Nebraska
Nebraska flips four-star OLB Dawson Merritt away from Alabama
Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on Rivals.com, the leader in college football and basketball recruiting coverage. Be the first to know and follow your teams by signing up here.
Flip season is on and just got real for Nebraska. Four-star outside linebacker Dawson Merritt has announced that he’s flipped from Alabama to the Huskers.
Merritt had been a long time target of the Huskers and remained a priority even after his initial commitment to Alabama.
The Overland Park (Kan.) Blue Valley four-star is the 20th commitment for Nebraska’s 2025 recruiting class. The class currently sits inside the top 20 the Rivals team recruiting rankings.
WHAT MERRITT MEANS FOR NEBRASKA
If Nebraska is going to return to the national scene part of the story will be that the program started landing elite talent from the Midwest. So it’s a huge deal that the Huskers were able to pull the flip with Merritt who is among the best players in the region this cycle.
Merritt joins offensive lineman Julian Marks, linebacker Christian Jones, running back Jamarion Parker, defensive lineman Tyson Terry and wide receiver Isaiah Mozee as four-stars in the class from the Midwest. That’s a terrific haul for Rhule as he rebuilds the program.
This commitment also shows another important thing for Rhule. He can land players that want to go to elite programs. The relationship between Rhule and the Merritt family is fantastic. That’s because of Rhule’s ability to connect and how he kept on Dawson even after he gave his commitment to Alabama.
WHAT MERRITT BRINGS FOR THE HUSKERS
Versatility is the name of the game for Merritt. He’s exactly the type of potential defensive chess piece that defensive coordinator Tony White loves to coach. The Kansas native has the arm length, bend and quickness that can make him a good pass rusher. There are moments he flashed that ability when I saw him play in person this season.
But Merritt has a frame (6-3, 200) that will likely be able to hold 20-30 more pounds. Strength coach Corey Campbell will want to put some additional muscle mass on him before he hits the field in Lincoln. If that happens, Merritt could also be a player that plays some off-ball linebacker in the way that John Bullock currently plays for the team.
Nebraska
Nebraska outfielder Will Jesske coaches local legion team
LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) — After a hamstring injury during Nebraska’s baseball season, Will Jesske was advised to take it easy this summer. He is, but Jesske has found a new way to stay involved in the game.
Jesske is coaching a local legion baseball team. He is a volunteer assistant for Lincoln Hotel Group, the senior legion team for Standing Bear High School.
Jesske, a Lincoln Southeast graduate, describes himself as the “hype man” in the LHG dugout. He brings energy and enthusiasm, which players enjoy. Jesske said coaching is a way he can give back to local players while helping LHG’s coaching staff. Jesske played under Tanner Lewis and Kyle Beacom in high school. They now lead the LHG legion program.
Jesske is entering his senior season at Nebraska. He has appeared in 95 games over his career, including 33 during the Huskers’ 43-win season this spring. Jesske was injured early in the season but played through it as Nebraska hosted an NCAA regional. He hit .318 in his junior season. Jesske said he is fully healthy and credited extended rest with his recovery.
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Copyright 2026 KOLN. All rights reserved.
Nebraska
Former Nebraska wrestler AJ Ferrari wanted in Lincoln, accused of assaulting pregnant woman
LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – Former Nebraska wrestler AJ Ferrari is wanted in Lancaster County on suspicion of assaulting a pregnant woman in May.
An arrest warrant was filed for Ferrari on Thursday. He faces three felony charges which include first-degree false imprisonment and assault by strangling a pregnant woman.
According to an arrest affidavit, a woman from California contacted police in Lincoln on May 8 just after midnight. She told officers her daughter called for help and pointed them to Ferrari’s apartment.
Police arrived at the apartment and knocked on the door. A pregnant woman came out after several minutes of knocking with no answer. Officers said the woman was visibly upset.
She told officers that Ferrari tried taking her phone away after an argument, but she wouldn’t let him take it. The arrest affidavit shows Ferrari then dragged her off a bed by her feet.
Police think Ferrari then got on top of her and strangled her, likely until she was unconscious. The woman told police that she felt as though her throat “collapsed” and that she was “breathing through a straw.”
Once regaining consciousness, police said the woman tried hiding in a closet and contacting her mother on another device. But Ferrari followed her, pushed her onto a bed and sat on her until she apologized, according to the affidavit.
She apologized in order to be released, police said. The woman then tried to leave the apartment, but police said Ferrari dragged her by the arm back inside. She found her phone and contacted her mother, yelling “help!”, prosecutors wrote.
Ferrari grabbed the phone and hung up, according to the affidavit. The woman’s mother tried calling several more times before calling police.
Authorities transported the woman to Bryan West for treatment. Officers said she sustained injuries consistent with strangulation, including bruising around her neck and other abrasions.
Last weekend, Ferrari was arrested in Lincoln County on suspicion of flight to avoid arrest, willful reckless driving and obstructing the police. He was cited after a trooper chased a Corvette in the North Platte area.
Lincoln County authorities told KOLN that Ferrari is out on bond. His current whereabouts are unclear.
Court records show that the woman has filed for a protection order against Ferrari. A hearing has been set for July 7 to give him an opportunity to show the court why one should not be issued.
Previously, Ferrari was booked in Lancaster County, Nebraska for an outstanding warrant in January of this year, but those charges were dismissed later that week.
Ferrari parted ways with the Huskers in April of this year.
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Copyright 2026 KOLN. All rights reserved.
Nebraska
Discounted tickets for Nebraska State Fair over 4th of July Weekend
The Nebraska State Fair is celebrating America’s 250th anniversary with a special 72-hour flash sale on Season Passes.
From July 3 through July 5, fans can purchase a 2026 Season Pass for just $50—a significant discount from its regular value of $132.
The pass includes one admission per day for all 11 days of the 2026 Nebraska State Fair, making it ideal for visitors who plan to attend multiple days.
Fair officials say the promotion is one of the biggest Season Pass discounts offered in years and will not be extended.
After July 5, Season Passes will remain available at a higher discounted price.
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