4 | nebraska women's | 2012-13 Formed more than 116 years ago, the Big Ten Conference led the nation in average home attendance for the 36th straight season, while Big is an association of world-class academic institutions with Ten women’s also led the nation in total home attendance. shared values and goals. Since its inception in 1896, the • Big Ten institutions have more than 4.5 million living alumni and 320,000 pursuit and attainment of academic excellence has been the undergraduate students attending their universities. priority for every member institution. However, maintaining the conference’s status as one of the preeminent athletic • Based on the U.S. Census projected population for 2010, the nine-state Big Ten region accounts for approximately 70 million people, which ranks second only to the conference’s in the country also endures as an important Big East and well ahead of the ACC, SEC, Pac-12 and Big 12. component of the Big Ten student-athlete experience. Recognized as one of intercollegiate sports’ most successful James E. Delany Big Ten Women’s Basketball Facts undertakings, the Big Ten strives for success from its student- Commissioner • The Big Ten will hold its 18th annual women's basketball conference tournament athletes not only on the field and in the classroom, but around the world as well. at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Ill., in 2013. The tournament had been played for 11 straight years at in . The Academics tournament has averaged more than 6,000 fans per session in recent years at All have been granted Tier One Status by the Carnegie Indianapolis. Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, a distinction awarded to just over • In 2012-13, more than 50 Big Ten women's basketball games are scheduled to be 100 universities in the country. Big Ten schools have produced more than 1,400 televised live nationally by the , which is distributed in more than 90 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, more than any other conference, including 36 in million homes around the country. More than 80 more will be provided through a video the last academic year. The Big Ten leads all conferences with the highest number stream on BTN.com, bringing the total number of games conference-wide to nearly of ranked graduate school programs among the top 25 according to U.S. News and 140 for the season. Every Nebraska women's basketball game could be seen live World Report in 2012. The Big Ten ranks first with 30 top-25 programs in the fields nationally on CBS, ESPN, BTN, BTN.com or HuskersNside in 2012-13. of law, medicine (research and primary care), business and engineering. • The Big Ten finished second among all conferences in average attendance in 2011- Successful Programs 12. The conference averaged 4,128 fans per contest last season, joining the Big During the 2011-12 season, the Big Ten claimed seven team national 12 as the only leagues to average more than 4,000 fans per game. Purdue (7th), championships, including titles for men’s gymnastics, women’s State (8th), (T17th), Wisconsin (T17th), Nebraska (19th) and Penn , Northwestern women’s , State and synchronized State (20th) all finished among the top 20 schools nationally. Ohio State (29th) and , Penn State wrestling and Wisconsin men’s cross country. The Big Ten led Minnesota (40th) also ranked in the top 40. Nebraska has ranked among the nation's all conferences with national titles in 12 different NCAA-sponsored championships top 30 teams on an annual basis for more than a decade in attendance. from 2002-03 to 2011-12. Over that time period, the Big Ten produced championships • Nebraska advanced to the Big Ten Tournament title game in its first appearance in in cross country, fencing, , gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, , 2012. The Huskers, who entered the tournament as the No. 6 seed, won three games , , volleyball and wrestling. to become the lowest-seeded team to ever advance to the championship. The Huskers Student-Athlete Opportunities lost to Purdue in double- in the title game. Big Ten universities provide over $136 million in direct financial aid to more than • Purdue, Ohio State and Iowa lead the Big Ten with 21 all-time NCAA Tournament 10,000 student-athlete, more than any conference. The Big Ten sponsors 25 official appearances. All other Big Ten schools, including Nebraska, have appeared in at least conference sports, 12 for men and 13 for women. The 26th conference sport, men’s four NCAA tournaments since 1982. The Huskers have made 10 NCAA Tournament ice hockey, will begin in 2013. appearances since 1988. Television Exposure • Big Ten teams have made eight NCAA Final Four appearances, including Purdue The Big Ten’s media agreements with CBS Sports, ABC/ESPN, FOX Sports and the (1999 champion, 2001 runner-up, 1994 Final Four), Michigan State (2005 runner- Big Ten Network (BTN) provide the conference with its greatest television exposure up), Ohio State (1993 runner-up), Minnesota (2004 Final Four), Penn State (2000 ever. Nearly 1,000 Big Ten events are produced and distributed nationally on an Final Four) and Iowa (1993 Final Four). annual basis. In 2006, the Big Ten created the first national conference-owned television network. The Big Ten Network launched on Aug. 30, 2007, and now is in Big Ten Administration its sixth year of operation. It is available to 90 million homes in the United States Commissioner...... James E. Delany and Canada, through agreements with more than 300 cable, satellite and telco Deputy Commissioner...... Brad Traviolia providers. It is also available in 20 countries. Chief Communications Officer...... Senior Associate Commissioner-Television Administration...... Mark D. Rudner Honoring Legends. Building Leaders. Associate Commissioner-Men's Basketball...... Rick Boyages The mission of the Big Ten Conference has always been to excel athletically without Associate Commissioner-Championships...... Wendy Fallen compromising the priority our member institutions assign to their academic standards Associate Commissioner-Compliance...... Chad Hawley and to their commitment to student academic success. We seek to celebrate the Associate Commissioner-Governance...... Jennifer Heppel many accomplishments of Big Ten student-athletes while continuously reinforcing Associate Commissioner-Basketball Operations...... Andrea Williams each of our member institutions’ high academic standards. Striking that important Associate Commissioner - Technology...... Mike McComiskey balance between academics and athletics is integral to the Big Ten’s identity, and Assistant Commissioner - Communications...... Scott Chipman the Big Ten’s “Honor Legends. Building Leaders” campaign links directly to the Big Ten mission. Big Ten Communications Staff Chief Communications Officer...... Diane Dietz Big Ten Conference Highlights Assistant Commissioner - Communications...... Scott Chipman • Big Ten universities provide approximately $136 million in direct financial aid to more Associate Director of Communications...... Valerie Todryk Krebs than 10,000 men and women student-athletes who compete for 25 championships. Assistant Director of Communications (Women's Basketball)...... Dan Mihalik Robert Hammel Communications Intern...... Stephen Villatoro • Conference institutions sponsor broad-based athletic programs with 298 teams. Robert Hammel Communications Intern...... Sarah Andreychik Other than the , the Big Ten has the most broad-based athletic programs in the United States. Contact the Big Ten Office • Big Ten fans are some of the nation’s most supportive, with nearly 10 million patrons 1500 West Higgins Road attending conference home contests for football, men’s and women’s basketball and Park Ridge, IL, 60068-6300 volleyball during 2011-12. In 2011, the Big Ten set attendance records for overall and Phone: (847) 696-1010 average attendance in conference football games. In men’s basketball, the Big Ten Fax: (847) 696-1150 www.bigten.org

