An illustrious group of seven distinguished student-athletes will be enshrined in the University of Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame this fall, the Nebraska Athletics Department announced on Wednesday, April 13. The group will be the second class to be inducted into the Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame, which was created last spring.
The seven members of the 2016 Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame class include: Heather Brink (women’s gymnastics); Phil Cahoy (men’s gymnastics); Janet (Kruse) Sellon (volleyball); Nicola Martial (women’s track and field); Nancy (Meendering) Metcalf (volleyball); Johnny Rodgers (football); and Will Shields (football).
In the competitive arena, the decorated group combined for nine individual national titles, seven NCAA team championships and 33 All-America accolades. The inductees also distinguished themselves beyond athletics. Kruse and Martial were both recognized as the CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year in their respective sports, with Kruse earning the honor in back-to-back years. Kruse and Metcalf were both recipients of NCAA Top 10 Awards, an annual honor limited to the 10 most exemplary senior student-athletes competing in all sports at every level of NCAA competition. Following his Husker career, Shields was also named the 2003 NFL Man of the Year for his contributions to the community.
The 2016 Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame class also includes three Olympians (Cahoy, Martial and Metcalf), two members of the College Football Hall of Fame (Rodgers and Shields), one Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee (Shields) and one member of the U.S. Gymnastics Hall of Fame (Cahoy).
The class is tentatively scheduled to be formally inducted into the Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame the weekend of Sept. 17, when the Husker football team hosts Oregon at Memorial Stadium. In conjunction with an enshrinement ceremony, a plaque with the names of the seven members of the 2016 Hall of Fame class will be added to the University of Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame Plaza, which was completed last fall.
The Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame Plaza is located on a renovated walkway, stretching from the columns above the Ed Weir Outdoor Track and Field Stadium and continuing to the historic NU Coliseum. The University of Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame plaza is accessible to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week at no charge. The plaza is lighted for nighttime viewing. The plaza serves as a grand entryway to Ed Weir Stadium and recognizes each annual Hall of Fame class, along with columns dedicated to the history and successes of each of Nebraska’s athletics programs.
2016 Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame Class
- Heather Brink, Women’s Gymnastics (1997-2000)
- Phil Cahoy, Men’s Gymnastics (1980-83)
- Janet (Kruse) Sellon, Volleyball (1988-91)
- Nicola Martial, Women’s Track & Field (1993-96)
- Nancy (Meendering) Metcalf, Volleyball (1997-99; 2001)
- Johnny Rodgers, Football (1970-72)
- Will Shields, Football (1989-92)
2016 Induction Ceremony Photo Gallery
Nancy Metcalf Volleyball, 1997-99; 2001 | Hull, Iowa
Nancy (Meendering) Metcalf earned multiple first-team All-America honors on the court and in the classroom while starring for the Nebraska volleyball team from 1997 to 2001. A three-time first-team All-American, Metcalf was also a two-time Big 12 Player of the Year and a two-time NCAA Regional MVP. She capped her career with one of the greatest seasons in program history as a senior in 2001, when she was a finalist for the Honda Award – presented to the nation’s most outstanding player – and was also named the CoSIDA Volleyball Academic All-American of the Year. Metcalf helped lead Nebraska to a trio of Big 12 titles and two NCAA Semifinals appearances during her four seasons on the court, and she also played a role in the Huskers’ national championship in 2000, when Metcalf redshirted following time spent training with the U.S. National Team. In the classroom, Metcalf was a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-America selection, and she earned an NCAA Top 10 Award. Metcalf ended her career with 13 school records, and she still holds Nebraska match records for kills (39) and aces (7). She earned her degree in advertising from the University of Nebraska in 2001 and continued her career following graduation, representing the United States at the 2004 Olympics.
Rodgers, Metcalf Share Their Hall of Fame Thoughts
Johnny Rodgers Football, 1970-72 | Omaha, Neb.
Johnny Rodgers was one of the most electrifying players in the history of college football. Nebraska’s first Heisman Trophy Winner, Rodgers took home the prestigious trophy in 1972, when he was also named the Walter Camp Player of the Year. A two-time first-team All-American, Rodgers ended his career with NCAA career records for all-purpose yards (5,487), punt return touchdowns (7), kick return touchdowns (9) and yards per touch (13.8). He set more than 40 school records at Nebraska, including ending his career as Nebraska’s all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards. Rodgers helped Nebraska to a 32-2-2 record in his three seasons, including back-to-back national championships in 1970 and 1971. Following his career, Rodgers became the second Husker to have his number retired (20). He went on to be selected in the first round of the 1973 NFL Draft, spending two seasons in the NFL. He returned to the University of Nebraska and earned his degree in broadcast journalism in 1997. In 2000, Rodgers was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Rodgers, Metcalf Share Their Hall of Fame Thoughts
Will Shields Football, 1989-92 | Lawton, Okla.
