Six Selected for Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame

Six Selected for Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame
Courtesy/NU Media Relations
June 7th, 2023 | huskers.com

Five distinguished student-athletes and one legendary head coach make up the six individuals in the 2023 University of Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame class, announced on Wednesday, June 7.

The 2023 class includes: Lori Endicott (volleyball, 1985-88); Tommie Frazier (football, 1992-95); Emily Parsons (women’s gymnastics, 2005-08); Tolly Thompson (wrestling, 1993-97); Brittany Timko (soccer, 2003-06); and retired men’s and women’s track and field head coach Gary Pepin.

The five student-athletes in the 2023 Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame class combined to win two team national championships and one individual national title while earning 18 All-America awards. Pepin guided Nebraska to three national championships as the Huskers’ head coach, and his athletes combined for 59 individual national titles and 639 All-America accolades. The class will be permanently enshrined on a granite plaque with the names of the six members added to the University of Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame Plaza.

“We are honored to recognize the achievements of these elite individuals, and we look forward to celebrating their accomplishments as we induct them into the University of Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame this fall,’ Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Trev Alberts said. “The five student-athletes had a tremendous impact on the University of Nebraska and deserve to be recognized for their contributions as Cornhuskers. We are also excited to honor Coach Pepin, who served more student-athletes than any other coach in the history of Nebraska Athletics and has an unmatched resume as one of the greatest track and field coaches in NCAA history.”

The Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame Plaza is located on a walkway, stretching from outside of East Memorial 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 and is lit for night viewing. The plaza recognizes each annual Hall of Fame class, along with columns dedicated to the history and successes of each of Nebraska’s athletic programs.

A Class of Conference Champions

One common trait shared by each member of the 2023 Hall of Fame was conference domination, both from an individual and team standpoint.

Each of the five student-athletes was an individual conference champion, conference player of the year, or both. The student-athletes combined to win 14 team conference championships and 10 individual conference titles while being recognized with seven conference player-of-the-year awards. From a coaching perspective, Pepin won 73 team conference championships (40 on the women’s side and 33 on the men’s side) and his athletes won 597 individual conference titles.

Endicott helped the volleyball program to a Big Eight title in each of her four seasons from 1985 to 1988, including four regular-season championships and three tournament titles. The first conference player of the year in program history, Endicott was the 1987 and 1988 Big Eight Player of the Year. She was also an All-American both seasons and an academic All-American as a senior. A native of Springfield, Missouri, Endicott went on to become the first Husker volleyball player to compete in the Olympics (1992, 1996), helping the United States to a Bronze medal in 1992.

Frazier was also a conference champion every season of his career, leading the football team to Big Eight titles in 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1995. He was the Big Eight Freshman/Newcomer of the Year in 1992 and was the Offensive Player of the Year in 1995. Frazier posted a 33-3 record as Nebraska’s starting quarterback, including a 19-1 mark in conference play. He helped Nebraska to back-to-back national championships in 1994 and 1995 and was a three-time Most Valuable Player in National Championship bowl games. The runner-up for the 1995 Heisman Trophy, Frazier was named one of the 10 Greatest College Football Players of the 20th Century. A Bradenton, Florida, native, Frazier was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2013.

Parsons won seven individual Big 12 Conference titles and two team championships during her four-year career as a Nebraska gymnast from 2005 to 2008. A native of St. Charles, Missouri, Parsons was the 2005 Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and the 2007 Big 12 Co-Gymnast of the Year. A nine-time regional champion and three-time regional gymnast of the year, Parsons was an 11-time All-American. She earned All-America accolades on multiple events all four seasons of her career and was a first-team All-American in at least one event all four years.

Thompson was a three-time conference champion during his distinguished career as a heavyweight wrestler from 1993 to 1997. After redshirting in 1993, he was the Big Eight champion in 1995 and 1996 before winning the Big 12 heavyweight title in 1997. In 1995, Thompson was the NCAA Champion before finishing third in both 1996 and 1997. A three-time All-American, Thompson was 15-2 with three top-three finishes in his NCAA Tournament career, and he went 8-1 at the conference tournament. A native of Janesville, Iowa, Thompson won 157 matches in his career, a total that ranked in the top 10 in NCAA history at the conclusion of his career. He still holds the Nebraska record for all-time victories.

