Hail to the Husker Seniors! Emily Cady
*As the season winds down, we will soon be saying goodbye to four seniors. Time to look backward a bit and remind ourselves of who they are. *
The list of accomplishments is long and Emily Cady’s name will appear many times in the record books of Nebraska women’s basketball. The 6’2” forward from Seward, NE, wearing no. 23, has been a driving force for Coach Connie Yori’s squad since her first start as a freshman.
Husker Senior Emily Cady (photo Jeff Suggs)
Fans of girls basketball across Nebraska had Emily Cady on their radar long before she would appear on the court in a NU basketball jersey. They first heard her name when she played club ball with the Cornhusker Shooting Stars, averaging 20 points per game.
Playing for a talent-laden Seward High school team, she refined her skills and perfected her game. Cady played a significant role in helping Seward win the Nebraska Class B championship in 2010. Chosen by the Lincoln Journal Star as a Super State player in both 2010 and 2011, Cady was considered to be one of the top prospects in Nebraska. Heading into her senior year, she was ranked No. 49 by Blue Star basketball and No 84 by ESPNU/HoopGirlz Top 100.
Emily Cady (yntsites.com)
NU Coach Connie Yori was thrilled to welcome in-state talent Emily Cady to her Nebraska Cornhusker squad. Along with the other freshmen – Tear’a Laudermill, Hailie Sample and Brandi Jeffery, Cady would help bring success to the program.
An 11-day Scandinavian Tour in the summer of 2011 with her Husker team gave her the opportunity for team building and skills development. Emily Cady averaged 13.8 points and 6.0 rebounds during the international tour. She scored 32 points in a win over a Norwegian club team while scoring a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds in a victory over a Danish club team. At that point, Emily was just beginning to show what she could accomplish.
Emily Cady soon earned her way onto game highlights video and accolades followed. Emily earned honorable-mention All-Big Ten in her sophomore season. She averaged 9.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.1 steals and a team-leading 0.9 blocks per game. Helping her team into the 2013 NCAA Tournament, her stellar play helped the Huskers win in the first two rounds before losing to No. 5 Duke in the third.
Cady continued to shine and has become one the most respected players in the Big Ten women’s game. She was ranked among the top players in the Big Ten in nearly every category in 2013-14, including scoring (12.7 ppg, 24th), rebounding (9.2 rpg, 3rd), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.5, 5th), free throw percentage (.858, 7th), field goal percentage (.495, 8th) and assists (3.1 apg, 12th). She also tied for second in the conference with 14 double-doubles.
Emily Cady was Coach Yori’s “go-to” player her junior year scoring double figures in points in 28 of NU’s 33 games as a junior. Her tough competitive spirit helped the Huskers win the Big Ten Tournament in March 2014. She received second-team All-Big Ten honors. In her third visit to the NCAA tournament, Cady scored 15-points in a first-round win over Fresno State on March 22. Her final double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds came in the second-round loss to BYU on March 24.
This season she continues to set new career numbers. She has started every game for the Cornhuskers since she walked on the basketball floor as a freshman. Cady ranks 16th at NU in career scoring (1,379 points), has 1,067 rebounds, 297 assists, 137 steals and 108 blocks. She is considered to be one of the nation’s most versatile forwards. Coach Yori has summed up what Emily Cady is for her Husker squad.
"“Emily Cady is a winner. She is an extremely athletic and versatile player. We think Emily is one of the most underrated players in the nation, but we appreciate everything she does. She has all-around skills and a great instinct for the game, and overall basketball knowledge beyond her years.”"
More than just a basketball player, she is also a good student and a terrific young woman. One of her closest friends on the court and off is her roommate, Hailie Sample. Their relationship off the court leads to their deep connection on the floor. When she is not bouncing the ball, Emily loves Netflix and video games. Her two dogs, Bubbles and Grizzly, make her life complete.
Emily Cady @IU photo by Jeff Suggs
The last women’s basketball home game against Ohio State on Sunday, March 1, will honor the seniors. It will be just as emotional for the players as it will be for Husker Nation. Emily has been a part of something special for four years and it will be hard to bid her farewell. GO BIG RED!!