Welcome to Sports Nightly, brought to you by the NDOT Highway Safety Office! Join your host, Jessica Coody, live from the Akrs Broadcast Center in East Memorial Stadium.
Tune in every weekday, Monday through Friday, from 6-8pm CT for the latest news in Nebraska Athletics, in-depth analysis, and exclusive interviews.
Subscribe to keep up with the Huskers!
Good evening I’m Camden Cohn. And our sports ticker is brought to you by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Last night for Huskers collected All-American honors at the NCAA Track and Field outdoor Championships. Javelin school record holder Keyshawn Strachan placed fifth in the javelin with a distance of 76.44m. That’s a second career first team honor. Arthur Peterson joined him in the top eight, as he threw a 75.5 to claim his second career first team All-America and fourth overall dash. Sherman rounded out the Husker javelin squad with a 14th place finish, with a throw of 69.17m to become a three time All-American, and in the shot put, Maxwell Oterdahl earned his sixth All-America accolade overall and fourth in the shot put, as he finished 19th with a throw of 18.55m. The women start competition tonight, beginning with Berlin Schutz. She competes in the 1500 meter race at 621 on ESPN. Game four of the Stanley Cup Finals is tonight as the Florida Panthers host the Edmonton Oilers. Panthers lead that series two games to one. The puck drops at seven and can be watched on TNT. And finally, a couple of MLB scores from earlier today. The Mets beat the nationals 4 to 3. The Rangers embarrassed the twins 16 to 3, and the Rockies beat the Giants 8 to 7 for their 13th win of the season. Our sports ticker is brought to you by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Call a time out if you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is their call, text or chat 988. It’s free, confidential and staffed with trained counselors, ready to listen and provide support. Hour one of Sports Nightly is up next, right here on the Huskers radio network. Coming to you live from Memorial Stadium. It’s Sports nightly, all the Huskers, all the time. Sports nightly is presented to you by the n d o t Highway Safety office, who remind you to buckle up and put the phone down. 70 foot high lob caught by Petry somehow underneath in trouble. Got to Hague for three years. Huskers made something out of nothing. I don’t know how Petry got it to Kellen Hanks, who buried the Central Valley in three dice has the sign. He collects the three two pitch. Strike three, called Casey Dice, finishes it for Nebraska. The dogpile is on. The Nebraska Cornhuskers have run the table and run it back. Back to back. Big Ten Tournament champions. Pass made Franklin the slide. Robinson blocked back goal. The grandkids. They did it! Nebraska sweeps Wisconsin for the third time this season at hello Louisville. The big Red back where it belongs the final four number 18 in school history. Now here is your host Jessica Cootie, on the Huskers radio network. Hey there everybody, welcome in to Sports Nightly. Happy Thursday to you. We got a fun show coming up for you tonight. We’ve got a couple of awesome conversations with a couple of women student athletes. One former, one current Stephanie Tater, who is a member of the 2025 Hall of Fame class, the Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame class. She played volleyball here from 1989 to 1992, considered one of the most dominant middle blockers in Nebraska volleyball history. A three time All-American, two time Big Eight player of the year had her jersey retired back in 2010. We’re going to chat with her. We do like to do this every summer visit with the new inductees to that Hall of Fame class, and reminisce a little bit and talk about the honor. I mean, again, it just is a reminder of the caliber of student athletes that Nebraska has had for several, several years. But Stephanie is remarkable. I mean, just an incredible story. Loves Nebraska. So I cannot wait for you guys to hear from her. That’s coming up here in just a few minutes. And then in our number two, we’re also going to start our newcomer series that we like to do every summer, where we introduce you to the newcomers from men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball. We’re kicking things off with Claire Johnson, the transfer from Sanford, the sophomore guard for Nebraska women’s basketball. So that will be coming up in our number two. And I know you guys, if we didn’t have it you would complain about it, especially the guys in the chat. We are going to bring back joke of the week tonight. Duke is out. So we’ve tasked David with it and he said it’s the hardest thing he’s done here, the hardest responsibility that he’s taken on here at the Huskers radio network. So go easy on him. But he’ll deliver the joke of the week coming up in our number two, but did want to spend a few minutes here talking at the beginning of the show with some NCAA settlement talks and the rev share. And I know we’ve talked a lot about it here over the last week, but it just just was approved last Friday. So it hasn’t even been a week. And it seems like just every day we get more and more information. And with the number of the people that we’ve talked to, whether it be Damon, Nick, whoever it is, you know, we have said it will be interesting to see how schools decide to distribute the 20.5 million, up to 20.5 million that they are allowed to distribute. It’s up to their discretion now in the settlement, as it was presented to Judge Claudia Wilken, there was a formula that schools can follow. But again, it’s ultimately up to the schools. So 75 to 80% to football, 10 to 15 to men’s basketball, and then 10 to 15 to other sports. But you know, again, can do with that what you will. And we had a question the other night about the scholarships and how that affects it. So you can add additional scholarships. But that does count against your cap. So if you add new scholarships you take away from that revenue share. So it’s pretty interesting. The athletic director for Ohio State, Ross Bjork Bjork, met with the media today and broke down some of that. And he said that Ohio State was adding 91 new scholarships. So that took $2.5 million away from that overall rev share pot. But Oklahoma also announced the sports that they were going to be sharing that they would be starting with in the rev share. And again, those payments start July 1st. So Joe Castiglione, the athletic director at Oklahoma, announced that they would be sharing their money with football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, softball and women’s gymnastics. And again, Ohio State announcing their breakdown as well. They have football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball. And also added they’re going to start with volleyball. Those are the four sports that they’re going to start with. And he was asked a question by one of the members of the media and said, you know, we understand football, men’s and women’s basketball. But maybe volleyball was the surprise sport that you are starting with. And he had talked about the growth of volleyball and the importance of volleyball in the Big Ten. And they want to be good at volleyball in the Big Ten with the all eyes on on volleyball in this conference. And so they’re going to put some additional resources to that sport to continue to maybe or try to compete at an even higher level in the Big Ten. So I think that’s what’s going to be interesting to see what programs decide to do and how they decide to emphasize which sports. And he also talked about the potential with the growth of the sport to maybe get some additional revenue generating, another revenue generating sport with volleyball. So, you know, I think we’ll probably see volleyball in a number of the Big Ten schools and maybe not so much in some of the big 12 schools or SEC schools. So I just think it’s and I don’t know who, if anybody will announce that or if, you know, we’ll know most schools by the end of it. But it’s just kind of been interesting to see some of that trickle out here over the last couple of days and just what kind of emphasis they’re going to be putting on, on which sports. You know, Texas Tech has been a hot topic with their million dollar softball pitcher, and they have brought in several of the top transfer portal additions to softball coming off the national runner up finish. And it was back in December that they had a breakdown for Texas Tech athletics, that what they had planned to do 74% to football, 17 to 18 to men’s basketball, 2% to women’s basketball, 1.9 to baseball and 5% to other sports. So just softball now factor into that. Do they adjust that. So and again nil does not count to that. So I know it’s all confusing and a lot to kind of dissect. But you can get additional revenue with that Nil up with the Nil opportunities that come outside of the revenue share. So but all of that has to go through the clearinghouse now and the nil go. It all has to be submitted there. So it has to, you know, check all the boxes of not just giving huge lump sums of payment. You have to earn it and it has to meet certain qualifications. So they are going to start tracking that. We will see if it is successful as we move forward. But just found that a little fascinating today. A couple of schools coming out with how they are going to start with their revenue share pot and which sports that they are going to distribute to. We’re going to go ahead and get to a break, because we’ve got to get to a lot here in our number one and don’t want you to miss any of the conversation with Stephanie. So keep it here. That is going to be on the other side of this break. And hey Husker, stop by your local HyVee where they’ve lowered prices on thousands of items you use every day. Hy-Vee dedicated to making your life easier, healthier, and happier Your Nebraska Lottery has a monopoly on fun. Actually, it’s our new $5 monopoly ten x scratch ticket, and it’s also part of a terrific Second Chance promotion until July 22nd. Enter any non winning $5 monopoly Ten-x scratch ticket online for a chance to be one of ten weekly winners of $1,000, or the grand prize of $10,000. Pass. Go and enter today. $5 monopoly ten x top Prize odds 1 in 114,000. Monopoly is a trademark of Hasbro. Hasbro is not a sponsor of this promotion. Your next vehicle is waiting for you at Woodhouse. With over 20 locations and a variety of brands, Woodhouse offers everything from reliable trucks to family friendly SUVs. Whether you’re looking for a Nissan, Mazda or Infiniti. Our team is here to help you find the perfect fit, enjoy a seamless car buying experience with our expert staff and exceptional service. Visit Woodhouse today, where quality selection and customer satisfaction come first. Or get started [email protected]. Hit us up on the text line. Text 402413 2400 with your Husker thoughts. I got to see my brother get married. I would have missed my dad’s birthday. Because I wore my seat belt. I had the privilege of being part of his special day. I got to go home and see my family again. Does it click yet? Brought to you by n d o t Highway Safety Office. I would have never had the chance to see my daughter become a doctor. I was able to go to my brother’s graduation. I wouldn’t have adopted my first pet. And then it clicked. My seatbelt saved my life. Does it click yet? Brought to you by n d o t Highway Safety Office. Sunday morning. You can smell it. Game day. And the brisket you’ve been smoking since last night. A day to be with family, aka fellow football fans. Traditions make Sundays easy to enjoy. Beers do too. Bud light easy to Sunday easy to enjoy. Bud light is the official beer sponsor of the NFL. Enjoy responsibly 21 plus. Copyright 2024 Anheuser-Busch Bud Light Beer. Saint Louis, Missouri. Your Nebraska lottery has a monopoly on fun. Actually, it’s our new $5 monopoly ten x scratch ticket, and it’s also part of a terrific second Chance promotion until July 22nd. Enter any non winning $5 monopoly ten x scratch ticket online for a chance to be one of ten weekly winners of $1,000, or the grand prize of $10,000. Pass, go and enter today $5. Monopoly ten x top Prize odds 1 in 114,000. Monopoly is a trademark of Hasbro. Hasbro is not a sponsor of this promotion. Husker fans, let’s call a time out on the court and in life when the game gets tough, Nebraska stands together as a family, as a team. