Nebraska forward Rienk Mast will medically redshirt, undergo season-ending knee surgery
Nebraska finally provided an update on Rienk Mast’s future on Thursday, and it was news no one wanted to hear.
The senior forward announced that he will undergo knee surgery that will sideline him for the entire 2024-25 season. Mast will medically redshirt and remain with the program during his recovery. He plans to return to the Huskers in 2025-26.
“Rienk has put a lot of thought into this decision and worked closely with our medical staff in looking at all of the options to get his knee healthy,” NU head coach Fred Hoiberg said via press release. “He has been in contact with our staff throughout this process, and we are in agreement that this is Rienk’s best long-term option for his basketball career.
“Although he will not be on the court next season, Rienk will have a different role, one where we can take advantage of his experience and leadership skills. We know that Rienk will be diligent in his rehab and will do everything he can to return to full health.”
Join HuskerOnline today and get your first month of a premium subscription for just $1!
Mast’s absence leaves a significant void in NU’s frontcourt
The 6-foot-10, 250-pound native of Groningen, Netherlands, transferred to Nebraska last offseason after three years at Bradley. He earned third-team All-Big Ten honors after averaging 12.3 ppg and leading NU with 7.5 rpg and 3.0 apg.
He posted six double-doubles on the year, which were the most by a Husker since 2007-08. That included 20 double-figure scoring efforts, highlighted by his career-high 34 points against Ohio State.
Nebraska has two available scholarships for 2024-25, as Mast will still count toward next season’s scholarship limit. This offseason, NU added some needed frontcourt depth in North Dakota State center Andrew Morgan and Washington center Braxton Meah.
RELATED: 2024-25 Nebraska basketball scholarship distribution chart
