Huskers Open Registration for Sizemore Sportsmanship Pep Rally

Nebraska Athletics is accepting school registrations for the upcoming Sizemore Sportsmanship Pep Rally in association with the Nebraska women's basketball team's season-opening game with San Jose State at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Monday, Nov. 2.

Nebraska's annual pep rally to tip off its season featured a record 83 schools and more than 3,900 middle grades students and accompanying adults from across the state for last year’s win over Northwestern State, and this year promises to be even bigger with the inclusion of Lincoln Public Schools students for the first time.

The game between the Huskers and the Spartans 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 eighth time since 2013 (also 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025) 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 2026 Pep Rally is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. and conclude at approximately 10:45 a.m., prior to Nebraska and San Jose State taking the court for pregame warm-ups ahead of their noon tip-off.

For more information or to register your school for the 2026 Sizemore Sportsmanship Pep Rally, contact John Rouse at jrouse@huskers.com.

Nebraska Sportsmanship Pep Rallies at Women's Basketball
2026 – vs. San Jose State (Monday, Nov. 2 – Rally – 9:30 a.m. / Game – Noon)
2025 – 8,004 (attendance) / 3,900 (students/staff – 83 schools) vs. Northwestern State)
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