Nebraska Athletics 2015-16 Annual Report
2015 NCAA Volleyball Champions
TJ Dudley All-American Wrestling
Shavon Shields Academic All-American Men’s Basketball
Kadie Rolfzen All-American Volleyball
Mattie Fowler Academic All-American Softball
Nick Percy NCAA Champion Discus
There is No Student-Athlete Experience Like Nebraska NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
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Kyle Kubat Baseball Waterloo, Neb.
Ari Romero Soccer Surprise, Ariz.
Chongo Kondolo Football Carrollton, Texas Ellie Ewere Track & Field Hillsborough, N.J.
Byerson Cockrell Football Columbus, Miss. Morgan Smejkal Golf Columbus, Neb.
London Hawk Track & Field South Holland, Ill.
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Krista Van Wie Swimming & Diving Grand Island, Neb.
NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
Anthony Abidin Wrestling Dix Hills, N.Y.
Nebraska
There is No Student-Athlete Experience Like Nebraska Contents
Director of Athletics Shawn Eichorst honored Nebraska Athletes-of-the-Year Kadie Rolfzen (Papillion, Neb.) and TJ Dudley (Irmo, S.C.) at “A Night at the Lied” in April. Rolfzen, a first-team All-American on Nebraska’s 2015 NCAA champion volleyball team, and Dudley, the runner-up at 184 pounds at the NCAA Wrestling Championships, return to lead their teams as seniors in 2016-17.
1 Director of Athletics 2 2015-16 Review 4 Athletics 6 Academics 8 Life Skills 10 Performance 12 Volleyball 13 Beach Volleyball 14 Football 15 Bowling 16 Women’s Basketball 17 Men’s Basketball 18 Softball 19 Baseball 20 Wrestling 21 Swimming & Diving 22 Men’s Gymnastics 23 Women’s Gymnastics 24 Soccer 25 Rifle 26 Track & Field 27 Cross Country 28 Men’s Golf 29 Women’s Golf 30 Men’s Tennis 31 Women’s Tennis 32 Finances
Thank you from Nebraska Athletics
The University of Nebraska Department of Athletics is unmatched in its commitment to serving the needs of our student-athletes. Our 325-plus full-time coaches and staff are passionate about providing our student-athletes with a first-class experience, and the successes acknowledged in this annual report are the direct result of our united commitment to excellence. The primary mission at Nebraska is to provide all student-athletes with the resources and support they need to be successful in academics, athletics and life. Our core values of Integrity, Trust, Respect, Teamwork and Loyalty are at the heart of everything we do, and the health, safety and welfare of our student-athletes are at the essence of every action we take. This past academic year, every scholarship student-athlete received funding based on the full cost of attendance. Each student-athlete was offered an Apple MacBook Air laptop computer to enhance their learning opportunities. We began our Post-Eligibility Opportunity program, which allows a student-athlete who has earned a degree an opportunity to receive financial support for an internship, a study abroad program or graduate school. We also increased the resources and support in all academic and performance-related areas including Academic Services, Life Skills, Sports Medicine, Athletic Training, Strength and Conditioning, Nutrition, the Nebraska Athletic Performance Lab and created a Sports Analytics Department. In the pages ahead, we salute our volleyball team, which won the 2015 national championship by defeating Texas in front of the largest crowd in NCAA history at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha. We recognize our men’s track and field team, which swept the conference indoor and outdoor championships for the first time since 2004. We acknowledge our bowling team, which again competed in the national championship match for the fourth year in a row and the eighth time since bowling became a sanctioned NCAA sport in 2004. We also proudly recognize each of our 109 student-athletes who accomplished the ultimate goal of earning their undergraduate degrees this past academic year, as well as a number of other exceptional academic and athletic achievements. In 2015-16, Nebraska increased its nation-leading CoSIDA Academic All-America total to 325 with five honorees: Shavon Shields (first-team, basketball), Mattie Fowler (first-team, softball), Cody Rush (first-team, track and field), Levi Gipson (first-team, track and field) and Ryan Boldt (third-team, baseball). For the second straight year, current student-athletes, former letterwinners and staff traveled abroad on a service trip. In May, the Huskers traveled to the Dominican Republic for a life-changing experience as they gave their time, skills and resources to improve the local communities. Overall, Husker student-athletes performed more than 350 individual outreach projects totaling nearly 2,500 hours and impacting 25,000 Nebraskans. On July 23rd, 2016, our Husker family experienced extreme heartbreak with the tragic death of Sam Foltz. Sam was the ultimate student-athlete having already graduated before his senior year was to begin. He led the Big Ten in punting last season and was loved by all, especially the many Nebraska youth he impacted as one of our most active community outreach leaders. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends and teammates, and we are committed to recognizing Sam’s Legacy in appropriate fashion. We are very proud of all of our athletic teams, and thankful for our great fan support. This year, Nebraska ranked among the nation’s top 15 in attendance averages for 10 sports and the Huskers set single-season average home attendance records in both volleyball and softball. Nebraska is the only school in the country to rank among the top 15 nationally for attendance in football, volleyball and men’s and women’s basketball. With your assistance, There Is No Student-Athlete Experience Like Nebraska. On behalf of our student-athletes, coaches and staff, thank you for all that you do and for your continued support of Nebraska Athletics. Go Big Red!
Shawn Eichorst NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
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Athletics Success in Academics, Athletics And Life Nebraska won its fourth NCAA volleyball championship by claiming the crown in front of NCAA-record crowds at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha.
Nebraska’s 2015-16 All-Americans
41 Student-Athletes/49 Awards/21 First Team 19 States, 4 Foreign Countries Oladapo Akinmoladun, Track & Field, Senior (First Team, Indoor, 60 Hurdles) Oliver Alexandre, Track & Field, Freshman (Second Team, Indoor, 4x400) Grant Anderson, Track & Field, Sophomore (Second Team, Outdoor, High Jump) Paula Andrie, Track & Field, Senior (Second Team, Outdoor, Pole Vault) Landon Bartel, Track & Field, Sophomore (Second Team, Indoor, High Jump) Hollie Blanske, Women’s Gymnastics, Senior (First Team, Vault; Second Team, Floor, All-Around) Julia Bond, Bowling, Sophomore (First Team) Sam Bransby, Track & Field, Sophomore (First Team, Outdoor, 4x400) Sam Chamberlain, Men’s Gymnastics, Senior (First Team, Parallel Bars) Reka Czuth, Track & Field, Sophomore (First Team, Outdoor, High Jump) (Second Team, Indoor, High Jump) Kaiwan Culmer, Track & Field, Sophomore (First Team, Outdoor, Triple Jump) TJ Dudley, Wrestling, Sophomore (First Team, NCAA runner-up, 184 Pounds) Austin Epperson, Men’s Gymnastics, Junior (First Team, Floor) Anna Filipcic, Diving, Junior (Honorable Mention, One Meter) Sarah Firestone, Track & Field, Junior (Second Team, Javelin) Mikaela Foecke, Volleyball, Freshman (Honorable Mention, Outside Hitter) Levi Gipson, Track & Field, Senior (First Team, Outdoor 4x400) (Second Team, Indoor 4x400) Kelly Hunter, Volleyball, Sophomore (Honorable Mention, Setter) MJ Knighten, Softball, Junior (First Team, Third Base) Mate Koroknai, Track & Field, Junior (Second Team, Indoor, 4x400)
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Success in Academics, Athletics And Life
Measuring the accomplishments comprehensively, Nebraska continues to support its mission success in academics, athletics and life.
Success in Academics
Nebraska increased its nation-leading total of CoSIDA Academic All-America awards to 325, adding five Huskers in 2015-16. Senior guard Shavon Shields (Olathe, Kan., Biological Sciences, 3.72 GPA) became Nebraska’s first two-time, first-team CoSIDA Academic All-American in men’s basketball. Shields also became the first Husker men’s basketball player to be named Nebraska’s Male Student-Athlete of the Year. Shields was the first of four Huskers to earn first-team CoSIDA Academic All-America honors in 2015-16. Levi Gipson (Lincoln, Neb., Nutrition, Exercise and Health Science, 3.96 GPA) became just the second Husker male student-athlete in history across all sports to earn three first-team Academic All-America awards. He added NCAA ($7,500) and Big Ten ($7,500) postgraduate scholarships. His teammate Cody Rush (Grand Island, Neb., Nutrition Science, 3.93 GPA) added first-team Academic All-America honors and earned NCAA ($7,500) and Wayne Duke ($10,000) postgraduate scholarships. Senior infielder Mattie Fowler (Tucson, Ariz., Finance, 3.80 GPA) from the Husker softball team added first-team CoSIDA Academic AllAmerica accolades as Nebraska’s Female Student-Athlete of the Year. Junior outfielder Ryan Boldt (Red Wing, Minn., Nutrition Science, 3.70 GPA) was a third-team Academic All-American in baseball for the second straight year before being chosen in the second round of the MLB Draft. Graduation is the ultimate achievement, and 109 Husker student-athletes earned degrees in three commencement exercises at Pinnacle Bank Arena in 2015-16. A total of 209 Huskers claimed Academic All-Big Ten honors across all sports, while 67 were named Big Ten Distinguished Scholars for carrying better than a 3.7 GPA. Nebraska student-athletes posted 91 perfect 4.0 GPA semesters in the fall and spring, helping the Huskers post a record-high 3.211 cumulative GPA. Nebraska also posted its highest Graduation Success Rate in history with its 86 percent GSR representing a three percent improvement over a year ago.
Success in Athletics
The 2015-16 athletic season at Nebraska was highlighted by an NCAA championship on the volleyball court, an NCAA runner-up finish on the bowling lanes and five other top-10 NCAA finishes by Husker teams. A total of 41 Huskers earned 49 All-America awards in 2015-16. Overall, 13 Nebraska teams qualified for NCAA postseason competition, while 20 Husker individuals earned 21 first-team All-America honors. The Nebraska volleyball team captured its fourth NCAA title in program history. The Huskers closed the season with 16 consecutive wins, including seven over top-25 foes to finish 32-4 on the season. The volleyball team led seven Husker programs that finished in the top 10 in their respective sports. Bowling made its fourth straight appearance in the NCAA championship match on its way to a runner-up finish. The men’s gymnastics team took seventh at the NCAA Championships in 2016 for its best finish
NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
Achievement 109 Graduates, 41 All-Americans, 350 Outreach Projects since 1999. Women’s gymnastics added an eighth-place finish, as did the wrestling and rifle teams. The men’s track and field team rounded out the top-10 finishes by taking 10th at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in June. The men’s track and field team completed its first sweep of the conference indoor and outdoor titles since 2004, while sophomore thrower Nick Percy (Ventnor, England) captured the NCAA discus title. The swimming and diving program earned its best NCAA finish since 2006 by taking 39th behind All-America diver Anna Filipcic (Omaha, Neb.). The softball team and the baseball team both earned NCAA Tournament berths. The football team concluded its season with a Foster Farms Bowl victory over UCLA, and the women’s basketball program earned its fifth straight postseason bid. Overall, Nebraska jumped 12 spots to 27th in the final Learfield Directors’ Cup all-sport standings, while the Husker women’s programs took seventh in the Capital One Cup.
Success in Life
Nebraska continued to emphasize service and giving back. During the 2015-16 academic year, student-athletes and staff completed more than 350 outreach projects, volunteering nearly 2,500 hours while impacting 25,000 individuals in Nebraska communities. In May of 2016, Nebraska Athletics offered its second service trip abroad, with 20 student-athletes, a Husker alumni letterwinner and four staff members traveling to the Dominican Republic to assist the community of Las Pajas.
Prominent Husker Athletic Honors
Five volleyball players earned All-America honors on the court to fuel Nebraska’s run to the 2015 NCAA Championship. Nebraska Female Athlete-of-the-Year Kadie Rolfzen (Papillion, Neb.) earned first-team honors and a spot on the NCAA All-Tournament Team, while Nebraska Co-Freshman Athlete-of-the-Year Mikaela Foecke (West Point, Iowa) was named the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player. Sophomore Nick Percy (Ventnor, England) capped a strong year for Nebraska’s track and field programs by capturing an NCAA title in discus, while Nebraska Male Athlete-of-the-Year TJ Dudley (Irmo, S.C.) added a runner-up finish at 184 pounds at the 2016 NCAA Wrestling Championships. Gary Pepin was named the 2016 Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year, following the men’s indoor and outdoor track and field championships. Pepin, who was also the Midwest Region Coach of the Year, has captured 27 conference coach-of-the-year honors since 1997, including five since Nebraska joined the Big Ten in 2011-12. Pepin has led Nebraska to 72 conference team titles.
