Islanders' games against Lincoln High postponed; no makeup date announced

Grand Island Senior High's varsity and junior varsity baseball games against Lincoln High scheduled for Thursday in Grand Island were postponed.

No makeup date has been announced.

Hastings Parks & Rec to host Pitch, Hit and Run competition April 26

The City of Hastings Parks & Recreation Department will host a free Aquafina, Major League Baseball Pitch, Hit & Run Competition for area youth at 1 p.m. April 26 at the Smith Softball Complex.

Pitch, Hit & Run is the Official Skills Competition of Major League Baseball. This grassroots program is designed to provide youngsters with an opportunity to compete; free of charge, in a competition that recognizes individual excellence in core baseball skills.

Competitors are divided into four age divisions: 7/8, 9/10, 11/12 & 13/14, and have the chance to advance through four levels of competition, including team championships at Major League ballparks and the National Finals at the 2008 MLB All-Star Game.

The individual Pitching, Hitting and Running Champions, along with the All-Around Champion in each age group at the Local Competition will be awarded and advance to the Sectional Level of Competition.

All participants must fill out a registration/waiver form prior to the start of the competition. For questions regarding the competition, please contact your Local Coordinator, Jeff Hassenstab at 402-461-2324.

* GOLF

Hastings Tiger Invitational moved to Thursday at Lochland CC

The Hastings Tiger Invitational golf tournament scheduled for Thursday was postponed until next Thursday at Lochland Country Club.

The Grand Island Senior High boys golf team is scheduled to play in the event.

* COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Eleven Huskers named to the Brook Berringer Citizenship Team

Eleven members of the 2007 football team comprise the 11th annual Brook Berringer Citizenship Team as announced by the Nebraska Athletic Department. The student-athletes will be recognized on the field before kickoff of Saturday's Red-White Spring Game at Memorial Stadium.

The Brook Berringer Citizenship Team was established by the Husker football program in honor of former Nebraska quarterback Brook Berringer, who died in a plane crash in April of 1996. Berringer was a member of NU's back-to-back national championship teams in 1994 and 1995. He was also one of the most dedicated Husker volunteers in the community with youth, both in Nebraska and in his hometown of Goodland, Kan. The team honors players who display a similar love and dedication for volunteering in the community.

This year's Berringer Citizenship Team is headlined by five repeat honorees, including a four-time honoree and a pair of three-year recipients. Place-kicker Jake Wesch is a member of the team for the fourth consecutive year, while punter Dan Titchener and 2007 senior fullback Matt Senske were both named to the Berringer team a third straight time. Senior receiver Todd Peterson, a Grand Island Central Catholic graduate, and 2007 senior lineman Victory Haines are the two-time honorees on this year's team.

Six players have been named to the team for the first time in their careers. Those honorees include senior quarterback Joe Ganz, sophomore fullback Aaron Gillaspie, senior linebacker Cody Glenn, sophomore linebacker Blake Lawrence, senior long snapper T.J. O'Leary and senior linebacker Tyler Wortman, also a GICC graduate.

The football team has been among the most active teams in the local community, ranking among the finalists for the Life Skills Team Award each of the past three seasons. A large group of student-athletes and coaches, including football team members are scheduled to visit a local Lincoln hospital and retirement center on Thursday, April 24.

Athletic Director Tom Osborne and Associate Athletic Director for Life Skills Keith Zimmer will make the presentation to the Berringer team recipients.

In addition to the Berringer Team, senior defensive end Zach Potter will be honored on Saturday as the recipient of the second annual Cletus Fischer Endowed Scholarship. The scholarship is presented annually to a Nebraska football player who has demonstrated a high level of athletic and academic achievement and intends to pursue a career as a high school or college coach.

* SOFTBALL

UNK-Wayne State game canceled due to poor weather conditions

The Nebraska-Kearney at Wayne State College softball doubleheader scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday afternoon at the Pete Chapman Softball Complex in Wayne was canceled due to rain. No make up date is scheduled. It's the third time this season the games have been called off due to bad weather.

Nebraska-Iowa State Big 12 game pushed back to April 29

LINCOLN - Thursday night's softball game with Iowa State has been postponed due to inclement weather. The Huskers and Cyclones will make up the game at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Bowlin Stadium.

Reserved tickets will be honored for the makeup game, but fans also have the option of using their ticket for general admission seating to any remaining home game this season.

With Thursday's postponement, the Huskers now prepare for a two-game weekend series at Oklahoma State that marks the final road games of the season for the Big Red.

