Huskers Travel to Illinois for NCAA Championships

NCAA Championships Rounds 1 and 2
May 14-15  |  Evanston, Ill.
Teams: Illinois, Miami (OH), Nebraska, Northwestern
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No. 37 Nebraska vs. No. 22 Illinois
Friday, May 14  |  10 a.m.  |  Evanston, Ill. 

Huskers Travel to Illinois for NCAA Championships
The No. 37 Nebraska women's tennis team travels to Evanston, Ill., home of Northwestern University, for the first and second rounds of the NCAA Championships on Friday and Saturday. The Huskers will face No. 22 Illinois in the first round at 10 a.m. on Friday, and if they win will play the winner of No. 5 Northwestern and Miami (OH) on Saturday. Nebraska is making its first appearance in the NCAA Championships since 2006.

NU made it to the semifinals of the Big 12 Championships for the second consecutive year before falling to Texas. The Huskers finished the regular season with a record of 21-5, including a 9-2 Big 12 mark. Nebraska's strong performance in the Big 12 propelled them to an at-large spot in the NCAA Championships.

The Fighting Illini check in at No. 22 in the latest ITA rankings. Illinois has a record of 15-9 this season, and are winners of eight of their last 10 matches. Senior Megan Fudge is Illinois' top player, and has a ranking of No. 85 in the latest ITA singles poll.

Jacobson, Perez Earn Coaching Honors
Nebraska women's tennis coach Scott Jacobson was named Big 12 Women's Coach of the Year on Wednesday, the conference office announced. Jacobson won the award for the second time in his career (2005) after leading the Huskers to a school-record 21 wins, including a 9-2 conference mark. Assistant Coach Hayden Perez was also named ITA's Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year for the second time in his career (2007), and is one of 12 finalists for the national Assistant Coach of the Year award, which will be announced by the ITA on May 25th.

Jacobson also helped the Huskers earn their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2006, which begins this weekend as NU takes on Illinois on Friday, May 14. Perez was also instrumental in the Huskers' historic season, including helping in the coaching of NU's three all-Big 12 players.

Three Huskers Named to All-Big 12 Team
Three Huskers were named to the All-Big 12 team on Wednesday. Sophomores Madeleine Geibert and Mary Weatherholt earned their second straight berth on the All-Big 12 Singles team, while Geibert and freshman Stefanie Weinstein were named to the All-Big 12 Doubles team. Weatherholt was one of three Big 12 players to be selected unanimously to the Singles team.

Baylor's Lenka Broosova was named Big 12 Player of the Year, while Sarah Meghoufel of Oklahoma State was named Newcomer of the Year and Aeriel Ellis of Texas was named Freshman of the Year.

Holmberg, Weatherholt Earn Big 12 Titles
NU sophomores Jennifer Holmberg and Mary Weatherholt were named Big 12 Champions at No. 3 doubles after going 10-1 during conference play at the position. The duo give the Huskers their third ever champions in doubles in Big 12 history, and the first since Jana Albers and Imke Reimers achieved the feat at No. 1 doubles in 2008.

Holmberg was also crowned champion at No. 6 singles, finishing the conference season with a record of 9-2. She edged out Baylor's Cara Lindlar, who finished the year with eight singles wins at the No. 6 spot. Holmberg's title gives NU its third ever singles champion in Big 12 play, and the first since 2000 when Amy Frisch also won at No.6 singles.

Net Notes

• The Huskers started the season 10-0 for the third consecutive year.
• Nebraska went 5-0 against Big 12 North competition this season, going a combined 32-3 against the five opponents.
• The Huskers matched their win total from the previous two seasons when they won their 16th match of the year against Iowa State on April 2. The all-time record for wins in a season is 19, set in both 2000 and 2001 when the team had identical 19-6 records.
• Nebraska set a team record with 14 home wins this season, beating the previous record of 13 set in 2008.
• Nebraska's victory over No. 34 Texas A&M on April 17 marked the highest-ranked opponent the Huskers have beaten since a 4-3 win over the No. 28 Aggies on Feb. 20, 2005.
• The Huskers set a team record for victories in a season when they recorded their 20th win of the spring over Oklahoma State.