Omaha Athletics Announces 2026 Hall of Fame Class
Sep 22, 2026 | General, Hockey, Track & Field
OMAHA, Neb. - Omaha Athletics announced its 2026 Hall of Fame Class on Tuesday afternoon. Omaha will welcome four new inductees: Chris Cooper (football), Jake Guentzel (hockey), Mike Kemp (hockey head coach) and Anastasia Kyvelidou (track and field).
"This is an exceptional Hall of Fame class that reflects the rich history and tradition of Omaha Athletics. Chris, Jake, Mike and Anastasia each achieved at the highest levels, while leaving a lasting impact on their programs and our university. Their accomplishments are an important part of the story of Omaha Athletics, and we look forward to officially welcoming this class into our Hall of Fame and celebrating them with our fanbase on November 6th,"Â Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Adrian Dowell said.
The inductees will be honored at the Omaha hockey game against St. Cloud State on Nov. 6 at Baxter Arena. Fans can purchase tickets at omahamavs.com/tickets. The class will be inducted at the UNO Alumni Association's UNO Alumni Honors Brunch at the Thompson Alumni Center on Nov. 7.
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Chris Cooper (1996-2000)
One of the most dominant defensive linemen in Omaha football history, Chris Cooper made an everlasting impact on Omaha Athletics. The Lincoln, Nebraska, native was a four-year starter for the Mavs after redshirting his freshman season. What followed was one of the most dominant careers in Mavs football history.
Cooper set the school record for career sacks (31) and tackles for loss (53). The defensive tackle was an All-American and All-NCC performer in 2000, when he led the team with 11 sacks and 20 tackles for loss during his senior season.
This success led to Cooper hearing his name called by the Oakland Raiders in the sixth round of the 2001 NFL Draft. Over the course of his eight-year NFL career (2001-08, 2010), Cooper played in 78 games and started 13. Cooper's best season came in 2003, when he helped the Raiders reach Super Bowl XXXVII. Cooper started nine games for the Raiders that season and recorded career highs with 49 tackles, 2.5 sacks and eight tackles for loss.
Cooper ended his career with 103 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 18 tackles for loss and one interception.
Jake Guentzel (2013-16)
One of the most recognizable and accomplished players in Omaha hockey history, Jake Guentzel will forever be enshrined in Maverick hockey history.
Guentzel played three seasons with the Mavericks, appearing in 108 games and scoring 40 goals to go along with 69 assists. Guentzel helped the Mavs reach their first-ever Frozen Four in 2015, when he led the team with 25 assists while scoring 14 goals.
Guentzel was selected in the third round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Guentzel started his professional career with Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, before being called up and making his NHL debut on Nov. 21, 2016.
Guentzel scored two goals on his first two shots as a Penguin and never looked back. He helped the Penguins win the Stanley Cup in 2017 and became the first rookie in Penguins history to score a playoff hat trick. Guentzel spent eight years with the Penguins and was a two-time All-Star in 2020 and 2022.
Guentzel was a member of the U.S. National Team that won the gold medal at the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics. Guentzel played in all six games and scored one goal for the Red, White and Blue. He is currently a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
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Mike Kemp (1997-2009)
Head Coach Mike Kemp was the first head coach in Omaha hockey history and helped build Omaha hockey into what it is today.
Kemp helped the Mavs transition from an independent program in 1997-99 to Division I at the start of the 1999-2000 season. Kemp led the Mavs to the CCHA Championship Game in their first year in the conference.
Kemp helped the Mavs post back-to-back 20-win seasons in 2001-02 and 2002-03. Omaha broke through in the 2005-06 season, when the Mavs won the CCHA Championship and made their first NCAA Tournament appearance. Kemp was named the CCHA Coach of the Year in 2005.
Following the 2008-09 season, Kemp stepped down as head coach to become the associate athletics director, a position he has held in Omaha Athletics to this day. Kemp currently serves as the special advisor to the director of athletics.
Anastasia Kyvelidou (2002-05)
Anastasia Kyvelidou is one of the most diverse track and field athletes in Omaha history. Kyvelidou was the 2005 national champion in the heptathlon with 5,780 points. Her 5,780 points still rank among the top 20 all-time performances in NCAA Division II history and were the school record for the heptathlon at the time.
Kyvelidou also was the national champion in the indoor triple jump in 2005. Following her outstanding 2005 season, she was named the NCAA Athlete of the Year.
Kyvelidou also holds the school record in the javelin with a throw of 45.38 meters.
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