Friday, March 19 (4 PM)
Pitching: LHP Cade Povich (2-0) vs. LHP Trenton Wallace (1-0)
TV/Streaming: BTN+
Radio: Husker Sports Network
 
Saturday, March 20 (2 PM)
Pitching: RHP Chance Hroch (2-0) vs. RHP Drew Irvine (0-1)
TV/Streaming: BTN+
Radio: Husker Sports Network
 
Sunday, March 21 (1 PM)
Pitching: RHP Shay Schanaman (1-0) vs. RHP Duncan Davitt (1-0)
TV/Streaming: BTN+
Radio: Husker Sports Network
 
The Nebraska baseball team (5-3) heads to Iowa City, Iowa, this weekend for three games against the Iowa Hawkeyes (3-5) at Duane Banks Field. It will mark five games between the two teams in nine days after they split a pair of games last weekend at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn. The Huskers won, 4-0, on Saturday before the Hawkeyes won, 3-1, on Sunday.

Both teams posted a 2-2 record last weekend in Minneapolis, as they split a pair of games with each other and split a pair of games with the Ohio State Buckeyes.

This week's series is set to start on Friday, March 19, at 4 PM. It will be a duel between left-hander starters, as Cade Povich will match up against Trenton Wallace. Both pitchers are 1-0 on the year.

The middle game of the series is set for a 2 PM start on Saturday, with Nebraska's Chance Hroch (2-0) meeting Iowa's Drew Irvine (0-1). The series concludes on Sunday at 1 PM, and the scheduled starting pitchers are Shay Schanaman (1-0) for the Huskers and Duncan Davitt (1-0) for the Hawkeyes.

All three games this weekend will be carried on BTN+, a online streaming service through the Big Ten Network. 

Fans can listen to Greg Sharpe and Nick Handley call the action this weekend on the Learfield/IMG College Husker Sports 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.

Last Time Out
Nebraska played four games last weekend at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn. including two each against the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Ohio State Buckeyes. The Huskers started the trip with a 2-0 record, but then dropped a pair of games on Sunday to finish the weekend at 2-2.

3/12: Nebraska 10 - Ohio State 4
3/13: Nebraska 4 - Iowa 0
3/14: Ohio State 6 - Nebraska 4
3/14: Iowa 3 - Nebraska 1

Next Up
After playing 11 games away from Lincoln to start the season the Nebraska baseball team is set to host its home opener on Friday, March 26, at 2 PM. The Huskers will host the Minnesota Golden Gophers for four games, including one game on Friday, two on Saturday and one on Sunday.

3/26: Minnesota vs. Nebraska (2 PM)
3/27: Minnesota vs. Nebraska (DH starting at Noon)
3/28: Minnesota vs. Nebraska (Noon)

Leading Off
• 11 players have made their Husker debuts this season, including true freshmen  infielders Max Anderson, Brice Matthews and Jack Steil, as well as freshman pitcher Emmett Olson. 

• Freshmen Max Anderson (.367) and Jack Steil (.333) rank first and second in batting average for the Huskers in 2021. Anderson is tied with Joe Acker for the team lead in RBIs with eight each.

• Nebraska's defense leads the Big Ten with a .997 fielding percentage. The Huskers have committed one error on the year, while second-place Indiana has committed two. Every other team in the conference has committed six or more. Northwestern and Maryland have both committed a conference-high 14 errors.

• Griffin Everitt leads the Big Ten with three sacrifice bunts.

• Chance Hroch is one of six pitchers in the conference with two wins on the year.

• The Huskers rank 12th in the Big Ten with 10 doubles, but are fourth in hits (73) and fourth in home runs (10). Rutgers leads the league with 17 home runs.

Scouting the Hawkeyes
• The Hawkeyes split a pair of games against both the Huskers and Ohio State Buckeyes last weekend in Minneapolis, Minn. Entering the weekend the Hawkeyes are 3-5 on the year.

• Iowa opened the 2021 campaign with four games against the Michigan Wolverines in Round Rock Texas. Michigan took the season opener, 4-2, before Iowa responded with a 8-3 win in the first game of a doubleheader. Michigan took game two of the double dip, 7-0, and secured a series win with a 11-4 win in the series finale.

