Huskers Host OVC Champion Western Illinois Saturday
The Nebraska women's basketball team continues its three-game season-opening home stand by playing host to defending Ohio Valley Conference champion Western Illinois on Saturday afternoon at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. (CT) with season tickets, mini-plans and single-game tickets for the entire Husker women's basketball schedule available now at Huskers.com.
A live video stream will be available for B1G+ subscribers, while the Huskers Radio Network will provide free live audio on Huskers.com, the Huskers App, 107.3 FM in Lincoln and 590 AM in Omaha with Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch on the call for their 26th consecutive season together.
The Huskers, who are hunting their school-record-tying fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament bid, opened 2026-27 with an 81-54 victory over San Jose State on Monday in Lincoln.
Naismith Trophy and Nancy Lieberman Award candidate Britt Prince led the Big Red with game highs of 23 points, four assists and four steals while adding eight rebounds in an outstanding all-around effort. The 5-11 junior point guard out of Elkhorn North High School in the Omaha area enters Saturday's game needing just two points to become the 39th 1,000-point scorer in Husker history.
Nebraska, which is one of the top teams receiving votes in both the Associated Press and WBCA/USA Today Top 25 polls, also got 15 points and nine rebounds from 6-2 junior forward Amiah Hargrove against the Spartans.
Cheryl Miller Award Preseason Top 20 candidate Natalie Potts put three Huskers in double figures against San Jose State with 14 points, six rebounds and three steals in her first game for the Huskers in nearly two full seasons.
All 10 available Huskers found the scoring column against the Spartans, including sixth-year guard Allison Weidner, who managed five points and two assists in a starting role. Senior transfer Edessa Noyan added four points, seven rebounds and three assists as a starter, while junior guard Kennadi Williams pitched in three points, three assists and three steals in her first career start.
Nebraska freshmen Ashlyn Koupal (7 points, 3 rebounds), Maddi Stewart (2 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists) and Ava Miles (1 point, 1 steal, 1 block) all made their first regular-season appearances for the Big Red against San Jose State. All three were ESPN Top 100 recruits coming out of high school, while Koupal (South Dakota) and Stewart (Oklahoma) were state high school players of the year. Koupal is the first McDonald's High School All-American in Nebraska women's basketball history.
Nebraska Cornhuskers
vs. Western Illinois Leathernecks
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 2 p.m.
Lincoln, Nebraska (Pinnacle Bank Arena)
Tickets: Huskers.com / 1-800-8-BIG-RED
Live Video: B1G+
Live Radio: Huskers Radio Network (1:30 p.m.)
Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst)
Lincoln (107.3 FM), Omaha (590 AM), Huskers.com, Huskers App
Live Stats: Huskers.com
Nebraska Cornhuskers (1-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
8 - Edessa Noyan - 6-3 - Sr. - F - 4.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg
33 - Amiah Hargrove - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 15.0 ppg, 9.0 rpg
3 - Allison Weidner - 5-10 - Gr. - G - 5.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg
15 - Kennadi Williams - 5-4 - Jr. - G - 3.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg
23 - Britt Prince - 5-11 - Jr. - G - 23.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg
Off the Bench
22 - Natalie Potts - 6-2 - Sr. - F - 14.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg
24 - Ashlyn Koupal - 6-3 - Fr. - F - 7.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg
34 - Emily Fisher - 6-0 - Sr. - G/F - 7.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg
10 - Maddi Stewart - 5-9 - Fr. - G - 2.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg
1 - Ava Miles - 6-0 - Fr. - G - 1.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg
00 - Arek Angui - 6-9 - Jr. - C - DNP
2 - Logan Nissley - 6-0 - Sr. - G - DNP
Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)
11th Season at Nebraska (178-136); 20th Season Overall (371-245)
Western Illinois Leathernecks (1-0, 0-0 Ohio Valley)
5 - Maria Messling - 6-0 - Jr. - F - 12.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg
22 - Mia Nicastro - 6-2 - Sr. - F - 10.0 ppg, 9.0 rpg
1 - Madison Davis - 5-10 - Jr. - G - 12.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg
2 - Shelby Bowman - 5-6 - Jr. - G - 14.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg
32 - Kaylen Reed - 5-5 - Jr. - G - 16.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg
Off the Bench
4 - Mylee Stiefel - 5-9 - Fr. - G - 11.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg
24 - Sidney Skrobot - 6-1 - So. - F - 8.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg
20 - Kennedy Herrig - 5-10 - So. - G - 2.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg
12 - Mya Robinson - 5-9 - Fr. - G - 0.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg
14 - Ainsley Holthaus - 5-4 - Sr. - G - 0.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg
15 - Jaelyn Jones - 5-10 - Fr. - G - 0.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg
42 - Melaina Granquist - 6-0 - Fr. - F - DNP
44 - Katelyn Eggena - 6-2 - So. - F - DNP
Head Coach: JD Gravina (Chico State, 1993)
16th Season at Western Illinois (253-98); 16th Season Overall (253-98)
Scouting the Western Illinois Leathernecks
• Western Illinois makes its first trip to Lincoln since 2004 when the Leathernecks face Nebraska on Saturday afternoon. Western Illinois is coming off an 85-55 win over NAIA Clarke University on Tuesday evening in Macomb, Ill.
