Bay Area Husker ENews 10-18-07

Hey Bay Area Husker Fans,

It was a big week for Husker Athletics. The firing of the AD followed by the hiring of Tom Osborne as the interim AD was national news. I know there was a huge sigh of relief from many Husker fans and we're all hopeful that Dr. Tom will breath new life into the traditions of Husker athletics. See the link to his interview with Jim Rome below for a good idea of how he is approaching his new role. I've seen lots of humorous doctored photos of the departure of Steve Pederson but I won't include them here. Lots of other Husker news to pass below.

The game this Saturday against Texas A&M will not be broadcast on TV so we won't be activating our watch sites. You will however be able to listen to the game on www.Huskers.com via the internet.

Go Big Red (White and Blue),
Carl

=========
Perlman announces Osborne will be interim athletics director


Released on 10/16/2007

Office of University Communications
University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Lincoln, Neb., October 16, 2007 -- In a new development in leadership changes in the athletic department at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Chancellor Harvey Perlman announced today that Tom Osborne has agreed to serve as director of intercollegiate athletics on an interim basis.

Osborne left his head coaching post at Nebraska in 1997 after 30 years coaching football, including leading the Nebraska Cornhuskers to three national championships, 12 Big Eight titles and one Big 12 title. Osborne's teams finished in the top 10 17 times. He ended his head-coaching career with a record of 255-49-3.

Osborne left his post as 3rd district U.S. representative following a gubernatorial bid in 2006. He has been a senior lecturer in the UNL College of Business Administration, teaching leadership and business ethics.

Osborne met with Perlman this morning to discuss the interim post and Osborne agreed to serve, on an open-ended arrangement, until Perlman finds a permanent athletics director. Perlman on Oct. 15 fired Steve Pederson, who had held the AD post since 2002.

Osborne said he looks forward to the challenge.

"I've spent the majority of my life working with the Athletic Department at the university and I want to do what I can at this point to continue in the pursuit of excellence that has been previously established," he said.

Osborne said he anticipated taking over duties right away and would also finish the semester teaching his two classes, which he enjoys.

Chancellor Perlman said he is pleased that Osborne agreed to provide leadership and that the university will benefit from Osborne's vast experience.

"I am very pleased that Tom Osborne has agreed to help bring some leadership and direction to our athletic program. Tom is committed to making the entire program successful. He brings the right experience, an understanding of Nebraska, and our aspirations. I look forward to working with him."

=========
OSBORNE INTERVIEW WITH JIM ROME...(thanks to Mike Ray for sending this along)...

Tom Osborne was interviewed on the Jim Rome radio show yesterday. As always, Dr. Tom makes perfect sense and has a way to make us all feel better. Go to www.huskerpedia.com, click on the #2 after the words, "The Jungle", and then click on the free audio.

Lincoln - Nebraska Interim Athletic Director Tom Osborne took a few minutes out of a busy first day on the job at Memorial Stadium to discuss Husker Athletics on the nationally syndicated Jim Rome Show at 12:30 p.m. Central Time on Wednesday.

In the interview, Osborne talks with Rome about the unique role Nebraska football plays in the lives of people in the Cornhusker State and his desire to re-unify Husker fans across the country.

He also talks about his first day on the job, including finding his new office in the building that bears his name - The Tom and Nancy Osborne Athletic Complex.

=========
HUSKERS LOOK TO REBOUND AT HOME AGAINST TEXAS A&M...

Wide receiver Maurice Purify snagged a game-winning TD against A&M last season.
Nebraska hopes to rebound from back-to-back losses on Saturday when the Huskers take on Texas A&M at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 11:05 a.m. (PDT) with no television coverage of the game planned. The game will be played in front of the 288th consecutive sellout at Memorial Stadium.

The Huskers enter the contest with a 4-3 overall mark and a 1-2 record in Big 12 Conference action, following a 45-14 home setback against Oklahoma State on Saturday. The loss was the Huskers’ first against Oklahoma State in Lincoln since 1960 and just the second time the Cowboys have been victorious in Lincoln in series history. Nebraska will be looking to avoid its first three-game slide since losing three straight games midway through the 2005 campaign.

