Senior tight end Austin Allen has been named the Kwalick-Clark Big Ten Tight End of the Year, as well as a first-team All-Big Ten honoree. Allen led four Husker offensive standouts who earned all-conference accolades as announced by the Big Ten Office on Wednesday.
 
A native of Aurora, Neb., Allen was a first-team all-conference choice by the Big Ten media panel and earned second-team accolades from the Big Ten coaches. Allen is the first Husker position player to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors since 2014, and he is the first Husker tight end to be a first-team all-conference selection since Matt Herian in 2003.
 
Allen had a record-setting season for a Nebraska tight end in 2021, setting school position records for receptions (38) and yards (602), and a single-game record for receiving yards by a tight end with 143 yards at Wisconsin. Allen led all Big Ten tight ends in receiving yards, and his 15.8 yards per reception ranked sixth nationally among tight ends and bettered all other Big Ten tight ends by more than three yards per catch.
 
Three other Husker offensive players were recognized by the Big Ten on Wednesday. Center Cam Jurgens was a third-team all-league pick by the Big Ten coaches, while earning honorable-mention accolades from the media panel. Jurgens anchored a Nebraska offensive line that helped the Husker offense average 447.6 yards per game to rank in the top 25 nationally.
 
Quarterback Adrian Martinez earned honorable-mention All-Big Ten recognition for the second time in his career, picking up the accolades from the Big Ten Coaches. Martinez ranked second in the Big Ten in total offense with 308.0 yards per game, while throwing for 14 touchdowns and rushing for 13 scores.
 
Receiver Samori Toure made the most of his only season at Nebraska and was an honorable-mention all-conference choice by the Big Ten media. Toure caught 46 passes for 898 yards and five touchdowns, while leading all Big Ten players with 19.5 yards per reception, a figure that ranked seventh nationally among players with at least 40 receptions.
 
In addition to the four all-conference selections, senior receiver Levi Falck was Nebraska's recipient of the Sportsmanship Award. Falck has been a key contributor at receiver during his two seasons with the Huskers. He caught 18 passes for 223 yards and one touchdown in 2021.
 
The four offensive players joined seven Husker defenders who received All-Big Ten honors on Tuesday.
 
Nebraska All-Big Ten Honors
Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year: Austin Allen
Named for Penn State's Ted Kwalick and Iowa's Dallas Clark
 
First-Team All-Big Ten
Austin Allen, TE (Media)
 
Second-Team All-Big Ten
Austin Allen, TE (Coaches)
Cam Taylor-Britt, CB (Coaches, Media)
JoJo Domann, LB (Coaches)
 
Third-Team All-Big Ten
JoJo Domann, LB (Media)
Cam Jurgens, C (Coaches)
 
Honorable Mention All-Big Ten
Damion Daniels, NT (Coaches, Media)
Marquel Dismuke, S (Coaches)
Cam Jurgens, C (Media)
Adrian Martinez, QB (Coaches)
Luke Reimer, LB (Coaches, Media)
Ben Stille, DL (Coaches, Media)
Samori Toure, WR (Media)
Deontai Williams, S (Coaches, Media)

Ohio State's Stroud is Big Ten offensive player of the year

ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) — Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud is the offensive player of the year and freshman of the year in the Big Ten.

Stroud led the nation’s top offense and ranks among the top seven passers in eight categories. His 70.9% completion rate and 351.1 yards per game are on track to be school single-season records.

Defensive and special teams honorees were announced Tuesday. 

Five Huskers Collect Big Ten Postseason Honors

The Nebraska volleyball program was well represented on the 2021 All-Big Ten teams and postseason accolades announced by the conference office Wednesday, earning four all-conference nods, one superlative honor and two all-freshman awards.

Madi Kubik, Lexi Rodriguez and Lauren Stivrins were named to the All-Big Ten First Team, and Nicklin Hames was selected to the All-Big Ten Second Team. Rodriguez was tabbed the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Year and was a unanimous selection to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. Fellow newcomer Lindsay Krause joined her on the All-Freshman Team.

