Huskers Hit the Road for First Time in 2011

Lincoln - The Nebraska soccer team (0-1-1 overall, 0-0-0 Big Ten) will hit the road this week for Denver, Colo., after hosting two games against North Carolina and Baylor this past weekend. The Huskers are set to play the University of Denver Pioneers (2-0-0 overall, 0-0-0 Sun Belt) on Thursday, Aug. 25, at 8 p.m. (CT), and the match is scheduled to be streamed live on denverpioneers.com and Huskers.com, but a pay-subscription is needed.

Nebraska will enter the game looking for its first win of the season after dropping a 2-1 decision to the No. 3 ranked Tar Heels before tying the Bears, 1-1.

The Huskers and Pioneers have played just once previously, as the Huskers won 2-0 during the 1999 season in Lincoln when the team held its home games at the Abbott Sports Complex.

Slow Start
The first two games of the 2011 season have been a repeat of the 2010 season for junior Morgan Marlborough, no goals. Husker fans should not be worried though as last year Marlborough went on to earn NSCAA All-America honors with 18 goals and 48 total points. The Lee's Summit, Mo., native ended the 2010 campaign ranked second nationally in points and fourth in goals.

Road Issues
Historically the Huskers have not been dominant in their season-opening road games. Over the past 17 seasons the Huskers hold a 9-7-1 record in road openers.  Over the past five seasons the Huskers hold a 2-2-1 record with road victories over Missouri and Northern Colorado, lost to Northwestern and New Mexico, while tying Drake.

Battle Tested
The Nebraska soccer team should be more than ready for the Big Ten Conference schedule this year, as the Huskers will play four non-conference games against teams ranked or receiving votes in the NSCAA preseason poll.

Nebraska opened the year with No. 3 North Carolina at the Nebraska Soccer Field on Friday, Aug. 19, and played the Tar Heels tough in a 2-1 loss. NU will play its first road match of the season this Thursday at Denver, who was receiving votes. After hosting Arkansas and Northern Arizona on Sept. 2 and 4, the Huskers will head to the Virginia Tech Classic, where they will face Virginia Tech, who is receiving votes, and No. 14 Wake Forest on Friday, Sept. 9, and Sunday, Sept. 11, respectively.

Gatorade Girls
For the third consecutive year, the Huskers will have at least two Gatorade Player-of-the-Year honorees on the roster: Nebraska natives Lindsay Poehling and Molly Thomas were on the 2008 team, while Thomas, junior Jordan Jackson (Kansas) and junior Morgan Marlborough (Missouri) all competed 2009 and 2010.

In 2011, Thomas, Jackson and Marlborough will be joined by freshman Mayme Conroy, who was picked as player of the year for 2010-11 in Nebraska while she was at Skutt Catholic High  School in Omaha.

Long Way from Lincoln
The Husker farthest from home is Emma Stevens, who hails from Corona, Calif., 1,473 miles from Lincoln.

Marlborough Named to Herman Trophy Watch List
Nebraska junior forward Morgan Marlborough was named to the Hermann Trophy Watch List for the second straight season on Monday, Aug. 16, by the Missouri Athletic Club. Marlborough was one of five Big Ten soccer players named to the 42-player list, joining Illinois' Vanessa DiBernardo, Michigan State's Laura Heyboer, Ohio State's Paige Maxwell and Penn State's Christine Nairn.

A two-time Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, Marlborough ranked second in the NCAA in points (48) and fourth in goals (18) last season as a sophomore. In just two seasons, the Lee's Summit, Mo., native already ranks in the top 10 on four of Nebraska career-record charts, including fourth in multiple-goal games (10).

The MAC Hermann Trophy, given annually to the nation's top player, is chosen by head coaches of NCAA Division I programs who are members of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

Huskers Start Season in Seventh
The Nebraska soccer team was picked seventh by the Big Ten Conference coaches in the league's preseason poll that was announced Tuesday, Aug. 16, by the league office. A member of the Big 12 Conference for the past 15 seasons, the Huskers won three regular-season titles and five conference tournament crowns.

Returning co-champion Penn State took the top spot on the list and was followed by fellow co-champion Ohio State. The Nittany Lions have won at least a share of the conference title for the past 13 seasons.

The Huskers will be the first team on campus to play a game as a member of the Big Ten Conference when the Huskers host North Carolina this Friday at 6 p.m. and will also be the first program to compete against a fellow Big Ten team when NU hosts Northwestern on Sunday, Sept. 18, at Noon.

2011 Season Preview
Head Coach John Walker's Nebraska soccer team enters a new era in 2011 as a member of the Big Ten Conference. After winning eight Big 12 regular-season titles and five tournament titles, the soccer team will be the first program on campus to compete in a Big Ten event when the Huskers host Northwestern at the Nebraska Soccer Field on Sunday, Sept. 18 at Noon. The Huskers return seven of their 11 starters from a year ago and 13 letterwinners, while mixing in seven freshmen and one transfer.