Nebraska's Kate Smith earned a chance to make a dream come true when she received an invitation on Wednesday, Jan. 13, to compete at the 2021 Augusta National Women's Amateur this spring.

"My initial reaction was disbelief," Smith said. "It's something that I have been working toward for over two years and receiving that invite felt like all of it paid off in one single moment."

The international field of 72 women amateurs will hit the course at the Champions Retreat Golf Club on March 31. Following the second round on April 1, the field will be cut to 30 with the final round to be played at Augusta National on April 3.

"Being a female and having the opportunity to compete at golf's highest stage is amazing," Smith said. "It's only the second annual Augusta National Women's Amateur. To think only 144 women will have played this event in history makes it very special."

In August of 2020, Smith finished in the top 16 in stroke play at the 120th U.S. Women's Amateur Championship in Maryland, before advancing to the round of 32 in the match play portion of the event. She was also named the 2020 Minnesota Golf Association Co-Player of the Year after winning the MGA Women's Amateur Championship.

Most recently, Smith competed at the The Sally (95th annual South Atlantic Women's Amateur Championship) in Ormond Beach, Fla. (Jan. 6-9). Following rounds of 72 and 69 to open the tournament, Smith closed at 298 to take 12th in the 85-player field. She added a recent top-25 finish at the Orlando International Amateur (Jan. 3-5). In early November, she finished fourth with a three-round total of 208 (-8) at the Kissing Tree Invitational in San Marcos, Texas.

In 2019-20, Smith became the first Husker in history to win the Big Ten Mary Fossum Award presented to the golfer with the best stroke average relative to par among all conference golfers. The first-team All-Big Ten golfer is Nebraska's career stroke average record holder (73.45) after setting NU's single-season record for the third straight year in 2019-20 (72.18).

Smith and the Huskers are scheduled to begin their competitive season together at SMU's Trinity Forest Invitational in Dallas, Texas (Feb. 1-2).

Nebraska Set to Face No. 1 Iowa

The No. 6 Nebraska wrestling team is set for its first road trip of the season, meeting top-ranked Iowa on Friday in Iowa City. The matchup starts at 8:10 p.m. (CT) and will be televised nationally on BTN.

The Huskers (1-0, 1-0 Big Ten) enter the matchup following a win in last week's season opener against Minnesota. Six Huskers won their matches, helping the team to a 22-14 win over the Golden Gophers. Liam Cronin (125), Brock Hardy (149) and Nathan Haas (184) won their first matches as Huskers while Mikey Labriola (174) and Eric Schultz (197) earned bonus points for Nebraska.

The Hawkeyes wrestle in their first dual of the abbreviated 2021 campaign on Friday. Iowa, who finished last season as the 2020 Big Ten Champions, returns nine All-Americans to the lineup this year. The team finished undefeated through 13 duals last season, including a 26-6 victory over Nebraska in Iowa City.

This weekend's action features 17 ranked wrestlers scheduled to compete between the teams, including the potential for top-10 matchups at 141, 174 and 197 pounds.

Up Next: Following Friday's road match, the Huskers return home to host a triangular dual with Northwestern and Maryland at the Bob Devaney Sports Center on Saturday, Jan. 31.
 
Nebraska's Projected Lineup
125: #17 Liam Cronin • Sr. • Orange, Calif. (1-0)
133: Alex Thomsen • So. • Neola, Iowa (0-1) -OR- Tucker Sjomeling • Jr. • Delano, Minn. (0-1)
141: #7 Chad Red Jr. • Sr. • Indianapolis, Ind. (1-0) -OR- Ridge Lovett • So. • Post Falls, Idaho (0-0)
149: #20 Brock Hardy • Fr. • Brigham City, Utah (1-0) -OR- Jevon Parrish • So. • Olathe, Kan. (0-1)
157: Caleb Licking • Sr. • Norfolk, Neb. (0-1)
165: #18 Peyton Robb • So. • Owatonna, Minn. (0-1) -OR- Isaiah Alford • RFr. • Lincoln, Neb. (0-0)
174: #4 Mikey Labriola • Jr. • Easton, Pa. (1-0)
184: #7 Taylor Venz • Sr. • Farmington, Minn. (0-0)
197: #2 Eric Schultz • Sr. • Tinley Park, Ill. (1-0) -OR- Silas Allred • Fr. • Anderson, Ind. (0-1)
285: #16 Christian Lance • Sr. • Nixa, Mo. (0-1) -OR- Cale Davidson • Jr. • Wichita, Kan. (0-0)
*InterMat rankings used
 