Huskers Claim 21 First-Team All-America Awards
A collection of 20 Huskers combined for 21 first-team All-America awards across all sports in 2015-16. Junior Tierra Williams (Auburn, Neb.) was the only Husker to earn a pair of first-team All-America awards, as the women’s track and field standout earned first-team honors in the triple jump both indoors and outdoors. Williams led a group of nine track and field athletes who combined for 10 first-team All-America awards in 2016, including senior Oladapo Akinmoladun (Grandview, Mo., 60 hurdles), sophomore Sam Bransby (Naperville, Ill., outdoor 4x400), sophomore Reka Czuth (Pecs, Hungary, outdoor high jump), sophomore Kaiwan Culmer (Nassau, Bahamas, outdoor triple jump), senior Levi Gipson (Lincoln, Neb., outdoor 4x400), sophomore Nick Percy (Ventnor, England, discus), senior Cody Rush (Grand Island, Neb., outdoor 4x400) and junior Tanner Townsend (Castle Rock, Colo., outdoor 4x400). The men’s gymnastics program produced its most individual All-Americans since 1998, with four first-team honorees, including senior Sam Chamberlain (Franklin, Ohio, parallel bars, 3rd), senior Ethan Lottman (Gretna, Neb., pommel horse, 3rd), junior Austin Epperson (Allen, Texas, floor, T5th) and freshman Anton Stephenson (Fishers, Ind., parallel bars, 7th). Three first-team All-Americans led Nebraska wrestling to its highest national finish since 2009, and its 20th top10 finish in history. Junior TJ Dudley (Irmo, S.C., 184, 2nd), junior Eric Montoya (Albuquerque, N.M., 133, 5th) and senior Austin Wilson (Hastings, Neb., 165, 7th) claimed wrestling All-America honors. Junior outside hitter Kadie Rolfzen (Papillion, Neb.) earned first-team All-America honors for the 2015 NCAA Championship volleyball team, while senior Hollie Blanske (Oak Grove, Minn., vault, 3rd) added a first-team award for the women’s gymnastics team. Sophomore bowler Julia Bond (Aurora, Ill.) and junior softball infielder MJ Knighten (Buena Park, Calif.) completed Nebraska’s group of 20 first-team All-Americans. A total of 49 All-America awards were earned by 41 Husker student-athletes who came from 19 states, including 12 Nebraskans, and five student-athletes from four foreign countries – sophomore triple jumper Kaiwan Culmer (Nassau, Bahamas), sophomore high jumper Reka Czuth (Pecs, Hungary), junior sprinter Mate Koroknai (Debrecen, Hungary), sophomore discus thrower Nick Percy (Ventnor, England) and freshman javelin thrower Brittni Wolczyk (Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada).
2015-16 All-Americans (Continued)
Ethan Lottman, Men’s Gymnastics, Senior (First Team, Pommel Horse) Denise Martin, Rifle, Senior (Second Team, Smallbore) Rachel Martin, Rifle, Junior (Second Team, Smallbore) (Honorable Mention, Combined) Gazmine Mason, Bowling, Junior (Third Team) Eric Montoya, Wrestling, Junior (First Team, 133 Pounds) Andy Neal, Track & Field, Sophomore (Second Team, Indoor, 4x400) Nick Percy, Track & Field, Sophomore (First Team, NCAA Champion, Outdoor, Discus) Sean Pille, Track & Field, Senior (Second Team, Outdoor, 400 Hurdles) Amber Rolfzen, Volleyball, Junior (Second Team, Middle Blocker) Kadie Rolfzen, Volleyball, Junior (First Team, Outside Hitter) Cody Rush, Track & Field, Senior (First Team, Outdoor, 4x400) (Second Team, Outdoor, 400) Scott Schreiber, Baseball, Sophomore (Honorable Mention, Infielder) Anton Stephenson, Men’s Gymnastics, Freshman (First Team, Parallel Bars) Kiki Stokes, Softball, Senior, Outfielder (Third Team) Tanner Townsend, Track & Field, Junior (First Team, Outdoor, 4x400) Cody Walton, Track & Field, Sophomore (Second Team, Outdoor, Decathlon) Tierra Williams, Track & Field, Junior (First Team, Indoor, Triple Jump) (First Team, Outdoor, Triple Jump) (Second Team, Indoor, Long Jump) Austin Wilson, Wrestling, Senior (First Team, 165 Pounds) Brittni Wolczyk, Track & Field, Freshman (Second Team, Outdoor, Javelin) Justine Wong-Orantes, Volleyball, Junior (Third Team, Libero) Briana Zabierek, Bowling, Junior (Honorable Mention)
Nation’s Greatests Fans
Nebraska produced historic success at the turnstiles in 2015-16, ranking among the top15 nationally in attendance across 10 sports. Nebraska was the only athletic program in the nation to rank in the top 15 in both football (11th, 89,998) and men’s basketball (11th, 15,430) average home attendance, and the Huskers added a top-15 ranking in baseball (8th, 5,222). The Nebraska men’s gymnastics (2nd, 1,830) and wrestling programs (10th, 1,893) added top-10 attendance rankings. The Huskers also led the nation with a school-record 8,206 fans per volleyball match, while its women’s programs added top-15 attendance rankings in basketball (12th, 5,404), soccer (13th, 1,381), gymnastics (15th, 2,412) and softball with a school-record 1,006 fans per game. Nebraska football extended its NCAA-record sellout streak to 347 games, while Husker volleyball pushed its sellout streak to 204 consecutive regular-season matches.
NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
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Athletics Providing The Nation’s Best Student-Athlete Experience
Barbara Hibner Stadium opened as the new home of Nebraska soccer in 2015. Built in conjunction with the Dillon Tennis Center thanks to leadership gifts from Ruth and Bill Scott (pictured above, left in red) and Sid and Hazel Dillon (to right of Ruth Scott), these facilities have provided amazing amenities, such as permanent lights, chairback seats and concession areas to tremendously enhance the student-athlete and fan experience for both the soccer and men’s and women’s tennis programs.
Developing Relationships to Benefit Student-Athletes
The Development and Ticketing offices are committed to helping achieve the goal of supporting each Husker student-athlete to the highest degree possible. A primary factor in achieving our goal of supporting our student-athletes is raising the funds necessary to create a one-of-a-kind experience.
There is No Student-Athlete Experience Like Nebraska
The Sid and Hazel Dillon Tennis Center provides a new state-of-the-art indoor and outdoor home to the Nebraska men’s and women’s tennis programs.
Nebraska created the Student-Athlete Experience Fund in 2015, demonstrating its commitment to providing nation-leading support services to its 600-plus student-athletes. Nebraska has been a leader for decades in student-athlete focused areas, and the Student-Athlete Experience Fund provides gifts and donations that directly impact the lives of the Huskers. The need for additional resources to invest in Husker student-athletes is at the forefront of the mission of Nebraska Athletics. Donations to Nebraska Athletics allow for strategic investments in laptop computers, the Post-Eligibility Opportunity program, full-cost of attendance scholarships, enhanced nutrition, fueling stations, additional meals for student-athletes and the Nebraska Athletic Performance Laboratory. Moving forward, 100 percent of all contributions will be directed to improving the student-athlete experience.
Establishing the Nebraska Athletics Leadership Society
Nebraska Athletics created the Leadership Society in 2016 as the annual giving program in support of the student-athlete experience. As of July 1, 2016, this inaugural leadership group consists of 178 alumni, friends, families and business partners, spanning 16 states and two countries.
Serving and Engaging Fans Across Nebraska and Beyond
Director of Athletics Shawn Eichorst (left) and Football Coach Mike Riley (center) made 12 stops across the state of Nebraska in May as part of the Big Red Tour. 4
Director of Athletics Shawn Eichorst traveled across the country appearing at more than 225 events in 2015-16. More than half of those appearances were in the state of Nebraska from Scottsbluff to Omaha and cities and towns in between. Additionally, coaches, staff and Athletic Development officers made more than 1,000 appearances with donors, season ticket holders and fans to thank and share the athletic department’s vision of providing the best student-athlete experience.
NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
Serving The Greatest Fans in College Sports “Our student-athletes, coaches and our staff recognize and acknowledge the tremendous support that our fans provide our programs. We appreciate the great game-day atmosphere and home-field advantage our fans help to create at all our venues.”
Shawn Eichorst Nebraska Director of Athletics
Husker Fans in the Stands
Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium finished 2015 with an NCAA-record streak of 347 consecutive sellouts. The Huskers ranked 11th nationally in attendance with 89,998 fans per game in 2015.
Nebraska was the only NCAA Division I program to rank in the top 15 nationally in attendance in football and men’s basketball in 2015-16. In fact, Nebraska ranked in the top 15 in attendance across 10 sports and drew well over 1.3 million fans in 2015-16. During the fall and winter seasons combined, Nebraska led the nation with 1.17 million fans attending football, volleyball, women’s soccer and men’s and women’s basketball home games. After adding the spring sports of baseball and softball, Nebraska finished second nationally as one of only three schools in the country to attract more than 1.3 million fans to its major team sporting events.
Nebraska’s Top 15 National Attendance Rankings 1. Volleyball 2. Men’s Gymnastics 8. Baseball 10. Wrestling 11. Football 11. Men’s Basketball 12. Women’s Basketball 13. Women’s Soccer 15. Women’s Gymnastics 15. Softball
8,206* 1,830 5,222 1,891 89,998 15,430 5,404 1,381 2,412 1,006*
* school-record average home attendance
NCAA Division I Seven-Sport Attendance*
The Nebraska volleyball team led the nation in attendance for the third consecutive season at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. The Huskers attracted a school-record 8,206 fans per match. The Devaney Center main arena is also home to men’s gymnastics (2nd, 1,830), wrestling (10th, 1,891) and women’s gymnastics (15th, 2,412), teams, which all ranked among the top 15 nationally in their respective sports in attendance in 2015-16.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
LSU Nebraska South Carolina Texas A&M Tennessee
1,429,061 1,323,631 1,312,258 1,273,587 1,226,709
* combined total attendance for football, volleyball, women’s soccer, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball and softball
NCAA Division I Fall & Winter Attendance* 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Nebraska Tennessee Ohio State Kentucky Michigan
1,170,545 1,133,494 1,132,624 1,045,636 1,043,550
* combined total attendance for football, volleyball, women’s soccer, men’s and women’s basketball
“The passion and loyalty Husker Nation shows to all sports creates an amazing atmosphere for the student-athlete experience. It is truly an honor to represent Nebraska.”
Darin Erstad Nebraska Baseball Head Coach
The Nebraska baseball team ranked eighth nationally by averaging 5,222 fans per game at Hawks Field. Over the last two seasons, Nebraska baseball’s total attendance has increased by 59,963 for an increase of 74 percent. NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
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academics Nation’s Most Academic All-Americans, NCAA Top Ten Awards aCADEMIC eXCELLENCE
All Time, All Sports 325 Academic All-Americans 17 NCAA Today’s Top Ten Award Winners 2015-16 5 CoSIDA Academic All-America Awards 67 Big Ten Distinguished Scholars 91 Perfect 4.0 GPA Semesters 109 Husker Student-Athlete Graduates 8, August 2015 39, December 2015 62, May 2016 209 Academic All-Big Ten Awards 297 Nebraska Academic Medallions 685 Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Rolls
National Honors
NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships Cody Rush, Men’s Indoor Track & Field Levi Gipson, Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Wayne Duke Postgraduate Scholarship Cody Rush, Men’s Track & Field Big Ten Postgraduate Scholarships Levi Gipson, Men’s Track & Field Melanie Blum, Women’s Track & Field A two-time first-team CoSIDA Academic All-American for the Nebraska men’s basketball team, Shavon Shields (left) was presented the Nebraska Male Student-Athlete-of-the-Year Award by Director of Athletics Shawn Eichorst (right) at the annual academic awards ceremony. Shields also earned Nebraska’s Big Ten Medal of Honor.