A member of both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame, Will Shields is one of the greatest offensive linemen to ever put on a jersey. Nebraska’s first scholarship football player from the state of Oklahoma, Shields helped the Huskers win 37 games, two Big Eight championships and three NCAA rushing titles in his four seasons. He was named a first-team All-American in 1992, when he won the Outland Trophy as the nation’s top interior lineman. Shields earned his speech communication degree from the University of Nebraska in the spring of 1993 and one year later, Nebraska retired his number (75). A third-round pick in the 1993 NFL Draft, Shields enjoyed a 14-year hall-of-fame NFL career with the Kansas City Chiefs. Shields never missed a game during his career, playing in 224 games with 223 starts. A seven-time All-Pro, Shields was named to the Pro Bowl in each of his final 12 seasons. The 2003 NFL Man of the Year for his work in the community, Shields was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015. He is one of three Huskers who are enshrined in both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame. Will’s son Shavon was a four-year starter for the Nebraska basketball team who concluded his career in 2016 with a second straight first-team CoSIDA Academic All-America honor
Shields Shares Riley's Interest in Pro Prospects
Heather Brink Women's Gymnastics, 1997-2000 | Lincoln, Neb.
Heather Brink helped the Huskers to three Big 12 Conference titles and three NCAA Super Six appearances from 1997 to 2000. She played the lead role in Nebraska’s team success, as she was a two-time individual national champion, an 11-time All-American and an eight-time Big 12 champion. As a senior, Brink won the Honda Award as the nation’s top women’s gymnast, and she was also named the Big 12 Gymnast of the Year, becoming the first Husker to be honored as the conference gymnast of the year. At the 2000 NCAA Championships, Brink won the all-around and vault national titles to lead Nebraska to a fourth-place finish, tying for the best finish in program history. The first Husker to win an all-around national title, Brink earned All-America honors on all five events as a senior. At the completion of her career, Brink owned eight of the top 10 all-around scores in school history. She also became the first Husker gymnast to score a perfect 10.00 on any event, recording three perfect scores on vault. Brink earned her degree in business administration in 2001, and she served as an assistant coach for the Huskers (2011-14) before being promoted to associate head coach in 2015.
Husker Women's Gymnastics on the Brink of Greatness
Phil cahoy Men's Gymnastics, 1980-83 | Omaha, Neb.
Phil Cahoy was instrumental in Nebraska winning four consecutive NCAA team titles during his illustrious career from 1980 to 1983. Cahoy was a four-time individual national champion and a 10-time All-American. He finished in the top five in the all-around in each of his four NCAA Championships, earning the distinction as a four-time All-American in the all-around. In 1980, Cahoy won the horizontal and parallel bars titles, and he repeated as a champion on both events the next season. At the 1980 NCAA Championships, Cahoy joined Jim Hartung – a fellow member of the Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame – as one of the first two Huskers to win an individual national title. Cahoy also represented the United States at the 1980 Olympics, and he was inducted into the UAS Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 2001. Cahoy earned his bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from Nebraska in 1984, and he earned his medical degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 1990. Cahoy is currently an orthopedic surgeon in Grand Island, Neb. Two of his sons, Steven and Kevin, are pole vaulters for the Husker track and field team.
Phil Cahoy Jr.'s Greatest Legacy: Inspired Children
Janet (Kruse) Sellon Volleyball, 1988-91 | Fort Calhoun, Neb.
Janet Kruse epitomized the term “student-athlete” during a decorated career for the Husker volleyball program from 1988 to 1991. On the court, Kruse was a three-time All-American, earning first-team accolades in 1989 and 1990 and second-team honors in 1991. The first three-time All-American in program history, Kruse ended her career with the third-most kills in school history, and she currently ranks 10th in program history with 1,269 kills. Kruse’s play helped the Huskers to four Big Eight titles and a pair of National Semifinals appearances, including a runner-up finish in 1989. In the classroom, Kruse was a three-time CoSIDA Academic All-American, and she was named the Volleyball Academic All-American of the Year in both 1990 and 1991. Kruse was also the recipient of a prestigious NCAA Top 10 Award following her playing career. She earned her degree in biological sciences from the University of Nebraska in 1992 and is a family physician in Lincoln.
Hall-of-Famer Cherises Life and Her Volleyball Tickets
Nicola Martial Women's Track & Field, 1993-96 | Las Vegas, Nev.
Nicola Martial earned the distinction of being the first Nebraska female student-athlete to be an individual national champion, an All-American and an academic All-American during her illustrious Husker career. An outstanding triple jumper, Martial won three national championships in the event. She captured back-to-back titles at the 1994 and 1995 NCAA Outdoor Championships, while winning her lone NCAA indoor title in 1996. A six-time All-American, Martial swept the indoor and outdoor conference triple jump titles all four seasons of her career. A multi-time individual national champion and All-American, Martial also excelled in the classroom, earning first-team CoSIDA Academic All-America accolades as a senior. Martial graduated from Nebraska in 1996 with a degree in political science and then represented her home country of Guyana that summer at the Olympic Games in Atlanta, Ga.
Trailblazer Nicola Martial Returns to Alma Mater