Nine individuals and two teams will join a prestigious group of athletes with their induction into the Hastings College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2017. A dinner celebration on Saturday, September 30, 2017, will formally induct the new members, honoring their contributions to various Hastings College athletic programs.
The celebration begins at 5:00 p.m. with a social hour at Kiewit Gymnasium, immediately followed by a banquet at 5:30 p.m. Tickets for the banquet are $25 per person and may be purchased by contacting the alumni office at 402.461.7363 or emailing alumni@hastings.edu.
The 2017 Hastings College Athletic Hall of Fame class includes:
- Tawna (Trail) Bennett ’07 of Nebraska City, Nebraska, for Women’s Track
- Tim Brotzki ’92 of Papillion, Nebraska, for Men’s Basketball
- Brandon Diamond ’07 of Parker, Colorado, for Men’s Track
- Chris Kranjc ’00 MAT of Huntsville, Alabama, as Men’s Soccer Coach
- Eric Moody ’05 of Omaha, Nebraska, for Football
- Derek Prinz ’12 of Omaha, Nebraska, for Men’s Soccer
- Annette (Ekberg) Sullivan ’05, of San Diego, California, for Women’s Track
- Paul Thomas ’75 of Omaha, Nebraska, for Men’s Basketball
- Scott VanCura ’08 of Columbus, Nebraska, for Men’s Track
- 1966 Men’s Golf Team, 3 time NCC Champions
- 2010 Men’s Soccer Team, 2010 NAIA National Champions
Hastings College established its Athletic Hall of Fame in 1989 as a way to honor and preserve the memory of athletes, teams, coaches, and those who have contributed meritorious service to Hastings College and its athletic programs.
Full biographies on the 2017 inductees can be found below:
Recipient Details
Tawna (Trail) Bennett, a nine-time NAIA All-American Women’s Track selection, earned 11 All-American honors at Nationals in 2005, 2006 and 2007, including National runner up finishes in the Discus in 2006 and the Outdoor Shot Put in 2007. In 2007, Tawna set five school records in the Indoor and Outdoor Shot, Weight Throw, Discus and Hammer Throw.
Tim Brotzki’s storied career in Men’s Basketball has landed him in the Top 10 in all-time scoring. Tim’s 695 points during the 1991 season led him to the second most in school history to this day, and six points shy of Benny Crawford’s school record of 701 points; he followed with 644 points during the 1992 season, which was the seventh most in school history. Tim was a three-time First Team All-NIAC Selection in 1990, 1991 and 1992, an Honorable Mention All-District selection in 1990, a two-time First Team All-District selection in 1991 and 1992, a two-time Honorable Mention All-American-Division 1 in 1991 and 1992, and a two-time runner-up for the District 11 Player of the Year.
Brandon Diamond was a three-time NAIA All-American in both the Triple Jump and Long Jump. In 2005, he set a school record in the long jump with a leap of 25’4″. Brandon ranks #1 in both the indoor and outdoor Triple Jump, #2 in both the indoor and outdoor Long Jump, #6 in the 200-Meter indoor and #7 in the 60-Meter indoor.
Chris Kranjc, head men’s soccer coach from 1999 to 2016, compiled a 297-67-21 record, including 16 consecutive GPAC Conference Championships, four Final Four appearances, one National Runner-Up and one National Championship. He was also named GPAC Coach of the Year 15 times while at Hastings College. He earned his 300th career win earlier this year as head men’s soccer coach for the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
Eric Moody holds the school record for rushing yards in a season with 1,639 during the 2004 football season. Eric was named Co-GPAC Player of the Year in 2004 and was also named a First Team All-American selection.
Derek Prinz was a member of the 2010 National Championship Men’s Soccer team and was named the 2010 NAIA Men’s Soccer Player of the Year. Additionally, Derek was a First-Team All-American in 2010, a 2009 Honorable Mention All-Conference selection, and a three-time GPAC Defensive Player of the Year.
Annette (Ekberg) Sullivan was a seven-time NAIA All-American and five-time National Champion — twice in the indoor Pentathlon (2003 and 2005) and three times in the outdoor Heptathlon (2003, 2004 and 2005). She was named the Outstanding Female Athlete at the GPAC Conference Meet in 2003. She ranked #1 in the Heptathlon and Javelin, #2 in the 100-Meter Hurdles, indoor Pentathlon, and indoor 60-Meter Hurdles, #5 in the Long Jump, #6 in the indoor Long Jump, #7 in the indoor High Jump and outdoor High Jump, and #10 in the indoor Triple Jump.
Paul Thomas completed a remarkable career in Men’s Basketball. He was a two-time winner of several honors, including First Team All-NIAC selections in 1974 and 1975, First-Team All-District selections in 1974 and 1975, and Honorable Mention All-American-Division 1 selections in 1974 and 1975.
Scott VanCura was the 2008 National Champion in the Indoor Weight Throw and the 2008 Runner Up in the Hammer Throw and Shot Put. A decorated track athlete, he was an All-American in the indoor Shot Put in 2008 and ranks third in both the indoor and outdoor Shot Put. In 2007, Scott placed third in the Hammer Throw, fifth in the Shot Put, and sixth in the Discus at Nationals, and was a seventh place finisher in the Discus at the 2005 and 2006 National Championships. Scott also ranks eighth in the 35 lb. indoor Weight Throw.
The 1966 Men’s Golf Team won three NCC Championships. Members of the team included Charlie Burgett ’69, Bob Murphy ’66, Gerald Fisher ’66, Doug Cary ’68 and John Horsham ’68. The team was led by Coach William McCall.
After winning the conference championship, the 2010 Men’s Soccer Team sustained its offensive fireworks throughout the National Tournament, plowing past No. 4 Notre Dame (Ohio), 5-3, to win its first-ever NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship. The Broncos received goals from four different players to end the season with a school-record 25-0 mark. Hastings set a Tournament record for most goals scored with 21 in five matches, including 15 in the last three games.
2010 Men’s Soccer Team members include: Justin Burns ’12, A.J. Dingledine ’11, Jake Essi ’14, Jordan Green ’13, Chico Hernandez, Dru Kobs ’14, Tim Krueger ’13, Brian Kudron ’13, Matt Lerner ’13, Chris Miller, Aaron Mulgrue ’13, Jorge Olivas ’11, Nick Pershey ’14, Nate Polak ’12, Jacob Pordes ’12, Cody Poteat ’12, Derek Prinz ’12, Ryan Robinson ’11, Hank Robson, Christian Saba, Andrew Sell ’14, Chavis Smith, Yannic Thiel ’11, Matt Wadleigh ’12 and Head Coach Chris Kranjc ’00 MAT.
Hastings College is a private, four-year institution located in Hastings, Nebraska, that focuses on student academic and extracurricular achievement. With 64 majors and 15 pre-professional programs, Hastings College has been named among “Great Schools, Great Prices” by U.S. News & World Report and a “Best in the Midwest” by The Princeton Review. For more, go to hastings.edu.
