Trio of NU athletes
give tremendous
final-season efforts
photo by Matt Miller
A HeatherBrink
By Samuel McKewon
r | Senior editor
. . . It couldn’t have been a
better individual year for
Nebraska’s Heather Brink.
, A couple perfect 10s on
the vault. National champi
onships in die all-around and
the vault. Recipient of the
Honda Award, given to the top
gymnast in die country.
And Brink has said many
times that she’d have given it
away for a NCAA team title.
It eluded Nebraska again this
year, tyit the Huskefs are get
ting closer.
Brink posted a school
record 39.625 all-around
score earlier, .25 better than
her 39.6 winning score in die
NCAA championships.
Brink had a 9.95 pit the vault
forthe tide there.
And die icing on the cake
is the Honda, given to one
woman athlete in each sport.
Brink is the fourth Husker to
pick up the award.
“I’m really excited,”
Brink said. “After the season
aids, you don’t expect things
like this to happen. I guess it
showed that all the hard work
paid off. It’s kind of like I am
leaving behind a statement It
goes to my teammates as
much as it goes to me because
they worked just as hard.”
Said Coach Dan Kendig:
The consistency Heather
showed this season was
directly related to how much
effort she put in.
.... “After her career is over, ,
she will took back and see
what a tremendous honor this
really is. We are all proud of
her.”
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photo illustration by Matt Miller, story by Brian Christopherson
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photo by Josh Wolfe
^ BradVering
By David Diehl
Staff writer
Raise your fists, champ. Raise them high.
Gold is such a great color, especially when
it’s hanging around your neck.
Brad Vering, you are Nebraska’s champ.
A homegrown, hometown, champion. Born
and bred to sweat, win, and conquer like a
champion does—all for the Comhusker state.
When you brought home Nebraska’s sev-'
enth individual national wrestling title, you
brought it home to a very grateful, very
proud, state. ■ - ;
Look at what you’ve done, champ. For ai>
entire season you were as close to untouch
able as wrestlers hot named Cael Sanderson
can be.
You were 32-2 and about twenty seconds
away from 34-0. Sure, that 32nd win would
have been so much bigger if it was against
Mark Munoz.
But look at what’s hanging around your
neck.and then look what’s around his.
Gold looks so much better than bronze,
doesn’t it, champ? it looks better than any
medal.
It looks best on you. It signifies the hours
in the wrestling room, the weight room, and
all the extra time you spent working toward
the top. It was hard work but it has its
rewards.
There were only 10 kids in the country
that finished theirsjeas&n ogjysug match swn-r
ning streailt (h^yearVtou^iest tournament.
You are one in ten.