Mathis named an All-American

KEARNEY Senior forward Amy Mathis has recently been named an honorable mention All-American by the Division II Bulletin.

Mathis becomes the seventh Nebraska-Kearney women's basketball player to earn All-American status and the first since Allison Kruger and Kalee Modlin in 2004.

This past year for the Lopers (27-7), Mathis averaged 17.6 points and 8.4 rebounds, both team highs. The Millard North graduate also lead UNK in three pointers made (71) and free throw percentage (89.8).

After the postseason, Mathis ranked first in the RMAC in scoring, three point percentage (47.7) and free throw percentage and was second in rebounding.

Recording 12 double doubles this winter, Mathis scored the third most points (599) by a Loper in a single season. Her strong senior campaign helped her finish fifth (1,528) on the UNK career scoring list.

Finally, her 284 rebounds this season broke the school record of 276, set by Heather Steffen five years ago.

Mr. Basketball Slamfest registration begins

Registrations are now being accepted for the 15th Annual Mr. Basketball Slamfest team camp in Kearney. The Slamfest will feature 112 teams from six states. The Slamfest will have separate varsity, junior varsity and ninth grade divisions for large and small schools.

The Slamfest offers two sessions, May 28-29 and May 31-June 1. Each team will play three pool play games on the first day and three tournament games on the second day. All games are played by high school federation rules at several schools in Kearney, including the UNK Health & Sports Center, Kearney High and Kearney Catholic.

The registration deadline is April 25. To receive a registration form, contact Doug Koster at 308-237-4012, or email doug@misterbasketball.com.

Heartland Lutheran's Bartels earns NSAA honor

Jesse Bartels of Heartland Lutheran High School has been recognized by the Nebraska School Activities and U.S. Bank and one of six Believers and Achievers honorees for the month of April.

Bartels, who has a 4.0 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale, participates in football, basketball and track and field. He is a NSAA academic all-state selection in basketball and track.

Grand Island residents offered promotion for Johnny Dorn day

The Nebraska athletic department will salute senior pitcher Johnny Dorn and Grand Island during a "Hometown Husker" promotion on May 2 when the Cornhuskers host Louisiana-Lafayettte at Haymarket Park.

First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.

Grand Island residents will be allowed to purchase tickets at a special bulk rate of 10 tickets for $50. The special price in only available in advance and for general admission seating only. Game date and game time are subject to change.

To purchase tickets, contact Nebraska athletic marketing at (402) 472-0775.

Three Creighton games to be broadcast on NET

LINCOLN The Creighton Bluejays will take on some Shockers, some Wildcats and some Hawkeyes in live diamond action in three baseball games over a four-day period this month on NET Television.

The Ed Servais-coached Jays will welcome the Wichita State Shockers to Omaha's Rosenblatt Stadium for the "Creighton Baseball" game telecast at 1 p.m. April 13 on NET1 and in high-definition on NET-HD.

Two nights later, April 15, the Kansas State Wildcats invade Rosenblatt to challenge Creighton in a night game beginning at 7 p.m. on NET1 and NET-HD.

There will be very little time to rest as the Jays host the Iowa Hawkeyes at Rosenblatt on April 16. The third "Creighton Baseball" game in the three-game series begins at 6:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on NET2 and NET-HD.

All three "Creighton Baseball" games will also be webcast live on NET's Web site (netNebraska.org). All that is needed is access to the Internet and a free Windows Media Player program. Webcasting of the program is a free service of NET.

HC softball, baseball teams ranked in the latest NAIA region poll

The Hastings College softball and baseball teams are ranked in the NAIA Region III Top 10 Ratings for this week. The Bronco softball team is ranked 10th while the Bronco baseball team is 9th. The weekly NAIA Region III ratings for softball and baseball have been released for week number three of the season (March 24-30). Here is the week three ratings:

SOFTBALL

1. Dickinson State (DAC)

2. Morningside (GPAC)

3. Concordia (GPAC)

4. Jamestown (DAC)

5. Minot State (DAC)

6. Dana (GPAC)

7. Doane (GPAC)

8. Midland Lutheran (GPAC)

9. Valley City State (DAC)

10. Hastings (GPAC)

BASEBALL

1. Jamestown (DAC)

2. Northwestern (GPAC)

3. Dakota State (DAC)

4. Briar Cliff (GPAC)

5. Midland Lutheran (GPAC)

6. Dakota Wesleyan (GPAC)

7. Dickinson State (DAC)

8. Doane (GPAC)

9. Hastings (GPAC)

10. Morningside (GPAC)

NU women finish second at BYU Dixie Classic

ST. GEORGE, Utah. The Nebraska women's golf team fired Wednesday's best round on its way to a second-place finish at the 13-team BYU Dixie Classic. The Huskers' final-round 295helped themshave nine strokes offBYU's lead over the final 18 holes on the Entrada at Snow Canyon course.

Nebraska finished with a three-round total of 894 to close the 54-hole tournament five strokes behind the host Cougars, who finished at 889 after managing a 304 in the final round. BYU entered Wednesday with a 14-stroke lead on the Huskers. NU finished 19 strokes ahead of third-place Colorado State (913) and 28 strokes in front of fourth-place Texas Tech (922).

Sophomores Charlotte Wendner and Kate White led the Husker charge throughout the tournament by finishing in a tie for second place individually. Wendner, a native of Bjarred, Sweden, fired the best round of her career on Wednesday with a one-under-par 71 on the 6,029-yard, par-72 layout at the Entrada at Snow Canyon.

Wendner's final round followed on the heels of her previous career-best round over NU's second 18 holes with a 73 on Tuesday, after opening the tournament with a 78. Her three-round total of 222 smashed her previous career bestof 230 set over the weekend at the 2008 Mountain View Collegiate in Arizona.

White also produced her best scores of the season in Utah, matching Wendner at 222 after a final-round 74. The native of Waukegan, Ill., added consistent rounds of 73 and 75 on Tuesday to finish seven strokes behind individual champion Juli Erekson from BYU, who closed at 215.

All six Huskers who made the trip to Utah played their way into the top 25 of the final individual standings. Senior Elli Brown just missed a top-10showing with a final-round 74 to finishin 11th place at 227. It was Brown's eighth top-20effort of the season.

Freshman Mary Kate Bird, playing as an individual outside of NU's lineup, ended a successful week in a tie for 15th place at 229, after managing an 80 over the final 18 holes.

Sophomore JC Stevenson climbed the leaderboard on Wednesday with a final-round 76 to finish ina tie for 18th place at231 for her sixth top-20 finish of the season. Senior Allison Stewart rounded out the Husker contingent with a final-round 79 to close in a tie for 22nd place at 234.

Fonner View to have meeting for ladies league

Fonner View Golf Course will have an organizational meeting for the Thursday Morning Ladies League at 9 a.m. April 10. Please plan to attend if you are interested in playing in this league. Coffee and Rolls will be served. For information you may call the course at 382-0202.

Hastings leagues now taking registrations

The City of Hastings is now accepting registrations for softball leagues. Registration forms are available at the Parks and Rec office or online at www.cityofhastings.org/parks.

Youth Fast-Pitch Softball

Registration Deadline: April 4, 2008

Fee: $35.00, $10.00 late fee after the deadline

Play Begins: May 12, 2008

Adult Slow-Pitch Softball

Registration Deadline: April 11, 2008

Fee: $430.00/team

Play Begins: May 5, 2008

Coed Teen Slow-Pitch Softball

Registration Deadline: April 11, 2008

Fee: $175.00/team

Play Begins: May 12, 2008

Also, the City of Hastings Parks & Recreation Department will be having a meeting for all Fast-Pitch and Slow-Pitch Umpires at 7 p.m. April 8 at the Hastings Public Library. All umpires will be able to re-certify at this meeting for the upcoming season. Individuals who have not umpired in the past and are interested in umpiring for this season are encouraged to attend.

Please contact Jeff Hassenstab at (402) 461-2326 or jhassenstab@cityofhastings.org if you have any questions.

No. 9 Husker men host the nation's best teams at MPSF Championships

The ninth-ranked Nebraska men's gymnastics team leaps into post-season action this weekend as it hosts five of the nation's top teams for the 2008 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships. The meet is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 5. Tickets for the championship are available at the Devaney Center doors on April 5 or through the official Nebraska Athletic Ticket Office website at Huskers.com or by calling 800-8BIGRED. All seats are general admission and tickets for adults will be priced at $5, while tickets for NU students and students K-12 will be priced at $3.

Five teams will complete the field, including No. 1 Stanford, No. 2 Oklahoma, No. 4 California, No. 9 Nebraska and No. 15 Air Force.

Not only are some of the nation's strongest teams vying for the MPSF title, but also many of college gymnastics top individual competitors will be present, including second-ranked all-arounder David Sender of Stanford. Additionally, the meet will host the nation's No. 1-ranked individuals on floor exercise (Stephen Legendre), still rings (Jonathan Horton) and parallel bars (Tim McNeill).

Nebraska will also bring competition to the conference championships, including junior T.J. Schmidt, who is ranked ninth on pommel horse and seventh on parallel bars. Senior Stephen Tetrault is also ranked 20th on the pommel horse and 15th in the all-around, while sophomore John Robinson is ranked 20th on vault. Sophomore Kyle Shanahan will also be a vital competitor in the all-around, as he earned MPSF Gymnast of the Week honors last week.

NU starts the postseason after setting a season-high score of 353.65 over Air Force to close the regular season on March 22. With the win, Nebraska improved to 5-7 on the season and 3-6 in the MPSF.

Loper women add three more recruits

KEARNEY Nebraska-Kearney head track and field coach Andy Meyer announced Wednesday the names of three high school senior girls who will compete for the Lopers next year.

The trio includes Brooke Harris of Wallace, Amy Long of Bayard and Erica Pirog of Chase County.

Harris earned a Class D state medal at 800 meters last spring. Long is a two-time Class D state champion in cross country who also won the Class C state title at 3,200 meters. Finally, Pirog was a Class B medallist at 400 meters and in the 300 hurdles last spring.

Wells named RMAC field athlete of the week

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Chadron State's Mary Wells has been named the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Track and Field Women's Field Athlete of the Week for her performance last weekend at the South Dakota Mines Bauer Invitational in Rapid City, S.D.

Wells, a senior from Albion, met two NCAA provisionally qualifying marks at the meet. She won the shot put with a throw of 45 feet. She also took first in the discus with a mark of 142-3.

The Eagles will compete at two meets this weekend. On Friday, some CSC athletes will compete at the Black Hills State Frostbite Invitational. On Saturday, a majority of the team will compete at the Fort Hays State Triangular with Nebraska-Kearney and Fort Hays State.