-27, 2025College Park, Md. | Bob “Turtle” Smith StadiumFriday, April 25 – 5:02 p.m. CTPitching: LHP Will Walsh (4-5, 4.72 ERA) vs. LHP Kyle McCoy (3-2, 3.15 ERA)TV/Streaming: B1G+Radio: Huskers.com, Huskers Radio Network, Huskers AppSaturday, April 26 – 1:02 p.m. CTPitching: RHP Ty Horn (1-4, 7.15 ERA) vs. RHP Joey McMannis (1-1, 8.89 ERA)TV/Streaming: B1G+Radio: Huskers.com, Huskers Radio Network, Huskers AppSunday, April 27 – 12:02 p.m. CTPitching: LHP Jackson Brockett (1-3, 4.06 ERA) vs. TBDTV/Streaming: B1G+Radio: Huskers.com, Huskers Radio Network, Huskers AppFollow the Game• All three games of this weekend's series at Maryland can be seen on B1G+.• Fans can also listen to Ben McLaughlin and Nick Handley call the action this weekend on the Huskers Radio Network.• 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. Maryland• Through 21 all-time meetings, Maryland holds a 12-9 advantage over Nebraska in the all-time series.• In their last meeting, the Huskers won two of three games against the Terrapins in Lincoln last season.• Nebraska last visited College Park in 2023, where the 23rd-ranked Terrapins took two of three games against the Big Red.McConnaughey to Miss Remainder of 2025 Season• Nebraska Coach Will Bolt announced the first week in March that junior right-handed pitcher Mason McConnaughey will miss the remainder of the 2025 season after suffering an arm injury against Sam Houston at the Frisco Classic.• McConnaughey began the season as the first husker named to the Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List since 2016 and earned Preseason All-American recognition from D1Baseball and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.A Look at the Weekend Rotation• With Brett Sears taken in the 2024 MLB Draft, Drew Christo's transition to the bullpen and Mason McConnaughey's season-ending injury, it's a new-look weekend rotation for the Huskers this year.• Redshirt senior Will Walsh gets the nod on Friday night and holds a 4-5 record on the season with a 4.72 ERA, 43 punchouts and opposing batting average of .238 in 53.1 innings.• Sophomore Ty Horn is set to take the mound in game two for the Huskers this weekend. Horn is 1-4 with a 7.15 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 45.1 innings of work.• Senior Jackson Brockett is scheduled to start the series finale, holding a 1-3 record with a 4.06 ERA and 26 strikeouts across 10 appearances, including nine starts.Lucky Number Six in the Bolt Era• Nebraska is 121-27 under head coach Will Bolt when scoring at least six runs.• The Big Red have scored six-plus runs in 17 of the 19 victories this season, defeating No. 16 Vanderbilt (6-4), San Diego State (13-0), Louisiana (6-1), Washington (6-2), Wichita State (10-1), Pepperdine (9-6, 11-4). USC (6-5), Oregon State (7-3, 16-7), Rutgers (8-5, 10-5), No. 22 Kansas (7-5), Iowa (6-4), Creighton (6-3) and Northwestern (14-4).• The Husker offense reached the six-run mark 34 times last season, compiling a 28-6 record.• Nebraska scored six-plus runs in 33 contests (26-7) in 2023 after tallying at least six runs 23 times (19-4) in 2022, 28 times (26-2) in 2021 and seven times (5-2) in 2020.Walsh Among Active Career Leaders in Free Passes• Redshirt senior Will Walsh comes into the weekend ranked among DI's active career leaders in fewest walks allowed per nine innings, sitting fourth with 1.59 walks per nine innings.• Walsh has surrendered 29 free passes in 163.2 innings in his time as a Husker and is one of two P4 pitchers ranked in the top five.Lockdown Luke: Broderick Among Saves Leaders• Junior Luke Broderick enters the weekend tied for sixth nationally and is one of 13 closers with at least nine saves on the season.• Broderick holds a 2-1 record and nine saves with a 4.19 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 19.1 innings across 17 appearances this season.• The Omaha, Neb., native's nine saves are the most by a Husker reliever since Spencer Schwellenbach (10) in 2021.• Broderick is one save shy of reaching ninth on the single-season charts at NU and becoming the 12th Husker reliever in program history to reach double-digit saves in a season.Six-Game Surge: Relievers Combine for 29 K, 8 ER• Nebraska's bullpen has been dominant over the last six games, combining for a 2.20 ERA in 32.2 innings of work.• Husker relievers have held opposing hitters to a .198 batting average while tallying 29 strikeouts and allowing just eight earned runs in that stretch.• Junior Luke Broderick has led the back end of the bullpen with three saves, posting a 1.93 ERA and seven strikeouts in 4.2 innings across four appearances.• Pryce Bender has logged a bullpen-high 5.2 innings during the stretch, allowing just one earned run and striking out five with a 1.59 ERA.