Alum inducted into Hall of Fame

OMAHA – The University of Nebraska- Omaha Athletics welcomed five inductees into the UNO Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2023, including a Randolph native.

Janice Kruger, former Omaha Volleyball coach, was among this year’s inductees recognized in a ceremony Nov. 30 at the UNO Alumni Association’s Night of Honor.

Kruger graduated from Randolph High School in 1972 and played on the first-ever Husker volleyball team. After her college career ended with graduation, Kruger went on to coach volleyball at Platte Community College (now known as Central Community College) in Columbus. After one year, she went on to coach volleyball at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Kruger was UNO’s head volleyball coach for nine years, compiling a record of 35296-6 in that span. The Mavericks won five North Central Conference titles during her tenure and made six regional appearances, winning three regional titles. The Mavericks also finished fourth nationally in 1983, and were third in 1985, 1986 and 1987.

Kruger’s best record came in 1983, when UNO finished 49-8. That remains a UNO single-season record for wins. A highlight came in 1986 when UNO defeated 10-time defending Big Eight Champion and No. 4-rated Nebraska in five games. Her teams won five consecutive North Central Conference championships from 1983-87.

Kruger still has the second-most victories of any coach in UNO program history, and her .783 winning percentage is the highest of any UNO coach.

The American Volleyball Coaches Association named Kruger its National Coach of the Year in 1983 and 1986.

She also was NCC Coach of the Year in both of those seasons. The Omaha World-Herald named her its 1987 state college coach of the year.

Kruger left UNO to become head volleyball coach at Maryland, where she coached for 20 years, compiling a 280-249 record with four conference championships. She retired from coaching in 2007.

Today, she is a consultant at the Side-Out Foundation, which raises funds through volleyball to support and advocate for individuals with breast cancer.

She was featured in a Randolph Times story in August as part of coverage of the historic Volleyball Day in Nebraska.