By Scott Hansen
MaxPreps.com
2007-08 Nebraska Girls Athlete of the Year
Nicole Brungardt, Norfolk Catholic
Brungardt was an All-State performer in volleyball and basketball, and won three gold medals at the 2008 Nebraska state track meet.
In volleyball, Norfolk Catholic entered the state tournament unbeaten before being upset in the first round in five sets. Brungardt, at 5-foot-9, had 342 kills and 362 digs for Norfolk Catholic and had 34 ace serves.
Brungardt led the Lady Knights to the Class C1 state championship in basketball. Brungardt averaged 16.6 points per game. In a 52-50 victory in the state title game over Wahoo Neumann, Brungardt scored 14 of her 19 points in the second half
In track, Brungardt’s leap of 18-2 in the long jump and her 12.24 seconds in the 100 meters were good enough to win the All-Class gold. Brungardt took home gold in the Class B girls meet in the 200 with a time of 25.55. In the district meet, Brungardt ripped off a time of 24.4 in the 200, which was one of the best performances in the Nebraska history.
Brungardt was heavily recruited by Nebraska and Iowa State for her efforts on the track, but Brungardt instead decided an offer from Division II Wayne State (Neb.) for volleyball was a better fit.
Honorable Mention
- KK Houser, Lincoln Southeast (Jr.): Houser led the Knights to the Class A state title in basketball and was named the Honorary Captain of the All-State team by the Omaha World-Herald after averaging 13.3 points per game. Houser also was part of Southeast’s state-record setting 4x400 meter relay team. At the state meet, Houser was the third leg on the team that set the record with a time of 3:53.42. Houser finished second in the Class A 100 and 300 meter hurdles along with her record-setting performance.
-Katie Birkel, Lincoln Southeast: Birkel, like Houser, was a starter on Lincoln Southeast’s state championship basketball team. Birkel averaged 15.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and four steals per contest for the Knights. In the state title game victory over Millard West, Birkel scored 20 points. Birkel won the state title in the 400 meters at the state track meet with a time of 55.97. To cap off her brilliant career, Birkel took the baton from Houser to anchor the final leg in Southeast’s state record performance in the 1600-meter relay. Birkel has signed to play basketball at North Dakota State.
-Emily Sisson, Millard North (Soph.): In her two years participating in cross country and track, Sisson has ruled distance running in Nebraska. Sisson won individual titles in Class A as a freshman at Omaha Marian before winning as a sophomore at Millard North. As a freshman, Sisson finished second in the 4x800 meter relay and the 800 before winning gold in the 1,600 and 3,200. As a sophomore, Sisson won four golds in winning the 800, 1,600, and 3,200, along with anchoring the championship winning leg in the 4x800-meter relay. Sisson is transferring to Lee Summit West (Kansas City, Mo.) for her junior season.
-Gina Mancuso, Papillion-LaVista (Jr.): The state of Nebraska is quickly becoming a volleyball hotbed thanks to the emergence of the program at the University of Nebraska. Mancuso is another product in the long line of in-state players to stay home to compete for the Huskers. A junior already committed to Nebraska, Mancuso had a state-leading 669 kills as an outside hitter for the Monarchs. In basketball, Mancuso chipped in to help her team to the state tournament by averaging 9.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Mancuso placed at the state track meet in the high jump and the 800 meters.
-Ashley Hagemann, Elkhorn: Hagemann could be one of the brightest prospects the state of Nebraska has ever produced on the softball diamond. Hagemann finished her senior season with a 25-1 record as Elkhorn’s hurler and had a 0.38 ERA. At the plate, Hagemann hit .536 and finished with 37 runs batted in. On the hardwood, Hagemann was a starter for the Antlers and averaged 10.5 points per game, leading her team to the state semifinals in Class B. Hagemann placed third in the discus at the state track meet in May. Hagemann is heading to Nebraska to compete in softball.
- Jordan Hooper, Alliance (Soph.): Only a sophomore, the 6-3 Hooper can do it all. In volleyball, Hooper registered 172 kills as a middle-hitter for the Lady Bulldogs. Hooper led Alliance to the state title in basketball as a freshman and came up just short in 2008. Hooper averaged 17.5 points, 13.2 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks as a sophomore, and is being recruited heavily by a host of Division I programs. In track, Hooper further displayed her athletic ability by placing second in the Class B long jump.
-Hayley Thramer, Ewing (Jr.): Hailing from a town with a tad over 500 people, Thramer puts the stereotype that great athletes only come from the big city to rest. Thramer is a budding star competing in Nebraska’s smallest classification. The 6-2 junior led Ewing to the state final in volleyball, logging 451 kills and 55 aces. Thramer paced Ewing to its second straight Class D2 state title in basketball, averaging 12 points and 11 rebounds per contest. Thramer was a state qualifier for the state track meet in the high jump, placing seventh. Thramer has received heavy interest from plenty of Division I programs.
Nebraska School Activities Association Girls Cup Winners
Information obtained from NSAA website
Class A Cup Champion
Omaha Marian Crusaders, 445 points
Other Top Finishers: Millard North, 416.25; Millard West, 358.75; Omaha Westside, 340; Lincoln Southwest, 248.75; Papillion-LaVista, 237.5; Lincoln East, 231.25; Grand Island, 217.5; Lincoln Southeast, 212.5; Millard South, 187.5.
Class B Cup Champion
Elkhorn Antlers, 277.5 points
Other Top Finishers: Lincoln Pius X, 267.5; Omaha Skutt Catholic, 252.5; Omaha Duchesne Academy, 230; Beatrice, 222.5; Gretna, 212.5; Scottsbluff, 205; McCook, 182.5; Seward, 167.5; Hastings, 155.
Class C Cup Champion
Kearney Catholic Stars, 240 points
Other Top Finishers: Norfolk Catholic, 220; Wahoo Neumann, 200; Crofton, 190; Minden, 190; Perkins County, 187.5; Grand Island Central Catholic, 177.5; Gothenburg, 167.5; Broken Bow, 130; Laurel-Concord, 125.
Class D Cup Champion
Humphrey St. Francis Flyers, 207.5
Other Top Finishers: Bancroft-Rosalie, 155; Ewing, 135; Falls City Sacred Heart, 128.75; Coleridge, 120; Chambers, 115; Fremont Bergan, 110; Paxton, 107.5; Pleasanton, 107.5; Bertrand, 102.5.
Scott Hansen: maxprepsok@sbcglobal.net