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is there. Call, text or chat 988. It’s free, confidential and staffed with trained counselors ready to listen and provide support. You’re part of the Husker family and every member is valued on and off the court. Remember, in times of need, call a time out. Call, text or chat. 988 presented by Nebraska DHHS. This season. Step up to the plate with exceptional offers at Woodhouse Ford. For a limited time, you pay what we pay with exclusive employee pricing on the full lineup of award winning vehicles, from the built tough F-150 to the versatile Bronco, it’s your chance to drive home a new Ford with a deal that truly knocks it out of the park, view inventory and our exclusive offers online, or visit Woodhouse Ford at our three locations in Blair, Omaha and Plattsmouth. No need to hunt around for friendly service, low prices, quality products and great experiences. You’ll find it all with the local experts. Sapp Brothers Petroleum. If you’re tired of tracking down another late delivery, it’s time to consider Sapp Brothers, where we pride ourselves on delivering products on time or even ahead of schedule. With your safety, our top priority switching is easy. Just shoot us an email or give us a call. And right now, when you contact Sapp Brothers for any of your fuel, propane or lubricant needs, you’ll be entered to win a guided pheasant hunt next fall. Visit Huskers. The Huskers Radio Network broadcast center is sponsored by Acres, the Midwest premiere John Deere dealer supplying the equipment and service to advance agriculture and much more. Acres solutions for every field. I’m Jessica Cootie and the newest class, the Nebraska Hall of Fame Athletics Hall of Fame, has been announced for this upcoming fall ceremony will be held and to honor the newest inductees. And every summer, like we always do, we’re going to spend some time getting to know or reflecting on the careers of these incredible Huskers and what an athlete to start off with here for this class. And on her birthday at that. Former Nebraska volleyball star Stephanie Théatre. Stephanie, thank you so much for being here. Happy birthday to you. Thank you. What a great thing. And what a great way to remember my 54th birthday. Yes, I’m not afraid to say how old I am, but what a wonderful honor to be on here. Well, congratulations. It was incredible when I texted you about doing this interview. And then when we were just chatting right now, you had mentioned it was kind of hard for you to accept you’re such a team person. But what was it like when you got the call and what the honor meant to you? Yeah. So Keith Zimmer, who is currently, I believe, associate ad, I hope I got his title correctly. He leads the one of his many endeavors there, leads the Life skills program as well as the Hall of Fame committee. And he was my former academic advisor for the athletes back when I played. So he has had a long tenure there. And what a wonderful way to connect. Was he call or text and, you know, asked to get Ahold of me and called me and shared the news. And so for to hear about it from someone, you know is actually much more meaningful. It’s still meaningful regardless. It’s what an honor that is, but it’s much more meaningful to know it came from Keith Summer. You were telling me that it was a little bit hard for you. The individual awards for you to accept. Can. I think it was pretty fascinating take. Can you take us through that and how you’ve worked through that? Yeah. So, you know, I was I was blessed to have a, I would say a wonderful career at Nebraska if you, if you unpack it. I actually had a near miss experience coming to Nebraska. That’s a that’s a story that Coach Pettit shared. And it’s kind of a funny, funny story, but nonetheless, it came down to being evaluated by another coach that was on staff and that coach saying, oh, I don’t know if Stephanie’s, you know, going to be in our program if she can fit. And then he, he ratifying that, going down to see me and says, no, she’s exactly who our program is. So it actually my story starts on a very shaky foundation. With a. Laugh about. But it was quite terrorizing when he told me that story. I had no idea for years. But it is a team sport, and anytime you spend time with any of the Huskers, former or current, and in the future, even the individual sports, I would be a betting woman that they would also obviously understand that umbrella of community that comes with success and team sports have that to no end. When I heard about this award, of course I was grateful. But I’ll be honest with you, it’s still a little unsettling. There are so many people that have been positioned before me, after me, and during my tenure at Nebraska that have been so formative to my success. And it’s actually quite uncomfortable to be singled out when I actually am a representative of other support that I received. They’ve made their decision. I guess we have to stick with it. But to honor that, I’ve actually asked and am in the process of asking former coaches and teammates to join me that evening. I just don’t feel comfortable wearing the mantle by myself. Wow. That’s amazing. Well, you mentioned a little bit how you got here, but take us back to the very beginning. How did you get into volleyball? Why did that become the sport for you? Yeah, well, those who know me back then, I’m six foot two. I say that now because only to tell you that my first team was a team of seven siblings and two parents. I came. In Missouri and I’m third shortest out of seven kids, so wow. Meaningless in my family. It was shrimpy. We grew up with some hardships. I’m not afraid to say it. We, you know, the resources were low, but the but the family dynamic was strong. And so when I look at how I was equipped to, to be ready to kind of wear that Nebraska jersey really did start with that first team of mine. And that was from Union, Missouri, when I got to Nebraska, to be honest with you, I was a bit of a project. I was this raw athlete and I have this if I can find it, I’m going to bring it to the Hall of Fame evening. But Terry Pettit, one of the head coach there, and of course, his tenure is just gone. And I can’t even imagine, you know, to begin to shed light on all that he’s done for Nebraska volleyball. But he used to make us journal. And the first week of the journal of my freshman year in red letters says, I want to go home. Wow. And I. Say that not to kind of, you know, say, well, gosh, why did the committee choose me? You know, like, who is she? I say that because there is not one athlete that has not had to overcome adversity in this transition. And during their tenure at Nebraska, to make great things happen. And so I want to find that journal, because that was where it started for me, was to really embrace that I can do it. And with the help of many people, from the coaching, from the strengths and academics, mental health, all the people that wrap around our athletes to help them on their journey. That’s where I started. So it was not easy. And I’m and I’m okay saying that because I would like to keep this all very real for everybody. That’s I think that’s so important. So how did it change for you from I want to go home to three time All-American. Yeah. So any any successful person will tell you it’s a it’s a combination of challenge and support. Right. And I think we see that in business. We see it in sports. We see it in parenting. And any endeavor that you find yourself in. For me, it was challenge and support. And so I was a freshman under two All-American middle blockers. I did not get a lot of playing time my freshman year. I did make some, you know, some impact, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way because I had to battle that first year, really, against some talent, talented players who were decorated. Virginia Stair and Carla Baker were the two I was going up against. Now my sophomore year, they graduate and I, I get to start and start that wonderful career. But it was the people to the left and right and the person setting me that really was that foundation. So, you know, think Val Novak and Nicki Stricker and then Eileen Shannon and Chris Hall and Janet Cruz and all of the people. Becky Boley came in for me in the back row. So we had we had this community and everybody played their role. I was just lucky to be able to stand on some of these powerful women’s shoulders to, I guess, get some of these awards, but it really was a team effort. Okay, so going back to even the decision to come to Nebraska, can you take us through that and the recruiting process and, and how you got from Union, Missouri to Nebraska? Yeah, for sure. So I was on the club volleyball team, not unusual for volleyball players, but my club was not as competitive, I would say, as what you would see from the upper echelons of the clubs that were trained in seven days a week through their high school careers. I think mine trained one week in a month. That’s what we were dealing with in my small town, right? I was fortunate to go to a national tournament, and of course we were raw athletes and we battled and so we could go up against these clubs that were a lot more polished through kind of sheer grit, if you want to know the truth. And I was lucky to be seen that junior summer. And when I got back, I think that fall I had 50 different colleges kind of, you know, contacting and reaching out. My high school coach, Greg Curran. I’ll never forget the day where I was sitting. He invites me and my parents in and he says we need to start talking about post-high school for Stephanie. Well, we did, my family. You didn’t think too far in advance. It kind of goes back to kind of survival mode that most of us were living in. I don’t want to I don’t want to dim the light here. But it was the reality of kind of that atmosphere that I felt. So future orientation really did not make much sense for someone like me. He mentioned Nebraska and I was like, what’s going on? I don’t know anything about this. Well, my mom had an eighth grade education. My dad finished high school, so I was a first generation college student. So to consider college, let alone a Final Four Division one, you know, upper echelon volleyball that was as far to the moon that you could get for someone like me. Luckily, they recruited me, called me, were persistent. I visited, and once you visit Nebraska, you don’t want to go home. And another point is Lori Endicott was from Springfield, Missouri. She wore number two and she was the setter for Nebraska for years before she graduated, the year before I got there, when I got to talk to Lori and see her path and see that I’m sorry. I’ll get it together. Sorry. When I got to see what future looks like. And I didn’t see that right away, I had to get here and I had to battle and I had to sort through some some internal things. But the coaches never gave up and they saw for me what I didn’t see. And John Cook, who I cannot leave him out, he was one of the coaches that recruited me, not the one that didn’t evaluate me appropriately. That was a different one. John wrote. This is back when they didn’t have any digital recruiting and the texts and the twitters and all the things, right. He sketched a locker and it said, Théatre, I’m sorry, this is ridiculous. It said Théatre All-American 90, 91 and 92. Wow. And sure enough, that’s my career. I’m sorry. Yeah, you got me emotional over here. It’s just such a powerful story. I hope you don’t mind me asking just for if there’s somebody listening that might. You know what? You said you hadn’t seen a future. And then until you got here, for someone that might have that kind of similar being, that similar situation, how did what kind of advice do you give? Oh good night. I am not the person to give advice. I am. Who was thankful to give been given advice. The only advice I will say, and it’s really just kind of comes back to a quote that I have made into my personal mission. And hopefully this is advice enough, but I think it was Maya Angelou that said, you know, when we cast our bread upon the waters, we can’t know. And I’m paraphrasing the people who will be impacted because we will not see their faces as we have been impacted from those people. We have been benefactors of ahead of us. That to me is Nebraska volleyball and that is life. And so position yourself to receive support from anyone and everyone who is kind enough to give it, but complete that cycle of investment. Once you understand that, then you have to complete the cycle by throwing that bread down the stream yourself. And so to me, if that is advice or more of a mission way to think about it, Nebraska pours into their athletes. We have donors. We have administrators. We have people behind the scenes fans, my teammates who maybe they got hurt and they didn’t get the awards. You know, the walk ons, but everybody contributes. And so they’re poured into. But then they themselves get an opportunity to complete that cycle for the next underlines, you know, the people who win the national championships in 95, as it were. For us, it wasn’t our group, but it was the people afterwards. So I don’t know if that’s advice. More how I unpack the experience. That’s that’s great. What was it like playing for Terry Pettit? What made him such a revolutionary coach at the time? Yeah, well, I think Terry is revolutionary in so many ways, and I don’t even think I understood until even more after the relationship that you have with these, these people that have poured into you, because then you get to see them on different and different atmospheres, know a little bit more about them than where they were with the task at hand. Right. Terry is one of his fortes is, first of all, to give opportunity. He is very clear about equality and title, title nine and how that’s impacted his his teams prior to, you know, all of the decades he’s coached and to give opportunities to people to compete and to be a part of a of a team and successful team. So that is something you kind of walk in. In this wonderful embrace that you, you get to be a part of. So that’s huge. His other thing is his ability to train athletes, to look at them, see what they need to overcome and help them with tools to overcome those things. Some of that is from the Athletes Agency, some of that’s from the coaching and some of that’s from the support personnel that you’ll find on college campus that I mentioned earlier. But either way, positioning an athlete to kind of not only recognize where they are, but the gaps between where they want to be and then help them get there. To me, that sums it up. And it’s not a pretty task, and it’s not an easy task. And it’s I always say I was fortunate to get my jersey retired. I think it was 2008, and I just said, beauty is, you know, life is beautiful. But people need to see the inner workings of what makes it beautiful. They need to see the behind the door stories of people and what they’ve overcome, adversities and