Sports shorts 11-15-2008
Husker volleyball team travels to Kansas on Saturday
LINCOLN -- The Nebraska volleyball team begins the homestretch of the 2008 campaign this weekend, as it travels to Lawrence, Kan., to take on the Kansas Jayhawks.
First serve at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center is set for 7 p.m. and the match will be carried on selected Husker Sports Network stations, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Twister 93.3 FM in Omaha, and on the Internet at Huskers.com. John Baylor and Lindsay Peterson will call all of the action. The match is also tentatively scheduled to be carried on HuskersNside as well.
The Huskers (24-1, 15-1 Big 12) begin a stretch where they play three of their final four regular-season matches away from the NU Coliseum. On Wednesday, Nebraska rolled to a 3-0 sweep of Missouri to remain in front in a tight conference race.
The Huskers hit .351 as a team and had three players finish with at least 10 kills in the win. Jordan Larson's 16 kills and 13 digs led a strong offensive night, as Tara Mueller and Kori Cooper added 13 and 10 kills, respectively. Nebraska also received a strong performance from redshirt freshman Brooke Delano, who stepped into the right side hitter spot and added four four kills and four blocks.
Kansas (12-13, 6-10) welcomes the Huskers into town following a four-set loss at Oklahoma on Wednesday night.
The Jayhawks feature last week's AVCA National Player of the Week in Karina Garlington, who hit .354, while averaging 5.00 kills per set in a pair of wins last week. Garlington is among the Big 12 leaders with 3.71 kills this season.
The Jayhawks have been tough on their home court, going 5-3 in the league with the only losses being a four-set loss to Texas on Sept. 24, a five-set loss to Kansas State on Oct. 1 and a five-set loss to Texas A&M on Oct. 8.
Quick Sets
*-NU will go for its 25th win of the season on Saturday. The Huskers will bid to reach the 25-win plateau for the 16th straight year and 33rd time in the program's 34-year existance.
*-The Huskers have hit over .350 in each of ther last two matches, the first time that has occurred this season. NU has now hit .300 or better in 11 matches this season.
*-Rachel Schwartz is 12 digs away from reaching 750 in her career.
*-Brooke Delano became the seventh different Husker to lead NU in blocks this season, as she tied Amanda Gates for team-high honors against Missouri.
Worth Noting
*-Nebraska is 82-5 (.943) on the road in Big 12 action over the nine seasons under Coach John Cook.
*-Jordan Larson collected her 47th career double-double against Missouri on Wednesday night. The Huskers are now 46-1 in her career when she has a double-double.
*-With 13 digs on Wednesday, Larson is now four digs shy of being just the second Husker to reach that plateau. Larson is also on pace to become the first-ever Husker to average more than 3.00 kills and 3.00 digs per set in an entire career. She enters the KU match with 3.55 kills and 3.15 digs per set in 125 career matches.
*-The Huskers are a perfect 6-0 against ranked opponents in 2008, including wins over No. 2 Stanford and No. 4 Texas.
*-The Huskers have won their last 54 Big 12 home contests dating back to the 2003 season and are 87-2 (.978) in conference home matches under John Cook.
*-The Huskers are 94-4 (.959) in conference action dating back to the end of the 2003 season.
*-The Huskers lead the Big 12 in four team categories, including kills (14.60/set), blocks (2.64/set), assists (13.40/set) and opponent hitting percentage (.138) and also rank second in hitting percentage (.269) and third in service aces (1.33/set).
*-Tara Mueller has been on a tear of late, averaging 4.05 kills and 2.84 digs per set, while recording double-doubles in three of her last five matches.
*-The Huskers have swept 17 of their 25 opponents during the 2008 season.
*-Nebraska reached the 20-win plateau with its win at Oklahoma on Oct. 25. The Huskers have won at least 20 matches every year in program history (a total of 34 years). The second-longest active streak in the Big 12 is five by Texas.
*--Nebraska's senior class of Amanda Gates, Jordan Larson and Rachel Schwartz will go for their 121st career win on Saturday at Kansas. The trio has helped NU to a 120-6 record (.952 winning pct.) over the last four years. Of the previous 126 matches, NU has been ranked lower than third for only two of them.
*-NU's nine non-conference opponents are a combined 154-66 (.700) entering this weekend's action. All nine teams have winning records, while Stanford, Tulane and Oral Roberts and New Mexico have already won at least 20 matches.
*-The Huskers were ranked third in the latest NCAA's RPI rankings released on Nov. 10. NU is 6-0 against top-20 teams in the RPI, including wins over No. 2 Stanford and No. 5 Texas.
