Australian Jessica Petrie Shines as Nebraska Highlights Internationals

It didn’t take long for the Australian native to take over the game. All 15 of Petrie’s points came in the first half, as she shot an efficient 7-for-9 from the field and grabbed four rebounds in the opening 20 minutes. Her early surge helped Nebraska build a 20-point cushion by halftime, and she finished the night with a double-double in hand.

At 6-foot-2, Petrie’s length and touch around the rim were on full display, with 12 of her points coming in the paint. She consistently found clean looks near the basket and played a major role in the Huskers establishing control from the jump. She also set a season-high with 10 rebounds, fueling Nebraska’s dominant 48–25 edge on the glass, helping mark the eighth straight game the Huskers have outrebounded an opponent, answering the challenge head coach Amy Williams issued earlier in the week.

Petrie appeared in complete command throughout the night, and her performance offered yet another reason for optimism as Nebraska inches closer to Big Ten play. And while she may have found a little extra spark in a game honoring international student-athletes, she wasn’t alone in being recognized.

Both programs took part in the celebration, with Nebraska and Bradley honoring their international players during pregame introductions and throughout the evening, setting the stage for a night where global talent was on full display.

In all, the two teams honored five international athletes between their rosters. For Nebraska, that group featured Petrie (Australia) and fellow forward Petra Bozan (Croatia). Bradley celebrated senior guard Lucia Llaveria (Spain), freshman guard Maya Foz (Canada), and senior forward Amy O’Hara (Australia).

Nebraska’s international duo combined for 27 of the Huskers’ 92 points, while Foz added nine of her own in 25 minutes for the Braves.

For the Huskers, International Night wasn’t just about recognizing the present. Nebraska continues to build a notable global footprint, with several former standouts now playing professionally overseas, serving as a point of pride for a program whose international pipeline has grown in recent years.

The Huskers continue to produce professional players competing across the globe. According to Nebraska's latest media guide, 11 former athletes are playing professionally overseas, representing one of the strongest international pipelines in the Big Ten.

The longest active careers belong to Kelsey Griffin and Yvonne Turner, each now in their 16th professional season. Griffin remains a cornerstone for the Bendigo Spirit in Australia’s WNBL, one of the world’s top leagues, where she has collected five WNBL championships and three Grand Final MVPs. Turner continues to excel in Turkey’s premier league with Nesibe Aydin Ankara, adding to a career that’s spanned multiple continents against top-tier competition.

A strong group of mid-career Huskers is also thriving abroad. Rachel Theriot (10th pro season) stars in Bulgaria’s NBL, while Jessica Shepard splits her seventh season between the Minnesota Lynx and Italian powerhouse Beretta Familia Schio. Meanwhile, rising Australian pro Isabelle Bourne (Southside Flyers) and Leigha Brown (Explosivos de Moca in Puerto Rico) continue to carve out meaningful roles in their third seasons. Ireland has become another notable landing spot, with Makenzie Helms and Sam Haiby each contributing in top divisions.

The newest wave of international Huskers is already making noise. Jaz Shelley, fresh off winning the 2025 NBL1 South MVP, is in her second professional year with Geelong United. Rookies Alberte Rimdal (Hungary) and Ruby Porter (Adelaide Lightning) are off to strong starts as well, with Porter entering the WNBL after being named the 2025 NBL1 West Grand Final MVP. Altogether, Nebraska’s growing presence on the international stage underscores the program’s reach and the development pipeline that continues to propel its athletes well beyond their college careers.

All in all, the night was a success, both for Nebraska’s international players and for Amy Williams’ red-hot squad as a whole. With their latest win, the Huskers are now averaging 89.4 points per game and continue to establish themselves as one of the most explosive offenses in the country.

Now 8-0, Nebraska turns its attention to a 6-1 Penn State team riding back-to-back wins in convincing fashion. Saturday will mark the Huskers’ first true road test of the 2025–26 campaign, and with conference play finally arriving, the margin for error tightens quickly.

Maintaining the momentum they’ve built through the opening month will be the priority as they head to State College this weekend. But if this group has shown anything so far, it’s that knocking off the Huskers is going to take more than a good night.