Congrats to both Ron and Darin on their new opportunities.

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Ron Higdon to Join NSAA Staff as Assistant Director

LINCOLN – The Nebraska School Activities Association (NSAA) has hired former University of Nebraska-Omaha associate head wrestling coach Rod Higdon as an assistant director.

Higdon, who will start July 1, replaces Darin Boysen, who is leaving the NSAA to become the executive director of the Nebraska Coaches Association.

Higdon will be in charge of wrestling. He will head up the NSAA’s weight management program, run the NSAA Wrestling Championships, and be charged with coordinating the NSAA Dual Wrestling Tournament. The NSAA Representative Assembly passed a proposal at its April meeting to extend the wrestling season one week so that a dual-format event can be added to the NSAA’s championship slate.

“We are very lucky to have someone like Ron Higdon join our staff,” says NSAA interim executive director Steve Shanahan. “He is well-respected across this state. Ron has tremendous knowledge of wrestling, and he also has extensive experience in event management, which will be very beneficial for the Association.”

Higdon, who earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UNO, was the athletic facilities director for the Mavericks from 2002 to 2010. Part of his duties included coordinating event operations at the Sapp Fieldhouse and Al Caniglia Stadium.

“I am really excited to stay with wrestling,” says Higdon, who was as surprised as anyone when the Nebraska-Omaha administration announced it was eliminating wrestling the day after the Mavericks won their sixth Division II national championship in eight years last March.

UNO, which hosted the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships several times, appointed Higdon to serve as the tournament’s co-director in 1999, 2005 and 2010 when the championships where held at the Sapp Fieldhouse.

“At a Division II school you wear a lot of hats” explains Higdon. “I was responsible for staffing, setting up and tearing down after UNO events in the stadium and fieldhouse, and for outside vendors that used the facilities too.”

Higdon is confident that his experience and the relationships he has built with Nebraska high school wrestling coaches and officials over the years will help him smoothly transition into his new NSAA duties.

“I know a lot of coaches and I know a lot of officials too,” says Higdon. “I can hit the ground running. Dealing with coaches and having been an official will help. I’ve been doing camps with coaches for years. And in recruiting, it’s a positive to get to know all the coaches.”

After wrestling two years at Garden County Community College in Kansas, Higdon found his way to Nebraska in 1987. He finished his wrestling career at UNO, earning All-American honors by finishing fourth at the NCAA Division II Championships. His wife, Sandy, is also a UNO gradate. Higdon says he and his wife wanted to stay in Nebraska to raise their two children.

“I’ve had several offers to go coach somewhere else the last six weeks,” says Higdon, a native of Amarillo, Texas. “God has a strange way of making things work out. I’m excited to get started.”

The NSAA Board will take formal action to approve Higdon’s appointment as assistant director at its May 27 meeting.

Awesome news!

This will be huge! Can't believe this is going to happen! I am excited for Nebraska Wrestling and I'm going to college next year!

Another UNO coach hits the ground running. Suck it, Trev.

Trev? You mean Osama Bin Alberts.

Ronnie we are all proud of you!! Your family has been through a lot the last few years. I am humbled by how well you have dealt with the adversity that Trev and the UNO program ( ) as dealt out to you and your family. Congratulations on the new job. I am so excited that you will remain involved in Nebraska wrestling.

Keasling

I feel this is a great hire by the NSAA...Daren did a good job and I think that Ron will fill in nicely. Good Luck to Daren at the NCA. Welcome aboard Ron!!!

Ronnie,

Congratulations, Nebraska wrestling will be continually blessed with your involvement and commitment to our youth. Count this as another great contribution that Mike Denney has made to Nebraska wrestling. Allibones

I echo everyones sentiments. This was a great decision on their part and goes to a very deserving person. This is a plus for the Nebraska wrestling community. Congratulations Ron and Family.

yes congrats to ron he will do a great job