NCAA RPI (Released Nov. 10)
No. School Conference Record
1. Penn St.Big Ten 26-0
2. StanfordPacific-10 21-3
3. NebraskaBig 12 23-1
4. Minnesota Big Ten 20-6
5. Texas Big 12 19-3
Scouting Kansas
Under coach Ray Bechard (173-157 in 11 years), the Jayhawks are 12-13 on the year following a four-set loss at Oklahoma on Wednesday night. The loss snapped a two-match win streak for Kansas, which had swept both Colorado and Texas Tech last week.
The Jayhawks have been tough at home, going 8-4, with three of those losses coming to teams currently in the top 15 (Texas, Oregon and K-State). Sophomore outside hitter Karina Garlington paces the Jayhawk attack, averaging 3.71 kills per set to rank among the Big 12 leaders. Sophomore outside hitter Jenna Kaiser is second on the team with 2.35 kills per set, as KU six players are averaging at least 1.50 kills per set.
The Jayhawks have two players from Nebraska on the roster in senior Savannah Noyes (1.89 kills and 0.55 digs per set) and middle blocker Paige Mazour (0.66 kills and 0.44 blocks per set).
Series History: The Huskers have not lost to KU since the start of Big Eight affiliated volleyball and are a perfect 25-0 against the Jayhawks since the Big 12 began in 1996.
Last Meeting: Behind 12 kills and three aces from All-American Jordan Larson, second-ranked Nebraska remained unbeaten, knocking off Kansas, 3-1 (25-15, 25-19, 22-25, 25-15) at the NU Coliseum on Sept. 24.
Larson, who added 11 digs for her third straight double-double, wasted little time taking sole possession of Nebraska's all-time ace record, ripping her first serve of the night on the end line for her 162nd career ace. The ace broke the mark of 161 she shared with Val Novak (1987-90), earning an extended standing ovation from the crowd of 4,123 in attendance.
Tara Mueller tied Larson for team-high honors with 12 kills on .300 hitting and added three blocks for Nebraska. Kori Cooper and Lindsey Licht added nine and eight kills respectively. Nebraska held Kansas to just .067 hitting, as Cooper totaled a team-high five blocks.
Husker Probable Starters
MB - #17 Amanda Gates: 6-2, Sr., Columbus, Neb. - Gates is in her first year as a full-time starter for NU after being the Huskers' top backup at both spots. She averages 1.61 kills and a team-best 1.18 blocks per set, ranking fourth in the league in blocks and ninth in hitting percentage (.312). She has led NU in blocks 13 times, including an eight-block effort against Texas A&M on Oct. 22. Gates had eight kills and a pair of stuffs in the win over No. 15 Kansas State on Nov. 8 and five kills on seven swings and four blocks against Missouri on Nov. 12. Gates had eight kills on a career-high .700 hitting and four blocks at Oklahoma on Oct. 25. She had 10 kills on .571 hitting at Texas Tech on Oct. 1 and totaled a personal-best 11 kills at Iowa State on Sept. 27. It is the second time she has tied or bettered her career high this season, as Gates tied career highs in both blocks (10) and kills (eight) at Kansas State on Sept. 17. Last year, she averaged 1.29 kills and 0.81 blocks per set over 16 matches. Gates appeared in 23 matches as a sophomore and had a career-high 10 blocks against San Diego in her first career start in 2006. Gates will also contend for academic honors, carrying a 3.96 GPA in communication studies.
MB - #15 Kori Cooper: 6-2, Jr., Amarillo, Texas - A preseason All-Big 12 selection, Cooper is averaging 2.10 kills on .389 hitting and 0.92 blocks per set, ranking second in the Big 12 and 18th nationally in hitting percentage and ninth in blocks. Cooper has hit .500 or better seven times in 2008, including a season-best .875 against New Mexico on Sept. 13. She has reached double figures in kills four times, including 10 kills and a pair of blocks in a sweep of Missouri on Nov. 12. Cooper tied her season high with six blocks and added nine kills on .467 hitting in a win over Iowa State on Nov. 1. She also had six blocks in wins over Creighton (Oct. 5) and USC (Aug. 31). Cooper's season best in kills was 12 in a win at Iowa State on Sept. 27. Cooper dominated the inside at K-State on Sept. 17, pounding 11 kills without an error and five stuffs. She had her best weekend of the year, averaging 2.50 kills on .636 hitting and 1.50 blocks per set at the Players Challenge to earn all-tournament honors. Last year, Cooper averaged 2.31 kills and 1.01 blocks per set, ranking seventh in the Big 12 in hitting percentage (.356). Her career high for kills is 14, set against Missouri in 2007. Cooper was one of NU's starting middle blockers as a freshman, averaging 1.67 kills and 0.95 blocks per set in 30 contests. She also carries a 3.81 GPA in speech language pathology.
