Shepard Earns 10th Freshman Award

Lincoln - Nebraska's Jessica Shepard extended her own Big Ten record by claiming her 10th women's basketball conference freshman-of-the-week award on Monday, Feb. 15.

Shepard, a 6-4 forward from Fremont, Neb., scored 26 points and grabbed six rebounds in helping Nebraska knock off No. 17 Michigan State in front of more than 8,000 fans at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Sunday in Lincoln. It was Shepard's 15th 20-point performance of the season and 10th in 14 Big Ten games.

Along the way, Shepard became the first Nebraska freshman in history to score 500 points in a season. She pushed her season total to 514, and the previous NU freshman record was 461 set by Debra Powell in 1981-82.

Shepard also set the Nebraska freshman record for field goals made in a season, pushing her total to 203 to pass the previous mark of 201 held by Darcy Williamson since 1975-76. Shepard's 379 field goal attempts are 168 fewer than Williamson's (547), and she has yet to climb into the top five in most field goal attempts by a freshman at NU.

Shepard, who scored 22 points and pulled down eight rebounds at Minnesota on Thursday, is averaging a team-best 20.6 points per game on the year, while also leading the Big Red with 8.9 rebounds per contest. 

With 222 rebounds on the year, Shepard needs seven more to match Powell at No. 2 on Nebraska's freshman season list. Kathy Hagerstrom owns the Nebraska freshman record with 277 rebounds in 40 games in 1979-80. Shepard has started all 25 games for the Huskers this season.

Prior to this season, the Big Ten record for conference freshman-of-the-week honors was held by Maggie Lucas, who won eight awards for Penn State in 2010-11.

Shepard has added a pair of Big Ten Player-of-the-Week awards this season (Dec. 21, Jan. 25), joining All-Americans Rachel Banham (Minnesota) and Kelsey Mitchell (Ohio State) as the only conference players to win more than one weekly award this season.

Shepard and the Huskers will be back in action Thursday at top-10 Ohio State. Tip-off with the Buckeyes in Columbus, Ohio, is set for 5 p.m. The game will be televised by BTN.

Big Ten Freshman of the Week
Nov. 16 - Jessica Shepard, Nebraska
Nov. 23 - Jessica Shepard, Nebraska/Cierra Rice, Illinois
Nov. 30 - Hallie Thome, Michigan
Dec. 7 - Jessica Shepard, Nebraska/Cierra Rice, Illinois
Dec. 14 - Alex Wittinger, Illinois
Dec. 21 - Jessica Shepard, Nebraska
Dec. 28 - Jessica Shepard, Nebraska
Jan. 4 - Teniya Page, Penn State
Jan. 11 - Jessica Shepard, Nebraska
Jan. 18 - Jessica Shepard, Nebraska
Jan. 25 - Jessica Shepard, Nebraska
Feb. 1 - Alex Wittinger, Illinois
Feb. 8 - Jessica Shepard, Nebraska
Feb. 15 - Jessica Shepard, Nebraska

Big Ten Player of the Week
Nov. 16 - Mikayla Bailey, Minnesota (Honor Roll: Natalie Romeo, Nebraska)
Nov. 23 - Ashley Deary, Northwestern
Nov. 30 - Kelsey Mitchell, Ohio State
Dec. 7 - Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, Maryland (Honor Roll: Rachel Theriot, Nebraska)
Dec. 14 - Rachel Banham, Minnesota
Dec. 21 - Jessica Shepard, Nebraska
Dec. 28 - Tori Jankoska, Michigan State
Jan. 4 - Kelsey Mitchell, Ohio State
Jan. 11 - Katelynn Flaherty, Michigan
Jan. 18 - Tyra Buss, Indiana (Honor Roll: Natalie Romeo, Nebraska)
Jan. 25 - Jessica Shepard, Nebraska
Feb. 1 - Aerial Powers, Michigan State
Feb. 8 - Rachel Banham, Minnesota
Feb. 15 - Ameryst Alston, Ohio State