Huskers Greet Fans at Pavilion

Lincoln - The Nebraska women's basketball team welcomed fans to Saturday's football game with Iowa State, signing autographs at the Husker Nation Pavilion before the game.

The Huskers, who wrapped up their first full week of practice on Saturday morning, joined football fans at the Nebraska Soccer Field/Ed Weir Track & Field Stadium from 10 to 11 a.m. The players signed autographs, shook hands and took pictures with fans alongside the Nebraska wrestling team in the Husker Nation Pavilion Autograph Zone.

Coach Connie Yori appeared on the Husker Sports Network Pregame Show with radio hosts Greg Sharpe and Adrian Fiala inside the Pavilion shortly before 10 a.m. to talk about Nebraska's prospects for the 2009-10 season.

The Huskers return six starters and 11 letterwinners from last year's team that advanced to NU's sixth consecutive postseason tournament appearance.

Nebraska will be led on the court by two-time first-team All-Big 12 forward Kelsey Griffin, who missed all of 2008-09 with an injury. The fifth-year senior from Eagle River, Alaska, has averaged nearly 15 points and eight rebounds per game in her three years as a starter. The 6-2 All-America candidate is the top returning career rebounder (665) in the Big 12. She also ranks third in career scoring among active Big 12 players with 1,348 points.

In addition to Griffin, the Huskers return 2009 honorable-mention All-Big 12 forward Cory Montgomery, who ranked among the top 10 in the Big 12 in both scoring and rebounding in her first year as a starter in 2008-09. Two-time Big 12 All-Defensive Team selection Yvonne Turner returns to lead the NU backcourt. The senior from Omaha has started 64 straight games alongside junior guard and Lincoln native Dominique Kelley. Turner averaged nearly 12 points per game in 2008-09, while ranking among Big 12 leaders in both steals and three-point shooting, while Kelley averaged nearly 10 points per contest.

Despite the long list of returning talent, which also includes returning starters in juniors Catheryn Redmon and Kaitlyn Burke, Yori said true freshmen Lindsey Moore and Katya Leick could contend for starting time early in the season for the Huskers.

"Practice is going really well and our leadership has been excellent," Yori said. "Kelsey is playing at a level that I have not seen from her before, and some of our other seniors have also been playing at a higher level. Lindsey Moore has shown tremendous decision-making ability at point guard and has a great feel for the game."

The Huskers will go through their second week of practice this week before tipping off the 2009-10 exhibition season with Pittsburg State at the Devaney Center on Tuesday, Nov. 3, at 7:05 p.m. For ticket information, visit Huskers.com or call 1-800-8-BIG-RED.