Pettit: Recruiting
class could be his
most talented ever
By Sean Callahan
Staff writer
Though they have yet to set or spike a ball in
a Nebraska uniform, the four members of the
1999 Comhusker recruiting class are already
being touted as one of the best incoming groups
in the country.
“This may be the most talented class we’ve
ever recruited,” NU Volleyball Coach Terry
Pettit said.
Pettit said he was confident any one of the
four could step in and play right away.
Of course, they still have some adjusting to
do - including getting used to playing under
Pettit.
“I think the hardest thing is going to be
adjusting to the coaching,” said Laura
Pilakowski, a 6-foot-1 outside hitter from
Columbus.
Named the Central Region Volleyball play
er of the year following her senior season,
Pilakowski said she is eager to make the step to
the Division-I level.
How fast she sees court time, however, isn’t
a top priority.
“I will practice hard,” Pilakowski said. “If I
don’t play, it’s no big deal.”
Amber Holmquist, a 6-4 middle blocker
from Houston, had a similar outlook on her
future as a Husker.
“I want to make sure I work my hardest to
gain respect and fit in as well as I can here,”
Holmquist said. “I look up to these girls.”
Holmquist, a starter for the U.S. Junior
National Team this summer, was named the
1998 All-Greater Houston Player of the Year
after recording 461 kills, 81 solo blocks, 216
assists and 277 digs during her senior season.
“Somebody like Amber Holmquist is going
to be a better player three years from now,”
Pettit said, “but she’s good enough right now to
play.”
Also good enough to see action this season,
Pettit said, is 6-2 setter Greichaly Cepero, from
Dorado, Puerto Rico.
Cepero came to the United States for her
senior season as an exchange student at
McDonogh High in Owings Mills, Md. She was
also a member of the Puerto Rico Junior
National Team.
Though she will concentrate solely on vol
leyball this season, Cepero will likely be placed
on a basketball scholarship next year - while
participating in both sports.
According to Pettit, an athlete like Cepero
does not come around often.
Lydia Gonzales/DN
NEBRASKA COACH TERRY PETTIT says he is confident that any member of this year’s volleyball
recruiting class could step in and play right away if needed.
“Greicha is truly a unique person,” Pettit
said. “I don’t want to prejudge anything right
now, but Greicha has more poise and is more
comfortable in new situations than anybody in
this room. You’re going to be pleased and enter
tained by how talented she is.”
Another setter, 5-9 Lindsay Wischmeier
from Burchard, will also look to get her feet wet
in a Nebraska.uniform this season.
Wischmeier attended Lewiston High
School where she led her squad to two state
championships.
Pettit is also confident in Wischmeier’s abil
ities.
“Lindsay has been a setter for so long, she
has the mental ability to help us right away.”
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London, Wiggins
lead inexperienced
group ofwingbacks
By John Gaskins
Staff writer
Shevin Wiggins would like to be
known for more than just his part in
“The Catch”
His foot happened to be in the
right place at the right time with
. Nebraska trailing
Missouri 38-31 in
1997 on the last
play of regulation.
He kicked a foot
ball headed for the
turf into fellow
NU receiver Matt
Davison’s hands to
secure the
London Miracle in
Missouri.”
“That was just a phase,” Wiggins
said. “That’s in the past. I’m looking to
do a lot more than that this year.”
Frankie London would like to be
known for more than just being a
heavily recruited, former backup quar
terback who broke his leg in his sev
enth game as a wingback in 1998.
Together, Wiggins and London
will lead a wingback core that is short
on experience - but neither player
questions the group’s talent.
Wiggins, who possesses the most
big-game experience of the wing
backs, wasn’t even supposed to be
back this season, but was granted an
extra year of eligibility by die NCAA
last spring because of injuries.
London, also a senior, has also
experienced his share of injuries but
said he is ready to go this fall.
Senior Sean Applegate, junior
John Gibson and freshman Josh Davis
will also bring explosion to the posi
tion this season, Nebraska Receivers
Coach Ron Brown said.
“We definitely have a mixed bag at
wingback,” Brown said. “Overall, it’s
an inexperienced group. The jury’s
still out. But I like their work ethic,
and normally guys like them will
come along.”
Wiggins caught 22 passes for 326
yards and one touchdown, ranking
«
We definitely have
a mixed bag at
wingback
Ron Brown
NU receivers coach
second only to Matt Davison on the
team in receptions.
Brown said he is expecting even
more from Wiggins this year.
“Shevin, I believe, is one of the
most underrated receivers in the
nation,” Brown said. “He’s very
intense, very savvy, but also very
smart. He understands the game and
picks things up right away. He’s the
most improved player I have coached
in that area.”
Wiggins said despite being the
most experienced wingback, he has
actually picked up a lot things from
watching and playing alongside
London.
“He’s been teaching me a lot,”
Wiggins sard. “He knows the odds and
ends, the running routes, the blocking
as well as anyone. I learn a lot just by
watching him.”
Brown said London was given the
choice after the 1997 season to either
compete for the congested quarter
back job or switch to wingback.
London chose to move, and Brown has
been impressed with London’s adjust
ment to the position ever since.
But what has impressed Brown
even more is London’s ability to con
tinuously come back from adversities
such as losing his quarterback dreams
or breaking his leg on his only punt
return of 1998 (against Kansas).
“I was in the hospital with Frankie
the day after that happened,” Brown
said. “That guy has tremendous tenac-j
ity. He never did or will ever lay down.
“To do what he did was amazing.
He has shown so much leadership, so
much optimism and so much faith in:
God to bounce back the way he has.”
