Athlete of the Year

The Nebraska Sports Council is a part of the National Congress of State Games. In an effort to recognize amateur athletes and further the purposes of the state games movement, the National Congress of State Games has established Athlete of the Year awards. Each year after the closing of the Cornhusker State Games, an award is presented to male, female, youth, and senior athletes who represent the ideals of the Cornhusker State Games. These include participation, sportsmanship, effort and a positive attitude. National winners will be chosen from among the individual state Athletes of the Year.

2023 Athletes of the Year

Adult Female – Becky Mantonya
Adult Male – Emmett Hassenstab
Senior Female – Susan Bensen
Senior Male – Larry Allen
Youth Female – Anna Midyett
Youth Male – Rudy Rodriguez

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Awards Banquet Contributors
Categories

Adult Female
Adult Male
Senior Female
Senior Male
Youth Female
Youth Male

Nominations

Nominations for the Cornhusker State Games Athlete of the Year are due by August 8, 2023. Nominees will be submitted for the National Athlete of the Year and the National Congress of State Games will announce their National Athlete of the Year recipients shortly after.

National Athlete of the Year

Each year after the closing of the Cornhusker State Games, an adult female, adult male, youth female and youth male will be selected as the Athlete of the Year. Coaches, parents, spectators as well as athletes will have the chance throughout the games to submit their nomination of who they think deserves this award.

The final selection will be based on the following criteria: participation in the Cornhusker State Games, attitude and effort, sportsmanship, overall athletic achievement, special attributes or circumstances, athlete’s motivation, and why the athlete represents the spirit of amateur athletics and the State Games movement.

Athletes that win the Cornhusker State Games Athlete of the Year awards will be nominated for the National Congress of State Games (NCSG) Athlete of the Year Award.

Past CSG Athletes of the Year
Adult Female – Becky Mantonya – Lincoln – Swimming

Adult Male – Emmett Hassenstab – Elkhorn – Track & Field *National Congress of State Games Athlete of the Year

Senior Female – Susan Bensen – Blair – Archery

Senior Male – Larry Allen – Cozad – Taekwondo

Youth Female – Anna Midyett – Bennington – Youth Golf

Youth Male – Rudy Rodriguez – Grand Island – Wrestling

Adult Female   Haley Bekins – Omaha – Triathlon

Adult Male        Doug Trent – Louisville – Track & Field

Senior Female  Harriet Bloemker – Fremont – Track & Field

Senior Male      Buck Wood – Minden – Pickleball *National Congress of State Games Athlete of the Year

Youth Male    Marc Zhao – Elkhorn – Aquatics

Youth Female  Makayla Vasser – Nebraska City – Wrestling, Track & Field, Softball

Adult Female   Carol Frost – Ashland – Track and Field

Adult Male         Shawn Labadie – Lincoln – Taekwondo

Senior Female   Marsha Busse – Lincoln – Powerlifting

Senior Male       Fred Chrastil – Lincoln – Pistol Shooting

Youth Male      Janek De Guzman – Lincoln – Chess and Table Tennis

Youth Female   Faith Samek – David City – Track and Field

Adult Female    Chloe Bowman – Firth – Trap Shooting

Adult Male         Kevan Hueftle – Eustis – Track and Field *National Congress of State Games Athlete of the Year

Senior Female   Sue Rohrschneider – Ralston – Stroke Play Golf

Senior Male        Elmer Murman – Hastings – Track and Field

Youth Male        Isaac Skalak – Lincoln – Bowling

Youth Female    Annie Carda – Omaha – Track and Field

Adult Female     Sadie Coffey – Shickley – Taekwondo

Adult Male          Josh Shear – Lincoln – Gravel Grinder

Senior Female   Dianna Carda – Omaha – Badminton & Swimming (Short Course)

Senior Male        Trip Reynolds – Omaha – Track and Field

Youth Male         Braedyn Rakes – Lincoln – Wrestling

Youth Female    Calie Peterson – Lincoln – Hockey

Adult Female                     Andrea Thorne – Lincoln – Slow Pitch Softball

Adult Male                          Jeff Hageman – Omaha – Track and Field

Senior Female                   Nita Lechner – Grand Island – Badminton

Senior Male                        Robert Becker – Hickman – Swimming

Youth Male                         Miles Elgert – Lincoln – Golf

Youth Female                    Maycee Peacher – Omaha – Wrestling *National Congress of State Games Athlete of the Year

Adult Female                     Grace Bogner – Lincoln – Powerlifting

Adult Male                          Carl Steffens – Lincoln – Taekwondo

Senior Male                        Kaiguo Chang – Omaha – Badminton

Youth Male                         Joseph Mather – Omaha – BMX

Youth Female                    Jacey Tran – Lincoln – Chess

Adult Female     Abby Burke – Lincoln – Triathlon

Adult Male          Kristian Anderson – Lincoln – Fencing

Senior Male        Lincoln Murdoch – Omaha – Triathlon

Youth Male         Sabastian Harsh – Scottsbluff – Wrestling *National Congress of State Games Athlete of the Year