SCOUTING THE HAWKEYES
Nebraska faces one of its toughest opponent of the season this weekend in the top-ranked Hawkeyes. The reigning 2020 Big Ten Champion Hawkeyes return 19 letterwinners to the roster this season, including nine of their NCAA qualifiers from last season. Big Ten Wrestler of the Year Spencer Lee returns to the lineup at 125 pounds for the Hawkeyes and is undefeated in Big Ten duals headed into his senior season. 

Iowa's Projected Lineup*
125: #1 Spencer Lee Sr. • Murrysville, Pa. (0-0) -OR- Aaron Cashman So. • Spring Park, Minn. (0-0)
133: #5 Austin DeSanto Sr. • Exeter, Pa.(0-0)
141: #1 Jaydin Eierman Sr. • Columbia, Mo. (0-0) -OR- Carter Happel Sr. • Lisbon, Iowa (0-0)
149: #8 Max Murin Jr. • Ebensburg, Pa. (0-0) -OR- Bretli Reyna Fr. • Homestead, Fla. (0-0)
157: #6 Kaleb Young Sr. • Punxsutawney, Pa. (0-0)
165: #2 Alex Marinelli Sr. • Miamisburg, Ohio (0-0)
174: #1 Michael Kemerer Sr. • Murrysville, Pa. (0-0) -OR- Patrick Kennedy Fr. • Kasson-Mantorville, Minn. (0-0)
184: Nelson Brands So. • Iowa City, Iowa (0-0)
197: #4 Jacob Warner So. • Tolono, Ill. (0-0) -OR- Connor Corbin Jr. • Des Moines, Iowa (0-0)
285: #3 Tony Cassioppi So. • Roscoe, Ill. (0-0)

*Individual rankings according to InterMat

NEWCOMERS SHINE IN SEASON OPENER
Liam Cronin, Nathan Haas and Brock Hardy picked up their first career wins and starts as Huskers in the season opener against Minnesota on Jan. 8. Cronin, who wrestled three seasons at Indiana, kicked off his career at Nebraska with a win at 125 pounds against then-ranked No. 14 Patrick McKee. The senior held McKee scoreless through the first two periods, only allowing an escape in the third to come away with the 8-1 decision.

Haas got the nod at 184 pounds, taking on then-ranked No. 19 Owen Webster. The Norwalk, Calif. native earned a 5-2 decision victory over Webster and amassed over three minutes of riding time to dominate his first match for Nebraska.

Also donning the Scarlet and Cream singlet for the first time, Hardy (149 pounds) earned his first collegiate win in a 9-2 decision over then-ranked No. 19 Michael Blockhus. Hardy's first points included a four-point near fall, two escapes and a takedown, plus a riding time point.

HUSKERS CONTINUE SEASON-OPENER SUCCESS
The 22-14 win over Minnesota marked the 10th consecutive year Nebraska emerged victorious from its first dual of the season. NU's 28-9 victory over Bucknell on Nov. 10, 2011 started the streak a decade ago. Over the last 10 seasons, NU has met eight different opponents in its first dual of the season, including Wyoming three times.  

CRONIN, RED AND SCHULTZ EXTEND REGULAR SEASON WIN STREAKS
Liam Cronin, Chad Red Jr. and Eric Schultz won their first matches of the 2020-21 campaign to extend their regular season win streaks dating back to last season.

Cronin's victory brings his regular season win streak to nine matches. Last season at Indiana, he finished the season on an eight-match win streak headed into the 2020 Big Ten Championships.

Red Jr. recorded a 4-1 decision over the Golden Gopher's Marcos Polanco to extend his regular-season dual win streak to four matches. The senior ended the 2019-20 season on a three-match streak during which he won each by fall.

