Huskers Look to Continue Hot Start vs. USC Upstate The Nebraska men’s basketball team continues its homestand Saturday afternoon, as the Huskers host USC Upstate. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. (central) and 300 Level tickets are available for the matchup by visiting Huskers.com/Tickets or at the PBA Ticket Office beginning at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday. The game will be available online at B1G+, while the radio broadcast is available on the Husker Sports Network, as well as on Huskers.com and on the Huskers app.
The Huskers (7-0) are coming off of a hard-fought 80-73 win over Winthrop on Tuesday evening. Rienk Mast’s 31-point night, which included 7-of-10 from 3-point range, led four Huskers in double figures. Mast had 13 of his points in a decisive 15-5 second-half surge, as the Huskers shot 53 percent in the second half to extend their win streak to 11 games dating back to last season. Nebraska saw a 13-point lead cut to three with 1:45 left before baskets by Pryce Sandfort and Cale Jacobsen gave the Huskers some breathing room.
Mast is averaging 23.5 points per game over the last four contests while shooting 56 percent from the field, including 52 percent from 3-point range. The seventh-year senior enters Saturday’s tilt averaging team highs in scoring (18.6 ppg) and rebounding (6.3 rpg) while dishing out 3.5 assists per game.
The Huskers’ 7-0 start marks just the seventh time in school history that Nebraska has begun a season with seven straight wins. With a win on Saturday afternoon, the Huskers would be 8-0 for the first time since a school-record 10-0 start in 1977-78 and extend the nation’s longest win streak to 12 games.
USC Upstate (4-4) comes to Lincoln following an 87-62 win over North Carolina Central on Tuesday evening. Mason Bendinger led the Spartans with 19 points, including 4-of-5 from 3-point range to pace three players in double figures. USC shot a blistering 74 percent in the second half en route to the win.
Numbers to Know 86.6 – Nebraska’s 86.6 ppg is the program’s highest scoring average thru seven games since the 1995-96 campaign (89.7 ppg). That team averaged 80.2 ppg for the season.
11.7 – Nebraska averages 11.7 3-pointers per game to lead the Big Ten and rank 14th nationally as of Nov. 27. Currently, seven Big Ten teams are averaging more than 10.0 3-pointers per game.
80+ – Nebraska is 44-10 (.815) under Fred Hoiberg when scoring 80 or more points, including a 35-7 mark over the last three-plus seasons. Of those seven losses since the start of 2022-23, four came in overtime.
.935 – Over the last three-plus seasons, NU is 43-3 when holding foes to under 1.00 PPP and 44-5 when holding opponents to under 70 points. Nebraska has improved its KenPom defensive efficiency in each of the past three seasons.
.958 – Nebraska is 23-1 at home in non-conference play over the last three-plus seasons and is 36-9 (.800) at home in non-conference action in Fred Hoiberg’s tenure at Nebraska.
Worth Noting • Nebraska has now won its last 18 non-conference games dating back to Nov. 22, 2024, which is the nation’s longest non-con win streak. The Huskers have also won 12 straight home games against non-conference foes dating back to the 2023-24 season.
• The Husker men and women enter the weekend with 7-0 records, marking just the second time in school history that both programs won their first seven games. Tuesday’s game also featured another first, as both programs had a 30-point scorer (Rienk Mast-31; Britt Prince-30) on the same day in school history.
• Nebraska enters the weekend riding an 11-game win streak dating back to last season’s College Basketball Crown. It is the longest active streak in the nation and is tied for the sixth-longest streak in school history. With a win on Saturday, it would be NU’s longest win streak since a school-record 14-game win streak in 1991. It would be just the second time since WW2 that NU won 12 or more straight games.
Before the current win streak, NU’s longest streak under Fred Hoiberg was a seven-game streak to start the 2023-24 season. Nebraska is averaging 84.5 ppg on 49 percent shooting during its 11-game win streak and has scored at least 1.00 points per possession in all 11 contests.
Longest Win Streaks in School History
No.
Season
Win Streak
Date Started
Date Ended
1.
