Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule met with members of the media following the team’s spring practice on Saturday. He talked about spring practice overall, pass rushing and staff structure. 

“We practiced in the indoor early on, so we did pre-practice run throughs, pre-practice special teams, warmed up, stretched, all those things, special teams, tackling, a little bit of live stuff. We went to the stadium, we got about 90 plays. The goal was to get three groups at least 30 plays live. We were probably somewhere around there. We might’ve gotten 32 or 29 for a group. We keep track as we go. We did everything from open field to red zone to low red zone to goal lines to two point’s plays, to end of games to needing a yard to kicking field goals. We had a couple punts and had overall pretty general work. You can probably tell it’s early on we’ve been doing so much teaching, 7 on 7, 9 on 7, team run, team pass, those types of generic scripted things. I thought it was really good. We came out of it healthy. A lot of guys got work to look for when watching the tape.”

He spoke about the team’s pass rushing. 

“We have some guys I know can rush. We have some really athletic guys. I think we’re also pass protecting at a really high level, which is really good. I wouldn’t say we’re absolutely dominant, like we’re destroying them defensively. I think we’re having an iron sharpens iron type of back-and-forth. I like where the D-line is, I think Phil (Simpson) is doing a great job with those edge guys. Terry (Bradden) is doing a great job with those other guys and they’re working together where I see kind of a comprehensive rush plan start to come together.”

Rhule discussed the staff structure in the spring season. 

“Every year you enter with a new team, a new coaching staff. Even if the coaches are coming back, they’re all probably different. I think they’re making an impact, I think they’re providing a lot of input, all doing a nice job, a bunch of guys who work really hard. I’ve been really pleased. Like I said last week, the strain on me is less because they handle their business. In general, those guys are just really professional. I think I had to walk into the defense and be like ‘Enough, get out of here.’ We have a lot of recruits in on Friday so they were getting ready for that which is different, they were getting prepared for that. I really like the staff, like the job they’re doing. They’re teaching, coaching, you see a lot of guys getting better.” 

The Husker Games, presented by FNBO, are set for Saturday, April 26. Fans will have the opportunity to get a preview of the 2025 Husker football, volleyball and soccer teams as part of the Husker Games events.

Rally in Eighth Sinks Huskers

Nebraska surrendered a six-run rally in the bottom of the eighth inning, as the Huskers fell 11-6 at Iowa on Saturday afternoon at Duane Banks Field.

Nebraska (15-20, 4-10 Big Ten) scored six runs on six hits, while Iowa (23-10, 14-3 Big Ten) totaled 11 runs and 12 hits.

Case Sanderson led the Huskers with a 2-for-4 afternoon at the plate. Cael Frost was 1-for-3 with a home run, three RBI and two runs, while Will Jesske had a 1-for-4 day with a homer and two RBI. Joshua Overbeek had a solo home run, and Tyler Stone recorded a hit.

Ty Horn allowed four runs on six hits with seven punchouts and three walks in 4.1 innings. Blake Encarnacion and Grant Cleavinger recorded one out each. Ryan Harrahill surrendered one run on two hits in one inning of relief.

Luke Broderick dropped to 2-1 on the season after giving up three runs on one hit with two strikeouts and a pair of walks in one inning. Drew Christo recorded two outs while allowing three runs on three hits, and Casey Daiss posted the final out for the Husker bullpen.

Iowa plated the game’s first run of the afternoon behind three hits in the opening frame. A pair of singles had runners on first and second, while a two-out RBI single to center field broke the scoreless deadlock.

Nebraska responded with two runs and a hit in the top of the second to grab a 2-1 lead. Frost drew a four-pitch walk, before Jesske lifted a 1-1 pitch over the wall in left field for his third home run of the season.

The Hawkeyes trimmed the NU lead in half in the bottom of the third with a solo homer over the right-center wall.

The NU offense tacked on three runs with a pair of hits to stretch the lead to 5-2 in the top of the fourth inning. Stone ripped a single to right field, while Dylan Carey was plunked on an 0-1 pitch to put runners on first and second with no outs.

Frost cleared the bases with a three-run homer, crushing an 0-2 pitch over the left-center field wall for his team-leading sixth home run of the year.

