Inductees for the 2013 class of the Omaha Sports Hall of Fame were announced Thursday, January 31, 2013.  “It is an outstanding group of inductees, certainly worthy of this recognition” said Don Leahy, Co-chair of the Omaha Sports Hall of Fame committee.  The 2013 inductees are:

Sandy Buda - One of the most successful football coaches in UNO history, Sandy Buda compiled an 84-49 record from 1978-89 which ranks second all-time in wins at UNO. His teams captured North Central Conference titles in 1983 and 1984 and advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs twice – in 1978 and 1984, when the Mavericks lost in the national semifinal game. The Omaha native is also a member of the UNO and Creighton Prep Halls of Fame.

Dr. Jack Lewis - For more than 50 years, Dr. Lewis has been an influential force on the Omaha sports scene. A avid supporter of many activities and organizations, he is also a member of the Nebraska High School Athletic Hall of Fame having been inducted in 2004.

Jerry Murtaugh – A three sport standout at Omaha North High School in football, wrestling and baseball, Murtaugh  went on to play for the University of Nebraska where he was Co-Captain of the National Championship team in 1970. An All-American and all-conference linebacker, Murtaugh set a University of Nebraska record for most career tackles, a record that stood until 2004. After graduation, Murtaugh was signed by the New England Patriots, where he played for two years, until knee injuries ended his playing career.

 Wally Provost – A legendary Sports writer and Editor, Provost was considered the dean of sports reporters in the region. He was on staff of the Omaha World-Herald for 34 years, Don Leahy said of him, “He was the sports authority for decades. He set an extremely high standard for all of his successors. He obviously loved his job, and it showed through in everything he did.”  Wally Provost passed away in 1996.

 Rose Shires  – The veteran leader has amassed a 429-267 (.616) coaching record over her stellar career, making her the winningest coach in UNO history. The Mavericks’ 1997 Elite Eight appearance followed a 1996 campaign which saw her lead UNO to its first-ever national championship with a 35-2 record, as well as its first North Central Conference championship since 1987. Over the past two decades Shires has coached nine players to 27 All-America awards, including five from the AVCA First Teams. Thirty-five of her players have combined for 61 all-conference honors in NCC and MIAA play, and 18 have gone on to claim 34 all-region honors.

 Connie Yori - A standout basketball player at Creighton University, Yori scored 2,010 points, which ranks third all-time in Bluejays’ women’s basketball history, and she is also near (or at) the top of numerous other school records as well. She is a member of the Creighton Athletic Hall of Fame and currently is the Head Coach of University of Nebraska women’s basketball team.  Following the 2009-10 season, Yori was named the Naismith College Coach of the Year and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year after guiding Nebraska to a 32–2 record and the school’s first-ever trip to the NCAA Women’s Division I Basketball Championship Sweet 16.

The 1963 Omaha Tech High School basketball team - In a golden age of prep hoops, All-Nebraska players Fred Hare and Joe Williams led coach Neal Mosser’s Trojans to the state title by winning their three tournament games by an average of 21 points. Tech’s 91-73 finals win came over an Omaha Creighton Prep team regarded as that school’s best. Tech’s losses were 72-56 to Prep in the finals of the city’s holiday tournament and 62-61 to Central (14-9) to close the regular season.

The induction ceremony and banquet for the class of 2013 will take place on Thursday, April 25, 2013 at the Scott Conference Center on the campus of the University of Nebraska Omaha.  In addition to recognizing the inductees, John Hildenbiddle, Mutual of Omaha Senior Vice-President, will be recognized as the Dr. Jack Lewis Award winner for Distinguished Service to the Omaha Sports Community.

About the Omaha Sports Hall of Fame

The Omaha Sports Hall of Fame was founded in 2006 with the goal of providing a permanent place to honor individuals with strong ties to Omaha and who have achieved tremendous success through athletics.  The Omaha Sports Hall of Fame honors athletes and coaches who have highly excelled on their field of play.  The Hall welcomes nominations of individuals who are either originally from Omaha or have spent a significant amount of time in the community.

(Omaha, Neb.) January 17, 2012- Inductees for the 2012 class of the Omaha Sports Hall of Fame were announced Tuesday, January 17, 2012.  “It is an outstanding group of inductees, certainly worthy of this recognition” said Dr. Jack Lewis, Co-chair of the Omaha Sports Hall of Fame committee.  The 2012 inductees are:

Lyell Bremser – For 45 seasons, from 1939 through 1983, Lyell Bremser called Husker football games for KFAB radio. His energetic delivery and his knack for turning an unforgettable phrase made him one of a kind. To many fans in the days when TV games were rare or nonexistent, Lyell Bremser was Cornhusker football.

