Hupp Earns Nebraska Hero Award

Lincoln - Junior Alex Hupp captured one of Nebraska's top individual Life Skills awards on Monday, when she was honored at the third annual Hero Leadership Recognition Breakfast at Memorial Stadium.

Hupp, a native of Olathe, Kan., has seen action as both a pitcher and a hitter this season for the Huskers. She is hitting .226 this year with three doubles, one home run and eight RBIs in 31 at bats. In the circle, Hupp has only thrown 15.2 innings, but she has posted a 2-0 record with a 0.89 ERA. Opponents are hitting just .173 against her.

Away from the field, Hupp is a two-time selection to the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll and is under consideration for academic All-Big 12 honors this spring.

The Life Skills Hero Awards honor Nebraska student-athletes across all teams who demonstrate outstanding leadership and citizenship while becoming role models in the process. NU student-athletes contributed more than 3,300 hours of community service in 2008. 

Hupp was one of the 30 Husker student-athletes honored for their individual contributions to Nebraska's outreach efforts on Monday, including track and field and cross country student-athlete Betsy Miller, who earned the Gerard Scholarship of Excellence. The award represents Nebraska’s highest individual honor in its nationally prominent Life Skills program.

Miller, a senior from Lodgepole, Neb., is the second winner of the Gerard Scholarship, which is Nebraska's top individual Life Skills award and includes a scholarship for postgraduate study made possibly by Ivan Gerard of Omaha.