Texas A&M will also be entering Saturday’s game coming off a tough conference loss. The Aggies lost to Texas Tech, 35-7 in Lubbock on Saturday afternoon, dropping A&M to 5-2 overall and 2-1 in Big 12 Conference play. Despite the loss, the Aggies remain in the thick of the Big 12 South race, as they are tied for the divisional lead with Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State as they head to Lincoln.

Texas A&M has dropped its only two road games of the season, also losing at Miami, in addition to the loss at Texas Tech. The Aggies will also be looking to buck a trend of struggles at Memorial Stadium in Saturday’s game, as A&M is just 1-6 against the Huskers in Lincoln, with the only win a 27-0 victory in 1955. Nebraska holds a 10-2 overall lead in the series, including a 5-1 edge since the two schools have been members of the Big 12 Conference. The Huskers have won four straight against the Aggies overall, including last year’s 28-27 victory at College Station, which clinched the Big 12 North Division title for Nebraska. You will be able to listen to the game online at Huskers.com.

Conference games scheduled to be televised are: Oklahoma at Iowa State (9:30 a.m. PDT, FSN); Texas at Baylor (9:30 a.m. PDT, VERSUS); Texas Tech at Missouri (12:30 p.m.PDT, ABC); and Kansas at Colorado (2:45 p.m. PDT, ESPN).

=========
HUSKERS PREPARE FOR A&M TRIPLE THREAT...

Lincoln The Husker football team will face one of the best running games in the nation this Saturday when Texas A&M comes to Lincoln for a 1 p.m. match-up. Nebraska hit the halfway point of its game week preparation Wednesday afternoon with a 2 1/2-hour practice inside the Hawks Championship Center.

“I’m really impressed by A&M, with (Mike) Goodson, (Jorvorskie) Lane and of course (Stephen) McGee,” head coach Bill Callahan said after the workout. “It’s a triple threat. Everything they do is centered and oriented around the option attack. It’s very interesting to watch all the different frames, schemes and actions that come with the option. They give you a lot to defend.”

The Aggie running game is ranked 10th in the nation and second in the Big 12 at 234.5 rushing yards per game. The trio of Goodson, Lane and McGee was a large force in last year’s NU-A&M match-up as each had one rushing touchdown before the Huskers’ thrilling 28-27 come-from-behind win.

“They’re talented,” Callahan said. “But the thing I’m most impressed with is their offensive line. You can’t run the ball and have the success they’re having without that front five. They’re doing a real nice job.”

Rain forced the Huskers inside for the second straight day, but the Huskers remained positive as they look to get back on the winning track with just one full practice remaining in the week.

“We had a very spirited practice,” Callahan said. “The guys worked hard and were upbeat. It’s a credit to their resiliency and focus.”

=========
CASTILLE POSTS FIRST CAREER 100 YARD GAME IN LOSS TO OSU...

Quentin Castille rushed for 102 yards on 20 carries against Oklahoma State on Saturday.
Lincoln - Freshman I-back Quentin Castille posted his first career 100-yard rushing game, but it was not enough to prevent the Nebraska football team from falling 45-14 to visiting Oklahoma State on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

Playing in front of the 287th consecutive sellout in Memorial Stadium on Homecoming, the Huskers fell behind 38-0 at halftime and were unable to recover. Oklahoma State's victory snapped a 20-game losing streak to Nebraska in Lincoln, and also gave the Cowboys their largest-ever win over NU in the history of the series.

Nebraska slipped to 4-3 overall and 1-2 in the Big 12 with the loss, while Oklahoma State improved to 4-3 and 2-1.

Castille worked his way for 102 hard-fought yards on 20 carries to produce career-bests in both categories. Fellow freshman running back Roy Helu added 55 yards on 14 totes for career-bests as well. Junior I-back Marlon Lucky carried 13 times for 66 yards to push his season total to 698 yards through seven games, as NU finished with 206 yards on the ground.

