G.I. Youth Baseball taking registrations

Grand Island Youth Baseball is taking registrations for any youth in the Hall County area ages 4-18 interested in playing baseball for the 2008 summer season.

Registration will be at the Conestoga Mall in Grand Island near the food court on this Saturday and again Feb. 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

If you cannot attend either of these two registration events you can also register online at grandislandbaseball.com.

* COLLEGE GYMNASTICS

No. 12 Nebraska gears up for No. 5 Michigan

The No. 12 Nebraska women's gymnastics team takes on fifth-ranked Michigan on Thursday at the Devaney Center. Competition is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., with a special "Think Pink"-themed night to support breast cancer awareness. In addition to Think Pink giveaways for fans, Thursday is NU's "Dollar Days" promotion, with $1 admission, hot dogs and Pepsi products at the Devaney.

NU is 3-2 on the year after a 195.275-194.95 loss at No. 6 Oklahoma in Norman last Friday. Senior Emily Parsons won her fifth straight vault title (9.925), while senior Desire' Sniatynski and sophomore Kathryn Howard tied for the beam title - marking the first event crown of Howard's Husker career - with a pair of 9.875 scores in NU's final event.

After a week off, the Huskers return to action with Denver at 7 p.m. Feb. 23 at the Devaney Center.

NU's Woo named Big 12 event Specialist of Week

IRVING, Texas - Junior Tricia Woo was honored as Big 12 Event Specialist of the Week, the conference office announced Tuesday. Woo was recognized for the second time this year after her performance at Oklahoma last Friday.

Woo, a three-time All-American, finished third on floor with a season-high 9.875. She also placed fourth on beam with a 9.825 and added a 9.775 score on vault.

In addition, Oklahoma's Ashley Jackson was honored as Big 12 Gymnast of the Week after winning the all-around against the Huskers.

* COLLEGE BASKETBALL

UNK women ranked No. 7 in North Central Region

KEARNEY - The Nebraska-Kearney women's basketball team is ranked seventh in the second North Central Region rankings.

The regional rankings, which come out every Wednesday, determine the 64-team NCAA Tournament field. The top eight schools in Division II's eight regions make up the tournament. Like last season, the Elite Eight will be played in Kearney (March 26, 27 and 29).

The Lopers (19-5, 12-2 RMAC) benefitted from Wayne State losing at Northern State and Mary (N.D.) last weekend. UNK also picked up a win over Metro State, which is ranked 10th in the region.

HC men earn road victory over Prairie Wolves

LINCOLN -- Bobby Kempf had a big night with 25 points and 12 rebounds as the Hastings College men's basketball team recorded a 62-53 Great Plains Athletic Conference road victory at Nebraska Wesleyan Wednesday night.

Kempf hit 9-of-13 shots from the field and was 7-of-11 from the free-throw line. The rest of the Broncos combined to go 9-of-28 from the floor as Hastings (18-8, 8-6 GPAC) won despite shooting 43.9 percent overall.

Grand Island Central Catholic graduate Scott Wissing had 11 points and six rebounds off the bench for Hastings.

Marcus Minzel's 15 points paced Nebraska Wesleyan (11-9, 5-8). Brandon Arp finished with 10 points for the Plainsmen, who were just 19-of-54 (35.2 percent) from the floor.

HASTINGS 62, NEB. WESLEYAN 53

HASTINGS (18-8, 8-6)

Etzelmiller 1-4 6-6 8, Wamsley 1-2 1-2 3, Kempf 9-13 7-11 25, Spooner 2-6 1-3 5, Prochaska 0-1 3-4 1, McNurlin 0-1 0-0 0, Slough 1-4 5-6 7, Wissing 4-9 2-4 11, Vontz 0-0 0-0 0, DAvis 0-0 0-0 0, Zelasney 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 18-41 25-36 62.

NEB. WESLEYAN (11-9, 5-8)

Thramer 3-5 0-0 8, Arp 4-8 0-0 10, Aylward 2-6 0-0 4, Hullman 0-0 0-0 0, Minzel 5-14 3-3 15, Eller 2-9 2-2 6, Spurgeon 1-3 3-3 5, O'Neil 1-3 0-0 3, Joynt 1-4 0-0 2, Lance 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-54 8-8 53.

Halftime--Hastings 27, NWU 19. 3-point goals--Hastings 1-7 (Etzelmiller 0-1, Spooner 0-1, Slough 0-1, Wissing 1-4), NWU 7-19 (Thramer 2-4, Arp 2-3, Aylward 0-2, Minzel 2-5, Eller 0-2, Spurgeon 0-1, O'Neil 1-2). Fouled out--Minzel. Rebounds--Hastings 36 (Kempf 12), NWU 28 (Joynt 6). Assists--Hastings 11 (Slough 3), NWU 10 (Eller 5). Turnovers--Hastings 14, NWU 13. Total fouls--Hastings 16, NWU 27. Technicals--None. A--350.

No. 6 Bronco women throttle Nebraska Wesleyan

LINCOLN -- Lindsay Ducey scored a game-high 21 points and had seven rebounds and five assists to lead NAIA Division II No. 6-ranked Hastings College to a 78-52 victory over Nebraska Wesleyan Wednesday night in Great Plains Athletic Conference play.