A one-out walk in the bottom of the fifth inning set up a two-run homer for the Hawkeyes to make it a 5-4 game through five innings.

Overbeek homered for the first time this season, sending the first pitch he saw over the wall in left field to extend Nebraska’s lead to 6-4 in the seventh inning.

Back-to-back walks to begin the bottom of the seventh had runners on first and second with no outs for Iowa. A first-pitch RBI single through the left side brought the Hawkeyes within a run.

A sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third with one out, before Broderick struck out the next two Hawkeye batters to send a 6-5 game into the eighth inning.

The Hawkeyes evened the game at six with a leadoff solo homer down the left-field line to begin the bottom of the eighth inning.

A pair of walks and an infield bunt single loaded the bases with no outs, while a sacrifice fly to deep left-center field gave Iowa its first lead of the afternoon. An RBI single up the middle doubled the lead to 8-6, before a first-pitch three-run homer to left enlarged the lead to 11-6 through eight innings.

Nebraska and Iowa conclude the series tomorrow afternoon at Duane Banks Field at 1 p.m.

Huskers Put Together Complete Performance in 11-1 Win

Jordyn Bahl tossed a two-hitter with 11 strikeouts and added three hits and five RBIs at the plate, as the No. 21 Nebraska softball team notched an eight-run second inning to down the Northwestern Wildcats by a score of 11-1 in five innings on Saturday in Evanston, Ill.

Nebraska improved to 30-10 (9-3 Big Ten) on the season to match its win total from last season. Northwestern fell to 20-13-1 (9-2 Big Ten). 

NU out-hit the Wildcats 10-2 and was 4-for-7 with runners in scoring position. The Big Red’s eight-run second inning included a Northwestern error, a bases-loaded walk to Lauren Camenzind, a Bahl two-run double, a Samantha Bland two-run single and a Hannah Camenzind two-run home run.

Bahl was 3-for-4 on the day and had a three-run homer in the top of the fifth, along with the two-run double in the second to post a career-high five RBIs. Bland and H. Camenzind each added two RBIs on two hits apiece. 

Bahl (17-4) grabbed the win in the circle after pitching 5.0 innings with only two hits and one run. She also grabbed 11 strikeouts for her fifth double-digit strikeout outing of the season. 

Kacie Hoffmann opened the top of the second with a double to left center and Ava Kuszak walked to put two runners on. Hoffmann scored on a sac bunt by Bella Bacon and throwing error from Northwestern. Kuszak went to third on the error and Bacon was on first. Ava Bredwell walked to load the bases. Lauren Camenzind worked the Huskers’ second straight walk and Kuszak crossed the plate to bring the score to 2-0. Bahl doubled to score Bacon and Bredwell. Bland logged a single up the middle and L. Camenzind and Bahl scored to put the Husker lead at 6-0. Hannah Camenzind hit a two-run homer and NU extended its lead to 8-0. 

The Wildcats loaded the bases and were threatening in the bottom of the second, but a force out at home and a strikeout from Bahl kept Northwestern scoreless. The Wildcats got on the board in the bottom of the third with a solo home run.

Bredwell and L. Camenzind both singled in the top of the fifth before Bahl knocked a three-run homer to lock up the 11-1 run-rule victory.

The Huskers will continue the series with Northwestern tomorrow, April 13. The game is set to start at 4 p.m. (CT) and will be streamed on the Big Ten Network. It can also be heard across the Huskers Radio Network. 

Postgame Notes

• NU has posted 13 innings this year with six or more runs after a eight-run second inning at Northwestern.
• Today marked the Huskers’ 19th run-rule win of the season, which is the most in program history.
• In its first five Big Ten series, Nebraska is 5-0 in the series opener and has outscored its opponents 53-7 in those five games.
• All eight of Nebraska’s runs in the second inning came before Northwestern recorded an out.
• NU has scored 10+ runs in 18 games this season.
• Today was the Huskers’ 30th win of the season, which matches last season’s win total. 
• Jordyn Bahl notched a career-high five RBIs.
• Bahl grabbed her fifth double-digit strikeout game of the season, as she had 11 on the day.
• Today’s victory marked the first time that NU has beaten Northwestern since May 15, 2021.

Huskers Set Personal-Bests on Final Day in Texas

The Nebraska track and field team wrapped up competition at the 44 Farms Invitational, as nine Huskers earned top-five finishes in their respective events. 