1990-91
14 games
11-28-90
1-22-91
1911-12/12-13
14 games
1-27-12
1-25-13
3.
1919-20/20-21
13 games
2-6-20
1-3-21
1897-98/1900-01
13 games
2-22-1898
1901**
5.
1912-13
12 games
1-31-13
3-12-13
6.
2024-25/25-26
11 games
3-31-25
present
2010-11
11 games
11-20-10
1-12-11
1993-94
11 games
12-3-93
1-19-94
1905-06/06-07
11 games
2-25-06
2-15-07
10.
1994-95
10 games
11-27-94
1-4-95
1977-78
10 games
12-2-77
12-29-77
• Nebraska has been one of the nation’s top 3-point shooting teams, as the Huskers lead the Big Ten and rank 11th nationally with 11.7 3-pointers made per game as of Nov. 27. Nebraska’s 11.7 3-pointers per game is nearly five more per game more than last season after seven games and is the best early-season start for a Fred Hoiberg team at Nebraska.
• Nebraska has made 10-or-more 3-pointers five times in seven games, including 17 against FIU and 15 vs. Oklahoma. It marked only the seventh and eighth time in school history that NU had at least 15 3-pointers in a game. Last year, the Huskers made double-digit 3-pointers seven times in 35 contests.
• After going 24 seasons without an in-season tournament championship, Nebraska has won two since last Christmas, taking home the Diamond Head Invitational last December and the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City. NU’s Hall of Fame Classic title marked the first time a Big Ten team won the event since 2014.
• Nebraska enters Saturday’s game with USC Upstate ranked third in the Big Ten and 15th nationally with 20.1 assists per game. It is an increase of 5.8 assists per game from last season. NU has averaged 20 assists only two times in school history (1990-91 and 1984-85).
• NU’s team 1.99-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 11th nationally entering as of Nov. 27. It is on track to be NU’s best total in Fred Hoiberg’s seven seasons. NU’s best assist-to-turnover ratio under Hoiberg was 1.38-to-1 in 2023-24. The school record in that category is 1.81-to-1 in 1984-85. Nebraska has two games with at least 20 assists and five turnovers or less (Winthrop, vs. Oklahoma).
• Rienk Mast is one of 24 players nationally – and eight from power conference teams – averaging at least 15.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game entering as of Nov. 27.
• Mast is one of two active Division I players with at least 1,500 points and 900 rebounds, joining Gonzaga’s Graham Ike (2,079 points, 958 rebounds). Mast also ranks in the top 15 among active NCAA players in points, rebounds and games played.
• Pryce Sandfort is averaging 17.7 ppg on 58 percent shooting, 5.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game over the past six contests. He also has an 8.5-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio in that span. Sandfort has scored 20+ points three times in that stretch after eclipsing that mark once in his two seasons at Iowa.
• Braden Frager was named MVP of the Hall of Fame Classic after averaging 18.0 points on 72 percent shooting and 7.0 rebounds per game. His 20-point effort in the win over New Mexico was his second 20-point game of the season, and he joins Connor Essegian has the only Huskers under Hoiberg with multiple 20-point games off the bench in a season. Frager is of only two power conference players – joining Arkansas’ Maleek Thomas – to have multiple 20-point efforts off the bench this season as of Nov. 27.
• NU has had nine double-digit scoring runs this season, including three against both West Georgia and FIU.
• Eight Huskers have posted double-figure efforts this season, while five players have had at least one 20-point performance (Pryce Sandfort-3; Rienk Mast-3; Braden Frager-2; Jamarques Lawrence-1).
• Nebraska is 41-14 (.745) over the past three-plus seasons when Sam Hoiberg plays at least 20 minutes. The senior is setting career bests in nearly every category, including scoring (7.4 ppg), rebounding (5.6 rpg), assists (4.3 apg) and steals (2.4 spg). According to stathead, Hoiberg and UConn’s Silas Demary Jr. are the only conference players nationally nationally averaging at least 5+ rebounds, 4+ assists and 2+ steals per game as of Nov. 27.