Timko was one of the most decorated soccer players in Big 12 Conference history. She was the Big 12 Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005 before sharing the top honor in 2006. The only three-time player of the year in Big 12 history, Timko was also a two-time All-American and was an outstanding international player, competing on the world stage even during her Husker career. In her freshman season at Nebraska, Timko helped Canada to a fourth-place finish at the Women’s World Cup. One year later, she won the Golden Boot Award as the top scorer at the 2004 FIFA U-19 World Championship. Timko played in three World Cups and two Olympics in her international career, winning a Bronze medal in 2012. She was inducted into the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame in 2020.

Pepin is the sixth coach to be inducted into the Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame. He was the head coach of the Husker women’s track and field team from 1981 to 2022, and Pepin guided the men’s team from 1984 to 2022. The numbers during his tenure as the longest-serving head coach in Nebraska history are staggering: three team national championships; 73 team conference titles; 59 individual NCAA champions; 597 individual conference champions; 639 All-Americans; and 68 Academic All-Americans. Pepin was named the conference coach of the year 28 times during his illustrious career. The 1995 National Indoor Coach of the Year, Pepin was inducted into the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2008.

2023 Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame Class

  • Lori Endicott, Volleyball (1985-88)
  • Tommie Frazier, Football (1992-95)
  • Emily Parsons, Women’s Gymnastics (2005-08)
  • Tolly Thompson, Wrestling (1993-97)
  • Brittany Timko, Soccer (2003-06)
  • Gary Pepin, Track & Field Head Coach (1981-2022)

2023 Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame Class Bios

Lori Endicott, Volleyball (1985-88), Springfield, Missouri

Lori Endicott was the first Nebraska volleyball player to be recognized as the conference player of the year and was the first Husker to play in the Olympics. Endicott hit over .300 as an outside hitter her first two seasons, when she was also a part-time setter. In her sophomore season, she played a key role in leading Nebraska to an NCAA runner-up finish. Endicott moved into the starting setter role as a junior and senior, when she was the Big Eight Player of the Year and an All-American each season. As a junior, she was the 1987 Big Eight Player of the Year and a second-team All-American. In her final season in 1988, Endicott repeated as Big Eight Player of the Year while earning first-team All-America accolades and second-team Academic All-America recognition. She ended her career as Nebraska’s all-time leader in assists (3,117). From a team perspective, Endicott helped Nebraska to the Big Eight title in each of her four seasons from 1985 to 1988, including four regular-season championships and three tournament titles. Following her Husker career, she was a member of Team USA for the 1992 and 1996 Olympics, winning a Bronze medal in the 1992 Barcelona Games. In 2005, she was a recipient of the USA Volleyball “Flo” Hyman All-Time Great Women’s Player Award.

Tommie Frazier, Football (1992-95), Bradenton, Florida

Tommie Frazier is widely regarded as one of the best quarterbacks – and winners – in the history of college football. Named one of the 10 Greatest College Football Players of the 20th Century, Frazier led Nebraska to four Big Eight titles, with the Huskers going undefeated in the regular season and playing for the national title in each of his final three seasons. Frazier posted a 33-3 record as Nebraska’s starting quarterback, culminating with back-to-back perfect national championship seasons in 1994 and 1995. A three-time national championship game Most Valuable Player, Frazier burst onto the scene in 1992, when he became the first true freshman to ever start at quarterback for Nebraska. He was the Big Eight Freshman/Newcomer of the Year in 1992 and the Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year in 1995. Frazier was the runner-up for the 1995 Heisman Trophy in addition to being named the national player of the year by two media outlets. He finished his career – including bowl games – with 4,003 passing yards and 2,290 rushing yards. Frazier accounted for 6,293 yards of total offense with 85 total touchdowns. A Bradenton, Florida, native, Frazier was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2013, and his No. 15 jersey was retired by Nebraska in 1996. Frazier earned his degree in communication studies from the University of Nebraska in 1996.