Schultz earned a 14-3 victory over Minnesota's Garrett Joles to extend his regular-season dual win streak to five matches, starting last season against Purdue's Jared Florell. Schultz only dropped one regular season dual during the 2019-20 season, earning 13 dual wins on the season. His longest win streak is nine matches, starting against Chadron State's Wade French Nov. 7, 2019.

BIG TEN DOMINATES NWCA TOP-25
In the latest NWCA Division I Wrestling Coaches Poll, a record 12 Big Ten programs rank among the top-25 in the nation. The Huskers come in at No. 6 in the latest poll as one of five Big Ten schools ranked in the top-10. Seven of Nebraska's nine opponents this season are ranked this week, including Iowa (1), Minnesota (14), Rutgers (15), Wisconsin (21), Northwestern (22), Illinois (24) and Michigan State (25).

FOUR HUSKERS RANKED TOP-10
After the first dual weekend of Big Ten wrestling, four Nebraska grapplers rank in the top-10 with four others in the top-20.

Senior Eric Schultz leads the Huskers, ranked as high as No. 2 at 197 pounds by InterMat and TrackWrestling. FloWrestling tabs him at No. 3. Junior Mikey Labriola ranks third at 174 pounds by FloWrestling and comes in at fourth according to InterMat and TrackWrestling. Senior Taylor Venz (184) enters his first match of the season ranked sixth by TrackWrestling and FloWrestling and seventh by InterMat. Finally, Chad Red Jr. (141) ranks as high as fifth by FloWrestling and seventh by InterMat and TrackWrestling.

NEBRASKA TOPS MINNESOTA IN 2021 OPENER
The Nebraska wrestling team kicked off the 2020-21 season on a high note, defeating then-ranked No. 12 Minnesota 22-14 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center on Jan. 8. The Huskers wrestled in two top-20 matchups and won six bouts on their way to the first victory of the season. 

 Liam Cronin started the night with a win for the Huskers at 125 pounds, defeating Patrick McKee by decision, 8-1. Cronin earned the upset victory in his first dual for Nebraska.

 Minnesota's Boo Dryden put the Golden Gophers on the board, defeating Alex Thomsen in a 9-2 decision at 133 pounds.

 Nebraska won the next two matches as Chad Red Jr. (141 pounds) opened his senior season with a win over Marcos Polanco by decision, 4-1. Brock Hardy (149 pounds) started his Husker career off with a 9-2 decision win over Michael Blockhus.

Minnesota took the next two matches as Brayton Lee defeated Caleb Licking in a 10-5 decision at 157 pounds and Andrew Sparks won the 165 pound match against Peyton Robb by 7-6 decision.
 
Mikey Labriola (174 pounds) picked up the team's first pin of the season, defeating Jake Allar by fall in 6:17.

Rounding out the group of newcomers in the lineup for Nebraska, Nathan Haas won the 184-pound match against Owen Webster by decision, 5-2.

Eric Schultz added bonus points for the Huskers, defeating Garret Joles at 197 pounds by major decision, 14-3.

Closing out the night was a top-20 matchup as Minnesota's top-ranked Gable Steveson wrestled Christian Lance at heavyweight. Lance ultimately fell to Steveson by 14-3 major decision.

Huskers Set to Make Season Debut

>> The Nebraska track and field team begins the 2021 indoor season at home this Saturday with the Husker Triangular. Nebraska will host fellow Big Ten Conference foes Iowa and Minnesota in the non-scored meet. Saturday's events will begin at 11:30 a.m. While the general public will not be allowed to attend the meet, there will be free live video streams for all of the events available on Huskers.com. Live results can be followed at Results.DeltaTiming.com/Nebraska.