• In its five losses this year Iowa has been outscored 33-13. In its three wins Iowa holds a 15-4 advantage in runs.

• Senior infielder Matthew Sosa leads the Iowa offense with a .400 average (10-for-25), three doubles and seven RBIs. 

• The Hawkeyes have a Big Ten low one home run this season, but rank sixth with 16 doubles.

• Iowa has relied on its pitching staff, which ranks in the top five in the Big Ten in multiple categories

- Fewest hits allowed (3rd - 56) (Indiana leads, 28)
- Fewest runs allowed (4th - 37) (Indiana leads, 15)
- Most strikeouts (4th - 82) (Ohio State leads, 97)
- Lowest Batting Average (3rd - .223) (Indiana leads, .127)

• Sunday's starter Duncan Davitt saw the Huskers last weekend in the finale for both teams and was stellar. The sophomore from Indianola, Iowa, struck out six and didn't allow a hit through 5.1 innings. The right hander ended his day by allowing one run on two hits and two walks over 6.0 innings

• Rick Heller is in his eighth season at Iowa, taking the reigns in 2014. The 2021 season marks Heller's 35th as a collegiate head coach and enters the weekend with a career record of 907-708-4. Under Heller the Hawkeyes have advanced to two NCAA Regionals, and claimed the first Big Ten Tournament title in program history. The 2017 title was Iowa's first since winning the regular season crown in 1990. Heller is one of two Iowa head coaches to lead the program to the NCAA Tournament.

• Since 2015 the Hawkeyes own a 95-27 record at Duane Banks Field.

The Series with Iowa
• Nebraska and Iowa have split 40 previous meetings, 20-20.

• The teams are 1-1 against each other in 2021.

• Since Nebraska joined the Big Ten in 2012 the Hawkeyes hold a 14-10 advantage. 

• The Huskers have lost three straight series in Iowa City and are 4-8 at Duane Banks Field since joining the Big Ten Conference. In four trips to Iowa City the Huskers lone series win came in 2013 when they went 2-1.

• Series History in Iowa City Since 2012
2019 - Iowa won 2-1
2015 - Iowa won 3-0
2014 - Iowa won 2-1
2013 - Nebraska won 2-1

• The teams have met twice at the Big Ten Tournament and split the games. Iowa won 2-0 in Bloomington, Ind., in 2017, while Nebraska won, 11-1, at TD Ameritrade Park in 2019.

Povich Back on Track
After lasting a career-low 3.0 innings in the season opener against Purdue, Cade Povich responded with 12 strikeouts over 6.0 innings in a win against Ohio State last weekend in Minneapolis.

• Povich's 12 strikeouts were the most by a Husker pitcher since May 7, 2010, when Michael Mariot struck out 12 against Southeast Missouri State.

• Povich's 12 strikeouts were the most by a Husker pitcher in a conference game since 2007 when Tony Watson also notched 12 strikeouts against Oklahoma State on April 6.

• Last Husker to strikeout more than 12 was Johnny Dorn against Northern Colorado on March 8, 2008.

Freshmen Step Up
Freshmen infielders Max Anderson, Brice Matthews and Jack Steil have been instrumental in Nebraska's 5-3 start to the 2021 season.

• Anderson leads the team in average (.367, 11-30), hits (11) and home runs (2), while also being tied with Joe Acker for the lead in RBIs (8).

• Steil ranks second on the team in average (.333, 6-18) and is tied with Spencer Schwellenbach for the lead in double with two.

• Matthews is third on the team with six RBIs and hit his first career home run in last Saturday's win over Iowa.

Rely on the Pen
• Through eight games Nebraska's bullpen has a 1.53 ERA. 

• 11 relievers have combined to throw 29.1 innings and have allowed six runs (five earned)

• Bullpen has struck out 28 and walked 12. Pen-high seven strikeouts over 6.0 innings from Braxton Bragg.

• Opposing hitters have posted a .206 batting average.

Shay the Starter
After making 25 relief appearances over his first two years at Nebraska, Shay Schanaman made his first career start against Purdue on March 6. 