S - #1 Sydney Anderson: 6-0, So., Salt Lake City, Utah - Anderson is in her first season at NU after spending 2007 with the U.S. National Team in Colorado Springs. The Big 12 Preseason Newcomer of the Year, Anderson averages 11.71 assists, 2.00 digs, 0.58 blocks and 0.32 aces per set, leading the league in assists and ranking eighth in service aces. She is fifth in the country in assists and has five double-doubles, including 43 assists and 14 digs at Colorado on Oct. 29. She has helped NU rank in the top 20 in kills, assists and hitting percentage, as the Huskers have hit .300 or better 11 times. Anderson had 38 assists and seven digs as NU hit .351 in a sweep of Missouri on Nov. 12. Anderson had 42 assists and two blocks in helping NU hit .352 against K-State on Nov. 8. She dished out 51 assists and had four blocks and four kills against Iowa State on Nov. 1. Anderson dished out a season-high 53 assists and added 10 digs while helping NU hit .319 in a win over No. 3 Texas on Sept. 20. Her other double-doubles came in wins over nationally ranked Kansas State and Cal Poly. Anderson was a member of the U.S. A-2 National Team at the USA Open in both 2007 and 2008. Anderson began her collegiate career at Utah, earning first-team All-Mountain West Conference honors in 2006. That year, she averaged 12.45 assists, 2.77 digs and 0.76 blocks per set en route to being named both the MWC Setter and Freshman of the Year.
L - #2 Kayla Banwarth: 5-10, So., Dubuque, Iowa - Banwarth is in her first full season as NU's libero, averaging 4.35 digs and 0.79 assists per set, ranking third in the Big 12 in digs. She has reached double figures in digs 22 times and in 30 of her 33 career starts after recording 14 digs against Missouri on Nov. 11. She has topped NU in digs 20 times and has had at least nine digs in every match this season. Banwarth enjoyed a career night at Texas A&M on Nov. 5, setting personal bests in both digs (27) and aces (three) and chipping in four assists. That is nine matches with at least 15 digs, including 20 digs at Creighton on Oct. 4 and against USC on Aug. 31. Banwarth earned a spot on the Runza/AVCA Showcase All-Tournament team after averaging 4.85 digs per set in wins over No. 2 Stanford and No. 4 USC. Banwarth closed the 2007 season as Nebraska's libero and averaged 2.75 digs, 0.45 assists and 0.17 service aces per set. She was a three-time all-state selection at Wahlert Catholic High School in Iowa and was a Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 selection.
OPP - #4 Lindsey Licht: 6-5, So., Aurora, Colo. - Licht is in her first year as a full-time starter, averaging 2.57 kills and 0.88 blocks per set this season. Licht has hit .450 or better five times, including a season-high .667 with nine kills on 12 swings at Texas Tech on Oct. 1. Licht picked up her fourth consecutive double-digit kill effort with 11 kills against No. 15 K-State on Nov. 8. She turned in a strong effort in the win over Iowa State, coming up with 12 kills on .435 hitting and two blocks. She had team bests in both kills (14) and blocks (six) at Colorado on Oct. 29 and had eight kills and five blocks, including three solo stuffs, at Oklahoma on Oct. 25. Licht turned in a strong effort against Colorado on Oct. 4, finishing with 11 kills on .533 hitting. She established personal bests in kills (17) and attempts (30), hitting .500 against No. 3 Texas on Sept. 20. She tied her then-career high with 10 kills and added four blocks against LSU on Sept. 12. She had 10 kills on .450 hitting against No. 2 Stanford and had a career-high eight blocks against No. 4 USC. As a freshman, Licht appeared in 13 matches, averaging 0.59 kills per set in 25 contests. Licht was a two-time Mizuno/Volleyball Magazine All-American and was a Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 selection.
-or- RS - #8 Brooke Delano: 6-4, R-Fr., Bellevue, Neb. - Delano is the Huskers' top utility player, seeing time at outside hitter, middle blocker and right side hitter. She has appeared in 13 matches, averaging 1.00 kill, 0.67 blocks and 0.81 digs per set. She saw extensive time at right-side hitter against Missouri, coming up with four kills and four blocks, including three solo stuffs. Her best match of the year came in her first career start at Kansas State on Sept. 17. In that match, she established career bests for kills (seven), digs (16) and blocks (four) while also recording her first ace. Delano saw her first extensive action at outside hitter against Northeastern on Sept. 5, coming up wth six kills on 12 swings. A former Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 pick, Delano redshirted in 2007, as she backed up All-American middle blocker Tracy Stalls.
