NU Welcomes 220 Huskers to Weekend of Champions

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Nebraska will celebrate anniversaries for six championship teams when the Huskers host Northwestern in a national ESPN2 football telecast Saturday at 11 a.m. The honored teams include the 20th anniversary of national championship seasons for Nebraska football and Husker volleyball and a 10-year anniversary of a national championship in bowling. 

Other honorees Saturday are 10th-anniversary teams that include Nebraska’s first baseball squad to win a game in the College World Series. The Huskers’ 2005 NCAA runner-up volleyball team will be honored. So will the Huskers' 2005 women’s gymnastics team, which qualified for the NCAA National Super Six Finals.

Here are time-capsule looks at each of those six teams, including student-athlete and staff members who will be in Lincoln for private reunion events Friday night and Saturday's game day recognition at Memorial Stadium.

1995 National Football Champions

Considered by many to be the greatest college football team of all-time, Nebraska went 12-0 in 1995 to post its second straight undefeated national championship season. The Huskers won every game by multiple touchdowns and defeated four top-10 teams, including a 62-24 win over No. 2 Florida in the 1996 Fiesta Bowl. Nebraska won a Big Eight title in the final year of the conference while leading the country in scoring and rushing. Quarterback Tommie Frazier (No. 15 above) joined walk-on rush end Jared Tomich and center Aaron Graham as 1995 first-team All-Americans. Tom Osborne was head football coach for the 1995 National Champions.

Team members, staff attendees: Lonnie Albers, David Alderman, Jacques Allen, Eric Anderson, Travis Antholz, Sean Applegate, Reggie Baul, Jason Benes, Damon Benning, Jan Berringer. Andrew Bilanzich, Chad Blahak, Michael Booker, Lance Brown, Kris Brown, Darren Brummond, Ben Buettenback, Bill Byrne, Vicki Capazo, Kenneth Cheatham, Clinton Childs, Monte Christo, Jeff Clausen, Steven Cook, George Darlington, Chris Dishman, Joni Duff, Dr. Robert Dugas, Chad Eicher, Dave Ellis, Phil Ellis, Boyd Epley, Terrell Farley, Jay Foreman, Tommie Frazier, Mike Fullman, Benjamin Gessford, Randy Gobel, Aaron Graham, Ahman Green, Trent Gumm, Billy Haafke, Luther Hardin, Aaron Havlovic, Josh Heskew, Mike Hoffman, Quint Hogrefe, Brendan Holbein, Matt Hoskinson, Vershan Jackson, Julius Jackson, Jason Jenkins, Clester Johnson, Nick Joos, Adam Julch, Chad Kelsay, Benjamin Kingston, Paul Koch, Jesse Kosch, Bill Lafleur, Jeff Lake, Troy Langan, Charlie Leece, Billy Legate, Gregg List, Frank London, Jeff Makovicka, Joel Makovicka, Michael Mason, Charlie McBride, Octavius McFarlin, Greg McGraw, John McNeely, Jon Meier, Kory Mikos, Bryce Miller, Merritt Nelson, Erik Nelson, Chris Norris, Brian Nunns, Jeff Ogard, Tom Osborne, Doak Ostergard, Steve Ott, Christian Peter, Jason Peter, Jack Pierce, Fred Pollack, Steve Raymond, Ted Retzlaff, Mike "Biff" Roberts, Mike Rucker, Scott Saltsman, Tony Samuel , Darren Schmadeke, Anthony Schmode, Brian Schuster, Jason Schwab, Doug Seaman, Joe Selig, Brian Shaw, Bill Shepard, Jay Sims, Adam Skoda, Eric Stokes, George Sullivan, Aaron Taylor, Milt Tenopir, Ryan Terwilliger, Ross Tessendorf, Travis Toline, Jared Tomich, Adam Treu, Kyle Tully, Matt Turman, Todd Uhlir, Mike Van Cleave, Jon Vedral, Tony Veland, Steven Volin, Matt Vrzal, Eric Warfield, Riley Washington, Jerry Weber, Sean Wieting, Jamel Williams, Jason Wiltz, Mary Lyn Wininger, Kathi Woody Brendan Zahl, Jon Zatechka.

