Jack Hoover
SPORTS EDITOR
COVID-19 affected the way college recruiting works in much the same way that it affected many other aspects of life.
In order to stay safe from during this time, recruiting has gone virtual. On Sept. 16, the NCAA announced that the suspension of in-person recruiting will remain effective until Jan. 1 of 2021 at the earliest. Despite these changes, the window where high school athletes may sign their letter of intent opened on Nov. 11.
With the window now open, several Maverick sports were able to announce signings to their incoming freshman classes for next season. Here’s a look at some of the most intriguing new additions to the Omaha athletics family.
Frankie Fidler – Men’s Basketball
More and more these days are standout Nebraska high school basketball prospects beginning to get attention from Power Five schools. As the level of play is and the level of national attention is raised in the state, high school players will continue to leave the state. This year however, one of Nebraska’s best prospects is staying put. On Nov. 11, Bellevue West’s Frankie Fidler announced that he would play for Omaha. Playing at the forward position, Fidler is a proven winner for Bellevue West, as he helped them win the 2020 Class A state championship last season. In that championship season, he averaged an impressive 12. 3 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.
Grace Cave – Women’s Basketball
The women’s basketball team was also able to pick up an exciting in-state player as Grace Cave from Weeping Water High School announced her intention to play for the Mavericks next season. Weeping Water is a 40-minute drive south of Omaha, so Cave won’t have to relocate far. More importantly, she’ll be bringing a big-time pedigree from a small town team. Cave is a 1000-point scorer for the Indians and, in the last two years, she has helped her team make it to the Class D-1 State tournament. With one more year left to go, she’ll be looking to further her mark at Weeping Water before coming to Omaha.
Mia Reedtz Olesen – Women’s Soccer
Soccer is an international game, so it only makes sense that UNO women’s soccer would recruit someone with international experience. Hailing from Stensbale, Denmark, Mia Reedtz Olesen has already played at the top level in her home country. Olesen previously played for Holding Q, a team in the Elitedivisionen, Denmark’s top women’s soccer league. Perhaps more impressive are the call ups that Reedtz Olesen received to the Danish U-16 team, where she faced off against the likes of Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands.