Emily Parsons, Women’s Gymnastics (2005-08), St. Charles, Missouri

Emily Parsons was an 11-time All-American during her distinguished career as a Husker gymnast from 2005 to 2008. She set a school record with 114 career event titles, and Parsons’ 11 All-America awards are tied for the most in Nebraska history. Parsons earned All-America recognition on multiple events in each of her four seasons. She was a first-team All-American in four different events, including the all-around. On the regional level, Parsons was a three-time regional gymnast of the year who was a four-time regional champion in the floor exercise, three-time winner on vault and two-time all-around champion. Parsons was also dominant on the conference level, where she was recognized as the 2005 Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and the 2007 Big 12 Co-Gymnast of the Year. Parsons was named the Big 12 Gymnast of the Week 15 times during her career, and she was a seven-time Big 12 champion, including a dominant 2007 championship when she won titles in the all-around, vault, beam and floor exercise. Parsons earned her degree in sociology from the University of Nebraska in 2009.

Tolly Thompson, Wrestling (1993-97), Janesville, Iowa

Tolly Thompson owns the most victories of any wrestler in Nebraska history. Thompson went 157-21 in his four seasons to become the only Husker with 150 career wins. The 1995 NCAA Heavyweight champion, Thompson was a three-time All-American and a three-time conference champion. After going 18-5 with 12 pins during his redshirt season, Thompson went 38-13 as a freshman in 1993-94, setting the school record for most victories by a freshman. Over his final three seasons, Thompson posted a 119-8 record with a conference title and a top-three NCAA finish each year. As a sophomore, he went 36-2 en route to becoming the NCAA champion. The next year, Thompson was 42-2 and finished the season with a third-place NCAA finish. As a senior, Thompson posted a 41-4 record, and he again finished third at the NCAA Championships. With more than 40 wins as both a junior and senior, Thompson became the only Husker wrestler with two 40-win seasons. His 157 career victories ranked eighth in NCAA history at the conclusion of his career. Thompson earned his degree in family and consumer science from the University of Nebraska in 1997.

Brittany Timko, Soccer (2003-06), Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada

Brittany Timko was one of the most decorated soccer players in Big 12 Conference history, and she competed in three World Cups and two Olympics during an illustrious international career. Timko was the Big 12 Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005 before sharing the conference’s top honor in 2006. The only three-time player of the year in Big 12 history, Timko was also a two-time All-American. She scored 41 goals and had 42 assists in 71 career matches, ranking in the top five in Nebraska history with 124 career points. One of only two players in program history with 40 goals and 40 assists, Timko had four hat tricks in her career, and she set a Nebraska season record with 21 assists as a junior in 2005. Timko was also an outstanding international player, competing on the world stage even during her Husker career. In her freshman season, Timko helped Canada to a fourth-place finish at the Women’s World Cup. One year later, she won the Golden Boot Award as the top scorer at the 2004 FIFA U-19 World Championship. Timko also won a Bronze medal with Team Canada in 2012. She was inducted into the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame in 2020. Timko earned her degree in psychology from the University of Nebraska in 2008.

Gary Pepin, Head Coach: Women’s Track & Field (1981-2022); Men’s Track & Field (1984-2022)

The sixth coach to be inducted into the Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame, Gary Pepin was the longest-serving head coach in the history of Husker Athletics. He was the head coach of the Husker women’s track and field team for 42 seasons from 1981 to 2022, and Pepin guided the men’s team from 1984 to 2022. He led the Nebraska women to three straight indoor national championships from 1982 to 1984, including the first two NCAA Indoor Championships in 1983 and 1984. In addition to three team national championships, Pepin’s teams won 73 conference titles. His women’s program won 40 conference titles (23 indoor; 17 outdoor) while his men’s teams won 33 championships (20 indoor; 13 outdoor). From 1981 to 1995, Pepin’s women’s teams won both the indoor and outdoor conference championships every season. Individually, Pepin’s student-athletes combined for 59 individual NCAA titles, 597 individual conference championships, 639 All-America awards and 68 Academic All-America accolades. Pepin was named the conference coach of the year 28 times, and he was the region coach of the year 11 times. The 1995 National Indoor Coach of the Year, Pepin was inducted into the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2008.

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