Winthrop Recap Behind a 31-point performance from Rienk Mast, Nebraska remained unbeaten with an 80-73 win over Winthrop Tuesday evening at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Mast hit a career-high seven 3-pointers, going 7-of-10 from beyond the arc, as he went 11-of-18 from the field and added five rebounds and four assists to pace four Huskers in double figures. Cale Jacobsen and Braden Frager added 11 points apiece, while Pryce Sandfort added 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds, as Nebraska shot 53 percent in the second half to overcome a 36-32 halftime deficit.
Leading 52-49 with 10:53 left, the Huskers seized control with a 15-5 spurt over the next 5:18 to build their largest lead of the night at 67-54. A Frager dunk got the run started before Mast scored the next 11 points, including a trio of 3-pointers. Winthrop made one last run, scoring eight straight points to trim a 72-61 deficit to 72-69 after Kareem Rozier’s 3-pointer with 1:45 left before baskets from Sandfort and Jacobsen sealed the win.
Notes from the Winthrop Win • With the win, Nebraska extended its nation-leading win streak to 11 games, dating back to last season.
• Rienk Mast had 31 points for his third career 30-point game and first this season. Mast scored 22 of his game-high 31 points in the second half.
• Mast was 7-of-10 from the 3-point line, setting a career high with seven 3-pointers. His seven 3-pointers tied NU’s record for most 3-pointers at Pinnacle Bank Arena (Glynn Watson Jr. – 2x). Mast’s seven 3-pointers were the most by a Husker since Kobe Webster had seven at Northwestern on March 7, 2021.
• NU had 22 assists in the game, marking the fourth time this season the Huskers have had 20 or more assists in a game this season. NU also tied a season low with five turnovers.
• Sam Hoiberg tied his career high with four steals. He also matched his season high with six assists and has a 30-to-6 assist-to-turnover ratio.
• Cale Jacobsen finished with a career-high 11 points and matched career bests in both rebounds (six) and blocked shots (two).
The college volleyball offseason has only just officially begun, but moves are already being made.
Kentucky head coach Craig Skinner kicked things off by signing an All-American honorable mention for next season’s group. UK announced the addition of Notre Dame outside hitter Morgan Gaerte through the transfer portal on Wednesday morning. A 6-foot-5 native of Indiana, Gaerte was named a 2025 AVCA All-American Honorable Mention and a First Team All-ACC performer. She’ll help ease the loss of Eva Hudson — the lone senior on Kentucky’s national runner-up team this past season — on the outside.
Gaerte, who will have two years of eligibility remaining with the Wildcats, set a Notre Dame record last season with 4.64 kills per set (13th nationally). She’ll be expected to play on the opposite side of All-American outside hitter Brooklyn DeLeye for the ‘Cats in 2026. Skinner is already reloading.
Gaerte was a rare star for Notre Dame volleyball. A team captain, she started all 28 matches in 2025 as a sophomore for the Fighting Irish, finishing the year with 497 kills, the third-most ever in a season in Notre Dame history and the most since Christy Peters in 1997. Her First Team All-ACC nod was the first by a Notre Dame player since 2020. She reached 20 or more kills in 11 matches, also a program record for one season.
But where the transfer portal can give, it can also take. Kentucky lost a piece of this past season’s roster when redshirt sophomore middle blocker Brooke Bultema announced on Wednesday her intentions to transfer out of Lexington. After a redshirt freshman campaign in 2024 that saw her named to the SEC All-Freshman Team, Bultema did not see as much playing time in 2025 as she would have hoped for.
She likely won’t be the last outgoing transfer for Kentucky, either. Skinner is expected to return eight of his top nine rotation players from last season (barring an unexpected transfer), with the only departure being Hudson to graduation. And now that Gaerte is in the fold, the top half of the roster is in good shape once again. Don’t be shocked if other current Wildcats deeper on the bench elect to look elsewhere in the coming days/weeks.