-or- - DS - #5 Rachel Schwartz: 5-9, Sr., Lincoln, Neb. - Schwartz is one of NU's primary defensive players, averaging 1.96 digs and 0.12 service aces per set. Schwartz had 15 digs and a service ace in the win over Texas A&M on Nov. and had 11 digs off the bench in the win over Iowa State on Nov. 1. She has eight matches with at least eight digs, as he replaces the right side hitter in the back row. Her best performance of 2008 came at No. 18 Kansas State on Sept. 17, when she had a season-high 17 digs while handling nearly all of the Huskers' passing duties as NU's libero against the Wildcats. In 2007, Schwartz ranked 11th in the Big 12 in digs, averaging a career-high 3.66 digs and 0.16 service aces per set. She totaled double figures in digs 17 times, including a career-best 21 digs against Missouri.
OH - #10 Jordan Larson: 6-2, Sr., Hooper, Neb. - A two-time All-American and 2008 Big 12 Preseason co-Player of the Year, Larson averages 3.81 kills, 3.12 digs and 0.37 service aces per game, ranking among the league leaders in aces (second), points (4.51, third) and kills (fourth). She has a team-high 10 double-doubles, including five of the last six matches. Larson had 16 kills, 13 digs and three service aces against Missouri on Nov. 12 and 10 kills and 14 digs in a sweep of No. 15 K-State on Nov. 8. Larson totaled 17 kills, 18 digs and a career-high eight blocks in the win at Texas A&M on Nov. 5. She was named Big 12 Player of the Week on Oct. 27, averaging 4.17 kills and 2.67 digs per set in sweeps of Oklahoma and Texas A&M. Larson had 13 kills on a season-best .407 hitting in a sweep of Texas A&M on Oct. 22. She was named AVCA National Player of the Week on Sept. 22, as she averaged 5.00 kills on .319 hitting, 2.62 digs and 0.50 blocks per set in wins over Texas and K-State. Larson had a match-high 19 kills and 10 digs in the win over the Longhorns on Sept. 20. Larson carried the Huskers to a win at K-State, matching her career best with 21 kills and adding 10 digs. She was named to the all-tournament teams in each of NU's first three events and was chosen as MVP of the Players Challenge after averaging 3.83 kills, 0.60 aces and 0.67 blocks per set. Larson was a third-team AVCA All-American in 2007 after averaging 3.45 kills, 3.18 digs, 0.51 aces and 0.63 blocks per set. The Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2006, Larson averaged 4.13 kills and 3.50 digs per set as a sophomore and was the only player in the Big 12 to rank in the top 10 in kills and digs.
OH - #19 Tara Mueller: 6-0, So., Scottsdale, Ariz. - Mueller is in her first year starting at outside hitter and averages 3.61 kills and 2.42 digs per set, ranking sixth in the league in kills per set. Mueller is second on the squad with six double-doubles, including three in her last five contests. Mueller established career bests in kills for the second straight match against No. 15 Kansas State on Nov. 8, finishing with 20 kills on .613 hitting. She set personal bests with 19 kills and 16 digs in the five-set win at Texas A&M on Nov. 5. All six of Mueller's double-doubles have been in Big 12 action, including 12 kills and 12 digs against Iowa State on Nov. 1 and 13 kills and 12 digs in the loss at Colorado on Oct. 29. She had strong effort against Texas A&M on Oct. 22, drilling 13 kills and setting career bests in hitting percentage (.478) and blocks (five). Mueller also collected double doubles against Oklahoma on Oct. 8 (13 kills and 10 digs), at Iowa State on Sept. 27 (16 kills and 10 digs) and No. 3 Texas (14 kills and 11 digs). She was selected to the Cal Poly all-tournament team after averaging 3.67 kills, 1.67 digs and 0.78 blocks per set. Mueller opened the year with 15 kills in a sweep of No. 2 Stanford on Aug. 29. As a freshman, Mueller averaged 1.27 kills and 0.95 digs per set. A Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 selection, Mueller was the 2005 Gatorade Player of the Year in Arizona and started for the U.S. Junior National Team in 2007.
Nebraska (24-1, 15-1 Big 12) at Kansas (12-13, 6-10 Big 12)
Saturday, Nov. 15 * Lawrence, Kan. * 7 p.m.