Nebraska’s Nation-Leading All-America Total Grows to 325
Featuring one of the most innovative and comprehensive academic support programs in the nation, Nebraska Athletics is dedicated to helping student-athletes achieve excellence in academics, athletics, life and career preparation. Nebraska leads the nation in CoSIDA Academic All-America awards with 325 and in NCAA Today’s Top Ten Award winners with 17. The Top Ten Award is the highest individual honor the NCAA presents. In 2015-16, Nebraska added five CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, including men’s basketball forward Shavon Shields, softball infielder Mattie Fowler, track and field runners Levi Gipson and Cody Rush and baseball outfielder Ryan Boldt.
Mattie Fowler (right) earned first-team CoSIDA Academic All-America honors in 2016 after being named NU’s Female Student-Athlete of the Year. Also Nebraska’s Big Ten Medal of Honor winner, Fowler was the President of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee in 2014-15.
At the 26th Annual Student-Athlete Award Ceremony, “A Night at the Lied,” former football athletic trainer George “Sully” Sullivan was honored with the first Dick Herman Lifetime Achievement Award. The award is named in honor of the late Dick Herman, who passed away last year and was instrumental in the inception of the award ceremony. Dick and his family were generous contributors across many levels of Nebraska Athletics, especially to the academic support facilities and recognition events such as “A Night at the Lied,” which has become the Husker version of the Emmys, Oscars and ESPYs rolled into one. Beginning in 1995, the highest academic team awards presented at the award ceremony are given in honor of the late Herman brothers, Dick and Dale. The Herman Team GPA awards went to the women’s swimming and diving team and the men’s tennis team for the second consecutive year. George “Sully” Sullivan (pictured third from right) received Nebraska’s first Dick Herman Lifetime Achievement Award presented at the annual academic awards ceremony in April, which was attended by more than 1,100. Sullivan was presented the award on stage at the Lied Center by former Husker football greats (from left): Clete Pillen, Johnny Rodgers, Daryl White (holding award for Sullivan), Jim Pillen and Rich Glover. Sullivan served Husker Athletics for more than four decades and was Nebraska’s head athletic trainer from 1977 to 1995.
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NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
Excellence All-Time Best Husker Student-Athlete GPA of 3.211 Academic Support Services
• Led by Executive Associate Athletic Director Dennis Leblanc, 14 full-time staff members are committed to providing academic services to all student-athletes focusing on their transition, retention and graduation. • Academic services is housed in the stateof-the-art Dick and Peg Herman Family Student Life Complex, which is open 120 hours each week and dedicated to academic support.
Eight Huskers earned the Outstanding Scholar Award, which is presented to student-athletes in their final season of eligibility or enrolled in their final hours for graduation and who carry a 3.900 or better GPA. The 2015-16 honorees were Melanie Blum (Track and Field), Michaela Cunningham (Swimming and Diving), Levi Gipson (Track and Field), Lane Hovey (Football), Ryan Irick (Men’s Gymnastics), Katie Kraeutner (Soccer, pictured above), Ethan Lottman (Men’s Gymnastics) and Cody Rush (Track and Field).
In 2015-16, 297 Huskers were honored with a Medallion of Excellence at the academic award ceremony, including 61 gold (3.750 to 4.000 GPA), 84 silver (3.500 to 3.749 GPA) and 152 bronze (3.000 to 3.499 GPA) medallion winners. Senior track and field standout Levi Gipson, who became just the second three-time first-team CoSIDA Academic All-American across all men’s sports, was one of eight Nebraska Outstanding Scholar Award winners. He held a 3.96 GPA as a nutrition, exercise and health science major.
• The complex includes the state-ofthe-art Scott Technology Center that provides access to desktop computers installed with specialized software and “tech tables” for collaborations for class projects. A full-time computer technician and student workers are on hand to assist with any technological issues that student-athletes may encounter. • In addition to the Scott Technology Center, other resources available include the Hewit Academic Center, DJ Sokol Enrichment Center, Abbott Life Skills Center, Papik Compliance Center and Lewis Training Table. All six centers are located within the Dick and Peg Herman Family Student Life Complex. • Scholarships based on the full cost of attendance are provided across all 24 varsity sports at the maximum amount allowed by the NCAA. • Nebraska was the first school in the nation to offer every student-athlete an Apple MacBook Air laptop computer to enhance their learning opportunities. • Nebraska encourages and continues to provide support for scholarship studentathletes to return to UNL at any time to complete their undergraduate degree, as long as the student-athlete left in good academic standing and did not transfer from Nebraska.
In 2015-16, 109 Huskers earned their college degrees, including first-team CoSIDA Academic AllAmerican Cody Rush. The May 2016 graduate posted a 3.93 GPA in nutrition science and was an 11-time track All-American. He earned NCAA and Wayne Duke Postgraduate scholarships worth $17,500 and will attend the UNMC College of Dentistry this fall.
Junior outfielder Ryan Boldt earned his second CoSIDA Academic All-America award in 2016 with a 3.70 GPA as a nutrition science major. Boldt, who helped the Husker baseball team to the NCAA Tournament, was a second-round pick of the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2016 Major League Baseball Draft.
NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
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Life Skills Huskers Reaching Out, Making A Difference Complementing academic support services is Nebraska’s comprehensive Life Skills program, continually recognized as a model of service to prospective, current and former student-athletes. The Department of Athletics provides Life Skills programming for every student-athlete, first to acclimate them to the University of Nebraska, then to promote their total-person development.
Service Trip to The Dominican Republic
At the end of the 2015-16 school year, Husker student-athletes were given the opportunity to participate in the second annual service abroad trip. Twenty student-athletes, one N-Club member and four Husker staff members traveled to the Dominican Republic in May to help local communities by building a sports court, spending time with children and working with a muralist to create a mural on the community center. The motto for the “No Filter” trip was “open your mind, change your view, and leave your mark.” This unique opportunity clearly enhances the cultural competency of our Husker student-athletes and will remain a valuable component of providing our student-athletes with the best student-athlete experience possible. Above: Women’s basketball student-athlete Emily Wood (left) and soccer’s Caroline Flynn (right), the President of the 2015-16 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, traveled to help children in the Dominican Republic. Middle: In the fall of 2015, more than 1,000 attended the annual Husker Heroes outreach at Memorial Stadium, which gives freshmen and transfer student-athletes a chance to serve youth and families with special needs. Far right: The seventh annual Networking Night provided 95 sophomore student-athletes across all sports the opportunity to learn about the art of networking by practicing these skills with Husker alums and area professionals. 8
NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
Leadership Fostering Respect, Acceptance, Unity LIFE SKILLS Support Services:
• Led by Senior Associate Athletic Director Keith Zimmer, six full-time staff members provide programming in individual and team settings to assist with totalperson development of all studentathletes. Areas of emphasis include proactive life skills education, community involvement, career planning, effective communications, healthy relationships, leadership development, alcohol and drug prevention, domestic violence awareness and money management. • All incoming student-athletes are required to complete a zero credit, pass/no pass transition seminar offered in collaboration with the College of Education and Human Sciences. The seminar includes an annual presentation from best-selling author and motivational speaker Jon Gordon, who addresses leadership, teamwork and maximizing talent. • Nebraska Life Skills is committed to helping Husker student-athletes establish a career identity and personal brand through attendance at major Life Skills events, including the Student-Athlete Career and Exploration Fair, Networking Night and Senior Celebration. • The Nebraska Department of Athletics supports a comprehensive community service program, reflected during the 2015-16 academic year with more than 350 individual student-athlete outreach projects totaling nearly 2,500 hours and impacting 25,000 individuals in our Nebraska communities.
Top: A record 65 Husker football players were recognized for outstanding leadership and service on the annual Brook Berringer Citizenship Team. The group was honored on the field at the Red/White Spring Game. Middle Left: In the spring of 2016, eight letterwinner alumni participated in the Post Eligibility Opportunity program, which provides Nebraska student-athletes who graduate and earn a varsity letter a scholarship valued up to $7,500 to use for an internship, study abroad experience or graduate school. Former Husker golfer Ross Dickson was a traveling communications intern with the American Junior Golf Association before being named a communications assistant for the AJGA. Middle Right: Nearly 6,000 middle school students from across Nebraska attended the fourth annual Life Skills Sportsmanship Pep Rally held at the Devaney Center. Students heard inspirational messages from Husker coaches and student-athletes, including cousins Olidapo (left) and Freedom (right) Akinmoladun. Bottom Left: Nebraska Athletics held its first Diversity and Inclusion Summit with the theme of “Respect, Acceptance and Unity” at the start of 2016. All student-athletes and staff enjoyed presentations from Rohan Murphy (pictured), Carlos Andres Gomez, Dr. Eric Lueshen and Nebraska Softball Coach Rhonda Revelle. Bottom Right: The Nebraska football team co-organized the third annual Uplifting Athletes Road Race to raise awareness and funds for pediatric brain cancer. With tremendous support from the Lincoln Track Club, nearly 800 runners participated in the one mile or 5K runs.
• Life Skills leads a department-wide committee that examines postgraduate opportunities. A program that began in December 2015, Husker letterwinner graduates have a three-year window to take advantage of a $7,500 opportunity to: secure an internship; study abroad; or attend graduate school. • The Department of Athletics remains committed to total-person development even after a student-athlete’s graduation. All letterwinners receive lifetime membership in the N-Club, which provides ongoing engagement and connection to Nebraska, events, reunions and ticket offers. • In 2015-16, a record 347 student-athletes were named to the Tom Osborne Citizenship Team for completing at least six service projects, while 35 Huskers earned prestigious Nebraska Student-Athlete HERO Leadership Awards.
NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
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Performance Providing Student-Athletes with Unmatched Support Services Athletic Medicine: Total Care of the Student-Athlete
Every Nebraska student-athlete has an assigned athletic trainer who works to promote optimal health and physical performance. Under the direction of Dr. Lonnie Albers, the dedicated staff members on the Athletic Medicine team provide total care for Nebraska student-athletes across all sports, while managing their orthopedic and medical needs with a team of highly experienced, board-certified orthopedic and sports medicine specialists, including a board-certified family medicine physician.
Support Services
• Nebraska Athletic Medicine services are directed by a full-time boardcertified medical doctor with decades of experience in family practice, one of just a few schools in the country that provides a full-time medical doctor. The Athletic Medicine staff also includes 13 full-time athletic trainers, seven graduate assistant trainers, a full-time, in-house athletic psychologist, and sports psychiatry consultants who work directly with student-athletes. • In addition to the George Sullivan Athletic Training Room located within Memorial Stadium, a fully staffed athletic training room is located in the Hendricks Training Complex/Bob Devaney Sports Center. Auxiliary training rooms are located within almost every venue that Husker student-athletes compete. • To prevent injury and illness, incoming student-athletes receive comprehensive testing at no cost, including a baseline physical, sickle cell test, EKG, hemoglobin, hematocrit, basic metabolic profile and urinalysis testing. • In addition, baseline and follow-up concussion testing are conducted by a team of medical doctors and clinical psychologists. • To facilitate the diagnosis and treatment of injuries, and to ensure convenience, student-athletes have access to an MRI located in East Memorial Stadium in the Center for Brain, Biology and Behavior (CB3). The CB3 is adjacent to the Nebraska Athletic Performance Laboratory. • Medical and orthopedic clinics are conducted on site in the George Sullivan Athletic Training Room in the Osborne Athletic Complex where a digital X-ray unit, a procedures room, and a pharmacy are located. 10
The health and well-being of Husker student-athletes is Nebraska’s number one priority. The five athletic performance departments that help Nebraska reach its goals are Athletic Medicine, Sports Nutrition and the Lewis Training Table, Strength and Conditioning, the Nebraska Athletic Performance Laboratory (NAPL) and Sports Analytics and Data Analysis. Together, these five critical areas form a collaborative performance team that enhances the overall student-athlete experience.
Sports Nutrition & Lewis Training Table: Fueling the Huskers
Nebraska has a tremendous history in sports nutrition and training table services as one of the first institutions to have a full-time nutritionist on staff. Sports dietitians help Husker student-athletes across all 24 varsity sports make healthy choices to incorporate optimal fueling into their daily training routines. Nebraska’s individual nutritional counseling focuses on performance nutrition strategies, hydration, quality food choices and proper supplementation. The Sports Nutrition team also provides team education sessions and offers body composition assessments combined with personalized nutrition plans to help student-athletes reach their full potential.