Nebraska remained committed to its ground game despite falling behind early in the game to the Cowboys. Zac Keller and the Huskers through for a season-low 129 yards, but he attempted just 18 passes on the day, completing 10 of them.

Keller connected with senior tight end J.B. Phillips on a 13-yard touchdown pass just five seconds into the fourth quarter to cut OSU's lead to 38-7. After Oklahoma State answered with a score, Keller gave NU its final touchdown of the day with his one-yard toss to fullback Thomas Lawson with 39 seconds left in the game. It was Lawson's third touchdown reception of the season, with all three coming in Nebraska's last two home games.

Along with outscoring the Cowboys 14-7, in the second half, Nebraska put up 236 second-half yards compared to OSU's 194. The Huskers rushed for 122 yards in the second half, compared to the Cowboys' 85 yards on the ground. Although the Huskers won the second half, they were unable to prevent the Cowboys from registering just the second win by a visiting team on Homecoming at Memorial Stadium in the past 39 years.

Oklahoma State controlled the first half, scoring on its first six possessions - including five touchdowns - en route to a 38-0 halftime lead, the most first-half points surrended at home in school history. The Cowboys rolled up 357 yards of offense - 232 on the ground and 125 through the air, while averaging more than eight yards per play. The OSU defense held Nebraska to just five first downs and 101 total yards.

For the game, Oklahoma State's offense amassed 551 yards, including 317 on the ground and 234 through the air.

=========
NEBRASKA-TEXAS GAME SET FOR ABC TELECAST...
(This will be regional coverage so you may not be able to get it at home...more info on watch sites next week)

The Oct. 27 Nebraska-Texas game will be carried regionally by ABC.

The Big 12 Conference and ABC Sports have announced that Nebraska’s Oct. 27 game at Texas will be carried on the network. ABC will televise the game on a regional basis with kickoff set for 12:30 p.m. (PDT)

The Huskers’ appearance on the network will be their third ABC contest of the season, after home contests on the network against Nevada and USC. It will be the Huskers’ fifth appearance of the season on ABC or ESPN, as NU’s road games at Wake Forest and Missouri were carried on ESPN.

This marks the third straight meeting between Nebraska and Texas that has been carried by ABC. Next Saturday’s meeting will be the eighth between the schools since the formation of the Big 12, with seven of those games televised by ABC.

Nebraska will also be shown on ABC for its Nov. 23 regular-season finale against Colorado in Boulder. Game times and television information for the Huskers’ Nov. 3 game at Kansas and Nov. 10 home game against Kansas State will be announced six to 12 days in advance.

The other Big 12 games selected for Oct. 27 telecast were: Colorado at Texas Tech (9 a.m. PDT on ABC) and Kansas at Texas A&M (4 p.m. PDT on ESPN2).

=========
RANDY YORK'S N-SIDER...REFLECTIONS ON A CHAMPIONSHIP YEAR...(a good read!)...
1997 National Champions

Tom Osborne: Leadership for 1997 Team Began in January

Tom Osborne: Oh, How The Years Go By

The Pro Impact: 10 From 1997 Team Still Playing in the NFL

Nebraska National Championship Team Members
Provided Lessons in Leadership

“Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.” Dwight D. Eisenhower

I don’t know if Tom Osborne and Dwight Eisenhower ever met, but I think Nebraska’s legendary football coach and our nation’s 34th president would have liked and respected each other.

They were both Republicans, and they both understood the essence of leadership.

Since the Huskers are celebrating the 10th anniversary of their last national football championship this weekend, we asked Coach Osborne to sit down with us on Thursday and recall what laid the groundwork for that 13-0 season, which ended with a 42-17 pasting of Tennessee and quarterback Peyton Manning in the Orange Bowl.

Osborne took about two seconds to get to the heart of the accomplishment.

“I had two players, (juniors) Grant Wistrom and Jason Peter, come into see me. They were probably going to be first-round draft picks,” Osborne recalls. “That was the general rumor that they were at that level. I thought they were going to tell me that they were going to do what was best for them and their families . . . the usual speech (when players leave school early and declare for the draft).”

