The achievements and service of eleven University of Nebraska at Omaha alumni were celebrated at UNO Alumni Night of Honor on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023, at UNO’s Mammel Hall. Presented by the UNO Alumni Association and Omaha Athletics, the eighth annual awards gala included the induction of members of the Omaha Athletic Hall of Fame. The following awards were presented at this special awards ceremony with guests and past alumni award recipients.
• Jim Leslie Outstanding Service Award: Brian T. Allison, Lacey Merica, Scott Vlasek
• Alumni Public Service Award: Speaker John Arch
• Young Alumni Achievement Award: Rick Knudtson, Ashley Kuhn
• Omaha Athletic Hall of Fame: Bruce Benedict, Sandy Derby-Higdon, Danny Fulton, Janice Theresa Kruger, Greg Zanon
JIM LESLIE OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARDS
Established in 1974, Jim Leslie Outstanding Service Awards honor faculty, staff, alumni or friends who have shown long, outstanding service to the alumni association and/or university. With this year’s honorees, the list of recipients grows to 120 individuals. The award was renamed the Jim Leslie Outstanding Service Award in 2022 in honor of Jim Leslie, CEO and president of the Alumni Association from 1973–2006.
2023 Jim Leslie Outstanding Service Awards: Scott Vlasek, Lacey Merica and Brian T. Allison. Photo by Mark Kuhlmann.
Brian T. Allison
Brian Allison was the 98th alum to chair the board from 2020 to 2021. He is a 2005 UNO graduate with an MPA. Allison joined the board in 2014 and completed his service in 2023 as past chair. During his tenure as chair, he oversaw the association’s change from a 501(c)(3) organization to a Functionally Integrated Supporting Organization of the University of Nebraska Foundation. He also was a member of the search committee whose work led to the hiring of UNO Chancellor Joanne Li. Allison is vice president at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego. Allison’s career also includes positions held at Children’s Nebraska, The MENTOR Network and Psychiatric Management Resources.
Lacey Merica
Lacey Merica has been a longtime volunteer for the UNO Alumni Association, having been involved in several programs. Most noticeable is her involvement at UNO commencement ceremonies, where she has distributed thousands of alumni pins to graduates as they exit the stage after receiving their diplomas. She’s also volunteered for events such as Homecoming, and last year joined the CBA Recent Alumni Advisory Board. Merica has been a consistent supporter of UNO through Wear Black, Give Back donations, and participating in Alumni Month of Service. Merica earned an MBA from UNO in 2011 and an MS in political science in 2021. She was a member of the UNO Young Alumni Academy Class of 2013. Merica is the accreditation/assessment coordinator for the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
Scott Vlasek
Scott Vlasek is one of the most well-known figures on campus. His time at UNO began as a student in 1991. He earned a BGS in aviation in 1995 and one year later became a graduate assistant at the UNO Aviation Institute. He earned an MPA from UNO in 1998 and joined its faculty. Today, he serves as director of the UNO Aviation Institute. Vlasek’s work has helped the institute become one of the nation’s best providers of aviation education. Vlasek also is among the most loyal supporters of Omaha Athletics as a longtime season ticket holder for several Maverick teams and travels frequently to away games. Vlasek was a longtime ex-officio member of the UNO Alumni Association Board of Directors, serving as the faculty senate representative from 2013 to 2021.
PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD
The Alumni Public Service Award recognizes UNO alumni who have a record of outstanding public service benefiting the advancement of the university and higher education in general.
2023 Alumni Public Service Award: Speaker John Arch. Photo by Mark Kuhlmann.
Speaker John Arch
Senator John Arch first was elected to the Nebraska Legislature in 2018 and reelected in 2022. Arch became speaker of the unicameral in 2023. A Sioux City, Iowa, native, he earned an MBA from UNO in 1987. He serves on seven committees, including the Reference, Rules and Executive Board. Arch is a healthcare consultant and former executive vice president of healthcare and director of the National Research Hospital and Clinics at Boys Town. Arch serves on boards for Grace Life Bible Church and Assure Women’s Center. He has previous board service with the Nebraska Hospital Association, Creighton University Medical Center, St. Joseph Center for Mental Health, Grace University, Prairie Health Ventures, UniNet Healthcare Network and Overland Hills Church. Arch also has a BA from Grace University and an MA from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary.