Nutrition Student-Athlete Support Services
• Nebraska’s three full-time sports dietitians work with the Lewis Training Table manager and executive chef to plan and prepare meals at no cost to student-athletes on scholarship. Meals also are provided at reasonable cost for non-scholarship student-athletes at an NCAA-approved rate. • Lunch and dinner meals are augmented for student-athletes with enhanced snacks, protein shakes and smoothies. • All student-athletes (scholarship and non-scholarship) are offered a morning pre-/post-workout meal during the academic year. Since the summer of 2015, all student-athletes are offered a summer pre- and post-workout meal at the Lewis Training Table. • To help address weekend nutritional needs, Nebraska Athletics created the Husker Bucks Program that allocates funds ($10 on Saturdays and $10 on Sundays) for student-athletes to use for Nebraska sports nutritionist Lindsey Remmers collaborates with the Nebraska Athletic Performance Lab to provide the most snacks at select area restaurants. reliable body composition testing available to student-athletes.
NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
One Goal Health And Well-Being of Husker Student-Athletes Nebraska Athletic Performance Lab: Blazing New Trails
The Nebraska Athletic Performance Laboratory (NAPL) is recognized as the first performance research center within a collegiate department of athletics. The NAPL features a talented multidisciplinary team that includes a full-time director and endocrinology lab director, two research postdoctoral fellows and a research analyst. Located in East Memorial Stadium adjacent to UNL’s Center for Brain, Biology and Behavior (CB3), the NAPL collaborates with Nebraska’s Strength and Conditioning team, Husker Nutrition staff, Nebraska’s Athletic Medicine staff and sports programs to offer the highest level of integration of sport performance technologies and systems.
NAPL Support Services
All 24 of Nebraska’s sports work with the Strength and Conditioning staff to conduct performance testing with the technological resources at the NAPL.
• The NAPL is made up of the Mark and Debra Classen Cardio Area, James and Karen Linder Dynamic Performance Center, Markin Family Collaborative Center, Thayer Family Athletic Research Lab, and state-of-the-art equipment donated by the Suzanne and Walter Scott Foundation. The main entrance for research facilities is located in the Janet and Gerard Keating Family Concourse. • The NAPL is a world-leading research and performance facility focused on the performance enhancement, health, safety and long-term well-being of student-athletes. The NAPL includes simulated athletic environments for studying performance, incorporating a camera system to track human movement in 3D, force plates to measure ground reaction forces, and state-of-theart technology to assess physiological biomarkers, investigate exercise cardiovascular capacity and measure body composition. • With research emerging as a critical major focus area in sport performance, all 24 Husker sports programs conduct performance testing at NAPL. Every performance test record is set using the most advanced technology. Force plates and motion capture videos are used to measure athletes in their development and testing results, to create an athletic performance index for each studentathlete that allows them to compare their performances. • The focus of the Thayer Family Athletic Research Lab is recovery from competition by measuring salivary biomarkers 24 hours prior to and post-competition. Follow-up with coaches and athletes is designed to provide further support to athletic staff and student-athletes from individuals with alternative areas of expertise (exercise physiologists, psychologists) to address issues such as health status, recovery techniques, the meaning of salivary biomarkers within these specific environments, and the interpretation of results. • The NAPL uses iDexa as a state-of-the-art method to analyze body composition and has continued using it as a more accurate and reliable method to measure body composition. The iDexa helps Husker leaders provide student-athletes with another piece to their performance puzzle, and in turn help student-athletes reach their maximum potential. • Nebraska also has created a Director of Strength and Conditioning Research position, assisting both the NAPL and the Husker Strength and Conditioning staff. The position was created to increase collaboration and to multiply the opportunities for innovative solutions that improve performance. • NAPL focuses on student-athlete performance and health, and is collaborating with CB3 on projects that focus on concussion prevention, diagnosis, treatment and return to play.
Sports Analytics & Data Analysis
The Sports Analytics Department began in July of 2015. The department, believed to be the first of its kind in college athletics, is responsible for working with coaches, staff and other members of Nebraska’s 24 varsity sports to collect, analyze and summarize data to enhance performance and provide solutions. Projects range from opponent and self-scouting, to decision-making and strategy, to recruiting and identification of conference or national trends. In addition to working with the Husker sports programs, the analytics department also works with other departments within Nebraska Athletics, including Business, Ticketing, Academics, Strength and Conditioning and the NAPL among others. The Director of Sports Analytics and Data Analysis and staff work to improve individual studentathlete and team performance through the analysis of data provided by various teams and departments within Athletics. The applications of the analysis assist in injury prevention, strength testing, academic performance and competitive performance.
Strength & Conditioning: Still at The Forefront
Since 1969, Nebraska Athletics has reinforced its sterling reputation of innovation in strength and conditioning. Nebraska was the first NCAA school to have a paid strength and conditioning coach, the first to lift weights in-season, the first to hold an official summer conditioning class for student-athletes and the first to offer a degree for strength coaching. The National Strength and Conditioning Association was founded at Nebraska and has since become the nation’s largest strength and conditioning research association.
SUPPORT SERVICES
• Fourteen full-time strength and conditioning coaches work with studentathletes to achieve maximum performance potential and to prevent injuries. • All student-athletes have access to the most advanced strength equipment and training atmospheres possible in modern facilities that span three locations: The Ndamukong Suh Strength and Conditioning Center in the Myers Performance Center in Memorial Stadium; the Alloy Strength Complex in the Hawks Championship Center, which is connected to Memorial Stadium; and the Hendricks Training Complex adjacent to the Bob Devaney Sports Center. • Certified strength and conditioning coaches create training programs for student-athletes based on biomechanical and metabolically sound science and best practices. • Two 10-station Husker circuit lanes in the Hawks Strength Complex have been transformed into ground-based stations where student-athletes have their feet on the ground when they train just like when they compete. • The top 10 percent of Performance Index scorers for each team are invited to do a Squat Test. Squat Index points generated from the Husker Power Athlete-of-the-Year competition are added to the Performance Index to determine the highest Combined Index. The student-athlete with the highest Combined Index for each sport is awarded the Husker Power Athlete-of-the-Year Award. The Squat Test has been selected because of its value in building muscle and improving performance.
NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
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NEBRASKA
Volleyball Volleyball Graduates Cecilia Hall, Linkoping, Sweden, Biochemistry Alicia Ostrander, Gordon, Neb., Political Science
National Honors
All-Americans Mikaela Foecke, Freshman, Outside Hitter (Honorable Mention/NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player) Kelly Hunter, Sophomore, Setter (Honorable Mention/NCAA AllTournament) Amber Rolfzen, Junior, Outside Hitter (Second Team/NCAA All-Tournament) Kadie Rolfzen, Junior, Outside Hitter (First Team/NCAA All-Tournament) Justine Wong-Orantes, Junior, Libero (Third Team/NCAA All-Tournament/ Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year) *Note: Graduates listed within each sport summary include all current and former student-athletes who graduated in August of 2015, December of 2015, or May of 2016.
Nebraska Captures Fourth NCAA Volleyball Title in School History
Nebraska volleyball provided the Huskers with their 27th national title across all sports by capturing its fourth NCAA championship since 1995. The Huskers exploded for 16 consecutive victories to end the season, including a 3-0 win over No. 3 Texas in front of an NCAA-record crowd of 17,561 in the championship match at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha. Nebraska, which recorded first- and second-round NCAA Tournament wins over Harvard and Wichita State at the Devaney Center, added victories over No. 11 BYU and No. 1 Washington at the Lexington (Ky.) Regional to advance to Omaha. In the NCAA semifinals, the Huskers rolled to a 3-1 win over No. 9 Kansas.
Nebraska volleyball’s student section helped Coach John Cook celebrate his 600th career win after the Huskers defeated Pittsburgh at the Devaney Center on Aug. 29, 2015.
Nebraska, which finished with a 32-4 overall record that included a 17-3 Big Ten mark to finish second in the final conference standings, swept Penn State during the regular season, including a 3-2 win at then-No. 1 PSU on Oct. 2., and a 3-0 sweep to cap the regular season at a sold-out Devaney Center on Nov. 28. The win came in front of Nebraska’s 204th consecutive sellout crowd for volleyball, while the Huskers capped the season with an NCAA-record average home attendance of 8,206 fans per match.
Nebraska volleyball won the Life Skills Team Award of Excellence as the Husker program across all women’s sports that showed the highest commitment to community service in 2015-16. 12
NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
Nebraska volleyball continued to lead the nation in attendance, averaging a school-record 8,206 per match in 18 home matches at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in 2015.
2015 ncaa
champions
Coach John Cook (far left) led Nebraska to its fourth NCAA volleyball title in school history by rolling to a 3-0 win over No. 3 Texas in the NCAA Championship match at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha on Dec. 19, 2015. The Huskers closed the 2015 campaign with 16 straight victories, including seven over top-20 teams. For the season, the Huskers won 11 matches against top-25 foes, including victories away from home over then-No. 1 Penn State (Oct. 2) and then-No. 1 Washington (Dec. 12).
NEBRASKA
Beach Volleyball
Huskers Play First Home Beach Match to Open Solid First NCAA Season
Nebraska opened the 2016 beach volleyball season by playing the first home match in school history against Missouri Baptist on March 9 at the Hawks Championship Center. The No. 12 Huskers cruised to a 5-0 win. The Big Red ended their 17-day season with a 5-5 record that included wins over Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine. Nebraska chose not to compete in the first NCAA Championship competition in the sport. The eight-team tournament was won by No. 1 USC over No. 2 Florida State in Gulf Shores, Ala., on May 8. NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
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NEBRASKA
FOOTBALL Football Graduates
Mauro Bondi, Boca Raton, Fla., Criminology & Criminal Justice Tyson Broekemeier, Aurora, Neb., Business Administration Sam Burtch, Murdock, Neb., Communication Studies Byerson Cockrell, Columbus, Miss., Sociology Daniel Davie, Beatrice, Neb., Criminology & Criminal Justice Sam Foltz, Greeley, Neb., Agronomy Jack Gangwish, Wood River, Neb., Agricultural Economics Lane Hovey, Adel, Iowa, Finance Charles Jackson, Spring, Texas, Ethnic Studies Joe Keels, Kenosha, Wis., Sociology Paul Kelly, Davie, Fla., Applied Science Chongo Kondolo, Carrollton, Texas, Sociology Alex Lewis, Tempe, Ariz., Sociology Spencer Lindsay, Kearney, Neb., History Chris Long, Blair, Neb., Child, Youth & Family Studies Eric Martin, Moreno Valley, Calif., Sociology Greg McMullen, Akron, Ohio Criminology & Criminal Justice Ryne Reeves, Crete, Neb., Economics Anthony Ridder, West Point, Neb., Psychology Zach Sterup, Hastings, Neb., Economics/Finance David Sutton, Lincoln, Neb., Management/Marketing Paul Thurston, Arvada, Colo., Broadcasting Vincent Valentine, Edwardsville, Ill., Sociology
National Honors
2016 NFL Draft Picks Maliek Collins, DT, Kansas City, Mo. 3rd Round, Dallas Cowboys Vincent Valentine, DT, Edwardsville, Ill. 3rd Round, New England Patriots Alex Lewis, OL, Tempe, Ariz. 4th Round, Baltimore Ravens Andy Janovich, FB, Gretna, Neb. 6th Round, Denver Broncos
Jordan Westerkamp hauled in 65 receptions for 918 yards as a junior. An All-Big Ten pick from Lombard, Ill., Westerkamp ranks fourth in school history with 1,948 receiving yards. 14
Armstrong Leads Huskers to Bowl Win To Begin Riley Coaching Era
Junior quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. (pictured above) accounted for 250 total yards to claim Offensive MVP honors in Nebraska’s 37-29 win over UCLA in the Foster Farms Bowl. The Huskers rushed for a season-high 326 yards to notch their third win in the final four games of 2015, starting with a 39-38 victory over No. 6 Michigan State at Memorial Stadium. Nebraska concluded its first season under Coach Mike Riley with a 6-7 record and a 3-5 conference mark. NU’s first three Big Ten losses were by a combined five points. Nebraska stretched its NCAA-record sellout streak to 347 games, ranking 11th nationally with 89,998 fans per game. Armstrong (Cibolo, Texas) led the Huskers with 3,030 passing yards and 22 touchdowns, while adding 400 rushing yards and seven more scores on the season. He became the first Nebraska player to produce a pair of 3,000-yard total-offense seasons. He enters his senior year ranked No. 2 in Nebraska history with 7,998 total yards, 6,691 passing yards and 53 touchdowns passes.