stuff like that. To me, that’s where the beauty is. But people show up, they pay the tickets, they watch the final product on the court, and they have no idea the beauty that they haven’t been able to witness. That got those athletes and coaches there. To me, that’s the wonderful thing that teams get to keep all to themselves, those intimate stories and knowledge. And I think that’s the beauty in sports and why people want to be a part of it, because they know it’s they know those stories are there. They want to be privy to them. Some of them are just cut for the coaches and players. But yeah. He he’s been quoted saying that you never had a bad game, a bad match, that you were always good or great but never bad. Do you agree with that? How did you do it? I don’t agree with that. I was actually reflecting on that today. I remember a match. I wonder if it was BYU and I was sicker than a dog and I couldn’t breathe. And as a middle you are a part of every contact on that ball. You’re flying around the court and there’s not one place you’re not there. And I just remember I couldn’t breathe and I was like, this is a problem. Back in the day, when volleyball matches went three hours, right? And I remember that. So I’m he’s kind to say that I don’t know if that’s the truth. I did work hard. I tried to be kind to those around me. And through that and a little funny, I tried to keep it light. But yeah, those are the things I know I probably did well, but he’s gracious so. Well, you don’t become a three time All-American without being somewhat consistent. So what what went into that success or your career that continued to build and for you to continue to maintain that success and become that three time All-American that Coach Cook had said? Yeah, I you know, I think the practices, the culture, the practices and the they’re still that way is if you could get through the practices and the weekly preparation and all the other stuff you’re trying to balance outside of it, the games became just execution, right? I mean, the games were not harder than practice. Practice should have been harder than the games. The games were just putting it together. To me, it was a teammates we are. We had a fascinating makeup of players and I always knew. I always knew that when I was there, we had people who were just who are now now doctors and physicians and coaches and parents and all these things. But what you knew about them, each one of them probably had an enduring, at least one enduring hardship story that they’ve overcome. And to me, those are the curiosities that keep me a little focused on my communities. Those are the people that I kind of gravitate to, the people that don’t have it hard or easy, and they work hard to keep overcoming. I think it was an attitude of I was never good enough. I remember Natalie Williams was for UCLA player of the year. I ended up playing with her out on the Olympic team outside after Nebraska, and she was somebody who was just we would battle. Of course, she was not in my position. She was a right side player, but she was a national player of the year. And I would always tell myself, and I never told coach this or whatever, but I would be like, what is Natalie doing now if she’s on the West Coast? What is she doing now? And what what could I be doing now over in the Midwest? And then when we would battle, I just had that respect for people like that. So to me, that was the outlook I had. And I was just like I said, I was coachable. It comes from having a big family. You just do it. You tell your parents told you to do something, you didn’t wait. You did it. I was hard on myself. I never a little too hard. Kathy, the assistant coach, had to really kind of nurture me on that. She’s like, you are just. You’re your world’s biggest critic. It served me well to get better. But it also can be a little tough. If you let that go on a little. You got to balance that, right? Absolutely. I feel you on that for sure. Okay. So being that you have a perspective of Coach Cook and you know, he he referenced the transition from Terry Pettit. And then when he took over and whatnot. But when before I ask you about his retirement, let’s go back to when he was named the head coach. Did you have an inclination that he would go on to have the career and the success that he had here at Nebraska? Yeah, because he recruited he we were the last class he recruited before he went off to get his head coaching experience and then came back and I was gone by then. So we were fortunate to be recruited from him. And so we knew him. But then of course, his group that he was able to coach directly, I was not a part of that group. Once you meet John, it it doesn’t change. He’s the same who he was to me back in 88, 89 when he recruited me, that he is now. And I don’t have the relationship that a coach Pettit would with John because they’re extremely close and they’ve been, you know, close for years. But once you meet him, you know that success is just that’s in his DNA and self-improvement is in his DNA. And everyone that’s going to work with him is going to have to buy into that, because he’s going to lead them in some self-improvement way. He’s an he’s an amazing coach, and I there’s nothing that shocks me with his career or what he did, because he was chomping at the bit to do that. Head coach. Even in an assistant position, you could tell. And so he did it. And it didn’t shock any of us because he was mentored really well by Terry and some other of his mentors, I’m sure So he decides to retire and, you know, went about it. He was just so strategic about it, knew who was going to be able to take over. How about, as a former alum yourself, to see Dani Busboom Kelly taking over a former Husker leading this program? Well, it for anybody that’s just a warm that’s a warm person that you want that you’re just already a green light on. But Danny’s career as a Husker but then as a coach, her success, I mean, there’s nothing you can take away from her in terms of her preparation for that opportunity. So we were ecstatic. All I know, all the alumni were just loving that. And the next time I get to, you know, in this fall, go back, I’ll get to see her and I’ll get to congratulate her personally. But yeah, we have a great sense of pride for any of our former players that we’ve played with, didn’t play with. They were before us or after. There’s a great sense of pride in whatever endeavor they choose to do. It’s a really cool network to have been a part of and to continue to be a part of. I just got a couple more for you. I know that you came back and were part of the stadium match here, and the record breaking night, Nebraska Volleyball Day in Nebraska. How do you reflect on that day? What did it mean to you to see that accomplished here with this program? Yeah. Well, first on the day, the logistics were so amazing. If you could be a part of that, there’s no replacement watching it on TV or watching it. There’s just no replacement for that. So I’m sorry you lost out if you weren’t there. But that’ll teach you a big lesson to not be absent next time, right? It was huge. There’s not one player I’ll speak for myself that wanted to be Merritt Beason. I kept looking at Merritt, walking down that tunnel and going, man, she is walking like a boss. And I just so jealous of her because she just had her game face on. She was business and she’s walking that tunnel walk like nobody. I get chills thinking about it because I just wanted to just go down there and take her jersey and say, spread out young, and I’m there. But we got to line the tunnel underneath with all the alumni and talk about cool. You’re visibly seeing before the teams coming through all of your peers before and after you that you knew of, played with, or watched after you left. There is nothing like that. And that was power. So people above they saw it on the big screen. But you don’t you don’t feel what that’s like until you’re in the mix there. And then the alumni have their own section. And so I was fortunate to send I collected three volleyballs and I just threw them around the alumni section and just kind of stood up and said, these are mine. And with the pen and a bag, just throw them in the bag. And I would monitor periodically just to make sure I didn’t lose those. And you don’t even want to know how cool it was the next day in the hotel to look at the. I had signatures from the very first Husker team all the way through the youngins like these balls are, you know, they’re they’re really magical. And so that was really cool. You really sell those for a pretty penny. But you probably could. Just. I feel like, you know, I’ve been here now for a few years and just periodically being able to talk to alumni throughout the years, but then also the current Huskers and talking to you today as a reminder, just the appreciation of being a part of this program and the women that came before. And you’re very quick to point to those that that laid the foundation. And so I think there is an appreciation for everybody that came through and played here. But why is it that that this program has been able to maintain such success and be the premier volleyball program for so many years, so many decades? Gosh, that I’m afraid that question is above me, around me. I can’t speak to that. I can I can tell you just being on the inside that there is, I can’t imagine. And I had opportunities to go elsewhere to different colleges, and I can’t imagine having I not once said, what if I went here? What if I went there? That never happened. Even then, that freshman year when I was battling for a position, because once you are accepted into that and invited into that, you know, the university, the programs, whatever macro and micro level you find yourself, you get a real sense of pride, you get a real sense of stewardship. And I don’t think I had an appreciation for that as as a current player, because you’re faced with the day in, day out tasks and duties and performance. But the older you get, you really do understand the stewardship of resources that goes into those programs, and that comes from donors and admin and fans. And there’s a real sense of that with the alumni because we were, again, I bring it back. We were benefactors. And alumni are very sensitive about making sure those young players understand that because they’re just too close to the fire when they play. You don’t get that that lens until later. But we saw alumni, you know, we saw Nancy Grant Colson, we saw Enid Wise, we saw Gwen Egbert, all these alumni just coming in, just watching practice and, and those names. We were like, at first I didn’t know who they were because I was from Missouri and I hadn’t followed Nebraska until I was recruited. But then once I was there, I was like, oh my gosh, these are the people that are in the record books, right? So I think alumni, the university does well to have alumni back because and John Cook was good, I think after our Terry Pettis era left to just understand that stewardship and what’s come before you, we don’t own it. We are just stewards of it to pass to the next group. So yeah. Okay. So for our listeners and Husker fans, where are you now? What are you up to? Well, shout out right. Would you say you got a special shout out? Right. Well, you know, I am Manhattan, Kansas. And I went back and I, you know, planned to talk to Keith Zimmer about this because I was one I was, you know, spent a lot of time with him balancing the academics on his on the court stuff. But, you know, I went back and got a master’s in counseling. And so I went into career coaching. I found myself as someone who has lived abroad, playing professional ball and married to someone who moves frequently, that my career I’ve had to navigate new environments quite a lot, and quite quickly. I found myself to be very supportive of people who were in the same boat. So I worked recently with, well, university students for about 1314 years and most recently military spouses, domestic and internationally on their career coaching needs. Because I could I could help them with those transitions because I lived them. I’m currently pulling back. I’ve pulled back this last year because my daughter has one more year of high school, so I want to be more available to her. And also volunteering in a community community organization I’m going to amp up. It’s it just works with people who keep them stable off the streets and really just pouring in resources to them so that they can start to remove some of those barriers for their own success. So that’s kind of something on my next chapter. But yeah, that’s really it. So that’s amazing. But your husband, right. You’re going to give a shout out to him. Yeah I would be glad to. Sorry. You cued it up and I didn’t see it. You teed it up. I didn’t hit it. So Clint Clint Brown, he currently is. They have camps football camps here at K state. But he’s really a really wonderful I would say balance for me. We have a shared background. Small town. He grew up in Arlington Nebraska national championship team. But his story is so much more compelling than mine. So if you ever shout out, want to do a walk? An old Tom Osborne walk on story, he’s it because he ended up as a national championship, but his he worked for it and I really I really like that story. He can work with you know walk ons and the successful ones because he’s lived all between. He’s very humble. But yeah. So Clint, if you watch this or you know and hear it, I love you and thank you for your support. And y’all met here, right? Yeah. We met at Nebraska. Yeah. So great stuff. Thank you so much for your time. I’ll let you get out of here. But happy birthday and congratulations. And I