MacAllister Becomes Latest Husker Headed to Olympics

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Next month, nine former Husker student-athletes will compete in the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, including four individuals representing the USA and five others representing Canada, Nigeria, Serbia, Slovenia and Sweden.

At this point, only one Nebraska coach has been announced as an Olympic head coach. Ashley MacAllister, the Huskers’ head rifle coach for the past two seasons, will be the head rifle coach for the Puerto Rico National Team in Rio.

“As a kid, I always wanted to go to the Olympics,” MacAllister said. “That’s the goal for young athletes who are involved within Olympic sporting events. I never would’ve imagined that the way I’m getting there is through coaching. I’ve been so blessed to be put in a position to help young adults prosper throughout a critical part of their lives.”

Husker Coach: Nebraska Has Given Me Opportunities Never Thought Possible

Just the thought of the Olympics’ Opening Ceremonies next month “is the icing on the cake,” MacAllister said. “The University of Nebraska and (Director of Athletics) Shawn Eichorst have given me opportunities here that I never thought were possible.

“I’m beyond blessed and honored to represent the University of Nebraska and Puerto Rico in the Olympic Games as a coach,” MacAllister said. “This path has been a very humbling experience and has really renewed the reason why I got into coaching. I am so happy that I’m able to help athletes do their best and prepare for what lies ahead.”

MacAllister’s Olympic opportunity is unique. “I was contacted by the Puerto Rican Olympic Committee’s high-performance coaches who were looking for a coach for one of their athletes,” she said. “She qualified for the Olympics, and we were able to work out the logistics that enabled them to name me Puerto Rico’s national team coach.”

Best Part about Being Olympic Coach for Country You Don’t Live In? Recruiting

“I have the opportunity to break into the international recruiting base,” MacAllister said. “I’ve been lucky to bring Nina Radulovic from Serbia to UNL, but I’d like to let the international community know that Nebraska is a great place to live. It’s a wonderful opportunity to expand the brand of the University of Nebraska, the athletic department and our team.”

Coaching an Olympian on campus for most of the summer shows current Huskers and future recruits that UNL has the available resources to qualify for the Olympics. MacAllister started coaching the Puerto Rican national team in April. She’s also been fortunate enough to go to the Rio World Cup and the Munich World Cup.

MacAllister leaves July 31 for the Olympics, and when she returns, her goals will remain at the highest level. “I want our student-athletes to be the best they can be, on and off the range,” she said, adding that the ultimate goal is to compete for a national championship.

“Now that I have experience being at Nebraska, I’m looking forward to pushing the team,” MacAllister said. “We’ve been able to build a solid foundation and a solid team structure. Now it’s time to build upon what’s been created. I’m so excited!”

Nebraska has 25 percent of USA's No.1-ranked Olympic volleyball team, including Kayla Banwarth, Jordan Larson and Kelsey Robinson.

Banwarth, Larson, Robinson Teammates for No. 1-Ranked USA Volleyball Team

Excitement is a given for four former Husker student-athletes who will represent the USA in the 2016 Olympics. They include:

Jordan Burroughs(Wrestling,Atco, New Jersey, Winslow Township): Burroughs, a two-time national champion at Nebraska, is competing in his second Olympics. He won a gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics. In Rio, he is attempting to become only the third American wrestler in history to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals. 

Kayla Banwarth (Volleyball,Dubuque, Iowa): A member of Nebraska's 2006 national championship team, Banwarth is the lone libero on Team USA. She's making her first Olympic appearance as one of eight first-time Olympians on Team USA Volleyball.

Jordan Larson (Volleyball, Hooper, Nebraska): A two-time first-team All-American at Nebraska, Larson is competing in her second Olympics after helping Team USA win a silver medal in 2012. She hopes to add a gold medal to match her 2006 NCAA title experience.

Kelsey Robinson (Volleyball,Bartlett, Illinois): Robinson joins Banwarth as one of eight first-time Olympians on the Team USA roster. In her only season at Nebraska in 2013, Robinson earned first-team All-America accoloades. 

NCAA National Champion 400-meter hurdler Miles Ukaoma represents home country Nigeria in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Huskers Represent Sweden, Slovenia, Serbia, Canada and Nigeria in Olympics

Other Huskers who will represent their home countries in Rio are:

Therese Alshammar (Swimming, Stockholm, Sweden): Alshammar is making her record sixth appearance at the Olympics. A 13-time All-American at Nebraska, Alshammar's six appearances tie for the most by a male or female swimmer in Olympic history.  

Marusa Cernjul (Track and Field, Celje, Slovenia): A two-time All-American at Nebraska and the 2012 Big Ten outdoor high jump champion, Cernjul will compete in her first Olympics.

Danielle Page (Women’s Basketball, Serbia): Page is making her Olympic debut in Rio and is just the second Nebraska women's basketball player to compete in the Olympics. An honorable-mention All-Big 12 selection at Nebraska, Page ranks second on the Huskers' career blocks list.

Sarah Pavan (Beach Volleyball, Canada): Making her first appearance at the Olympic Games, Pavan was the 2006 National Player of the Year at Nebraska. The only four-time, first-team All-American in Husker volleyball history, Pavan led Nebraska to the 2006 national championship. An NCAA Today's Top Ten Award winner for academics and athletics, Pavan was twice named Academic All-American of the Year for all female sports. She also won the 2006-07 Honda Cup as the nation's top female student-athlete.

Miles Ukaoma (Track and Field, Nigeria): The 2014 NCAA 400-meter hurdles champion, Ukaoma is making his first Olympic appearance in Rio after earning All-America honors four times at Nebraska.

Olympic Footnote: Kugler Will Spend 24 Days in Rio Calling Basketball, Golf

In addition to at least one officially announced Olympic coach and the nine individual Husker athletes competing in Rio, Omaha’s Kevin Kugler will spend 24 days in Brazil doing radio play-by-play for USA Basketball and USA Golf.

The radio play-by-play voice for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament for Westwood One, Kugler will have an historic role, spending four to five hours with daily coverage on the first Olympic golf competition in more than a century. 

First Olympic Golf in More than a Century Will Feature Two Major Winners

“Can’t wait to see the Olympic Golf Course when it’s unveiled,” said Kugler, a UNL graduate. “This will be the first Olympic golf competition since the early 1900s,” he added, pointing out a certain measure of intrigue to christen a new international golf course in the Olympics.

The 120-player field includes Henik Stenson and Danny Willet, each of whom won a major championship this year. American golfers competing in Rio are Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler, Patrick Reed and Matt Kuchar.

As someone who tunes into the PGA channel on Sirius XM Satellite Radio, I will enjoy hearing Kugler's calls in a milestone event. A proven pervasive force in nationally prominent radio, Kugler also serves as the voice of the College World Series. He’s covered the last four Olympics and the Master’s Championship. A familiar voice on the Big Ten Network and Fox Sports, Kugler also stays busy calling college football, not to mention his role as the NFL play-by-play voice of Sunday Night Football on Westwood One.

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