Stanley Morgan Jr. (New Orleans, La.) emerged as a talented receiver. NU’s Newcomer of the Year was a member of the 2015 BTN All-Freshman Team.
NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
Nebraska’s 2015 leader in tackles (79) and interceptions (4), safety Nate Gerry (Sioux Falls, S.D.) will lead the Blackshirts in 2016.
The 2015 Eddleman-Fields Big Ten Punter of the Year, Sam Foltz passed away in a tragic car accident on July 23, 2016.
NEBRASKA
BOWLING Bowling Graduates April Campbell, Bellevue, Neb., Accounting
National Honors
NCAA Championship All-Tournament Julia Bond, Sophomore, Aurora, Ill. Gazmine Mason, Junior, Cranston, R.I. All-Americans Julia Bond, Sophomore (First Team) Gazmine Mason, Junior (Third Team) Briana Zabierek, Junior (Honorable Mention)
Nebraska advanced to its fourth consecutive NCAA championship match in 2016, taking runner-up honors. Since women’s bowling became a varsity sport at Nebraska in the fall of 1997, the Huskers have won seven national titles, including five of the first 13 NCAA crowns (2004, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2015). Legendary coach Bill Straub (pictured above back right) has guided the Huskers to 10 national titles since the club program claimed its first crown in 1991.
Huskers Claim 12th Top-Three NCAA Finish in Last 13 Years
Coach Bill Straub and the Huskers advanced to the NCAA Championship match for the fourth consecutive season, finishing runner-up in 2016. Nebraska, which has captured five NCAA titles, notched its 12th top-three national finish in the first 13 years of NCAA women’s bowling. The Huskers entered the NCAA Tournament ranked No. 1 and advanced to face Stephen F. Austin in a rematch of last year’s title series. The Huskers suffered a narrow 4-3 defeat to the Lumberjacks in North Brunswick, N.J., on April 16. Sophomore Julia Bond (Aurora, Ill.) earned first-team National Tenpin Coaches (NTCA) AllAmerica honors. Junior Gazmine Mason (Cranston, R.I.) added third-team NTCA All-America honors, while junior Briana Zabierek (Lockport, Ill.) contributed honorable-mention All-America accolades.
Bethany Hedley (left) and Briana Zabierek were both Academic AllNTCA, Academic All-Big Ten and Tom Osborne Citizenship Team members in 2016, while Zabierek added honorable-mention AllAmerica recognition for the Huskers.
Gazmine Mason earned third-team NTCA AllAmerica honors for the second straight season in 2016. The junior from Cranston, R.I., also claimed a spot on the NCAA All-Tournament Team.
Julia Bond captured first-team All-America honors as a sophomore for the Huskers in 2016, after being named the Most Outstanding Bowler of the 2015 NCAA Championships. Bond, a twotime All-American, has led Nebraska to the national championship match in each of her first two seasons as a Husker, including the 2015 NCAA title. NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
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NEBRASKA WOMEN’S
BASKETBALL Women’s Basketball Graduates
Tear’a Laudermill, Moreno Valley, Calif., Criminology & Criminal Justice Rachel Theriot, Middleburg Heights, Ohio Child, Youth & Family Studies
National Honors Jessica Shepard, Fr., Forward Naismith Midseason Top 30 Big Ten Freshman of the Year
nEBRASKA eNTERs nEW eRA WITH fORMER hUSKER wILLIAMS AS cOACH
Nebraska ushered in a new era in women’s basketball with the hiring of former Husker Amy Williams as the 10th head coach in program history in April of 2016. Williams, who was a four-year letterwinner as a Husker (1995-98), was a two-time Summit League Coach of the Year in four seasons at South Dakota. Williams guided the Coyotes to the Summit League Tournament title game in all four of her years in Vermillion, capping her final season at USD with 32 victories and the WNIT Postseason championship. Rachel Theriot earned her bachelor’s degree from Nebraska in May of 2016 to continue the women’s basketball program’s perfect Graduation Success Rate. An All-American in 2014, Theriot had her second straight season cut short by injury in 2015-16.
Nebraska finished with an 18-13 record and a 9-9 Big Ten mark. The Huskers, who tied for seventh in the Big Ten, earned their 12th postseason trip in 13 years with a berth in the WNIT. The Huskers, who featured first-team All-Big Ten forward and Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Year Jessica Shepard (Fremont, Neb.) ranked 12th nationally in average home attendance (5,404) in their third season at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Jessica Shepard (Fremont, Neb.) was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year after leading Nebraska with 18.5 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. The best statistical season by a Husker freshman in history included 35 points and 20 rebounds in a win at Michigan and 29 points and 19 boards in a win over Illinois. Shepard had 26 points to help the Huskers defeat No. 17 Michigan State in front of 8,338 fans at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Feb. 14.
Maddie Simon (Lincoln, Neb.) is expected to join fellow Nebraska Gatorade High School Player of the Year Jessica Shepard in forming the nucleus of the future for the Husker women’s basketball program. Simon, a Lincoln Pius X graduate, overcame multiple injuries to start five games as a true freshman for the Huskers in 2015-16.
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NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
NEBRASKA MEN’S
BASKETBALL Men’s Basketball Graduates
Moses (Ayegba) Abraham, Kano, Nigeria, MBA Shavon Shields, Olathe, Kan., Biological Sciences Leslee Smith, Longlook, British Virgin Islands, Sociology Andrew White, Richmond, Va., Sociology
National Honors
CoSIDA Academic All-American Shavon Shields, Senior, Forward, (First Team)
Academic All-American Shields Named Male Student-Athlete of Year
The Nebraska men’s basketball program continued to grow on and off the court in the fourth season under Coach Tim Miles. Shavon Shields (pictured above celebrating NU’s 72-71 win at No. 11 Michigan State) earned first-team CoSIDA Academic All-America honors for the second time while becoming the first men’s basketball player in history to be named Nebraska’s Male Student-Athlete of the Year. Shields was also the first Husker on the Allstate NABC Good Works Team. The senior from Olathe, Kan., earned second-team All-Big Ten honors by averaging 16.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. As a team, Nebraska finished with a three-game improvement in the win column, closing the year with a 16-18 record and a 6-12 Big Ten mark. The conference sent seven teams to the NCAA Tournament, while the Huskers finished 11th in the Big Ten and added a pair of conference tournament wins. In their third season at Pinnacle Bank Arena, the Huskers ranked 11th nationally with 15,430 fans per game, while the Big Ten led the nation in conference-wide attendance for the 40th consecutive season.
Tai Webster (Auckland, New Zealand) ranked third in scoring (10.1 ppg) and fourth in rebounding (4.1 rpg) while leading the Huskers with 46 steals as a junior in 2015-16.
Nebraska men’s and women’s basketball continued to be two of the top attractions in the nation at Pinnacle Bank Arena. The Husker men finished 11th nationally with 15,430 fans per game, while the women ranked 12th nationally with 5,404 fans per contest in the third season at Lincoln’s downtown arena.
Glynn Watson Jr. (Bellwood, Ill.) emerged as a talented young guard for the Huskers, averaging 8.6 points and a team-best total of 83 assists as a freshman in 2015-16.
NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
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NEBRASKA
SOFTBALL Softball Graduates
Emily Lockman, Corona, Calif., Psychology
National Honors
All-Americans MJ Knighten, Junior, Third Base (First Team) Kiki Stokes, Senior, Outfielder (Third Team) CoSIDA Academic All-American Mattie Fowler, Senior, First Base (First Team)
Junior MJ Knighten (Buena Park, Calif.) produced the best season of her Husker career with team bests of 21 home runs, 60 RBIs and 64 runs scored in 2016. Knighten hit .376 on the season with a team-best .794 slugging percentage. The first-team NFCA All-America third baseman also matched Kiki Stokes with a .509 on-base percentage.
Nebraska Female Student-Athlete-of-the-Year Mattie Fowler was the 30th CoSIDA Academic All-American in Husker softball history in 2016. The senior from Tucson, Ariz., was a secondteam NFCA All-Midwest Region selection.
Huskers Capture 20th NCAA Tournament Bid in Last 22 Seasons
Hall of Fame Coach Rhonda Revelle led Nebraska to its 20th NCAA Tournament appearance in the past 22 years, guiding the Huskers to a 35-21 record that included a 13-9 Big Ten mark to finish fifth in the final regular-season standings. Nebraska notched NCAA Tournament wins over Louisville and BYU to advance to the regional final in Columbia, Mo., finishing among the top 32 teams in the nation. The Huskers ranked among national attendance leaders with a school-record 1,006 fans per game. Senior outfielder Kiki Stokes (Olathe, Kan.) captured NFCA All-America honors for the second straight season, while junior third baseman MJ Knighten (Buena Park, Calif.) added the first All-America award of her career. Stokes and Knighten were joined on the NFCA All-Midwest Region team by junior Cassie McClure (Kingwood, Texas) and senior Mattie Fowler (Tucson, Ariz.). The 2016 Nebraska Female Student-Athlete of the Year, Fowler added first-team CoSIDA Academic All-America honors. The fourtime Nebraska team captain earned the Big Ten Medal of Honor and earned a Nebraska Life Skills Heart & Soul Award for her outstanding commitment to community service.
Kiki Stokes claimed NFCA All-America honors for the second straight season. The senior outfielder from Olathe, Kan., produced a career-best .409 batting average to go along with seven homers and 12 doubles from her lead-off spot. She also stole 20 bases. 18
Bowlin Stadium continued to provide the Nebraska softball team with one of the nation’s best home-field advantages in 2016. The Huskers ranked among the top-15 teams in the nation with a school-record 1,006 fans per game, including a school-record crowd of 2,302 for a 4-1 win over No. 1 Michigan on April 9, 2016.
NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
NEBRASKA
BASEBALL Baseball Graduates
Austin Darby, Colorado Springs, Colo., Nutrition, Exercise & Health Science Taylor Fish, Kearney, Neb., Mathematics Blake Headley, Omaha, Neb., Criminology & Criminal Justice Travis Huber, West Jordan, Utah, Communication Studies Kyle Kubat, Waterloo, Neb., Nutrition Science Michael Pritchard, Omaha, Neb., Criminology & Criminal Justice Josh Roeder, Plano, Texas, Management Chance Sinclair, Spring Hill, Kan., Business Administration
National Honors
All-American Scott Schreiber, Sophomore, Infielder (Honorable Mention) CoSIDA Academic All-American Ryan Boldt, Junior, Outfielder (Third Team)
Sophomore Scott Schreiber (Menasha, Wis.) earned honorable-mention All-America honors from Perfect Game/ Rawlings after claiming a first-team All-Big Ten award for the Huskers. Schreiber, who was also an Academic All-Big Ten choice, led Nebraska with 16 homers and 55 RBIs while ranking second on the team with a .325 batting average.
Husker Baseball Captures NCAA Tournament Bid In 2016
The Nebraska baseball team returned to the NCAA Tournament in 2016, after playing its way to a second-place finish in the Big Ten Conference regular-season standings. The Huskers, who are led by former Major League Baseball All-Star, World Series champion and Gold Glove winner Darin Erstad, finished with a 37-22 overall record that included a 16-8 Big Ten mark. Nebraska closed a 27-game home schedule with an impressive 21-6 mark at Hawks Field while playing in front of 5,222 fans per game, which ranked No. 8 nationally in average home attendance. Sophomore first baseman Scott Schreiber (Menasha, Wis.) led the Huskers by capturing honorablemention All-America accolades. One of seven NU All-Big Ten honorees, Schreiber claimed a firstteam award by leading the Big Red with a Big Ten-best 16 homers. Junior outfielder Ryan Boldt (Red Wing, Minn.) added second-team All-Big Ten honors while earning his second straight third-team CoSIDA Academic All-America award. Boldt was joined on the All-Big Ten second team by senior infielder Steven Reveles (Santa Barbara, Calif.) and reliever Chad Luensmann (Altoona, Pa.), who added Freshman All-America honors. Luensmann, who posted a staff-best 1.18 ERA with 13 saves, joined starter Matt Waldron (Omaha, Neb.) as a Big Ten All-Freshman pick. Sophomore outfielder Jake Meyers (Omaha, Neb.) and junior DH Ben Miller (Clive, Iowa) added third-team All-Big Ten honors.
