Preston Love, JR-Omaha Technical
Athlete All-state in football and basketball and the state champion in the hurdles, Preston Love Jr., earned accolades as Omaha’s Athlete of the Year in 1960. He accepted an athletic scholarship to Northwestern, playing football and track. In 1963 he finished third in hurdles at the Big Ten Indoor Championships. After transferring to Nebraska, […]
Nate Lashley- Mitchell
Athlete (Class of 2001) A two-time state golf champion, leading Mitchell to the Class C1 team title both years, he went on to play for the University of Arizona where he was the Pac-10 runner-up in 2005. He turned professional after graduating from Arizona, winning the PGA’s Rocket Mortgage Classic in 2019. At Mitchell High […]
Jordan Larson- Logan View
Athlete (Class of 2005) On the volleyball court, Jordan Larson killed it. A key player on the U.S. Olympic volleyball teams in 2012 and 2016, Larson earned 12 letters in volleyball, basketball and track at Logan View. An All Class All State selection for three years, Larson earned high school All-American honors. On the basketball […]
Jerry Lee – Grand Island
Coach. During the 1940s and 1950s, the subject of high school football in Nebraska could not be discussed without a tip of the hat to the great Grand Island High School Coach Jerry Lee. A career of 25 years included a record of 101-23-5. The number of undefeated teams he coached at Grand Island was […]
John Larsen – Lincoln Southeast
COACH Lincoln Southeast’s girls basketball teams established unparalleled excellence under the direction of coach John Larsen. The Knights rolled through 29 consecutive winning seasons (1983-2011), qualifying for the state tournament 25 straight times – a state record. They reached the state finals 14 times, winning nine state championships, the most in Class A. He […]
Sue Lind Nelson – Albion
Athlete. A 1981 graduate of Albion High School in Boone County, she was the first athlete in Nebraska high school girls’ track and field to win a gold medal in the same event each year of her high school career, 1978-1979-1989- 1981. She bettered her own initial mark in the high jump from 5’8” her […]
Don Lee – Omaha
Contributor. The contribution sportswriters make to the understanding and enjoyment of high school athletics is immeasurable. One of the best was Don Lee, who spent 44 years covering sports as a reliable scribe for the Omaha World-Herald newspaper. He was present for 35 consecutive state basketball tournaments and 35 state track meets. Though his talents […]
Chris Leigh Thomas – Platteview
Athlete. One of the best girl basketball players in high school history, this 1979 graduate of Platteview High School in Springfield, Sarpy County, was a favorite with fans from the time she first stepped on to any athletic arena for her varsity team. She was named all-state in both volleyball and basketball, and she won […]
Ralph W. “Swede” Langer – Ainsworth
Before graduating from Ainsworth High School in 1939, Ralph had an outstanding career in all three sports offered at that time. His honors included being selected twice to the All State Teams in basketball and once football. His track events were the pole vault and high jump. In order to gain more practice time Ralph […]
David Lammel – Millard South
Athlete (1984) A five-time gold-medal swimmer at the state meet, the seven-time high school All-American still held the state record in the 100-yard butterfly in 2004. That mark was the second-fastest in the nation his senior year. He started on Millard South’s state runner-up baseball teams of 1983 and 1984. He was honored by the […]