YOUNG ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Established in 2014, Young Alumni Awards recognize outstanding career achievement, active community involvement or exceptional service to the university by graduates 40 or younger.
2023 Young Alumni Achievement Awards: Rick Knudtson and Ashley Kuhn. Photo by Mark Kuhlmann.
Rick Knudtson
Rick Knudtson is an entrepreneur and tech investor. He earned a BS in computer science from UNO in 2010. That same year, Knudtson founded Randomnade, a social community and strategy tool for competitive gamers. It grew to more than 10,000 monthly active users. Two years later, Knudtson helped launch Flywheel as co-founder and chief product officer. The company is a managed WordPress hosting platform “designed specifically for creatives.” In 2018, Inc. Magazine honored Flywheel as Nebraska’s fastest-growing company and ranked it 344th fastest nationally. WP Engine acquired the company in 2019 and it now serves more than 30,000 customers. In 2021, Knudtson co-founded Workshop, an email platform for internal communications, where he is CEO. Workshop provides customers a bridge between “always-on instant messaging and always-outdated knowledge base.” That same year, Knudtson also co-founded The Great Website Co., a subscription service that includes website creation, ongoing content updates and on-demand design service. An Omaha native, Knudtson also invests in an array of tech companies.
Ashley Kuhn
Ashley Kuhn is co-founder and president of Blair Freeman Group, the only black female-owned and female-led Class A contractor in Nebraska. The company offers construction, owner’s representation and real estate services. Kuhn co-founded the company in 2018 with Maranda Adams after Adams and her husband had a disappointing contractor experience with an historic building they were remodeling. Kuhn previously had worked for the real estate development company White Lotus Group from 2004 to 2018, rising to executive vice president. Kuhn’s professional passion can be traced to her years growing up in North Omaha, where she developed “a lifelong passion for ensuring that real estate is appreciated and used for its highest and best use regardless of location.” Kuhn earned a BSBA in real estate and land use economics from UNO in 2006. She started her college career at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where she competed for its track and field team before transferring to UNO in 2004. She currently serves on the UNO College of Business Administration Dean’s National Advisory Board.
UNO ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME
A joint venture of the UNO Alumni Association and UNO Athletics, the UNO Athletic Hall of Fame began in 1975 to recognize former athletes, coaches, administrators and others who have made lasting contributions to Maverick Athletics.
2023 Omaha Athletic Hall of Fame: Sandy Derby-Higdon, Janice Theresa Kruger and Bruce Benedict. Photo by Mark Kuhlmann.
Bruce Benedict
A Millard High School graduate, Bruce Benedict played three seasons as a catcher for the Mavericks, from 1974 to 1976, when he was a Daktronics All-American. In 1975, he led the team in batting average (.382) and home runs (5). He ranks sixth in career on-base percentage (.462) and seventh in triples (8). The Mavericks had a combined record of 78-37 during his career, making the 1976 NCAA Regionals.
The Atlanta Braves drafted Benedict in the fifth round of the 1976 MLB draft. He made his major league debut Aug. 18, 1978 — his 23rd birthday — and played 12 MLB seasons for the Braves. He led National League catchers in 1981 with 73 assists and 48 baserunners caught stealing and was a reserve for the 1981 National League All Stars. In 1982, Benedict led NL catchers with a .993 fielding percentage, as the Braves won the NL Western division title. That season he also tied an MLB record by throwing out three baserunners in one inning.
Benedict was a reserve player for the National League in the 1983 All-Star Game. He ended that season with a career-high .298 batting average with two home runs and 43 RBI. He retired in 1989 having played in 982 games with 696 hits in 2,878 at bats (.242 avg.),18 home runs, 260 RBI and a .990 fielding percentage.
Benedict later held several positions in the New York Mets organization and then was a scout for the St. Louis Cardinals. He also has served as an NCAA college basketball official. More recently he has been an Atlanta-based scout for the Chicago White Sox and owner of the Bruce Benedict Baseball Academy.
Sandy Derby-Higdon
Sandy Derby-Higdon was one of UNO’s most versatile track and field athletes ever during her UNO career from 1995-1999, earning All-American honors in 10 events, including six relay events and four individual events. She set and still holds the UNO indoor 500 meter record (1:14.28, 1999) and the outdoor 400 meter hurdles record (1:00.60, 1998). She set five other individual school records and was part of two team records that have since been eclipsed. On the career charts, she still ranks third for outdoor high jump (5-09 ¼), fourth for indoor high jump (5-08 ¼), and sixth for indoor pentathlon (3,522 points).
