Friday Five: Mid-June moves and momentum

This week’s Friday Five spans diamonds, courts and the Memorial Stadium turf.

Photo courtesy Nebraska Athletics

How is it already mid-June? Fall sports will be here before we know it at the pace this year is going.

With that in mind, this week’s Friday Five covers a range of roster decisions, recruiting momentum, schedule drops and staff changes across Nebraska Athletics. We’re recapping the latest movement in baseball and softball, welcoming new names in basketball and previewing a busy recruiting weekend for football, including the first Friday Night Lights camp of the summer.

Let’s dive in.

Decisions, decisions for Nebraska baseball

The College World Series is here. While Nebraska didn't make it to Omaha, a couple of Huskers have made decisions on their futures.

Starting third baseman Joshua Overbeek and utility infielder Rhett Stokes will both return to the Huskers in 2026, as reported by 247Sports’ Michael Bruntz. The decision comes as both players take advantage of an extra year of eligibility granted to former junior college transfers under the NCAA’s Diego Pavia ruling.

Their return provides experience and stability to a Nebraska infield that has already seen some offseason reshuffling.

Overbeek started 47 games in 2025 before a foot injury sidelined him late in the season. He was a steady presence at third base and productive at the plate, batting .293 with six home runs and 28 RBIs. His ability to hit for contact and power, paired with strong defensive instincts, makes him one of Nebraska’s key returners.

Meanwhile, Stokes served in a utility role last season, making appearances across the infield. While his 2025 numbers dipped—he hit .215 with seven RBIs in 44 games—he was a major contributor the year prior. In 2024, Stokes batted .360 with 18 RBIs in 43 starts and was among the team’s most consistent hitters.

With both Overbeek and Stokes back, the Huskers will retain some much-needed veteran leadership. That’s especially valuable given the changes around them.

Second baseman Cayden Brumbaugh transferred to Oklahoma after the season. Nebraska added D-II All-American Jett Buck from the portal and junior Dylan Carey—another key infield piece—is once again eligible for the MLB Draft. First baseman Case Sanderson is expected to return.

Overbeek and Stokes are the only former JUCO players who received an extra year of eligibility and chose to return. Pitcher Casey Daiss will move on, while outfielders Riley Silva and Cael Frost have entered the portal.

More roster movement is expected as the transfer portal remains active and the MLB Draft approaches, but with Overbeek and Stokes back in the fold, Nebraska has two important building blocks to work with heading into 2026.

Friday Night Lights return

Nebraska wrapped a high-profile opening week of June with the Battle at the Boneyard. Now, the focus shifts to its signature summer recruiting showcase: Friday Night Lights.

The camp, dubbed “The Night Shift,” kicks off this evening inside Memorial Stadium and will feature a range of high school talent—from rising freshmen to junior college prospects—competing under the lights.

In addition to the camp, Nebraska will host its second wave of official visits this weekend. While the list has shifted in recent days, the Huskers are expected to welcome several high-priority targets across the 2026 and 2027 classes.

Momentum is already building. On Tuesday, Nebraska landed a commitment from offensive lineman Rex Waterman, a 6-foot-5, 295-pound tackle out of Chandler, Arizona. Waterman chose the Huskers over a list that included UCLA, Oregon State, Duke and Kansas State.

“Thank you God, my family, my coaches, and teammates for making this all possible. I will be continuing my academic and football career at the University of Nebraska!!” Waterman wrote on social media.

He becomes the fifth commitment in the 2026 class, joining quarterback Dayton Raiola, wide receiver Dveyoun Bonwell-Witte, linebacker Jase Reynolds and four-star safety CJ Bronaugh. 

Softball adds to its roster

The Nebraska softball team added a major piece to its 2025-26 roster this week with the commitment of Jesse Farrell, a transfer catcher from UNLV.

Farrell brings two years of high-level production to Lincoln. She’s a career .338 hitter with 19 home runs, 74 RBIs and 100 hits in 100 games. Her 2024 campaign included a .318 average, 39 runs, 28 RBIs and a fielding percentage of .964 behind the plate.

Originally from Henderson, Nevada, Farrell was a finalist for national freshman of the year honors in 2023 and has twice earned All-Region or All-Conference accolades. Her offensive numbers are impressive but her ability to control the game defensively behind the plate is what sets her apart. She’s thrown out 35% of would-be base stealers in two seasons.

She joins a Nebraska team with championship aspirations in 2025, including the return of national player of the year Jordy Bahl and a seasoned, senior-heavy roster.

Speaking of softball, we have a schedule

The Huskers released their 2026 Big Ten softball schedule this week, and one series immediately jumps off the page.

UCLA, the winningest program in NCAA softball history, will visit Bowlin Stadium for a three-game set from March 27–29. The Bruins reached the 2025 Women’s College World Series and will be early favorites in the Big Ten next season.

Nebraska’s full home slate includes series against Michigan, Rutgers and Iowa. The Huskers will travel to Michigan State, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Penn State. With only eight league series in a 17-team conference, the draw looks favorable. In fact, four of Nebraska’s Big Ten opponents in 2026 finished below .500 in 2025.

Nonconference play will be highlighted by early-season tournaments in Texas, Florida (Clearwater) and California (Mary Nutter Classic). The Huskers will also host a home tournament in early March before settling into league play.

A familiar name for Nebraska basketball

The Nebraska men’s basketball program announced several staff updates on Monday, including a promotion and two new graduate managers.

Most notably, head coach Fred Hoiberg’s son, Charlie, will join the program as a grad manager for 2025-26. Charlie, twin brother to current Husker guard Sam Hoiberg, spent the last two years as a student manager at TCU. He assisted with practice prep, film work and game operations during the Horned Frogs’ 2024 NCAA Tournament season.

Charlie previously interned with Nebraska and graduated magna cum laude from TCU this spring. He’ll pursue a graduate degree in educational administration/higher ed.

Also joining the staff is Braden Grant, a former Wright State and Cedarville player, who will pursue a master’s in applied sciences while contributing to the program’s day-to-day operations.

Rounding out the moves is Justin Moore, who has been promoted to coordinator of analytics. Moore has worked closely with the staff over the past two years and will now focus on opponent scouting, statistical tracking, playbook development and transfer portal analysis alongside general manager Luca Virgilio.

These additions follow a broader reshuffling of the staff that included the hiring of assistant coach Pat Monaghan from Wyoming.

---

And there you have it.

Baseball. Football. Softball. Basketball. Nebraska’s June is the definition of a multi-sport balancing act.

With recruiting visits and camps continuing over the weekend, plus more portal news expected in the coming weeks, the summer grind rolls on.

As always, we’ll keep you updated along the way.