79 Huskers Learn the Power of the Letter N

Randy York’s N-Sider

For 79 first-time Nebraska athletic letterwinners, Sunday was a big day, a rite of passage, and an opportunity to receive what they’ve worked so hard to get – a Nebraska letter jacket with a cream-colored “N” popping out of a scarlet background.  In its rich and storied history, Nebraska Athletics has awarded nearly 8,000 letterwinners. 

Keith Zimmer, associate athletic director-Life Skills and the administrative leader for the Nebraska N-Club, says the new ceremony to present letters has proven to be impactful and has strengthened Nebraska’s athletic tradition in a special way.  “It’s a celebration of tradition and a recognition of balance between academics and athletics,” Zimmer said Monday.  “It also signifies a certain high level of athletic achievement.  There’s power in that letter N, and I think the 79 new letterwinners felt that power on Sunday.”

Ryan Boldt, a sophomore outfielder from Red Wing, Minnesota, received his first varsity letter from head coach Darin Erstad, who lettered at Nebraska in football and baseball in the early 1990s before a successful professional baseball career that included a World Series Championship with the California Angels.  Boldt spoke on behalf of all male letterwinners.

Boldt Appreciates the Help to Reach Full Potential

“People told me what a great campus Nebraska was and what an awesome experience it would be,” Boldt, pictured above, told his fellow letterwinners Sunday.  “I learned quickly as a freshman that it was the people here that makes Nebraska so special and now I’m humbled to call myself a University of Nebraska letterwinner.  We are so fortunate to have some of the best people to work with – our coaches, academic advisors, training staff, Life Skills. They’re here to help us reach full potential as athletes and people.  Being leaders and positive role models in the community is a big part of what it means to be a Husker.”

Nebraska has grown on Boldt, whose most vivid memory was last June “when I saw Husker Nation on display at the Big Ten Championship game in Omaha,” he said.  “We played in front of 20,000 Husker fans.  We lost the game, but every fan stayed until the end to show their support.  I will never forget walking up to the plate knowing the stands were a sea of red shouting ‘Go Big Red!’  That image will forever be memorialized in my mind.  Being a part of Husker Nation is truly something special.”

Burau Settled in Fast, Fell in Love with Nebraska

Amanda Burau, pictured above, is a standout bowler and a Nebraska Heart & Soul Award winner, the highest Life Skills honor bestowed.  She spoke on behalf of all female letterwinners.  “I fell for Nebraska the first time I walked out of my dorm on game day,” said Burau, a native of Lake in the Hills, Illinois, a Chicago suburb.  She fell for Nebraska for all kinds of reasons – the day she met the kitchen staff at People’s City Mission, the first time she ran into a Husker fan at a random airport and the day she visited Weeping Water Community School to celebrate Red Ribbon Day.  Did we mention an experience that sealed the deal for Burau to become a Husker?  “I fell for Nebraska during the homecoming of my team’s latest national championship,” she said.  “I had never been so happy to come ‘home’.”

When Burau first moved to Lincoln, “life was different but a good kind of different,” she said.  “I settled in fast and I quickly fell in love with Nebraska.  Not that cliché love-at-first-glance feeling, but a comforting, welcoming, forever and always kind of love."

Dr. Stark: The ‘N’ Has a Professional Impact

Dr. Heidi Wall Stark, a former Husker letterwinner in golf and now a pediatric dentist with two practices in Lincoln, told Sunday’s celebration group that “The N” had an impact on her professionally because she inherently understood the Nebraska Way to encourage success not only athletically, but academically and in life as well.  A servant leader, Dr. Stark is highly involved in a number of local charities as well as service abroad in Honduras.  “Cherish your time at Nebraska and take advantage of all the resources available to you,” she told the new letterwinners.  “Pay it forward when you have the chance to make a difference.  There’s no greater feeling than providing an opportunity and serving as a mentor.  Hopefully, you’ll come back to Nebraska and help current Huskers find their way.”

