Our inaugural Season Championship is just days away, and we wanted to take this opportunity to introduce you to the teams that will be playing for the Katie Beck Championship Cup!
Stop by Baxter Arena this weekend to come cheer them all on! We’ll be on the ice 12:30pm-8pm on Saturday, April 15th and from 9:30am to 2pm on Sunday.
Teams qualified for this Championship by winning their fall or winter leagues, or by opting into a lottery for open spots. In order to participate, the team needed to have at least two of its original members available to play in the spiel. We’re looking forward to seeing how the first year goes, and are hoping to be able to expand the field in coming years!
This weekend's Schedule
Learn more below about the teams participating this weekend. (And check out the playlist we compiled of hype songs submitted by Aksarben Curling members!)
Little Raise of Sunshine
Fall Tuesday 8pm Champs
(pictured: Kaeli Samson, Lisa Truesdell, Nic Swierck, Matthew Truesdell)
Lisa Truesdell, Skip - 6 years
Nic Swiercek, Vice - 5 years
Matthew Truesdell, Second - 6 years
Kaeli Samson, Lead - 5 years
What’s your curling sound bite: “I don’t hate it!” (Lisa + Kaeli)
What’s your curling hype song: Now We Can See by The Thermals (Nic)
Favorite non-curling hobby: Going to Disney World (Matthew)
Sweeping Swine
Fall Tuesday 7pm Champs
(pictured: Stewart Buckley, Matt Reinhart, Sean Rock, Mike Brich)
Mike Brich, Skip - 6 years
Sean Rock, Vice - 3 years
Matt Reinhart, Second - 2 years
Stewart Buckley, Lead - 4 years
What’s your curling hype song: Turn It Out - Death From Above 1979 (Mike)
What’s your curling sound bite: “Snort” (Stewart), HAMmer Dahn (Matt), “Hog squealing” (Sean)
Sweep Dreams
Fall Sunday 2:15pm Champs
(pictured: Adam Leong, Doug Michel, David Hill, Nic Ridder)
David Hill, Skip - 55 years
Nic Ridder, Vice / throwing 4th - 5 years
Doug Michel, Vice - 5 years
Adam Leong, Lead - 5 years
Draw or takeout: Draw! (Doug)
What’s your curling hype song: Marie douceur - Marie colère by Marie Laforêt (Nic), We Will Rock You (David)
Favorite non-curling hobby: Coaching youth sports with my kids (Adam)
The Eh Team
Fall Sunday 4:30pm Champs
(pictured: Paul Safranek, Michelle Avilla, Sharon Kruse, Rob Latimer)
Rob Latimer, Skip - 30 years off and on
Jason Buzzell, Vice
Paul Safranek, Second - over 5 years
Michelle Avilla, Lead - 5 years
What’s your curling sound bite: “The ice isn’t fast or slow” (Paul)
Draw or takeout: Draw all the way (Michelle)
Short sleeves, long sleeves or all the layers when you’re on the ice: Canada hoodie with a t-shirt (Rob)
Silver Snakes
Fall Sunday 6:45pm Champs
(pictured: Meredith Daniels, Randy Brodner, Alex Wilson, Amanda Wilson)
Amanda Wilson, Skip - 3 years
Meredith Daniels, Vice - 5 years
Randy Brodner, Second - 1 year
Alex Wilson, Lead - 3 years
Favorite non-curling hobby: Running in the forest and mountains (Amanda), I like to bike and kayak during the warmer non-curling months. (Randy), Pinball (Alex)
Short sleeves, long sleeves, or all the layers when you’re on the ice? All the layers, and then some! (Meredith)
Stone Cold
Winter Tuesday 8pm Champs
(pictured: Paul Foley, Ralph Roza, Jeff Leuders, Nick Allmaker)
Nick Allmarker, Skip - 11 years
Jeff Leuders, Vice - 12 years
Raph Roza, Second - 35 years
Paul Foley, Lead - 5 years
What’s your curling hype song: Party Rock Anthem (Nick)
