GALLAS & WILRICH TO LEAD LOPERS IN INTERIM:
Nebraska Kearney Athletic Director Marc Bauer announced today that Levi Gallas and Jake Willrich will serve as co-interim head coaches for the football program after the recent departure of Josh Lynn.
Gallas is the Lopers defensive coordinator and defensive line coach and has been at UNK since 2017. Willrich currently is the special teams coordinator, secondary coach and lead academic coach and has been a Loper for the past seven years.
UNK will move with urgency in the replacement of Lynn, who was the 18th head coach in school history. He recently announced plans to be the head coach at Division II-member West Texas A&M University. With the Holiday Break upcoming, recruiting season in session – D2 signing date is February 1st, 2023 – and the transfer portal open, Bauer hopes to name a head coach by the end of the month.
FORMER LOPER SWANSON REPEATS AS ALL-AMERICAN; HEADS TO TUALNE:
Nebraska Kearney redshirt senior strong safety Darius Swanson is a repeat selection to the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2 CCA) All-American team.
Swanson makes the second-team after making the first-team in 2021. He became UNK’s first two-time defensive All-American since UNK Hall of Famer Jon Gustafson (defensive end) in 1983 and 1984.
The co-captain had another strong year for the Lopers as he registered 66 tackles (39 solo), broke up eight passes, had three interceptions for 44 yards and a touchdown and forced two fumbles. Missing the last game of the year due to injury, Swanson led UNK in INT’s and passes defended, was tied for the lead in PBU’s and ranked fourth in tackles. He was part of a defense that held seven opponents under 19 points.
Swanson, who’ll use his “COVID” year to play at FBS-member Tulane in 2023, ranks 24th in UNK history in career tackles with 190 (121 solo). The soon-to-be UNK graduate also had seven career INT’s and 16 career PBU’s.
RODRIGUEZ NAMED TO AVCA ALL-AMERICAN SECOND TEAM:
Nebraska sophomore libero Lexi Rodriguez was named a second-team All-American on Wednesday by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA).
Rodriguez earned the second All-America honor of her career as she was a first-team selection last year and the AVCA National Freshman of the Year. This season, Rodriguez averaged 4.26 digs per set and led the Huskers to a nation-leading opponent hitting percentage of .128. The Sterling, Ill., native also recorded 25 service aces and had 135 set assists in the Huskers’ 6-2 system.
A team captain, Rodriguez was a unanimous selection to the All-Big Ten Team two weeks ago.
Rodriguez’ All-America honor gives the Nebraska volleyball program a nation-leading 99 awards all-time.
KPS, UNK SIGN TEN-YEAR AGREEMENT TO SHARE FACILITIES:
Kearney Public Schools and the University of Nebraska at Kearney have signed an agreement to continue sharing facilities. The 10-year extension from June 2023 continues toJune 2033.
UNK will have access to the Kearney High School pool/natatorium and track, while KPS will access the UNK Cope Stadium and football field.
Kearney Public Schools and the University of Nebraska at Kearney have had a long-standing relationship supporting each other on multiple fronts. KPS has used the athletic facilities at UNK and hosted KPS graduation at the Health and Sports Center for the past 20 years.
HUSKER SPRING GAME SET FOR APRIL 22:
The Nebraska Spring Game will be on April 22, Trev Alberts said on the Huskers Radio Network on Tuesday night.
The Husker athletic director assumes kickoff will be at 1 p.m. but Nebraska will work with the Big Ten Network on kickoff time.
ALBERTS ANNOUNCES PRICE REDUCTION FOR SEASON TICKET HOLDERS:
Nebraska football fans will get the chance at cheaper season tickets in 2023.
As part of 100th anniversary celebrations for Memorial Stadium, Nebraska athletic director Trev Alberts announced Tuesday a one-year reduction in season ticket prices. Those prices will drop to $320 for the seven home games. That is a 24 percent cost savings from the 2022 price of $420 for the same number of home games.
Nebraska has sold out 389 consecutive home games. The streak, active since 1962, encompasses nearly two-thirds of the games played in Memorial Stadium since its dedication in 1923.
The first home game of the 100th anniversary season in Memorial Stadium is Sept. 16 against Northern Illinois.
Other home games in 2023 include Louisiana Tech (Sept. 23), Big Ten champion Michigan (Sept. 30), Northwestern (Oct. 21), Purdue (Oct. 28), Maryland (Nov. 11) and the annual Black Friday matchup with Iowa (Nov. 24).
MEMORIAL STADIUM TO SEE MORE RENOVATIONS OVER OFF-SEASON:
Memorial Stadium’s east side will look a bit different for the 2023 home opener Sept. 16 against Northern Illinois. The balcony will transform into a new club level mirroring the club level in West Stadium, stated by Nebraska Athletic Director Trev Alberts on Tuesday’s Sports Nightly.