• Reigning Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year Mia Nicastro leads the Leathernecks to Nebraska. The 6-2 senior forward averaged 24.1 points and 9.8 rebounds per game a year ago to power Western Illinois to a 26-6 overall record that included an 18-4 conference mark on its way to the OVC Tournament title. The Leathernecks earned an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament, falling to North Carolina, 82-51, in the first round in Chapel Hill.
• Nicastro, who finished with 10 points and nine rebounds against Clarke, hit 51.8 percent of her field goal attempts and 37.7 percent (26-69) of threes, while filling it up at the free throw line at an 89.6 percent (180-201) clip a year ago. She added 46 steals and 25 blocks.
• Nicastro, a fifth-year senior from St. Charles, Mo., who spent her first two seasons at Saint Louis, was a first-team all-conference pick and the OVC Newcomer of the Year in her first year with the Leathernecks in 2024-25. She averaged 15.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game as a junior. As a freshman at Saint Louis, she helped the Billikens to the A-10 Tournament title and an automatic bid to the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
• Nicastro scored 1,289 points and grabbed 563 rebounds in her first two seasons at Western Illinois, helping the Leathernecks to back-to-back postseason appearances, including the 2025 WNIT.
• Junior Kaylen Reed, a 5-5 guard, is the only other returning starter for Western Illinois. Reed averaged 5.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and a team-best 3.3 assists a year ago. She nearly notched a triple-double with 16 points, eight rebounds and nine assists in the win over Clarke.
• Fellow junior Madison Davis was also a significant contributor for the Leathernecks last season. The 5-10 guard averaged 5.9 points and 4.2 rebounds while shooting 55.2 percent from the field, including 36 percent from long range. She was also an 81 percent free throw shooter. Davis was one of six Leathernecks to score in double figures against Clarke, finishing with 12 points and seven boards.
• Six other Leathernecks return from last year's roster, but only junior Shelby Bowman averaged as much as 2.0 points per game. Bowman scored 14 points and hit a trio of three-pointers in Tuesday night's win over Clarke.
• Junior Maria Messling, a 6-0 forward, earned a start against Clarke after redshirting a year ago. Messling, who played 19 games in 2024-25, finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and three assists against the Pride. She did not play as a freshman in 2023-24 because of injury.
• Freshman Mylee Stiefel made the biggest impact by the Leatherneck newcomers against Clarke, finishing with 11 points and three steals. Freshmen Mya Robinson and Jaelyn Jones saw limited time in the opener, while fellow freshman Melaina Granquist did not play.
• Western Illinois lost starters Addi Brownfield (12.3 ppg, 5.9 rpg) and Allie Meadows (7.4 ppg, 2.2 rpg) who both started all 32 games alongside Nicastro and Reed, while also losing Raegan McCowan (17.0 ppg, 6.4 rpg) and Mallory Shetley (10.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg) who combined for WIU's other 32 starts.
• Last season, Western Illinois averaged 75.1 points and allowed 60.8 points per game for a plus-14.3 scoring margin, while carrying a plus-2.7 rebound margin and a plus-3.8 turnover margin. The Leathernecks hit 45.9 percent of their field goals and 34.3 percent of their threes, while sinking 78.3 percent of their free throws.
Nebraska vs. Western Illinois Series History
• In the only previous meeting in history between Nebraska and Western Illinois, the Huskers escaped from the Devaney Center with a 74-71 win on Nov. 12, 2004.
• Sophomore Kiera Hardy erupted for a then-career-high 28 points to carry the Huskers to victory in the opening round of the Preseason WNIT. Chelsea Aubry added a then-career-high 16 points of her own against Western Illinois (aka the Westerwinds at game time) to help the Huskers advance to the second round to face No. 10 Notre Dame.
• Coach JD Gravina begins his 16th season leading the Leathernecks. His first Western Illinois teams (2011-12) played in the Summit League and he faced Nebraska's Amy Williams for four seasons (2012-13 to 2015-16) while she was the head coach at South Dakota.
• Williams owns an 8-1 edge head-to-head against Gravina's Leathernecks, but five of the victories were decided by four points or less.