1995 National Volleyball Champions

Nebraska won its first volleyball national title in 1995. The Big Eight champion Huskers won their final 31 matches to finish 32-1. Nebraska defeated No. 3 Texas in four sets in the national final. Allison Weston (pictured above) was named the 1995 AVCA Player of the Year, and Billie Winsett-Fletcher was named the 1995 NCAA Woman of the Year. Terry Pettit was head volleyball coach for the 1995 NCAA National Champions.

Team members, staff attendees: Denise Alderson, Erick Bosquez, Billie Fletcher, Maria Hedbeck, Jennifer Lancaster, Kim Legg, Terry Pettit, Stacie Potthoff, Tara Ramnath, Lisa Rautenberg, Kate Riggins, Renee Saunders, Jaime Stutheit, Allison Weston.

2005 National Bowling Champions

One year after winning the inaugural NCAA Bowling Championship in 2004, Nebraska repeated with another national title in 2005. National Collegiate Bowler of the Year Shannon Pluhowsky (pictured above) led the Huskers in winning seven of their nine tournaments. Bill Straubwas head women's bowling coach for the 2005 National Champions and still is.

Team members/staff attendees: Karla (Engh) Bandemer, Jennifer Blaese, Nicole (Aleo) Edwards, Paul Klempa, Jamie Martin, Shannon Pluhowsky, Bill Straub, Amanda (Burgoyne) Vermilyea.

2005 First Husker Team to Win a CWS Game

Nebraska set a school-record with 57 wins in 2005, sweeping the Big 12 regular-season and tournament titles en route to a trip to the College World Series. The 2005 Huskers were the first team to win a game at the College World Series and Alex Gordon (pictured above 10 years ago) earned consensus National Player of the Year honors. Mike Anderson was head baseball coach for Nebraska's 2005 College World Series team.

Team members/staff attendees: Mike Anderson, Jeremy Becker, Ryan Bohanan, Will Bolt, Jesse Boyer, Daniel Bruce, Brandon Buckman, Rob Childress, Jeff Christy, Josh Cohen, Johnny Dorn, Brian Duensing, Matt Foust, Brandon Fusilier, Andy Gerch, Alex Gordon, Trevor Hall, Michael Harmelink, Mark Hightower, Ryan Hines, Darren Hoffart, Brett Jensen, Jonathan Klausing, Zach Kroenke, Curtis Ledbetter. Deric Manrique, Jacob Mort, Bryce Nimmo, Jake Opitz, Erik Pulverenti, Andy Sawyers, Drew Schwab, Phil Shirek, Joseph Simokaitis, Al Smith. Nicholas Sullivan. Matt Wagner, Tony Watson, Jerry Weber, Ryan Wehrle, Brooks Wells, Luke Wertz.

2005 Volleyball Team NCAA Runner-Up

The Huskers finished 33-2 in 2005, spending the entire year ranked No. 1 before finishing as the NCAA runner-up. Nebraska won the Big 12 title and did not lose a set in the NCAA Tournament until the championship match against Washington. Christina Houghtelling (No. 3) was named the AVCA Player of the Year. John Cook was named 2005 Coach of the Year and is still Nebraska's head coach.

Team members/staff attendees: Rachel (Schwartz) Culwell, Jolene Emricson, Rachel Freemyer, Christina (Glenn) Houghtelling, Ron Hruska, Amanda (Gates) Sjuts, Meghan Smith, Dani (Mancuso) Helu.

2005 NCAA Super Six Gymnastics Team

Nebraska’s 2005 women’s gymnastics team achieved the first No. 1 ranking in school history and advanced to the NCAA Super Six finals. The Huskers added a Big 12 title behind an all-around title from Richelle Simpson (pictured above). Simpson also earned the AAI American Award as the nation’s top female gymnast. Dan Kendig was Nebraska's head gymnastics coach in 20015 and still is.

Team members/staff attendees: Michele (Zabawa) Boyd, Jamie (Sass) Bozarth, Adrian Burde, Stephanie Carter, Thomas Dufresne, Kylee (Johnson) Green, Dan Kendig, Vanessa Meloche, Dani Millis, Emily Parsons, Bonnie Ryan, Desire' (Sniatynski) Sievers, Brittney Williams.

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