Nebraska
Rifle Begins 2024 Schedule Saturday at Army, Sunday vs. Nebraska
LEXINGTON, Ky. – As the calendar turns to 2024, the University of Kentucky rifle team begins the second stretch of regular-season competition, traveling to West Point, New York this weekend for dual matches at Army and vs. Nebraska on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
The action starts Saturday as Kentucky takes on Army inside the Tronsrue Marksmanship Center at West Point. Sunday, Kentucky will take on Nebraska in a neutral-site dual match in the same facility. Live targets and a NCAA Scorecard are available both days online at UKathletics.com. Both matches are scheduled to start at 9 a.m. ET.
“Excited to get the 2024 portion of the schedule underway,” UK head coach Harry Mullins said. “I was very proud of how we ended the season up in Alaska with some good performances and look forward to seeing how we can continue that momentum into 2024. We know the regular season is all about getting better and perfecting our craft as we head into the GARC Championships and NCAAs. It will be great to be back in the range with the team this weekend.”
Kentucky is coming off its best performance of the season in its last match, posting a season-high team score of 4745 in a tri-match with both Alaska-Fairbanks and Akron in Fairbanks, Alaska. It was a career day from fifth-year senior Emmie Sellers, who set career highs in both smallbore and air rifle for a new career-high aggregate. Kentucky scored a season high score in both disciplines, posting a 2357 in smallbore and 2388 in air rifle for the high aggregate. The season-high mark surpasses the previous season high of 4727 secured in the season opener vs. Morehead State.
Kentucky’s 2357 smallbore was the sixth-highest smallbore score in the nation this season as the Wildcats are one of only two teams in the nation to score a 2357 or higher in smallbore this year. UK’s 2388 in air rifle tied the third highest team score in the discipline this season and UK is one of only three teams with an air rifle team score of 2388 or higher. The 4745 aggregate tied the fifth-highest team score in the nation this season as only UK, TCU, Alaska-Fairbanks and WVU have hit 4745 or higher.
Sellers was the star in the second relay for Kentucky, scoring career-high marks in both smallbore and air rifle. She scored an impressive 588 in smallbore thanks to a perfect 200 in prone, marking the third-straight match that she has upped her career-high smallbore score. In air rifle, Sellers scored a 598, which also was a career best and was just two shots off a perfect 600. The two strong scores earned her a 1186 aggregate, which also is a career high and placed her fourth individually at the match.
Sophomore Sofia Ceccarello was fantastic in both disciplines, scoring a 591 in smallbore and 599 in air rifle. This was the fifth 599 of the year in air rifle for Ceccarello, who is the only athlete in the nation to have five or more 599s in air rifle. Her two high scores total a 1190 aggregate, which tied for the highest individual score of the match. Freshman Braden Peiser and sophomore Martin Voss also excelled in smallbore in the first relay, scoring high marks. Peiser posted a 589, including a 199 standing, which is an outstanding score in the hardest of the smallbore positions. Peiser ended his day with a 595 air rifle for a 1184 aggregate, which was good for sixth overall at the match. Voss tied a career high and set a new season high in smallbore with a 589 and followed with a 583 air rifle for a 1172 aggregate.
Ceccarello leads Kentucky this season in both smallbore average and air rifle average. She is averaging a 588 in smallbore and 598.571 in air rifle for an aggregate average of 1186.571. Sellers is right behind her averaging 584.714 in smallbore, 593 in air rifle and a 1177.714 aggregate, while fellow fifth-year senior Jaden Thompson is third on the squad in aggregate average at 1175.428 with a 581.714 in smallbore and 593.714 in air rifle. Peiser is earning a 582 in smallbore and 592.714 in air rifle for a 1174.714 aggregate, while Voss is posting a 584.143 in smallbore and 587.143 in air rifle for a 1171.286 aggregate. Buesseler is earning a 580.286 in smallbore and 590.286 in air rifle for a 1170.572 aggregate average. Junior Kayla Kalenza, sophomore AJ Hotko and freshman Emily Marne are all having good seasons. Kalenza is averaging 570.5 in smallbore and 588 in air rifle, while Hotko is earning a 567 in smallbore and 586.5 in air rifle and Marne a 556.25 in smallbore and 566.5 in air rifle.
As a team, Kentucky is averaging a 2342.86 in smallbore and 2379.29 in air rifle for an aggregate average of 4722.14.
Army is averaging 2323.67 in smallbore and 2355.67 in air rifle for an aggregate average of 4679.33. Anusha Pakkam is leading the team with a 582.5 in smallbore and 592.667 in air rifle. Fellow UK national champion and All-American Richard Clark is now an assistant coach for Army.
Nebraska is averaging a 2333.33 in smallbore and 2375.17 in air rifle for an aggregate average of 4708.50. Cecelia Ossi leads the team with a 585.667 smallbore average and 594.833 air rifle average.