Adult Female     Amanda Bush – Greenwood – Fencing

Adult Male          Josh Majerus – Albion – Wrestling    *National Congress of State Games Athlete of the Year

Senior Female   Sandy Gesch – Lincoln – Shooting

Youth Male         Clay Clapp – Omaha – BMX

Adult Female     Sharessa Gutierrez – Omaha – Open Water Swimming

Adult Male          Aaron Lafler – Lincoln – Trap Shooting

Senior Male        Dave Waggoner – Kearney – Badminton

Youth Male         Chance Fry – Lincoln – Wrestling

Adult Female     Emilie Kluth – Omaha – Diving

Adult Male          Alex Bucevicius – Omaha – Fencing

Senior Female   Vicki Neiman – Hastings – Taekwondo

Youth Male         Salem Harsh – Scottsbluff – Wrestling

Adult Female     Hailey Schiermeyer – Uehling – Beach Wrestling

Adult Male          Adam Willman – Lincoln – Wrestling, Crossfit

Senior Male        Mike Blacksher – Lincoln – Skydiving

Youth Male         Joshua Pflasterer – Schuyler – Archery

Adult Male          Bill Backes – Milford – Racquetball

Adult Male          Liedke Justin – Papillion – Track and Field  *National Congress of State Games Athlete of the Year

Adult Female     Gabrielle Weyhrich – Fremont – Wrestling

Senior Male        Paul Schmitz – Lincoln – Track and Field, Aquatics, Biathlon

Adult Male          Zachary Cottle – Fort Calhoun – Wrestling

Adult Female     Sylvana Airan – Lincoln – Table Tennis

Senior Male        Jim Peter – Lincoln – Cycle Tour, Track and Field, 5k Road Race

Adult Female     Kimberly Shrader – Lincoln – Fencing

Adult Male          Dave Sutko – Lincoln –  25 Sports  *National Congress of State Games Athlete of the Year

Senior Male        Lee Alexander – Plainview – Track and Field

Adult Male          Keefe Lodwig – Elkhorn – Swimming

Adult Female     Anne Schiltz – Lincoln – Taekwondo

Senior Female   Carolyn Foster – St. Paul – Badminton

Adult Female     Jennifer Newell – Lincoln – Triathlon & Swimming

Adult Male          Dante Rodriguez – Kearney – Wrestling

Adult Male          Scott Bredehoft – Lincoln – Track and Field

Senior Female   Carol Frost – Ashland – Track and Field

Adult Female     Laura (Pilakowski) Buttermore – Lincoln – Volleyball

Adult Female     Becky Breisch – Lincoln – Track and Field

Adult Male          Rob Pilcher – Omaha – Wrestling  *National Congress of State Games Athlete of the Year

Senior Male        Jim Potter – Chadron – Shooting-Muzzleloading

Senior Male        John Elliot – Lincoln – Archery

Adult Male          Herman Batelaan – Lincoln – Badminton

Adult Female     Andrea Paul – Papillion – Armwrestling

Senior Male        Barton “Bucky” Greenburg – Omaha – Tennis, Badminton

Adult Female     Margo Kent – Cambridge – Adventure Race, Volleyball, Torch Run

Adult Male          Kerry McDermott – Lincoln – Tennis, 5k Road Race, Track and Field, Torch run,  *National Congress of State Games Athlete of the Year

Adult Female     Allison Aldrich – Schuyler – Soccer

Senior Male        Larry Fuerst – Lincoln – Basketball

Adult Male          Tim Neumann – Lincoln – Wrestling

Adult Male          Mike Hafenbrack – Yutan – Powerlifting  *National Congress of State Games Athlete of the Year

Adult Female     Amanda Kline – Lincoln – Taekwondo

Senior Male        Clarence Osborn – Lincoln – 5k Road Race

Senior Male        Jack Bryans – Omaha – Wrestling

Adult Male          Jerry Owen – Lincoln – Soccer  *National Congress of State Games Athlete of the Year

Adult Female     Ashley Selig-Chrisman – Lincoln – Track and Field

Adult Female     Dorothy Ekblad – Lincoln – Track and Field

Senior Male        Harold Kroeker – Grant – Track and Field

Adult Male          Shane Lavy – Lincoln – Track and Field

Adult Female     Megan Bals – Lincoln – Racquetball & Soccer

Adult Male          Dustin Terry – Omaha – Wrestling

Adult Female     Erika Anschutz – Grand Island – Archery

Adult Male          Tom McCann – Kearney – Wrestling

Adult Female     Melanie Bodlak – Doniphan – Powerlifting

Adult Male          Eric Shanks – Lincoln – Open Water Swimming

Adult Male          Craig Olsen – Grand Island – Racquetball

Adult Female     Allison Poole – Lincoln – Track and Field

Adult Female     Carol Olson – Grand Island – Swimming

Adult Male          Ray Scott – Omaha – Badminton

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