Haiby to Return as Super Senior

Lincoln – Sam Haiby announced on Tuesday that she will return for a fifth season with the Nebraska women’s basketball team in 2022-23.

The two-time All-Big Ten guard from Moorhead, Minn., ranks No. 15 on Nebraska’s all-time scoring list with 1,381 points and eighth on NU’s career assist list with 414. She has played in 117 games with 87 starts as a Husker. She is the only player in school history to achieve the combined career milestones of 1,000 points, 500 rebounds (532) and 400 assists.

“I have been a part of our building process here at Nebraska for four years and it has been an amazing experience. I have had the privilege of learning under great coaches and being a leader alongside a great group of players,” Haiby said. “I still feel like I have more to accomplish as a player and a leader. I am coming back to Nebraska next season because we believe we can take our program another step further together. I can’t wait to go to work again with this team. I love being a Husker because There is No Place Like Nebraska.

Haiby has averaged double digits as a scorer in each of her first four seasons as a Husker, including 11.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 2021-22 to help Nebraska to a 24-9 record, a final No. 23 NET ranking and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. An honorable-mention All-Big Ten choice, Haiby led the Huskers with 20 points against Gonzaga in the NCAA First Round at Louisville. She scored in double figures in nine of Nebraska’s final 10 games, including 14 points, four rebounds and four assists in a 72-55 win over No. 5 Indiana (Feb. 14) and 16 points, four rebounds and four assists in a 76-73 win over No. 10 Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals in Indianapolis (March 4).

Earlier in the season, Haiby had 15 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals in a 67-62 victory over Creighton (Nov. 17), before adding 10 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals in a 79-58 victory over No. 8 Michigan (Jan. 4). Overall, Haiby averaged 13.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.0 steals in Nebraska’s four victories over 2022 NCAA Sweet Sixteen teams.

As a true junior in 2020-21, Haiby averaged 16.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists over 26 games as a starter while helping the Huskers to the round of 16 in the Postseason WNIT. She earned second-team All-Big Ten honors along the way.  She averaged 10.0 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists in her first season as a starter in 2019-20, after averaging 10.0 points in 30 games off the bench as a true freshman in 2018-19.

Haiby is also a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection (2020, 2022) and was a recipient of a Sam Foltz 27 Hero Leadership Award at Nebraska in 2021.