Cade Moran led the way for the Huskers in the men’s shot put, throwing 19.58m (64-3) for the runner-up finish and the 9th-farthest in school history. Kael Miedema threw 17.37m (57-0) for the 13th-place finish and a new personal best. 

In the women’s javelin, Maddie Harris finished second, as she threw 55.38m (181-8). Jenessa Ruder joined her in the top five as she finished fourth (51.43m, 168-8), and Emanuela Casadei placed 12th (45.73m, 150-0). 

In the women’s 100m, Darby Thomas ran a personal-best 11.27 for the fourth-place finish and second fastest all-time in Husker history. Two other Huskers joined her in the event, as Seven Hicks finished 36th (12.01) and Bariborve Deebom was 47th (12.17). On the men’s side, Kavian Kerr ran a wind-aided 10.19 to place eighth, while Ashriel Dixon (10.61) finished 38th and Raiko Kahr (10.77) was 48th. 

Brooklyn Miller finished fourth in the women’s high jump (1.72m, 5-7 ¾), and on the men’s side, Desire Tonye-Nyemeck finished 12th (1.99m, 6-6 ¼) and Gerrit Twitero (1.94m, 6-4 ¼) got 15th. 

In the men’s pole vault invitational, freshman Dyson Wicker placed fifth, clearing 5.33m (17-5 ¾). Velecia Williams also finished fifth as she jumped 12.92m (42-4 ¾) in the triple jump. 

Brayden Bergkamp, Adria Navajon and Luke Noland finished in the top eight of the decathlon as Bergkamp was fourth (7,121 pts.), Navajon was fifth (7,084) and Noland was seventh (6,944). Highlighting the day were second-place finishes by Noland in the 110mH (14.52) and Bergkamp in the javelin (56.37m, 184-11). 

Favour Wanjoku and Grace Parsons finished competition in the heptathlon on Saturday as Wanjoku placed eighth with 5,348 points and Parsons scored 4,863 points for 29th. In the long jump, Wanjoku jumped 5.76m (18-10 ¾) for ninth and Parsons jumped 5.08m (16-8) for 29th. Parsons placed 10th in the javelin (34.72m, 113-11), while Wanjoku finished 18th (31.20m, 102-4). Finishing the day in the 800m, Parsons ran 2:29.27 for 22nd and Wanjoku ran 2:30.38 for 29th. 

In the women’s hammer throw, Cammy Garabian grabbed an eighth-place finish, throwing 57.46m (188-6), while Hillevi Carlsson finished 10th (55.48m, 182-0). Three Huskers tied in the pole vault and moved into the all-time Husker list in 10th as Kylie Fox, Jacelyn Neighbors and Arina Razina all cleared 4.13m (13-6 ½) for ninth and 11th respectively. 

Kellyn Kortemeyer threw 47.72m (156-7) to finish ninth in the women’s discus, while Balvin Israel placed 12th in the men’s triple jump (14.33m, 47-0 ¼) and Pradeep Senthilkumar ran 1:48.56 in the men’s 800m to finish ninth.  

In the hurdles, Johanna Ilves finished 13th (13.88) on the women’s side, while Raiko Kahr placed 29th in the men’s 110mH hurdles with 14.48. Six Huskers competed in the men’s 400m with Logan Lebo leading the way with a 34th-place finish (48.48). Sam Easley finished 39th (48.97), James Ledbetter was 48th (49.32), Kaleb Sharp placed 49th (49.37), Holden Ruse was 51st (49.58) and William McDavid rounded out the group in 57th (50.36). 

Up next, the Huskers travel to La Jolla, Calif., for the Bryan Clay Invitational, April 16-18.