• In two starts this year Schanaman is 1-0 with a 3.48 ERA over 10.1 innings. He has struck out 10 and walked three.

Back for Year No. 5
Three Huskers are back for their fifth season as a Husker in 2021, including Joe Acker, Mojo Hagge and Luke Roskam.

• The trio has combined to play in 445 games (Acker - 108, Hagge - 176, Roskam - 161) and has made 377 starts (Acker - 85, Hagge - 146, Roskam - 146).

• Joe Acker and Mojo Hagge were each been named team captains for 2021.

Nebraska Heads to St. Louis For NCAA Championships

After missing out on its shot to compete for a national title last season, the Nebraska wrestling team returns to the NCAA Championships this week to conclude the unprecedented 2020-21 season. The three-day event will consist of six sessions beginning Thursday morning at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Mo.  

Nine grapplers compose the field for Nebraska at this year's national championships. Eight earned automatic bids as a result of their finishes at the Big Ten Championships, including Chad Red Jr. (141), Ridge Lovett (149), Caleb Licking (157), Peyton Robb (165), Mikey Labriola (174), Taylor Venz (184), Eric Schultz (197) and Christian Lance (285). Liam Cronin, who finished ninth at the conference championship at 125 pounds, earned an at-large bid. 

The championships schedule, with streaming information is as follows: 

Thursday, March 18        
Session I – First Round      
10 a.m. – ESPNU      
Session II – Second Round         
5 p.m. – ESPN2       

Friday, March 19
Session III – Quarterfinals
10 a.m. – ESPNU
Session IV – Semifinals
 7 p.m. – ESPN2

Saturday, March 20
Session V – Medal Rounds
10 a.m. – ESPN2
Session VI – Championships
6 p.m. – ESPN

Live stats and brackets will be available on Trackwrestling.com and updates will be posted on Twitter (@HuskerWrestling) throughout the weekend. The entire national championship tournament will be broadcast on ESPN networks and additional mat camera streams will be available on ESPN3. 

Last Time Out: Nebraska finished third at the 2021 Big Ten Championships with 105.5 points. Lovett, Schultz and Venz led the team with second place finishes as eight Huskers finished top eight. 

NEBRASKA'S NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP LINEUP
With seeding 

125: #13 Liam Cronin • Sr. • Orange, Calif.
141: #8 Chad Red Jr. • Sr. • Indianapolis, Ind. 
149: #5 Ridge Lovett • So. • Post Falls, Idaho
157: #29 Caleb Licking • Sr. • Norfolk, Neb.
165: #14 Peyton Robb • So. • Owatonna, Minn.
174: #4 Mikey Labriola • Jr. • Easton, Pa.
184: #8 Taylor Venz • Sr. • Farmington, Minn. 
197: #2 Eric Schultz • Sr. • Tinley Park, Ill. 
285: #12 Christian Lance • Sr. • Nixa, Mo.

QUICK NOTES

• Nebraska outscored its eight opponents this season by a score of 212-89. 
• The team won 56 of 80 (70%) individual matches during the regular season.  
• All-time dual wins
• The Huskers finished the 2020-21 season undefeated at the Devaney Center and 7-1 on the year. Their only loss came to top-rated Iowa in the first road dual of the season. 
• Stat leaders among starters (regular season):
  • Team points: Mikey Labriola, Eric Schultz (31)
  • Match points: Mikey Labriola (105)
  • Pins: Christian Lance (2)
  • Major decisions: Mikey Labriola (4)

NEBRASKA FINISHES THIRD AT BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS 
The Nebraska wrestling team finished third at the 2021 Big Ten Championships with 105.5 points for the program's seventh top-five finish at the event and sixth in as many years. The team was led by second-place finishes from Ridge Lovett (149), Taylor Venz (184) and Eric Schultz (197) and eight Huskers clinched automatic bids to the NCAA Championships. 

UNFINISHED BUSINESS
The Huskers were rolling into the 2020 NCAA Championships following a program-best second-place finish at the Big Ten Championships and qualifying the entire lineup for the national championships when the event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Huskers return to the national championship stage this year ready to finish what they set out to last season. Seven of Nebraska's 2021 qualifiers earned bids to last year's championships with three of them set to make their championships debut. The group returns to the national championship mats in search of the sixth consecutive top ten finish. 