Ryan Boldt was a second-round pick of Tampa Bay in the 2016 Major League Draft. A two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American, Boldt was NU’s highest draft pick since Joba Chamberlain (2006).
Nebraska ranked No. 8 nationally by averaging 5,222 fans per game at Hawks Field in 2016. Over the past two seasons, Nebraska’s baseball attendance has increased by more than 70 percent at Hawks Field.
Sophomore Jake Meyers (Omaha, Neb.) led Nebraska at the plate and on the mound in 2016. Meyers produced a team-leading .326 batting average and a team-best six triples. He also led the Big Red starting pitchers with a sparkling 1.42 ERA on his way to a 6-1 record. Meyers held opponents to a .210 batting average.
NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
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NEBRASKA
Wrestling Wrestling Graduates
Anthony Abidin, Dix Hills, N.Y., Sociology Eric Coufal, Howells, Neb., Agribusiness Tyrell Galloway, Omaha, Neb., Electrical Engineering James Green, Willingboro, N.J., Sociology Robert Kokesh, Wagner, S.D., Agronomy Austin Wilson, Hastings, Neb., Biological Sciences
NATIONAL HONORS
All-Americans TJ Dudley, Junior, 184 Pounds (Second) Eric Montoya, Junior, 133 Pounds (Fifth) Austin Wilson, Senior, 165 Pounds (Seventh)
TJ Dudley captured Nebraska Male Athlete-of-the-Year honors across all sports after earning a runner-up finish at 184 pounds at the 2016 NCAA Championships. The junior from Irmo, S.C., earned his second career All-America award while helping Coach Mark Manning’s Huskers to an eighth-place team finish at the NCAA Championships.
Dudley Helps Huskers to 20th Top-10 NCAA Team Finish in History
Coach Mark Manning guided the Nebraska wrestling program to its 20th top-10 NCAA team finish while producing a trio of All-Americans in 2015-16. The Huskers, who finished eighth at the 2016 NCAA Championships in New York City, notched their second straight top-10 finish and best team performance since taking fourth at the national championships in 2009. In a loaded Big Ten that featured six of the top 10 teams at the NCAA Championships, Nebraska rolled to an 11-6 overall dual record that included a 5-4 Big Ten mark to tie for fifth in the conference standings.
Austin Wilson earned his bachelor’s degree from Nebraska in May of 2016, after capturing All-America honors at 165 pounds for the Huskers at the 2016 NCAA Championships. Wilson was also a three-time NWCA Academic Team member for the Huskers, who ranked 21st nationally among all wrestling teams with a 3.128 combined GPA in 2015-16.
In 16 seasons at the helm of the Huskers, Manning has led wrestlers to 42 All-America awards, including three in 2016. Junior TJ Dudley (184, Irmo, S.C.) earned his second All-America award with his runnerup finish. Fellow junior Eric Montoya (133, Albuquerque, N.M.) captured the first All-America award of his career with a fifth-place showing. Senior Austin Wilson (165, Hastings, Neb.) added a seventhplace finish for the first All-America award of his career. Four other Huskers, including seniors Anthony Abidin (141, Dix Hills, N.Y.), and Jake Sueflohn (149, Watertown, Wis.), redshirt freshman Tyler Berger (157, Prineville, Ore.) and junior Aaron Studebaker (197, Raymond, Neb.) advanced to the round of 12 at the NCAA Championships.
Mark Manning led Nebraska to its 14th top-16 NCAA finish in his 16 seasons as the Husker head coach in 2016. Nebraska’s eighth-place NCAA finish in 2016 was its sixth top-eight showing in Manning’s Husker career. Manning was also selected as a U.S. Olympic Freestyle coach for the 2016 Rio Games. 20
NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
Junior Eric Montoya captured All-America honors with his fifth-place finish at 133 pounds at the 2016 NCAA Championships. Montoya was one of four Huskers to earn spots on the NWCA Academic Team for his performance in the classroom.
NEBRASKA
SWIMMING & DIVING Swimming & Diving Graduates
Taryn Collura, Phoenix, Ariz. Psychology/Film Studies Michaela Cunningham, Severna Park, Md. Biological Sciences/Mathematics Kelly Dunn, Winfield, Ill., Marketing Jacqueline Juffer, Wagner, S.D., Economics Natalie Morris, Lenexa, Kan., Elementary & Special Education (K-6) Katt Sickle, Grain Valley, Mo., Elementary Education Krista Van Wie, Grand Island, Neb., Psychology Savannah Wagner, New York, N.Y., Nutrition
National Honors
All-Americans Anna Filipcic, Junior, One Meter Dive (Honorable Mention)
All-American Filipcic Leads Huskers to Best NCAA Finish Since 2006
Anna Filipcic captured honorable-mention All-America accolades with a 10th-place finish in the one-meter dive at the 2016 NCAA Championships. The junior from Omaha, Neb., became the first Husker to earn All-America honors since Lauren Bailey in 2006. Filipcic also powered the Huskers to their best NCAA team finish (39th) since 2006 (36th). Filipcic, who earned second-team All-Big Ten honors as the Big Ten runner-up in the one meter, also set a school record in the three-meter dive during the regular season. She finished 47th at the NCAA Championships in the three meter. As a team, Nebraska finished ninth among 13 teams at the Big Ten Championships. NU’s 411.5 points were its most since joining the conference in 2011-12. The 2015-16 Huskers went 5-3 in duals and won the Big Challenge in Topeka, Kan., Nov. 20-22. Coach Pablo Morales completed his 15th season, leading the Huskers to success in the pool, the classroom and the community. Morales, who was an 11-time NCAA champion, five-time Olympic medalist, and a member of the CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame, emphasizes the overall student-athlete experience. In the classroom, the Huskers captured the Herman Team GPA Award (pictured top) across all women’s sports for the second consecutive season. The team posted a 3.581 combined grade-point average. Individually, Michaela Cunningham (Severna Park, Md.) earned one of eight Outstanding Scholar awards among all Husker student-athletes, while Lindsay Helferich (Odessa, Texas), Erin Oeltjen (Omaha, Neb.) and Krista Van Wie (Grand Island, Neb.) demonstrated the program’s commitment to community service by claiming prestigious Nebraska Student-Athlete HERO Leadership awards. The swimming and diving program won four consecutive Life Skills Team awards from 2011 to 2014.
Anna Filipcic (Omaha, Neb.) earned All-America honors with her 10th-place finish in the onemeter dive at the 2016 NCAA Championships.
Alexandra Bilunas (pictured left) was one of six Huskers to earn spots in the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha. The senior from Omaha was joined by Husker teammates Taryn Collura (Phoenix, Ariz.), Jordan Ehly (Las Cruces, N.M.), Erin Oeltjen (Omaha, Neb.), Morgan McCafferty (Reynoldsburg, Ohio) and Katt Sickle (Grain Valley, Mo.) at the Trials. Collura (pictured far right) was also one of seven Huskers to earn their bachelor’s degrees in 2015-16, joining Sickle, Michaela Cunningham (Severna Park, Md.), Kelly Dunn (Winfield, Ill.), Jacqueline Juffer (Wagner, S.D.) and Krista Van Wie (Grand Island, Neb.).
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NEBRASKA MEN’S
GYMNASTICS Men’s Gymnastics Graduates
Ryan Irick, Wichita, Kan., Nutrition Science Ethan Lottman, Gretna, Neb., Art Josh Ungar, Longmeadow, Mass., Nutrition Science
National Honors
All-American Austin Epperson, Junior, Floor Exercise (First Team) Sam Chamberlain, Senior, Parallel Bars (First Team) Ethan Lottman, Senior, Pommel Horse (First Team/Nissen-Emery Finalist) Anton Stephenson, Freshman, Parallel Bars (First Team)
Husker Gymnasts Land Top NCAA Finish Since 1999
Led by seniors Ryan Irick, Ethan Lottman and Sam Chamberlain (pictured above from left) Nebraska captured its best national finish since 1999, when the Huskers took seventh at the 2016 NCAA Championships in Columbus, Ohio. The Huskers, who claimed their fifth top-10 NCAA Championships finish in seven seasons under Coach Chuck Chmelka, have made 14 consecutive NCAA appearances. The Big Red, who ranked No. 2 nationally in average home attendance with 1,830 fans per contest in 2016, have finished among the nation’s top-10 teams 11 times during that span.
A two-time All-American on pommel horse and a CoSIDA Academic All-American in the classroom, Ethan Lottman (above) earned his bachelor’s degree from Nebraska in May of 2016. Fellow senior Sam Chamberlain (below) earned his second career All-America award on parallel bars at the 2016 NCAA Championships.
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Lottman (Gretna, Neb.) led four Husker All-Americans at the NCAA Championships by taking third on pommel horse. A Nissen-Emery Award Finalist, Lottman was one of four Huskers across all sports to earn a Heart & Soul Award for outstanding contributions to community service, and joined Irick as two of Nebraska’s eight Outstanding Scholar Award winners across all sports. Chamberlain (Franklin, Ohio) added the second NCAA All-America award of his career by taking third on parallel bars. Junior Austin Epperson (Allen, Texas, pictured below middle) finished fifth on floor exercise to earn his first All-America honor, while freshman Anton Stephenson (Fishers, Ind., pictured below right) added an All-America award by finishing seventh on parallel bars. Nebraska, which finished sixth at the 2016 Big Ten Championships, competes in the nation’s premier conference for men’s gymnastics. Seven Big Ten teams advanced to the 12-team NCAA Championships.
NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
NEBRASKA WOMEN’S
GYMNASTICS Women’s Gymnastics Graduates
Desire’ Stephens, Omaha, Neb., Advertising & Public Relations Jessie DeZiel, Rogers, Minn. Nutrition, Exercise & Health Science
NATIONAL HONORS
All-Americans Hollie Blanske, Senior, Vault (First Team) All-Around (Second Team) Floor (Second Team)
The Nebraska women’s gymnastics team (front row, from left): Catelyn Orel, Kelli Chung, Megan Schweihofer, Grace Williams; (middle row, from left): Danielle Breen, Madison McConkey, Hollie Blanske, Ashley Lambert; (back row, from left): Kami Shows, Jennie Laeng, Sienna Crouse and Megan Kuo finished eighth at the 2016 NCAA Championships.
Huskers Claim Third Straight Top 10 National Finish
Coach Dan Kendig led the Nebraska women’s gymnastics team to its 24th NCAA Championship appearance, and Hollie Blanske powered NU’s individual hardware haul with three All-America awards in 2016. Nebraska claimed its 32nd consecutive postseason appearance and 18th straight under Kendig. The Huskers finished eighth overall at nationals, just missing a trip to the NCAA Super Six. Nebraska was the conference runner-up while hosting the 2016 Big Ten Championships at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. NU finished second at the 2016 NCAA Iowa City Regional. Nebraska also ranked 15th nationally by averaging 2,412 fans per home event. Blanske, a senior from Oak Grove, Minn., earned first-team All-America honors with a third-place finish on vault. She added second-team All-America accolades with 12th-place finishes in the allaround and on floor exercise in 2016. A first-team All-Big Ten pick, Blanske was the Big Ten champion on vault and Iowa City Regional co-champion on floor. Blanske closed her career as a six-time AllAmerican. Sophomore Grace Williams (Linden, Mich.) was also a Big Ten and regional co-champion on balance beam. Junior Jennie Laeng (West Middlesex, Pa.), sophomore Danielle Breen (Ames, Iowa) and freshman Sienna Crouse (Fargo, N.D.) also earned spots on the Big Ten All-Championship teams.
Hollie Blanske (Oak Grove, Minn.) earned three All-America honors as a senior, including a third-place finish on vault at the 2016 NCAA Championships. Blanske closed her career as a six-time All-American for the Huskers.
Jessie DeZiel (Rogers, Minn.) earned her bachelor’s degree from Nebraska in May of 2016. The nine-time All-American was Nebraska’s Female Student-Athlete of the Year in 2015.
Sophomore Grace Williams (Linden, Mich.) was the Big Ten and NCAA Iowa City Regional co-champion on balance beam in 2016. The first-team All-Big Ten selection was a member of the Big Ten All-Championship Team on both beam and bars. She also claimed academic All-Big Ten honors in 2016.