Radio: Husker Sports Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Twister 93.3 FM in Omaha, and on Huskers.com
Live Stats: Huskers.com
TV: None
Live Video: HuskersNside
Nebraska at Texas (20-3, 14-2 Big 12)
Wednesday, Nov. 19 * Austin, Texas * 8 p.m.
Radio: Husker Sports Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Twister 93.3 FM in Omaha, and on Huskers.com
Live Stats: Huskers.com
TV: ESPNU (Ch. 614; DISH Network Ch. 148; Time Warner Cable Ch. 235; Cox Cable Ch. 220)
Live Video: None
Husker volleyball announces recruiting class
LINCOLN -- University of Nebraska volleyball coach John Cook announced Friday that four high school seniors have decided to join Husker volleyball program. The recruiting class features outside hitters Gina Mancuso (Omaha, Neb.) and Hannah Werth (Springfield, Ill.), libero Megan Pendergast (League City, Texas) and middle blocker Hayley Thramer (Ewing, Neb.). All four players have earned all-state accolades and are rated among the top-70 players in the country by PrepVolleyball.com.
"I think the Husker Nation is going to love watching this class develop over the next four years," Cook said. "It is a group that combines skill and athleticism with great competitiveness. We believe it is one of the top-five classes in the country, and may be the most competitive group of players that we've recruited here."
"As a class, it addresses many of our needs and adds depth to three positions," Cook said. "We feel that Hannah, Gina and Megan can come in here and make an impact for us as early as next season. Hannah and Megan are joining our program in January and that is a big statement for the impact they want to make in this program."
Name Pos. Ht. Hometown (High School)
Gina Mancuso OH 6-1 Omaha, Neb. (Papillion-LaVista)
Megan Pendergast L 5-7 League City, Texas (Clear Creek)
Hayley Thramer MB 6-3 Ewing, Neb. (Ewing)
Hannah Werth OH 6-1 Springfield, Ill. (Glenwood)
Gina Mancuso (OH, 6-1, Omaha, Neb./Papillion-LaVista)
Mancuso is one of the country's top outside hitting recruits playing for coach JJ Toczek at Papillion-LaVista High School. She is rated the No. 20 senior in the country by PrepVolleyball.com and spent part of the summer playing for the U.S Junior National Team. Mancuso helped Team USA to a gold medal at the 2008 NORCECA Continental Women's Junior Championships in Mexico, leading the squad with nine kills and 13 points in the gold medal match against the Dominican Republic. This season, Mancuso has led Papillion-LaVista to a 39-1 record and a No. 10 national ranking heading into this weekend's state tournament. She leads the state with 656 kills on .472 hitting, while also chipping in 37 aces and 48 blocks. A two-time first-team all-state performer, Mancuso entered the state tournament with 2,306 career kills and is within 150 kills of the all-time state high school record. As a junior, she totaled 669 kills on .373 hitting and added 418 digs and 76 blocks to repeat as a first-team all-state performer from the Lincoln Journal Star and Omaha World-Herald. Her best performance came in the state title match against Grand Island, when she totaled a match-high 32 kills in a five-set victory. Mancuso has led the state in kills in each of the last three years, including 568 as a sophomore to garner first-team all-state laurels. At the club level, Mancuso plays for the Nebraska Volleyball Academy, leading the 17-and-under team to the 2007 Junior Olympics national title and earning all-America honors in the process. Mancuso also plays basketball and track at Papillion-LaVista. Gina is the daughter of Mike and Billie Mancuso and will follow in the footsteps of her older sister, Dani, who started on Nebraska's 2006 NCAA title team.
"I have known Gina since the 7th grade and have seen her mature into one of best high school players to come out of the state," Cook said. "She has proved herself not only at the high school level, but with the Junior National Team and in club competition. She has worked hard to develop into an outstanding all-around player and takes as much pride in her defense as her ability to attack and hit shots. Gina has a chance to develop into a great player in our program, and we are excited to have her at Nebraska for the next four years."
