Ground-Breaking Kicks Off Building Process

Lincoln ? More than 1,000 people were on hand for Tuesday’s ground-breaking ceremony for the Tom and Nancy Osborne Athletic Complex and Memorial Stadium Expansion projects.

Those in attendance were treated to music from the University of Nebraska Pep Band, a HuskerVision video on the history of Nebraska football and honorary speakers.

Congressman and former Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne was the featured speaker before the ceremonial turning of the soil. The Huskers’ new indoor facility is named in honor of Osborne and his wife Nancy. Osborne, who won 255 games in 25 years as NU’s head coach, was honored to attend Tuesday’s ceremony.

“I appreciate this kind gesture on Nancy and mine’s behalf,” Osborne said. “A big part of the success of Nebraska football has been the fans. If you don’t have the fan support that we’ve had, things are certainly going to go down hill.

“I want to thank the fans and everyone that’s been involved with this. It’s a real honor for Nancy and I to be here today.”

Head football coach Bill Callahan, along with student-athletes Brandon Teamer (football) and Dani Mancuso (volleyball) were also speakers at the event.

“Coach Osborne has a longstanding reputation for always putting the student-athlete first and this project is no different,” Callahan said. “The task of teaching our student-athletes and providing them all the necessary tools to be successful is really what brought me back to college football.”

Athletic Director Steve Pederson, Chancellor Harvey Perlman and University President J.B. Milliken, along with Don Blank, chairman of the Nebraska Board of Regents, also spoke at the event.

The expansion of Memorial Stadium and the construction of the Tom and Nancy Osborne Athletic Complex will give Nebraska the most innovative facilities in the country. The indoor fieldhouse, which will be connected to the Athletic Complex, will be completed in February 2004.

The Osborne Complex and Memorial Stadium expansion, which will bring the stadium’s capacity to more than 80,000, will be finished in 2006.

Before going back to work on the project, Sampson Construction’s President John Sampson took part in the ground-breaking festivities.