100 First-Time Letterwinners Learn Essence of the N

Sippel's Rural Roots Reinforce NU's Highest Standard

Randy York’s N-Sider

Official Blog of the Huskers

One of the most decorated student-athletes in Nebraska history was the keynote speaker Sunday to honor 100 first-time Husker letterwinners in 14 sports. Lori Sippel said she had no words that can describe the essence of the letter N on her own letter jacket, let alone 100 new ones that were awarded before nearly 300 people inside Memorial Stadium.

It's ironic she feels that way "because I’m here to speak on the topic,” said Sippel, who arguably is the best pitcher in Nebraska softball history. The Stratford, Ontario, Canada, native and Husker associate head coach was 1) a consensus All-American; 2) the 1988 Academic All-American of the Year in her sport; 3) the first Husker to have her jersey retired; and 4) the first softball player to be inducted into the University of Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame.

Sippel on Letter N: Puts Fire in My Belly on Game Day and Warms My Heart

Sippel’s credentials underscore why she was the keynote speaker. Even though words cannot describe the essence of the Letter N, Sippel told the newest class of inductees that having a jacket with the letter N defines “the feeling that puts a fire in my belly on game day and warms my heart for those receiving their letters today, plus the diplomas they will receive a few tomorrows from now.”

Coming to Nebraska encompasses a memory book of shared experiences for Sippel, who says the letter N transcends something that’s a bit mysterious and almost beyond definition.

Like her heroes and mentors, Sippel’s greatest reward as a Nebraska student-athlete was being part of a team, something that she believes far outweighs any measure of individual gain.

“The neat thing about being Nebraska letterwinners is being a part of everyone’s stories,” Sippel said. “Fortunately, because of Nebraska’s mission academically and athletically, we all have so many experiences to share and to be proud of. We are forever teammates, and that's priceless.

“One varsity letter has made all the difference in my life,” Sippel said. “I was born in Canada, but my home is Nebraska. It’s not where you’re from. It’s who you become and becoming a letter winner 31 years ago has paved a path that I am extremely proud of. The story continues in all of you and through you. Congratulations! Forever Huskers! And Bo Big Red!”

Sophomore Maddie Simon Speaks on Behalf of New Husker Letterwinners

Maddie Simon, a sophomore guard (pictured above) on the women’s basketball team, was selected to speak on behalf of all new Husker letterwinners on Sunday. Simon is a graduate of Lincoln Pius X, a member of the Tom Osborne Citizenship Team, a member of the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll, and a representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. She's uniquely connected to the N Club because her mother, Nicole, was the first female track and field student-athlete to earn CoSIDA Academic All-America honors at Nebraska.

“My goal growing up was to compete and earn a varsity letter at Nebraska,” Simon said. “To finally be awarded a varsity letter after all the countless hours is very special. It’s a dream come true for me. I’ve always wanted to put on a Husker jersey and I feel blessed to represent Nebraska each and every day. We have historic athletic tradition, and we cannot do what we do without inspiration, support, sacrifice and leadership.

“That’s paved the way for each of us who are here,” Simon said. “We’re thankful for this honor and very humbled to join the ranks of the thousands of incredible athletes who we looked up to. Fifty years from now, we’ll still be wearing these jackets and remember all of the hard work and determination it took to earn one. This is an amazing memory to become a part of something that is so special for every Husker who’s earned a varsity letter.”

Like more than 6,000 Nebraska student-athletes who have earned the same varsity letter, words simply cannot describe what it means. You can only feel it and wear it with pride, respect and appreciation. Please check out Nebraska’s latest 100 honorees in the photos below:

Baseball: Head Coach Darin Erstad, Director of Athletics Shawn Eichorst, and letterwinner alum Darin Peterson. Student-Athlete Letterwinners: Angelo Altavilla, Lakeville, Minn., Sean Chandler, Bellevue, Neb., Brady Childs, Overland Park, Kan., Ethan Frazier, Lee's Summit, Mo., Alex Henwood, Appleton, Wis., Byron Hood, Roca, Neb., Austin Johnson, Mountain View, Calif., Cole Klemke, San Diego, Calif., Chad Luensmann, Altoona, Pa., Robbie Palkert, Golden Valley, Minn., Mitch Steinhoff, Crete, Neb., Matt Waldron, Omaha, Neb., Mike Waldron, Omaha, Neb., Jesse Wilkening, Cedar Lake, Ind.

Men’s Basketball: Assistant Coach Jim Molinari, Sport Administrator Marc Boehm and Letterwinner Alum Jake Muhleisen. Student-Athlete Letterwinners: Michael Jacobson, Waukee, Iowa, Malcolm Laws, Orlando, Fla., Jack McVeigh, Cabarita Beach, NSW, Australia, Edward Morrow, Chicago, Ill., Glynn Watson, Bellwood, Ill.

Women’s Basketball: Head Coach Amy Williams, Sport Administrator Marc Boehm and letterwinner Alum Jami Hagedorn. Student-Athlete Letterwinners: Rachel Blackburn, Leavenworth, Kan., Jessica Shepard, Fremont, Neb., Maddie Simon, Lincoln, Neb., Darrien Washington, Oakland, Calif.

Beach Volleyball: Head Coach John Cook, Assistant coach and letterwinner alum Dani Busboom, and Sport Administrator Pat Logsdon. Student-Athlete Letterwinners: Briana Holman, DeSoto, Texas, Tiani Reeves, Gothenburg, Neb.