Following the trip south, Nebraska will end the regular season with a nine-game homestand that includes a rescheduled game with Iowa State at 4 p.m. April 29. The final seven games of the homestand all come against Big 12 Conference opponents, including six against teams that are either ranked or receiving votes in the latest USA Today/NFCA Coaches poll.

Fans can listen to the remainder of the season on Huskers.com, courtesy of the Husker Sports Network, as play-by-play veteran Nate Rohr will call all of the action this weekend. Every game will be available for free on Huskers.com, while live streaming video will be available for eight of the nine remaining Big 12 games including both games this weekend on HuskersNSide.

Before the Huskers can look forward to their extended homestand, Nebraska first faces a stiff road challenge against Oklahoma State. The Cowgirls are currently fifth in the Big 12 standings with a 5-5 record after splitting a doubleheader with fourth-ranked Texas A&M on Wednesday. OSU handed the Aggies their first conference loss of the season in game one, while scoring six runs en route to handing All-American Megan Gibson (25-1) her first loss of the year. Oklahoma State had a chance to earn the sweep, but left the tying and go-ahead runners stranded in the seventh inning of a one-run loss in game two.

Although the Huskers are below the Cowgirls in the league standings, Nebraska enters the weekend following glimpses of solid play. NU picked up its first conference victory of the season after shutting out Baylor, 5-0, on Sunday. The Huskers were in a strong position to make it two Big 12 wins in a row against Iowa State on Tuesday, as they took a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the sixth inning. NU struggled from there, as Iowa State sent 11 batters to the plate and all 11 scored, as the Cyclones rallied to post the win.

* WOMEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

UNK adds two recruits to team

KEARNEY Nebraska-Kearney head women's basketball coach Carol Russell announced Thursday the names of two players who will join the Lopers next season.

They are guard Tessa Kreutzer (Holdrege) and forward Kim Thissen (Davenport, Ia./Des Moines Area C.C.). In the early signing period, UNK added guard Debra Johnson (Grant) and wing Vanessa Leeper (Colo. Springs, Colo.) to the roster.

* TENNIS

Hastings College men win 6-3 decision over Concordia

Hastings College defeated Concordia University 6-3 in conference action Wednesday in Hastings. The next action for Hastings will be on Saturday when the Broncos take on Morningside College at 10 a.m. in Lincoln at NTC. The Broncos will then face the University of Sioux Falls at 2 p.m. at Tranquility Park in Omaha.

TRIATHLONS

Hastings YMCA to host its annual spring triathlon on May 3

HASTINGS The Hastings Family YMCA has announced the date for their annual Spring Triathlon. The event will take place May 3 at the 16th Street YMCA. Check-in for the Triathlon begins at 8 a.m. with the race beginning at 9 a.m.

The Spring Triathlon is open to anyone both YMCA members and non-members and participants can compete individually or as teams. The event consists of a 500 yard swim, a nearly 10-mile bike and a 5K run/walk.

The cost to participate in the Hastings Family YMCA's Spring Triathlon is an early bird price of $20 per individual or $60 per team. After April 21, the registration fees are $25 and $70, respectively.

For all participants and their families, the Hastings Family YMCA will be hosting a spaghetti feed on Friday night before the Triathlon. The dinner is free for race participants and $5 to bring guests or family. The dinner will be held at the 16th Street YMCA at 6:30 p.m.

To register for the Triathlon, please visit the Hastings Family YMCA at either location or register online at www.hastingsymca.net. For additional information or questions regarding the Spring Triathlon, please contact Anne Hessler, Fitness Director at 402-463-3139.

* TRACK AND FIELD

NU's McMillan posts NCAA provisional score in heptathlon

LAWRENCE, Kan. - Despite cool weather and a damp track at Kansas' Memorial Stadium, sophomore Chantae McMillan recorded a personal-best and NCAA provisional-qualifying score of 5,226 points in her first collegiate heptathlon. With her a third-place finish at the 81st annual Kansas Relays, McMillan owns the No. 11 all-time score at Nebraska. During the two-day event McMillan set personal bests in the 100-meter hurdles (14.60w), shot put (38-9; 11.81), 200 meters (25.38w), javelin (121-01; 36.90) and 800 meters (2:30.53).

"I was happy with my score after the first day, even though I should have done better in the high jump," McMillan said following the completion of the heptathlon. "I was upset with my 800 time (Thursday), but I can't complain about earning an NCAA provisional-qualifying score."

With McMillan being just a rookie on the Nebraska multi-event squad, Thursday's score is that much more impressive. She just started practicing for multi-events after the completion of last year's season.