But Osborne’s instincts were wrong. “They said they wanted to let me know that we were going to stick around because we were disappointed that we lost two games (in ’96), and we are going to finish it up right, and we are going to win them all next year.”

Osborne knew then nine months before the season started that his top two players were more motivated about 97 than anyone. Before Wistrom and Peter ever walked out his door, he knew he was seeing the very essence of leadership. He didn’t have to create a vision. Two accomplished, driven players were doing something that needed to be done because they wanted to do it.

“They had been on two national championship teams (in ’94 and ’95), so they knew what that was all about,” Osborne said, adding that without Wistrom’s and Peter's leadership and talent, 1997 would not have unfolded like it did.

"They really set the tone for that 1997 team,” he said. “It was a very, very good team.” Later, Osborne said the talent level was “obviously pretty good, but the dedication and commitment was exceptional.”

The ’97 championship team wasn’t created in the weight room or on the field. It was made from something that Wistrom and Peter had deep inside them, and their desire and their dream became the vision for everyone else.

Take a few minutes and listen to Osborne’s comments and the snapshot of his career through the years. Check out the 10 players from that ’97 team who are still playing in the NFL.

=========
HUSKER Q&A WITH MIKE ROZIER...

Mike Rozier

Bio
Career Highlights (1 2)
1983 Heisman Trophy
Photo Gallery
Huskers in the College Football of Fame
My Community, My Choice Challenge

Alltel Wireless has partnered with Mike Rozier to sponser the "My Community, My Choice" Challenge. Until Oct. 18, fans are encouraged to vote for the one of the following charitable initivies. The winner will receive $25,000 worth of supplies and materials, while the two runners-up will receive a $10,000 donation

To vote, Alltel customers can visit alltel.com/community or send a text message to 102101 with the corresponding key word (FOOD, HOME or PARK) for the inititve of their choice

Lincoln Food Bank
(Text: FOOD)


Lincoln-Lancaster County Habitat for Humanity
(Text: HOME)


Lincoln Parks and Recreation Department
(Text: PARK)

Mike Rozier is Nebraska’s newest member of the College Football Hall of Fame. He was in Lincoln earlier this week for last Saturday’s game against top-ranked USC and to kick off Alltel’s “My Community, My Choice Challenge.” Huskers.com took the opportunity to reminisce with Rozier about his playing days and to talk about his newest project.

How often do you get back to Lincoln?
I come back three or four times a year and will be back again in October for Huskerfest.

What are you doing now?
I’m back in New Jersey. I do a lot of speaking engagements, autograph shows, golf outings and charity work such as the March of Dimes and the Make-a-Wish Foundation. I like to talk to people and joke around with them, and I get a chance to meet a lot of people. I love it!

Do you stay in touch with Irving Fryer and Turner Gill?
Irving and Turner were both at the golf event we had in New Jersey two weeks ago. Irving played on Friday and said the team prayer for Turner’s Buffalo team on Saturday in Philadelphia. They beat Temple, 42-7. Turner is turning that program around. Irving is a preacher and in the insurance business. I go to his church in Mt. Holly.

Do you keep in touch with Coach Osborne?
Yes. In fact, I just ran into him as he was heading to his class.

Thinking back, what memories at Nebraska stand out?
If I had to pick a game, it would have been the Missouri game as a junior because I had a hip pointer and came back to play well. That was a meaningful game for me. The UCLA game in 1983 was a big game and the Oklahoma game as a senior was memorable. We lost only five games in my three years here, so I had a lot of good memories and was able to play with some great people,”

What’s the one thing that you take most from your days at Nebraska?
Respect. Coming through here and earning respect, even though I joked around and had fun. Its been 20 years since I played and people still respect me.

Which accomplishment means more: winning the Heisman Trophy or being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame?
Both mean a lot really because my parents are still alive and were able to see me accept those achievements. If I didn’t get inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, it wouldn’t bother me because I still have the trophy. If I didn’t get the trophy, I was still able to play with good guys and play for the University of Nebraska. I wasn’t going to college thinking I was going to win the Heisman Trophy and break records. It was because of the guys who blocked for me that I won the Heisman. We did it as a team.

