The Westside Athletic Hall of Fame is the most prestigious group of athletes who have graduated from Westside High School. This is the 20th year for the hall of fame ceremony, which has inducted 87 athletes, 16 coaches, five contributors and 12 state championship teams. So many great athletes have been a part of the historical athletics at Westside, but only a very select amount can receive the honor. Many of the athletes that played at Westside forget about their time here, and have moved on to have very successful careers.The induction ceremony will honor the incoming 2024 class, which consists of five athletes, one coach and one state championship team. Westside athletic director Tom Kerkman contacts the new inductees on their election to the hall of fame.
“For me, just being the athletic director when I get to make the call it’s something special,” Kerkman said. “Maybe they forget about their high school career and then after 15-20, 25-30 years, but they get the call to be inducted in the hall of fame. It’s a great time to reflect on their career at Westside and reflect about the hard work the sacrifices their parents and coaches made for him. It’s a real special event and, to hear him talk, give their speech, it’s really, really neat. The other thing that I really like is that so many of them become so successful after high school that they learned so many life lessons. They were all great students, had great careers, great families. They’re just really been great contributors to the community.”
David Keane is one the greatest divers in Nebraska State Diving and Swimming History. He held the state diving record for 40 years. It was one of the longest lasting records in swim and dive. In 1975 and 1976, David won gold medals as the Springboard champion. His best performance was in 1976 when he totaled 574.74 points on 11 dives. He was a major individual contributor for the Westside as the Swim and Dive team that was State Champions in 1975 and 1976. After a successful diving career, David accepted a scholarship at the University of North Carolina State University-Raleigh. He was the ACC three meter springboard champion in 1978, 1979, and the Atlantic Coast Conference one meter springboard champion in 1979. He lettered three years at NC State. He transferred to the University of Nebraska his senior year to dive for his former high school coach Cal Bentz. At the University of Nebraska, he was the Big 8 Conference three meter springboard champion in 1981.
Lisa Olander was a standout swimmer for Westside High School from 1993 to 1995. As a sophomore, she won her first gold medal as a Warrior by winning the 200 freestyle and won her second gold medal as a member of the 200 medley relay. She was the state runner-up in the 100 freestyle and part of the 400 freestyle relay. As a junior, Olander won golds in the 200 freestyle and the 100 freestyle. She won 2 more silver medals as a member of the 200 medley and 400 free relay team and helped lead the team achieve state runner-up. Lisa was primed for her senior but suffered from mononucleosis which did not allow her to train for the first part of the season. While Lisa wasn’t able to defend her three year 200 freestyle title, she medaled in the 50 and 100 free, as well as earning silver medals as part of the 200 medley relay and 400 free relay team. Lisa accepted Regents and Honors Program Scholarships to the University of Nebraska – Lincoln over accepting a partial swim scholarship. She was a member of the 1996 Big 8 Conference championship team, but a shoulder injury ended her swim career that year.
Matt West was a basketball and baseball stand-out at Westside High School from 1994 to 1996. He was a three-time letter winner in basketball and during his senior year, he averaged 19 points and 8 rebounds per game. He was All-Metro in basketball in 1995 and 1996 and honorable mention All-State. As a two-year letter winner in baseball, he played 1st base and shortstop and was a member of Westside State Runner-Up and American Legion State Championship Teams. After his successful high school career, he went on and played basketball at Creighton University from 1996-2000. He was a team captain in 1999 and 2000. He played on two Missouri Valley Conference Championship teams in 1999 and 2000 and was a member of two NCAA Tournament teams. He shot over 40% from the three point line, including 45% in his senior season. Matt went on to receive the ‘Spirit of Creighton Award’ at graduation in 2000.
Eric Beck was a two sport standout for Westside High School from 2000-2003. He lettered for three years in football and four years in baseball. Eric excelled in baseball for the Warriors, as he was All-State and Superstate in 2001 and 2003. He was a member of 2003 state championship team. Eric still holds many individual and team records for the program. He holds the individual season record for 43 RBI’s and the highest batting average of .506. From 2000-2003, he holds the career baseball records: 130 hits, 120 runs, 131 RBI’s, 36 Doubles, 13 triples, and 71 BB. After his great high school career, Eric went on to Butler County Community College (2003-2005). In 2005, he ended the season as the National Junior College home run leader with 21 blasts. His team went on to win the Jayhawk Conference in 2005. After Butler Community College, he went on to play at Jacksonville State University (Division I) from 2005-2008. In 2006, his team won the OVC conference and played in the NCAA Regional in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Eric was the team leader in home runs and RBIs. He was first team all-conference in 2006.