ALL-AMERICANS BACK FOR MORE
Six Huskers who were named All-Americans following the 2019-20 season return to the national champion stage once more. Nebraska's returning First-Team All-Americans include Chad Red Jr., Taylor Venz and Eric Schultz. Mikey Labriola earned Second-Team All-America honors last season and Ridge Lovett and Peyton Robb both earned Honorable Mention All-America accolades.

HUSKER VETERANS AT THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Four Huskers hit the NCAA Championships mats with prior experience competing at the event. Chad Red Jr., Eric Schultz and Taylor Venz are the most veteran Huskers to take the national championship stage, having qualified for the tournament every year since the 2017-18 season. Red Jr. leads the returners with three All-America honors, having placed seventh in 2018 and eighth in 2019. Venz earned his highest finish, and first All-America honor with a fourth-place finish at the 2018 championships. Mikey Labriola, who has competed at the championships once before and qualified twice prior to this season, earned his first All-America nod in 2019 with a sixth-place finish. Schultz is 4-4 overall at the tournament but has not placed in either of his previous two outings. 

FIVE MAKE THEIR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS DEBUT
Nebraska's NCAA Championship lineup features six wrestlers who will be taking the national championship mat for the first time in their careers. Liam Cronin, Ridge Lovett and Peyton Robb each qualified for the 2020 championships, but would not have the opportunity to take the mat. Caleb Licking and Christian Lance both earned their first career NCAA Championships qualification this season following their performances at the Big Ten Championships to clinch a trip to St. Louis.

NU AT THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
This year marks the first time in two years that wrestlers will set foot on the NCAA Championship mats. Before the 2020 NCAA Championships were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nebraska qualified its entire lineup for the national championships for the first time since 2016. Eric Schultz led the group with a three-seed at 197 pounds and Isaiah White (165) followed with a No. 5 seed. Chad Red Jr. (141) was seeded sixth followed by Taylor Venz (184) and Collin Purinton (149) with No. 7 seeds. Rounding out the top ten seeded Huskers was Mikey Labriola (174) at No. 10.  

The Huskers, led this year by two-seed Eric Schultz at 197 pounds, have had 11 NCAA Champions, 24 NCAA finalists, 120 All-Americans and 23 top-10 team finishes. NU has finished in the top 10 in the past five NCAA Championships. Take a look at Nebraska's NCAA finishes over the last 10 years:

• 2010-11: 12th (43.5 pts.); seven qualifiers, one All-American
• 2011-12: T-21st (28 pts.); eight qualifiers, two All-Americans
• 2012-13: 13th (38 pts.); seven qualifiers, two All-Americans
• 2013-14: 11th (43.5 pts.); seven qualifiers, two All-Americans
• 2014-15: 9th (59 pts.); nine qualifiers, three All-Americans
• 2015-16: 8th (58 pts.); ten qualifiers, three All-Americans
• 2016-17: 9th (59.5 pts.); seven qualifiers, four All-Americans
• 2017-18: 9th (47 pts.); seven qualifiers, three All-Americans
• 2018-19: 10th (51 pts.); eight qualifiers, four All-Americans
• 2019-20: NCAA Championships canceled; ten qualifiers, eight All-Americans

HUSKERS' SUCCESS IN ST. LOUIS
Of Nebraska's 23 top 10 NCAA finishes, six have come in St. Louis. The team earned its highest finish in the Gateway to the West in 2008 and 2009, finishing fourth. The Huskers' highest finish with Mark Manning at the helm has come in St. Louis. Nebraska's top ten finished by location: 

• Missouri - 6 (St. Louis) 
• Iowa - 6 (Ames, 3; Iowa City, 3)
• Oklahoma - 3 (Stillwater, 2; Oklahoma City, 1)
• New York - 2 (New York, 1; Albany, 1)
• Colorado - 1 (Fort Collins)
• New Jersey - 1 (Meadowlands)
• Maryland - 1 (College Park)
• Minnesota - 1 (Minneapolis)
• Ohio - 1 (Cleveland)
• Pennsylvania - 1 (Pittsburgh)

