Mancuso, Werth Honored

Lincoln ? A pair of Husker volleyball players were involved in the ESPY Awards earlier this week Hannah Werth was a finalist for an ESPY Award, while Gina Mancuso was a guest of the ESPYs, as she was in Los Angeles for the Gatorade National High School Athlete of the Year presentation on Wednesday.

Werth is one of six finalists for the Under Armour All-America Moment following her performance at the AVCA High School All-America Match at the Qwest Center Omaha last December. Werth totaled five kills and eight digs in the match en route to being named MVP of the inaugural event.

Mancuso, who was named the Gatorade Volleyball Player of the Year last December, finished her four-year high school career with 2,371 kills to rank second all-time in state history. Mancuso totaled 721 kills on .452 hitting, 373 digs, 53 blocks and 39 service aces en route winning a state title at Papillion-LaVista High School. Mancuso is the first-ever high school athlete from Nebraska to win a Gatorade National Player-of-the-Year Award in any sport.

Both players are a part of Nebraska’s No. 2 ranked recruiting class, as the Huskers open preparations for the 2009 season on Aug. 10.