Megan Pendergast (L, 5-7, League City, Texas/ Clear Creek)
One of the top libero recruits in the country, Megan Pendergast comes to Nebraska after playing for Coach Scott Simonds at Clear Creek High School. One of three top-50 recruits in NU's recruiting class by PrepVolleyball.com, Pendergast was one of the publication's Senior Aces and rated as the No. 42 senior in the country. Pendergast has led Clear Creek to a 39-4 record heading into this weekend's regional semifinals. She averages 4.3 kills and 3.0 digs per set from her outside hitter spot, while also serving as one of the team's primary passers. Pendergast, who was named District 24 5A MVP after hitting .377 and chipping in 53 aces for the Wildcats in 2008, is a two-time all-greater Houston selection and all-district performer. Last year, Pendergast collected first-team All-Texas honors from Lonestar.com, averaging 4.1 kills and 4.1 digs per set. She also plays club volleyball for South Shore Juniors and Coach Todd Porter, leading her team to a fifth-place finish at the 2008 Junior Olympics U-18 event to earn a spot on the all-tournament team. The daughter of Jim and Betsy Pendergast, Megan looked at a number of schools, including LSU, Oklahoma and Texas before selecting Nebraska
"Megan is a great all-around player who has a toughness to her game," Nebraska Coach John Cook said. "One of the things we have been successful in doing is turning athletic outside hitters into liberos, and Megan has all of the skills we are looking for at the position. She is athletic enough to lead her team in kills and digs as well as being her team's primary passer. When we saw her at Junior Nationals, she dislocated her thumb, but stayed in the match. That says a lot about the drive she has. She is someone who can develop as an outstanding defensive player and can be on the court early in her career."
Hayley Thramer (MB, 6-2, Ewing, Neb./Ewing)
Thramer (pronounced Tray-mer) is one of the state's dominant middle blockers regardless of class and is rated No. 67 nationally by PrepVolleyball.com. A two-time all-state performer, Thramer has led Ewing High School and Coach Suz Funk to a perfect 33-0 record heading into this weekend's state tournament. She has totaled 1,450 kills, 507 blocks, 224 service aces and 624 digs during her career, garnering first-team all-state honors as a sophomore and junior. This fall, Thramer has 417 kills, 104 blocks and 90 aces, as Ewing looks for its first-ever state crown after runner-up showings each of the past two years. As a junior, she totaled 450 kills, including 37 in a state title loss to Paxton, earning Class D-2 Player of the Year and second-team All-Nebraska (all-class) honors from the Omaha World-Herald. In addition to her volleyball exploits, Thramer is a two-time all-state performer in basketball and is on pace to finish her career with more than 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds, and also placed seventh in the state in the high jump last spring. Thramer also excels in the classroom, carrying a 4.0 GPA and earning academic all-state laurels, as she was a state finalist for the Wendy's High School Heisman. Thramer plays club volleyball for the Nebraska Volleyball Academy and Coach Gwen Egbert. The daughter of Greg and Carm Thramer, Hayley looked at Wisconsin and Creighton before deciding to become a Husker.
"Our nickname for her is Phil, as in U.S. Gold medalist Phil Dalhausser, as that is the way she plays volleyball," Cook said. "She is very long and plays over the net, and we believe she has the ability to become a great middle blocker in our program after a little development. Hayley is multi-sport athlete who was also all-state in basketball and a state qualifier in track and is someone whose best days of volleyball are ahead of her. The other thing we like about her is that she knows how to win, as her teams have reached the state championship the last two years in both basketball and volleyball."
Hannah Werth (OH, 6-1, Springfield, Ill./ Glenwood)
One of the top all-around players in this year's senior class, Werth comes to Nebraska from after a decorated career at Glenwood High School in Chatham, Ill. A four-year performer for Coach Larry Sample, Werth established the Illinois state high school record for kills, racking up 2,022 kills during her career. The No. 4 player in the country by PrepVolleyball.com, Werth has been involved with USA Volleyball, helping the U.S. Junior National team to a gold medal at the 2008 NORCECA Continental Women's Junior Championships in Mexico. As a senior, Werth was named the Champaign News-Gazette Player of the Year after ranking sixth in the state with 606 kills while hitting .414. A three-time all-state honoree by the Champaign News-Gazette and Chicago Tribune, Werth totaled 699 kills and 350 digs as a junior, finishing her career holding school marks for career kills, digs (936), aces (183), blocks (252) and hitting percentage (.331). A two-year member of the U.S. Junior National Team, Werth played for Coach Andy Erins at Illini Elite, earning MVP honors at the AAU National Championships after helping her team win the event title. The daughter of Dennis and Kimberly Werth, Hannah's family has a rich athletic heritage, as her older brother is Jayson Werth of the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies and her older sister, Hillary, is a member of the UCLA track team. In addition, Hannah's mother, Kim Schofield Werth, was a track star at the University of Florida who competed in the 1976 U.S. Olympic Trials in the long jump and 100 meters, while Dennis played four years for the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals. Hannah's uncle (Dick Schofield) and grandfather (Dick "Ducky" Schofield) also played in the Major Leagues. Hannah looked at Illinois, Florida, UCLA, Stanford and Wisconsin before choosing to become a Husker.