know you’ll be back here right October 31st. And for the football game there on November 1st. Right. Go, Huskers. Awesome. Thank you so much for your time. Bye. Wow. What an incredible conversation. I just kept asking her questions. Just an incredible story and so very deserving. Stephanie Theodore of Nebraska Volleyball being inducted into the 2025 Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame class. Again coming up on October 31st and November 1st will be the ceremony, and then they’ll be honored at that football game that day. Step aside for a break. We’ve got more to come on the show here tonight. Woodhouse has been a trusted partner in your every day since 1975. Shop for your next vehicle with the home team at Woodhouse and the official auto dealer of Nebraska Athletics. Which automaker employs the most hourly workers in the country? Ford. Which automaker assembles the most vehicles in the country? Ford. That’s not a coincidence. It’s a commitment, a commitment Ford dealers share by offering employee pricing across a full lineup of Ford vehicles. Now get employee pricing available across a full lineup of Ford trucks and SUVs. Employee pricing you pay what we pay only from your local Ford dealer. Nebraskans are choosing chiropractic for better health. Why chiropractic? Because it is safe, drug free and a cost effective treatment option for back and joint pain. Plus, all generations can benefit from natural chiropractic care. Choose chiropractic first for pain relief or to improve your mobility, athletic performance, or overall wellness. Make chiropractic your first choice for better health, and find a chiropractic physician near you at Nebraska Chiropractic. Org. Get your life back with chiropractic. Hit us up on the text line. Text 402 413 2400 with your Husker thoughts. Your Nebraska Lottery has a monopoly on fun. Actually, it’s our new $5 monopoly Ten-x scratch ticket, and it’s also part of a terrific Second Chance promotion until July 22nd. Enter any non winning $5 monopoly ten x scratch ticket online for a chance to be one of ten weekly winners of $1,000, or the grand prize of $10,000. Pass, go and enter today $5. Monopoly ten x top Prize odds 1 in 114,000. Monopoly is a trademark of Hasbro. Hasbro is not a sponsor of this promotion. Nebraskans are choosing chiropractic for better health. Why chiropractic? Because it is safe, drug free and a cost effective treatment option for back and joint pain. Plus, all generations can benefit from natural chiropractic care. Choose chiropractic first for pain relief or to improve your mobility, athletic performance, or overall wellness. Make chiropractic your first choice for better health, and find a chiropractic physician near you at Nebraska Chiropractic. Org get your life back with chiropractic. No need to hunt around for friendly service, low prices, quality products, and great experiences. You’ll find it all with the local experts. Sapp Brothers Petroleum. If you’re tired of tracking down another late delivery, it’s time to consider Sapp Brothers, where we pride ourselves on delivering products on time or even ahead of schedule. With your safety, our top priority switching is easy. Just shoot us an email or give us a call. And right now, when you contact Sapp Brothers for any of your fuel, propane or lubricant needs, you’ll be entered to win a guided pheasant hunt next fall. Visit SAP Rose dot net Huskers. For farmers. Sustainability is a way. Of life. 97% of farms are family owned and 95% are participating in conservation programs and using sustainable practices. I’m an meas a farmer near Elgin, Nebraska. I grew up on this land and we’re dedicated to being good stewards and leaving it better for the next generation. Since 1980, US soybean farmers have boosted production by 130%, all while lowering emissions and improving land and water use. Nebraska soybeans feeding, fueling and innovating for the future. On game day, every play counts. Now imagine having the same level of control in your field. Valley is where farming meets endzone efficiency. With Agsense remote irrigation technology, farmers become the MVPs of their fields. Real time play by play control means you’re always ahead of the game. Score big with simplified irrigation technology from Valley. Improving your life both on and off the field. Find your local Valley dealer at Valley irrigation.com. Husker fans. It’s game day and Pizza. Hut’s got your perfect play score. The game day special for just 29.99. Get two medium, three topping pizzas, eight boneless wings and five breadsticks enough to feed eight hungry fans pizza, wings, breadsticks and more. It’s the ultimate lineup to fuel your game day. Check out the full menu online at Pizza hut.com or in store. Because remember, no one out pizzas. The hut. The Huskers Radio Network broadcast center is sponsored by Acres, the Midwest premiere John Deere dealer supplying the equipment and service to advance agriculture, and much more. Acres solutions for every field. A track and field update for you at the NCAA Championships, Camden had the rundown in the ticker. We’ll continue to follow it here over the next couple of hours. But Berlin shuts the link. The sophomore from Lincoln East. Unfortunately, her season comes to an end in the semifinals of the 1500 meter, but heck of a season for her again. Two more seasons left and she just had a record breaking season. Her name is all over. The record books had a PR coming off the regional appearance, so big things to come. She gets her first taste of the NCAA championships. I bet she takes a lot away from that and carries it over into next season. All right. We went way long there last segment. So we got to get to our final break. But we’ll be back to wrap up our number one next. Huskers fans. Let’s call a timeout on the court. And in life when the game gets tough, Nebraska stands together as a family, as a team. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is there. Call, text or chat 988. It’s free, confidential and staffed with trained counselors ready to listen and provide support. You’re part of the Husker family and every member is valued on and off the court. Remember, in times of need, call a timeout. Call, text or chat. 988 presented by Nebraska. Hit us up on the text line. Text 400 241 3400 with your Husker thoughts. I would have never had the chance to see my daughter become a doctor because. My mom wore her seat belt that day. I get to hug her when I go home. And then it clicked because I wore my seat belt. I learned that one moment in time can change a person’s life forever. Brought to you by n d o t Highway Safety Office. The day we were hit was the second to last day of our high school careers. We were about to graduate as best friends together and then it clicked. Because we wore our seatbelt that day. We still get to experience life together. Brought to you by n d o t Highway Safety Office. When you’re in the stands and have the ability to control your irrigation in the field, it’s a game changing moment. Valley is where farming meets end zone efficiency with agsense remote irrigation technology, farmers become the MVPs of their fields, experience real time play by play, action and control that keeps you ahead. Score big with irrigation technology from Valley. It’s technology that improves your life and lets you be at the game and in the game. Find your local Valley dealer at Valley irrigation.com. Welcome back. Final segment here of our number one of sports nightly on this Thursday evening I’m Jessica Cootie. We gave up only a few days off so still a pretty fun show, right? This will be our last live show of the week. We’ll continue our best of series as we do throughout the summer. Tomorrow night. Not sure about the rundown on that one, but we’ll try to get that for you here before we sign off tonight. Jim Briggs on the chat had a comment about the interview with Stephanie Thayer. He said, what a great story. I love to hear how you never gave up. I know there are many others in the same situation hearing your story that you might help somebody. I agree Jim, I was when she had gotten emotional about when she got here and saw that she could dream about the future, and I was I got emotional and then I had chills when she was talking about walking down the tunnel, and she said, we all wanted to be Merritt Beason because she looked like such a boss walking down the tunnel. I mean, what a great perspective and just enjoyed that chat. Cannot wait to see her back here when she gets inducted to the Hall of Fame. These these interviews are always so inspirational and so fun to be able to revisit and learn so much about the process and how it’s different. But I think one thing’s for sure. I mean, you got a sense for how much it meant to her to be a Husker. I think that’s been really important for Coach Cook, and I know we’ll continue over here with Danny Busboom Kelly as she takes over. But as you talk to the volleyball players, they talk about making sure that they are holding up to that standard and doing it for the ones that came before and started a long time ago. Not very few programs can can say that they’ve had the continued success for so long, and that they still want to honor those that came before. And so and appreciate that. And a lot of times it can be all about, oh, about me and not really care about knowing the history. But that’s not the case for this Nebraska volleyball program. And I think it’s been really important each and every year as they strive for the national championships. And not like I mentioned, not every program can say that. But we heard last year about how they had to do a PowerPoint presentation on on former Huskers and what they brought to it. So we’ll look forward. I know Danny will probably continue a lot of that tradition and maybe not exactly the same way, but we’ll continue to hear about that here. Over the next few months. We’ll have some volleyball newcomers coming on here soon. They’re getting settled, settled in, working some camps. They were busy over there the last couple of days. So maybe starting next week we’ll be able to get some volleyball players in. All right. Our number two of sports nightly coming up. Hit us up on the text line. Text 402 413 2400 with your Husker thoughts. They say consistency is the key to success. They weren’t wrong. So how about grabbing a beer that’s consistently smooth, consistently refreshing, and consistently light? You might just find that the road to success can be pretty enjoyable. Michelob ultra the perfect balance of taste and refreshment and only 2.6 carbs and 95 calories. It’s only worth it if you enjoy it. Enjoy responsibly. Anheuser Busch, Michelob Ultra Light Beer, Saint Louis, Missouri. In the heartland where ambition thrives, there are those who are made and those who are made for more. Just like the Huskers on game day, Klos, a leading producer of AG equipment, unleashes the power of ambition in the field. Discover why our cutting edge machinery and unwavering support aren’t just a promise, they’re a commitment to your success because we know you are made. For more. Visit your Klos dealer or Claas. Com You expect your home to protect everything you love, but you don’t expect the ways water is breaking down your basement and damaging your home. Mold cracks and of course, visible water are just a few signs your basement is compromised. But there’s one way to get answers to all your concerns a free home inspection from ground works. We put water back in its place. Get your free [email protected]. License number C142293. Which automaker employs the most hourly workers in the country? Ford. Which automaker assembles the most vehicles in the country? Ford. That’s not a coincidence. It’s a commitment. A commitment Ford dealers share by offering employee pricing across a full lineup of Ford vehicles. Now get employee pricing available across a full lineup of Ford. Trucks and SUVs. Employee pricing you pay what we pay only from your local Ford dealer. Good evening. I’m Camden Cone, and our sports sticker is brought to you by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Last night for Huskers collected all American honors at the NCAA Track and Field Outdoor Championships. Javelin school record holder Keyshawn Strachan placed fifth in the javelin with a distance of 76.44m. That’s his second career first team honor. Arthur Peterson joined him in the top eight, as he threw a 75.5 to claim his second career first team All America and fourth overall. Dash Sherman rounded out the Husker javelin squad with a 14th place finish, with a throw of 69.17m to become a three time All-American, and in the shot put, Maxwell Oterdahl earned his sixth All-America accolade overall and fourth in the shot put, as he finished 19th with a throw of 18.55m. Game four of the Stanley Cup Finals is tonight as the Florida Panthers host the Edmonton Oilers. The Panthers lead two games to one. Puck will drop here in just a few minutes and can be watched on TNT. And finally, a couple of MLB scores from earlier today. The Mets beat the nationals 4 to 3. The Rangers bested the twins 16 to 3, and the Rockies beat the Giants 8 to 7 for their 13th win of the season. Our sports ticker is brought to you by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Call a time out if you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is there. Call, text or chat 988. It’s free, confidential and staffed with trained counselors, ready to listen and provide support. Our two of Sports Nightly is up next right here on the Huskers radio network. Coming to you live from Memorial Stadium. It’s Sports Nightly, all the Huskers, all the time. Sports nightly is presented to you by the n d o t Highway Safety office, who reminds you to buckle up and put the phone down. Set first offering. That ball is driven up the middle coming around. Third is Dylan carry. The throw is off line. The Huskers win it. The Huskers win it. Nebraska will march on Wing to the near side. Snap back, pass some time. Steps, throws down the field. The pass is intercepted. Picked off by Sierra Wright to the 30 2526 down the near sideline. 