FIRST ROUND MATCHUPS
125 pounds
No. 13 Liam Cronin (Nebraska, 9-3) vs. No. 20 Jake Ferri (Kentucky, 13-2)
141 pounds
No. 8 Chad Red Jr. (Nebraska, 11-3) vs. No. 25 Drew Mattin (Michigan, 4-6)
149 pounds
No. 5 Ridge Lovett (Nebraska, 8-1) vs. No. 28 Peyton Omania (Michigan State, 4-6)
157 pounds
No. 28 Caleb Licking (Nebraska, 5-6) vs. Kaleb Young (Iowa, 5-1)
165 pounds
No. 14 Peyton Robb (Nebraska, 9-5) vs. No. 19 Gerrit Nijenhuis (Purdue, 9-5)
174 pounds
No. 4 Mikey Labriola (Nebraska, 11-1) vs. No. 29 Lance Runyon (Northern Iowa, 7-5)
184 pounds
No. 8 Taylor Venz (Nebraska, 7-3) vs. No. 25 Matthew Waddell (Chattanooga, 11-5)
197 pounds
No. 2 Eric Schultz (Nebraska, 10-1) vs. No. 31 Owen Pentz (North Dakota State, 7-4)
285 pounds
No. 12 Christian Lance (Nebraska, 9-5) vs. No. 21 Tate Orndorff (Ohio State, 7-8)

Four Huskers Set for NCAA Championships

Nebraska swimmers Autumn Haebig and Audrey Coffey and divers Abigail Knapton and Sara Troyer will represent the Huskers at the 2021 NCAA Championships at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in North Carolina, March 17-20. 

Live video streams of the event will be available through ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app.

The national meet begins with the 800 freestyle relay Wednesday, before individual events take center stage on Thursday. Haebig, a senior from Grafton, Wis., will hit the water for the first time in the 500 freestyle prelims at 9 a.m. The three-time NCAA qualifier in the event (2018, 2020, 2021) will hope to fight for a spot in the finals, which will be held at 5 p.m.

Knapton, a four-time All-American for the Huskers, will also open a busy week of competition by shooting for an All-America award on the one-meter dive. The 2021 Big Ten champion in the event, Knapton took 12th on the one meter last week at the NCAA Zone D Diving meet in Lexington, Ky., to secure a place at nationals. A fifth-year senior from Omaha, Knapton was the 2021 Big Ten Diver of the Meet.

She will be joined in challenging for All-America honors in the one-meter dive by teammate Sara Troyer. The junior from Goshen, Ind., was a 2020 CSCAA All-American on the event. Troyer took third on the one-meter board at the 2021 Big Ten Championships and placed 10th at the 2021 NCAA Zone D Diving competition last week.

On Friday, Haebig returns to the pool to challenge for All-America honors in the 200 freestyle. Haebig raced to the 2021 Big Ten title in a school-record time of 1:44.39 in Minneapolis on Feb. 25. A CSCAA All-American in the event in 2020, Haebig became Nebraska's first Big Ten swimming champion with her victory. She is a three-time NCAA qualifier in the 200 free (2018, 2020, 2021).

Friday's diving action will feature Knapton and Troyer battling for All-America honors again on the three-meter dive. Knapton captured honorable-mention All-America accolades with her 15th-place finish on the three-meter in 2019, and was the 2021 Big Ten runner-up. She also took fourth at the 2021 NCAA Zone Championships.

Troyer claimed CSCAA All-America honors as a sophomore in 2020 after finishing fourth at the NCAA Zone Championships. She also finished fifth on the three-meter at the 2020 Big Ten Championships, before adding a 10th-place performance in 2020.

The NCAA Championships conclude Saturday with another busy day for the Big Red. Audrey Coffey will make her NCAA Championship debut in the 1,650 freestyle. The 2020 CSCAA All-American in the event took 10th at the Big Ten Championships in a season-best time of 16:19.73. The junior from Naperville, Ill., hopes to slash her career-best time of 16:18.56.

Haebig also will be back in the water again for the Huskers in the 100 free prelims in the morning, hoping to fight for a spot in the finals. 

