University Park, Pa. – Trailing 2-0 after five innings, Nebraska (18-10, 8-2 Big Ten) scored three runs in the sixth en route to a 3-2 win over Penn State at Medlar Field on Friday afternoon.
Senior right-handed pitcher Matt Waldron, making his sixth start of the season, threw 7.0 innings and allowed two runs, while recording two strikeouts. Waldron, who has gone 7.0 or more innings in each of his last five starts, improves to 5-0 this season. It marks Waldron’s 20th career victory, which puts him in a tie for 10th on Nebraska’s career wins list with Zach Kroenke and Jim Sandstedt. Waldron has 210 career strikeouts, the eighth-most in program history.
Robbie Palkert came on for 1.0 inning of scoreless relief before freshman Colby Gomes earned his team-high fifth save of the season by pitching a scoreless ninth inning.
In the opening frame, Nebraska left two runners on base in a scoreless inning. Spencer Schwellenbach drew a leadoff walk before Gunner Hellstrom managed a one-out single, but a pop-out and strikeout ended the frame for the Big Red. Penn State plated two runs on four hits in the bottom of the first to take the early 2-0 lead.
The Huskers went down in order in the top of the second with one groundout and two flyouts. One Nittany Lion reached on an error in the bottom of the second, but he was left on base as the score remained 2-0.
Schwellenbach and Aaron Palensky each drew one-out walks in the third, but a pair of groundouts left them stranded at second and third without scoring. The Nittany Lions went down in order in the bottom of the third with two flyouts and a strikeout.
NU went down 1-2-3 in the top of the fourth with two strikeouts and a flyout. PSU also went down in order in the bottom of the fourth.
Jaxon Hallmark and Schwellenbach each walked in the fifth, but NU couldn’t manufacture any runs as the score stayed at 2-0. Penn State managed one hit in the bottom of the fifth, but failed to extend its lead.
In the top of the sixth, Keegan Watson smacked a two-run home run, his third of the season, after Joe Acker drew a leadoff walk. Pinch hitter Mojo Hagge singled before advancing to third on Angelo Altavilla’s single. Hagge scored when Gomes reached on a fielder’s choice to give NU a 3-2 lead. Penn State managed a leadoff single in the sixth, but left the runner stranded.
Both teams went down in order in the seventh inning.
NU’s three hitters sat down in the top of the eighth with a strikeout, groundout and flyout. PSU’s leadoff batter singled, but a fielder’s choice and double play ended a scoreless frame as the score remained 3-2.
In the ninth, NU went down in order with two strikeouts before Gomes recorded two strikeouts and a groundout to preserve the victory for the Big Red.
The Huskers and Nittany Lions will play a doubleheader on Saturday, starting at 2 p.m. CT (3 p.m. ET).
Lincoln – Fred Hoiberg’s first Nebraska coaching staff will feature people familiar with his system as well as Nebraska basketball, as Hoiberg announced four members of his 2019-20 staff Friday afternoon.
The coaching staff will feature a pair of new hires in assistant coaches Matt Abdelmassih (pronounced Abdel-massey) and Doc Sadler, while Armon Gates will stay on the coaching staff after joining the Husker program prior to last season. Hoiberg also announced that longtime college basketball coach Bobby Lutz (pronounced LOOTS) will join the program and serve as special assistant to the head coach. Abdelmassih, Sadler and Lutz all worked with Hoiberg at Iowa State, playing significant roles in helping the Cyclones make four NCAA Tournament appearances from 2012 to 2015.
“I am excited with the staff we have put together,” Hoiberg said. “I wanted to put together an experienced staff and saw how important that was in our past success. We wanted to get the right mix of coaches who can go out and recruit the players we need to be successful and also do a good job of teaching on the floor.”
Abdelmassih comes to Nebraska after spending the past four seasons at St. John’s, culminating with the Red Storm winning 21 games and reaching the NCAA Tournament last month. He recruited most of the 2018-19 Red Storm roster, led by two-time, first-team All-BIG EAST selection Shamorie Ponds. All five starters on the 2018-19 team were recruited by Abdelmassih, as he brought in talented transfers such as Mustapha Heron (Auburn), Justin Simon (Arizona) and Marvin Clark Jr. (Michigan State) along with junior college transfer LJ Figueroa. He also helped St. John’s land a consensus top-25 recruiting class in 2016, featuring Ponds and junior college transfer Bashir Ahmed.