Who are the running backs that you admired most?
My No. 1 running back is Gale Sayers. I loved the way he ran. He was a hell of a running back but didn’t play too long because of injuries. In watching his highlights with the Bears, it was always muddy and he could cut like it was dry. It is had to do those types of things in the mud, but he made it look easy. When I was a little kid, I used to watch Chuck Muncie and enjoyed the way used the spin move and tried to put that in my running.

Can you talk about the Alltel Program and why you’re giving back to the community?
It’s for the people, in general, who don’t have a lot. We have more than others in the community and some people take that for granted until something happens in their family down the road. Then they want to get involved. My goal is to do something before you get to that point. When I talk to people, I tell them the same thing-you don’t have to wait until something happens to get involved. It allows us to get out and reach others. I’ve been blessed. Why not give back to help others?

=========
PETERSON TO RECEIVE BROOK BERRINGER SCHOLARSHIP...

Junior Todd Peterson is the 2007 recipient of the Brook Berringer Memorial Endowed Scholarship.

Nebraska junior wide receiver Todd Peterson is this year's recipient of the Brook Berringer Memorial Endowed Scholarship. The scholarship was endowed in the memory of former Nebraska quarterback Brook Berringer, who died in a plane crash on April 18, 1996.

Peterson and his parents, Ron and Becky, will be part of an on-field presentation before the start of Saturday’s game against Ball State. Brook’s mother, Jan, and other members of the Berringer family will also be on hand for the presentation.

Criteria for the Brook Berringer Memorial Scholarship includes the following: Must be a football student-athlete; must be involved in community service along with high ideals, excellent character and integrity.

A native of Grand Island, Peterson embodies the description of the Berringer Scholarship criteria. He has been a contributor to the Nebraska receiving corps since his freshman season in 2005 and has made 34 career receptions, including six touchdown grabs.

Off the field, Peterson is heavily involved in community outreach. He was selected to the 2007 Brook Berringer Citizenship Team, which recognizes Husker football players who take a leading role in Nebraska's community outreach activities. Peterson is also a member of the Nebraska Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Peterson is majoring in nutrition, exercise and health science and carries a 3.726 cumulative grade-point average. He is a two-time first-team Academic All-Big 12 selection.

=========
COMMENTS AND OTHER NEWS ABOUT THE FIRING OF THE AD...

Folks might want to view a video clip from OMAHA KETV it shows Pederson walking from office and departing campus. http://www.ketv.com/sports/14345816/detail.html.

The story also says fans were cheering and going to have a national championship type celebration. I'd say the buy out of 2.2 Million will sooth Pedersons feelings. Can Callaghan be far behind ???

=========
RYE WINS SECOND ROUND OF ATHLON SPIRIT CONTEST...

Husker fans voted Nebraska Cheer Squad member Anne Marie Rye into the championship round of the Athlon Sports Sideline Spirit Contest.

Lincoln – Nebraska Cheer Squad member Anne Marie Rye earned nearly 150,000 votes to win the second round of the Athlon Sports Sideline Spirit Contest, sponsored by JVC. Voting ended Oct. 13, and Husker fans pushed Rye into the finals by more than 27,000 votes ahead of second-place Taylor Nix from Florida State.

Voting for round two began Saturday, Sept. 22 and will run through 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 13.

The Athlon Sports Sideline Spirit Contest is in its fifth year. At least 32 spirit contestants from across the country are chosen to participate in the contest, which runs from September until the national championship game in January.

The competition consists of four rounds, featuring seven cheerleaders or dancers in each round (one from each BCS conference and one non-BCS representative). Fans can vote for their favorite spirit contestant, and at the conclusion of the regular season, spirit contestants will advance to the championship round, which is held during the bowl season.

Rye automatically advanced to the championship round by receiving the most votes in the second round. The winner of the championship round wins the overall contest.

