Nebraska Athletic Department to Unveil the West Stadium Hall of Distinction on Thursday

Lincoln -- The University of Nebraska Athletic Department will unveil the West Stadium Hall of Distinction on Thursday, Sept. 2 at 3 p.m. Open to the public, the ribbon-cutting ceremony will celebrate the completion of a beautiful display that honors every Husker letterwinner who has graduated.

The ceremony will take place in the Hall of Distinction, which is located just outside of the Hewit and Boekel Academic Center, in the southwest end of Memorial Stadium. The Hall of Distinction also recognizes those student-athletes who have earned academic honors.

Media representatives are welcome to attend the ceremony. Assisting with the ribbon cutting are former student-athletes who represent graduates whose names appear on the columns. Dr. Pat Clare, a former Husker football player and current team orthopedic physician, will represent the first academic All-America class, while former women's basketball standout Karen Jennings, represents several multiple academic All-Americans, earning the honors in 1991, 1992 and 1993. Clare earned first-team academic All-America honors in 1960, and is one of 109 first-teamers to be so honored. Approximately 10 other student-athletes will be on hand to represent men’s and women’s sports. Athletic Director Steve Pederson, Associate Athletic Director for Academic Programs and Student Service Dennis Leblanc, UNL Faculty Athletics Representative Josephine Potuto, UNL Dean of Admissions Alan Cerveney will join the athletes in cutting a ribbon on Thursday. Each of the participants will be available to visit with the media, following the ceremony.

Nebraska leads the nation in academic All-Americans with 217, first-, second-, and third-team honorees from all sports. The University also boasts a 91 percent graduation rate among those student-athletes who have completed their eligibility.

"This display honors every one of our 4,500-plus graduates," Leblanc said. "We are so proud of what our student-athletes have accomplished. Every day as our current teams walk by this display, they will be reminded of what is most important here at Nebraska, and that is getting a great education and earning their degree."

Following the short ceremony, the NU academic staff will host an open house in the Hewit and Boekel Academic Center. After Thursday, the Hall of Distinction will be open to the public Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and on Husker football game days, beginning four hours prior to kickoff and closing two hours before gametime.