>> The Huskers are taking the track for the first time since February of 2020. Four Husker athletes - George Kusche, Alencar Pereira, Burger Lambrechts Jr. and Kristina Insingo - were at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, N.M. on March 12 when the rest of the indoor season and outdoor season were abruptly ended by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

>> The Huskers return four athletes who have achieved USTFCCCA All-America indoor honors in their NU careers. George Kusche was an All-American in the mile and 3,000 meters last indoor season, and he is the school-record holder in both events. Burger Lambrechts Jr. and Kristina Insingo were both named All-Americans last year after qualifying for indoor nationals in the shot put. Mayson Conner was a 2019 first-team All-American in the high jump after finishing seventh at the NCAA Indoor Championships. 

>> NU's 2021 indoor schedule features two home meets, four road meets and the Big Ten Indoor Championships in Geneva, Ohio. After the Husker Triangular, NU will head to Iowa City, Iowa for the Larry Wieczorek Invitational on Jan. 22-23. The Huskers are in Champaign, Illinois the following weekend (Jan. 29-30) for the Illinois Combined Event. Nebraska returns to the Devaney Center to host the Husker Quad against Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota on Feb. 6. The Huskers split up between the Hawkeye B1G Invitational in Iowa City and the SPIRE Pre-Big Ten Meet in Geneva, Ohio the weekend of Feb. 12-13. After a weekend off, the Huskers will compete at the Big Ten Indoor Championships on Feb. 25-27. The indoor season concludes with the NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas on March 11-13.

>> The Husker men placed fourth and the women were 10th at the 2020 Big Ten Indoor Championships. Three Huskers captured Big Ten titles: Alencar Pereira (weight throw), Brent Wetovick (600 meters) and Ieva Turke (triple jump). Turke returns to lead the Husker women this year as she owns the No. 9 indoor triple jump mark (43-0 1/2, 13.12m) in NU women's history.

>> The Nebraska men's track and field team was crowned the indoor dual meet champions by Track & Field News Magazine for the second straight season in 2020. The Huskers claimed the title on the strength of two home quadrangulars, the Mark Colligan Memorial and the adidas Classic, as well as outstanding running-event balance. Nebraska posted a 6-0 record in dual meets to top No. 2 Indiana (1-0) and No. 3 Texas A&M (2-0) for the top spot.

>> Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Nebraska will only be competing against Big Ten Conference foes this indoor track and field season. Iowa and Minnesota will bring competitive squads to the Devaney Center on Saturday. The Iowa men were the Big Ten indoor runner-up last year, while the Minnesota men finished third. On the women's side, the Gophers were the runner-up and Iowa was eighth.

Five All-Americans Lead Huskers into 2021

The unexpected redshirting of the most successful diver in school history and another NCAA-qualifying diver from 2018-19 could not prevent the Nebraska swimming and diving program from continuing to build momentum in 2019-20.

In fact, a world-wide pandemic that prevented a trio of young Husker swimmers and another diver from competing at the 2020 NCAA Championships, could not hold Nebraska back from its steady march to regaining national prominence.

When the dust settled from one of the strangest seasons in college athletics in more than a century, the Husker swimming and diving program emerged ready to potentially produce its best season in two decades in 2020-21.

Although the pandemic has continued to force adjustments to sports around the globe, including the NCAA Division I swimming and diving season, the Huskers are still hungry to compete.

As Nebraska enters its 20th season under legendary Olympic swimmer Pablo Morales, the Huskers are expected to return three 2020 NCAA qualifiers in the pool and three divers who have previously qualified for the NCAA Championships.

While Nebraska's diving corps led by four-time All-American Abi Knapton, two-time All-American Sara Troyer, and 2019 NCAA qualifier Jessica Warak, could make up the best group in school history, the Huskers also return three swimmers who qualified for the 2020 NCAA Championships and earned All-America honors of their own.

"On paper, we have the potential to accomplish some special things individually and as a team this season," Morales said. "However, we know there are going to be some special challenges in both training and competition created by the coronavirus. It is going to take some outstanding leadership to train at a really high level while also remaining flexible to unexpected circumstances that could be completely out of our control. Luckily, I feel like we have some great leaders with great experience on this team." 

Nebraska's potential in the diving well starts with Knapton, who will try to become the first swimmer or diver in school history to earn first-team All-America honors four times in the same event (platform). An honorable-mention All-American on the three-meter board in 2019, Knapton also finished in the top eight on all three dives at the 2019 Big Ten Championships.

