Huskers Earn Eight Top-15 Team Finishes in 2014-15

The University of Nebraska athletic programs produced an impressive total of eight final top-15 national finishes across 24 team sports, including an NCAA women’s bowling championship in 2014-15.

Bowling’s fourth NCAA title under legendary coach Bill Straub gave Nebraska its 26th all-time team national championship and highlighted an athletic season that included a fourth-place team finish by the Husker rifle team under the direction of first-year coach Ashley Rose-MacAllister.

Nebraska added eighth-place finishes by its traditionally powerful volleyball and women’s gymnastics programs, and a ninth-place finish by the Husker wrestling team. The men’s gymnastics program rounded out a collection of six top-10 team finishes, while the Huskers finished 39th nationally in the annual Learfield Sports Director’s Cup standings. On the women’s side, Nebraska tied for 18th in the Capital One Cup standings.

Big Ten Indoor Men’s Track and Field Coach of the Year Gary Pepin led the Huskers to a conference title before contributing a 13th-place finish at the NCAA Indoor Championships on the men’s side. The Nebraska sand volleyball team added a No. 12 final ranking in the polls, as the Huskers prepare to contend for the sport’s inaugural NCAA Championship in 2016.

In addition to the team success of the Husker programs, a total of 36 Huskers earned 51 All-America awards across all sports, including 15 first-team All-America awards. Nebraska’s individual hardware haul included NCAA smallbore champion Rachel Martin (Peralta, N.M.) and National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) Bowler of the Year Lizabeth Kuhlkin (Schenectady, N.Y.). Kuhlkin was also Nebraska’s Female Athlete of the Year across all sports, while freshman Julia Bond added Most Outstanding Bowler honors for the Huskers at the 2015 NCAA Championships.

The Big Red’s All-Americans came from 20 states, including six from Nebraska, and three foreign countries (Slovenia, Latvia, England) to claim a total of 51 All-America awards.
Not only did the Huskers enjoy success across many fields of competition, Nebraska produced historic success at the turnstiles again in 2014-15. The Big Red football team averaged a school-record 91,249 fans per game to rank No. 10 in the nation in home attendance. The Huskers extended their NCAA-record sellout streak to 340 games in 2014. The Nebraska volleyball program led the nation in attendance for the second straight season, averaging 8,083 fans per match in its second season at the Devaney Center. The Huskers also extended their NCAA-record sellout streak to 188 regular-season matches.

Men’s and women’s basketball attendance continued to thrive in their second season at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Coach Tim Miles’ men’s program set a school record by averaging 15,569 fans per game to rank 10th nationally, while Coach Connie Yori’s women’s team ranked 11th in the nation with an average of 5,857 fans per game.

The Huskers ranked 11th nationally in average home attendance for baseball with 3,904 fans per game at Hawks Field, averaging nearly 700 more fans per game than 2014. The Huskers shattered the regular-season non-conference record with 17,083 fans watching a three-game series against Florida Gulf Coast, March 13-15.

The Nebraska football program notched its seventh consecutive nine-win season and made its seventh straight bowl appearance before ushering in the Mike Riley coaching era. The Huskers finished 9-4 overall and 5-3 in the Big Ten West Division. Riley, who was named Nebraska’s head coach by Director of Athletics Shawn Eichorst on Dec. 4, 2014, made his first appearance on the Nebraska sideline in front of 76,881 fans at the annual Red-White Spring Game at Memorial Stadium on April 11, 2015.

Ameer Abdullah highlighted the Huskers on the gridiron, capturing second-team All-America honors as a finalist for the Doak Walker Award. Nebraska’s career all-purpose yardage leader (7,186) also finished second in career rushing yards at NU with 4,588. He became Nebraska’s first male Senior CLASS Award winner across all sports. Defensive end Randy Gregory and freshman punt returner De’Mornay Pierson-El added second-team All-America honors for the Huskers. Pierson-El also earned the Jet Award (named after Husker Heisman winner Johnny Rodgers) as the nation’s premier punt returner in 2014.