Teams were determined in a vote of the league's 14 head coaches.

Nebraska and Purdue were the only two schools to have three first-team All-Big Ten picks this season. NU has boasted at least three first-teamers six straight years.

Rodriguez has had an outstanding freshman season as NU's libero, averaging 4.46 digs and 1.12 assists per set while adding 14 aces. She collected six weekly conference awards over the 10-week regular season -- four as Big Ten Freshman of the Week and two as Defensive Player of the Week. Rodriguez ranked third in conference play with 4.71 digs per set. The Sterling, Ill., native totaled at least 15 digs in 16 matches and notched 20+ digs seven times.

Rodriguez is the Huskers' third Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in program history, joining two-time winner Justine Wong-Orantes (2015, 2016). She is just the second freshman in conference history to capture the award and the first since Minnesota's Paula Gentil in 2002.

Additionally, Rodriguez is the fourth Husker to garner All-Big Ten accolades as a freshman, following in the footsteps of first-team selections Meghan Haggerty (2012) and Kadie Rolfzen (2013) and second-teamer Kubik (2019).

Kubik has averaged 3.49 kills and 2.01 digs per set on .215 hitting in her junior season, adding 17 aces and 46 blocks. The outside hitter ranked third among Big Ten players with 4.11 kills per set in conference play. Kubik led the Huskers in kills in all but one conference match, finishing in double figures in 17 of 19 contests in the Big Ten slate. She was named Big Ten Player of the Week back-to-back on Oct. 11 and Oct. 18.

A West Des Moines, Iowa, native, Kubik was previously second-team all-conference in 2019 and is a two-time AVCA all-region and All-America Honorable Mention pick.

Stivrins picks up her fourth straight first-team All-Big Ten award, having previously been honored in 2018, 2019 and 2020. The three-time All-America middle blocker returned to the lineup on Oct. 1 after coming back from offseason surgery and has averaged 2.41 kills and 1.09 blocks per set. Stivrins has hit .346 on the year, which ranked seventh in conference play, and helped NU limit teams to just .147 hitting, which was the league low and ranks 10th nationally.

The Scottsdale, Ariz., native has hit .380 for her career, which ranks fourth in school history, and is 10th for career blocks and 15th for career kills.

Hames garnered her third straight All-Big Ten accolade, having previously been a first-team selection in 2019 and 2020. The All-America setter has averaged 10.58 assists, 3.37 digs, 0.43 blocks and 0.28 aces per set in her senior season, ranking fourth for assists and seventh for aces in league play.

Hames, who hails from Maryville, Tenn., was honored as Big Ten Setter of the Week twice this season -- on Oct. 11 and Oct. 25. She has led NU with 19 double-doubles this season, took ownership of the program's rally-scoring era career assists record and ranks second all-time at Nebraska for assists.

Krause has averaged 2.36 kills and 0.76 blocks per set in her freshman campaign while hitting .213, starting in 22 matches. The Papillion, Neb., native finished with double-digit kills 11 times and hit .300 or better on eight occasions. She earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week recognition on Sept. 27.

Since joining the Big Ten in 2011, Nebraska has counted 33 first- and second-team All-Big Ten selections and 11 All-Freshman honorees.

Kayla Caffey was Nebraska's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree. A graduate student pursuing a master's degree in teaching, learning and teacher education, Caffey is a member of the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll.

No. 10 Nebraska opens the NCAA Tournament this Friday, Dec. 3, facing Campbell in the first round. First serve is set for 7 p.m. at the Devaney Center.