Favorite not-curling hobby: Golf. It is my only other hobby I have where I get a decent amount of exercise. I am as mediocre at golf as I am at curling, but I am always trying to improve at both. (Jeff), My wife and I are both retired. We enjoy family, travel, home improvement projects, singing in the choir, the great Omaha symphony. I like to dabble in digital art, using fractals and ai-art. (Ralph), I would have to give the nod to fishing. I grew up in MN and was spoiled with tons of lakes full of fish and very few boaters. My wife and I were talking with some friends about experiences we have had and if anything comes close to the way a kid feels when Christmas is almost here with all the anticipation and the excitement. I answered that I still get that feeling when I hit the lake in northern Minnesota very early in the morning when the water is like glass, the air is crisp and the mist is rising above the water. The anticipation of the 1st cast and the wonder of what is waiting for the lure to land. (Paul)
Rolling Stones
Winter Saturday 4:15pm Champs
(pictured: Jackson Sorenson, Kristin Erickson, Nora Kovar Carlson, Sean Carlson)
Sean Carlson, Skip - 2 years
Nora Kovar Carlson, Anything but Vice - 1.5 years
Jackson Sorenson
Kristin Erickson - 1 year
What’s your curling sound bite: “Tap tap taparoo. Just a little tappy.” Or I’ll sing Fergilicious by Fergie but just the “Tasty” part. (Sean), (to an overthrown stone as it glides through the house) “Bye, Buddy. Hope you find your dad.” (Nora)
Stop, Drop & Curl
Winter Sunday 2:15pm Champs
(pictured: Bill Citro, Liz Akert, Brian Akery, L.J. McElravy)
L.J. McElravy, Skip - 6 years
Brian Akert, Vice - 6 years
Bill Citro, Second - 6 years
Liz Akert, Lead - 6 years
What’s your curling sound bite: “Did I hit the broom?” (L.J.)
Favorite non-curling hobby: Brunch (Liz)
What’s your hype song: Take the Power Back (Rage Against the machine) (Bill)
Draw or takeout: Takeout! Especially when it is an extremely low percentage shot! I'll hit one someday... :) (Brian)
Stone Colder
Winter Sunday 4:30pm Champs
(pictured: Katie Fennelly, Josh Roza, Nate Wendel, Ralph Roza)
Nate Wendel, Skip - 2 years
Katie Fennelly, Vice - 1 year
Ashley Hoover
Francesco Sangalli
What’s your curling sound bite: “Oops” (Katie)
Favorite non-curling hobby: Paddleboarding or video games (Ashley)
What’s your hype song: The Man - The Killers (Nate)
Short sleeves, long sleeves or all the layers when you're on the ice: All the layers + one.... (Francesco)
Sheets & Giggles
Winter Sunday 6:45 Champs
(pictured: Bill Cleary, Adam Klein, Doug Fowler, Brian Cotner)
Brian Cotner, Skip - 18 years
Matt Suder - 7 years
Adam Klein, Second - 0.6 years
Molly O’Brien, Lead or Second - 6 years
What’s your curling sound bite: “Draw to the paw!” (Molly), "Good sweepers would have got it there" to other team in jest (Brian)
What’s your hype song: How Do You Sleep / LCD Soundsystem (Adam), Search and Destroy / Stooges (Matt)
UNL Curling Club
College League Lottery
Alex Hanson, Skip - 7 years
Seamus Hurley, Vice - 5 years
Emma Whaley, Second - 3 years
Draw or takeout: Takeouts are superior (Seamus)
What’s your curling sound bite: Gotta go gotta go (Alex)
What’s your curling hype song: Parasite Eve by Bring Me the Horizon (Emma)
Short sleeves, long sleeves or all the layers when you're on the ice: Long Sleeved is the way (Paul)
Curl Power
Lottery Spot
Buffy Linke, Skip or Vice - 12 years
Casandra Johnson, Skip or Vice - 7 years
Kali Odd, The Untouchable Second - 1 year
Kristen Peterson Skip, Vice or Lead - 1 year
Draw or takeout: A good draw and raise to the button (Kristen)
What’s your curling hype song: Mama said Knock You Out (Casandra), The World Will Know from the Newsies (Kali)
Favorite non-curling hobby: Recreational sports - mostly sand volleyball and softball (Buffy)