For more information on the Kentucky rifle team, visit UKathletics.com or follow UKRifle on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Nebraska
Nebraska-Cincinnati Officially Moving to Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City
Nebraska football’s 2025 season opener just got a little closer.
The Huskers were originally slated to take on Cincinnati at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. That game has now been moved more than 400 miles closer to Kansas City.
Nebraska and Cincinnati will open 2025 at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday, Aug. 28. The kickoff time and television network will be determined during the Big 12’s television selection process in the spring.
Nebraska Director of Athletics Troy Dannen said the move of the game to Kansas City is a perfect fit for the Huskers’ season opener.
“We are pleased to partner with the University of Cincinnati and the Kansas City Chiefs to bring our 2025 season-opening matchup to Arrowhead Stadium,” Dannen said. “Since arriving at Nebraska, one constant message I have heard from our fans is they miss having road football games that are within driving distance. This game offers an excellent opportunity for our great fan base to make a short trip to watch the Huskers open the season and enjoy Labor Day weekend in Kansas City.”
Tickets for the Nebraska-Cincinnati contest will go on sale this week. All tickets will be sold online at www.chiefs.com/tickets/ and www.ticketmaster.com. No tickets will be sold through the Nebraska Athletic Ticket Office.
Nebraska and Cincinnati season ticket holders will receive the first opportunity to buy tickets, beginning Tuesday at 9 a.m. CST. A public on-sale for tickets will begin Wednesday at 10 a.m. CST.
Arrowhead Stadium, the home of the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, hosted several college games in 2024. The Kansas Jayhawks, who are continuing construction in Lawrence on the football stadium and surrounding area, played multiple “home” games in Kansas City.
The Huskers have played at Arrowhead twice, beating Oklahoma State during the 1998 regular season and losing to Oklahoma in the 2006 Big 12 championship game.
One other change in the scheduled matchups between Nebraska and Cincinnati involves the future game at Memorial Stadium. The teams will now meet in Lincoln on Sept. 10, 2033, after previously being scheduled to play during the 2032 season.
MORE: Kennedi Orr’s Role Shift Helps Spark Nebraska Volleyball’s Final Four Journey
MORE: The Common Fans: Nebraska vs BC, CFP Rundown, Big Ten Bowl Predictions & More!
MORE: Gallery: Huskers Punch Their Ticket to The Final Four in Louisville
MORE: WATCH: Nebraska Volleyball Coach John Cook, Players Speak After Sweeping Wisconsin in the NCAA Regional Finals
MORE: Husker Doc Talk: John Butler Takes Over the Nebraska Defense
Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.
Nebraska
Nebraska, PSU make NCAA volleyball final four
The NCAA women’s volleyball final four will feature all four No. 1 seeds, as Nebraska and Penn State won their regional finals Sunday, joining Pitt and Louisville, who advanced Saturday.
The national semifinals are Thursday in Louisville, with the hometown Cardinals facing the Panthers at 6:30 p.m. ET, followed by the Huskers vs. the Nittany Lions. Both matches are on ESPN. The national championship match will be Sunday, Dec. 22, at 3 p.m. ET on ABC.
Both semifinals match up conference foes. ACC rivals Louisville and Pitt are each seeking their first national championship in volleyball. It’s very different on the other side of the bracket: Big Ten rivals Penn State (seven) and Nebraska (five) have 12 NCAA titles and nine runner-up finishes between them.
During the regular season, No. 1 overall seed Pitt beat Louisville in their two matchups, and Penn State beat Nebraska in their meeting.
The Huskers, now in their 18th NCAA final four, advanced easily Sunday, sweeping Wisconsin 26-24, 25-17, 25-21. Taylor Landfair, a senior playing her first season at Nebraska after transferring from Minnesota, led the Huskers with 11 kills. Nebraska also swept the Badgers in both Big Ten regular-season meetings this year.
Penn State is making its 14th NCAA final four but had a tougher go of it Sunday. The Nittany Lions were pushed to five sets by No. 2 seed Creighton, which was trying to make its first final four and set up an all-Nebraska-school semifinal. But the Nittany Lions, with the advantage of playing the regional on their home court like the other No. 1 seeds, took the fifth set 15-7. Jess Mruzik led Penn State with 20 kills.
No woman head coach has ever won the NCAA Division I volleyball championship, which was first contested in 1981. But there is a chance it could happen this year, as two women — Louisville’s Dani Busboom Kelly and Penn State’s Katie Schumacher-Cawley — are in the final four.
The only coach in the final four who has previously won a title is Nebraska’s John Cook, who has four of the Huskers’ titles. All of Penn State’s championships came under Russ Rose, who retired after the 2021 season.
Nebraska
Gallery: Huskers Punch Their Ticket to The Final Four in Louisville
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