Huskers to Welcome Alumni This Weekend

Lincoln - The Nebraska women's basketball program will welcome former Husker players and coaches back to campus for a special Alumni Weekend in Lincoln, Sept. 27-28.

 

The event will mark the first time that the program has held an alumni event in the fall, and one former Husker will be honored during the festivities.

 

"It has been difficult for our former players to come back for our annual alumni events during the season because so many of them are still involved in the game at the high school, college and professional levels," Nebraska Coach Connie Yori said. "We wanted to give everybody a chance to get together, and we thought late-September provided the best opportunity. We are excited about the response we have received so far from our alumni."

 

Alumni Weekend for Nebraska women's basketball promises to offer plenty of excitement for all the former Huskers. On Saturday, Sept. 27, Nebraska's two-time All-American and three-time CoSIDA Academic All-American Karen Jennings will be honored during Nebraska's football game with Virginia Tech.

 

Jennings, who was the 1993 Wade Trophy winner as the National Player of the Year, was inducted into the CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame on June 30, 2008, in Tampa, Fla. Jennings, a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year, became the first Husker female student-athlete in history to be inducted into the Academic All-America Hall of Fame.

 

Former Nebraska Coach Angela Beck will also be an honored guest during the weekend's basketball festivities, along with former Husker assistant coach and administrative staff member Theresa Becker. Former NU assistant coaches Carol Russell, Amy Bullock Kramer, Karin Nicholls and Bobbi Morse are also scheduled to attend.

 

The winningest coach in Husker women's basketball history, Beck spent 11 seasons leading the Huskers from 1986-87 to 1996-97. She guided Nebraska to 191 victories and a trio of NCAA Tournament appearances, including the first NCAA Tournament win in school history with Jennings on the court in 1993. Beck also led the Huskers to the only conference title in school history by guiding NU to the Big Eight crown in 1988.

 

The official Alumni Weekend festivities begin on Saturday with an Alumni Social at the Holiday Inn Downtown at 4 p.m. The social will be held in the Husker Room, and former Huskers and their families are encouraged to stay and enjoy Nebraska's nationally televised football game with Virginia Tech scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. Free appetizers will be available.

 

Coach Connie Yori and current members of the Huskers will be signing autographs for fans at the Husker Nation Pavilion Autograph Zone from 5 to 6 p.m., before Jennings is introduced to the crowd during the game.

 

The women's basketball Alumni Weekend will continue on Sunday, Sept. 28, with a Fastbreakers Booster Club Appreciation luncheon at the Devaney Center. All current and former Huskers, along with members of the Fastbreakers Booster Club, are invited to the event. The doors open at the Devaney Center at 11:45 a.m., and the event is scheduled to begin at 12:15 p.m.

 

Following lunch and a program, the annual Alumni Game will be played at the Devaney Center. The game is scheduled to tip-off at 2:15 p.m. and is open to the public free of charge.

 

Nearly 25 former Huskers are scheduled to play in the Alumni Game, including former WNBA player and NU All-American Nicole Kubik. Anna DeForge, a two-time WNBA All-Star who recently completed her season with the Minnesota Lynx will also be on hand for the weekend and may play in the game. Former All-Big Eight forward Nafeesah Brown is also scheduled to compete, along with past and recent Husker stars Alexa Johnson, Jami (Kubik) Hagedorn, LaToya Doage, Rissa Taylor, Cori (McDill) Culp, Kate (Benson) Allen, Amanda Went, Ashley Ford and Amanda Buchholz.

 

The Alumni Weekend activities will conclude with the current crop of Huskers taking the court for a one-hour open practice beginning at 3:15 p.m.