"Hannah is a tremendous athlete and comes from a highly competitive family," Cook said. "She is the youngest sister and may be the most competitive of them all, and that says a lot about her makeup. She has a very live arm and has all of the skills you look for at the outside hitter position, especially with Jordan (Larson) graduating after the season. Her best trait may be the passion that she brings to the game, and that is something great players are just born with."
Husker men's basketball team signs four for 2009-10
LINCOLN -- Third-year coach Doc Sadler announced Friday that a strong lineup of four talented athletes, including three standing 6-8 or taller, have signed National Letters of Intent to join the Nebraska basketball squad for the 2009-10 season. Among the signees are two international players along with one from the Midwest and one from the West.
"I'm excited about this class and what they can bring to the University of Nebraska," Sadler said. "When we go out on the road, something that we look for in addition to talent is character, and that has been a continued priority this year. I feel good about these four and the way they will represent Nebraska. On the court, I do feel they will help us continue to improve and compete for a Big 12 championship."
Sadler and his staff scoured the United States and around the globe in looking for additional help for Nebraska starting next season. The four future Huskers to sign with Nebraska Friday are: 6-10 center Vander Joaquim from Luanda, Angola; 6-8 forward Christian Standhardinger from Munich, Germany; 6-9 forward Brandon Ubel from Overland Park, Kan.; and 6-2 point/shooting guard Rayes Gallegos from Jordan, Utah.
Joaquim, whose full name is Valdelicio Maianga Maia Joaquim, was considered an intriguing prospect by several recruiting services because of his length and potential to become a dominant defensive force.
The 6-10, 220-pounder has made a name for himself since coming to the United States before the 2007-08 season, when he played his junior year of high school at Christian High School in El Cajon, Calif.
While still learning the game, Joaquim led the team to a 19-9 record, including a 7-3 mark and second-place finish in the Central League. He averaged 21.1 points per game over 28 contests while hitting 54.3 percent (241-of-444) from the floor and 69.5 percent (57-of-82) from the free throw line.
He added a league-best 16.8 rebounds per contest and posted 89 blocked shots (3.2 bpg). During the summer he played with Pump N Run Elite during AAU competition.
Ranked the No. 12 high school center in the country by Scout.com (71st nationally overall) and No. 15 center by Rivals.com (115th nationally overall), Joaquim was tabbed the No. 2 power forward on the West Coast by Scout.com before moving to West Virginia where he is attending Mountain State Academy in Beckley, W.Va., for 2008-09.
Joaquim helped MSA to a No. 33 national team ranking to open the season. MSA is 2-1 after falling to No. 5 Oak Hill Academy on Tuesday, Nov. 11. Joaquim posted 10 points with 10 rebounds in the loss.
Joaquim was noticed early on for his potential in basketball. He was selected to the Basketball Without Borders Africa camp in both 2006 and 2007, where the top 100 players from 28 countries on the continent were selected to participate by FIBA and NBA personnel based on skills, leadership ability and dedication to the sport. He also played in the Lusophony Games as a member of the Angolan National Team in 2006.
Christian Standhardinger is relatively unknown to college basketball fans in the United States but has earned a reputation of being a tough-nosed competitor with an ability to score from anywhere on the court in his native Germany. Considered a crafty scorer, Standhardinger has good size to play small forward and a solid basketball IQ. He comes from the same school in Germany as current Nebraska freshman Christopher Niemann.
Standhardinger was named the MVP of the NBBL in 2008 and came to the United States with the same squad as Niemann that played in the Arby's Classic in Bristol, Tenn., last winter.
Standhardinger led the team to a fourth-place finish in the tournament and was the only player from his team named to the all-tournament squad. In the final of the 2008 U19 German Championship, the 6-8, 210-pounder scored 37 points and posted 12 rebounds. He also earned top scorer honors at the Europe's Best Junior Tournament in 2007 and was the MVP of the German Top 4 in 2007.
Standhardinger also was a member of the German Junior National Team in 2007, averaging 8.0 points and 2.0 rebounds per game at the U18 European Championships. He posted his best games with 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting against Israel and added 15 points with five rebounds (four offensive) against Russia in back-to-back games.
This season, Standhardinger has averaged 19.1 points in 21.9 minutes per contest through seven games with Urspringschule. He has hit 57.5 percent (42-of-73) from the floor and averaged 8.0 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.1 assists per game. He has topped 20 points in five of seven games, including a season-best 28 points on 7-of-10 shooting with 10 rebounds, four steals and three assists in 37 minutes against Landshut.
Joaquim and Standhardinger will be the third and fourth international signees with the Huskers since Sadler took over the program before the 2006-07 campaign.