Troyer, who earned All-America honors in the one meter and three-meter dives as a sophomore in 2020, added a top-eight finish on the three meter at the 2020 Big Ten Championships and a 10th-place finish on the one-meter board at the conference meet.
While Knapton and Troyer have combined for six All-America awards, Warak finished 22nd on platform as a true freshman at the 2019 NCAA Championships, after posting top-20 finishes in all three diving events at her first Big Ten Championships.

Nebraska's six-person diving corps is strengthened by junior Hallie Roman, who took 15th on platform at the 2020 Big Ten Championships. Senior Grace Tiernon adds leadership and experience, while redshirt freshman Reagan Hinze has the potential to make a name for herself in the well in 2020-21.

While Head Diving Coach Natasha Chikina has potentially her best corps in 15 seasons leading the Husker divers, Morales and Associate Head Coach Patrick Rowan have their most talented and deepest group of swimmers.

Senior captain Autumn Haebig (Grafton, Wis.), a CSCAA All-American in the 200 freestyle, joins fellow 2020 All-Americans Audrey Coffey (1,650 free) and Madison Coughlen (200 fly) in powering the Husker swimmers.

Haebig, who also qualified for the 2018 NCAA Championships in the 200 and 500 free and the 100 backstroke, owns Nebraska school records in the 100 back (52.29), 200 free (1:44.94) and 500 free (4:41.83).

As a freshman in 2018, Haebig qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 100 backstroke and the 200 and 500 freestyles. She has produced top-18 finishes in all three events at each of the past three Big Ten Championships.

Haebig has also qualified for the 2021 Olympic Trials in the 100-meter back, 200-meter freestyle and 400 freestyle. Her times in the 100 back (1:01.91) and the 400 free (4:14.96) are both long course school records.

A workhouse for the Huskers, Haebig also swam legs on Nebraska's 400 and 800 free relays and 200 and 400 medley relays at the 2020 Big Ten Championships.

While Haebig continued to elevate her impressive career in 2020, Coffey and Coughlen produced breakthrough campaigns.

Coughlen, a 2021 senior from Frisco, Texas,  smashed the school record with her time of 1:55.78 in the 200 fly and captured CSCAA All-America honors. She qualified for the NCAA Championships in both the 200 fly and 400 IM after finishing sixth in the 200 fly at the 2020 Big Ten Championships. In addition to posting Nebraska's top times in both the 200 IM (2:02.91) and 400 IM (4:13.02), Coughlen also competed for the Huskers in the 800 free relay and the 400 medley relay at the Big Ten meet.

As a sophomore in 2020, Coffey became a force for the Huskers. After setting a long-course school record in the 1,500 meter (16:48.76) at Speedo Summer Sectionals in Jenks, Okla., in 2019, Coffey earned a spot in the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials.

She continued to race to faster times in the distance freestyle events throughout the season, culminating with a school-record 1,000-yard split of 9:48.15. She punched her ticket to the 2020 NCAA Championships with an eighth-place finish in the 1,650 free at the Big Ten Championships.  Her personal-record 1,650 free time of 16:18.56 was nearly 16 seconds faster than her best mark as a freshman, and earned her 2020 CSCAA All-America honors.

In addition to the Big Red's returning All-Americans in the pool, the Huskers have several senior swimmers capable of taking their performances to the national level.

Senior Izzie Murray, a team co-captain as a junior, could hunt for a spot at nationals while being a leader at the conference level. Murray is expected to join Coughlen in competing for All-Big Ten honors in the 200 fly. Both have finished in the top eight in the Big Ten and own the top two times in school history in the event. Murray also held NU's top time in the 100 fly last season, finishing in the top 24 at the Big Ten meet.

Rachel Powers, a 2021 senior from Sun Prairie, Wis., also has produced impressive gains during her career in the distance freestyle events. Powers finished 15th (16:36.40) at the 2020 Big Ten Championships, slashing nearly 13 seconds off her previous career best.

