Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Omaha hockey team reacts to NCAA Selection Show
There was a red alert, so to speak, on the “Mavpuck” Facebook page in recent weeks.
The good, loyal fans of UNO hockey gathered to see what they could do in the wake of a perceived threat to their program.
The threat? From the mothership, the University of Nebraska.
The danger? The end of UNO athletics. And the transition of Mav hockey to Nebraska Husker hockey.
None of this is happening, folks. But the conversations around UNO circles have been interesting of late.
It stemmed from Henry Cordes’ extensive story in the World-Herald on April 7. In it, former NU President Ted Carter had suggested that the Nebraska system fall together under one brand and a unified identity.
That is, all three schools and UNMC would be “consolidated” under one “N” logo.
This move has been the subject of rumors and speculation around UNO and NU in recent years.
Now, here was the idea in black and white print.
Bridget Weide-Brooks couldn’t believe it. She and her husband, Jon, are long-time UNO super fans, especially for hockey. They run the Mavpuck Facebook page.
“We’ve had this conversation a few years ago,” Weide-Brooks said. “I hated it then. I still hate it.”
She posted Cordes’ story on their Facebook page. The group swarmed to it. Emotions were lit.
“We got 56 comments on the thread,” Weide-Brooks said. “Very passionate comments vehemently against the concept.”
Veteran Mav fans and alumni know the drill. It seems someone is always coming for the school. For years a Nebraska regent campaigned to end UNO football.
Then, of course, in 2011, football and wrestling were eliminated.
That began a renaissance of Maverick athletics, with a move to Division I, an identity switch to “Omaha,” a new state-of-the-art arena and an expanded campus at Aksarben Village.
Now, there’s talk about rebranding again. And more confusion among Mav fans.
“I’ve been getting those questions as well,” said NU Interim President Chris Kabourek. “Anytime you have a lack of information, people like to fill in with their own anxiety. I totally understand some of the concerns from people at UNO and UNK.”
I spoke with Kabourek this week and he was eager to provide some clarity on the topic. And reassure UNO and UNK there is no plan to consolidate their athletic programs.
But Kabourek came with some very real talk about the current situation.
“On the academic research side, even though we don’t want to hear this, the status quo is just not working,” Kabourek said.
“If we compare ourselves to the other Big Ten institutions, we are almost last in every category that they rank in terms of academics and research.
“My standard answer is, everything is on the table.”
For those at UNO and UNK, the message here is clear: the needs of the mothership must be met.
In this case, the priorities at NU are to secure membership in the AAU organization of research universities and raise the academic profile of the school in the Big Ten.
One thing Carter always stressed — and Kabourek has echoed — is that NU must look like its peers in the Big Ten. Or else put itself in harm’s way.
Is NU in danger of being expelled from the Big Ten? It seems highly unlikely. Not when the league continues to expand based on football prestige and maximizing TV and playoff money. And may continue to expand as schools try to exit the ACC in the future.
If anything, Husker football needs to get up to speed.
NU officials don’t want to take anything for granted — not with all the Big Ten athletic revenue and research dollars and prestige at stake. As Carter told me last year, Big Ten membership has changed NU’s reputation around the academia world.
But the school must do its part, too. And that means keeping up with the rest of the league in the ivy-covered wall department.
A giant step would be to rejoin the AAU. One way to do that would be to get UNMC to be aligned with NU. President-Designate Jeffrey Gold, the former chancellor at UNMC, certainly could help there.
But Kabourek said another way to do it is to bring all of the campuses together under the same brand “N.” Consolidate them as one giant university system.
Each school would have the same “N” logo — blue for Kearney, black for Omaha, etc. But each school would keep its identity — and sports teams.
Kabourek pointed out that the University of Michigan has that in Ann Arbor as well as campuses in Flint and Dearborn. Flint does not play sports while UM-Dearborn has NAIA athletics and goes by the name Wolverines with maize and blue. All three campuses use the same “M” logo.
So do the five campuses of the University of Minnesota. The Twin Cities, Crookston, Duluth and Morris campuses all have athletics. UM-Duluth plays in the same hockey conference (NCHC) as UNO.
If NU, UNO, UNK and UNMC all go with the same “N” logo, then suddenly Nebraska looks like Michigan and Minnesota. Consolidation, too, could help achieve the AAU goal.