• Prior to taking the top job at Western Illinois in 2011, Gravina spent four seasons at Quincy University from 2007-08 to 2010-11, where he coached current Nebraska assistant coach Jessica Keller. At Quincy, Keller was the Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Year under Gravina on her way to honorable-mention WBCA All-America and College Sports Communicator Academic All-America accolades in 2009. She also spent two seasons (2009-11) as a graduate assistant under Gravina at Quincy, before he took the top job at Western Illinois. Keller was inducted into the Quincy University Hall of Fame in 2024 and the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Hall of Fame in March of 2026.
Husker History of Home-Opening Success
• Nebraska owns a history of season-opening success on the Huskers’ home court. NU improved to 50-3 in home season openers with its 81-54 win over San Jose State on Nov. 2, 2026.
• NU is 13-1 at Pinnacle Bank Arena in season openers with its lone loss coming on Nov. 7, 2018, with an 83-77 setback to Drake. In the first regular-season game in the history of Pinnacle Bank Arena, Nebraska powered its way to a 77-49 win over UCLA on Nov. 8, 2013, in front of a Husker opening-day record crowd of 9,750.
• Nebraska’s only season-opening home losses have come to Drake (2018), South Dakota State (Nov. 19, 2005) and Kansas (Nov. 21, 1980).
• Nebraska is 183-26 (.876) over 53 seasons in its first four home contests, including 45-7 in Game No. 2, 42-10 in Game No. 3 and 46-6 in Game 4.
Sizemore Sportsmanship Pep Rally Sets Record
• Nebraska's Sizemore Sportsmanship Pep Rally set another record with 4,016 students and accompanying adults packing Pinnacle Bank Arena on Monday, Nov. 2 ahead of the Husker women's basketball season-opening win over San Jose State.
• A record 4,016 students (3,602) and accompanying adults (414) from 70 schools across the state of Nebraska and beyond attended the annual event. The rally helped drive NU's second-largest season-opening attendance in history with 8,272 fans on hand.
• Among the record-setting group was more than 20 from Wagner, S.D., who made the nearly four-hour drive (233 miles) to watch the regular-season collegiate debut of McDonald's All-American Ashlyn Koupal.
• Hemingford set the standard again for distance with a group of 15 making the six-hour, 385-mile trek to Lincoln for the rally.
• The largest contingent came from Plattsmouth with a massive group of more than 450 students and accompanying adults. Raymond Central (182) supplied the second-largest group, followed closely by Freeman (175), Fort Calhoun (138), Seward (128), College View (116), Centennial (110), Dorchester (105) and Millard Central (102), while DC West just missed the century mark with 99.
• In 2025-26, a record 83 schools from around the state registered to participate with more than 3,900 students and accompanying adults attending the event.
• In 2024-25, the pep rally featured over 3,800 students and accompanying adults from 75 schools around Nebraska. The crowd of 8,106 was the first of three straight season-opening crowds of more than 8,000 for the Huskers.
• The first Life Skills Sportsmanship Pep Rally at women's basketball featured nearly 4,000 students/staff who helped generate a Nebraska opening-day record crowd of 9,750 fans against UCLA in 2013.
• The event, which is co-sponsored by the Nebraska High School Hall of Fame, features positive messages from Husker student-athletes, coaches and athletic administrators.
• The 2026 Sizemore Sportsmanship Pep Rally marked the eighth time since 2013 (also 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025) the event was paired with the NU women's basketball season opener.
• The Life Skills Sportsmanship Pep Rally, which is focused on 4th through 8th grade students across the state of Nebraska, not only included inspiring messages from current and former Nebraska student-athletes and staff members, it also included complimentary pizza from Nebraska Athletics through generous support from the Sizemore family and water provided by Pepsi for students and accompanying school staff members.
• The 2026 Pep Rally, which was hosted by Jessica Coody from the Huskers Radio Network, began at 9:30 a.m., and included messages from Coach Amy Williams, Huskers Natalie Potts and Logan Nissley, along with Nebraska volleyball players Andi Jackson and Teraya Sigler, football players Jacory Barney Jr. and Danny Kaelin and track and field athletes Cade Moran and Axelina Johansson. The rally concluded at 10:45 a.m., prior to Nebraska and San Jose State taking the court.