2010 five touchdown Nebraska Sierra Ryan with a pick six for Nebraska. And the Huskers have taken the lead on the road. A couple of ball fakes bounces into Prince at half court, and Prince is going to make the run on a falter. Steps back for three to tie the game? You betcha. Biggest shot of that freshman’s young career. Time out. We’re tied at 75. Brett Prince is 19. She steps back and sticks a three pointer her fifth of the night. Now here is your host Jessica Cudi on the Huskers radio network. Welcome back. Our number two of sports nightly on this Thursday evening I’m Jessica Cootie. And coming up here in just a few minutes, we’re going to hear from one of the Nebraska women’s basketball new additions. Hear from Claire Johnson. The sophomore guard had a heck of a freshman season at Sanford. So we’re going to get to know her a little bit, introduce you to her. We’ve got David’s joke of the week here. He’s been working hard on it here since I’ve been here the last few hours. So we’re going to see how he delivers tonight in replace of a Duke. So we’ll have look forward to that here in just a few minutes. And Camden mentioned the javelin throwers. The Husker javelin throwers are warming up including Maddie Harris, who was the 2023 national champion at this very event. So she she had a redshirt year last year, did not compete in outdoor season. So we’ll see how she does here tonight. We’ll maybe have an update for you later on in the show. Also, we haven’t talked about this on the show yet, but this two weeks from tonight will be our last night doing sports nightly in the studio. We are going to be getting some new digs. We’re moving in, we’re going to stay in the stadium, but moving to join some of the other content teams is going to be a sweet setup. Excited about it. It’s been underway for several months and we’re getting closer to that. But I guess I was kind of thinking that we’re going to be broadcasting, and then I think we’re going to have to take a few days off to, to be able to transition. And then, oh, by the way, we’re in a new, completely new space. So we’ll have more details with that to come. But did just want to mention here next few weeks we’ll have some updates on that. It’s going to I think it’s going to be pretty pretty awesome for us. We’re excited about it, but we are going to look a little bit different here in a few weeks here this summer. On that note, too, I did want to address we. I talk about this a lot here on the show. We get a text message almost every night, at least one multiple wanting to know about the update on the next voice of the Huskers. I think we’re getting closer to the end of that process and hopefully getting closer to being able to name who that person is. In fact, Dennis on the text line right on cue. Wanted an update on that. I went on Damon Benning show that he does in the morning with his co-host Robby and Austin. The other yesterday, and didn’t know that they were going to ask me about it. But they asked me about the process, and I know they posted a clip about it and got a little emotional. I felt like, well, I didn’t know that they were going to ask me about that, but I haven’t really talked about the process much here on Sports Nightly and what it’s been like. And, you know, from the start, Troy Dannen had said that, you know, Play Fly was going to initiate a nationwide search. And it’s been a long process. It’s been a very long process. And we had very, very many applicants, hundreds of applicants that put their name in the hat. And, and guys from the professional ranks to major college programs. There was a lot of interest in in this job. And so it was a process to narrow down to the finalists that we did a round of interviews there. And then there was a narrowing down process and another round of interviews, and then another round of interviews here on campus. And so, you know, it, it I’ll tell you. And I’ve said this, but, you know, initially it was pretty emotional. And, you know, I’m very thankful I got to be a part of the process from the beginning and getting a chance to, to chat with a number of these, these guys that want to come be the next voice of the Huskers. And the first interview I got really emotional. I, I lost it just talking to somebody about a job I’ve only known for as Greg Sharp to hold and working with him. And so, you know, they talk about, you know, grief coming in waves and how much it it it hit me that the reality of that I think in as we made it through football season last year, you know, just you don’t necessarily always know when it’s going to hit you in. And it certainly hit me the very first interview I got, I cried during the interview, and then I hung up the phone and got really emotional, called my mom. But, you know, it is it is it? That’s been the challenge, right? Is, As we have all come to love Greg and knowing that there’s going to be a new voice, it’s not going to be easy. Right. And I not all of us love change. But I think we got you know, we talked to some guys that understand and appreciate what Nebraska is. And I thought that was neat to the almost all of them were quick to point out how, you know, pass along condolences for Greg and knew a lot about Greg and how much they respected Greg. And a number of them said, I wish it wasn’t under these circumstances that we were having this conversation. And so I really appreciated that, that he was very well respected by a lot of these guys, and they knew very much about the job that he did here. But, you know, I think throughout the process, we wanted to look for somebody that obviously was a team player here with the Huskers radio network, but that had a an appreciation and a love that not just Greg, but that we all do for Nebraska and had a passion and a care about this place and, you know, telling, telling its stories. And we weren’t we’re not going to find the next Greg Sharp. Right. And I think that’s important as we move forward in this and whoever it might be that you know, that comparison game. And that was even kind of a challenge that I’ve worked through to here over these last few weeks, is that it’s not it’s not going to be. Greg. And I think we all need to remember that. And, and, you know, give this guy a chance to win us over in the same way Greg did and I. But I’m excited about, you know, the process maybe coming to a close. And it’s been a long one. It really has been a long one. And I know we’ve got a lot of questions. And so, you know, wanted to try to answer a few of those here. But we have done our due diligence. And you know, I think we’ve got a guy that’s going to be hopefully we when we get this narrowed down to where when we get to that guy, I think we’re going to have a guy that’s going to be very passionate in the same way that a lot of the people are here on this network that we have currently calling all the Husker sports that will fit into that and understand and appreciate the role and the job. And so again, no announcement tonight, but hopefully soon we’ll be ready to make that announcement. The process is still ongoing, but hope you can appreciate that. We wanted to make sure that that we got it right. And but yeah, it felt bad that I had passed along some information that I hadn’t shared here and so wanted to do that here on On Sports Nightly tonight. If you have any more questions, I’ll try to answer them here. But I know just continue to be patient with us. It will come sooner rather than later. I’m going to go ahead and get to a break so we can hear from Claire Johnson on the other side of this and as a part of our newcomer series. So keep it here on Sports Nightly and Huskers, stop by your local HyVee, where they’ve lowered prices on thousands of items you use every day. Hy-Vee dedicated to making your life easier, healthier, and happier On game day. Every play counts. Now imagine having the same level of control in your field. Valley is where farming meets end zone efficiency with Agsense remote irrigation technology, farmers become the MVPs of their fields. Real time play by play control means you’re always ahead of the game. Score big with simplified irrigation technology from Valley. Improving your life both on and off the field. Find your local Valley dealer at Valley irrigation.com. Hit us up on the text line. Text 402 413 2400 with your Husker thoughts. Nebraska soybeans power everyday products from Goodyear tires and Skechers shoes to soy based turf and fire suppressants, these innovations replace petroleum and utilize other components of the soybean, leading to more sustainable products worldwide I’m Doug Saathoff, a farmer near Trumbull, Nebraska. Thanks to cutting edge research, soybeans are now in everything from tires to turf. It’s amazing to see how these advancements are unlocking new potential for our crops. Soybeans are a win for every product and every one. Nebraska Soybeans feeding, fueling, and innovating for the future. In the heartland where ambition thrives, there are those who are made and those who are made for more. Just like the Huskers on game day, Klos, a leading producer of AG equipment, unleashes the power of ambition in the field. Discover why our cutting edge machinery and unwavering support aren’t just a promise, they’re a commitment to your success because we know you are made. For more. Visit your Klos dealer or. Claas.com You expect. Your home to protect everything you love, but you don’t expect that water is the reason parts of your concrete have gotten so uneven. Walkway tripping hazards, sinking pool deck, cracked driveways are dangerous threats to everyone’s safety, but there’s one way to learn how your concrete can be lifted. A free home inspection from groundworks. We put water back in its place. Get your free [email protected]. License number C142293. Nebraskans are choosing chiropractic for better health. Why chiropractic? Because it is safe, drug free and a cost effective treatment option for back and joint pain. Plus, all generations can benefit from natural chiropractic care. Choose chiropractic first for pain relief or to improve your mobility, athletic performance, or overall wellness. Make chiropractic your first choice for better health, and find a chiropractic physician near you at Nebraska Chiropractic. Org get your life back with chiropractic. Which automaker employs. The most. Hourly workers in the country? Ford. Which automaker assembles the most vehicles in the country? Ford. That’s not a coincidence. It’s a commitment. A commitment Ford dealers share by offering employee pricing across a full lineup of Ford vehicles. Now get employee. Pricing available across a full lineup. Of Ford trucks. And SUVs. Employee pricing you pay what we pay only from your local Ford dealer. Some days you hit snooze. But not today. Today, you have to go on a run to get burgers for the tailgate. You’ve got to haul something heavy a cooler stocked with Bud Light when you’ve got beer and football. Nothing is hard until the other team scores. Bud light, easy to drink, easy to enjoy. Enjoy responsibly. 21 plus. Copyright 2024 Anheuser-Busch Bud Light Beer, Saint Louis, Missouri. Welcome back into Sports Nightly. I’m Jessica Cootie, and tonight we are debuting the start of our new summer series that we like to do here every summer and introduce you to the new additions to the women’s basketball, men’s basketball, and volleyball programs. It’s always a fun time to get to know some of these new faces that will be impacting these Husker programs. And so we’re starting with Nebraska women’s basketball. One of the transfers, a handful of transfers for Amy Williams group and another versatile guard. You know, Coach Williams loves those versatile guards that can do a lot of different things. But a sophomore guard transferred from Sanford in Claire Johnson out of Purdue, grew up in Paducah, Kentucky, but was an all conference season last year at Sanford. During her freshman season, over 12 points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal a game and in the last ten games of the season really turned it on, averaging nearly 19 points a game. So here’s that conversation with Claire Johnson, the sophomore guard of Nebraska Women’s Hoops, as a part of our newcomer series presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska. You moved in over the weekend and have been right to it. I know a lot of things going into the first week. How has the first week been for you? It’s been awesome, a little overwhelming just with everything we’ve had to do, but it’s been great. Well, take us through your decision to enter the transfer portal. You had a great freshman season at Sanford, was an all conference guard, really scored a bunch of points there at the end of last season. So take take us through your decision to transfer and how you landed on Nebraska. Yeah, well, I never really saw transferring in my future. It wasn’t something I’d planned for. Our coach told us, I think the day before the transfer portal closed, that she was leaving, so that was unexpected, but something we had to think about over the weekend. It was, I think it was Easter weekend, so got to think about it with my parents and just talk about it, and decided it was at least good to see what my options would be. So went in the portal and it was