Huskers Name 2004 Captains

Lincoln -- University of Nebraska Head Coach Mike Anderson announced Friday that seniors John Grose (Henderson, Nev.), Jake Mullinax (Hesperia, Calif.) and Justin Pekarek (Staplehurst, Neb.) have been chosen as team captains for the 2004 campaign.

The three captains were voted on by their teammates at the conclusion of fall drills, and Anderson said the three seniors stand out for both their work habits as well as their on-field performances.

"As a coaching staff, we believe that the team picked captains that are a good representation of the team," Anderson said. "We had several players who could have been chosen, but it shows the respect they have earned from their teammates not only during the fall, but through our off-season conditioning program."

Grose, who was one of the Huskers’ captains in 2003, is a two-year starter behind the plate for the Big Red. Last season, Grose was an honorable-mention All-Big 12 pick, batting .302 with four homers and 22 RBIs despite missing nearly a month of the year with an elbow injury.

Mullinax, who transferred to NU last January from Victor Valley College, became the Huskers’ starting second baseman in 2003, hitting .320 with 21 RBIs and eight stolen bases in his first year as a Husker. The 6-1, 180-pounder finished the year with a flourish, as he was selected to the NCAA Lincoln Regional All-Tournament team.

To be junior college players like Jake and John and earn the respect of their teammates that quickly says a lot about their leadership skills," Anderson said. "You want your strength defensively to be up the middle and you look for leadership from your catcher and middle infielders."

Pekarek battled back from two years of injuries to become a contributor last season. The 6-3, 220-pound southpaw went 2-1 with a 4.24 ERA in nine appearances last spring. Pekarek was the Huskers’ top pitcher during fall practice, allowing one hit in seven innings of work during the Red/White Series in the fall. Last season, the fifth-year senior went 2-1 with a 4.24 ERA in nine appearances.

"We are all glad for Justin and believe it is well deserved," Anderson said. "To come into this program as a walk-on and fight through injuries shows a lot about his dedication to this program and the values of perseverance and hard work."

The Huskers wrapped up their off-season conditioning program this week and begin practice for the 2004 campaign on Jan. 24. The Huskers finished 2003 with a 47-18 record, winning their second Big 12 regular-season title in three years and finishing the year ranked in the top 15 of all three major polls. The Huskers’ 2004 season opener is Feb. 20, at New Mexico while the home opener is slated for March 16 against Western Illinois. Season-ticket packages are available on Huskers.com.

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