Men’s Golf: Head Coach Bill Spangler, Assistant Coach and letterwinner Alum Judd Cornell, and Sport Administrator Keith Zimmer. Student-Athlete Letterwinners: Micheal Colgate, Sarasota, Fla., Jace Guthmiller, Yankton, S.D., Dylan McCabe, Sioux City, Iowa, Joel Sneed, Leland, Mich., Sean Song, Omaha, Neb., Jackson Wendling, Effingham, Ill.

Women’s Golf: Assistant Coach Mike Schuchart, Sport Administrator Keith Zimmer and letterwinner Alum Cassie Deeg. Student-Athlete Letterwinner: Haley Thiele, Wahoo, Neb.

Men’s Gymnastics: Assistant Coach and letterwinner alum John Robinson, and Sport Administrator Pat Logsdon. Student-Athlete Letterwinners: Heath Anderson, Mesa, Ariz., Joshua Everitt, Tucson, Ariz., Jordan King, Houston, Texas, Anthony Stephenson, Fishers, Ind., Andrew Zymball, La Vista, Neb.

Women’s Gymnastics: Head Coach Dan Kendig, Assistant Coach and letterwinner alum Heather Brink, and Sport Administrator Pat Logsdon. Student-Athlete Letterwinners: Kelli Chung, Torrance, Calif., Sienna Crouse, Fargo, N.D., Megan Kuo, Arcadia, Calif., Catelyn Orel, Blue Springs, Mo., Megan Schweihofer, China, Mich., Kami Shows, Winchester, Calif.

Rifle: Head Coach Ashley MacAllister, and Director of Athletics Shawn Eichorst. Student-athlete letterwinners: Nina Radulovic, Belgrade, Serbia; Hannah Virga, Chandler, Ariz.

Softball: Head Coach Rhonda Revelle, Sport Administrator Pat Logsdon, and letterwinner alum Jaime Borg-Seeman. Student-Athlete Letterwinners: Brianna Cassidy, San Bernadino, Calif., Taylor Kadavy, York, Neb., Alyvia Simmons, Overland Park, Kan.

Swimming & Diving: Assistant Coaches Pat Rowan and Natasha Chikina, Sport Administrator Keith Zimmer, and letterwinner alum Ellan Dufour. Student-Athlete Letterwinners: Kara Cottrell, Cypress, Texas, Kaylyn Flatt, Centennial, Colo., Lindsay Helferich, Odessa, Texas, Jacqueline Jeschke, Augusta, Ga., Morgan McCafferty, Reynoldsburg, Ohio, Anna McDonald, Evergreen, Colo., Bridget Pacilio, Colleyville, Texas, Dana Posthuma, Omaha, Neb., Katrina Voge, Franklin, Wis.

Men’s Tennis: Sport Administrator Steve Waterfield, and letterwinner alum Chris Aumueller. Student-Athlete Letterwinners: Tomislav Antoljak, Zagreb, Croatia, Toby Boyer, Ham Lake, Minn.

Women’s Tennis: Head Coach Scott Jacobson, Sport Administrator Steve Waterfield, and letterwinner alum Ann Bartek. Student-Athlete Letterwinners: Paula Castillo, Sevilla, Spain, Elizabeth Gould, Atlanta, Ga., Sydney Harlow, Omaha, Neb., Vasanti Shinde, Pune, India

Track & Field: Head Coach Gary Pepin, Assistant Coach and letterwinner alum TJ Pierce, Director of Athletics Shawn Eichorst and Letterwinner alums Lee Martin and Anne Martin. Student-Athlete Letterwinners: Alice Akers, Bodyke, Clare, Ireland, Oliver Alexandre, Hallandale, Fla., Jasmine Barge, Florissant, Mo., Nick Bartels, Papillion, Neb., Shelby Brown, Lincoln, Neb., Ashleigh Carr, Oakland, Calif., Nick Coghill, Placentia, Calif., Chris Daniels, Canton, Ohio, Carlos Davis, Blue Springs, Mo., Khalil Davis, Blue Springs, Mo., Jordan De Spong, Dunedun, New Zealand, Seth Derr, Phillipsburg, Kan., Chanel Freeman, Pembroke Pines, Fla., Lakayla Harris, Miami, Fla., Cam Holmes, Brandon, S.D., Reilly Lambrecht, Loup City, Neb., Tierney Lindner, Sun Prairie, Wis., Tyler Loontjer, Geneva, Neb., Elijah Lucy, Emeryville, Calif., Mike McCann, Smithtown, N.Y., Quashira McIntosh, Providence, R.I., Ty Moss, Naperville, Ill., Jake Nelson, Omaha, Neb., James Nizich, Oregon City, Ore., Danielle Plank, Gardner, Kan., Tanner Townsend, Castle Rock, Colo., Toni Tupper, Lincoln, Neb., Cale Wagner, Seward, Neb., Brittni Wolczyk, Port Coquitlam, B.C.

Wrestling: Director of Athletics Shawn Eichorst, and Academic Counselor Alvin Banks. Student-Athlete Letterwinners: Gage Anderson, Seattle, Wash., Tyler Berger, Prineville, Ore., Sean Murphy, Grand Forks, N.D., Brian Peska, Omaha, Neb., Aris Shino, Merino, Colo., Dustin Williams, Gardner, Kan.

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