Top State Games Athletes, Volunteers Honored at Annual Banquet

The Nebraska Sports Council (NSC) (NebraskaSportsCouncil.org) presented awards to top 2018 Cornhusker State Games (CSG) athletes and volunteers at its annual Awards Banquet on November 5 at the Graduate Hotel in Lincoln. Officials also paid tribute to sponsors and donors while celebrating a year of events and programs enjoyed by more than 24,000 Nebraskans.

CSG Athletes of the Year include: Youth Female—wrestler Maycee Peacher, 10, of Omaha; Youth Male—golfer Miles Elgert, 10, of Lincoln; Female Overall—softball player Andrea Thorne, 31, of Lincoln; Male Overall—sprinter Jeff Hageman, 54, of Omaha; Senior Female—badminton player Nita Lechner, 68, from Grand Island and Senior Male—swimmer Robert Becker, 68, of Sterling.

Longtime CSG volleyball volunteer DeAnn Korinek, who, along wither her husband Daryl, has helped organize State Games volleyball competition for 30 straight years, was named the Joe Neal Memorial Volunteer of the Year.

Youth trapshooting director Dave Tunink received the Russ White Memorial Sport Director of the Year Award. Under Tunink’s leadership, CSG youth trapshooting participation has grown steadily over the past 10 years and reached a record 331 shooters in 2018.

Three long-term NSC Board members, including CSG Volleyball Director Daryl Korinek, CSG Pistol Shooting Director Dr. William Schlichtemeier and Retired National Guard Adjutant General Roger Lempke received John Axe Board Service awards.

The Reverend Brian Connor, Pastor of North American Martyrs Church in Lincoln, delivered the invocation. Presentation videos were provided by NSN Productions and Right Eye Digital with JJ Jurgens providing voiceovers. Banquet expenses were underwritten by Unite Private Networks, the Nebraska Pork Producers Association, Backswing Brewing Co. and the Graduate-Lincoln.

The program concluded with a passing of the Torch from outgoing NSC Board President Jeff Maul to President-Elect Rob Trebilcock.

The Nebraska Sports Council is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization with a mission of providing quality athletic competition and promoting active lifestyle. Platinum Partners include LinPepCo, Farmers Mutual of Nebraska and Nebraska Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Association. Learn more at NebraskaSportsCouncil.org.