Prior to joining the Red Storm staff, Abdelmassih was at Iowa State from 2010-15, spending his last four seasons as an assistant. Abdelmassih was instrumental in making Iowa State one of the primary destinations for some of the top transfers in the country, including All-Big 12 performers DeAndre Kane and Royce White, the No. 16 overall selection in the 2012 NBA Draft.
A 2007 graduate of St. John’s, Abdelmassih spent two seasons with Hoiberg on the Minnesota Timberwolves staff. Abdelmassih joined the Timberwolves staff in 2008 as a basketball operations intern and worked directly with the coaching staff. Abdelmassih moved to the front office in 2009-10 with a promotion to basketball operations assistant, a role in which he handled salary cap issues, draft preparation, scouting and free agent analysis.
“Matt is a guy that I hired when I was in the front office with the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Matt came in and I could tell right away how good he was,” Hoiberg said. “The most impressive thing about Matt is his ability to build relationships and that is important at any level of basketball. He’s as good as I’ve ever seen in connecting with people, not only with kids, but with coaches and families and that’s what makes him a great recruiter. I think Matt is as good of a recruiter as there is in the country.”
Sadler returns to Nebraska after spending the last five seasons at Southern Miss, where he helped the Golden Eagles improve their win total in each season since 2014-15, becoming one of three teams in the nation to hold that distinction. Despite two years of postseason bans, scholarship reductions and other inherited sanctions, Sadler guided Southern Miss to back-to-back Conference USA semifinal appearances in 2018 and 2019. Last season, he led Southern Miss to 20 wins and a runner-up finish in Conference USA.
He teamed up with Hoiberg at Iowa State in 2013-14, helping the Cyclones to a 28-8 record, a Sweet 16 appearance and the school’s first Big 12 Tournament title since 2000. He coached a pair of All-Americans in Melvin Ejim and DeAndre Kane, while Ejim was named the Big 12 Player of the Year in 2014.
“In talking with Doc, you see that Nebraska is a special place for him, and I am excited to bring him back on staff.” Hoiberg said. “Doc was an instrumental part of our staff at Iowa State when we won our first Big 12 Tournament title in 2014. Not only does he bring a wealth of experience and an extensive recruiting background, but he is a highly respected coach on the floor who will be valuable on our staff.”
Sadler served as the head coach of the Nebraska program from 2006 to 2012, leading the Huskers to three NIT appearances (2008, 2009 and 2011) and posting a 101-89 record. Sadler’s Huskers led the Big 12 in scoring defense three times in six seasons and posted nine wins over ranked opponents in his tenure.
Prior to his stint at Nebraska, Sadler had a phenomenal two-year run as the head coach at UTEP (2004-06), producing a record of 48-18. The Miners won 27 games and advanced to the 2005 NCAA Tournament in his rookie season, the ninth-best win total by a first-year head coach in NCAA history. UTEP won 21 games and advanced to the NIT in his last season in El Paso. He also coached for five seasons at Arkansas-Fort Smith (1999-2003), leading the program to a 120-39 mark and three postseason appearances.
Sadler, who graduated from Arkansas in 1982, has previously worked as an assistant coach at eight current Division I schools, including Arkansas (1982-85, under Eddie Sutton), Lamar (1985-86, under Pat Foster), Houston (1986, under Pat Foster), Chicago State (1987-88, under Tommy Suitts), Texas Tech (1991-94, under James Dickey), Arizona State (1994-97, under Bill Frieder), UTEP (2003-04, under Billy Gillispie) and Iowa State (2013-14, under Fred Hoiberg). He also was Director of Basketball Operations at Kansas in 2012-13 working for Bill Self.
Gates will begin his second year on the Nebraska staff after joining the program in May of 2018. Gates worked with the Husker backcourt, and helped the development of Glynn Watson Jr., who posted a career-high 13.6 points along with 4.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game in 2018-19.