Ravenna sophomore Heather McKeon added 14 points and four steals and Breanna Lien finished with 12 points for the Broncos (22-4, 11-3 GPAC). Both players came off the bench for Hastings, which forced 30 turnovers and committed just 10.

Sadie Struebing had 10 points and 10 rebounds to lead Nebraska Wesleyan (5-15, 2-11).

The game was originally scheduled to be played Tuesday night, but was postponed due to bad weather.

HASTINGS 78, NEB. WESLEYAN 52

HASTINGS (22-4, 11-3)

Ducey 10-19 1-2 21, VanKirk 1-1 0-0 3, Yamashita 1-4 0-0 3, Broekemeier 1-3 0-2 2, Isherwood 4-6 1-1 9, Farmer 0-2 0-0 0, Faimon 2-6 2-4 6, Cambridge 1-1 0-0 2, Schmaderer 0-2 0-0 0, Bonifas 0-0 0-0 0, McKeon 4-8 2-2 14, Kulus 1-3 4-6 6, Lien 6-14 0-1 12. Totals 31-69 10-18 78.

NEB. WESLEYAN (5-15, 2-11)

Golden 0-7 6-8 6, STruebing 5-8 0-1 10, Aschtgen 4-9 0-0 8, Bordovsky 2-6 1-2 5, Woodard 2-3 0-0 4, Goracke 1-1 0-0 2, McLean 2-3 0-0 5, Johnson 0-1 0-0 0, Mahlman 2-4 0-0 5, Gould 0-1 3-4 3, Stratbucker 1-3 0-0 2, Barber 0-0 0-0 0, Parrish 0-1 0-0 0, Kroese 0-0 2-2 2. Totals 19-47 12-17 52.

Halftime--Hastings 36, NWU 20. 3-point goals--Hastings 6-16 (VanKirk 1-1, Yamashita 1-3, Broekemeier 0-1, Faimon 0-1, McKeon 4-8, Kulus 0-2), NWU 2-10 (Golden 0-1, Bordovsky 0-1, McLean 1-1, Johnson 0-1, Mahlman 1-3, Gould 0-1, Stratbucker 0-2). Fouled out--None. Rebounds--Hastings 34 (Ducey 7), NWU 39 (Struebing 10). Turnovers--Hastings 10, NWU 30. Total fouls--Hastings 14, NWU 14. Technicals--None. A--NA.

* HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING

GISH to host Wrestler for Hire Auction on Sunday

Grand Island Senior High wrestlers will take part in a Wrestler for Hire Auction at 5 p.m. Sunday in the Auditorium at GISH.

Wrestlers will provide up to 4 hours of work. Anyone or business owners needing help of strong young people to help with work around the house, farm, or business is invited to attend.

All funds raised benefit the wrestling program and help with costs of hotels, travel, summer camps, and other wrestling opportunities. Refreshments will be provided at the auction. The public is invited to attend.

Islander Wrestling Club to take registrations Feb. 18

The Islander Wrestling Club will take registrations from 6-8 p.m. Feb. 18 - 6-8 p.m. in the West commons at GISH. The cost is $35.

Practices will be from 5-5:45 p.m. for kingergarten through second-graders and 5:45-7 p.m. for third- through eight-graders and will run on Mondays and Thursdays starting on Feb. 21 and will run through April 11. For more information, contact Mike Schadwinkel at 385-5950 or Jeff Westerby at 385-5990.

* TRACK & FIELD

Husker women move up to No. 16 nationally

LINCOLN The second regular season rankings released Wednesday by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association has the Husker women's team ranked No. 16 in the nation. In the first rankings that came out, the Huskers were unranked in the top-81 teams.

Last week at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational the Husker women produced seven NCAA provisional qualifying marks and one NCAA automatic qualifying mark. Sophomore Megan Wheatley produced the NCAA automatic mark in the pentathlon.

The Husker men are currently ranked No. 15 in the nation after strong NCAA automatic qualifying marks so far this year by Dusty Jonas and NCAA provisional qualifying marks by Scott Wims, Lukas Hulett, Paul Hamilton and Nicholas Gordon.

After many impressive showings at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational, the Nebraska track and field team again is at home this weekend for the adidas Classic at the Bob Devaney Sports Center Indoor Track. As an extra bonus to fans, the first 250 fans through the Devaney Center doors on Saturday will be treated to a free adidas headband, courtesy of adidas.

Friday night's schedule will be light as there are only be four events scheduled. The women's weight throw will start the night at 5 p.m., with the men's weight throw to follow. At 7 p.m. the women will take the track to run the 5,000-meters, with the men's race to follow right after.

Saturday will be packed full of action starting at 11 a.m. and running all day. The women's 60-meter hurdle prelims and the long jump kick off the day.

Tickets for the meet can be purchased at Huskers.com, the Husker Athletic Ticket Office or the day of the meet at the Devaney Center. Reserved seats are $7 while general admission tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for children. University of Nebraska students get in free with a valid ID.