• In his return to the mound, Tucker Timmerman tossed 4.2 scoreless innings over two relief outings, surrendering just three hits and striking out five.• Gavin Blachowicz and Grant Cleavinger have combined for 5.1 shutout innings, holding opposing hitters to a .111 batting average with five total strikeouts.• Nebraska's bullpen has limited opponents to just three home runs and nine extra-base hits over the six-game stretch.Silva Climbing the All-Time HBP Chart• Riley Silva has been hit by pitch 41 times in his two seasons as a Husker, which sits sixth all-time in program history.• Silva is five away from tying Kale Kiser (2009-12) in fifth and six shy of Kash Kalkowski (2009-13) and Bryan Peters (2010-13) in third.Jesske One of Toughest Sophomores to Strike Out• Will Jesske goes into the weekend as one of 14 sophomores nationally, including one of four P4 sophomores, to average 10-or-more at-bats per strikeout this season.• Jesske has struck out just eight times in 86 at-bats this season while hitting .256 with four doubles, a triple, three homers, 13 RBI and 16 runs scored in 32 games played this season.Buettenback, Overbeek Pacing Huskers in April• Max Buettenback and Joshua Overbeek have led the Husker offense in Nebraska's 14 games this month.• Buettenback is batting .385 (20-of-52) with four doubles, four home runs, 14 RBI and 10 runs scored while posting an OPS of 1.151 in the 14-game stretch.• Overbeek is hitting .354 (17-of-48) with four doubles, four homers, 12 RBI and nine runs scored while recording a 1.095 OPS in the span of 14 games this month.Bats in the Nebraska Lineup• Cayden Brumbaugh leads the Big Red with 48 hits and 13 doubles while batting .302 with 33 runs scored, two home runs, 22 RBI and eight stolen bases in 40 starts this season.• Max Buettenback owns a team-best .620 slugging percent and is hitting .315 at the plate with seven doubles, seven home runs, 22 RBI and 21 runs scored across 30 games.• Case Sanderson is batting .294 and ranks second on the team with a .419 on-base percentage, adding five doubles, a triple, one home run, 14 RBI and 20 runs scored in 36 games.• Devin Nunez is batting .293 with three home runs, 15 RBI and 14 runs scored across 27 games as a freshman.• Joshua Overbeek has tallied 13 extra-base hits and is batting .280 on the season with four home runs, 17 RBI and 19 runs scored in 36 games, while Will Jesske has chipped in with four doubles, a triple, three home runs, 13 RBI and 16 runs scored.• Dylan Carey leads the team with 31 RBI and ranks second in both home runs (6) and doubles (11) while batting .271 with 31 runs scored in 41 starts.• Riley Silva is hitting .260 with a team-best .432 on-base percentage, scoring 15 runs and adding six stolen bases in 37 games this season.• Tyler Stone is batting .263 with 10 doubles, seven home runs and 23 RBI, while Cael Frost has collected four doubles and six home runs while driving in 23 runs and scoring 19 times in 34 games.• Gabe Swansen is hitting .221 with six doubles, three home runs and 22 RBI in 32 games, while Robby Bolin holds a .322 batting average with three extra-base hits, five RBI and 14 runs scored in 59 at-bats.Huskers in the Pen• Luke Broderick ranks among the national leaders with nine saves, holding a 2-1 record with 27 strikeouts in 19.1 innings and a 4.19 ERA.• Drew Christo has made 19 appearances and recorded one save, logging 32.1 innings with 34 strikeouts and a .256 opponent batting average.• Casey Daiss holds a 2.30 ERA in 13 relief appearances, allowing just four earned runs and striking out 12 in 15.2 innings, and Tucker Timmerman has returned from injury to pitch nine innings across four appearances, tallying nine strikeouts and a 4.00 ERA.• Grant Cleavinger has made 12 relief appearances, picking up 14 strikeouts in 7.1 innings of work, while Caleb Clark has logged 12.1 innings in 14 relief outings with 11 strikeouts and five walks.• Jalen Worthley has a 2-0 record in 13 appearances over 18.2 innings with 12 strikeouts, while Carson Jasa is 2-2 in 18.2 innings over 11 outings with 24 punchouts.• TJ Coats has tossed 10.1 innings with 14 strikeouts in seven appearances, including three starts, while Ryan Harrahill holds a 5.11 ERA and five strikeouts in 12.1 innings across 10 appearances.• Gavin Blachowicz has made 11 appearances with a 3.24 ERA in 16.2 innings of work. The freshman has struck out 14 and allowed six earned runs on 15 hits.• Pryce Bender is 2-0 in 18 innings across 13 relief appearances, while Colin Nowaczyk has struck out seven in seven innings of action across seven relief outings.• Blake Encarnacion has thrown three scoreless innings over seven relief outings, allowing no hits and striking out four.