Rye, a junior communications major from Lincoln, will try to become the second Husker to win the Athlon Sideline Spirit Contest. In 2004, former Husker Cheer Squad member Chelsea Kimmerling captured the honor. The nursing major from Beatrice, Neb., received more than 95,000 votes, nearly 36,000 votes ahead of the runner-up from North Carolina State.

The 2007 Athlon Sports Sideline Spirit Contest winner will be featured in the 2008 Athlon Sports College Football annuals and her school's spirit squad will receive $1,000, plus 2 JVC Camcorders, a 42-inch LCD JVC TV and a JVC Portable Kaboom Box.

Earlier this season, Husker fans showed their school spirit by voting Lil' Red into the third induction class of the Mascot Hall of Fame.

=========
NEBRASKA VOLLEYBALL SWEEPS TIGERS, 3-0...

Tracy Stalls put down 15 kills on only 19 swings while hitting .737 and adding six blocks.
Columbia, Mo. – It was too much Tracy Stalls, as top-ranked Nebraska continued its winning ways with a 31-29, 30-18, 30-14 victory over Missouri Wednesday night in front of a crowd off 6,059 at the Hearnes Center.

Stalls, who is second nationally in hitting percentage, hammered home 15 kills on just 19 swings for the Huskers (17-0, 10-0 Big 12). The senior middle blocker set season bests in both hitting percentage (.737) and blocks (six) to power a potent Husker attack. It was Stalls’ highest kill total since Aug. 25, and the first time in eight matches that she reached double figures in kills.

Sarah Pavan led Nebraska with 18 kills on .516 hitting and four stuffs, while outside hitter Christina Houghtelling was the third Husker to finish in double figured in kills with 11 while adding three service aces – all coming in a 10-0 Husker spurt in game two.

Rachel Holloway guided the Huskers to .458 hitting percentage, totaling 55 assists – her best three-game total of her career – and adding five digs and four kills on seven swings of her own. She helped NU hit over .400 in all three games, including at a .513 clip in the finale, as NU posted its 15th consecutive sweep.

===

HUSKERS STORM PAST SOONERS...

Norman, Okla. – Behind an sterling performance from outside hitter Christina Houghtelling, the No. 1 ranked Nebraska volleyball team remained undefeated with a 30-25, 30-21, 30-25 sweep of No. 25 Oklahoma Saturday afternoon in Norman.

Houghtelling, who had a career-high 20 kills in NU’s triumph in Norman two years ago, recorded her third straight double-double with 14 kills on a season-best .609 hitting and 19 digs. The .609 hitting was Houghtellling’s highest hitting percentage since hitting .615 against Florida in the 2005 NCAA Omaha Regional.

Nebraska Coach John Cook said that setter Rachel Holloway continually put Houghtelling in opportune positions to put shots away against OU. Holloway dished nearly recorded a double-double of her own with 49 assists and eight digs, while helping NU hit .350 or better in the final two games.

“I thought Holloway was doing a great job of running our offense, and Chris made the most of when she had sets and found ways to get kills,” Cook said.

=========
HUSKER SOCCER TEAM RETURNS TO LINCOLN FOR MORE TEXAS OPPONENTS...

Michaella Fulmer and the Huskers host Baylor on Friday.

Lincoln-After traveling to Texas for two consecutive weekends, the Huskers get some home cooking as they return to Lincoln. Nebraska (5-6-3, 1-4-0 Big 12) hosts Baylor (6-7-2, 0-5-1 Big 12) in a 4 p.m. contest on Friday and welcomes No. 5 Texas A&M (11-2-1, 5-1-0 Big 12) at 1 p.m. on Sunday. Both games will be played at the Nebraska Soccer Field.

This weekend's game are the fourth and fifth consecutive games that NU has faced an opponent from the state of Texas. The Huskers dropped a hard-fought battle to No. 3 Texas 2-1 in overtime on Oct. 7 and racked up 44 shots in a 4-0 win over Lamar last Friday. NU scored first against Texas Tech last Sunday but came up short in a 2-1 loss.

Friday's match up features both teams looking to get back in the win column. Baylor has had its own share of troubles as the Bears enter the weekend on a five-game losing streak and are winless in the Big 12. Recent games, including last year's overtime contest, have been close so Friday's game has the potential to be a good one.

