Nebraska Begins Critical Spring Exhibition Season

Lincoln -- Nebraska officially begins the spring season March 15 when it travels to San Diego for a training trip highlighted by a March 21 match against San Diego State. The Huskers will then host the 2003 Nebraska Spring Classic April 12 and will face Louisville and Minnesota. NU concludes the spring season April 26 at the Minnesota Tournament. The field also includes Minnesota and Wisconsin.

The spring will be a critical time for the Huskers, who finished the 2002 season with a 31-2 record and a No. 5 ranking in the USA Today/AVCA Coaches poll. NU returns seven letterwinners, but faces the daunting task of replacing the most successful class in school history in three-time AVCA All-Americans Greichaly Cepero and Amber Holmquist, two-time AVCA All-American Laura Pilakowski and three-time Academic All-Big 12 selection Lindsay Wischmeier.

The Huskers do, however, return three starters from the 2002 team. Senior-to-be Anna Schrad and sophomores-to-be Melissa Elmer and Jennifer Saleaumua all made significant contributions on the court in 2002. Schrad, a two-year starter on the left side, averaged 2.65 kills per game and ranked third on the team with 27 service aces last season. Elmer ranked second in the Big 12 with 1.30 blocks per game and a .381 hitting percentage in 2002, and she led Nebraska in blocks during four NCAA Tournament matches with 1.85 per game.

Saleaumua, the Huskers