Skinner shows love to the BBN
Coming off a disappointing loss in the national championship match to Texas A&M, Craig Skinner reminded us all how truly magical the 2025 campaign still was. Kentucky won its ninth straight SEC Championship, won the SEC Tournament, finished with 30 wins on the season, and went perfect (15-0) during conference play. UK made just the program’s second-ever national title match and first since winning it all in 2020 along the way.
Skinner sent out a few social media posts on Wednesday morning, thanking the Big Blue Nation for all their support throughout the season. He says over 38,000 total fans showed up to home matches inside Memorial Coliseum in 2025, where the ‘Cats did not drop a single match.
Man. What a ride! This team rejuvenated my fire for coaching and my love for this incredible fan base. Over 38,000 of you came through the turnstiles at HMC and led us to an undefeated home record and a Lexington Regional Championship! pic.twitter.com/Xw7aBDBN4E
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ST. MARY’S CITY, Md. – Four members of the St. Mary’s College of Maryland volleyball team were honored by the College Sports Communicators (CSC) as members of the CSC Academic All-District® Team, the organization announced in a release Tuesday (Dec. 16).
Senior Julia Bobrowski (California, Md./Leonardtown), juniors Camilla Galeano (Germantown, Md./Damascus) and Lauren Panageotou (Baltimore, Md./Mercy), and sophomore Stella Marrero (Pleasant Prairie, Wis./Christian Life) all earned the award for the 2025 season.
Bobrowski is the lone repeat selection.
The 2025 Academic All-District® Volleyball Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom.
The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes volleyball honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, and NAIA.
Outstanding student-athletes are nominated for Academic All-District® recognition by communications directors and must have a minimum 3.50 GPA plus meet high athletic standards.
Bobrowski owns a 3.74 GPA as a sociology major and business administration minor for her second straight Academic All-District award. The 5-6 outside hitter ranked sixth in the United East Conference with 55 service aces and 14th with 0.52 aces per set. She was named to the United East All-Sportsmanship Team (Nov. 24).
Galeano, a computer science major with a 3.87 GPA, tied for 14th in the conference with 42 service aces while tying for 17th with 0.49 aces per set. The 5-4 setter led the Seahawks with 402 assists while registering 20-plus assists five times this season.
A psychology major and educational studies minor, Panageotou boasts a 3.7 GPA. The 5-10 setter was second on the team with 291 assists while adding 101 digs, 12 service aces, and six kills in 30 matches.
Marrero picked up her first Academic All-District award with 3.96 GPA as a neuroscience and psychology double major and biology minor. The 5-7 defensive specialist ranked 10th in the United East with 303 digs while sitting 20th with 2.78 digs per set. She was also second on the team with 45 service aces.
St. Mary’s College (17-15, 8-2 UEC) captured the program’s first-ever conference tournament championship title by taking the 2025 United East tournament crown with a 3-2 road win over top-seeded Penn State Harrisburg. The Seahawks also gained the program’s first-ever berth in the NCAA Division III Women’s Volleyball Tournament.
Wellsboro junior Madison Cruttenden was recently named to the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association’s, PVCA, Class 2A All-State team.
Cruttenden was one of three NTL and District IV volleyballers (Aryana Andrus and Alli Bailey from Troy) to make the team.
Cruttenden received 536 serves, made 37 assists and had 341 digs this season. She also scored 163 points to go along with 54 aces.
Over the course of her career she has made 1,197 receptions, 56 assists, 784 digs, 407 points (112 aces) and 6 kills.
“This is a well-deserved honor for Maddy,” head coach Darci Pollock said. “She has been a consistent back row player for us the past two seasons. She continues to work hard in the off season. I’m very proud of her work ethic and dedication to the team!”
Cruttenden is the ninth Wellsboro player to earn a spot on the PCVA All-State team. Cruttenden joins Carrie Gorda, Rachel Patt, Hannah Zuchowski, Kirsten Florio, Caitlyn Callahan, Megan Starkweather, Paige Logsdon and Lexi Urena.
