Month: February 2021

The Nebraska Greats Foundation Issues Grant to Former Husker Standout Battling COVID-19

Posted on by Matt Tompkins

The Nebraska Greats Foundation Issues Grant to Former Husker Standout Battling COVID-19

The Nebraska Greats Foundation which serves former letter winners from Nebraska’s 4-year colleges and universities who face medical and financial challenges, has issued its first grant to a victim of COVID-19.

Former UNL Football standout Keven Lightner, an All Big 8 performer in 1987 was struck with the Corona Virus while visiting Nebraska in the summer of 2020. He is an assistant coach with the Fujitsu Frontiers of Japan’s professional football league. Health authorities are certain he was infected while in Lincoln.

Said Lightner, “I would like to thank the Nebraska Greats Foundation for coming to my family’s aid after my long and difficult battle with COVID-19. The bills piled up quickly and the foundation stepped in and took this financial burden off our shoulders. I will be forever grateful!”

Lightner entered St. Elizabeth Regional Health center on July 28th and spent the next 32 days on full life support, including a 10-day induced COMA. While in treatment, he was on a 24-hour ventilator, suffered a collapsed lung and cardiac arrest. His fever spiked to 104 degrees.

Employer sponsored health insurance benefits only provided for a percentage of the seven-figure cost of his care. He and his family applied for support from the NGF.

“COVID-19 has affected so many Nebraska families. In many cases, like Keven the victim recovered but now must face crippling medical expenses. Hopefully Keven’s story will shed light on the increasingly unreachable cost of health care. On behalf of our donors and corporate partners, we are pleased to be able to assist Keven and his family at this time and hope we can do more if needed.” Says Jim Rose, Executive Director of the NGF.

A Nebraska native, Lightner starred at Adams Central HS near Hastings. After his playing days, he served as an assistant coach at Ohio University and Vanderbilt prior to his position in Japan. He became a legend off the field as one of Nebraska Football’s strongest players. He set numerous weightlifting records including a 441-pound bench press and a 756 pound squat.

He has returned to Japan to continue his recovery.

Former Wayne State Football Player Latest Recipient of Support From the Nebraska Greats Foundation

Posted on by Matt Tompkins

Former Wayne State Football Player Latest Recipient of Support From the Nebraska Greats Foundation

The Nebraska Greats Foundation (501c-3) proudly announces the awarding of another life changing
grant to a former Nebraska College Athletics letter winner.

Drew Caskey, a two-year letter winner in football at Wayne State College (2000-2001) suffered a serious
hip injury while playing. It grew progressively worse until doctors recently advised a complete hip
replacement procedure. Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, Drew was furloughed from his position at the
University of Nebraska and was left with a financial hardship, unable to access the procedure, travel
costs and post-operative care. His application was reviewed for qualification and approved by the NGF
Board of Directors.

Says Caskey, “Faced with the daunting diagnosis of needing a total hip replacement (THR) at just 39
years old, I reached out to the Nebraska Greats Foundation for financial assistance in hopes of achieving
a surgical alternative procedure to resolve the degenerative joint disease in my right hip. My life had
come to a grinding halt due to my painful arthritic hip. I learned that I needed total hip replacement at
just 39 years old. Then the global pandemic hit. Nonetheless I was now faced with financial hardship
due to the furlough assignment from my job.

In stepped the Nebraska Greats Foundation offering to help with out-of-pocket expenses and travel
costs so I could get the best surgeon possible. I knew that help for travel expenses is very rare!
I am forever grateful to the Nebraska Greats Foundation because without them, my dream of traveling
to New York to undergo Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR), by renowned orthopedic surgeon, Edwin P.
Su, M.D., and receive the “gold standard” of hip resurfacing implants, would have stayed just that, a
dream and never a reality. Thank you for helping me get back to winning in the game of life!”

Tommie Frazier: Fan’s Choice as Favorite Husker of the Last 50 Years

Posted on by Matt Tompkins

Tommie Frazier: Fan’s Choice as Favorite Husker of the Last 50 Years

After a HuskerNATION wide poll, former All-American QB Tommie Frazier was selected as the “Fan’s choice as the favorite Husker of the last 50 years.” Tommie will be presented with a special award at the annual Celebrity Sports Night event in August.