Al Caniglia  – Al Caniglia coached Omaha University football from 1960-1973 and led the team to a 74-55-5 record. He had teams in the top 25 many times, along with winning five of seven CIC titles. In 1961, he was named Coach of the Year by Rockne Club of Kansas City. In 1962, his team won the All-Sports Bowl. He produced many All-Americans, including Marlin Briscoe, Paul Blazevich, Charles McWhorter and Dom Polifrone.

Tom Jaworski – In his 39 years as Creighton Prep’s Head Football Coach, Tom Jaworski complied a record of 343-92.  His 343 wins are the most in Nebraska High School history.  Jaworski led Prep to the state finals 15 times winning 9 titles, also a state record.

Kelly Lindsey – A standout in three sports at Millard North High School, Lindsey led the Mustangs to state soccer title her freshman and senior years as well as being a three-time state cross Country champ and a four-year letter winner in basketball.  She had an outstanding career at the University of Notre Dame where she was a four-year starter and captain her junior and senior years. She was the WUSA’s top draft pick in 2001.

Red McManus – The Creighton Men’s head Basketball coach from 1959-1969, Creighton was 138-118 during Red’s tenure that included two trips to the NCAA tournament.

Erick Strickland – The 1992 prep athlete of the year, Erick earned all-state honors in football, basketball and baseball at Bellevue West High School.  A four-year letterman at Nebraska, he was the Big eight Freshman of the Year in 1993 and was a three-time All Big-Eight defensive team selection.  He played in the NBA for the Dallas mavericks, New York Knicks, Vancouver Grizzlies, Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks.

The 1982 Westside Warrior Football Team – Considered one of the most dominant football dynasties in Class A history, the 1982 Omaha Westside team capped off their second consecutive state championship season with a 34-0 win over Lincoln Northeast. The Warriors didn’t allow a single point during that playoff run and outscored their three opponents 104-0. Westside’s 24 game win streak over the 1981 and 1982 seasons is the second longest in Class A history.  Led by the late Dan Young, the Warriors had 13 players from that team go on and play college football.  1982 was also Young’s last season at Westside. From there, he went on to join Tom Osborne’s coaching staff at Nebraska.

 The induction ceremony and banquet for the class of 2012 will take place on Thursday, April 19, 2012 at the Scott Conference Center on the campus of the University of Nebraska Omaha.  In addition to recognizing the inductees, the Omaha Sports Hall of Fame will honor Creighton Soccer standout, Ethan Findlay and Nebraska volleyball player Gina Mancuso as “Athletes of the Year”.  Dave and Carol Van Metre will be recognized as the Dr. Jack Lewis Award winners for Distinguished Service to the Omaha Sports Community.  The evening will also feature a tribute to the 1972 World Heavyweight Championship fight between Ron Stander and Joe Frazier held at the Omaha Civic Auditorium.

About the Omaha Sports Hall of Fame

The Omaha Sports Hall of Fame was founded in 2006 with the goal of providing a permanent place to honor individuals with strong ties to Omaha and who have achieved tremendous success through athletics.  The Omaha Sports Hall of Fame honors athletes and coaches who have highly excelled on their field of play.  The Hall welcomes nominations of individuals who are either originally from Omaha or have spent a significant amount of time in the community.

Dr. Jack Lewis and Ross Jernstrom, Committee Co-Chairs of the Omaha Sports Hall of Fame, announced that the public can now cast their ballots to select the 2012 class of inductees into the Omaha Sports Hall of Fame. The public is encouraged to cast their votes at www.omahasportshalloffame.com. “We had an outstanding event last year and we are looking forward to inducting another great class” said Dr. Jack Lewis. This year’s nominees include Dana Altman, George Andrews, Bruce Benedict, Chris Bober, Rik Bonness, R. Lyell Bremser, Tim Burke, Phil Cahoy, Al Caniglia, Lloyd Cardwell, Barney Cotton, Ruth Evans, Fred Hare, Angee Henry, Tom Jaworski, Charles “Deacon” Jones, Nina Korgan, Rod Kush, Kelly Lindsey, Bob Mackie, Mike McGee, Red McManus, Jim Miller, Jerry Murtaugh, Joe Orduna, Wally Provost, Stan Schaetzle, Homer Smith and Erick Strickland. The Omaha Sports Hall of Fame, located at The Durham, features interactive displays including video highlights, photographs, artifacts and stories of the athletes and their careers. The induction ceremony and banquet for the class of 2012 will take place on Thursday, April 19, 2012 at the Scott Conference Center on the campus of the University of Nebraska Omaha. In addition to recognizing the inductees, the Omaha Sports Hall of Fame will honor a male and female “Athletes of the Year” for their contributions the past year.

Class of 2011

The Omaha Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2011 includes Don Benning,Pat Fischer, Dave Hoppen, The 1991 Creighton University Baseball Team, Susan Marchese and Jack Payne.