All-RRV Volleyball 2025: A golden finish: Trinity Christian Academy’s Pyeatt walks off as state champion and All-RRV Volleyball Co-Offensive Player of the Year | Free
The 118th Millrose Games women’s 3000 meters on Feb. 1, 2026, at the Nike Track & Field Center at The Armory will feature a showdown between NCAA distance running’s top stars Doris Lemngole and Jane Hedengren, along with 2025 runner-up Josette Andrews.
Lemngole, competing for Alabama, holds the NCAA championship and record in the 3000m steeplechase. The Kenya native won the steeplechase at the Lausanne Diamond League and finished fourth at the World Championships before claiming her second straight NCAA cross country title — her fifth NCAA championship overall. The junior received the 2025 Bowerman Award last week, recognizing her as collegiate track and field’s top athlete.
“I am excited and looking forward to competing at the Millrose Games, especially given its prestige and historic significance,” said Lemngole in a release by the meeting this week.. “It is a great opportunity!”
Read More: Julien Alfred Among Sprinters Confirmed For 2025 Millrose Games
Hedengren broke every American high school distance record from 1500m through 5000m before enrolling at BYU. The freshman went unbeaten in cross country until finishing second to Lemngole at nationals, then shattered the NCAA 5000m record with a 14:44.79 clocking in her indoor debut.
Both runners will chase Katelyn Tuohy’s NCAA 3000m record of 8:35.20, established at the 2023 Millrose Games.
Andrews, from Tenafly, N.J., finished sixth in the 5000m at the 2025 World Championships and has top-five showings at World Indoor Championships and the Diamond League Final.
Several Other 118th Millrose Games Confirmations
The World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meet will also feature Grant Fisher, Cole Hocker, Elle St. Pierre, Jess Hull, Nikki Hiltz, Joe Kovacs, Yared Nuguse, Hobbs Kessler, Cameron Myers, Julien Alfred, Devynne Charlton and Danielle Williams.
Tickets are available at millrosegames.org. More than 85 percent of seats have sold.
DAYTONA BEACH – The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats have officially released their 2026 softball schedule. The schedule includes four in-season tournaments prior to SWAC play along with two separate contests against non-conference foes.
The Wildcats’ season will begin at the USF-Rawlings Classic in Tampa from February 5-7. B-CU will open against Illinois State, followed by matchups with USF, Kansas, Michigan, and Florida.
The Cats’ first game at Sunnyland Park will take place on February 11th against North Dakota State at 5 p.m.
From February 13-15, the Wildcats will be in Leesburg, Florida for THE Spring Games, where they will take on mid-majors LIU, Southern Miss, Loyola Chicago, and St. John’s.
The following weekend, B-CU once again travels to Cathedral City, California for an appearance in the annual Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic (Feb. 19-21), squaring off against Utah, Rutgers, Texas Tech, Oregon State, and Long Beach State.
For their fourth and final in-season tournament, the Wildcats head to Madiera Beach, Florida for the Make It Happen Games. The event takes place from February 27 to March 1 and features Bellarmine, UMass, UIC, Bowling Green, and Monmouth.
The Wildcats’ SWAC schedule begins on Friday, March 6th with a two-game road series against Alabama A&M. B-CU will then finish up their non-conference schedule following a road contest against UNF (March 11).
B-CU welcomes Alabama State for a three-game series on March 13th & 14th. The following weekend (March 20-21), they will travel to play Jackson State before heading back to Sunnyland. The Cats host rival Florida A&M for a three-game set on March 27th and 28th.
The Wildcats travel to Itta Bena, Mississippi to take on the Delta Devils on April 3rd & 4th. Their final three series include rematches of previous series against Jackson State, Alabama State, and Alabama A&M. B-CU will host the Tigers (April 10-11) and the Bulldogs (April 24-25), while traveling to face the Hornets (April 17-18).
The Southeastern Athletic Conference tournament will again compete in Gulfport, Mississippi, and takes place from May 5th to May 9th.
Follow Bethune-Cookman Softball on Twitter (@BCUSoftball) and Instagram (@BCUSoftball) for all of the latest news and updates. For all Bethune-Cookman Athletics news, follow us on Twitter (@BCUAthletics), Instagram (@BCU_Athletics) and BCUathletics.com.