Junior Katelyn Kilpatrick (21st), sophomore Molly Rosenthal (24th) and junior Maggie Berning (28th) add to a deep and hard-working group of Huskers who could be in position to score at the Big Ten meet in the 1,650 free.

Senior Jessica Pentlarge, who posted Nebraska's top returning time (2:00.05) in the 200 backstroke last year, could be in position to help the Huskers at the 2021 Big Ten meet.

Pentlarge and fellow backstroker Autumn Haebig also will gain an accomplished training partner in Madesyn Ronquillio. The junior transfer from Boise State was an All-Mountain West Conference performer in both the 100 (8th) and 200 backstrokes (5th) last season. Her personal-best time of 54.09 in the 100 back last season was just 0.8 seconds off Haebig's top time in 2020. Ronquillio's top time in the 200 back (1:57.55) was 2.30 faster than NU's best time last season and would have been good for a top-16 finish at the 2020 Big Ten Championships.

Ronquillio and American Athletic All-Conference swimmer Shannon Stott could also add talented competitors in the butterfly events for the Huskers, alongside Murray, Coughlen and sophomores Kaitlyn Barth and Kimberly Lanaghen. Stott, who transferred from East Carolina after the Pirates dropped their program, finished third in the 200 fly at the 200 AAC meet with a career-best time of 1:58.51. That time would have been NU's second-fastest in 2020 behind only the All-American Coughlen. It also would have been a top-16 time in the Big Ten. Overall, Stott produced six top-16 individual finishes in just two seasons at the AAC meet.

Barth posted Nebraska's No. 2 time in the 100 fly (54.67) last season, while adding the Huskers' top time in the 50 free (23.58). The six-time Wisconsin state champion could be poised for significant gains in her second season.
Lanaghen posted NU's No. 4 times in both the 100 and 200 fly last year, including a 27th-place finish in the 200 fly at the Big Ten Championships.

Another sophomore, three-time Nebraska state champion Berkeley Livingston, could be ready for significant gains in her second season. Livingston clocked Nebraska's No. 2 time in the 400 IM (4:19.80) last season, while adding NU's No. 3 time in the 200 IM (2:04.22). She could be in position to score for the Huskers in both events at the 2021 Big Ten meet.

While Nebraska returns its most talented and deepest group of swimmers in recent years, the Huskers also feature a class of four true freshmen scholarship swimmers who could be asked to make immediate contributions.

Freshman breaststroker Ella Stein could help fill the void left by the graduations of NU's top 2020 breaststrokers Tori Beeler and Gwen Worlton.

Stein (Hudson, Wis.) swam a career-best of 1:02.98 in the 100 breast on her way to a third-place finish at the 2020 Minnesota Senior State Championships. Stein will also own Nebraska's best time (2:16.90) in the 200 breast as she enters the Husker program.

Sarah Barton, a freshman from Huntersville, N.C., may help replace Beeler's 2020 contributions in the individual medley events. Barton owns a top time of 2:03.55 in the 200 IM, which trails only Coughlen among returning Huskers. Barton's best time of 4:29.03 in the 400 IM trails only Coughlen and Livingston among returning NU swimmers.  However, Barton's greatest impact could come in the 200 back, where her career-best time of 1:58.79 would have led the Huskers a year ago. Her 100 back time of of 56.57 trails only Haebig among returning Huskers and puts Barton in position to push Ronquillio and Haebig in training.

Caitlyn Cairns could also make an instant impact in the sprint freestyle events and relays. Cairns captured the 2020 Colorado High School Class 3A state title in the 50 free in a career-best 23.09, which would have been Nebraska's top time in 2020. She added a second state championship in the 100 fly while posting a career-best 55.17, which would have been NU's No. 4 time last season. Cairns' career-best 51.18 in the 100 free trails only Haebig among returning Huskers.

Lexi Kucera, who was the Minnesota State High School Class A champion in the 100 fly in 2019, could also help Cairns form the future of the Huskers in the event. Kucera owns a career-best 55.57 in the 100 fly. She also carries a career best of 50.99 in the 100 free, which trails only Haebig among returning Huskers. Kucera's career-best 1:50.18 in the 200 free would have been among NU's top five last season in the event.