Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame Foundation Announces its 2026 Induction Class

LINCOLN – The Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame Foundation has selected 12 athletes, five coaches, an official and a contributor for its 2026 induction class. They will be honored at a fall ceremony. Details for the event will be released later. The athletes selected are Laura (Anderson) Gibbons, Emily Cady, Bret Clark, Ken Clark, Bill Engelhardt, Shannon Guy-Adamek, Jim Hruban, Guy Ingles, Brett Maher, LaQue Moen-Davis, Brooke (Urzendowski) Willman and Greg Zuerlein. The coaches are Eric Behrens, Rick Collura, Pat Dibiase, Dan McLaughlin and Jacque Tevis-Butler. Jeff Graver as an official and the late Steve Roth as a contributor are the other two selections.

 

Laura (Anderson) Gibbons, Raymond Central (1984): A three-sport standout, she set numerous school records while getting recruited in basketball and volleyball. A Division II volleyball All-American at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, she earned the North Central Conference MVP award.

Emily Cady, Seward (2011): The cornerstone of three consecutive Class B state championship basketball teams, Cady also lettered in volleyball and track. At the University of Nebraska, she was a four-year starter in basketball and earned several All-Big Ten honors including Freshman of the Year in 2012.

Bret Clark, Nebraska City (1980): A Class B champion in the hurdles and long jump, Clark was all-state in football and was Nebraska City’s basketball MVP. He was a three-year starter at safety at NU and a three-yar starters for the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons.

Ken Clark, Omaha Bryan (1984): A two-time all-state selection in football and a two-year starter in basketball, Clark put together back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons at NU and finished his career with more than 3,000 yards. In the NFL, he played three seasons for the Indianapolis Colts.

LaQue Moen-Davis, Omaha North (2011): A solid volleyball and basketball player, Moen-Davis forged one of the state’s most outstanding legacies in track and field. Starting at Omaha Central before graduating from Omaha North, she won nine state meet gold medals, establishing state and state-meet records in the long jump, triple jump and 100-meter hurdles. At Texas A&M, she was a seven-time All-American and a Southeastern Conference champion in the long and triple jumps.

Bill Englehardt, Omaha North (1952): Considered one of the best all-around athletes in Omaha history, Englehardt led Omaha North to the Intercity championships in football and baseball while adding to the school’s success in basketball and track. At Omaha University, he led the nation in total offense and helped the team win the 1955 Tangerine Bowl.

Shannon (Guy) Adamek, Millard West (2010): Integral to three Millard West swimming and diving state championships, she won 12 gold medals and set several state records. At NU, she set the school record in the 100-meter butterfly and qualified for the 2012 Olympic Trials.

Jim Hruban, Omaha Central (1967): Hruban won back-to-back all-around championships at the state meet as well as several other gold medals. Undefeated his senior season, he claimed national championships in other amateur divisions. He competed collegiately for the University of New Mexico.

Guy Ingles, Omaha Westside (1967): An all-state and All-Metro running back and a state champion long jumper, Ingles sparked Westside to the mythical state football championship his senior year, scoring four touchdowns in a celebrated upset of previously unbeaten Omaha Tech. He played split end and returned kicks as a three-year letterman at NU.

Brett Maher, Kearney (2008): A three-sport standout, at Centennial before moving to Kearney, he won state meet gold medals in the pole vault and long jump for Kearney and set the 3-point record at Centennial. At NU, he earned All-Big Ten honors as a kicker and punter. After four years in the Canadian Football League, Maher played five years in the NFL, setting a single-season kick-scoring record for the Dallas Cowboys.

Brooke (Urzendowski) Willman, Omaha Marian (2011): A four-time No. 1 singles state champion, she posted a 115-2 career record, earning the Senior Tennis Athlete of the Year award from the National High School Coaches Association. A four-year letter winner at Saint Louis University, she finished in the school’s top 10 in singles and doubles victories.

Greg Zuerlein, Lincoln Pius X (2006): A record-setting kicker, Zuerlein helped the Thunderbolts go 13-0 in 2004 while winning the Class B football championship. He set the state record for field goals in a season and twice earned all-state honors. A midfielder in soccer, he scored two game-winning goals as Pius was Class B champion. An NCAA Division II All-American at Missouri Western, he kicked in the NFL for 13 seasons and was its scoring leader in 2017.

 

Eric Behrens, Omaha Central: The Eagles won seven Class A boys basketball state titles in eight years in his first stint as coach. Including a second stint, following three years at Peru State, his career record was 389-84.

Rick Collura, Lincoln Northeast: The first boys basketball coach to win four consecutive Class A championships and have teams in five consecutive state finals had a 213-56 record in 12 seasons, 10 ending in the state tournament, after a long stint as an assistant at Omaha Westside.

Pat DiBiase, Omaha: A swimming coach for parts of five decades, he took 12 teams to state titles as a head coach (Omaha Westside boys and girls 1979, Omaha Marian 1998, 2000-07, 2015).

Dan McLaughlin, Papillion: The only football coach in state history to take three schools to state championships (Broken Bow (1987), Norfolk (1994) and Millard West (2001) received state high school coach of the year honors before a long stint as Wayne State coach.

Jacque Tevis-Butler, Millard West: In her 30th year as the Wildcats’ girls soccer coach, Millard West has been Class A champion five times, district champion 19 times and Metro Conference champion four times.

Steve Roth (posthumously): The voice of southeast Nebraska sports on the radio for 14 years, Roth became known statewide from the 20 years he was the play-by-play announcer for NPM’s state wrestling championship telecasts.

 

Jeff Graver, Fremont: Worked state finals in three sports – football, basketball and baseball -- during a 25-year officiating career that included college games and professional baseball.

 

Terry and Sonya Gilliland Family, Mitchell: The Gillilands, Terry the football coach and athletic director at Mitchell for the final 28 of his 46 years in education, watched their children and grandchildren be all-state in football four times, state placers in wrestling five times and state track and field champions seven times.

 

Bettie Jo Chambers, Palmyra: Diagnosed with epilepsy as a fourth-grader and with a brain tumor two years later, she was the 2025 Class B 115-pound girls wrestling champion.

 

Jennifer and Michael Nikkila, Kearney Catholic: They were Class D cross country state champions in 1999, the only sister and brother to win their titles in the same season.

 

Cambridge football, 1992-2005: With coach Dan Keyser, the Trojans won six state championships and played in two other state finals while amassing a 149-14 record.

 

Omaha South boys gymnastics, 1977: With future Olympic team members Jim Hartung and Phil Cahoy and current Husker coach Chuck Chmelka, coach Rich Beran’s Packers set the state scoring record of 185.7 points.

 

Seward football and boys track, 2001-2002: The Bluejays were 12-1 in football, avenging a ninth-week defeat to Crete by winning the rematch 35-20 for the Class B state champion. In track, they won Class B with a record 114 points and a record margin of 83 points over the runners-up.