Pepin Supports Enriching Nebraska Tradition

Fifteen of Nebraska’s 24 varsity sports were involved in Sunday’s ceremony, one of two such events that will take place annually to recognize first-time varsity letterwinners. Twenty-two first-time letterwinners in women's and men's track and field were honored Sunday to lead all programs.  Gary Pepin, the Huskers' veteran track and field head coach, has guided more teams to conference championships than any other coach in the history of the Big Eight and Big 12 Conferences in any sport.  Pepin, pictured above with his latest graduates, likes Nebraska’s newest approach to place a heavier emphasis on varsity letters.  He believes it enriches tradition and lets everyone know how important it is to earn and then wear the “N” on a jacket.  “What a classy event!  It makes me even more proud to have been a Husker student-athlete,” said Rhonda Blanford-Green, a former Husker hurdler who attended and helped make presentations Sunday. 

“What a honor to be involved with the induction ceremony,” Nebraska baseball alum Charlie Colon said.  “I love the concept of having letterwinner alums involved in welcoming first-time letterwinners who become a part of the N-Club.  There’s a good reason why we make this occasion a celebration.  They deserve it!”  Other former Husker student-athletes who helped honor the new letterwinners were Stephanie Bolli (women’s basketball), Jordan Burroughs and Rob Sanders (wrestling), Frauke Hatchmann (women’s tennis), Kim Dehaan-Turman (women’s gymnastics), Charlie Greene (track and field), Mark McDonald (men’s tennis), and Karla Engh (bowling).  Several members of Nebraska’s senior athletic management team also attended the event.  Zimmer said five Husker softball players – Rachel Arthur, MJ Knighten, Lotte Sujlin, Austin Urness and Kat Woolman – earned their first varsity letters last June, but fall exhibition games prevented them from attending Sunday’s ceremony.

N-Club First-Time Letter Winners by Sport

Baseball:  Derek Burkamper, Ryan Boldt, Austin Christensen, Christian Cox, Jake Hohensee, Max Knutson, Ben Miller, Steven Reveles, Chance Sinclair. Men’s Basketball Terran Petteway, Walter Pitchfor, Leslee Smith, Tai Webster. Women’s Basketball: Allie Havers, Ester Ramacieri. Bowling: Amanda Burau, April Campbell, Gazmine Mason, Alexandra Mosquera, Briana Zabierek. Men’s Golf: Calvin Freeman, Justin Jennings,  Mike Siwa, Nathan Wong. Women’s Golf: Jordan Chael, Yoorim Kang, Sarah Pravecek. Men’s Gymnastics:Antonio Castro, Austin Epperson, Travis Gollott, Coleman Tokar. Women’s Gymnastics: Jorydn Beck, Jennie Laeng, Ashley Lambert,Ariel Martin, Madison McConkey. Rifle: Jaycee Carter,Rachel Martin, Lauren Phillips. Softball: Rachel Arthur, MJ Knighten, Lotte Sujlin, Austin Urness, Kat Woolman. Women’s Swimming  and Diving: Alex Bilunas, Anna Filipcic, Erin Oeltjen, Julia Roller. Men’s Tennis: Court Clark,Chris Schindler,Charlie Shin,Vasileios Stavropoulos,Beau Treyz. Women’s Tennis: Lisa Anderson,Mary Hanna. Track and Field: Brena Andrews, Kadecia Baird,Jackson Barbour,Jacob Bender,Melanie Blum, Steven Cahoy, Davon Clark, Chantal Duncan, Mel Farrington, Sarah Firestone, Grant Gehlen, Matt Gilbert, Mollie Gribbin, Christian Hodson, Jacob Holtmeier, Mate Koroknai, Will Lohman, Jazmin McCoy, Jake Pinion, Beau Simmons, Tierra Williams, Drew Wiseman. Wrestling: Micah Barnes, Nyle Bartling, TJ Dudley, Collin Jensen, Tim Lambert, Colton McCrystal, Aaron Studebaker.

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