Friday Five: A new era begins and so does July
Nebraska Athletics is fully into summer mode and officially in a new era.
Happy Fourth of July weekend. Whether you're headed to a lake, firing up the grill or just hoping your neighbor gives the fireworks a rest after 10 p.m., we hope it's a safe and restful one.
Back in Lincoln, Nebraska Athletics is fully into summer mode and officially in a new era.
Let's get into it.
Revenue sharing is here, but clarity is not
Tuesday marked the start of the revenue-sharing era in college athletics. While a day years in the making, Nebraska athletic director Troy Dannen will tell you it’s far from the end of the story.
In a recent episode of the SportsWise podcast, Dannen offered insights into what happens now that schools can directly pay student-athletes. The short answer? A lot and fast.
“No matter what we do, if enforcement isn’t right, we might as well not do it,” Dannen said.
Nebraska’s current approach is cautious. The school is retaining its relationship with collective 1890 Nebraska to evaluate its utility under the new system. It’s also watching how the new third-party clearinghouse—led by Deloitte—handles NIL deals that flirt with the line of being more pay-for-play than fair market value.
Among the early knowns, according to Dannen:
40-50 football players will receive some form of direct revenue share.
Volleyball, one of Nebraska’s biggest moneymakers, will get “a big chunk.”
The athletic department will hold some funds back for future use, including potential individual deals tied to “brand value,” like national champions Ridge Lovett, Antrell Taylor, Axelina Johansson and Tyus Wilson.
As for broader application across sports?
“I’d say we’d probably add 100 scholarships tomorrow if they didn’t count against the cap here,” Dannen said.
Multiyear contracts are also in the mix, designed to slow transfer movement by tying a buyout to a player’s departure.
“There’s not money that’s unspent or larger somewhere else to pay players, if you will, to come to my school,” Dannen added.
Plenty of uncertainty still remains though, especially around governance. “I think we’re in for a struggle from a governance standpoint,” he said, noting that true leadership authority still hasn’t emerged.
For those worried sports could be cut, that isn’t the concern at Nebraska right now. However, Dannen did warn that future court decisions—like athletes being ruled employees—could change that.
Volleyball Fan Day goes ticketed to avoid chaos
Nebraska volleyball’s Fan Day is a big deal and it’s getting a new look this summer.
Starting this year, only 2,000 free tickets will be distributed for the event, beginning at 10 a.m. CT on Monday, July 28. The change comes after last year’s overwhelming turnout left some fans unable to get autographs, which is a situation Husker players personally helped rectify afterward.
Key notes:
Tickets are free but non-transferable.
One item per fan may be signed.
No pictures will be permitted with players or coaches to speed things along.
Posters will be provided and concessions will be available.
Also announced: the Red-White Scrimmage will be held Aug. 9 at 2:30 p.m., and the new Alumni Match debuts Aug. 16 at 6 p.m. Tickets go on sale in staggered windows starting next week.
Juwan Gary joins Clippers for NBA Summer League
After six years of college basketball, Juwan Gary is getting his first taste of the NBA.
The former Nebraska forward will suit up for the Los Angeles Clippers during Summer League play, which tips off July 11 in Las Vegas. The tryout-style opportunity gives Gary a chance to prove himself after averaging 14.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per game in his final season in Lincoln.
Gary becomes the second Husker from last season to land a professional opportunity, joining Brice Williams, who signed with the Detroit Pistons.
And Las Vegas will feel familiar, considering it’s where Gary was named MVP of the College Basketball Crown in Nebraska’s final game of the 2024–25 season.
Ava Miles surprises with commitment
Nebraska women’s basketball landed one of its top targets this week when ESPN Top 100 guard Ava Miles committed to the Huskers.
The 6-foot Kansas City native surprised the Nebraska staff with an in-person announcement that she was committed to the Huskers.
Miles is the first known member of Nebraska’s 2026 class. A sharpshooter and slasher, she helped Staley High School to a record 29 wins and a runner-up finish in Missouri’s largest class.
She chose the Huskers over a long list of Power Four programs, including Michigan State, Maryland, Louisville and Arkansas. ESPN ranks her as the No. 81 overall recruit in the class.
Miles has long been on Amy Williams’ radar—Nebraska offered her in September 2022—and she’s seen the program reach three NCAA tournaments in four years.
Nebraska football adds its highest-rated recruit of the 2026 class
Another week, another blue-chip commitment for Matt Rhule.
This time it’s Claude Mpouma, a 6-foot-7, 308-pound offensive tackle out of Chicago’s Mount Carmel High School. A consensus four-star, Mpouma committed to Nebraska on Monday over Auburn and Florida.
He’s now the highest-rated player in Nebraska’s 2026 class, which includes 11 total commits.
Mpouma grew up in Cameroon and only began playing football after arriving in the U.S. as a teenager. His background in soccer and basketball has translated into rare footwork and agility for a lineman of his size. Those traits have helped him earn national attention after just one season of high school football.
Nebraska hosted Mpouma on his final official visit and made a lasting impression. He’ll join a four-man offensive line class that also includes Leon Noil Jr., Hayden Ainsworth and Rex Waterman.
With that, another week comes to a close. Enjoy your long weekend and we’ll see you next week.