There Is No Place Like Nebraska

The lyrics were written and the music was arranged 85 years ago, but they ring as true today as they did in 1924 when Nebraska graduate Harry Pecha came up with “There Is No Place Like Nebraska.”

It is, of course, the fight song for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, but it is also a lifestyle for thousands of past and current student-athletes who embrace their experiences in Lincoln like few others do nation-wide.

Husker student-athletes relish their Nebraska experiences because so many other thoughts pop into their minds when they hear how they all “stick together in all kinds of weather for dear old Nebraska U,” just like the song says.

They think about such words as integrity and focus . . . motivated and proud.

There's a certain mental picture when Husker student-athletes talk about relationships, passion and competition. They know what it means to be trustworthy and energetic while they strive to live their lives with belief and balance.

Those fortunate enough to be Huskers say the same thing: There is no place like Nebraska for the student-athlete experience, where you not only get to play for a school that leads the nation in Academic All-Americans, but also get to compete for one of the country’s most successful athletic programs.

Yes, Nebraska symbolizes the triple crown of achievement, succeeding in athletics, academics and life.

No wonder our student-athletes are as optimistic as they are humble. They love good, old-fashioned work ethic, our incredible fan base, and the unparalleled loyalty we enjoy across the state and around the world.

“No matter where you’re from or what you’re doing, everybody’s on the same page and shooting for the same goal,” said first-team Academic All-Big 12 Husker baseball outfielder DJ Belfonte.

“At Nebraska, you’re a student first and an athlete second,” said Kori Cooper, the Huskers’ Honorable Mention All-America middle blocker in volleyball and a 2008 Hero Award winner for Student-Athlete Leadership.

“I know where I want to go down the road, and I have Nebraska to thank for that,” said Aysha Jamani, a first-team Academic All-Big 12 Husker soccer player who recently graduated.

“Growing up (in Jamaica), I always looked up to others,” said Nicholas Gordon, the NCAA indoor long jump champion who says Nebraska taught him how to be a role model. That, in turn, spurred him to be one of hundreds of Husker volunteers who donated more than 3,300 hours of community service in 2008-09. Now, Gordon knows what it’s like for youngsters to look up to him.

“I’m fully prepared for the future,” said recently graduated Husker swimmer Jenna Stroud, who believes the beauty of the Nebraska experience is the way it teaches you how to develop academic discipline at the same time you're creating athletic momentum.

“At Nebraska, every single thing we do, we’re held accountable for,” said Husker football defensive end Tyrone Fahie.

The foundation of our proud academic tradition and our amazing athletic history is made up of the qualities, characteristics, goals, values and accomplishments of our student-athletes.

Yet as big as we are, student-athletes at Nebraska still feel like they're part of a family.

And that, perhaps more than anything else, is why there really is no place like Nebraska.