Thanks to everyone who voted and donated $50 to the Nebraska Greats Foundation which sponsored the on-line poll.

A legend among legends in a long line of transcendent Big Eight quarterbacks, Tommie Frazier helped College Football Hall of Fame coach Tom Osborne and Nebraska to back-to-back perfect national championship seasons in 1994 and 1995.

The 1995 consensus First-Team All-American and Johnny Unitas Award winner was runner-up for the 1995 Heisman Trophy and a finalist for the Walter Camp and Maxwell awards. Frazier led Nebraska to four consecutive bowl appearances, claiming MVP honors in the 1995 Orange and 1996 Fiesta bowls en route to the national title. Frazier missed seven games during the 1994 season due to blood clots, but the junior was able to return and direct Nebraska’s come-from-behind win over Miami in the national title game. The 1995 Big Eight Player of the Year set a conference record with a 33-3 overall career record as a starter. Frazier won the Big Eight title in all four of his seasons, posting three straight years of undefeated league play.

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From The AD’s Office: Joel Smith Chadron State College

Posted on by Matt Tompkins

From The AD’s Office: Joel Smith Chadron State College

MANY NEBRASKANS KNOW CHADRON STATE AS THE ALMA MATER OF TWO POPULAR NFL PLAYERS OF THE LAST GENERATION DON BEEBE AND DANNY WOODHEAD. HOW MUCH HAVE THEY MEANT TO THE PROGRAM LONG AFTER THEY PLAYED THEIR LAST GAME THERE?

Both Don and Danny have been the national face of Chadron State Athletics. They both continue to support the college and have been integral in our effort to provide resources for our student athletes. They are also good men which reflects well on our program.

BEFORE COMING TO CSC, YOU WERE COMMISSIONER OF THE ROCKY MOUTAIN ATHLETIC CONFERNCE, A RESPECTED DII LEAGUE. WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO CHADRON FROM THE RMAC?

This is my 33rd year in athletics and I have had a diverse career. I spent 12 years as the commissioner and enjoyed that experience. However, I missed the day to day interactions with students that you get as an athletic director.

I had built a great working relationship with the president at Chadron and when Brad Smith retired Dr. Rhine asked me to consider replacing him. I was excited to return to a campus and took the position.

YOU HAVE BECOME PRESIDENT OF THE NCAA DIVISION II ATHLETIC DIRECTOR’S ASSOCIATION. WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE DII ATHLETICS FACES?

The most visible is our efforts to continue to operate in a Covid 19 world. We all are involved making it safe for our athletes to compete.

Outside of that the challenges of raising resources for the program is a constant. A new issue is engaging our athletes and community in discussions about inclusion and social justice.

CSC LAUCHED AN INITIATIVE SEVERAL YEARS AGO TO UPGRADE FACILITIES. YOU HAVE COMPLETED BOTH PHASES OF THE PROJECT, WHAT’S NEXT?

Well, we have in essence fixed, replaced, or created all of our athletic facilities. Now we have some of the best facilities in the RMAC. We need to do some more upgrade work in our locker rooms and with our indoor facility but right now we are proud of what we have.

YOU LIST THE GUITAR AS A HOBBY? HOW GOOD ARE YOU? WHO IS YOUR BIGGEST MUSICAL INFLUENCE?

Not as good as I once was. I do get to play a little now and then. I’m a little eclectic so I’ve been influenced by everyone from John Denver to James Taylor to Nat King Cole.

THE NEBRASKA GREATS FOUNDATION HAS YET TO SERVE A FORMER CHADRON STATE EAGLE IN NEED. HOW CAN WE GET THE WORD OUT TO ALL OF THE FORMER LETTER WINNERS OF CSC WHO EITHER MAY BE IN NEED OR KNOW OF A FORMER TEAMMATE WHO MAY NEED THE HELP THE NGF PROVIDES?

We continue to share the story of Nebraska Greats Foundation with our alumni. It may be a blessing that we have not had anyone of need yet. We are glad to be involved and know that Nebraska Greats will be there if we have someone of need.