Nebraska Recognizes 1984 Olympic Greats

In true Olympic spirit, the <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Nebraska athletic department will honor the three Husker members of the 1984 Olympic gold-medal winning men’s gymnastics team during the first media time out of the men’s basketball game on Wednesday, Feb. 22 at the BobDevaneySportsCenter.  The ceremony will recognize Jim Hartung, Scott Johnson and Jim Mikus for their accomplishments in recently being inducted into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame along with the 1984 U.S. Gold Medal Olympic team.  <?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

The three former Huskers joined just 182 other Olympians enshrined in the Hall of Fame, while the 1984 team was just the seventh team in history to be inducted in its entirety.  The team was accompanied in the 2006 induction class by such notable names as 1980 U.S. hockey coach HerbBrooks, women’s gymnast Shannon Miller and figure skating champion Kristi Yamaguchi.  The Hall of Fame induction ceremony was held at the HarrisTheater in Chicago, Ill., on Dec. 8, 2005.

 

While at Nebraska, Hartung, Johnson and Mikus lifted the Huskers to three national team championships (1981, 1982 and 1983) under the direction of head coach Francis Allen, and combined for 10 event titles with Hartung also being named the 1982 Nissen Award winner.  Hartung and Johnson were selected to compete in two Olympics, Hartung in 1980 and 1984, and Johnson in 1984 and 1988.

 

The trio makes up just a third of the nine former Nebraska men’s gymnasts to achieve Olympic greatness including Phil Cahoy (1980), Larry Gerard (1980), Wes Suter (1988), Kevin Davis (1988), Tom Schlesinger (1988) and Trent Dimas (1992).  Allen was also selected as the Olympic coach in 1980 and 1992.

 

The other members of the 1984 Olympic team inducted along with Hartung, Johnson and Mikus include gymnastics greats Bart Conner, Tim Daggett, Mitch Gaylor and Peter Vidmar.