The NCAA Championships wrap up Saturday with a potential highlight in the diving well. Knapton, a three-time All-American on platform, will try to become the first Husker diver (or swimmer) in history to become a four-time first-team All-American in the same event. Knapton hopes to contend for a podium finish and a national championship after winning the 2021 Big Ten platform title and taking third at the NCAA Zone D Diving meet. Knapton placed fourth on platform at nationals as a freshman in 2017, before taking fifth as a junior in 2019. She added an eight-place finish as a sophomore in 2018. Knapton redshirted for Nebraska in 2020.

As a team, Head Coach Pablo Morales will be trying to lead Nebraska to its fifth consecutive top-40 finish at the NCAA Championships. The Huskers will be gunning for their best NCAA finish since 2001 when they took 23rd. Most recently, Nebraska finished 33rd at the 2019 NCAA Championships behind a pair of All-America efforts from Knapton (5th, platform; 15th, 3-Meter).

Nebraska at the NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships
Greensboro (N.C.) Aquatic Center
March 17-20, 2021

Thursday, March 18
500 Free - Prelims (Autumn Haebig) - 9 a.m.
500 Free - Finals - 5 p.m.
1-Meter Diving - Prelims - (Abigail Knapton, Sara Troyer) - 9 a.m.
1-Meter Diving - Finals

Friday, March 19
200 Free - Prelims (Autumn Haebig) - 9 a.m.
200 Free - Finals - 5 p.m.
3-Meter Diving - Prelims (Abigail Knapton, Sara Troyer) - 9 a.m.
3-Meter Diving - Finals - 5 p.m.

Saturday, March 20
1,650 Free (Audrey Coffey) - 9 a.m.
100 Free - Prelims (Autumn Haebig) - 9 a.m.
Platform Diving - Prelims (Abigail Knapton) - 9 a.m.
Platform Diving - Finals - 5 p.m.

Nebraska Set For Two-Game Illinois Road Trip

Nebraska at Illinois
Thursday, March 18 • 2:30 p.m. (CT)
Demirjian Park
Champaign, Ill.
 
» TV: BTN
» Live Stats: FightingIllini.com
» Twitter Updates: @NebraskaSoccer

Nebraska at Northwestern
Sunday, March 21 • Noon (CT)
Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium
Evanston, Ill.
 
» TV: BTN+
» Live Stats: NUSports.com
» Twitter Updates: @NebraskaSoccer

For its final away games of the regular season, the Nebraska women's soccer team hits the road to face Illinois on Thursday, March 18 and Northwestern on Sunday, March 21. The Husker's game against the Illini will kick off at 2:30 p.m. (CT) from Champaign with television coverage by BTN and Chris Vosters and Jackie Santacaterina Manny calling the match. Sunday's game against the Wildcats will start at noon (CT) in Evanston and can be streamed on BTN+. 

Last Time Out
Nebraska and Wisconsin fought to a 0-0 draw on Saturday, March 13 at Hibner Stadium. The team played its second consecutive overtime game and earned its second shutout of the season. Nebraska outshot the Badgers 11-5 in the tie and took five corners while allowing the Badgers just one on the day.

Next Up
Following its Illinois road trip, the Huskers return home to close the regular season with three home games. The home stand starts on Thursday, March 25 against Rutgers at 1:05 p.m. (CT). 

Kicking Off

• All four of the Huskers' goals this season are by players who have previously not scored in a Nebraska uniform. Freshmen Eleanor Dale, who scored twice against Purdue, and Reagan Raabe, who scored the first goal against Michigan, netted Nebraska's first three goals of the season. Sophomore Marissa Popoola scored her first career goal off a corner in the game against the Wolverines.  
• Goalkeeper Makinzie Short made three saves in the Huskers' last outing against Wisconsin, tying her career high and recording her second career blank sheet.
• Nebraska will make its second TV appearance of the season with BTN's coverage of Thursday's game against Illinois. 
• The Huskers are 0-1-1 on the road this season after starting the postponed season at Minnesota and Michigan State. Nebraska is 97-87-19 all-time in away games. 
• With the tie against Wisconsin, Nebraska has two shutouts on the year. Nebraska has recorded a shutout in every season since the program began in 1994. 
• Through the first five weeks of the season, Nebraska sits at 11th in the conference standings. 

