Husker quarterback Luke McCaffrey has entered his name into the transfer portal. The redshirt freshman, started multiple games for the Huskers in 2020. He completed 48 of 76 passes for 466 yards, one touchdown, and six interceptions. He also ran 65 times for 364 yards and three touchdowns last year. The decision by McCaffrey means the Huskers now have just three scholarship quarterbacks: junior Adrian Martinez, redshirt freshman Logan Smothers and incoming Heinrich Haarberg out of Kearney Catholic. Joining McCaffrey in the transfer portal are offensive lineman Will Farniok and wide receiver Kade Warner.
The Nebraska women’s basketball team rallied past Illinois, 57-53, last night in Champaign. Two steals late helped the Huskers complete the regular-season series sweep of the Fighting Illini. Junior Sam Haiby led all scorers with 22 points. The Husker women will play Wisconsin at Pinnacle Bank Arena Thursday, tipoff will be at 7:00.
Nebraska center Kate Cain was one of just 15 women’s basketball players across the country to be named to the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List Tuesday. The 6-5 center from Middletown, N.Y., is a three-time Lisa Leslie Award candidate who is a two-time Big Ten All-Defensive selection. Nebraska’s school record holder with 320 blocked shots, Cain’s career total is the 6th most in Big Ten history. She also ranks 2nd nationally in career blocks among active NCAA Division I players.
Creighton has dropped six spots, to 17th, in the latest AP Men’s Basketball Top-25 Poll. The top three remain unchanged, with Gonzaga leading the way, followed by Baylor and Villanova. Michigan jumped three spots to #4. Other Big Ten teams in the rankings include Iowa (#7), Ohio State (#13), Wisconsin (#14), Illinois (#19) and Minnesota (#21). Creighton is back in action tomorrow with a game at Seton Hall. The Husker men’s game against Penn State Saturday has been postponed. It’s the 7th cancellation or postponement for the Huskers this season. At this time, their next scheduled game is Wednesday, Feb. 3rd, at Michigan State.
The Husker junior Spencer Schwellenbach has earned a spot on D1Baseball’s Preseason All-America second team. Listed as the lone utility player on the second team, Schwellenbach started all 15 games at shortstop in 2020 before the season was cut short due to COVID-19. He batted .295 (18-for-61) with 13 runs scored, five RBIs, two doubles and one home run during the shortened season. Before joining the Huskers, the Saginaw, Mich., native was drafted in the 34th round of the 2018 MLB Draft by Cleveland.
Yesterday’s snow storm has forced date, and location changes for the UNK/Fort Hays State women’s basketball game and the UNK/Central Missouri wrestling dual. The 4th ranked Loper women and the Tigers were scheduled to play a makeup game tonight in Kansas. That game will now be played Thursday at UNK, with tipoff at 5:30. That means Thursday’s wrestling dual between the 2nd ranked Lopers and Mules will have to move from the Health & Sports Center to Cushing Coliseum. Start time was set for 6:00 p.m. but is now TBD.
UNK’s Elisa Backes has been named the MIAA women’s basketball athlete of the week. UNKs leading scorer on the year at 10.4 points per game, Backes averaged 20.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.0 blocks and 2.0 assists per game as the 4th ranked Lopers won at Pittsburg State and Missouri Southern State. She came off the bench for the 71st time on Thursday to record her third double-double (20 points & 11 rebounds). She started for the first time in her career on Saturday and tied her career-high in points (21) while adding three blocks and two boards. She ended the weekend shooting 71% at the line and 48% from the field.
USA Swimming and the Omaha Sports Commission announced Tuesday morning that the Olympic Swimming Trials will be divided into two competitions. Wave I will be June 4-7 with Wave II set for the previously announced trials dates of June 13-20. Both events will be contested at Omaha’s CHI Health Center.
Tuesday
#7 Kearney Catholic Girls Basketball vs. #10 Concordia – 6:00 @ KCHS (Centenial Conference Tourney) (Postponed to Wednesday)
Kearney High Girls Basketball @ Lincoln High – (Postponed)