“I’ve been impressed with Armon as I’ve gotten to work with him over the past week,” Hoiberg said. “He’s been good on the floor with our players during workouts and gives our staff someone who has experience with both our current players and of the Big Ten.”
Gates has worked in the Big Ten for the last six years, serving as an assistant to Chris Collins at Northwestern from 2013 to 2018. He helped the Wildcats to a pair of 20-win seasons and the school’s first-ever NCAA berth in 2017. Gates also helped the Wildcats bring in a pair of top-30 recruiting classes during his tenure at the school. A 2006 graduate of Kent State, Gates served as an assistant at his alma mater from 2008-10, as well as stints at TCU (2010-11) and Loyola Chicago (2011-13).
Lutz brings more than 30 years of coaching experience to Nebraska, and teams up with Hoiberg for the third time in his career. Lutz has won nearly 400 games as a college head coach and reached the postseason 22 times as either a head coach or an assistant. Lutz reunites with Hoiberg as the pair worked together at Iowa State during the 2010-11 campaign, building the foundation for the Cyclone program. Lutz most recently worked with Hoiberg in the Chicago Bulls organization, serving as an assistant with the Windy City Bulls of the NBA G League in 2016-17.
“Bobby was my first hire when I got to Ames, and I relied on him during my first year of coaching,” Hoiberg said. “He has an unbelievable basketball mind and is a great sounding board for me with his experience as a head coach. Bobby’s basketball knowledge and expertise will be a great resource for our staff.”
Prior to coaching in the professional ranks, Lutz spent five seasons at North Carolina State, and was instrumental in helping the Wolfpack make four straight NCAA Tournaments, including a pair of Sweet 16 appearances. Lutz is most known for his successful tenure at Charlotte from 1999 to 2010, where he guided his alma mater to eight postseason appearances (five NCAA, three NIT) in 12 seasons. He is the winningest coach in 49er history, posting a record of 218-158 and winning three Conference USA titles (1999, 2001 and 2004). He had four top-20 national recruiting classes and tutored 10 players who earned first-team all-conference honors.
Lutz also served as the head coach at Pfeiffer, an NAIA school in Misenheimer, N.C., from 1986 to 1995, posting a 181-91 record and qualifying for six straight NAIA Tournament berths, including three Final Four appearances. A 1980 graduate of UNC Charlotte, he also was as an assistant coach at Clemson (1984-86) and Charlotte (1996-98).
Due to forecasted weather this weekend in University Park, Pa., the schedule for this weekend's three-game baseball series between Nebraska and Penn State has been adjusted. The teams will now play at 12:00 (CT) on Friday and a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 2 PM (CT).
Nebraska-Penn State Baseball Schedule
Friday, April 12 - 12:00 PM (CT)
Saturday, April 13 - 2 PM (CT) - Doubleheader
Sunday, April 14 - No Game
On Wednesday evening, Head Coach Scott Frost announced the rosters for Saturday's Red-White Spring Game at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. and the game will be carried live on BTN. Fans can also listen to the game on the Husker Sports Network, including radio stations across the state, Huskers.com, the Official Husker App and on the TuneIn App or at TuneIn.com Roster cards will be available on Saturday at concessions stands throughout Memorial Stadium for $1.
| 98 | Casey Rogers | DL |
| 99 | Brant Banks | DL |
Players Unavailable for the Spring Game
Anthony Banderas (51) - ILB
Bradley Bunner (39) - DB
Braxton Clark (15) - DB
Nick Henrich (42) - ILB
Chris Hickman (87) - TE
Will Honas (3) - ILB
Cam'ron Jones (29) - DB
Wan'Dale Robinson (1) - WR
Collin Shefke (56) - OL
CJ Smith (26) - DB
JD Spielman (10) - WR
Jack Stoll (86) - TE
Caleb Tannor (1) - OLB
Maurice Washington (28) - RB
Tate Wildeman (92) - DL
Lincoln, Neb. – The Nebraska baseball team (17-10) was held to four hits in a 10-2 loss to Creighton at Hawks Field on Tuesday night. It marks the Huskers’ first loss at home this season after an 8-0 start at Haymarket Park.