Scouting the Illinois Fighting Illini

• Illinois is 3-2-1 this season, earning wins over Purdue, Iowa and Indiana. 
• In their last match, the Illini defeated Indiana, 1-0, on a goal from Eileen Murphy in the 49th minute. 
• Goalkeeper Sami Sample earned College Soccer News Women's National Player of the Week after recording her fourth shutout of the season against the Hoosiers.
• The team has an RPI rank of 98 headed into the fifth week of the season and is receiving votes for the United Soccer Coaches Poll. 
• Illinois is tabbed to finished tenth in the conference in the 2020-21 Big Ten Preseason Women's Soccer Preseason Poll. 
• Head coach Janet Rayfield is 205-146-35 at the helm of the Illini and is in her 19th year at Illinois. She is assisted by Jeff Freeman, Lisa Lubke and Nichole Tiggs. 
• 2020-21 Big Ten Preseason Players to Watch: 
  • #10 Hope Breslin (Senior M): Has played and started every game for the Illini the last three seasons, including this year. Has 11 shots this season with six on goal. 
  • #33 Ashley Cathro (Sophomore D): Has started each game of the season for the Illinois backline. Has tallied three shots this season with two on target. 
  • #20 Makena Silber (Junior F): Has started all but three games for Illinois in her career and scored the game-winning goal in the season opener against Purdue. 

Scouting the Northwestern Wildcats

• Northwestern is 3-3 on the year, including wins over Indiana, Maryland and Iowa. 
• In their last match, the Wildcats dropped a 0-1 decision against Purdue. Goalkeeper Mackenzie Wood matched her season-high of four saves while Josie Aulicino led the squad with three shots in the game. The team will meet Wisconsin on Thursday before hosting the Huskers. 
• The team was voted to finish seventh in the conference in the Big Ten's preseason poll. 
• The Wildcats are receiving votes in the most recent United Soccer Coaches Poll and has an RPI rank of 180.
• Northwestern is tabbed to finish seventh in the conference according to the preseason Big Ten poll. 
• Head coach Michael Moyhihan is 79-67-24 at the helm of the Wildcats and is in his ninth year at Northwestern. He is assisted by David Nikolic, Morgan Ruhl and Tom Homa. 
• 2020-21 Big Ten Preseason Players to Watch: 
  • #4 Regan Steigleder (Senior M): Assisted the game-winning goal in the seaon opener against Indiana and scored her first goal of the season against Iowa. 
  • #10 Olivia Stone (Junior F): Scored her first career goal, and the game-winning goal, against Maryland. Scored again against Iowa to help the team to its third win of the season. 
  • #1 Mackenzie Wood (Junior GK): Recorded her tenth shutout and made four saves in the win against Iowa. Has three shutouts on the year. 

Roby, Dujakovich Named to All-Big Ten Teams

Chicago, Ill. -- Two Husker women's gymnasts were named to All-Big Ten Conference teams, as announced by the conference on Wednesday, March 17. Junior Kynsee Roby was named a First Team All-Big Ten selection, while senior Anika Dujakovich was announced as a Second Team All-Big Ten selection. 

Roby collects her first All-Big Ten selection after her most consistent season as a Husker. She finished the regular season No. 5 in the conference and No. 20 on balance beam with a national qualifying score (NQS) of 9.919 and a season high of 9.95. She also is the 12th-highest ranked gymnast in the Big Ten on uneven bars with an NQS of 9.881 and a season high of 9.925. She competed in every meet for Nebraska this season and set career-highs on both balance beam and uneven bars. 

The most impressive performance of Roby's season came on Feb. 7, when she posted a score of 9.95 on balance beam, winning the meet event title in the process. She picked up five total event titles in 2021, three on beam and two on bars. Prior to the start of the season, she was named a Big Ten Gymnast to Watch.

Dujakovich also picks up her first All-Big Ten honor following a strong senior campaign. She broke or tied career-highs on vault and floor exercise, and consistently provided the Huskers with impressive scores. She recorded a score of 9.80 or higher on seven of nine vaults performed on the season, including three scores of 9.90 or higher and a tied career-high of 9.95. 