Nebraska Life Skills Sportsmanship Pep Rallies at Women’s Basketball
2026 - 8,272 (attendance) / 4,016 (students/staff) - 70 schools) vs. San Jose State
2025 - 8,004 (attendance) / 3,900 (students/staff) - 83 schools) vs. Northwestern State
2024 - 8,106 (attendance) / 3,800 (students/staff - 75 schools) vs. Omaha
2023 - 7,065 (attendance) / 3,300 (students/staff - 62 schools) vs. Northwestern State
2022 - 6,233 (attendance) / 2,500 (students/staff - 40 schools) vs. Omaha
2021 - 4,476 (attendance) / 1,600 (students/staff - 30 schools) vs. Maine
2019 - 5,250 (attendance) / 2,000 (students/staff - 27 schools) vs. Alabama A&M
2013 - 9,750 (attendance) / 4,000 (students/staff - 45 schools) vs. UCLA
Prince Named to Naismith/Lieberman Watch Lists
• Nebraska's Britt Prince was one of 50 players named to the Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Women's College Player of the Year Watch List announced on Thursday, Oct. 29. Prince's first appearance on a National Player of the Year Watch List came after she was named to the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Preseason Top 20 on Monday, Oct. 26. The Lieberman Award was the first of the Naismith Starting 5 award watch lists announced by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in partnership with the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).
• Prince, a 5-11 junior from Omaha, Neb., returns for her third season at Nebraska after advancing to the 2026 Nancy Lieberman Award Midseason Top 10. Prince earned first-team All-Big Ten honors from the league media after leading the Huskers in scoring (17.9 ppg), assists (4.4 apg) and steals (1.5 spg) while adding 4.1 rebounds per game as a sophomore.
• She opened 2026-27 with 23 points, eight rebounds, four assists and four steals in a win over San Jose State (Nov. 2).
• A two-time Gatorade and MaxPreps Nebraska High School Player of the Year at Elkhorn North, Prince was one of 10 players named to the Preseason All-Big Ten Team by both the conference coaches and media ahead of the 2026-27 season.
• A 2025 Big Ten All-Freshman selection, Prince has guided Nebraska to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2025 and 2026.
• In two games in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, Prince averaged 24.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 blocks while hitting 18-of-33 shots (.545), 4-of-8 threes (.500) and all nine of her free throws (1.000). Her 27 points against No. 21 Baylor marked the second-highest scoring total by a Husker in NCAA Tournament history.
• Prince, who hit 53.5 percent of her field goals, 45.7 percent of her threes and a Big Ten-best 91.2 percent of her free throws last season, opener her junior campaign with 27 points on 10-of-16 shooting to go with six rebounds, five assists and three steals in a closed scrimmage at Kansas State (Oct. 16).
• Now in its 28th year, the Nancy Lieberman Award recognizes the top point guard in women's NCAA Division I college basketball. To be considered for this prestigious award, candidates must exhibit the floor leadership, playmaking and ball-handling skills of Class of 1996 Naismith Basketball Hall-of-Famer Nancy Lieberman.
• Fan voting (hoophallawards.com) for the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard Award opened Friday, Oct. 30. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the Lieberman Award will be narrowed to 10, before trimming the list to just five players in late February. The five finalists will be presented to the Hall of Fame's selection committee, which will be composed of women's college basketball personnel, media members, head coaches and Hall of Famers.
• The 2026 winner of the Lieberman Award was Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo.
Prince Earns Preseason All-Big Ten Honors
• Nebraska's Britt Prince captured one of 10 spots on the Preseason All-Big Ten Women's Basketball Team announced by the conference on Thursday, Oct. 1.
• Prince, a 5-11 junior guard out of Elkhorn North High School, returns for her third season in Lincoln after leading Nebraska in scoring (17.9 ppg), assists (4.4 apg) and steals (1.5 spg) a year ago. She was a first-team All-Big Ten choice by the media and added second-team all-conference honors from the coaches as a sophomore in 2025-26.
• One of the nation's elite shooters, Prince led the Big Ten in free throw percentage (.912), while also ranking fifth in field goal percentage (.535) from her point guard position. She also owns the highest three-point field goal percentage (.457) among all returning power conference guards who attempted at least two threes per game a year ago.
• She produced two 30-point performances, 12 20-point efforts and 29 double-figure scoring games in 2025-26. She closed with 27 points against No. 21 Baylor in the NCAA First Round in Durham, N.C. (March 20). It was the second-highest scoring total by a Husker in NCAA Tournament history.
• Prince's effort against Baylor followed a 22-point, five-assist performance in an NCAA First Four win over Richmond (March 18). It came after a 20-point, eight-assist effort against Indiana in the Big Ten Tournament (March 4), which trailed her first career double-double with 14 points and career highs of 11 rebounds, eight assists and two blocks in a win over Rutgers (Feb. 28).
• Over the last five games of 2025-26, Prince averaged 21.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.4 steals, including 22 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals while hitting the game-winning three-pointer in a 66-65 win at Washington (Feb. 22). It was her fifth 20-point scoring effort in regular-season Big Ten play.
• A 2026 Nancy Lieberman Award Midseason Top 10 choice, Prince was one of 10 selections to the preseason all-conference team by both the league coaches and media.