The Huskers close out their Texas opponents with a tough match on Sunday against No. 5 Texas A&M. The Aggies enter the game riding a five-game winning streak and sit atop the Big 12 standings at 5-1-0. Sunday's game may be an upset alert as the Huskers are 5-2 all-time against the Aggies in Lincoln.

NU boasts an 82-28-4 all-time conference record, and a 4-1-2 home record this season.

=========
HUSKER SOFTBALL TEAM FARES WELL IN FALL SEASON...

Right-handers Molly Hill (pictured) and Alex Hupp combined for seven shutouts in nine fall games.

The Nebraska softball team completed a successful fall season earlier this month by sweeping three games from Pittsburg State at the Big Red Fall Classic at Bowlin Stadium.

With the three victories, the Huskers finished 8-1 in the fall, suffering only a 7-4, six-inning setback to Michigan, which finished the 2007 season one win shy of advancing to the Women’s College World Series while earning a No. 13 final ranking.

Nebraska began the fall season with a doubleheader sweep of Nebraska-Omaha. As was the theme of the fall, Husker right-handers Molly Hill and Alex Hupp were dominant. Hill, a junior from Wayne, Neb., tossed a shutout in Nebraska’s opening 2-0 victory. Hupp, a sophomore from Olathe, Kan., threw a shutout in game two, which the Huskers won by a score of 5-0.

Newcomers paced the offense on the opening day of the fall season, as freshmen Julie Brechtel and Kelli Linke, along with junior Amanda Duran, a transfer from Pima (Ariz.) Community College, combined to produce all five of Nebraska’s RBIs on the night and 10 of the Huskers’ 17 hits.

The Huskers traveled to Notre Dame the next day for four games in two days at the Worth Fall Classic. Facing a tough field, NU posted a 3-1 record, earning victories over Notre Dame, Illinois-Chicago and Western Michigan. Hill pitched a shutout against the Fighting Irish, while Hupp blanked both UIC and WMU.

In the opening game of the tournament, Hill posted a three-hit shutout as NU defeated host Notre Dame, 3-0. Brechtel again provided the clutch hit in the victory, as her two-run single in the top of the fifth inning put the game out of reach.

Hupp gave the Huskers four consecutive shutouts with a five-hitter in a 4-0 victory over Illinois-Chicago. Brechtel added her third RBI of the day in the win, while junior Crystal Carwile provided the big blow with a three-run home run.

The next day, Hupp picked up where she left off, winning a 1-0 pitchers’ duel with Western Michigan on the strength of three-hit, 10-strikeout performance. Junior Meghan Mullin manufactured the lone run of the game, as she singled, stole second and third and scored on an error.

Nebraska’s lone blemish of the fall season came in the final game of the tournament. The Huskers jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first on the strength of a triple from Mullin and an RBI single from Duran. Michigan then snapped Nebraska’s scoreless streak at 35.1 innings with a four-run first off Hill. The Wolverines led 6-2 after two innings and the Huskers could get no closer than 7-4 when the game was called after six innings due to a time limit that was in effect.

NU wrapped up the fall season with the Big Red Fall Classic at Bowlin Stadium. Playing in front of nearly 400 fans, the Huskers opened the tournament with 7-0 and 8-0 wins over Pittsburg State. Hill tossed a no-hitter in the first game with nine strikeouts, while the Nebraska offense came alive late, scoring all seven runs in the sixth inning. Carwile, junior Haley Long and freshman Ashley Guile each had two-RBI hits in the inning.

Hupp earned a five-inning shutout in the 8-0 nightcap victory, as the Husker offense scored eight runs in 4.1 innings to post their lone run-rule victory of the fall. Hupp struck out 11 of the 19 batters she faced and also added a three-run, first-inning double and a pair of walks. Mullin and Linke also enjoyed big games, as each finished with two hits and two RBIs.