As Kabourek said, the “consolidation will be centered around how we can be better on the academic and research side,” not sports.
Good. UNO and UNK athletic teams have meant too much to the home-grown athletes in Nebraska. They may be a different level, but it’s a necessary level. The Mavs and Lopers are a state treasure.
And watching UNO hockey, volleyball, soccer, softball and baseball compete with the big boys show just how far the athletic department has traveled.
No offense to the Huskers, but Omaha fans don’t want their team to be Nebraska hockey in the Big Ten.
You can bet there are plenty of UNO donors who give to Huskers sports who would not be happy about such a move, either.
“Nobody wants to be called the Huskers,” Weide-Brooks said. “That’s the biggest pushback. It’s not anti-Nebraska. We’ve formed this identity over the last decade.
“When (hockey) first started, we’d go on the road and the play-by-play guy for the other school would call us the Huskers. You finally get the recognition for it being Omaha and this has potential to upend that.”
There’s no red alert. But as Kabourek says, everything is on the table. And as UNO hockey fans know, you always keep your head on a swivel.
Omaha’s Jack Randl (28), center, celebrates with teammates Ty Mueller (19) and Tanner Ludtke (71) after scoring a goal against Colorado College during the first period of a college hockey match at Baxter Arena in Omaha on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024.
Omaha’s Victor Mancini (23) skates with the puck during the first period of a college hockey match against Colorado College at Baxter Arena in Omaha on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024.
Colorado College’s Kaidan Mbereko (30) takes a moment in the hallway outside the Tigers’ locker room before the start of the first period of a college hockey match at Baxter Arena in Omaha on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024.
A look inside Baxter Arena during the first period of a college hockey match between Omaha and Colorado College in Omaha on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024.
Colorado College’s Connor Mayer (18) falls to the ice as he collides with Omaha’s Matt Miller (27) during the first period of a college hockey match at Baxter Arena in Omaha on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024.
Omaha’s Nolan Sullivan (11) falls to the ice as he falls over Colorado College’s Connor Mayer (18) during the first period of a college hockey match at Baxter Arena in Omaha on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024.
Colorado College’s Nicklas Andrews (37) passes the puck away from Omaha’s Brock Bremer (26) during the first period of a college hockey match at Baxter Arena in Omaha on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024.
Omaha’s Ray Fust (8) moves the puck against Colorado College’s Tyler Coffey (17) during the first period of a college hockey match at Baxter Arena in Omaha on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024.
Omaha’s Simon Latkoczy (30) blocks a shot by Colorado College during the first period of a college hockey match at Baxter Arena in Omaha on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024.
Omaha’s Kirby Proctor (3) skates with the puck during the first period of a college hockey match against Colorado College at Baxter Arena in Omaha on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024.
Omaha’s Kirby Proctor (3) moves the puck against Colorado College’s Connor Mayer (18) during the first period of a college hockey match at Baxter Arena in Omaha on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024.
Omaha’s Ray Fust (8) skates with the puck during the first period of a college hockey match against Colorado College at Baxter Arena in Omaha on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024.
Omaha’s Victor Mancini (23) moves the puck against Colorado College’s Chase Foley (7) during the first period of a college hockey match at Baxter Arena in Omaha on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024.
Omaha’s Nolan Krenzen (12) shoots during the first period of a college hockey match against Colorado College at Baxter Arena in Omaha on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024.
Omaha’s Jack Randl (28) celebrates after scoring a goal against Colorado College during the first period of a college hockey match at Baxter Arena in Omaha on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024.
Omaha’s Tanner Ludtke (71) shoots the puck during the first period of a college hockey match against Colorado College at Baxter Arena in Omaha on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024.
Colorado College’s Noah Laba (26) attempts to score past Omaha’s Simon Latkoczy (30) during the first period of a college hockey match at Baxter Arena in Omaha on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024.
Colorado College’s Noah Laba (26) attempts to score past Omaha’s Simon Latkoczy (30) during the first period of a college hockey match at Baxter Arena in Omaha on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024.
tom.shatel@owh.com, 402-444-1025, twitter.com/tomshatelOWH
Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Sports columnist
{{description}}
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Omaha hockey team reacts to NCAA Selection Show
Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.

source