2021 BIG TEN VOLLEYBALL POSTSEASON HONORS
Player of the Year: Stephanie Samedy, RS-Sr., OPP, Minnesota
Defensive Player of the Year: Lexi Rodriguez, Fr., L/DS, Nebraska
Setter of the Year: Sydney Hilley, Grad., Wisconsin
Freshman of the Year: Julia Orzol, OH, Wisconsin
Coach of the Year (Coaches & Media): Dave Shondell, Purdue

FIRST TEAM ALL-BIG TEN*
Megan Cooney, Grad., OH/OPP, Illinois
Rainelle Jones, Sr., MB, Maryland
Jess Mruzik, So., OH, Michigan
Sarah Franklin, So., OH, Michigan State
CC McGraw, Sr., L/DS, Minnesota
STEPHANIE SAMEDY, RS-Sr., OPP, Minnesota
Madi Kubik, Jr., OH, Nebraska
Lexi Rodriguez, Fr., L/DS, Nebraska
Lauren Stivrins, Sr., MB, Nebraska
Temi Thomas-Ailara, Jr., OH, Northwestern
Mac Podraza, Jr., S, Ohio State
RYLEE RADER, So., MB, Ohio State
Kaitlyn Hord, Sr., MB, Penn State
Jonni Parker, Sr., RS, Penn State
Hayley Bush, RS-Sr., S, Purdue
Grace Cleveland, Sr., OH, Purdue
Caitlyn Newton, RS-Sr., OH, Purdue
SYDNEY HILLEY, Grad., S, Wisconsin
DANA RETTKE, Grad., MB, Wisconsin

SECOND TEAM ALL-BIG TEN
Courtney Buzzerio, Sr., RS, Iowa
Jenna Wenaas, So., OH, Minnesota
Nicklin Hames, Sr., S, Nebraska
Emily Londot, So., OPP, Ohio State
Jenna Hampton, Sr., L/DS, Penn State
Jena Otec, RS-Sr., L/DS, Purdue
Lauren Barnes, Grad., L/DS, Wisconsin
Devyn Robinson, So., MB/RS, Wisconsin

ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Milan Gomillion, L/DS, Maryland
Jacque Boney, MB, Michigan
Lindsay Krause, OH, Nebraska
LEXI RODRIGUEZ, L/DS, Nebraska
ARICA DAVIS, MB, Ohio State
Raven Colvin, MB, Purdue
JULIA ORZOL, OH, Wisconsin

SPORTSMANSHIP HONOREES
Jessica Nunge, Jr., OH/RS, Illinois
Kaley Rammelsberg, Jr., MB, Indiana
Bailey Ortega, So., S, Iowa
Maddie Naumann, Sr., DS, Maryland
Hannah Grant, RS-So., L/DS, Michigan
Rebecka Poljan, Sr., MB, Michigan State
Airi Miyabe, RS-Sr., OH, Minnesota
Kayla Caffey, Sr., MB, Nebraska
Natalie Chizzo, So., OH, Northwestern
Hannah Gruensfelder, Sr., L/DS, Ohio State
Annie Cate Fitzpatrick, So., OH, Penn State
Marissa Hornung, Sr., DS, Purdue
Shealyn McNamara, Sr., MB, Rutgers
Grace Loberg, Sr., OH, Wisconsin

ALL CAPS indicates unanimous selections
* - additional member named to team due to tie in voting

Huskers To Defend Title At Cliff Keen

Las Vegas – The undefeated No. 9 Nebraska wrestling team heads to Las Vegas this weekend to partake in one of the premier wrestling tournaments of the year at the Cliff Keen Invitational.

The Las Vegas Convention Center will host the event, with action set to begin on Friday, Dec. 3 at 11 a.m. CT. Each weight class is set up in bracket format, with both the championship and consolation rounds of 64, 32 and 16 being contested until 6 p.m. Starting at 8 p.m., the championship quarterfinals and consolation first round of eight will take place.

Action resumes Saturday morning at 11 a.m. CT with the consolation second round of eight. The championship and consolation semifinals begin at noon, with the fifth and seventh-place matches following shortly thereafter. The championship and third-place matches are set for 5 p.m.

The tournament field features the defending champions from Nebraska along with 26 other Division 1 teams and over 100 ranked wrestlers. Nine of the nation's Top-25 teams in the latest NWCA poll will take the mat in Las Vegas.

Live stream and stats will be available on FloWrestling (subscription required) starting at 11 a.m. CT on Friday, Dec. 3. Fans can also follow @HuskerWrestling on Twitter for live updates throughout the tournament.
 
