Nebraska senior guard Connor Essegian will miss the rest of the 2025-26 season due to a significant right ankle injury suffered during the Cornhuskers' 80-73 win over Winthrop on Nov. 25. Coach Fred Hoiberg announced the news on Nov. 29, stating Essegian will apply for a medical hardship. The former Wisconsin player has averaged 5.4 points per game in seven appearances this season.
Lincoln – Nebraska men's basketball coach Fred Hoiberg announced on Saturday, Nov. 29, that senior guard Connor Essegian is sidelined for the remainder of the season after suffering a significant right ankle injury in the Cornhuskers' 80-73 victory over Winthrop on Tuesday, Nov. 25. Essegian left the game midway through the second half, and tests confirmed the injury's severity. Men's basketball athletic trainer Andrew McCabe estimated a recovery time of two to three months.
Hoiberg expressed disappointment over the setback. "I feel awful for Connor because of all the work he puts in and things he provides our team both on and off the court," Hoiberg said. "With an injury like this, we don’t want to rush Connor back without him being 100 percent, so we have made the decision to shut him down for the rest of the season, and he will apply for a medical hardship. While he won’t be playing, Connor will find ways to lead and help our program. I am confident that Connor will make the most of this setback and come back stronger from it."
Essegian, a 6-foot-4 senior in his second year at Nebraska after two seasons at Wisconsin, has appeared in all seven games this season for the undefeated Cornhuskers, averaging 5.4 points per game with two double-figure scoring outings. In the 2024-25 season, he averaged 10.7 points and led Nebraska with 78 three-pointers, the most by a Husker since 2019. For his career, Essegian has scored 929 points in 110 games.
At Wisconsin, Essegian played 68 games, averaging 7.6 points. As a freshman, he started 19 contests and averaged 27.4 minutes; his sophomore year saw him average 7.3 minutes off the bench.
Essegian shared his thoughts on social media. "It hurts me to know that I will not be on the court to help our team, but I will be there every step of the way off of it," he posted on Nov. 29. "We still have history to make this year, so let's get it done. I am fully trusting what the Lord has in store for me and this team. His plan always prevails and outweighs our own."
Nebraska, on an 11-game winning streak dating to last season, averages 86.6 points per game this year. The team closed the previous season with four wins in the College Basketball Crown postseason tournament.