• USC's JuJu Watkins, who returns to the court after sitting out the 2025-26 season with a knee injury, was the preseason pick by both coaches and media as the Big Ten Player of the Year.
• Watkins was one of only two seniors on the preseason all-conference team, joining Maryland guard Oluchi Okananwa.
• Prince was one of seven juniors on the squad, including Jaloni Cambridge (Ohio State), Ava Heiden (Iowa), Olivia Olson and Syla Swords (Michigan), Sayvia Sellers (Washington) and Berry Wallace (Illinois), while USC sophomore Jazzy Davidson rounded out the 10-player teams with identical representatives by both coaches and media.
• All 10 players on the 2026-27 Preseason All-Big Ten teams have previously earned first-team All-Big Ten accolades from either the league coaches or media, including Watkins who was the 2025 National Player of the Year (Naismith, Wooden, AP, USBWA), the Big Ten Player of the Year and the Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year across all sports.
Prince Poised to Join Nebraska's 1,000-Point Club
• Britt Prince enters Saturday's game against Western Illinois with 998 points, 259 rebounds, 259 assists and 102 steals over 63 games with 63 starts in her Husker career. She is poised to become the 39th 1,000-point scorer in school history.
• It takes 1,100 points to become one of the top 30 scorers in school history, while 1,134 points would push Prince into the top 25. A total of 1,285 points would move Prince into Nebraska's all-time top 20.
• In order to join the top 10, Prince would need 1,844, while the school record is held by 1993 Wade Trophy winner Karen Jennings with 2,405 points. Only four players in Nebraska history have totaled 2,000 or more points, including Jordan Hooper (2,357), Maurtice Ivy (2,131) and Kelsey Griffin (2,033).
• Prince earned first-team All-Big Ten honors by averaging 17.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.5 steals as a sophomore. A member of the Big Ten All-Freshman Team, Prince averaged 13.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.7 steals in 2024-25.
Potts Claims Spot on Cheryl Miller Award Watch List
• Nebraska's Natalie Potts was named to the list of 20 women's college basketball players on the Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Preseason Watch List on Wednesday, Oct. 28. The Miller Award was the third of the Naismith Starting 5 award watch lists announced by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in partnership with the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).
• Potts, the 2024 Big Ten Freshman of the Year for the Huskers, suffered a season-ending leg injury in the fifth game of her sophomore season in 2024-25. After receiving a medical redshirt in 2024-25, Potts was expected to return and earned 1 of 20 spots on the Katrina McClain Award Preseason Watch List ahead of the 2025-26 season.
• However, a stalled recovery forced Potts out for the entire 2025-26 as part of a second straight redshirt season.
• The fourth-year Husker opened 2026-27 with 14 points, six rebounds and three steals in a win over San Jose State (Nov. 2).
• In Nebraska's closed scrimmage with Kansas State at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan on Friday, Oct. 16, Potts produced 13 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals in 24 minutes of action in an 89-87 win over the Wildcats.
• In an exhibition win over Wayne State College (Oct. 23), Potts added 12 points, three rebounds and a game-high four steals in just 17 minutes of work, displaying the tenacity that separates her from so many other players.
• In 2023-24, Potts was a unanimous choice to the Big Ten All-Freshman team from the conference coaches and was an honorable-mention All-Big Ten selection by the league media. Potts started all 35 games for a Nebraska team that advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after working its way to the Big Ten Tournament Championship Game. She averaged 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game on the season.
• In 2023-24, Potts led all Big Ten freshmen in rebounding (5.2 rpg) and field goal percentage (.489), while ranking second among league freshmen in scoring (10.2 ppg) and free throw percentage (.829) in 2023-24. She started all 35 games for the 23-12 Huskers, who advanced to the Big Ten Championship Game and the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
• Through the first four games of her sophomore season, Potts averaged 17.5 points and 8.0 rebounds, before suffering a leg injury 10 minutes into the game with North Alabama (Nov. 19, 2024) at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln. She underwent surgery Dec. 4, 2024.
Weidner Back For Season 6 After 3 Knee Injuries
• One of the best all-around athletes in Nebraska high school history, Allison Weidner has proven that her tremendous talents might be overshadowed by her amazing resilience, world-class determination and her remarkable love for her teammates, the game of basketball and the University of Nebraska.
• Weidner, who was a starting guard for Nebraska as a freshman (2021-22) and sophomore (2022-23) had her third consecutive season come to a premature end when she suffered a right knee injury in practice on Jan. 11, 2025.
• The 5-10 guard from Humphrey, Neb., had played in 15 of NU's first 16 games and was coming off her best performance of the year with 11 points and six assists in Nebraska's 85-80 win over No. 20 Michigan State (Jan. 8, 2025).
