Hall of Famers Fly like Eagles, Hawks, Falcons

September 04, 2015

Hall of Famers Fly like Eagles, Hawks, Falcons

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Huskers' Piatkowski Experiences Magic Moment

University of Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame Class

Randy York N-Sider

Official Blog of the Huskers

The University of Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame inaugural class was formally enshrined Friday in front of what will become Hall of Fame Plaza, which will serve as a grand entryway to the Ed Weir Stadium and will complement East Memorial Stadium, plus the historic Coliseum and the famous columns nearby.

“Gentlemen, fellow Hall of Famers, this is a unique moment in time,” Nebraska graduate, Olympic medalist and Army major Charlie Greene said while representing 10 male inductees. “In today’s language, it’s called Once Upon a Time When I Was Great. Look around at your fellow inductees. There are no pigeons or prairie chickens, only eagles, hawks and falcons.”

Greene Represents 10 Male Inductees; Weston Leads 12 Female Honorees

A spirited crowd shared a laugh with a smiling Greene, pictured above with Nebraska Executive Associate Athletic Director/Administration and Senior Women's Administrator Pat Logsdon and Nebraska Director of Athletics Shawn Eichorst. “We’re the ones who established the foundation for others to follow, and I’m pleased to call you my Hall-of-Fame brothers,” Greene said.

Allison Weston, The Epitome of Nebraska Volleyball, represented the 12 female Hall-of-Fame inductees. “Having been part of a national championship team at Nebraska, I cannot imagine achieving that for a more appreciative school and community,” Weston said. “Nebraska is a special place that treats its student-athletes like family. No matter where you’re from, near or far, when you wear the Husker red, you’re part of something greater than yourself.”

22 Members of Jung Family Make Trip from California, Hawaii to Lincoln

Steve Jung, pictured above in the middle, was part of 'The Jung Dynasty' tennis family that had 22 members from California and Hawaii attend Friday’s enshrinement. On Saturday, in between the first and second quarters of Nebraska’s season-opening football game against BYU, the inaugural Hall-of-Fame class will be recognized at Memorial Stadium.

"We toured the first-rate indoor and outdoor tennis facility," Jung said. "No one deserves something like that more than Coach (Kerry) McDermott, who was my coach at Nebraska." In 1989, Jung took the collegiate tennis world by storm when he reached the NCAA Men’s Tournament Singles Championship match. "Coach McDermott will make good of the opportunity," Jung said. "I'm really excited to see what the future of Nebraska tennis will be with a facility like this." Jung was a first-team athletic All-American at Nebraska, but said Friday that his proudest achievement was being one of Nebraska's nation-leading 320 Academic All-Americans.

Simpson: People Who Came to Nebraska Before Paved the Way for Us

A two-time NCAA champion and Academic All-American, Richelle Simpson thought Friday's ceremony was incredibly uplifting. "Today just sums up everything that Nebraska was about for me," she said. "I'm so proud to be a Husker and to have come to school here (from Canada). There are so many individual champions and All-Americans here, but everyone keeps talking about team efforts and why we were so focused on that. I connect it to the people who came before us. They set the standard high. They helped us and supported us to reach their level."

Equally amazing to Simpson, in her ninth year performing for Cirque du Soleil, is “this new plaza area,” she said. “It’s an amazing plan and right next to this beautiful new East Stadium. Simpson, pictured above with Husker Women's Gymnastics Coach Dan Kendig, said Nebraska attracts world-class student-athletes who embrace the team-first philosophy.

Eichorst: Nebraska Honors the Rich History of Athletics Excellence

Eichorst recognized Nebraska's rich history and tradition of excellence in athletics. "Our talented student-athletes have played a pivotal role in forging this reputation," he told the inaugural inductees, friends and family. "It is with great enthusiasm and respect that we have created the University of Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame and now proudly honor an elite group of student-athletes."

Nebraska's Director of Athletics pointed out that the creation of the Hall of Fame serves to honor Husker Athletics programs and student-athletes who have combined to win 26 national team championships, 156 national individual titles, 292 conference team championships, 1,380 conference individual titles, a nation-leading 320 Academic All-America awards and 17 NCAA Top Ten Award winners, another nation-leading figure.

Inaugural Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame Class Defines Collective Clout

Keith Zimmer, who directs the Huskers' Life Skills program and the N Club, said the 2015 University of Nebraska inaugural Athletics Hall of Fame class carries a collective clout that includes eight national player-of-the-year awards, 127 All-America honors, 32 individual NCAA titles, eight Olympians who competed in a combined 19 Olympic Games (winning 15 medals, including five gold), plus three first-round draft picks, three Academic All-America of the Year accolades, seven Academic All-America honors and two NCAA Top Ten Awards.

Zimmer emceed the induction ceremonies and acknowledged seven members who were unable to participate in the ceremony, including baseball's Alex Gordon, women's swimmer Penny Heyns (who lives in South Africa), track and field's Merlene Ottey (who lives in Slovenia), men's swimmer Adam Pine (who lives in Australia), bowler Shannon Pluhowsky (who is competing in the U.S. Open this weekend), football's Dave Rimington (who had a previously scheduled conflict) and wrestling's Bill Scherr (who has a daughter getting married Saturday in Chicago).

Please check out the entire inaugural Hall-of-Fame class, linked individually below.

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Randy’s N-Sider Column Archive

University of Nebraska

Athletics Hall of Fame

Inaugural Class of 2015

Steve Friesen: Men's Golf

Alex Gordon: Baseball

Charlie Greene: Men’s Track and Field

Jim Hartung: Men’s Gymnastics

Penny Hynes: Women's Swimming and Diving