Darin Ruf may be considered one of the top all-around athletes ever to graduate from Westside High School. He was a rare three sport athlete. He lettered two years in football, two years in basketball and three years in baseball. He was named Omaha World-Herald first team All-State in football and baseball his senior year. He helped lead those teams to the playoffs and state tournament. Ruf still holds the career home run record at Westside with 15. After his successful high school career, he went on to Creighton University and was a four year letter winner at Creighton from 2005 – 2009. He was the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year in 2007 and a Golden Glove winner in 2007 and 2009. Ruf’s best baseball was still ahead of him. He went on to have a very successful pro baseball career. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies from 2009-2016, then went overseas to play for the Daegu Samsung Lions from 2017-2019. He came back to Majors and played for the San Francisco Giants, from 2020-2022, then traded to the New York Mets in 2022 and then back to the Giants in 2023. He played his final season for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2023. In 2012 Darin was the home run champion and in 2017 he led the KBO league in RBI’s.
The 1976 and 1977 Westside High School Boys Tennis Teams rank as one of the best stretches in school history for boys’ tennis. Not only did they repeat as state champions, but they also had to find a way to knock out Creighton Prep and Bob Green who is considered one of the greatest high school tennis players in the history of Nebraska. The Westside boys tennis teams were loaded with outstanding players at all levels. In 1976, the boys team won the team race by scoring 38 points defeating Millard and Creighton Prep. They were led by Tom Rice and John Staenburg, who were No. 1 doubles state champions. Scott Perry and Steve Albert were also state champions as No. 2 doubles. Steve Davis finished as state runner-up in No. 2 singles. Dan Goldman, the No. 1 singles player was defeated in the semifinals. Even though the Warriors graduated many players off the 1976 team, the 1977 team was up for the task to repeat as state champions. This year the Warriors scored 32 points well ahead of state runner-up Creighton Prep. Dan Goldman was a state champion at No. 2 singles and Chris Olson and Scott Perry were state champions at No. 2 doubles. What’s interesting about Chris and Scott, there was a time change in the first match, Chris did not get the message and arrived late. If he would have shown up 30 seconds later, they would have had to forfeit the match. Therefore, no chance to win the state title. Steve Hagan was defeated in the semi-finals in 1 singles and Ken Somberg and John Staenburg were defeated in the 1 doubles semis as well.
Coach Brett Froendt dedicated 29 years to shaping the lives of countless students and athletes, serving as both a coach and business teacher. Throughout his distinguished career in football, baseball, and golf, he became the only metro coach in the last decade to lead teams in two separate sports (football, and golf). Starting in 1993, he began coaching the freshman football team, progressing to the JV squad in 1999. By 2000, he rose to varsity assistant coach, specializing as the Special Teams Coordinator before becoming defensive coordinator in 2003. In 2009, he was named head football coach by Athletic Director Dr. Bob Rezincek. Under his leadership, Coach Froendt achieved remarkable success, boasting an impressive overall record of 101-42 (71%). He guided the Warriors to four State Championship appearances, winning the state title in 2020. His teams qualified for the playoffs in 12 out of 13 years, with 65 players earning college football opportunities. He loved and honored the history of WHS, especially the rivalry game against Creighton Prep where his teams went 10-5. His excellence earned him recognition by his peers as Metro Football Coach of the Year in 2013, 2019, and 2020, and as the NE Shrine Bowl Head Coach in 2022. In addition, he received many awards including the 2022 Skip Palrang Memorial Award by the Nebraska Coaches Association, recipient of the Schrager Assistant Coach of Year in 2002, and the Schrager Head Coach of the Year (2013, 2021). He also served as a USA Football Master Trainer (3 yrs). Coach Froendt also made significant contributions to the boys golf program from 2000 to 2022. Notably, in 2022, his team achieved a State-runner-up finish.
The Westside Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held at the Mainelli Center, St. Robert Bellarmine on Friday, May 3.
