We are officially in the thick of things for the fall athletics schedule. That means there’s more than just football and volleyball to talk about, although we are going to start with football for this week.
There was a freshman running back who immediately became one of the best stories of Week 1. There was also a veteran who made it back onto the field after years of injuries, only to decide a few days later that it was time to step away.
Elsewhere, Nebraska softball added more future talent, both golf programs had players recognized by the Big Ten and one Husker golfer opened the season with the best tournament of her college career.
Let’s get into it.
1. Mac Markway gets to end this on his terms
Mac Markway’s Nebraska playing career lasted six snaps. That sounds harsher than intended, until you remember how much had to happen just for him to get those six snaps at all.
Markway announced this week that he is retiring from football, a few days after appearing in Nebraska’s win over Ohio. His career had already taken him from LSU to Nebraska and from tight end to edge.
“The reality is my knees just aren’t what they used to be and aren’t letting me play at the level I want to,” he said on Instagram. “I got a huge weight and stress off my shoulders with this decision and l am truly at peace with it.”
Markway played in 12 games as a freshman at LSU in 2023, then came to Nebraska in 2024. A knee injury ended that season. Another injury ended his 2025 before it really started. This fall, he moved to defense and finally got back into a game.
“From playing at LSU as a freshman to coming to Nebraska and betting on myself, I completed my story by getting back on the field after 5 career-ending injuries,” he said.
Markway said he plans to remain around the program and help in another role.
2. Jamal Rule made quite the first impression
Freshman running back Jamal Rule was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week after totaling 169 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns in Nebraska’s win over Ohio. Rule rushed for 122 yards and two scores, added two catches for 47 yards and another touchdown, and somehow turned his first 17 college touches into one of the most memorable debuts of the weekend.
That is one way to introduce yourself, to put it lightly.
Rule also led Nebraska running backs with 31 snaps, even though Isaiah Mozee earned the start. There has been plenty to discuss with the Huskers’ running back room coming into this season, and Rule just made it more interesting after Week 1.
3. Nebraska softball keeps building the future
Nebraska softball picked up three 2028 commitments this week: infielder Raegan Brandt, pitcher Madynn Dunham and pitcher Brooklyn Pettit. Brandt and Dunham are both ranked in Softball America’s top 110 for the class.
Brandt, from Nebraska, is the highest-ranked of the group at No. 28. She helped Lincoln Southwest to a Class A state title in 2025 as a part-time student and will continue training and playing with D-Bats.
Dunham, from Crete, is No. 106 in the class and brings two-way production. As a sophomore, she hit .525 with 53 hits, 48 RBIs and 25 runs, while also posting a 2.01 ERA with 191 strikeouts in 163.2 innings.
Pettit, from Washington, brings a pretty strong bat too. She hit .545 with 48 hits, 45 RBIs and 14 home runs in 27 games at Graham-Kapowsin High School.
4. Nebraska golfers land on Big Ten watch lists
Both Nebraska golf programs had players named Big Ten Golfers to Watch this week.
On the women’s side, Hannah Kono, Lauren Thiele and Ailis Tribolet earned the nod. Kono had three top-10 finishes last season with a 73.13 stroke average. Thiele, the 2025 Nebraska Women’s Amateur of the Year, averaged 73.94 over 18 rounds. Tribolet made an immediate impact as a freshman, finishing with five top-25 showings and a 73.81 stroke average.
The men’s honorees were Jackson Benge, Caden Mickelson and Evan McDermott.
Benge is coming off one of the best conference finishes Nebraska has had since joining the Big Ten, placing 13th at last season’s league championship. Mickelson set a Nebraska freshman record with a 72.14 stroke average, and McDermott returns after a career-best season of his own.
The men are back in action Sept. 14-15 at the Bearcat Invitational in Cincinnati. The women return Sept. 21-22 at the Connell Resources Ram Classic in Fort Collins.
5. Kaleigh Babineaux opens with a title
Speaking of golf, Kaleigh Babineaux made her own early statement on the course. The sophomore shared medalist honors at The Bruzzy in Trophy Club, Texas, after finishing at 10-under with a career-best 206. She opened with a 69, followed with a 67 and closed with a 70.
Babineaux’s week included an eagle, 15 birdies and 31 pars across 54 holes. She was not the only Husker with a strong showing either. Kono tied the best 54-hole score of her college career at 210, while Thiele and Tribolet both finished at 218.
Nebraska tied Illinois for fourth as a team at 12-under in an 11-team field.
Have to admit I’m confused: Brandt was only a part-time student during her last year of high school? Is D-Bats a club team?