• She underwent her most recent knee surgery on Jan. 28, 2025. The timing of that injury not only ended her 2024-25 campaign, it also eliminated her 2025-26 season.
• Weidner opened 2026-27 in Nebraska's starting lineup in the win over San Jose State, scoring five points to go along with two assists and a steal.
• She returned to competition for the Huskers in a closed scrimmage with Kansas State at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan on Friday, Oct. 16. Weidner hit the game-winning floater from the free throw line at the buzzer to lift the Huskers to an 89-87 win. Although it was her only bucket of the game, she added four assists and two steals in 16 minutes of work for the Huskers.
• Weidner added six points, five rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block in 18 minutes of action in Nebraska's exhibition win over Wayne State (Oct. 23).
• She is working to complete her master's degree in educational psychology from Nebraska. Weidner earned her bachelor's degree as a child, youth and family studies major from Nebraska on Dec. 21, 2024.
• Weidner has played 62 career games with 26 starts for the Huskers over six seasons.
• She returned to the court as a starter in Nebraska’s 2024-25 season-opening victory over Omaha (Nov. 4, 2024) in front of the Pinnacle Bank Arena crowd after missing 55 consecutive regular-season games over two seasons (2022-23, 2023-24) because of leg injuries (first left, then right).
• Weidner made her hard-fought return with 11 points, three rebounds, two steals and one assist in 24 minutes of Nebraska’s 88-48 win over the Mavericks.
• She averaged 10.2 points and 6.2 rebounds through 13 games as a starter for the Huskers as a sophomore in 2022-23, before suffering a left leg injury early in the fourth quarter of Nebraska’s triple-overtime victory over Kansas (Dec. 21).
• Weidner had started 21 consecutive games before missing the first game of her career following the injury vs. KU. She underwent successful surgery on her left leg on Jan. 10, 2023.
• She was on track to return for the Huskers ahead of the 2023-24 season before suffering a right leg injury in practice on Friday, Oct. 13, 2023. She underwent successful surgery on Oct. 25, 2023.
• Weidner, who was a member of Nebraska NCAA Tournament qualifiers in 2022, 2024, 2025 and 2026, is bidding to become the first Husker in history to be part of five NCAA Tournament teams.
Hargrove Continues to Grow for Huskers
• Junior Amiah Hargrove proved herself as one of the Big Ten's most improved players in 2025-26. The 6-2 forward from Christopher, Ill., ranked second among the Huskers in scoring (12.7 ppg) and led the Big Red in rebounding (5.5 rpg) while starting Nebraska's final 12 games of the season.
• Hargrove's 393 total points were 237 more than the 156 she scored for the Huskers over 33 games as freshman. She also more than tripled her total steals in 2025-26 (21) compared to 2024-25 (6). She put up 24 points at No. 11 Ohio State (Feb. 1), and entered the NCAA Tournament after scoring 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting against Indiana in the Big Ten Tournament.
• Hargrove averaged 13.7 points in Big Ten games-only in 2025-26.
• She opened 2026-27 with 15 points and a game-high nine rebounds in a win over San Jose State (Nov. 2). It followed her 20 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals in an 89-87 closed scrimmage win over Kansas State at Bramlage Coliseum (Oct. 16).
• Hargrove, who opened Big Ten regular-season play with a career-high 26 points on 10-of-14 shooting (4-5 3FG) at Penn State (Dec. 6, 2025), produced 22 double-figure scoring efforts on the season, including four 20-point games. She had 24 points and six rebounds in her second start in place of Jessica Petrie (illness) at Ohio State (Feb. 1). Hargrove also had 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting at No. 15 Michigan State (Jan. 15). She followed with her second double-double of the year with 13 points and 11 rebounds in her first start of the season in a win over Northwestern (Jan. 28).
• A high efficiency player, Hargrove hit 53.2 percent of her field goals, including 40.7 percent (24-59) of her threes. She missed the loss at No. 14 Iowa (Jan. 1) after suffering a mild concussion late in the loss to No. 17 USC (Dec. 29).
• Over 65 games with 15 starts, Hargrove has totaled 564 points and 301 rebounds as a Husker, while hitting 51.8 percent of her shots including 42.9 percent (42-98) of her threes and 79.6 percent of her free throws.
Noyan Plans to Provide Physical Presence Inside
• Senior Edessa Noyan plans to provide a physical presence inside in her first season as a Husker in 2026-27. The 6-3 transfer from Indiana who spent her first two college seasons at Virginia averaged 5.8 points and 5.8 rebounds for the Hoosiers a year ago but was much stronger late in the season.
