Sunday Headlines: Stadium Renovation, Zach Bryan, the Draft and more

It’s Sunday, so here’s your quick catch-up on all the Husker athletics headlines you might’ve missed from another big week. Let’s dive in.

Stadium Renovation Big news out of the Board of Regents meeting, where on Friday, they approved the $600 million “Big Red Rebuild” for Memorial Stadium is officially approved! The vote was unanimous, and construction will kick off right after the 2026 season, projected to be complete for the 2028 campaign. Crews will be working around the clock on double shifts to get the work completed in time. Key features staying the course:

– A second jumbotron for full end-zone coverage – Full 360-degree concourse – More seatback seating and upgraded fan amenities throughout – Capacity settling in around 80,000 – Major long-term revenue boost for the athletic department (and yes, that helps the bigger picture with NIL and program support)

The mecca of college football is getting a serious facelift, and most fans are pumped (except for team troughs…those are going away). It’s a huge win for the long-term health of the program. Go Big Red indeed.

Memorial Stadium Concert A big non-football event hit Memorial Stadium last night with Zach Bryan’s “With Heaven On Tour” concert, but severe weather created some real issues. Thunderstorms rolled through Lincoln, forcing a multi-hour weather delay. Gates, originally set to open at 5:30 p.m., remained closed until just after 10 p.m. Fans were directed to wait in their cars or seek shelter at the Hawks Championship Center, leaving thousands standing in the rain and enduring cold, wet conditions for a long time. Once the show finally got underway, the opener, Kings of Leon, did not perform. Zach Bryan eventually took the stage late, but the whole situation was kind of a mess. Mother nature will sometimes do its things. For those that stuck around, I think they ultimately enjoyed it.

NFL Draft The 2026 NFL Draft wrapped up with former Husker running back Emmett Johnson hearing his name called by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round (No. 161 overall). Johnson ran for over 1,400 yards this past season and was BIG10 running back of the year. A few other Huskers are expected to sign as undrafted free agents, including Ceyair Wright, DeShon Singleton, Dane Key, Dasan McCullough, Javin Wright, Henry Lutovsky, Heinrich Haarberg, and Rocco Spindler. Congrats to all the guys making the jump to the league!

Softball The No. 4 Huskers (now around 40-6 and rolling in conference play) hosted Iowa for a huge weekend at Bowlin Stadium and took care of business in style. They swept the series, including a dominant 13-0 run-rule win on senior day Saturday in front of a record crowd.

Baseball The Huskers wrapped up a solid road series at Illinois and continued to stay competitive in the Big10. They’re battling week in and week out and showing good fight as the season heads toward the home stretch.

Volleyball The Huskers wrapped up their spring exhibition schedule in style yesterday, sweeping Northern Colorado 4-0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-16, 25-21) in front of a sold-out crowd at the Chicoine Center in Chadron. Nebraska hit .242 for the match and dominated the stats with a 53-38 edge in kills, 54-45 in digs, and 11-3 in aces. Teraya Sigler led the way with 10 kills and 7 digs, while Skyler Pierce (7 kills, 2 aces), Harper Murray (6 kills, 3 aces), Kenna Cogill, and Andi Jackson (6 kills each) all contributed. Bergen Reilly and Campbell Flynn split setting duties nicely.

Basketball Fred Hoiberg stayed busy in the transfer portal this past week, landing one more key addition for the 2026-27 roster:

– Taj DeGourville (6-5 guard from San Diego State) – A sophomore with two years of eligibility remaining.

No new departures were reported in the last week (the final outgoing transfer, Ugnius Jarusevicius, entered the portal just before this window).

Overall, it was another strong week for Husker athletics. The stadium approval is a massive long-term W, spring sports are delivering, and we’re seeing former players move on to the next level. Football fans are counting down to fall to see what Matt Rhule and the crew can do, but there’s plenty to enjoy right now.

Go Big Red!