Sportsmanship Pep Rally Pushing for Record Attendance

The registration deadline is approaching for the Sizemore Sportsmanship Pep Rally at the Nebraska women's basketball team's season-opening game with Northwestern State at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Monday, Nov. 3.

Nebraska's annual pep rally to tip off its season will include more than 70 schools and more than 3,600 middle grades students and accompanying adults from across the state. Last year, the Husker pep rally pushed past 75 schools and more than 3,800 individuals.

With one week remaining until the Oct. 20 deadline, schools from around the state still have time to help the Huskers push attendance past 80 schools and 4,000 students, which would make it the largest pep rally associated with Nebraska women's basketball in school history.

The game between the Huskers and the Lady Demons is expected to tip off at Noon following the annual Nebraska Sizemore Sportsmanship Pep Rally at Pinnacle Bank Arena earlier in the day.

The event, which is co-sponsored by the Nebraska High School Hall of Fame, features positive messages from Husker student-athletes and coaches aimed at promoting the importance of education, sportsmanship, character development, teamwork and responsible decision-making. This year’s Pep Rally will mark the seventh time since 2013 (also 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024) the event has been paired with Nebraska’s season-opening women’s basketball game.

The Nebraska Sizemore Sportsmanship Pep Rally, which is focused on 4th through 8th grade students across the state of Nebraska, not only includes inspiring messages from current and former Nebraska student-athletes and staff members, it also includes complimentary pizza from Nebraska Athletics thanks to a generous donation from the Sizemore family, and bottled water provided by Pepsi for students and accompanying school staff members.

The 2025 Pep Rally is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. and conclude at approximately 10:45 a.m., prior to Nebraska and Northwestern State taking the court for pregame warm-ups ahead of their noon tip-off.

For more information or to register your school for the 2025 Sizemore Sportsmanship Pep Rally, contact Katie Archer at karcher@huskers.com.

Nebraska Sportsmanship Pep Rallies at Women's Basketball
2025 - vs. Northwestern State (Monday, Nov. 3, - Rally - 9:30 a.m. / Game - Noon)
2024 - 8,106 (attendance) / 3,800 (students/staff - 75 schools) vs. Omaha
2023 - 7,065 (attendance) / 3,300 (students/staff - 62 schools) vs. Northwestern State
2022 - 6,233 (attendance) / 2,500 (students/staff - 40 schools) vs. Omaha
2021 - 4,476 (attendance) / 1,600 (students/staff - 30 schools) vs. Maine
2019 - 5,250 (attendance) / 2,000 (students/staff - 27 schools) vs. Alabama A&M
2013 - 9,750 (attendance) / 4,000 (students/staff - 45 schools) vs. UCLA