She ranks No. 8 in the Big Ten and No. 34 in the nation on vault with an NQS of 9.894 and a season high of 9.95. She also ranks 25th-highest ranked athlete in the conference on floor with an NQS of 9.85. She picked up five event titles throughout the 2021 season, including two on Jan. 30 at the Michigan State Tri-Meet. She capped off her stellar season with an event title on vault and a tied career-high on floor exercise in her final meet at the Devaney Center on March 14.

Roby, Dujakovich and the Huskers are currently preparing for the Big Ten Championships, which take place this Saturday, March 20. The event is being held in Minneapolis, Minn. and will be broadcast on BTN.

FIRST TEAM ALL-BIG TEN
JerQuavia Henderson, IOWA
Clair Kaji, IOWA
Adeline Kenlin, IOWA
Audrey Barber, MD
Sierra Brooks, MICH
Abby Heiskell, MICH
Gabby Wilson, MICH
Natalie Wojcik, MICH
Mya Hooten, MINN
Ona Loper, MINN
Lexy Ramler, MINN
KYNSEE ROBY, NEB
Cassidy Rushlow, PSU
Belle Huang, RU
Hannah Joyner, RU

SECOND TEAM ALL-BIG TEN
Nicole Biondi, ILL
Shaylah Scott, ILL
Mia Takekawa, ILL
Mia Townes, ILL
Lauren Guerin, IOWA
Reese McClure, MD
Naomi Morrison, MICH
Mary Korlin-Downs, MINN
Maddie Quarles, MINN
Tiarre Sales, MINN
Hannah Willmarth, MINN
ANIKA DUJAKOVICH, NEB
Jenna Swartzentruber, OSU
Alissa Bonsall, PSU
Ava Verdeflor, PSU

Smith Named Big Ten Golfer of the Week

Nebraska's Kate Smith was named the Big Ten Women's Golfer of the Week on Wednesday, March 17, after capturing the first collegiate championship of her career at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate in New Orleans.

Smith, a fifth-year senior from Detroit Lakes, Minn., fired a season-best three-round total of 215, including a two-under-par 70 in Tuesday's final round at the English Turn Golf and Country Club. Smith, who earned four previous runner-up finishes as a collegian among her 28 career top-25 showings, claimed her first career title with a one-stroke win over Carlota Palacios from Tulane. Smith's performance also propelled Nebraska to its first team tournament title since winning the Westbrook Spring Invitational in 2019.

Smith claimed her second Big Ten Golfer of the Week award of the season, joining her recognition from Feb. 3, after tying for third at the season-opening Trinity Forest Invitational in Dallas. She has earned five Big Ten Golfer of the Week honors in her career - the most by any Husker in history.

After earning her fourth top-25 and third top-10 finish of the season, Smith will now set her sights on the second annual Augusta National Women's Amateur Championship (March 31-April 3). Smith will compete among an elite list of 72 of the top amateurs in the world who received highly coveted invites to the event.

Lambrechts Named Big Ten Field Athlete of the Year

Nebraska junior thrower Burger Lambrechts Jr. was named the Big Ten Field Athlete of the Year on Wednesday after a vote by the league's head coaches. He is the first-ever Nebraska men's track and field athlete to win a Big Ten Athlete of the Year award. 

Lambrechts was the fifth-place finisher in the shot put at the NCAA Indoor Championships last weekend and was a USTFCCCA first-team All-American, throwing 65-0 3/4 (19.83m). It was the best finish by a Husker male in the shot put at the NCAA Indoor Championships since 2004. 

At the Big Ten Indoor Championships in Geneva, Ohio on Feb. 27, Lambrechts shattered his previous shot put personal best with a gold-medal winning throw of 67-4 3/4 (20.54m) on his fifth attempt, which won the event by more than two feet. Lambrechts had never topped 20 meters before in his career, but both his fifth and sixth (20.47m) throws went well beyond 20 meters. 

The Big Ten runner-up last year, Lambrechts climbed to No. 2 in school history behind only Carl Myerscough's school record of 70-6 1/4 (21.49m).