2001 Husker Power Athlete of the Year

Lincoln -- The male and female 2001 Husker Power Athletes of the Year Awards were presented at a banquet held April 11, 2001 at the Performance Buffet. This year, Nebraska Athletics honored the accomplishments of 16 athletes who were chosen as their teams' Lifters of the Year. These athletes have worked hard all year long and have shown the greatest improvement on their team in strength and conditioning. They come from as far away as Norway and as close as Waverly, Nebraska. Of these 16 admirable athletes, only one female and one male are chosen as the Husker Power Athlete of the Year.

The winner of the female 2000 Husker Power Athlete of the Year Award is Laura Pilakowski. Pilakowski is a sophomore advertising major from Columbus, Nebraska, and the 2001 Volleyball Lifter of the Year. Pilakowski holds seven of nine possible Performance records for volleyball including the Performance Index (2232 points), the 10-yard dash (1.79 seconds) and points (484 points), the 40-yard dash (5.32 seconds) and points (613 points) and the vertical jump (27") and points (630 points). In one year, Pilakowski improved her Performance Index by over 600 points and her vertical jump by 3.5". Pilakowski is not only a phenomenal athlete and an All-American, but she is a person who works hard and gives 100% in every drill or exercise. She leads by example and just "gets it done."

The winner of the male 2000 Husker Power Athlete of the Year Award Todd Beckerman. Beckerman is a senior human resource/family consumer science major from Crofton, Maryland, and is the 2001 Wrestling Lifter of the Year. A two-time All-American, Beckerman has developed steadily in the weight room and, in turn, has reaped the rewards on the wrestling mat. Beckerman was a Big XII Champion in 2001 and runner-up in 2000. He placed fourth in the 133-pound weight class at the 2001 National Championships and fifth in 2000. A four-time letter winner, Beckerman's success on the mat inspired him to work hard in the weight room and to get stronger in the off-season. Beckerman displayed great dedication in the weight room, doing whatever was asked of him, whether it was doing shoulder super sets or a short, intense cardiovascular workout. Working out 3-4 times a week both in the in-season and off-season, Beckerman remained focused in the weight room, despite a coaching staff transition.