On the final day of the classic, Nebraska won 4-1. The Huskers had to rally from an early 1-0 deficit as Hupp surrendered her only run of the fall in the top of the third inning, snapping her scoreless streak at 28.2 innings. Mullin tied the game with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third, while Long scored the go-ahead run and drove in Nebraska’s third run.

Huskers Hope Fall Success Leads to Successful Spring

If recent history is any indication, Nebraska’s strong showing in the fall could mean good things for the spring. The Huskers posted an 8-1 record this fall after finishing 8-4 last fall. The last time Nebraska finished with at least a .750 fall winning percentage, the Huskers went on to finish runner-up in the Big 12 Conference and establish the third-best winning percentage in school history during the 2006 season.

=========
NIMMO LEADS BASEBALL WHITE TEAM TO WIN...

Bryce Nimmo was 2-for-4 with four RBI to lead the Whites to an 8-2 win.

Bryce Nimmo went 2-for-4 with a double and four RBIs to pace the White squad in an 8-2 win over the Red team in game one of the Red/White Series for the Nebraska baseball team Wednesday afternoon at Hawks Field.

The Red squad scored in the top of the first on an RBI single by Jake Opitz, but the White team responded with three two-out runs in the bottom half of the inning. A bases-loaded single by Tyler Rank and a two-run double by Brett Sowers were the big hits, giving the Whites a 3-1 lead through one.

After Drew Gray drove in David Stewart with a two-out single to left in the top of the third to cut the White lead to 3-2, the White squad answered with three more runs on a bases-loaded double to right by Nimmo to extend its lead to 6-2.

In the bottom of the fourth, the White team scored when a throwing error on a rundown to try and put out Rank allowed Clay Cuno to score from third. An infield single by Nimmo with the bases loaded gave the Whites an 8-2 lead through four.

The bullpens would take over from there, as the two teams had only a combined three hitters reach base in the final two-and-a-half innings.

Along with Nimmo, Rank was 2-for-4 for the White squad with a pair of infield singles. Opitz went 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead the Red squad, which also had 2-for-3 performances from Gray, Craig Corriston, and Dan Johnston.

Eric Rose picked up the win for the White team, fanning three and allowing one earned run over five innings. Mike Mariot came out of the bullpen and overcame a leadoff double to the first batter he faced to face the minimum in two innings of work.

Aaron Pribanic took the loss for the Red squad, surrendering eight runs (six earned) through 3 2/3 innings of work. Pribanic walked five and hit two batters while striking out two.

The Nebraska baseball team is back in action on Thursday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. as it plays the second game of the two-game Red/White Series. The Huskers will close fall workouts with a scrimmage against Nebraska-Kearney at 2:30 p.m. Friday afternoon at Hawks Field.

=========
OTHER NEWS FROM THE HOMELAND...

* Tom Osborne Returns to Nebraska's Athletic Department

He walked away in 1997 at the height of his success. Served in Congress. Watched his hand-picked successor get the ax from a guy who used to work for him. Failed in a bid for the governor's seat. Became a professor. Tuesday,... http://nebraska.statepaper.com/vnews/display.v/
ART/2007/10/16/4715661da8eaa

* Rest In Pride, Steve Pederson

Two hours. That's roughly how it took for then-Nebraska Athletic Director Steve Pederson to announce and explain the firing of Frank Solich at the end of the 2003 regular season. Those 120 minutes defined Pederson's tenure at NU.... http://nebraska.statepaper.com/vnews/display.v/
ART/2007/10/16/4714482b615bb

* Pederson Out as NU Athletic Director

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Harvey Perlman fired NU Athletic Director Steve Pederson Monday, saying Pederson had "lost the respect" of the employees working for him, and thus was "no longer positioned to move the... http://nebraska.statepaper.com/vnews/
display.v/ART/2007/10/15/4713f8ce83c13
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Visit our Bay Area Huskers website for additional Husker information, Links, Upcoming Events, Past Events, Watch Sites, and the Schedule of Games. Also order Merchandise online, and get information on Husker Scholarships. Check out the History of the Huskers and meet our Directors.

Say hello today, email us, sign up for our newsletter, and become a member of the Bay Area Huskers Alumni Chapter.