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NEBRASKA
SOCCER Soccer Graduates
Samantha Areman, Firth, Neb., Marketing Hannah Dittmar, Gretna, Neb., Nutrition, Exercise & Health Science Jourden Casey, Omaha, Neb. Advertising & Public Relations Mayme Conroy, Omaha, Neb. Child, Youth & Family Studies Jaylyn Odermann, Gretna, Neb., Communication Studies Ari Romero, Plano, Texas, Business Administration
National Honors
2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup Ari Romero, 2013 Senior, Defender (Mexico) Selenia Iachelli, 2008 Senior, Midfielder (Canada) Karina LeBlanc, 2000 Senior, Goalkeeper (Canada) U.S. Under-23 National Team Member Jaycie Johnson, Junior, Forward
Huskers Grow in First Season at Hibner Soccer Stadium
Nebraska ushered in a new era in women’s soccer with the opening of Dr. Barbara Hibner Stadium in 2015. The Huskers, who played their first season at the first soccer-only, on-campus stadium in the 22-year history of the program, averaged 1,381 fans per game at Hibner Stadium - the secondbest average home attendance in school history. The Big Red also enjoyed a solid season on its new home field, finishing No. 44 in the final NCAA RPI, while just missing an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament. The Huskers finished with an 8-7-2 record and 4-5-2 Big Ten mark to tie for ninth in the conference. Penn State finished No. 1 in the RPI and claimed the NCAA title, while Rutgers finished third in the RPI and advanced to the NCAA semifinals, losing only to the Nittany Lions. Ohio State, which lost to Penn State in the NCAA Sweet 16, Minnesota and Northwestern gave all five qualifying Big Ten teams first-round NCAA Tournament wins. Coach John Walker, who has led the Big Red to 11 NCAA Tournament bids and 10 conference titles since being named Nebraska’s first coach in 1994, owns 298 career victories.
Defender Jaylyn Odermann (pictured above) earned second-team All-Big Ten honors in 2015. The senior from Gretna, Neb., also earned a Nebraska Student-Athlete HERO Leadership Award before earning her bachelor’s degree in May of 2016. U.S. Under-23 National Team member Jaycie Johnson (pictured top of page) scored three goals in Nebraska’s first nine games of 2015, before suffering a season-ending knee injury in a tie against eventual national champion Penn State. The junior from Lake Winnebago, Mo., who earned second-team All-Big Ten and second-team NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region honors as a unanimous selection to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in 2013, is expected to be a leader for the Huskers as a senior in 2016. 24
In its first season at Dr. Barbara Hibner Soccer Stadium, Nebraska finished No. 13 nationally in home attendance with 1,381 fans per game, including 2,746 fans against North Carolina on Sept. 11. An extremely young Husker team finished No. 44 nationally in the RPI despite having just two seniors on its 26-player roster in 2015.
NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
NEBRASKA
RIFLE Rifle Graduates
Kelsey Hansen, Minot, N.D., Biological Sciences Alex Lorentz, Anchorage, Alaska, Political Science/Sociology Marissa Major, Arvada, Colo. Global Studies Denise Martin, Chewelah, Wash. Business Administration Lauren Phillips, Seabeck, Wash. Child, Youth & Family Studies
National Honors
All-Americans Rachel Martin, Junior (Second Team, Smallbore) (Honorable Mention, Combined) Denise Martin, Senior (Second Team, Smallbore) Rachel Martin (Peralta, N.M.) led Nebraska to its fourth consecutive top eight NCAA finish in 2016. The 2015 NCAA smallbore champion, Martin is a four-time NRA All-American.
HUSKERS PRODUCE Fourth Consecutive Top Eight NCAA Finish
Nebraska finished eighth at the 2016 NCAA Championships to claim the second consecutive top-eight national finish for second-year coach Ashley Rose-MacAllister. The Huskers, who made their fourth consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships in 2016, earned their 12th all-time appearance to the NCAA Championships since rifle became a varsity sport at Nebraska in 1998-99. Junior Rachel Martin (Peralta, N.M.) earned second-team All-America honors in smallbore and was an honorable-mention selection in the combined. Martin was the NCAA smallbore champion in 2015 and will enter her senior year with seven combined NRA and CRCA All-America awards under her belt. She was also a Great America Rifle Conference Scholar-Athlete and Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner in 2016. Denise Martin (Chewelah, Wash.) added a second-team All-America award of her own in smallbore to cap an outstanding Husker career that featured four combined CRCA and NRA All-America honors. Senior Marissa Major (Arvada, Colo.) earned a prestigious Nebraska Student-Athlete HERO Leadership Award for her commitment to community service. Alexandrea Lorentz (Anchorage, Alaska) earned her second straight Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award.
Denise Martin (Chewelah, Wash.) wrapped up an outstanding Nebraska career by earning her third NRA All-America award in 2016. A strong performer in the classroom and the community as well, Martin was one of four members of the Nebraska rifle program to earn her bachelor’s degree in 2015-16.
Hannah Virga (Chandler, Ariz.) set the NU record for highest air rifle score (594) by a freshman against West Virginia on Oct. 11, 2015.
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NEBRASKA MEN’S & WOMEN’S
TRACK & FIELD Women’s Track and Field/ Cross Country Graduates Paula Andrie, Gillette, Wyo. Biological Systems Engineering Melanie Blum, Wahoo, Neb., Forensic Science Marusa Cernjul, Celje, Slovenia, Nutrition, Exercise & Health Science Chantal Duncan, Kingston, Jamaica, Ethnic Studies Hannah Edwards, Whittier, Calif. Nutrition, Exercise & Health Science Ellie Ewere, Hillsborough, N.J., History Tess Keller, Sparta, N.J., Psychology Breunna McCarty, Omaha, Neb., Criminology & Criminal Justice Tess Merrill, Grand Island, Neb., Finance/Management Madelyn Osmundson, Overland Park, Kan. Speech-Language Pathologist Siera Rohde, Ansley, Neb., Animal Science Tristen Sharp, South Sioux City, Neb., Special Education (7-12) Katie Smith, Kearney, Neb., Psychology Morgan Woitzel, Omaha, Neb., Child, Youth & Family Studies
Men’s Track and Field/ Cross Country Graduates
Jacob Bender, Naperville, Ill., Finance Nolan Border, Lincoln, Neb., Nutrition Science Craig Driver, Minden, Neb., Ethnic Studies Guy Fenske, Sargent, Neb., Nutrition, Exercise & Health Science Connor Gibson, Blair, Neb., Social Science Education Ricco Hall, Kentwood, Mich., Psychology London Hawk, South Holland, Ill., Child, Youth & Family Studies Jake Pinion, Blair, Neb., Marketing Cody Rush, Grand Island, Neb., Nutrition Science Sam Shaw, Aurora, Neb., Communication Studies Beau Simmons, Aurora, Neb., Agronomy Mitchell Westberry, Omaha, Neb., Nutrition, Exercise & Health Science Chad Wright, Kingston, Jamaica, Mathematics
National Honors
NCAA Champion Nick Percy, Sophomore, Discus Academic All-Americans Levi Gipson, Senior, Sprints (First Team) Cody Rush, Senior, Sprints (First Team) NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships Levi Gipson, Senior, Lincoln, Neb. Cody Rush, Senior, Grand Island, Neb. Wayne Duke Postgraduate Scholarship Cody Rush, Senior, Grand Island, Neb. Big Ten Postgraduate Scholarships Levi Gipson, Senior, Lincoln, Neb. Melanie Blum, Senior, Wahoo, Neb.
All-Americans (Women) Reka Czuth, Sophomore, High Jump First Team, Outdoor Second Team, Indoor Sarah Firestone, Junior, Javelin Second Team, Outdoor Tierra Williams, Junior, Triple Jump First Team, Indoor & Outdoor Second Team, Indoor (Long Jump) Brittni Wolczyk, Freshman, Javelin Second Team, Outdoor
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The Nebraska men’s track and field team captured the 2016 Big Ten Conference indoor championship in Geneva, Ohio, before completing its first sweep of the Big Ten crowns by winning the outdoor title on its home track at Ed Weir Stadium. It was Nebraska’s first sweep of the men’s conference team titles since 2004.
Husker Men Claim First Conference Title Sweep Since 2004
Coach Gary Pepin led the Nebraska men’s track and field program to a sweep of the Big Ten Conference Indoor and Outdoor Championships before finishing 10th at the 2016 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore. Overall, 19 Husker men’s and women’s track and field athletes captured a total of 24 first- or secondteam All-America honors, led by 2016 NCAA Champion Nick Percy (Ventnor, England). The sophomore claimed his first NCAA title in the discus with a throw of 201-0. Percy also claimed the Big Ten title in the discus to help the Huskers complete the conference team sweep at Ed Weir Track. Sprinter Oladapo Akinmoladun, a senior from Grandview, Mo., earned a first-team All-America award indoors in the 60-meter hurdles, while sophomore Kaiwan Culmer (Nassau, Bahamas) added a firstteam All-America certificate in the outdoor triple jump. Sophomore Sam Bransby (Naperville, Ill.), senior Levi Gipson (Lincoln, Neb.), senior Cody Rush (Grand Island, Neb.) and junior Tanner Townsend (Castle Rock, Colo.) teamed to win first-team All-America honors for the Big Red in the 4x400-meter relay outdoors. On the women’s side, junior Tierra Williams (Auburn, Neb.) was the only Husker athlete across all sports to be a two-time first-team All-American in 2016. Williams claimed first-team honors in triple jump both indoors and outdoors. Sophomore Reka Czuth (Pecs, Hungary) added firstteam honors in the indoor high jump. The Huskers also continued to set high standards in the classroom. Levi Gipson and Cody Rush gave the Husker men’s track and field program two first-team CoSIDA Academic All-Americans for the second consecutive season. Gipson became just the second three-time first-team CoSIDA Academic All-American across all men’s sports in Husker history. A seven-time All-American on the track, Gipson also earned NCAA and Big Ten Postgraduate scholarships each worth $7,500. Rush earned his second CoSIDA Academic All-America award, after completing his career on the track as an 11-time AllAmerican. Rush added major awards with an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship ($7,500) and a Wayne Duke Postgraduate Scholarship ($10,000). Overall, the men’s and women’s track and field programs have combined for a nation-leading 43 CoSIDA Academic All-America awards since 2002.
NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
All-Americans (Men)
Junior Tierra Williams (Auburn, Neb.) earned first-team All-America honors in the triple jump both indoors and outdoors in 2016. Williams, a four-time All-American in her career, also swept the Big Ten Conference indoor and outdoor titles in both the triple jump and the long jump in 2016.
Oladapo Akinmoladun, Senior, 60 Hurdles First Team, Indoor Oliver Alexandre, Freshman, 4x400 Second Team, Indoor Grant Anderson, Sophomore, High Jump Second Team, Outdoor Landon Bartel, Sophomore, High Jump Second Team, Indoor Sam Bransby, Sophomore, 4x400 First Team, Outdoor Kaiwan Culmer, Sophomore, Triple Jump First Team, Outdoor Levi Gipson, Senior, 4x400 First Team, Outdoor Second Team, Indoor Mate Koroknai, Junior, 4x400 Second Team, Indoor Andy Neal, Sophomore, 4x400 Second Team, Indoor Nick Percy, Sophomore, Discus First Team, Outdoor Sean Pille, Senior, 400 Hurdles Second Team, Outdoor Cody Rush, Senior, 4x400 First Team, Outdoor Second Team, Outdoor (400) Tanner Townsend, Junior, 4x400 First Team, Outdoor Cody Walton, Sophomore, Decathlon Second Team, Outdoor
Nebraska’s 4x400-meter relay team (pictured far left, featuring clockwise from top left, Levi Gipson, Cody Rush, Sam Bransby and Tanner Townsend) earned first-team outdoor All-America honors after winning the Big Ten title. Oladapo Akinmoladun (pictured middle) claimed first-team All-America honors in the 60-meter hurdles indoors. Reka Czuth (pictured right) earned first-team All-America accolades in the outdoor high jump after winning the Big Ten title.
NEBRASKA MEN’S & WOMEN’S
CROSS COUNTRY
Huskers Show Significant Gains at NCAA Midwest Regional Meets
In his fourth season leading the Nebraska men’s and women’s cross country programs, Coach David Harris helped the men’s program to a 12th-place finish at the NCAA Midwest Regional. The men improved eight spots from their 2014 regional finish, behind a 45th-place showing from sophomore Austin Post (Omaha, Neb., pictured right). It was the second-best individual finish by a Husker male athlete at regionals in the last four years. The women improved seven positions in the final standings with a 22nd-place regional finish in 2015. Sophomore Bonnie Smith (Omaha, Neb., pictured far right) led the Big Red by taking 77th individually. The men added an 11th-place finish at the Big Ten Championships behind a 47th-place showing from junior Peter Spinks (Layton, N.J.). The women managed 13th at the conference meet that included a 72nd-place finish from sophomore Katrina Santiago (Miami, Fla.).
NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
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NEBRASKA MEN’S
GOLF
Men’s Golf Graduates
Brandon Crick, McCook, Neb., Sociology Calvin Freeman, Table Rock, Neb., History Cameron Palmer, Gilbert, Ariz., Finance Ross Dickson, London, England Advertising/Public Relations
Young Huskers Building for Future
Calvin Freeman (Table Rock, Neb.) earned his bachelor’s degree in history from Nebraska. Freeman, who was Nebraska’s top golfer as a senior in 2014-15, was a member of the 2016 Tom Osborne Citizenship Team and traveled to the Dominican Republic for Nebraska’s second annual service trip abroad in May 2016.
An extremely young Nebraska men’s golf team produced six top-10 finishes in 11 tournaments during the 2015-16 season. The Huskers, who featured five freshmen and newcomer Michael Colgate, finished 13th at the 14-team Big Ten Championships at Victoria National Golf Club in Newburgh, Ind. Colgate, a junior from Sarasota, Fla., by way of Nebraska-Kearney, led the Big Red with a 74.29 stroke average on the year. Coach Bill Spangler will enter his 16th season leading the Nebraska men’s golf program in 2016-17. A former Husker student-athlete and assistant coach, Spangler has been a part of the Husker golf program for more than 30 years.
Michael Colgate (Sarasota, Fla.) captured four top-20 individual tournament finishes in his first season with the Huskers in 2015-16. Colgate also led Nebraska with a 74.29 stroke average as one of just three Huskers to compete in all 31 rounds for the Big Red on the year. 28
NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
Freshman Sean Song (Omaha, Neb.) was one of three Huskers to start every tournament in 2015-16. His 77.16 stroke average ranked third on the team.
NEBRASKA WOMEN’S
GOLF
Women’s Golf Graduates Cassie Deeg, Hugo, Minn., Marketing Morgan Smejkal, Columbus, Neb., Marketing/Management Cassidy Stelzmiller, Placerville, Calif., Accounting
Seniors Lead Huskers On Course, In Classroom, In Community
Nebraska’s senior trio (from left) of Morgan Smejkal, Cassidy Stelzmiller and Cassie Deeg led the Huskers in 2015-16. NU set a school record with a 302.00 season stroke average while finishing 13th at the Big Ten Championships at The Fort Golf Resort in Indianapolis. Deeg (Hugo, Minn.) led the Huskers with a 75.38 stroke average to finish second in school history with a 76.31 career average. Deeg tied for 50th at the Big Ten Championships. Stelzmiller (Placerville, Calif.) led the Huskers with a tie for 25th at the Big Ten Championships, while finishing with a 76.97 average on the year. Smejkal (Columbus, Neb.) added a 75.75 stroke average while tying for 54th at the conference tournament. Coach Robin Krapfl enters her 30th season as Nebraska’s head coach in 2016-17. She has led 11 teams to NCAA Regionals, producing two NCAA All-Americans and 23 all-conference honorees.
Sophomore Audrey Judd (Olathe, Kan.) competed in all 32 rounds in 2015-16, while earning spots on the Academic All-Big Ten and Tom Osborne Citizenship teams.
Cassidy Stelzmiller (Placerville, Calif.) was a standout on the course, in the classroom and the community for the Huskers as a senior in 2015-16. Stelzmiller tied for 25th to lead Nebraska at the Big Ten Championships, after earning her bachelor’s degree as an accounting major from Nebraska in December.
Haley Thiele (Wahoo, Neb.) produced the best stroke average (75.63) by a freshman in school history in 2015-16. Thiele’s 209 (67-69-73) at the Las Vegas Collegiate Showdown in October also tied the best three-round tournament score in Nebraska history. Thiele tied for 39th at the 2016 Big Ten Championships. NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
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NEBRASKA MEN’S
TENNIS men’s Tennis Graduates Dusty Boyer, Ham Lake, Minn., Communication Studies Andrew Dzulynsky, Miramar, Fla., Criminology & Criminal Justice
Boyer Earns Third All-Big Ten Award to Fuel Huskers
A three-time All-Big Ten selection on the court and in the classroom, Dusty Boyer (Ham Lake, Minn.) earned his bachelor’s degree as a communication studies major in May of 2016. Boyer finished his Nebraska career with 156 combined singles and doubles victories .
Coach Kerry McDermott completed his 36th season at the helm of the men’s tennis program in 201516, helping Nebraska to a 14-13 record that included a 4-7 Big Ten mark. The Huskers, who tied for eighth in the Big Ten, added a Big Ten Tournament first-round win. Nebraska was ranked among the top-75 teams in the ITA rankings in March. The Huskers played 17 matches against ITA top-75 teams, including five matches against top-25 foes. In the classroom, the squad claimed Nebraska’s Herman Team GPA Award (pictured above) for the second straight season and the eighth time since 1997. Individually, Dusty Boyer captured first-team All-Big Ten honors at No. 1 singles for the third consecutive season. The senior from Ham Lake, Minn., finished with an 18-5 spring singles record, while teaming with his younger brother, Toby, for a 17-3 doubles mark. Dusty Boyer was ranked as high as No. 80 nationally in the ITA singles rankings late in the season.
The Sid and Hazel Dillon Tennis Center provided a positive change in atmosphere for student-athletes and fans alike in 2015-16. In the first season at the new world-class tennis facility near Nebraska’s Innovation Campus, the Huskers played in front of record crowds. The magnificently lit indoor courts provide Husker student-athletes with everything they need to train and compete, while providing fans ample seating and outstanding amenities. 30
NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
Toby Boyer (Ham Lake, Minn.) was one of the top young players in the Big Ten Conference in 2015-16. He joined his older brother, Dusty, in capturing the Big Ten Indoor Doubles title in the fall of 2015, before adding a runner-up finish in singles.
NEBRASKA WOMEN’S
TENNIS Women’s Tennis Graduates
Maggy Lehmicke, Kirkland, Wash., Journalism Lauren Wagner, Roslyn Heights, N.Y., Marketing Izabella Zgierska, Miesbach, Germany Business Administration
Huskers Continue Rise in First Season at Dillon Tennis Center
Scott Jacobson completed his 25th season as the Nebraska women’s tennis head coach by leading the program in its first season at the Sid and Hazel Dillon Tennis Center. A two-time conference coach of the year, Jacobson guided the Huskers to a 17-8 overall record that included a 4-7 Big Ten mark. Senior Maggy Lehmicke (pictured above) helped Nebraska open 17-2 and climb as high as No. 69 in the national rankings in March. But the Huskers suffered six straight April losses, including four to ranked Big Ten foes. NU tied for 10th in the 14-team Big Ten, but did not qualify for the 10-team conference tournament. The Big Red finished with a 16-3 record at the Dillon Tennis Center. The facility, which includes six championship indoor courts, 12 lighted outdoor courts and overall seating for 1,400, gave the Huskers the luxury of opening the season with 13 consecutive home matches.
Vasanti Shinde enjoyed a record-breaking first season with the Nebraska women’s tennis team. The strong young player from Pune, India, finished with 33 combined singles (15) and doubles (18) victories in the spring of 2016.
A three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, Lauren Wagner (Roslyn Heights, N.Y.) earned her bachelor’s degree in marketing from Nebraska in May of 2016. Wagner was a fouryear contributor on the court and a member of the 2016 Tom Osborne Citizenship Team.
The Sid and Hazel Dillon Tennis Center became the permanent home on campus of Nebraska men’s and women’s tennis in 2015-16. The world-class competitive and training facility features six indoor courts and 12 lighted outdoor courts with a combined total of 1,400 seats for spectators and additional room to view all matches. Nebraska’s locker rooms and team meeting rooms are just steps away from the courts and new athletic medicine areas. NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
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Finances self-sustaining program gives back nebraska athletics mission statement
The mission of the University of Nebraska Department of Athletics is to serve our student-athletes, coaches, staff and fans by:
Department of Athletics Expenses by Stakeholder July 1, 2015-June 30, 2016
•Displaying INTEGRITY in every decision and action •Building and maintaining TRUST with others •Giving RESPECT to each person we encounter •Pursuing unity TEAMWORK
of
purpose
through
•Maintaining LOYALTY to student-athletes, coworkers, fans and the University of Nebraska No debt services expenses in FY2016.
As a direct result of continued support from season ticket holders and donors, Nebraska is well-positioned to continue its mission of recruiting and educating the best and brightest student-athletes in intercollegiate athletics. Nebraska is a leader in providing all the resources and support necessary for its student-athletes to become successful, and will continue to strategically invest in its student-athletes. Nebraska Athletics once again operated with a positive net margin without receiving any university subsidies or state tax dollars. Husker Athletics contributes approximately $20 million to UNL annually, including almost $15 million spent with campus partners purchasing goods and services such as tuition, housing, utilities, printing, security services and band support. In fact, the Chronicle of Higher Education identified Nebraska as one of 10 athletic departments that gives more money back to the school than is received in subsidies. Nebraska Athletics also provides $256.6 million in annual economic impact to the Lincoln Metropolitan Area, according to a 2014 study.
Benefits Enhance the Nebraska Student-Athlete Experience
Nebraska Athletics is one of the few self-sustaining intercollegiate athletic programs in the country. In the 2015-16 fiscal year, Nebraska drew more than 1.3 million fans across all sports through the gates of our world-class facilities. This incredible interest and support enables Nebraska Athletics to invest in the student-athlete experience, as well as the overall gameday experience. Academically and athletically, Nebraska facilities rank among the best in the Big Ten Conference and across the nation. Last summer, Nebraska opened the doors to a state-ofthe-art women’s soccer stadium and indoor/outdoor men’s and women’s tennis complex. Despite completing new facilities, Nebraska had no debt payments for any athletic facilities in 2015-16, a rarity in today’s operation of intercollegiate athletic programs. In August of 2014, the NCAA Division I Board of Directors restructured the way member institutions and conferences, including the Big Ten, govern themselves. Nebraska has a history and tradition like no other of providing first-class benefits and support to student-athletes. This change in governance, and subsequent legislation, has paved the way for Nebraska to enhance the benefits and experiences for student-athletes. A few examples of these enhanced benefits are:
• All scholarship student-athletes across all sports have their scholarship calculated based on the full cost of attendance. • Every student-athlete was offered an Apple MacBook Air to enhance learning opportunities. • Nebraska has increased resources and support in all academic and performance-related areas, including but not limited to Academic Services, Life Skills, Athletic Medicine, Athletic Training, Strength and Conditioning, Nutrition and Dining Services (Training Table). • Nebraska created the first-known Post-Eligibility Opportunity program, where every student-athlete who has graduated and exhausted their athletic eligibility, will be provided assistance to pursue an internship, participate in a study abroad program or attend graduate school. • In 2016, Nebraska implemented the first in-house travel agency with industry leader Anthony Travel. • Nebraska has organized service trips abroad, giving 15-20 student-athletes opportunities to experience different cultures while assisting communities in Guatemala (2015) and the Dominican Republic (2016).
Department of Athletics Annual Revenues July 1, 2015-June 30, 2016
Football student-athlete Stanley Morgan Jr. put his Apple MacBook Air laptop to good use in the Dick and Peg Herman Family Student Life Complex in 2015-16. 32
All figures are approximated pending completion of the annual external audit.
NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
SAM FOLTZ
(January 21, 1994 - July 23, 2016) Son, Student, Athlete, Teammate, Friend, Hero, Husker 2015 Eddleman-Fields Big Ten Punter of the Year May 2016 Nebraska Graduate (Agronomy) NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT
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Nebraska Athletics 2015-16 Annual Report 2016 Big Ten Conference Men’s Indoor and Outdoor Champions
Hollie Blanske All-American Women’s Gymnastics
Ryan Boldt Academic All-American Baseball
Ethan Lottman All-American Men’s Gymnastics MJ Knighten All-American Softball
Tierra Williams All-American, Triple Jump
Thank You to the Greatest Fans in College Sports 4
NEBRASKA ATHLETICS: 2015-16 ANNUAL REPORT