pretty hectic for about two weeks. Dealing with that in the midst of finals was a lot, but I mean, in the end it was definitely worthwhile but very overwhelming. So, you know, again, with that kind of process, you don’t have a lot of time to think about it. So what were you considering when you were trying to find your next home? The biggest thing for me is just honestly the people I want to be around, good people that want me to succeed and that are just going to pour into me and people I can pour into. So just the people here are great. And that was just instantly what drew me. And I definitely made the right decision. Had you been to Nebraska before? Never. So you came to visit here? Yeah. What did you like about it when you came here? What sold you. Seems really calm. I didn’t really want to be in a huge city, but, I mean, you have access to one, which is nice, but it’s just a small town feel. But at the same time, it’s got pretty much everything you need. So I just, I love that part of it. And I know I’m biased here, but you talk about the people. There’s some great people over there for women’s basketball. Yeah. No. They’re awesome. I could tell just from the first time I talked to them on the phone, all the conversations were great, and then getting to meet them on the visit was great. Such a short time to get to know people. But I mean, I had no doubt in my decision. And I’ve also talked to a lot of other coaches and they agreed. Nebraska has great coaches and great people that are here to support. And honestly, even in the first week I’ve been here, it’s been like impressive about how many people are here to help me and how many people have just reached out. It’s awesome. Well, you had mentioned had a great freshman season. What did you learn your first year playing college basketball that you’re taking into the preparations for your second season? I learned a lot. I mean, the biggest thing was really just how to play with without thinking. That was the hardest part for me at first. There’s so many little details in college basketball that you probably haven’t even thought about before, so just being able to get used to those and play and learn everything that was that made things a lot easier. So I understand it’s going to be a process at first here and getting to learn the system and the plays and all the little details they teach. So I know it’s going to be a process, but it’s something I’m up for and ready for. Coach Williams loves her versatile guards, and I know you’re a versatile guard, but describe your game for Husker fans that are getting to know you well. I’m definitely a combo guard is probably what you call. I can play the point a lot, but also very effective. From the wing. I’d say I’m pretty quick, so I like to get out and run in transition and shoot the three. All of that. Well, that’s like to a t what. This program does in the system. How exciting is that coming in that it kind of suits your game. It’s awesome. I mean it’s really it’s perfect. I could tell from the first day in practice that I was going to fit in great. And even just watching workouts on my visit, it will be great. What what were the first practices like getting to know this team? Well, our first day we did a little bit of skills and then had some scrimmage and it was it was great. The energy was great, communication was a big focus. So it’s going to be fun I love it. Okay. So take me back to your beginnings. When you first start playing basketball. Why why hoops. Why did that become the love for you the sport that you loved? It’s just it’s fun really. I mean, I played basketball ever since probably second or third grade, and I played softball around the same age, too. And I played both for a while. Was pretty good at both, but basketball is what I stuck with because it’s just a fast game and you’re always doing something, whether you’re running or passing or talking or anything. You may not even be in the game, but you’re probably still doing something. So I just like the energy there. So at what point did you realize this is what I want to do? I want to play in college. I’ve always been in love with it. So I mean, I knew I didn’t want to stop right after high school. And so it’s just it’s just kind of my nature. Who or what or how what what do you credit your growth into becoming a D1 level basketball player? All glory to God. But I’ve had a lot of people that helped me along the way. My parents have been great. My dad, he always works with me in the gym, so anytime I go shoot, he’s always there to go shoot with me and my mom is always there to teach me leadership and how to be a great leader on and off the court. So they’ve been great. My brothers have played basketball against them in the driveway all the time, so they’re helpful. And then all the coaches. My high school coach was a huge help in this whole transfer process. He was always there when I was doing finals. He was talking to some coaches for me and just doing some things I couldn’t. And then my middle school coach always opened in the gym. So just I have great resources and a great network to help me. Oh that’s awesome. Two older brothers. Yeah, but that instilled some competitiveness in you. Some toughness. Yeah, definitely. For sure I have they’re both about 22, but I have one biological and one adopted brother. So he’s got a really cool story. He we adopted him from China when he was 14. And then last summer we got to go meet his biological family in China. And so his story is pretty awesome. But I’ve learned things just from that process that will help me all throughout life on the court. And Grant is my biological brother, and he’s taught me a million things not to do and also things to do because they’re just both great guys. Wow, what what an incredible story. So what went into that decision for your family? Well, it was very unexpected. Not something we planned for. I was probably ten at the time in fourth grade, and they saw a Facebook post from one of our friends and they said, well, Grant, Claire, what do you think? There’s this guy he’s got about a year or a few months left to be adopted, or else he can no longer be in the orphanage. And we were like, yeah, let’s do it. We had no idea really what that process would have or take, but we were like, let’s do it. So it was a challenge, but definitely something that was 100% worth it. What were some of the things you learned that you’ll take with you forever? Well, I learned how to how to lead. I mean, that probably doesn’t seem like a situation you would learn leadership from. But, I mean, it’s just I saw my parents lead in a great way. And so watching them was just really impressive. And there were challenges the whole the whole time, especially early on. I had to learn how to sit back too, so I couldn’t always be in the way. I had to teach myself some things while my parents were teaching him English and helping him with school. So I became very independent. But I mean also just learned family and how important it is just to be there for each other. Wow, what an incredible story. Incredible perspective. I love that, but I’m assuming now Nebraska’s got some more fans from Kentucky, right? Oh yeah, definitely. I’ve got a lot of people from home that I know will be watching. They watched a lot last year, so I know they’ll keep it up. What did your family think about Nebraska? They loved it. I mean, the people you can just you can tell the people are great. And so that’s a big thing for them too. And they loved it. So you were valedictorian, high school graduation. Yeah. How important is the schooling part of this being a student athlete thing? Academics are very important to me. Never made a B, so I’m hoping to keep the streak going, hoping to keep it up. But yeah, I just I have a really strong work ethic. So I, I’m going to push myself to the best of my ability. And so hoping to keep those grades up and keep my skills up and everything I can. Sports analytics, is that right? Okay. For those that don’t know what that is, what is that? Okay, well, my dream job is always what I start with. I would love to work in the WNBA. I want to work with statistics and player development and even just game strategies for women’s basketball. And so I think that would be really awesome. I’m a big math person, so you really just dive into some statistics and you haven’t I haven’t even learned a ton about it yet. But love math and love basketball. So combine those two. You get sports analytics. Wow. Glad you. I am not a math person. Yeah, glad it’s you and not me. I do not love math, but why do you love the numbers? Just always something that stuck with me. I mean, I like I like the one specific answer. That’s nice. So, you know, if you’re right or wrong, I just like numbers. Easy to work with for me. So have you always been one? That kind of, I guess more of the sports nerd, I guess, diving into to that kind of stuff, the statistics and stuff. Yeah. So Grant, one of my brothers, he’s also very into math. I think he does some business analytics now and then. My dad very much also into math and analytics. So we always will talk about statistics and things like that. So it’s pretty always been around it so connected to it. What’s your favorite basketball statistic. There was one in high school I think, which is I’m really excited about Hudl being here. But we would always we’d always look at the Hudl statistics and there was one I can’t remember what it’s called, but it measured like the all around efficiency of everything. So that would probably be my favorite because it measures not just points or not just one statistic, but brings them all together and really tells you the whole story. Did you know Hudl was here before you got here? I didn’t, I had no idea. So you’re going to go check it out then? Definitely. Yeah. We’ve got some contacts if you want to. Yeah. No. Yeah. Do around here. I’m excited about that. What? I guess what excites you about going to check that out? The opportunity is really I mean, I know I want to do like an internship at some point. And so whenever I get some time and definitely want to dive into that option. Wow. Wow. That’s fascinating. Well, you know, for you getting here and getting acclimated and all of that. What what what are your goals? What are you trying to accomplish here this summer with this team? My goals just really number one, get acclimated. I know summer is big opportunity to just grow relationships and get used to the system. So those are the big things right now. But learning how I can help in any way I can. This team, I just want us to be the best that we can. And that requires me to be be the best that I can. So whatever that’s going to take. What have you heard about Husker Nation? I’ve heard everybody’s GBR everywhere go big Red. So I’ve heard it’s very supportive, supportive, and a lot of people are just here and want want to see you succeed. So that’s awesome. Well, thank you so much. What a great conversation. Look forward to many more coming up in the future. But thanks for spending some time with us here in our newcomer series. Thank you. GBR everywhere. Got to love that again. Claire Johnson, the sophomore guard of Nebraska women’s basketball transfer from Samford, one of the new additions in the first of our newcomer series presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska. I got to get to going on these because, you know, I started listing out and as we know, we announced a lot of them after the basketball season. There were several that came. And with the men’s basketball, there’s lots there. And then with women’s basketball, they had a handful of newcomers out of the transfer portal and volleyball. The more newcomers than we’ve seen in the past few years. So I’ve got two more that I’ve got to get in here over these next couple of months, but I’m excited to get to know them. Always learn so much what a everybody has a story, right? That’s been my saying when I started to get into this business and just learning about people’s stories and what makes them tick and who they are off the field, off the court. And so I love hearing them and getting to know those Huskers. And I know that this coaching staff, with what they’ve had coming back and which we’ve talked so much about coming off the NCAA tournament, now you got to figure out a way to replace the production of Alexis Markowski. But with the additions that they have coming back with Britt Prince and Natalie Potts coming off the injury, and so the pieces they already had coming back and then adding these supplemental pieces that I know they’re really excited about, a lot of players that have had a lot of experience that fit the culture. It’s funny, when we were talking about, I just talked about bringing in somebody that fits the team of the Huskers radio network. I was talking with the coach about the recruiting process. And, you know, you there’s different things that you do when you come on a recruiting visit and tour and all that. But then there’s a point where you go away and you go stay with whoever your host is and you you hang out with the team with no coaches around, and they want to know, do you fit our culture? I think for the women’s basketball team, it’s vital that when they come in here and then there’s no coaches around, do you fit with this group and how we like to? You hear it all the time how much they hang out together. It’s a close knit group and that’s that’s important to what they do on the court. And so you want somebody that fits into that. And so they that’s all these players have. When they came in here and they did that they they passed that part of it too is, is when they go spend some time with the team