Yori, Huskers Give Fastbreakers Sneak Peek at 2009-10

Lincoln - Nebraska Coach Connie Yori is excited about the upcoming 2009-10 season, and it was tough to keep her contained at Sunday's "Sneak Peek" preseason banquet with the Fastbreaker Booster Club members.

Yori and the Huskers were the honored guests at the Nebraska women's basketball booster club's annual preseason banquet following NU's practice on Sunday afternoon.

The banquet was a members-only event for the booster club to tip-off the 2009-10 season before Nebraska's exhibition opener against Pittsburg State at the Devaney Center on Tuesday, Nov. 3, at 7:05 p.m.

Perhaps the two biggest surprises coming from the event were that the players were all smiles immediately following a three-hour workout at the Devaney Center, and Yori was not showing a hint of "coach's voice" after more than two weeks of practice.

In fact, Yori had plenty of volume left for the Fastbreaker members, and she was in classic form during a 45-minute post-meal pep talk to the Fastbreakers.

"In my 20 years of coaching, I have never had a team that has had a better offseason than this team, and I think that says a lot about the leadership and the commitment of the players in our program," Yori said. "We are at the start of what we think can be a storybook season for this group of players, and it is because they have put themselves in a position for something special to happen because of their hard work."

Yori's address to the booster club followed introductions of the coaches, staff and the 15 players on this year's Nebraska roster. Each player introduced herself to the crowd, starting with fifth-year senior Kelsey Griffin, who received a loud ovation immediately after saying her name.

Griffin was followed by Nebraska's five other seniors, four juniors, one sophomore and four freshmen.

Nebraska tips off its 2009-10 campaign with Tuesday's exhibition game against Pittsburg State, which began its season on Sunday with an 82-52 loss at Kansas on Sunday afternoon. The NCAA Division II Gorillas are coming off a 20-9 season.

Huskers.com will provide free live audio of Nebraska's game with Pittsburg State on Tuesday, with the pregame show beginning at 6:45 p.m. The game can also be heard on 93.3 FM KTWI in Omaha, but will not be available over the air on 98.1 KFGE in Lincoln. HuskersNside will not provide video of the exhibition game.

For tickets, visit Huskers.com or call the Nebraska Athletic Ticket Office at 1-800-8-BIGRED. For more information on the Fastbreakers Women's Basketball Booster Club, visit NUFastbreakers.com.