UNO Hall of Fame honors Leslie, adds trio of athletes

Seven individuals — including UNO Alumni Association President Emeritus Jim Leslie — were honored as part of the University of Nebraska at Omaha's 31st annual Athletic Hall of Fame banquet Nov. 1.

Leslie, who is retiring from the alumni association in 2006 after serving as its president since 1973, received an outstanding service award. He helped begin the UNO Athletic Hall of Fame in 1975 and since then has attended every nominating and selection committee meeting and every banquet. Jack Payne, who has served as the emcee for all 31 UNO Hall of Fame banquets, also received an outstanding service award. Payne was the public address announcer for the College World Series for 37 years.

The three former Mavericks inducted bring to 89 the total number of members in the UNO Hall of Fame. The inductees include two-time football All-American Chris Bober, career baseball games-played leader Greg Geary and track All-American Sheila Brown Geil.

Chris Bober

Bober earned first-team All-American honors as an offensive lineman in 1998 and 1999, becoming UNO's first two-time first-team football All-American since Bill Englehardt in 1955-56. An outstanding blocker and pass-protector, he redshirted in 1995, played as a part-time starter in 1996 then started full-time for three seasons. UNO won two NCC titles and made three NCAA II playoff appearances during his career. He was all-NCC twice, each time being named most valuable offensive lineman. Drafted by the New York Giants, he became a starter in the NFL and later signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2004.

Sheila Brown Geil

Brown Geil set four records and was an All-American in track and cross country during her 1984-87 Maverick career. She also won four North Central Conference titles, setting two meet records in the process. Brown Geil earned All-American honors on the track in 1985 as a member of the 1,600-meter relay team. In 1987 she became UNO's first NCC cross country champion and earned All-American honors. She also was a three-time NCC All-Academic team selection in both cross country and track and graduated cum laude in broadcasting.

Greg Geary

A four-year baseball starter, Geary set numerous season and career records during his 1994-97 career. He led the nation in bases on balls as a freshman in 1994 (51) and set the career record at UNO with 145 walks. He also is the career leader for the Mavs in games played, at-bats and runs scored. He was a three-time all-North Central Conference player as an outfielder and infielder from 1995-97. As a senior he set records for games played, at-bats and hits while leading the team with seven home runs and 52 RBI. He also was a two-time selection to the NCC All-Academic team. Geary joins his wife, Toni Novak Geary, in the Hall of Fame. Toni, an All-American softball player, was inducted in 2004.

Other Hall of Fame honors:

• Wrestler Les Sigman, who captured his fourth straight NCAA II heavyweight title last year, and soccer All-American Beth McGill were named athletes of the year. Both helped lead their teams to national championships.

• Former UNO athletic director Don Leahy, who officially retired in June 2005, was named Maverick Club Man of the Year.

• Linda Mills, president of the women's basketball booster club and a former Maverick assistant coach, was named the Women's Executive Board Distinguished Person of the Year.

• Mutual of Omaha received the Corporate Citizen of the Year award, accepted by John Hildenbiddle, Mutual's senior vice president for brand management and public relations. Mutual of Omaha is the title sponsor for UNO's season-opening hockey tournament and a swimming and diving meet, as well as being active in other areas of support.

• The 1996 UNO volleyball team that won the NCAA Division II championship was honored as one of the school's greatest teams. Coach Rose Shires, who was named the national coach of the year, guided the team to a 35-2 mark. The team had first-team All-American Amy Steffel and second-team selections Tanya Cate and Erin Shafer. UNO's only losses were to North Dakota State and St. Cloud State and the Mavericks won their last 11 matches, including a five-game championship decision over Tampa.