timeline

1969

Nebraska became the first school in the Big Eight Conference to hire a Strength Coach. (Boyd Epley)
Athletes began strength and performance testing for the first time.
Nebraska became one of the first schools in history to lift weights during the season.
Husker Power celebrated first win in football with a victory over Texas A&M 14-0.

1970

1971

1972

1978

A summer conditioning class was started for football.
The National Strength and Condiioning Association was founded in Lincoln, Nebraska by Boyd Epley. Bob Devaney was he featured speaker with Husker All-American tackle Kelvin Clark providing singing entertainment.
Husker Power celebrated 100 wins in football with a victory against Penn State 42-17.

1979

Nebraska became the first school to offer a degree for Strength Coaching.
Nebraska's weight room added air conditioning for the first time, thanks to a donation by Stan Wentz.
Boyd Epley directed AMF in design of the first ever "Hip Sled."

1980

Nebraska became the first school to take a portable weight room to a bowl game.
Nebraska became the first school in the country to have a National Strength Coach of the Year - 1980 Boyd Epley.
Nebraska became the first school in the country to have lifting programs computerized for each individual using the strength disk developed by Mike Arthur.

1981

The West Stadium Strength Complex was completed. With 13,300 square feet, it was the largest weight room in the world at the time.
Nebraska became the first school to have color balanced lights installed throughout the weight room for television.
Randy Gobel worked with the UNL Engineering Department to create an electronic timing system for testing Nebraska athletes.

1983

Nebraska became the first school in the country to have an Outland Award winner three years in a row and the first to have a two-time winner.
Nebraska became the first school in the country to produce 10 Outland, Lombardi, or Heisman Trophy winners.

1984

1985

Nebraska became the first school to have the Performance Index and Strength Index developed with help from Dr. Chris Eskridge.

1988

The Strength Complex was expanded to 30,000 square feet, and Husker Power worked out of a trailer during construction of the expanded weight room.
Husker Power celebrated 200 wins in Football with a victory over Oklahoma, 7-3.

1990

Nebraska added a computerized electronic 40-yard dash timer and scoreboard with Performance Index Points in the Cook Pavilion.

1991

1993

Boyd Epley was named Assistant Athletic Director of the Nebraska Athletic Department.
Bill Byrne, Athletic Director, allowed Boyd Epley to create the Performance Team, which combined Nutrition program with the Strength and Conditioning program.
Boyd Epley was named to the National Hall of Fame with the Lyell Bremser Merit Award.
Husker Power started using metabolic circuit training as an advanced lifting program.

1994

Dave Ellis was hired as the Coordinator of Nutrition, completing the Performance Team.
Husker Power worked with Hammer Strength to create the Hammer Jammer.

1995

Mike Arthur was named the National Strength and Conditioning Coach-of-the-Year by the Professional Football Strength and Conditioning Coach's Association.
Husker Power worked with Rick Lewis to create the Husker Power Rack.
The Husker Power Web site went on-line at www.huskerpower.net under the direction of Danny Noonan.

1996

1998

Nebraska became the only school to have two full-time nutrition staff members when Lisa Kopecky was hired.
Husker Power celebrated 300 wins in football with a victory over California 24-3 (Head Coach Frank Solich presents ball to Boyd Epley).
Human Kinetics published "Complete Conditioning for Football" by Mike Arthur and Bryan Bailey.

1999

Boyd Epley was named as one of the top 100 persons to most influence college football in the 20th century by Lindy's National Football Annual.

2003

Boyd Epley was promoted to Associate Athletic Director for Performance and Facilities Development. Mike Arthur was promoted to Director of Performance, and Bryan Bailey was promoted to Head Strength Coach for Football.

2004

Dave Kennedy returns to Nebraska as Head Strength Coach. Dave was a student strength coach for the Huskers from 1982-1988 before going to Ohio State and Pittsburgh.

2006

Nebraska's weight room was moved from the West Stradium Strength Complex to the Charles and Romona Myers Performance Center located inside the Tom and Nancy Osborne Athletic Complex on the north end of Memorial Stadium. The new Strength Complex is more than 40 percent larger than the Huskers' previous weight room and is just steps away from Nebraska's new Athletic Medicine Center, the Huskers' new locker room in the Osborne Athletic Complex, and the NU's indoor practice facility in the Hawks Championship Center.

2008