and getting in. So I know they’re excited about the group and cannot wait to get to know them. More of them along the way here over these next few weeks. Again, the newcomer series presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska. Whether you just arrived in Nebraska or you’ve called it home for years, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska is here for you. We’ve been part of this community for 85 years, helping Huskers, new and native, stay healthy and thrive on and off the field. All right, we’re going to get to a break here on Sports Nightly. More of the show coming up after this. You expect your home to protect everything you love, but you don’t expect the ways water is breaking down your crawlspace and damaging your home. Musty smells, sagging floors, mold are just a few signs your crawlspace is compromised. But there’s one way to get answers to all your concerns a free home inspection from groundworks. We put water back in its place. Get your free [email protected], license number C142293. Hit us up on the text line. Text 402413 2400 with your Husker thoughts. When you’re in the stands and have the ability to control your irrigation in the field, it’s a game changing moment. Valley is where farming meets endzone efficiency with Agsense remote irrigation technology, farmers become the MVPs of their fields, experience real time play by play, action and control that keeps you ahead. Score big with irrigation technology from Valley. It’s technology that improves your life and lets you be at the game and in the game. Find your local Valley dealer at Valley irrigation.com. No need to hunt around for friendly service, low prices, quality products and great experiences. You’ll find it all with the local experts. Sapp Brothers Petroleum. If you’re tired of tracking down another late delivery, it’s time to consider Sapp Brothers, where we pride ourselves on delivering products on time or even ahead of schedule. With your safety, our top priority switching is easy. Just shoot us an email or give us a call. And right now, when you contact Sapp Brothers for any of your fuel, propane or lubricant needs, you’ll be entered to win a guided pheasant hunt next fall. Visit Huskers. In the game of life, we all face tough moments. Sometimes it feels like we’re up against a formidable block with no way through. Call, text or chat 988 for the Suicide and Crisis. Lifeline is free, confidential and staffed with trained counselors ready to listen and provide support. Don’t wait for the final set. Reach out, speak up and let’s bump, set and spike this challenge together. Because Nebraska, we’re more than players. We’re a supportive community. Remember, in times of need, call a time out. Call, text or chat 988. It’s okay to ask for help. We’re here for you. Every serve, every pass. Go. Big Red. Presented by Nebraska. Hey, Huskers, it’s a new day in Nebraska. Fans are equipment, merch, farm equipment and West Point Implement of Columbus have teamed up as true ag and turf coach. Rule is bringing innovation and high performance standards to Husker football, and AG is doing the same to your farm. With game changing equipment, as big Red establishes power on the field, true AG and turf does the same in the field by welcoming Fed to Nebraska. Husker fans. It’s game day and Pizza Hut’s got your perfect play score. The game day special for just 29.99. Get two medium, three topping pizzas, eight boneless wings and five breadsticks enough to feed eight hungry fans pizza, wings, breadsticks and more. It’s the ultimate lineup to fuel your game day. Check out the full menu online at Pizza hut.com or in store. Because remember, no one out pizzas the hut. Nebraskans are choosing chiropractic for better health. Why chiropractic? Because it is safe, drug free and a cost effective treatment option for back and joint pain. Plus, all generations can benefit from natural chiropractic care. Choose chiropractic first for pain relief or to improve your mobility, athletic performance, or overall wellness. Make chiropractic your first choice for better health and find a chiropractic physician near you at Nebraska chiropractic.org. Get your life back with chiropractic. The Huskers Radio Network Broadcast Center is sponsored by Acres, the Midwest premiere John Deere dealer supplying the equipment and service to advance agriculture and much more. Acres solutions for every field. Welcome back to Sports Nightly. I’m Jessica Cootie. We’ve talked a lot about the NCAA championships for track and field ongoing right now. And so we’ve got a couple of female student athletes that are in the competition for the women’s javelin right now. And Nico Sarah just had her first throw. And after that that moved her into fifth place. And where she currently stands, Maddie Harris has not attempted her first throw and Maddie is the one that won the national title, one of the individual national title winners back in 2023, in the outdoor season. And so she has not attempted her first throw. But we’ll keep you updated. Not going to be over by the time the show ends, but you can watch it on ESPN. Plus. They do have the individual streams of those individual sports that you can watch. Watched a little bit of it last night with the men’s Huskers competing, but there’s a shot put also going on tonight that will have some Huskers competing in. But as we heard Justin Saint Clair and we’ve talked about throughout this week those those throwers the throw squad if you will, there’s a lot of expectations there for them to finish high on the podium. So till Stainforth is another guy that we’ve talked a lot about on this program, potentially maybe one of the best overall athletes on campus, the decathlon, the guy who competes in the decathlon and was actually competed in the last Olympics. He I mentioned this at the end of the show last night. So the decathlon is split up into two days. And so they’ll have a lot of events the first day and then finish up the events on the second day. And when we signed off and we I think 3 or 4 events had been scored last night, he was sitting in second place, but today he’s not competing. So there’s it’s basically has a DNP by his name. So I don’t know if he got hurt or what. But he is no longer in the running there in the decathlon as it wraps up today as well. So we’ll continue to follow that and pass along that information. And we’ll we’ll know a lot of the information at the end of the and the conclusion of the track meet. When we come back on the air on Monday, we’ll pass along. I know that we’ll have more All-Americans to add to the list. And at the conclusion of the track and field season, that’s when you know how the Director’s Cup finishes. And so where Nebraska finishes there, if they can get some more points in the track and field competition with both the men’s and women’s, if they finish as a place where they can add some points there and continue to add to the overall total, which on track to maybe be the best finish in the Director’s Cup standings in quite some time since 2010, I believe is what it’s on pace to be. So hopefully the rest of the Huskers along these next few days can have some good appearances and individually and overall as a team as well. Okay, so right before the show, there’s a funny video that’s posted. If you’re on TikTok social media, there’s a trend that it’s this game that you push a button and it drops, I think six different sticks. And it’s basically to test your hand speed and your eye coordination, all of that. And so they did the game with several of the basketball players, members of the staff. And if you watch till the end, the fearless leader Fred Hoiberg ends up going six for six to conclude the video. But I’m trying to get that game and see if we can pass it along to members of the Huskers radio network team and see how we all fare in that game. A couple of them said, man, that’s harder than it looks. I think when you watch it, you’re like, oh, I can catch all six. You don’t know when they’re going to drop. And so you just got to yeah, be ready for it. So I, I’m going to try to see if we could do something with it. It’d be funny. But I asked the interns, Camden and David, to give me who you think would be the best at the game of all of our Huskers radio network talent, and who you think would be the worst at it? Who is offering up first? Camden? Yep. I’ll go. Okay. I think the best. I mean, really, it’s pretty tough for all of them. I feel like because there’s a lot of people that I think could either get first or last, it’s pretty tight, tight together. But I think I was debating between Ben McLaughlin and Jake Muhlhausen. Okay. And I think I’m going to lean towards Jake. I think Jake’s still pretty fi, and I think I just feel like his reaction time would be pretty good. He’s got kids, right? So he’s probably still playing sports with them and stuff. So Ben’s got kids too. But. And Nick’s got kids too. But you know, I think Jake, that’s who I’d. Go with. So Jake Mühlhausen is your bet. Who would be the worst at it? That one’s tough too. It’s between. I think it’s between Kent and JB. I’m going to. I’m going to get you guys in trouble too. I know, that’s what I was thinking. Hopefully they’re not listening tonight. Let’s go. I’ll go with JB. I think Kent could be sneaky. He could. He could catch a couple Okay. All right. David who you got. The best one he. Was talking about between the two. And I was going to say Ben personally. So he kind of stole. Well, he didn’t steal my answer. He was. He almost did, though, which was close and for the worst. See, that’s a toss up as well. See, I was kind of thinking JB as well. So I hate to be that guy, but I do have to agree on that one. Okay, I am not. I’m glad you guys followed the assignment. I’m not going to give a worse, but I’m going to go with Lauren Cook West, who would be the best at it. I think she’s a phenomenal athlete, was a setter. So I’m going to go with Lauren Cook. West had to have all, you know, all the things going on to be able to do her job. So before we get to your well actually I’ll say that I’ll say that. So let’s go ahead. David, you’re stepping in for us. We have joke of the Week on Thursday nights in the summer. It’s been a little bit of a rotating duty for people. So you’re stepping in for us tonight. And you said it was the hardest thing you’ve done the hardest assignment you’ve had here on the Huskers radio network. Why. So you know, Duke just hit it out of the park when he did it the other day. So I’m just I’m trying to live up to Duke’s glory that he had during that time. So what was the process then? What was your approach to it? You know, we did lots of lots of searching, lots of research. Camden and I both. And after lots of deep diving, this is what we have decided is the top ten, ten out of ten. Before we get to that. So we’re going to this is we’ll have a commercial break and then a final segment. So if you’re on the text line shoot in your what your feedback is, what you rate the joke and the guys on the chat know what to do. They like to, you know, rate it. So just no pressure there. You know you’re going to get critiqued here tonight on this this performance. All of Husker Nation is listening right now. So here we go. We need an intro song Camden. We’ll work on. That okay. So a businessman went into the office like a regular day and found a new inexperienced handyman was painting the walls and the handyman, for some reason, was wearing two super big, heavy parkas on a super hot summer day. And the businessman thought it was a little weird. So he asked the handyman why he was wearing the parkas and sweating all about in the office, and the handyman didn’t say anything and just showed him the instructions on the can of paint. That said, for the best results for the paint, put on two coats. Nice. Hey, excellent delivery. While we await the incoming critiques. What people might not know about you. You were part of the speech team here. And so that’s why you are very good at the delivery, right? Oh, yeah. I did speech all four years of high school. I did all four years of college as well, and it was the best thing ever. I loved it. That’s awesome. So when David wasn’t here on some weekends for football, a lot of times it was because he was competing for Nebraska, the speech team. And he was pretty good at it, right? Yeah, I had so much fun my senior year. This last year, the team at the national tournament, we got second, which is the best any Nebraska team has done in the history of the program. Wow. So it was super cool being a senior and helping be part of the team, you know, building all these four years and ending my speech career, doing it that way. You know, being with our team, losing to the Longhorns. But we love we love. The Longhorns. In the speech world. But it was a great time being runners up in the nation. Okay, so again, David’s part of our very talented intern crew, a group of them that graduated that you’ve heard a lot and has worked a lot on a lot of our broadcasts over the last couple of years. But that was one of the things we talked about on your your interview was that you were part of that team, and I didn’t know anything about it and learned a lot about it, and you kept me updated along the way. But there’s different categories that you compete in, too. I think that that might be interesting for people to know, like how how it works. Yeah, there’s like three different categories for competitive speech because it’s part of speech and debate. And everyone has like a slight idea of what debate is. But everyone’s like speech. What is that? So on the speech side there’s three different categories. There is limited prep. That’s