John Cook guided the Nebraska volleyball team back to the NCAA Elite for the 12th time in his 15 seasons as the Husker head coach. The Big Red, who finished 23-10 overall and 14-6 in the Big Ten, have earned 20 NCAA Sweet 16 appearances in the last 21 years. Sophomore outside hitter Kadie Rolfzen led the Huskers as a third-team AVCA All-American.

Coach Connie Yori helped the Huskers make women’s basketball history at Nebraska by earning their fourth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Huskers finished 21-11 overall and 10-8 in the Big Ten despite losing All-America point guard Rachel Theriot to a season-ending ankle injury 21 games into the season. Nebraska’s four-player senior class of Emily Cady, Brandi Jeffery, Tear’a Laudermill and Hailie Sample became the most successful class in school history by averaging 24 wins per season during their careers.

Coach Rhonda Revelle guided the Husker softball team back to the NCAA Tournament for the 19th time in the past 21 years. The Huskers finished with a 35-23 overall record that included a 17-6 Big Ten mark. NU also fought its way to the Big Ten Tournament title game, losing only to NCAA runner-up Michigan. Junior outfielder Kiki Stokes led the most prolific offense in school history by hitting .407 with 11 home runs, nine doubles and five triples from her leadoff spot to earn third-team All-America honors.

Coach Dan Kendig led the Nebraska women’s gymnastics team to its 23rd all-time appearance at the NCAA Championships, as Huskers Jessie DeZiel, Hollie Blanske and Ashley Lambert combined for five All-America awards. DeZiel, who earned Nebraska’s Female Student-Athlete-of-the-Year Award, closed her career as a nine-time All-American. The Huskers posted the eighth-best score at the 12-team NCAA Championships, just coming up short of a second straight Super Six appearance.

Coach Mark Manning’s wrestling program added three All-Americans, including four-timer James Green at 157 pounds. Green became just the second Husker wrestler in history to be a four-time All-American. He was joined by three-time All-American Robert Kokesh (174) in taking third place at the 2015 NCAA Championships. Green, Kokesh and first-time All-American TJ Dudley (184) powered the Huskers to a ninth-place national finish for the 19th top-10 showing at the NCAA Championships in school history. Overall, Nebraska went 14-1 in dual competition, including 8-1 to finish as the regular-season dual runner-up in the powerful Big Ten.
Coach Chuck Chmelka’s gymnastics team claimed its fifth top-10 finish in the last six seasons at the NCAA Championships behind a first-team All-America performance on pommel horse from Ethan Lottman.

Coach Gary Pepin guided Nebraska to a conference title at the Big Ten Indoor Track and Field Championships in Geneva, Ohio, March 13-14. Pepin was named the conference men’s indoor coach of the year, before leading the Big Red to a tie for 13th at the NCAA Indoor Championships. The men’s and women’s teams both added runner-up finishes at the Big Ten Outdoor Track and Field Championships in East Lansing, Mich. Overall, the men’s and women’s track field programs produced 15 student-athletes who captured 27 first- or second-team All-America awards

James White led track and field’s hardware haul as Nebraska’s only two-time first-team All-American in 2014-15. White, a senior from Grandview, Mo., finished fourth at the NCAA Indoor Championships in the high jump before adding a seventh-place finish in the event at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Cody Rush, a junior sprinter from Grand Island, Neb., was the only Husker to bring home four All-America awards as an individual in 2014-15, including a first-team honor as a member of NU’s indoor 4x400-meter relay.

2014-15 Nebraska All-Americans
(36 Athletes/51 Total Awards/15 First-Team Awards)