• In the Big Ten Tournament, Noyan followed a double-double of 12 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks in a win over Nebraska with six points and 11 rebounds against Ohio State. She also had six points and 15 rebounds in a win over Rutgers (Feb. 25) after getting 18 points and eight boards in a win over Oregon (Feb. 22).
• Noyan averaged 9.4 points and 9.6 rebounds over Indiana's last five games a year ago, and opened her Nebraska career as a starter with four points and seven rebounds in a win over San Jose State (Nov. 2).
• She also started Nebraska's closed scrimmage with Kansas State, producing eight points and nine rebounds in an 89-87 win at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan (Oct. 16).
• Noyan was even better in Nebraska's exhibition win over Wayne State (Oct. 23), pumping in 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting while adding nine rebounds in 17 minutes of work against the Wildcats.
• Noyan, who is a member of the Swedish National Program, joined fellow transfer Arek Angui (Auburn) in solidifying Nebraska's post game after the departures of Petra Bozan (Penn State) and Jessica Petrie (Indiana) following last season. At 6-9, Angui is the tallest female athlete in the history of Nebraska Athletics.
Koupal Becomes First Husker McDonald's All-American
• Nebraska freshman Ashlyn Koupal became the first Husker named to the 24-player McDonald's High School All-American Game following her senior season.
• The 6-3 forward from Wagner, S.D., averaged 28.0 points, 14.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 4.0 blocks and 2.7 steals while shooting 63.8 percent from the field, including 46.4 percent from three-point range for Wagner Community High School. She totaled 2,610 points, 1,210 rebounds, 463 assists, 253 steals and 383 blocked shots in her career.
• Koupal, who simultaneously became the first girls McDonald's High School All-American in South Dakota history, was a two-time Gatorade and MaxPreps South Dakota Player of the Year.
• She set the Wagner High School single-game scoring record with a 42-point performance as a senior and broke the school's career scoring record previously held by her aunt, Mandy Koupal, who was a two-time NCAA Division II Player of the Year (2003, 2004) at South Dakota.
• Ashlyn Koupal was one six high school players who signed with Big Ten schools during the early period in November to earn spots in the McDonald's All-American Game, which was held at Desert Diamond Arena in Phoenix (March 31) ahead of the NCAA Women's Final Four.
• Koupal also became Nebraska's first-ever Jordan Brand All-America selection.
• She produced seven points and three rebounds off the bench in her Nebraska regular-season debut in a win over San Jose State (Nov. 2).
• In Nebraska's closed scrimmage at Kansas State (Oct. 16), Koupal managed eight points, five rebounds and three assists in 24 minutes as a starter during the Big Red's 89-87 win over the Wildcats at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan.
• She added seven points, five rebounds, two assists and three steals as a starter in Nebraska's exhibition win over Wayne State (Oct. 23).
Koupal Leads Trio of Top 100 Husker Freshmen
• McDonald's and Jordan Brand All-American Ashlyn Koupal joins Ava Miles and Maddi Stewart in an impressive trio of Husker freshmen in 2026-27.
• One of the highest ranked recruits in Husker history, Koupal was the No. 22 player in the ESPN Top 100. The 6-3 forward from Wagner, S.D., was also ranked as a five-star recruit as the No. 10 player in the 247 Sports rankings, as the No. 3 power forward in the nation. A two-time Gatorade and MaxPreps South Dakota High School Player of the Year (2025, 2026), Koupal averaged 28.0 points, 14.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 4.0 blocks and 2.7 steals as a senior in leading Wagner Community High School to the Class A state tournament in 2025-26.
• Koupal, who totaled 2,610 points, 1,210 rebounds, 463 assists, 383 blocks and 253 steals in her high school career, produced a quadruple-double and multiple triple-doubles during her high school career to go along with dozens of double-doubles.
• A four-time all-state selection, Koupal helped Wagner to a Class A state runner-up finish as a sophomore in 2023. She also became the first athlete in South Dakota state history to win six consecutive high school gold medals in the same track and field event (high jump).
• Koupal, who chose Nebraska over Duke, Kansas, Michigan State and TCU, was one of 45 high school players from across the country invited to the 2025 USA Basketball Junior National Team minicamp during the NCAA Women's Final Four.
• A four-star recruit who was ranked No. 69 nationally by ESPN and No. 70 by 247 Sports, Miles was ranked as the No. 14 shooting guard in the country by 247 Sports. The No. 3 ranked recruit in the state of Missouri, Miles, who committed to Nebraska in July of 2025, led Staley to back-to-back Class 6 runner-up finishes, falling to national power Incarnate Word Academy in both championship games. She helped Staley to a 29-3 record as a senior, after powering the Falcons to a 29-2 mark as a junior when she averaged 14.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.8 steals per game. She also hit 50.1 percent of her shots from the floor, including 33.3 percent of her three-point attempts as a junior.