Nebraska used eight pitchers in the midweek clash between the RPI top-40 squads. Freshman left-hander Kyle Perry, making his fifth start of the season, went 2.1 innings. Nebraska saw relief appearances from Mike Waldron (1.2 innings), Max Schreiber (1.0), Bo Blessie (1.0), Chad Luensmann (0.0), Ben Klenke (1.0), Tyler Martin (1.0) and Byron Hood (1.0).
Creighton, who improves to 17-7 on the season, plated two runs in the top of the first and never looked back. The Bluejays added three runs in the third, one run in the fifth and four runs in the seventh to build a 10-0 lead. In all, Creighton produced 10 hits on the night.
After a scoreless first six innings for the Huskers, NU scratched out two runs in the bottom of the seventh. Ty Roseberry was hit-by-pitch in the leadoff spot before advancing to second on a groundout. Angelo Altavilla drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Freshman Colby Gomes drove in one run with an RBI double before Alex Henwood walked to load the bases. Cam Chick grounded out, but it brought in one run for the Big Red.
The season series between the Huskers and Bluejays is tied 1-1 after NU won a 6-3 decision at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha on March 26. The series finale is set for April 23 at TD Ameritrade Park and will be televised on CBS Sports Network.
The Huskers travel to University Park, Pa., this weekend to continue Big Ten play with a three-game series at Penn State. The games are scheduled for Friday at 5:30 p.m. (CT), Saturday at 5 p.m. (CT) and Sunday at 11 a.m. (CT).
Lincoln, Neb. - The Nebraska softball team (13-22, 2-7 Big Ten) dropped the series finale to No. 25 Northwestern (29-7, 9-0 Big Ten) on Sunday by a score of 4-0.
Northwestern's Danielle Williams (19-3) dominated in the circle. She pitched a complete 7.0 inning game and gave up one hit. She also had one walk and 12 strikeouts.
Courtney Wallace (2-4) started and pitched 3.0 innings, giving up three runs, including two unearned runs, off four hits. She also had one strikeout. Lindsey Walljasper pitched 4.0 innings of relief. She gave up one run on two hits and also had one strikeout.
Samantha Owen had Nebraska's only hit on the day. Madi Unzicker drew a walk to give the Huskers another base runner. Tristen Edwards was hit by a pitch, while Sarah Yocom reached on an error to give the Huskers four base runners against the Wildcats.
In the second, Northwestern took a 1-0 lead. The Wildcats got a base runner after a leadoff double. A sac bunt moved her to third. Nebraska retired the next batter for the second out, but a single scored one run.
In the third, the Wildcats took advantage of a Husker error to extended their lead to 3-0. A leadoff walk put a runner on. A fielder's choice allowed the batter to reach. The runner should have been out at second, but an error allowed her to advance. The Huskers got a big double play, but the lead runner still reached third. A hit by pitch loaded the bases and a singled scored two runs.
In the fifth, the 'Cats scored one run off two hits to go up 4-0.
Nebraska was unable to make up the difference in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.
Nebraska is back in action on Tuesday when the team travels to Omaha to take on in-state rival Creighton. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. A live radio broadcast will be available on Huskers.com.
Lincoln, Neb. – The Nebraska baseball team (16-9, 6-2 Big Ten) produced 14 hits in a 13-4 win over Purdue at Hawks Field on Saturday afternoon. Nebraska remains perfect at home this season with a 7-0 mark at Haymarket Park.
Luke Roskam, Angelo Altavilla and Cam Chick each produced three-hit efforts to pace the Husker offense. Senior lefty Nate Fisher, making his seventh start of the season, went 3.0 innings before Mike Waldron (2.1 innings) earned the win and Robbie Palkert (3.2) earned the save. It marked Palkert’s fifth career save, as he has recorded at least one save during each of his four years at Nebraska.
Nebraska scored one run in the bottom of the first to take the early lead. Joe Acker drew a leadoff walk before Mojo Hagge hit an infield single to put runners on first and second with one out. Luke Roskam drove in one run with his RBI single to center field.
Purdue responded with three runs in the top of the third to take a 3-1 lead. The Huskers tied it at 3-3 with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Angelo Altavilla drew a leadoff walk before Cam Chick blasted an RBI double. Chick later scored on a wild pitch.