From closer to the Heartland, Brandon Ubel will be the second player from the state of Kansas to sign with the Huskers in the past four years. Current junior Chris Balham is from Kansas City, Kan., and played at Shawnee Mission West.
The 6-9, 220-pound Ubel is a skilled forward with a nice touch from outside who also possesses the ability to score off a number of post moves and mid-range jumpers. Last year as a junior, he helped Blue Valley West to the first round of the state tournament and a 15-8 record while posting nearly 10 points and four rebounds per game. His team also won the Class 6A state title during his sophomore season, posting an 18-7 record.
During the summer AAU circuit, Ubel began to come into his own, averaging close to 20 points and eight rebounds per game for the Wedman Pumas.
Ubel drew interest from Marquette and Stanford and was offered scholarships from Drake, Illinois State and Utah State before choosing the Huskers. He owns a 4.1 grade-point average in high school and already has a connection to Nebraska, as his sister, Kayla Ubel, is a sophomore who runs middle distance on the Husker track team.
Nebraska's last signee -- Rayes Gallegos -- is its sixth from west of the Rockies in three years, along with Huskers from California (Ade Dagunduro, Sek Henry, Brandon Richardson), Oregon (Alex Chapman) and Washington (Ryan Anderson). Gallegos is the first Husker men's basketball signee from the state of Utah since Jaron Boone (Salt Lake City, Skyline High School), who went on to become one of the top 10 scorers of all-time at Nebraska.
Like Ubel, Gallegos really came on during the summer AAU circuit when he was playing for the Utah Pump-N-Run White. Gallegos averaged about 25 points per game, according to coach Brad Blanchfield. Active at both ends of the court, Gallegos was rated the No. 53 shooting guard in the country by Scouts.com and was tabbed the No. 7 shooting guard on the West Coast.
The 6-2, 175-pound Gallegos helped West Jordan High School to the state tournament as a junior, when the team went 16-7. Gallegos was the team's third-leading scorer at 10.5 points per game over 21 contests while helping West Jordan to an 11-game win streak at one point.
Using his impressive quickness and ball-handling skills, Gallegos can get to the basket in a variety of ways, including a solid mid-range game. His scoring ability helped him top 20 points in three contests last year, including a season-best 22 points vs. Kearns and 20 points in a 59-49 victory over Jordan.
2009-10 NU men's basketball signees
Rayes Gallegos, 6-2, 175, G, Jordan, Utah (West Jordan)
Vander Joaquim, 6-10, 220, C, Luanda, Angola (Mountain State (W.Va.) Academy)
Christian Standhardinger, 6-8, 210, F, Munich, Germany (Urspringschule)
Brandon Ubel, 6-9, 220, F, Overland Park, Kan. (Blue Valley West)
UNK basketball team hosts UNO in season-opener
KEARNEY -- The University of Nebraska-Kearney athletic department is calling for a "Blue Out" for Monday night's season-opening basketball teams with in-state rival Nebraska-Omaha.
The women's game tips at 6 p.m. with the men going at 8 p.m. Both games can be heard locally on KGFW AM 1340 and at www.lopers.com.
The UNK men, coming off a 16-12 season, are led by Preseason RMAC Player of the Year Drake Beranek. The Ravenna native almost averaged a double double last season (20.5 ppg, 9.3 rpg) and had 30 points, and 16 rebounds, in a 76-66 loss to the Mavericks in January.
UNO, led by former Loper graduate assistant coach Derrin Hansen, went 25-7 in 2007-08 and has a solid nucleus back. The Mavs, now members of the MIAA, will be led by Bellevue senior Michael Jenkins and Lincoln junior Andrew Bridger. UNO kicks off its regular season tomorrow with a home game vs. Doane.
The UNK-UNO series has been even of late as each team has won five times in the last decade. The home team usually has the upper hand, however, winning eight times in the last 10 meetings.
On the women's side, UNK comes into the game ranked 25th nationally and has four seniors back from a 27-7 team.
Led by the RMAC's Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Jade Meads (Elm Creek), UNK has a healthy series lead over the Mavs, 18-8, and hasn't lost to UNO in Kearney since the 1990-91 season.
UNO has its top five scorers back from a 17-12 team, led by Iowa guard Alyssa Green (14.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg). The Mavs lost their only exhibition game to Creighton, 93-68, and will open up their regular season Monday night as well.
For ticket information, contact the UNK ticket office at (308) 865-1563 or visit www.pickmytickets.com. UNK also encourages families to check out the Runza Family Package which includes four tickets, four hot dogs, four small drinks for just $ 20.00. Just mention the special offer at the ticket entrance.