Nicolet Hall of Fame class deserving and diverse

Glendale - The second 10-member class of the Nicolet Athletic Hall of Fame that was honored recently included candidates likely and deserving and flat out, just plain deserving.

Falling into that later category is long-time athletic secretary Donna Amerell, who worked for 18 years in that position before retiring last spring. Aside from answering phones, making out schedules, making sure athletes were grade compliant and that the buses were where they were supposed to be, she also helped out wayward reporters who needed information desperately with a studied patience and professionalism that was much appreciated.

Her biography describes her as a true Nicolet treasure and that her efforts will be remembered fondly.

That is certainly and most definitely true.

Athletes

Athletes inducted into the class are former WIAA state high hurdles and 400 relay track champion and NOW All-Suburban football player Randee Drew.

He played collegiate football at Northern Illinois and later had a long professional football career, most notably in the Canadian Football League with Montreal.

Another athlete is 1980s soccer and volleyball star Bobbi Keuler, who led the girls volleyball team to fifth in the state tournament in 1981. Her soccer career included first-team all-state honors in 1985.

Skip Kendall has been a long-time professional golfer but is more well-known for his Skip Kendall Pro-Am fore Kids that has helped raise more than $4.5 million for Children's Hospital on Milwaukee. His biography describes him as one of Nicolet's all-time sports greats and true gentleman.

Doug Mueller was a team MVP in basketball, cross country, track and baseball. He went on to compete in baseball at North Carolina State.

Danny Winn was a NOW Newspapers Player of the Year in baseball and helped lead the football team to its last conference title in the fall of 1989.

He played baseball at Eastern Kentucky and finished with a .300 career batting average while also earning the university's scholar/athlete award.

Coaches

Coaches inducted into this year's class include all-time baseball legend Dick Huxtable, who coached 29 years at Nicolet, including 15 years with the football team, 17 years in the track program (including six conference titles).

He was also the first president of the Wisconsin High School Track Coaches Association and was the originator of coaches' clinics that are held annually each winter.

He spent 29 years with the baseball team, winning five conference titles including a state title in 1985. He is also a member of the Wisconsin High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame and the Wisconsin Old Time Ball Players' Association Hall of Fame.

Another coach is Doug Irwin, who coached football and track for many years earning conference titles in both. He was a noted expert in the pole vault and helped 15 Nicolet vaulters get to the state track meet including noted 15-footer Jeff Swenson.

Rollie Strehlow founded the Nicolet wrestling program in 1960, serving as the program's only coach for eight years at one point. He coached Jim Wolf to a state title and went on to take at least one wrestler to the state tournament for 16 straight years.

He led the team to two Braveland Conference titles, five WIAA regional and two WIAA sectional titles. He never missed a day of coaching or teaching in 30 years.

Cindy Wilburth coached volleyball for 10 years and girls track for 12 years and eventually became Nicolet's Girls Athletic Coordinator, a position she held from 1985-90. She was assistant athletic director from 1990-99.

She was also athletic director from 1999-2000 before moving on to Shorewood. She was also the director of the National Women in Sports Recognition Day for five years and completed her Certified Athletic Administrator certification in 1997.