Huskers Honor 10th Annual Berringer Citizenship Team

Lincoln - The Nebraska Athletic Department has announced that 11 members of the 2005 Husker football team have been named to the 10th annual Brook Berringer Citizenship Team.

The Brook Berringer Citizenship Team was established by the Husker football program in honor of former Nebraska quarterback Brook Berringer, who died in a plane crash in April of 1996. Berringer was a member of NU’s back-to-back national championship teams in 1994 and 1995. He was also one of the most dedicated Husker volunteers in the community with youth, both in Nebraska and in his hometown of Goodland, Kan. The team honors players who display a similar love and dedication for volunteering in the community.

The 2006 Brook Berringer Citizenship Team members will be recognized on the field during pre-game ceremonies at Saturday’s annual Red-White Spring Game. Assistant Athletic Director for Student Life Keith Zimmer will be assisted in the presentation of the awards by former Husker and Brook Berringer Citizenship Team member Curt Tomasevicz. A member of the 2003 Berringer Citizenship Team, Tomasevicz was part of the United States Bobsled Team at the 2006 Winter Olympics. 

This year’s Berringer Citizenship Team is headlined by six repeat honorees on the Brook Berringer Citizenship Team. Fullback Dane Todd, who will be a senior for the 2006 Huskers, is making his fourth appearance on the team, while four other Huskers were named to the team for the second straight year. The two-time honorees include senior offensive linemen Greg Austin and Kurt Mann, junior place-kicker Eric Lueshen, sophomore place-kicker Jake Wesch and 2005 senior offensive lineman Brandon Koch, who was an honorable-mention selection to the team in 2003.

Five Nebraska players have been named to the team for the first time in their careers. The first-time honorees include senior quarterback Zac Taylor, junior cornerback Cortney Grixby, junior I-back Brandon Jackson, junior fullback Matt Senske and sophomore punter Dan Titchener.

Coach Bill Callahan has again made a commitment to the Husker football team giving back to the community. The football program is one of the leading contenders for Nebraska's Team Life Skills Award, which will be presented at the annual Student-Athlete Academic Banquet on Sunday, April 23. The football team won the award in 2005.

In addition to hundreds of individual community outreach activities, the Huskers have had several team Life Skills events, including visiting Lincoln area hospitals last fall and the Omaha Veteran’s Administration and Omaha Children’s Hospital this winter. Taylor and Grixby are among the Nebraska student-athletes who will take part in the "School is Cool" Jam on Monday, April 17 at LincolnSouthwestHigh School. 

2006 Brook Berringer Citizenship Team
Name                           Pos.     Hometown                               Years on Team
Greg Austin                   OL        Cypress, Texas                         2005, 2006
Cortney Grixby              CB        Omaha, Neb.                             2006
Brandon Jackson           IB         Horn Lake, Miss.                       2006
Brandon Koch                OL        Gothenburg, Neb.                       2003 (HM), 2006
Eric Lueshen                 PK        Pierce, Neb.                              2005, 2006
Kurt Mann                     C          Grand Island, Neb.                    2005, 2006
Matt Senske                  FB        Bellevue, Neb.                           2006
Zac Taylor                     QB       Norman, Okla.                           2006
Dan Titchener                P          Cheyenne, Wyo.                        2006
Dane Todd                     FB        Lincoln, Neb.                            2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
Jake Wesch                  PK        NorthBend, Neb.                       2005, 2006