In the fifth inning, Nebraska blew open the game with seven runs to take a 10-3 lead. Aaron Palensky was hit-by-pitch in the leadoff spot before Hagge reached on an error. A passed ball advanced the runners. Keegan Watson drew a walk to load the bases. Three runs scored when Roskam singled through the right side. Altavilla singled to put runners on the corners before Chick blistered a home run to right field. Colby Gomes doubled before back-to-back strikeouts. Palensky drove in Gomes with an RBI single before the final out of the inning.
NU plated two more runs in the sixth inning to extend its lead to 12-3. Watson reached on an error in the leadoff spot before advancing to second on a passed ball. Altavilla drove him in with an RBI single. Altavilla later scored on a wild pitch.
In the eighth inning, pinch hitter Ty Roseberry obliterated a home run to left field for the lone run of the frame.
The Huskers and Boilermakers conclude their series on Sunday, starting at noon (CT). The game will be televised on ESPNU.
Lincoln, Neb. – The Nebraska baseball team (15-9, 5-2 Big Ten) delivered a first-inning knockout punch with six runs in the opening frame and pitched a shutout for the second consecutive game, as the Huskers throttled the Boilermakers, 17-0, at Hawks Field on Friday night. It marked Head Coach Darin Erstad’s 250th win at Nebraska.
Senior right-handed pitcher Matt Waldron, making his fifth start of the season, recorded a career-high nine strikeouts in 7.0 scoreless innings. He allowed only four hits and no walks. Waldron surpassed 200 career strikeouts and moved into eighth place on Nebraska’s career strikeouts list with 208 after his performance on Friday night.
The Husker offense smashed 19 hits, as seven Huskers tallied multi-hit efforts. Joe Acker and Mojo Hagge each led the way with three hits apiece, while five other Huskers had two-hit games.
NU scored six runs in the bottom of the first and never looked back. Acker hit a leadoff single before Aaron Palensky drew a walk. After a sacrifice bunt advanced the runners, Carter Cross delivered a two-RBI single. Keegan Watson was hit-by-pitch and Angelo Altavilla was walked to load the bases. A wild pitch scored one run. Cam Chick drove in one run with an RBI single before another run scored via wild pitch. Chick scored later in the inning on a wild pitch.
Nebraska added two runs in the bottom of the second to build an 8-0 lead. Palensky smacked a leadoff double before Mojo Hagge drove him with an RBI single up the middle. Later in the inning, Hagge scored on Altavilla’s RBI single.
The Huskers manufactured five more runs in the bottom of the fifth. Chick launched a leadoff home run, the first of his career to start the inning. Seven of the next eight Huskers got on base with four doubles, two singles and a walk. Gunner Hellstrom and Hagge each had two-RBI doubles during the frame.
NU tacked on a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth. Ben Klenke pitched the final 2.0 innings and recorded two strikeouts, while allowing only one hit. Purdue falls to 10-18 this season, with a 4-2 mark in Big Ten play.
The Huskers and Boilermakers continue their series on Saturday, starting at 2:05 p.m. (CT) at Hawks Field.
Lincoln - Nebraska’s Glynn Watson Jr. has selected to participate in the 2019 Dos Equis 3X3U National Championship, scheduled for April 5-7 at Minnesota’s Mall of America. Watson is one of four players selected from the Big Ten Conference.
The tournament is comprised of all-star teams of seniors, who have exhausted their collegiate eligibility, representing all 32 Division I conferences. The teams will compete for a $150,000 prize pool, with the champions taking home $100,000, double the prize money from a year ago. Additionally, the winners will earn the right to compete in the 2019 USA Basketball 3x3 Open National Championship later this spring.
Watson will team with Ethan Happ (Wisconsin), Juwan Morgan (Indiana) and Jordan Murphy (Minnesota) on the Big Ten squad.
Watson was a four-year starter for the Huskers, as he totaled 1,532 career points to finish 11th on Nebraska’s all-time list and finished among the program’s all-time leaders in steals (177, fourth), assists (382, seventh), 3-pointers (184, fourth), games played (134, first) and starts (113, second). As a senior, he started all 36 games in helping Nebraska reach the NIT for the second straight season, averaging a career-high 13.6 points per game along with 4.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.