44 Farms Invitational Results
Heptathlon 
100mH
9. Favour Wanjoku - 14.02
23. Grace Parsons - 14.80

High Jump
14. Favour Wanjoku - 1.62m (5-3 ¾) PR
24. Grace Parsons - 1.50m (4-11)

Shot Put
4. Grace Parsons - 12.78m (41-11 ¼)
6. Favour Wanjoku - 12.54m (41-1 ¾)

200m
4. Favour Wanjoku - 24.30
21. Grace Parsons - 25.83

Long Jump
9. Favour Wanjoku - 5.76m (18-10 ¾)
29. Grace Parsons - 5.08m (16-8)

Javelin
10. Grace Parsons - 34.72m (113-11)
18. Favour Wanjoku - 31.20m (102-4)

800m
22. Grace Parsons - 2:29.27
23. Favour Wanjoku - 2:30.38

Decathlon 
100m
5. Luke Noland - 10.82
8. Brayden Bergkamp - 11.02
9. Adria Navajon - 11.03

Long Jump
1. Adria Navajon - 7.37m (24-2 ¼)
6. Luke Noland - 7.12m (23-4 ½)
15. Brayden Bergkamp - 6.71m (22-0 ¼) 

Shot Put
12. Luke Noland - 12.13m (39-9 ¾)
21. Brayden Bergkamp - 10.73m (35-2 ½)
22. Adria Navajon - 10.58m (34-8 ½) 

High Jump
1. Brayden Bergkamp - 1.98m (6-6)
8. Adria Navajon - 1.92m (6-3 ½)
13. Luke Noland - 1.83m (6-0)

400m
6. Brayden Bergkamp - 49.76
14. Adria Navajon - 51.77
17. Luke Noland - 52.50

110mH
2. Luke Noland - 14.52
3. Adria Navajon - 14.53
7. Brayden Bergkamp - 14.74

Discus 
4. Luke Noland - 38.18m (125-3)
6. Adria Navajon - 36.06m (118-4)
17. Brayden Bergkamp - 29.55m (96-11)

Pole Vault 
5. Brayden Bergkamp - 4.50m (14-9)
8. Adria Navajon - 4.30m (14-1 ¼)
10. Luke Noland - 3.90m (12-9 ½)

Javelin
2. Brayden Bergkamp - 56.37m (184-11)
5. Luke Noland - 52.49m (172-2)
13. Adria Navajon - 43.87m (143-11)

1500m
8. Adria Navajon - 4:45.14
12. Brayden Bergkamp - 4:53.40
13. Luke Noland - 5:14.56

Women’s Hammer
8. Cammy Garabian - 57.46m (188-6)
10. Hillevi Carlsson - 55.48m (182-0)

Women’s Pole Vault Invite
9. Kylie Clark-Fox - 4.13m (13-6 ½)
9. Jacelyn Neighbors - 4.13m (13-6 ½)
11. Arina Razina - 4.13m (13-6 ½)

Men’s Pole Vault Invite
5. Dyson Wicker - 5.33m (17-5 ¾)

Women’s Triple Jump 
5. Velecia Williams - 12.92m (42-4 ¾) 

Men’s Triple Jump 
12. Balvin Israel - 14.33m (47-0 ¼)

Women’s Discus
9. Kellyn Kortemeyer - 47.72m (156-7)

Men’s High Jump
12. Desire Tonye-Nyemeck - 1.99m (6-6 ¼)
15. Gerrit Twitero - 1.94m (6-4 ¼)

Women’s High Jump 
4. Brooklyn Miller - 1.72m (5-7 ¾)

Women’s 100mH Hurdles 
13. Johanna Ilves - 13.88

Men’s 110mH Hurdles
29. Raiko Kahr - 14.48

Men’s 400m
34. Logan Lebo - 48.48
39. Sam Easley - 48.97
48. James Ledbetter - 49.32
49. Kaleb Sharp - 49.37
51. Holden Ruse - 49.58
57. William McDavid - 50.36

Women’s 100m
4. Darby Thomas - 11.27
36. Seven Hicks - 12.01
47. Bariborve Deebom - 12.17

Men’s 100m
8. Kavian Kerr - 10.19
38. Ashriel Dixon - 10.61
48. Raiko Kahr - 10.77

Men’s Shot Put 
2. Cade Moran - 19.58m (64-3)
13. Kael Miedema - 17.37m (57-0)

Men’s 800m
9. Pradeep Senthilkumar - 1:48.56

Women’s 4x400 Relay
4. 3:47.54 

Men’s 4x400 Relay 
16. 3:21.86

Women’s Javelin
2. Maddie Harris - 55.38m (181-8)
4. Jenessa Ruder - 51.43m (168-8)
12. Emanuela Casadei - 45.73m (150-0)