• A three-time adidas All-American, Miles was a three-time all-state pick and a four-time all-district and all-conference choice. She was the 2025 Greater Kansas City Conference Player of the Year.
• Miles said she chose Nebraska over Maryland and Michigan State.
• Stewart, a 5-9 guard from Claremore, Okla., is the No. 80 recruit in the country and the No. 16 shooting guard according to 247 Sports. She is also No. 100 nationally by ESPN.
• She averaged 14.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists while leading Lincoln Christian High School in Tulsa to its second straight Class 4A state championship. The 2026 MaxPreps Oklahoma High School Player of the Year, she was also the MVP of the 2025 Class 4A state tournament. She averaged 14.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.2 steals as a junior while shooting 46 percent from the field and 82 percent at the free line for the Bulldogs.
• Stewart finished her career with a Lincoln Christian school-record 1,735 points.
• A three-time first-team all-stater, Stewart was a two-time Pinnacle Conference MVP while playing for her coach and mother, Melody. The Stewarts led Lincoln Christian to four consecutive trips to the state championship game and the first two state titles in school history. Melody, who was a member of an NCAA Final Four team at Missouri State, was named the Oklahoma High School Coach of the Year by the Tulsa World in 2025.
Nissley Joins Prince, Hargrove as Returning Starters
• Senior Logan Nissley joins juniors Britt Prince and Amiah Hargrove in giving the Huskers a solid returning trio to build around for the 2026-27 campaign. Nissley, who started 19 straight games to close the season, was one of the most lethal long-range shooters in the nation. The 6-0 guard from Bismarck, N.D., finished 12th nationally with her 43.3 three-point field goal percentage, which ranked third in the Big Ten. She led Nebraska with 65 threes on the year to push her career total to 179, which ranks sixth in Nebraska history. Nissley closed her season with 11 points and a career-high eight rebounds in a season-high 31 minutes against No. 21 Baylor in the NCAA Tournament. She averaged 11.4 points over her last 13 games, including a career-high 22 points on a career-best 6-of-12 three-point shooting against then-No. 22 Maryland (Feb. 7). She averaged 8.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists despite battling nagging injuries throughout the season.
• She is recovering from an injury and did not play in Nebraska's season-opening win over San Jose State (Nov. 2). Nissley may be limited early in the season for the Huskers.
• Nissley erupted for her best game of the 2025-26 season with a career-high 22 points on a career-high six three-pointers against No. 22 Maryland (Feb. 7). She hit 6-of-12 threes against the Terps.
• The effort surpassed her 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting (2-of-4 3FG) while adding three assists in a win over Illinois (Jan. 24). She added 15 points, five rebounds and five assists at Oregon (Feb. 19).
• She finished with 14 double-figure scoring efforts in 2025-26, including eight over the final 13 games. Nissley capped her year with 11 points and a career-high eight rebounds against No. 21 Baylor in the NCAA Tournament first round in Durham, N.C. (March 20). She hit 3-of-6 three against the Bears.
• She had 14 points on 4-of-7 shooting, including 4-of-6 three-pointers, in a win over Northwestern (Jan. 28). Nissley added 14 points on 4-of-6 three-point shooting, while grabbing a team-high five rebounds to go with four assists in a Big Ten win at Penn State (Dec. 6).
• She earned her first start of the season at No. 14 Iowa (Jan. 1).
• Last season, Nissley missed Nebraska's closed scrimmage against Missouri and an exhibition win over Mount Marty (Oct. 24) with a lower leg injury, but came off the bench for eight points, three rebounds and two assists in 19 minutes in a season-opening win over Northwestern State (Nov. 3).
• She missed NU's wins over Samford (Nov. 8) and Creighton (Nov. 12).
• She averaged 7.0 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists while making 26 starts over 32 games as a sophomore in 2024-25. One of the Big Ten's most dangerous three-point threats, Nissley drained 55 threes on 36.2 percent shooting on the year.
• In 2023-24, Nissley helped the Huskers to the NCAA Tournament and the Big Ten Championship Game by making 10 starts down the stretch. The Big Ten All-Freshman selection averaged 7.0 points while hitting 39.9 percent (59-148) of her three-point attempts over 35 games.
• Nissley could join an extremely short list of Huskers to play in four consecutive NCAA Tournaments (Emily Cady, Hailie Sample, Tear'a Laudermill, Brandi Jeffery) who advanced to four straight tournaments from 2012 to 2015. The only other Husker player to be part of four Nebraska NCAA Tournament teams is current Husker graduate student Allison Weidner (2022, 2024, 2025, 2026).