• Last Time Out: The Huskers cruised past the Tar Heels of North Carolina 27-6 on Wednesday, Nov. 11 before traveling to the Daktronics Open the following week and claiming three first place finishes. 
 
• Up Next: NU will take two weeks off from competition before hosting the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at the Devaney Center on Dec. 18. The action is set to begin at 2 p.m., and tickets are available on Huskers.com.
 
#9 Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-0, 0-0 B1G) at Cliff Keen Invitational
Dec. 3 – Dec. 4, 2021
11 a.m. (CT) start on both Friday and Saturday
Las Vegas, Nev. (Las Vegas Convention Center)
 
Nebraska's Projected Lineup*

Weight	Name	Year	Hometown	Dual Record
125	#22 Liam Cronin	Sr.	Orange, Calif.	1-0
133	Alex Thomsen	So.	Neola, Iowa	1-1
141	#11 Chad Red Jr.	Sr.	Indianapolis, Ind.	1-1
149	#12 Ridge Lovett	So.	Post Falls, Idaho	3-0
157	#6 Peyton Robb	So.	Owatonna, Minn.	2-0
165	Bubba Wilson	RFr.	Manhattan, Kan.	2-1
174	#3 Mikey Labriola	Jr.	Easton, Pa.	1-0
184	#15 Taylor Venz	Sr.	Farmington, Minn.	3-0
197	#10 Eric Schultz	Sr.	Tinley Park, Ill.	2-0
HWT	#13 Christian Lance	Sr.	Nixa, Mo.	2-0

*InterMat rankings used             

Quick Notes
• Nebraska has outscored its three dual opponents by a combined score of 103-21.
• Nebraska has won 24 of its 30 individual matches in dual competition.
• Seven starters have undefeated dual records to start the season. Returning All-Americans Mikey Labriola (174) and Taylor Venz (184) have combined to start the season 4-0 with 19 dual points between them.
• Peyton Robb (157) scored an upset victory over then-#2 Austin O'Connor (UNC) on Thursday, Nov. 17 and owns a perfect 2-0 dual record on the young season. He is ranked #6 in the latest InterMat poll.  
• Christian Lance (285) has amassed a team-leading 11 takedowns against dual competition while not allowing any. Lance has four major decision victories, which also leads the team.
 
Nebraska's History at the Cliff Keen Invitational
• Nebraska has competed at the Las Vegas Invitational a total of 25 times, finishing first in 2003, 2008 and 2019. NU has also finished in second place five times: 1992, 1995, 2000, 2004 and 2013.

Last Time at the Cliff Keen Invitational: Dec. 6 - Dec. 7, 2019 (Las Vegas, Nev.)
• As a team, Nebraska finished in first place with 118 points, its first team title since 2008 and highest since its second place finish in the 2013-2014 season.
• Eight of the 10 Huskers who competed at the invite placed in the top seven of their weight class.
• Isaiah White (165) took home his second consecutive individual title, while Ridge Lovett (133) and Mikey Labriola (174) finished in third place.
 
Seven Huskers Ranked in Intermat Rankings
• Eight Nebraska wrestlers are currently ranked in the Top 20 of their weight class by InterMat. Mikey Labriola (174) and Peyton Robb (157) are the highest-ranked Huskers, as they are #3 and #6 respectively, in their weight classes.
• Ridge Lovett (149) jumped two spots to #12 after an upset over UNC's then-#6 Zachary Sherman on Nov. 17.
• Eric Schultz (197) moved up two spots to #10 following wins over UNK's Hayden Prince by pin (6:08) and UNC's Mark Chaid (16-3).
• Liam Cronin (125) ranks #22, Chad Red Jr. (141) #11, Taylor Venz (184) #15 and Christian Lance (285) #13.

Roster Notes
• Over half of the Huskers' 2021-22 roster are underclassmen, as 26 of Nebraska's 37 wrestlers are either freshmen or sophomores. 
• Included in Nebraska's roster are also five seniors and six juniors.
• 29 Huskers on this season's roster are returning letterwinners.
• This year's Huskers come from 17 states, and six are Nebraska natives.