March 9, 2004

Basketball Places Three on All-Region Teams

Branting, Kruger, Modlin Honored

            Kearney, NE – The Nebraska-Kearney basketball teams  have three individuals, two women and one man, on the 2004 Daktronics All-North Central Region teams.

            Sports information directors from within the region choose this all-region team. The North Central Region consists of schools in the Rocky Mountain, North Central and Northern Sun Conferences.

            On the men's side, North Platte senior forward Nick Branting earned first-team honors and will now move onto the national ballot where he could earn All-American honors.

            Sports information directors from around the nation select the All-American team.

            The RMAC Player of the Year, Branting is currently averaging 22.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.

            Also on the first team is Bemidji State senior forward Charles "Buster" Hanks, the Northern Sun Player of the Year. He's averaging 20.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.

            UNK and BSU face each other Saturday afternoon in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

            Senior forward Allison Kruger (Paullina, Ia.) and sophomore center Kalee Modlin (Knoxville, Ia.) each earned second team honors on the women's side. Kruger earned second-team honors last year.

            Modlin is leading  UNK in points (17.4) and rebounds (7.9) while Kruger, the RMAC Player of the Year, is second in scoring (12.9) and third on the team in rebounds (6.8).

            The complete teams are: