2025 Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame Class Announced

Five distinguished student-athletes make up the 2025 University of Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame class, announced on Thursday, June 5.

The 2025 class includes: Kevin Davis (men’s gymnastics, 1985-88); Diandra Hyman (bowling, 1999-2002); Lisa Reitsma (volleyball, 1994-97); Aaron Taylor (football, 1993-97); and Stephanie Thater (volleyball, 1989-92).

All five members of the 2025 class earned multiple All-America awards in their careers. As a class, the five student-athletes combined for 18 All-America accolades, three individual NCAA titles and seven team national championships.

“It takes a truly extraordinary career to be selected for induction into the Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame, and each of these five student-athletes are deserving of this incredible honor,” Nebraska Director of Athletics Troy Dannen said. “We talk regularly in Husker Athletics about setting a standard by which everyone else will aspire to achieve. These Hall of Famers did that and more and now inspire our current student-athletes to achieve greatness. We look forward to welcoming our 2025 Hall of Fame Class back to campus for our induction ceremony this fall, where we will celebrate their accomplishments and recognize their impact on the University of Nebraska.”

The 2025 Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame class will be inducted in a ceremony on Friday, Oct. 31 before being recognized during the Nebraska-USC football game on Saturday, Nov. 1. The class will be permanently enshrined on a granite plaque with the names of the six members added to the University of Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame Plaza.

The Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame Plaza is located on a walkway near the Osborne Legacy Complex, stretching from outside of East Memorial Stadium and continuing to the historic NU Coliseum. The University of Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame Plaza is accessible to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week at no charge and is lit for night viewing. The plaza recognizes each annual Hall of Fame class, along with columns dedicated to the history and successes of each of Nebraska's athletic programs.

2025 Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame Class
Kevin Davis, Men’s Gymnastics (1985-88)
Diandra Hyman, Bowling (1999-2002)
Lisa Reitsma, Volleyball (1994-97)
Aaron Taylor, Football (1993-97)
Stephanie Thater, Volleyball (1989-92)

2025 Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame Class Bios
Kevin Davis, Men’s Gymnastics (1985-88), Lithonia, Georgia
Kevin Davis was a three-time individual NCAA champion and was a member of Nebraska’s 1988 NCAA championship team. A seven-time All-American, Davis won a total of 28 individual titles in his career, including NCAA titles in the all-around and the parallel bars (twice). He first earned All-America honors as a sophomore in 1986, when he finished fourth on the parallel bars. The next season, Davis captured the NCAA parallel bars title and finished second in the all-around and sixth on the pommel horse. As a senior in 1988, Davis was the NCAA all-around and parallel bars champion, while also earning All-America honors on still rings. His effort led Nebraska to the 1988 team national championship. Davis was also the Big Eight all-around champion in his final season, helping the Huskers win a conference title for the third time in his four seasons. Davis went on to compete for the United States at the 1988 Olympics, and he was inducted into the U.S. Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 2007. Davis earned his degree in speech communication from the University of Nebraska in 1990.

Diandra Hyman, Bowling (1999-2002), Dyer, Indiana
Diandra Hyman was the National Collegiate Bowler of the Year, a three-time All-American and a two-time national champion while playing a pivotal role in laying the foundation for Nebraska to become the most dominant bowling program in NCAA history. Hyman was a freshman in 1998-99, when the Husker bowling program was in its second season as a varsity sport. She was an All-American as a freshman, helping Nebraska to a national championship. In her second season, Hyman was the 2000 National Collegiate Bowler of the Year after she won five event titles and finished with a 212.57 average, which was a school record at the time. She was the National Collegiate Bowler of the Year runner-up as a junior in 2001-02, earning All-America honors for the third straight season while helping the Huskers to another national championship. Hyman ended her career as Nebraska’s all-time pinfall leader (63,065). Hyman earned her degree in finance from the University of Nebraska in 2003.

Lisa Reitsma, Volleyball (1994-97), Sanborn, Iowa
Lisa Reitsma is one of the most decorated outside hitters in Nebraska volleyball history, and she played a key role in leading the Huskers to the program’s first national championship in 1995. Reitsma was an All-American on the court and in the classroom while producing more than 1,600 career kills. Reitsma was a first-team All-American as a sophomore in 1995, when Nebraska went 35-1 and won the national championship. She repeated as a first-team All-American as a junior in 1996, and she was also the Big 12 Player of the Year and a third-team academic All-American that season. In her final season, Reitsma earned second-team All-America recognition in 1997. She ended her career with five school records and Reitsma still owns Nebraska’s season kills record (611 in 1996). An eight-time conference player of the week, Reitsma earned her degree in psychology from the University of Nebraska in 1998.

Aaron Taylor, Football (1993-97), Wichita Falls, Texas
Aaron Taylor holds the distinction as being the only football player in Nebraska’s storied history to earn All-America accolades at two positions. Taylor was a two-time first-team All-American and a three-time national champion. A standout offensive lineman, Taylor’s play helped Nebraska compile a 49-2 record from 1994 to 1997, as the Huskers won three national titles and led the nation in rushing three times. Taylor redshirted in 1993 and played in every game of Nebraska’s undefeated 1994 national championship season. He moved into a starting role in 1995, earning third-team All-America accolades and first-team All-Big Eight honors at left guard as Nebraska repeated as national champions. As a junior in 1996, Taylor moved from left guard to center and was named a consensus first-team All-American. In his final season, Taylor moved back to left guard and was a unanimous selection as a first-team All-American and the Outland Trophy winner while leading Nebraska to a third undefeated national championship season in four years. Taylor’s No. 67 jersey was retired in 1998, and he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2018. Taylor earned his degree in diversified agricultural studies from the University of Nebraska in 1998.

Stephanie Thater, Volleyball (1989-92), Union, Missouri
Stephanie Thater is one of the most dominant middle blockers in the history of the Nebraska volleyball program. She was a three-time All-American and two-time Big Eight Player of the Year while accumulating more than 1,000 career kills and 500 career blocks. In her first season as a starter in 1990, Thater earned second-team All-America accolades while setting a then-school record with 197 blocks. As a junior in 1991, Thater was a first-team All-American and the Big Eight Player of the Year. She repeated as a first-team All-American and Big Eight Player of the Year as a senior in 1992, when she was a finalist for the Honda volleyball award as the nation’s best player. Thater ended her career holding five Nebraska records, including finishing her time in Lincoln as the Huskers’ all-time leader in blocks (592). Her No. 2 jersey was retired by Nebraska in 2010. Thater earned her degree in psychology from the University of Nebraska in 1996.