At the national championships, Derby Higdon finished fifth in the high jump twice and seventh and eighth in the 400-meter hurdles. She also was part of the 4x400 relay team that finished second in the national meet. She was voted the outstanding performer at the NCC indoor meet in 1999 when she won the pentathlon. She captured two individual NCC indoor titles and the outdoor 4x400 title. For her career, Derby Higdon has the third most All-American honors earned by any UNO athlete with 10.
She came to UNO from Nebraska’s Louisville High School, where she still holds five records. Today she is a sales director at Physicians Mutual Insurance Company, where she has worked for 14 years. She is married to fellow UNO graduate Ron Higdon, a former UNO Wrestling All-American and later associate head wrestling coach. They have two children.
Danny B. Fulton
An Omaha Tech High School graduate, Danny Fulton played one season at Nebraska, then transferred to UNO and became one of its all-time greatest wide receivers. In 1976 he established what was then an NCAA all-class, single-season record with 1,581 receiving yards. He started that campaign with one of the university’s best single-game performances, netting 317 receiving yards at South Dakota, a UNO single-game record. He ended the year named a 1976 All-American.
Fulton, 6-foot-2, 186 pounds and known as “The Steam Machine,” finished his UNO career with 152 catches and 2,739 yards (both still school records) and 26 touchdowns. In his final game, against Northern Arizona, he tallied 13 catches — still a UNO single-game record. Fulton credited offseason work with former UNO star Marlin Briscoe with helping him develop his skills.
The Buffalo Bills selected Fulton in the third round of the 1978 NFL draft, the No. 65 pick overall. That made him the second-highest selection in school history (Ron Sayers was No. 44 in 1969). Fulton played one season with Buffalo before spending two years with Cleveland.
Fulton was inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame in 1987. He died in February 2018 at the age of 61. He is survived by his wife, Felicia, and daughter Danielle Fulton, a two-time UNO graduate.
Janice Theresa Kruger
Janice Kruger was UNO’s head volleyball coach for nine years, compiling a record of 352-96-6. The Mavericks won five North Central Conference titles during her tenure and made six regional appearances, winning three regional titles. The Mavericks also finished fourth nationally in 1983 and were third in 1985, 1986 and 1987.
Kruger’s best record came in 1983, when UNO finished 49-8. That remains a UNO single-season record for wins. A highlight came in 1986 when UNO defeated 10-time defending Big Eight Champion and No. 4-rated Nebraska in five games. Her teams won five consecutive North Central Conference championships from 1983-87.
Kruger still has the second-most victories of any coach in UNO program history, and her .783 winning percentage is the highest of any coach.
The American Volleyball Coaches Association named Kruger its National Coach of the Year in 1983 and 1986. She also was NCC Coach of the Year in both of those seasons. The Omaha World-Herald named her its 1987 state college coach of the year.
Kruger left UNO to become head volleyball coach at Maryland, where she coached for 20 years, compiling a 280-249 record with four conference championships. She retired from coaching in 2007. Today she is a consultant at the Side-Out Foundation, which raises funds through volleyball to support and advocate for individuals with breast cancer.
Greg Zanon
One of the greatest Maverick defensemen, Greg Zanon played four seasons for the Mavericks, from 1999 to 2003. Among all defensemen his career standings are first in goals (30), second in points (109) and second in assists (77). He is second among all players in shots (537) and is tied for 10th in game-winning goals (7). He also is tied for eighth among all players with 154 total games played.
Zanon’s play earned him numerous honors. He was a 2001 and 2002 AHCA Second Team All-American and the team’s MVP in 2003 when he was a team captain. That year, he scored what then was a UNO single-game record of five points with a goal and four assists in a comeback win against Merrimack. Zanon also earned numerous conference awards in his career. The Ottawa Senators picked him in the fifth round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, 156th overall. After leaving UNO he played three seasons for the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League.
He went on to play in 313 AHL games, scoring 17 goals with 85 assists. He made his NHL debut in 2005 with the Nashville Predators. He also played for Minnesota, Boston and Colorado. He played in 493 career NHL games with 12 goals and 50 assists.
Today, he is married to 2003 UNO grad and former UNO volleyball player Jen Leonard Zanon and is head coach of Stillwater Area High School's boys ice hockey team in Oak Park Heights, Minnesota.