The move will cause a reduction of more than 600 seats across Memorial Stadium.
“Hard letters” have already been sent to fans about the upcoming changes, with ticketholders having the option to stay in the area or relocate. A university price sheet shows the donation level for the existing area has been between $750 and $1,500 per seat for a season, with current club seats between $1,500 and $2,500.
ARGENTINA REACHES WORLD CUP FINAL:
Linoel Messi produced perhaps the best performance of his record-tying 25 appearances at the World Cup, leading Argentina to a 3-0 victory over Croatia on Tuesday that set up a meeting with either France or Morocco in Sunday’s final.
Messi converted a penalty and played a part in the other two goals by Julián Álvarez — one with an outrageous piece of skill that brought roars of approval from Argentina’s huge following — to turn an initially tense occasion into a procession.
It will be Messi’s second World Cup final — Argentina lost the other one to Germany in 2014 — in what might be his last appearance at the tournament.
MISSISSIPPI STATE TO PLAY IN BOWL GAME AFTER LEACH PASSING:
No. 24 Mississippi State will be playing in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Illinois on Jan. 2 in Tampa, Florida.
That is one of the few solid things around the football program at the moment following the sudden death of coach Mike Leach on Monday night in Jackson, Mississippi, with what the school said were complications from a heart condition. The third-year coach was 61.
Leach’s death came as his Bulldogs (8-4) look to follow up their most successful season during his tenure with a victory in the bowl game.
Defensive coordinator Zach Arnett will run the team for now, but Mississippi State is facing a potential search for a new coach with the annual signing day for recruits coming up next week and the possibility that some of its players will join the many already in the transfer portal.
Local Results & Schedules:
THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:
TUESDAY:
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Girls Basketball: @ Ravenna
- Ravenna 43-36 KCHS
- Boys Basketball: @ Ravenna
- KCHS 36-26 Ravenna
- Girls Basketball: @ Ravenna
WEDNESDAY:
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Sports Nightly (6 PM – 8 PM)
THURSDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Boys Basketball: v. Papillion-LaVista @ Kearney High School – 6:15 PM
- KGFW Pregame at 6 PM
- Boys Basketball: v. Papillion-LaVista @ Kearney High School – 6:15 PM
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- N/a
- UNK:
- N/a
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Kearney High Boys Basketball v. Papillion-LaVista (6 PM – 8 PM)
FRIDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Wrestling: @ Flatwater Fracas Wrestling Tournament @ Heartland Events Center – 1 PM
- Swimming & Diving: @ Lincoln SE Invite – 1 PM
- Girls Basketball: @ Omaha Buena Vista – 6 PM
- KGFW Pregame at 5:45 PM
- Boys Basketball: @ Omaha Buena Vista – 7:30 PM
- KGFW Pregame after Girls v. OBV
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Swimming & Diving: Dive @ Lincoln SE Invite – 1 PM
- Girls Basketball: @ McCook – 5:30 PM
- Boys Basketball: @ McCook – 7:30 PM
- UNK:
- Women’s Basketball: v. Newman @ Health & Sports Center – 5 PM
- Men’s Basketball: v. Newman @ Health & Sports Center – 7 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Kearney High Girls Basketball @ Omaha Buena Vista (5:45 PM – 7:45 PM)
- Kearney High Boys Basketball @ Omaha Buena Vista (7:45 PM – 9:45 PM)
SATURDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Wrestling: @ Flatwater Fracas Wrestling Tournament @ Heartland Events Center – 9:30 AM
- Swimming & Diving: Lincoln SE Invite – 10 AM
- Boys Basketball: v. Elkhorn North @ Hastings College – Heartland Hoops Holiday Classic – 1:20 PM
- Pregame at 1 PM on KGFW
- Girls Basketball: v. Papillion-LaVista @ Kearney High School – 5:15 PM
- Pregame at 5 PM on KGFW
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Wrestling: v. KCHS Invite – 9 AM
- Boys Basketball: v. Sandy Creek @ Hastings College – 10 AM
- Swimming & Diving: @ Lincoln SE Invite – 10 AM
- UNK:
- Wrestling: v. Augustana @ Health & Sports Center – 12:15 PM
- Wrestling: v. York @ Health & Sports Center – 1:30 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Kearney High Boys Basketball: v. Elkhorn North (1 PM – 3 PM)
- Kearney High Girls Basketball: v. Papillion-LaVista (5 PM – 7 PM)
SUNDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- N/a
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- N/a
- UNK:
- Women’s Basketball v. Central Oklahoma @ Health & Sports Center – 2 PM
- Men’s Basketball v. Central Oklahoma @ Health & Sports Center – 4 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Nebraska Women’s Basketball v. Wyoming (1:45 PM – 5 PM)