Friday Five: Nebraska softball enters a new chapter after historic 2026 season
Lori Sippel’s retirement and Jordy Frahm’s announcement lead this week’s Friday Five, plus baseball award finalists, a Canadian gymnastics title and Nebraska-Missouri basketball.
Nebraska softball is going to look different the next time we see it. That was probably always going to be true after the season the Huskers just had but Tuesday’s news made that shift feel much more real.
Lori Sippel is retiring after 41 seasons with Nebraska softball as a player and coach, closing one of the most significant careers in the history of the program. Add in Jordy Frahm’s announcement this week, plus some national recognition still coming in for Nebraska baseball, a Canadian title for men’s gymnastics and a December basketball matchup with Missouri, and there was plenty to sort through.
Let’s get to it.
Lori Sippel’s Nebraska legacy is hard to overstate
Sippel played at Nebraska from 1985-88, then spent 37 seasons on staff from 1990-2026, including the final 23 as associate head coach. Across her 41 seasons as a Husker player and coach, she helped Nebraska to 1,449 wins, 18 conference titles, 26 NCAA Tournament appearances and six trips to the Women’s College World Series.
Sippel was a two-time All-America pitcher herself, then coached six Husker pitchers to a combined eight All-America awards. Every All-America pitching honor in program history connects back to her in some way.
Her final season made for a fitting close. Nebraska went 52-8, swept the Big Ten regular season and tournament titles, finished fifth nationally and had two pitchers earn All-America recognition in the same season for the first time in program history. Frahm was the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year and Big Ten Pitcher of the Year. Alexis Jensen was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and an All-American.
“I am humbled to have had the privilege to be a member of this great athletic department and university for the past 41 years,” Sippel said. “I am grateful to Dr. Barbara Hibner for extending the opportunity to me and to Rhonda, who allowed me to continue on with her when she took over the program. Working alongside Rhonda in this program has been one of the greatest privileges of my life, and I will always be grateful for the friendships, support and memories we have made and shared over the years.
“To all who have touched this program, you have also touched me. Thank you for your kindness, encouragement and partnership throughout the years. I leave with a deep appreciation of the many wonderful memories and accomplishments shared with this department and most certainly the Red Team.”
Sippel and coach Rhonda Revelle worked together for 34 years.
“Lori is the epitome of everything good and true about being a Husker,” Revelle said. “She gave her entire playing career and coaching career to the University of Nebraska. I couldn’t love, respect, or trust her more than I do. While I feel my heart breaking with this news as I have coached every day at Nebraska alongside her, I am equally filled with gratitude for the memories made, the lives touched and the journey we have taken together for the last 34 years. I love you my dear friend. You have earned this time to thrive in your next chapter of life.”
Sippel leaves with hall of fame honors, a retired jersey and 12 pitching records. More than that, she leaves as one of the people who helped define what Nebraska softball has been for decades.
Jordy Frahm’s season gets another layer
Frahm shared her own news this week, announcing Monday night on Instagram that she is pregnant.
“Baby Frahm coming December 2026,” she wrote.
Frahm, who married former Nebraska pitcher Trey Frahm in the summer of 2025, is coming off one of the most decorated seasons in Nebraska softball history. She helped lead the Huskers back to the Women’s College World Series and became the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year.
Now add this: Frahm played part of the Big Ten season and all of Nebraska’s postseason while pregnant. That is pretty remarkable.
Dylan Carey and J’Shawn Unger are still in the awards mix
Nebraska baseball’s season is over, but Dylan Carey and J’Shawn Unger still have national awards in play.
Carey is one of five finalists for the Brooks Wallace Award, which honors the nation’s top shortstop. He hit .353 as a senior with 16 doubles, two triples, 15 home runs, 65 RBI and 53 runs scored. He also became Nebraska’s career doubles leader and the ninth Husker to reach 200 career hits, 150 runs and 150 RBI.
On the defensive side of things, Carey committed just four errors in 216 chances, finished with a .981 fielding percentage and helped turn 29 double plays.
Unger is also among 14 finalists for the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award. He finished fifth nationally with 13 saves, tied for third-most in a season by a Nebraska pitcher. He went 6-1 with a 4.05 ERA in 25 relief appearances, striking out 39 in 40 innings while holding opponents to a .203 batting average.
The Stopper of the Year will be announced June 12 at the College World Series in Omaha. The Brooks Wallace Award will be announced June 13.
Sam Rakita wins a Canadian all-around title
Nebraska men’s gymnastics freshman Sam Rakita had a strong week at the 2026 Canadian Championships.
Rakita won the all-around title in the 19-20 senior division on May 27 with a score of 75.964. Two days later, he added a rings title with a 13.166 in event finals. He also finished runner-up on parallel bars and high bar and added a sixth-place finish on pommel horse.
Graduate Yanni Chronopoulos also competed in the 21+ senior division, finishing seventh in the all-around. He later placed fifth on parallel bars and seventh on rings in event finals.
For Rakita, it is a nice offseason result after wrapping up his freshman season at Nebraska in April.
Nebraska and Missouri will meet again
Nebraska men’s basketball added a familiar name to its schedule.
The Huskers will face Missouri on Saturday, Dec. 12, at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. Ticket information is expected in July, with tipoff time and broadcast details still to come.
The series dates back to 1908, and Missouri leads it 126-95. The teams have not played since March 1, 2011, when Nebraska beat the Tigers 69-58 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.
“This is a matchup our fans will be excited about because of the history between the two programs over the years,” coach Fred Hoiberg said. “Coach (Dennis) Gates has a team that could challenge in the SEC this season, and this will provide us a strong test right after we finish our Big Ten December schedule. Playing this matchup in Kansas City brings back a lot of memories of old conference matchups, and I believe our fans will make this a great neutral-site environment.”
Missouri has reached the NCAA Tournament in three of Gates’ four seasons and is showing up in preseason top-25 conversations. Nebraska is coming off a school-record 28 wins and a Sweet 16 appearance, with Pryce Sandfort, Braden Frager and Connor Essegian among the notable returners.
The Missouri game joins neutral-site matchups with Providence and Boise State, plus the road trip to Creighton.