He tallied five 20-point games and was playing some of his best basketball down the stretch. In NU’s final nine games, he averaged 18.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game while posting nearly a 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.
All games of the Dos Equis 3X3U National Championship will be carried live on Twitter or ESPN2. Pool play will begin at 2 p.m. CT on April 5, with 24 games streamed live exclusively on Twitter. Pool play will continue on April 6 at 8:30 a.m. CT with 24 more games streamed live exclusively on Twitter. Round of 16 and quarterfinal games will be streamed live exclusively on Twitter at 9:30 a.m. CT on April 7, with semifinal, consolation and championship games televised live on ESPN2 later that day at 2 p.m. CT. Returning to call all the action throughout the tournament will be the voice of FIBA 3x3 basketball, Kyle Montgomery, with Robbie Hummel of ESPN and Tate Frazier and Mark Titus of The Ringer’s One Shining Podcast providing color commentary and sideline coverage.
Teams have been assigned into eight pools of four and each team will be guaranteed three pool play games, earning $1,000 for every victory on Friday and Saturday. The top two teams in each pool will move on to Sunday’s knockout stage, where the stakes skyrocket. The championship team will take home $100,000, while the runners-up will share $2,000 and the third-place team will win an additional $1,000.
Big Ten Team ScheduleFriday, April 58:30 p.m. vs. Ivy Group
Saturday, April 611:50 a.m. vs. Horizon League
3 p.m. vs. Big Sky
Lincoln - University of Nebraska guard James Palmer Jr. will play one final college game, as the senior was selected for the 2019 Reese's College All-Star Game.
The Reese's College All-Star Game takes place this Friday, April 5, at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis as part of Final Four Friday.
Tipoff time is 3:30 p.m. (central) and the game will be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network.
Palmer is the fifth Husker player to earn the honor and the first since Aleks Maric in 2008. The others who have played in the event include Chuck Jura (1972), Rich King (1991) and Eric Piatkowski (1994).
Palmer finished his senior year setting school records in points (708), free throws attempted (282), free throws made (215) and minutes played (1,269).
On the year, he averaged 19.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists and 1.4 steals per game, ranking third in the Big Ten in scoring and fourth in steals. A third-team All-Big Ten selection and a first-team All-District pick by the USBWA, Palmer had 18 20-point games as a senior, including a 34-point effort against Rutgers in the Big Ten Tournament. He is also one of just five Big Ten players in the last 50 years to have 200 field goals and 200 free throws in a season.
In his two-year career at Nebraska, Palmer finished with the second-highest career scoring average in Husker history (18.5 points per game) as he started all 69 games in that span.
REESE’S® Division IEast All-Stars
Name, Position, Ht., Wt., College
Vasa Pusica, G, 6-5, 210 , Northeastern
Matt Morgan, G, 6-2, 180, Cornell
B.J. Stith, Guard, 6-5, 205, Old Dominion
John Konchar, Guard, 6-5, 210 , Fort Wayne
James Palmer, Jr., Guard, 6-6, 210, Nebraska
Jarrell Brantley, Forward , 6-7, 255, College of Charleston
Jessie Govan, Center, 6-10, 255, Georgetown
Ahmad Caver, Guard, 6-2, 175, Old Dominion
Cameron Jackson, Forward, 6-8, 250, Wofford
Devontae Cacok, Forward, 6-7, 240, UNC Wilmington
Head Coach: Nate Robinson
REESE’S® Division IWest All-Stars
Name, Position, Ht., Wt., College
Chris Clemons, Guard , 5-9, 180 , Campbell
Corey Davis, Jr., Guard, 6-1, 190, Houston
Galen Robinson, Jr. , Guard, 6-1, 190, Houston
Nick Perkins, Center, 6-8, 225, Buffalo
Drew McDonald, Forward, 6-8, 250 , Northern Kentucky
Josh Sharma, Center, 7-0, 230, Stanford
Jordan Murphy, Forward, 6-6, 250, Minnesota
Cameron Young, Guard , 6-6, 205, Quinnipiac
Barry Brown, Guard, 6-3, 195 , Kansas State
Shizz Alston, Jr., Guard , 6-4, 180, Temple
Head Coach: Jason Terry