Larry Jacobson
Football, 2021
Larry Jacobson helped lay the foundation for the winning tradition of Nebraska football, as the Cornhuskers posted a 33-2-1 record in his three seasons with three conference titles and two national championships. A three-year letterwinner, Jacobson was a member of Nebraska’s first two national championship teams, helping the Huskers to back-to-back titles in 1970 and 1971. He left his mark as a senior in 1971, totaling 73 tackles as a defensive lineman with several individual accomplishments that have since become synonymous with Husker football. A consensus first-team All-American, Jacobson was the first player in program history to win a major national award when he won the 1971 Outland Trophy. He was the first of Nebraska’s NCAA-leading nine Outland Trophy winners. In addition to his play on the field, Jacobson was also a first-team Academic All-American as a senior, contributing to Nebraska’s nation-leading total of football Academic All-Americans. Following his Husker career, Jacobson was a first-round pick in the 1972 NFL Draft, and he went on to play four years in the NFL. Jacobson graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1972, and his No. 75 jersey was retired in 1994.
Peaches James
Softball, 2018
Peaches James was a dominant pitcher during one of the most successful eras in Nebraska softball history. James was a two-time finalist for the USA Softball Collegiate Player-of-the-Year Award in her four seasons. During her career, Nebraska won two Big 12 regular-season championships and one tournament title, finished with a top-15 ranking every season and posted two top-10 national finishes, including a fifth-place showing at the 2002 Women's College World Series. A four-time team MVP, James was a key force behind Husker teams that won 149 games in her four seasons, the most victories in a four-year stretch in program history. James accounted for 98 of those wins, compiling a 98-38 career record with a 1.19 ERA. She ended her career with a school-record 945 strikeouts and still holds the Nebraska record with 44 career shutouts. James ranks either first or second on seven of Nebraska's 10 all-time pitching charts, and her 1.19 career ERA ranks fifth and is easily the lowest mark by a Husker since the NCAA increased the pitching distance from 40 to 43 feet in 1988. The first pitcher in Big 12 history to be a four-time first-team all-conference honoree, James was named a finalist for national player of the year as both a sophomore and a senior. In her senior season, James posted a 37-9 record and a 0.70 ERA, setting school records for strikeouts (394) and shutouts (18). James was named the 2004 Big 12 Player of the Year and Big 12 Tournament MVP while leading the Huskers to a sweep of the Big 12 regular-season and tournament titles. James was also a productive hitter, totaling 124 career hits, 63 runs, 16 doubles, 14 homers and 76 RBIs. James graduated with her degree in sociology in 2005. Her No. 42 jersey was retired by Nebraska in 2010. Following her Husker career, James pitched for four seasons in the National Pro Fastpitch league and was an all-star in her rookie season.
Karen Jennings
Women's Basketball, 2015
Karen Jennings was one of the top student-athletes in the history of collegiate women's basketball. As a senior in 1993, Jennings was recognized as the nation's best women's basketball player and the sport's top student-athlete. She won the 1993 Margaret Wade Trophy, presented to the nation's outstanding player and was also the CoSIDA Women's Basketball Academic All-American of the Year that same season. Jennings earned All-America honors in each of her final two seasons. In the classroom, Jennings is the only Husker women's basketball player to be honored as the CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year, and she is one of only four student-athletes in the history of Nebraska Athletics to be a three-time, first-team Academic All-America honoree. In addition to being a three-time first-team CoSIDA Academic All-American, Jennings was twice recognized as the sport's Academic All-American of the Year. In 2008, Jennings became the only female student-athlete at Nebraska to be enshrined in the CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame. A two-time Big Eight Conference Player of the Year, Jennings was also a three-time, first-team all-conference selection and the 1993 Big Eight Female Athlete of the Year. She finished her career with 2,405 points and 1,000 rebounds, including a school-record 48 points vs. Kansas State on Jan. 21, 1992. Jennings is the all-time leading scorer in the history of Nebraska women's basketball, and she was the first Husker to total 2,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds. Jennings helped the Huskers to the first NCAA Tournament win in school history against San Diego on March 17, 1993. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Education with a major in health, physical education and recreation studies from the University of Nebraska in 1993.
Scott Johnson
Men's Gymnastics, 2017
One of the most decorated men's gymnasts in American history, Scott Johnson began his legendary career in Lincoln from 1980 to 1983. At Nebraska, Johnson was a member of four national championship teams in addition to winning three individual NCAA titles and capturing 11 All-America awards. A five-time Big Eight champion, Johnson was recognized as an All-American in five of the six events at the NCAA Championships. As a freshman, Johnson finished as the national runner-up on the vault, before finishing second on the still rings and sixth on the high bar as a sophomore. As a junior, Johnson finished third at the NCAA Championships on the floor exercise and sixth in the all-around. He then played the leading role in Nebraska's fourth straight national title as a senior in 1983. Johnson won the NCAA title on the high bar, parallel bars and floor exercise as a senior, while finishing second in the all-around. He also claimed All-America honors on the still rings (second) and vault (fourth) at the 1983 NCAA Championships. Following his distinguished Husker career, Johnson helped Team USA win its first Olympic Gold Medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Games. A two-time Olympian who also represented the United States at the 1988 Olympics, Johnson was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 2006 as a member of the 1984 Gold-Medal winning team. A native of Colorado Springs, Colo., Johnson was also inducted into the U.S. Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1999.
Steven Jung
Men's Tennis, 2015
Steven Jung is the only All-American and the only CoSIDA Academic All-American in the history of the Nebraska men's tennis program. Jung earned All-America accolades as a senior in 1989, and he was a first-team Academic All-America selection that same season. Jung finished as the runner-up at the 1989 NCAA Singles Championship. He was a two-time NCAA Singles Championship qualifier, and teamed with his brother Stuart to qualify for the 1989 NCAA Doubles Championship. Jung won 114 matches in his career, the only Husker to record 100 victories. Jung also owns the No. 1 and No. 2 spots on Nebraska's all-time season wins chart, including the only 40-win season in program history in 1989 when he won 44 matches. Jung earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska in 1989 with a major in finance.