INTRODUCTION | 2012 NCAA TOURNAMENT HUskers.com | 5 Big Ten Network Covers the Country

Big Ten Network Headquartered in , the Big Ten Network is the first internationally distributed television network dedicated to covering one of America’s premier collegiate “Moving to the Big Ten provides a great conferences. With more than 350 live sports events, and opportunity for every student-athlete at virtually all of them in high definition, the Big Ten Network is the ultimate destination for Big Ten fans and alumni across the country. The the University of Nebraska. It is a chance network is on the air 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. to not only compete at the highest level in The network is available to an estimated 90 million households, through agreements with more than 300 cable/satellite affiliates and appears in 19 of the nation’s top 20 media markets. arguably the nation's best conference, but In 2012-13, more than 50 Big Ten women's basketball games are scheduled to be televised live nationally by the Big Ten Network, which is distributed in more than 90 also to benefit from some amazing academic million homes around the country. More than 80 more will be provided through a video stream on BTN.com, bringing the total number of games conference-wide to nearly resources. Big Ten women's basketball is 140 for the season. Big Ten Network Facts filled with great teams from top to bottom MORE TELEVISION EXPOSURE • The Big Ten’s media agreements with CBS Sports, ABC/ESPN, the Big Ten Network every night in the league. The Big Ten is a and CBS Sports Network provide the conference with its greatest television exposure ever. • In 2006, the Big Ten created the first national conference-owned television network great fit for Nebraska.” devoted to the athletic and academic programs of a single conference. The Big Ten Network launched on Aug. 30, 2007, and became the first new network in cable or satellite television history to reach 30 million homes in its first 30 days. Nebraska Coach • Since the current media agreements began in 2007-08, every home football and men’s basketball game has been produced while women’s basketball has received more coverage than any other conference. • The Big Ten’s new media agreements have resulted in the broadcast of more than 850 events nationally and regionally on an annual basis, compared to 300 events in the final year of the previous agreements.

FOUR RETURNING STARTERS / 10 RETURNING LETTERWINNERS | INTRODUCTION