Fallon grad Jennifer Hucke to be inducted into NIAA Hall of Fame

The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association, the (501c3) non-profit governing body of high school sports in the Silver State, and One Nevada Credit Union, the Association’s title partner for all events, will be inducting 15 Northern Nevadans to its NIAA / One Nevada Hall of Fame for 2020.

The individuals set to be inducted as the NIAA / One Nevada’s 28th class – Dan Anderson, Toni (Brown) Fairbanks, Art Collins, Pat Dolan, Rob Hastings, Rollie Hess, Martin “Skip” Houk, Jennifer Hucke, Michelle Palaroan, Richard Pitts, Dave Price, Ed Shepard, Paul Tremayne, Mike Whitemaine and Mitch Woods — have secured for themselves a special place in the history of Nevada high school athletics by the sheer magnitude of their contributions.

“The 15 individuals we are inducting have contributed greatly to high school athletics in the Silver State as an athletic administrator/director, athlete, coach, contributor and/or official,” said Mr. Bart Thompson, Executive Director of the NIAA. “They have made a positive impact on the young men and women of our state in some very important ways, and they have helped to make many of their dreams come true.”

The Class of 2020 features, generally, one athletic administrator/director, six athletes, four coaches, two contributors and two officials. Most inductees are, however, being honored in multiple categories. Chris Healy, a long-time Commissioner of Officials in baseball for the Northern Nevada Officials Association, will again serve as the NIAA / One Nevada Hall of Fame’s Master of Ceremonies.

Among the inductees is 2001 Fallon grad, Jennifer Hucke, who became one of the state’s best volleyball players.

Hucke was a four-year letter-winner in volleyball and a two-year starter in basketball (as a freshman and sophomore before turning her focus to only volleyball for her last two years) at Churchill County High School. She helped to lead the Greenwave to volleyball state titles in 1999 and 2000 while serving as a team captain.

Hucke, widely regarded as the state’s top outside hitter during her junior and senior seasons, was a two-time First Team all-State honoree in volleyball (1999 and 2000). She was, additionally, selected the Gatorade Player of the Year after her senior campaign. She earned spots on USA youth and junior national volleyball teams in 1999, and was afforded a full scholarship to play at volleyball Pac-10 (now 12) powerhouse Stanford.

Hucke, as an all-American, helped to pace the Cardinal to two NCAA Division I national championships. She was inducted to the Greenwave Hall of Fame in its inaugural year of 2017 as was her 1999 state winning team. (CCHS’s 2000 volleyball team was inducted in 2018.)

This year’s inductees include:

ADMINISTRATOR / DIRECTOR — Paul Tremayne (Austin & Battle Mountain / Coach at Austin & Battle Mountain).

ATHLETES — Toni Brown-Fairbanks (Reed – volleyball / basketball / softball); Rollie Hess (Virginia City – basketball); Jennifer Hucke (Churchill County – volleyball / basketball); Michelle Palaroan (Reed – basketball / softball); Mike Whitemaine (Bishop Manogue – football /basketball /baseball); and Mitch Woods (Lowry – football / basketball / baseball).

COACHES — Dan Anderson (Eureka, Hug, Sparks & Reno / Official – Football); Art Collins (Reno / Contributor to NIAA); Rob Hastings (Wooster, Sparks, North Valleys & Galena); and Ed Shepard (Reed, Hug & Damonte Ranch).

CONTRIBUTORS —Pat Dolan (NIAA / Athlete at Lowry); and Dave Price (Media – print).

OFFICIALS — Richard Pitts (NNOA basketball & softball) and Skip Houk (NNOA football & basketball, NIAA cross country & track and field).