• Ameer Abdullah, Senior, Homewood, Ala., Football (2nd Team, Running Back)
• Oladapo Akinmoladun, Junior, Grandview, Mo., Men’s Track & Field (1st Team, 60 Hurdles)
• Jacob Bender, Junior, Naperville, Ill., Men’s Track & Field (1st Team, Indoor 4x400; 2nd Team, Outdoor 4x400)
• Hollie Blanskie, Junior, Oak Grove, Minn., Women’s Gymnastics (1st Team, Floor; 2nd Team, All-Around)
• Julia Bond, Freshman, Aurora, Ill., Bowling (3rd Team/NCAA Championships Most Outstanding Bowler)
• Steven Cahoy, Sophomore, Grand Island, Neb., Men’s Track & Field (2nd Team, Indoor & Outdoor Pole Vault)
• Jaycee Carter, Freshman, Live Oak, Calif., Rifle (Honorable Mention, Air Rifle)
• Marusa Cernjul, Junior, Celje, Slovenia, Women’s Track & Field (1st Team, Outdoor High Jump; 2nd Team, Indoor High Jump)
• Jessie DeZiel, Senior, Rogers, Minn., Women’s Gymnastics (1st Team, All-Around; 2nd Team, Vault)
• TJ Dudley, Sophomore, Irmo, S.C., Wrestling (1st Team, 184 Pounds, 8th)
• Ellie Ewere, Senior, Hillsborough, N.J., Women’s Track & Field (2nd Team, Indoor & Outdoor Triple Jump)
• Kelsey Fien, Junior, Bakersfield, Calif., Volleyball (Honorable Mention, Outside Hitter)
• Levi Gipson, Junior, Lincoln, Neb., Men’s Track & Field (1st Team, Indoor 4x400; 2nd Team, Outdoor 4x400)
• James Green, Senior, Willingboro, N.J., Wrestling (1st Team, 157 Pounds, 3rd)
• Randy Gregory, Junior, Fishers, Ind., Football (2nd Team, Defensive End)
• Mollie Gribbin, Junior, Montpelier, Vt., Women’s Track & Field (2nd Team, Outdoor Triple Jump)
• Ricco Hall, Senior, Kentwood, Mich., Men’s Track & Field (2nd Team, Indoor 200; 2nd Team, Outdoor 4x100)
• Robert Kokesh, Senior, Wagner, S.D., Wrestling (1st Team, 174 Pounds, 3rd)
• Liz Kuhlkin, Senior, Schenectady, N.Y., Bowling (1st Team/National Tenpin Coaches Player of the Year)
• Ashley Lambert, Sophomore, Newport News, Va., Women’s Gymnastics (2nd Team, Floor Exercise)
• Antoine Lloyd, Freshman, Kentwood, Mich., Men’s Track & Field (2nd Team, Outdoor 4x100; 2nd Team, Outdoor 4x400)
• Will Lohman, Senior, Chewelah, Wash., Men’s Track & Field (2nd Team, Outdoor Hammer Throw)
• Ethan Lottman, Junior, Omaha, Neb., Men’s Gymnastics (1st Team, Pommel Horse)
• Gazmine Mason, Sophomore, Cranston, R.I., Bowling (3rd Team)
• Denise Martin, Chewelah, Wash., Junior, Rifle (2nd Team, Smallbore)
• Rachel Martin, Peralta, N.M., Sophomore, Rifle (NCAA Smallbore Champion, 2nd Team, Air Rifle, Honorable Mention, Smallbore)
• Nikita Pankins, Sophomore, Riga, Latvia (2nd Team, Outdoor 4x100)
• Nick Percy, Freshman, Ventnor, England (2nd Team, Outdoor Discus)
• De’Mornay Pierson-El, Freshman, Alexandria, Va. (2nd Team, Punt Returner)
• Mary Pollmiller, Senior, Littleton, Colo., Volleyball (Honorable Mention, Setter)
• Kadie Rolfzen, Sophomore, Papillion, Neb., Volleyball (3rd Team, Outside Hitter)
• Cody Rush, Junior, Grand Island, Neb., Men’s Track & Field (1st Team, Indoor 4x400; 2nd Team Indoor 400;
• 2nd Team, Outdoor 4x100; 2nd Team, Outdoor 4x400)
• Kiki Stokes, Junior, Olathe, Kan., Softball (3rd Team, Outfielder)
• James White, Senior, Grandview, Mo., Men’s Track & Field (1st Team, Indoor & Outdoor High Jump)
• Tierra Williams, Sophomore, Auburn, Neb., Women’s Track & Field (2nd Team, Outdoor Long Jump)
• Drew Wiseman, Sophomore, Bismarck, N.D., Men’s Track & Field (1st Team, Indoor 4x400; 2nd Team, Outdoor 400 Hurdles)