like the extemp and impromptu where you’re given a topic or like a quote and you have for impromptu, you have like 90s to think of a speech, then boom, you’re going. But for Extemp, there’s like a, like a, usually like a politically or like economic based question. And you have like a half an hour to do research and then you have to do a seven minute speech over that topic with structure and argument and all that kind of good stuff there. So I never did that. That was not my thing. But then there’s also public address, which is like your info’s, your persuasive that kind of deal, like the things that people are familiar with, like the three point speeches. Do you get recruited for that too? You can be, yeah. Like I, I definitely reached out to the best coach ever, Aaron Duncan, about this. And he like sent me all this information and I was I was down for it once he sent me. All that. Who’s the best who what speech team is like the I guess the premier program that you, you try to compete with every year. Well, the program that has UT Austin is insane. There are impeccable at what they do. Everything, everything I’ve seen from them every single year has been flawless. Another team that is outstanding as Western Kentucky University, they are like known for how great they are in forensics and seeing their stuff is like flawless every single time. And it’s the most moving things I’ve ever seen. And I love it. Well. I think it’s always cool to hear about the different things that are going on here, and you’ve been doing that, plus working here and graduating, and you’re going to stick around with us. Some of some of the guys might not be around, but you’re going to stick around and be with us here over the next year, right Oh yeah. I’m thinking doing a year here again here in Nebraska because it’s so hard to leave. I love the state so much. But then after that I’ll see what’s going on out in out in the world. Awesome. And yeah. So David is again filling in on joke of the week tonight. I see the responses rolling in. So we’re going to go ahead and get to a break. And we’ll read some of those here on the other side of this. Great job I love it I thought you did a great job. So we’ll bring you back here for another one if need be here over the next few weeks. What else has been a trusted partner in your every day since 1975? Shop for your next vehicle with the home team at Woodhouse and the official auto dealer of Nebraska Athletics. I got to see my brother get married. I would have missed my dad’s birthday. Because I wore my seat belt. I had the privilege of being part of his special day. I got to go home and see my family again. Does it click yet? Brought to you by d o t Highway Safety Office. I would have never had the chance to see my daughter become a doctor. I was able to go to my brother’s graduation. I wouldn’t have adopted my first pet. And then it clicked. My seatbelt saved my life. Does it click yet? Brought to you by n d o t Highway Safety Office. Hit us up on the text line. Text 402413 2400 with your Husker thoughts. Your next vehicle is waiting for you at Woodhouse. With over 20 locations and a variety of brands, Woodhouse offers everything from reliable trucks to family friendly SUVs. Whether you’re looking for a Nissan, Mazda or Infiniti, our team is here to help you find the perfect fit. Enjoy a seamless car buying experience with our expert staff and exceptional service. Visit Woodhouse today. We’re quality selection and customer satisfaction. Come first or get started [email protected]. On game day. Every play counts. Now imagine having the same level of control in your field. Valley is where farming meets end zone efficiency with agsense remote irrigation technology, farmers become the MVPs of their fields. Real time play by play control means you’re always ahead of the game. Score big with simplified irrigation technology from Valley. Improving your life both on and off the field. Find your local Valley dealer at Valley irrigation.com. Hey Huskers, stop by your local HyVee where they’ve lowered prices on thousands of items you use every day. Hy-Vee dedicated to making your life easier, healthier, and happier. Welcome back. Final segment here of Sports Nightly, our final live show of the week. We will have a best of show tomorrow and it’s a good one. Camden was actually helping put it together. It’s the 2006 National championship for Nebraska volleyball versus Stanford, right? Camden got it right. As long as Josh plays it tomorrow, that’s what it’s supposed to be. So that’s what you can look forward to here on our best of series tomorrow night here on Sports Nightly. All right David here we go. Let’s start with the chat. So Husker Hanover said ha ha ha. Great job David. And he gave you an eight. Which eight is good I mean Cole has had had some fives and sixes when he first started. So eight is good. Crypto King likes to break it down in different ways. He gives the joke a nine for delivery, a ten. Wait, the joke a nine, delivery a ten and you’re cool. So you get a perfect ten. And Jim Briggs had a laughing face and a ten. And then let’s see here. I think that was it on the chat. So we had a couple on the text line as well. So Art in Los Angeles said, good joke. The joke was funny. And he gives you an A. He didn’t follow the number system. So you got an A. That’s okay. And Carla said, cute joke. Very funny setup and delivery. And Tim in Minnesota, he always chimes in. He says excellent clear delivery. The joke is a 9.5. Boom! Let’s go. Nice job for your first time okay. Thank you. So give. It up for David one more time. Okay. So Woodhouse has been a trusted partner in your everyday since 1975. Shop for your next vehicle with the home team at Woodhouse and the official auto dealer of Nebraska athletics. So not to switch from that to a couple of the responses. When I was talking just about the search for the next voice of the Huskers and the process of that, Carla added to that, one of our favorite textures and one of Greg’s favorite textures as well, said, thanks for the update. Shedding tears and being emotional is to be expected since we lost one of the best in college sports. Can’t replace him, just need to move forward and know he is looking down and enjoying Husker sports with the big guy and has one of the best seats in the house. So thank you Carla. Appreciate that. Tim and Minnesota also had had a thought on that too, and appreciated the update, and then said he’s been concerned about the selection because there will never be another Greg Sharp, but wanted to get someone in here who appreciates and respects all for which Nebraska athletics. And yeah, that’s the thing. I think what people we think here in Nebraska, we all understand how big the role is. And you got to wear a lot of different hats and do a lot of different things. And so we were looking for someone that could do all of that at the highest level. But what I found, and I mean, even when I decided to come here, it’s a dream job to be a part of this just because of the care and not just with football, but for all the sports that our listeners here on Sports Nightly, when we do the radio broadcast, they tune in, they listen, they want to know how the Huskers are doing, and they care about all the sports, not just one of them. And so I think the fan base, people across the country in college athletics know that Nebraska is there’s nothing like it. And so and then in radio as well, this is one of the top jobs in college athletics. And I think that showed by the number of submissions we got, the kind of candidates that we got that there’s a lot of people that this would be the dream job. And so there is an appreciation and an understanding for what what this role is, but also just being a part of Nebraska athletics, how special that is and that opportunity. And so yeah, that that was really neat to see and fun to just just again, you you know it. You’re a part of it. But then when you hear perspectives from the outside and that kind of appreciation and understanding for this place and how special it is, is, is always fun to see. Camden, I let David give an update. What’s an update on on your latest after graduation? Oh boy. Oh wait, you went to the Coldplay concert last night, right? I did. And then turn right around and work in tonight. That’s impressive. I don’t know if I could say the same. Yeah. How was the concert? First of. All, it. Was very good. I was a little worried. The rain, it was going to rain. So the concert was delayed for a while, but Coldplay went on. They performed for like two hours. It was very good. Lots of lights and synced up to the music. So it was very good. As you can tell, I’m probably a little bit hoarse if you can’t tell, but it was very good. So Coldplay and you’ve got the weekend coming up as well. Yeah, that’s Saturday, so I got two concerts in the span of a week and it’s kind of insane going to College World Series tomorrow. Doing all the. Things the first game tomorrow. So it’s a busy week. It’s very busy. Week okay. So update you graduated and the job search is underway, but you’re sticking around until then, right? Yep. I’ll stick around as long as you guys keep me. That the Coldplay concert makes me think so. I know that that’s been something that Troy Danon has talked about too, about bringing more concerts, and that was one of the first things I did in Memorial Stadium was that Garth Brooks concert. So would Coldplay potentially be a good option for Memorial Stadium? Yeah, it’s funny you say that because they’re actually going up to Madison and performing at Wisconsin’s football stadium, so they’re not they would be very good if we could get them here, but they’re not in the States very often, though, they come probably once every three years for 10 to 12 shows probably so. But yeah, they’re going up to Madison. So it would make sense. I can’t I think that’s going to be fun to see how that if that continues to develop. And since that concert happened with Garth Brooks, I know that was one of the lively debates we had on here and a lot of people chiming in who they wanted to see. And so, yeah, I can’t wait to see what what kind of artists that they maybe bring in to help, you know, again, add to that revenue when we start generating revenue. And we’ve heard Troy talk a lot about that and those opportunities, that would be an opportunity bringing in those music acts inside Memorial Stadium and taking advantage of that. So we’ll see how soon that is and when that might happen. But I think it’d be fun, I enjoyed it. That was one of the top concerts I’ve ever been to, was here with Garth Brooks. So it was just so much fun seeing that stadium like that. So hopefully we got another one soon. All right, that’s going to wrap it up for us. Thanks to David and Camden, both for hopping in tonight and being a part and David taking over the joke part tonight. We’ll definitely bring him back and let him have another crack at it coming up soon. We’ll try to continue the joke series throughout the summer as well. And we missed it. We will have the 2006 National Championship game versus Stanford for Nebraska volleyball. Replay of that one coming up here tomorrow night as we have a best of on our Friday night shows in the summer. And we’ll be back on Monday for a full two hours of sports. I think Nick’s going to be back on Monday as well, so we let him have some time off this week, and so we’ll get him back in here. And yeah, look to have some newcomers come in some maybe some volleyball and another women’s basketball and lots of fun stuff. The summer is fun to get to know some of these student athletes on a different level when it’s not in the heat of competition season. So thanks for listening. Have a great weekend and enjoy listening to that 2006 National Championship game tomorrow night. Have a great weekend, Husker Nation! Hit us up on the text line. Text 402413 2400 with your Husker thoughts. This season, step up to the plate with exceptional offers at Woodhouse Ford. For a limited time, you pay what we pay with exclusive employee pricing on the full lineup of award winning vehicles, from the built tough F-150 to the versatile Bronco, it’s your chance to drive home a new Ford with a deal that truly knocks it out of the park, view inventory and our exclusive offers online, or visit Woodhouse Ford at our three locations in Blair, Omaha and Plattsmouth. When you’re in the stands and have the ability to control your irrigation in the field, it’s a game changing moment. Valley is where farming meets end zone efficiency with Agsense remote irrigation technology, farmers become the MVPs of their fields, experience real time play by play, action and control that keeps you ahead. Score big with irrigation technology from Valley. It’s technology that improves your life and lets you be at the game and in the game. Find your local Valley dealer at Valley irrigation.com. Nebraskans are choosing chiropractic for better health. Why chiropractic? Because it is safe, drug free and a cost effective treatment option for back and joint pain. Plus, all generations can benefit from natural chiropractic care. Choose chiropractic first for pain relief or to improve your mobility, athletic performance, or overall wellness. Make chiropractic your first choice for better health, and find a chiropractic physician near you at Nebraska Chiropractic. Org. Get your life back with chiropractic. Hey Huskers! It’s a new day in Nebraska. Manser equipment, Mertz Farm Equipment, and West Point Implement of Columbus have teamed up as ag and turf coach. Rule is bringing innovation and high performance standards to Husker football, and true AG is doing the same to your farm with game
