Former football star added to Dana College's list of outstanding athletes, Oct. 11

John Hibbing of Lincoln, Neb., was honored with Dana College’s highest alumni honor for athletics Oct. 11 in Blair, Neb., when the college named him to its Athletic Hall of Fame at a special ceremony held as part of Homecoming festivities.

Honorees are nominated for their excellence in athletics while attending Dana. In Hibbing’s case, his performance as a receiver for the Vikings stood out.

By the time John Hibbing finished his collegiate football career in 1976, he held nearly all of Dana’s receiving records, including most catches in a career, most receiving yards in a career, most receiving yards in a season, most catches in a game and most touchdown receptions in a game. Needless to say, he was the Vikings’ leading receiver four years straight.

Even with the advent of more pass-dependent offenses, today Hibbing still ranks seventh in career receptions (108), seventh in career receiving yards (438) and is tied for second in touchdown receptions in a single game (3).

Hibbing was named to the All-Conference and All-State teams and was chosen Dana’s Most Valuable Player twice. He also was a member of the Viking men’s basketball team.

Now the Foundation Regents University Professor of Political Science at the University of Nebraska—Lincoln, Hibbing excelled in the classroom as well as on the field. Dana also gave him the opportunity to meet his wife of 25 years, Anne (Nielsen ’77) Hibbing. Together they have three children, Michael, 22, Matthew, 19, and Anthony, 15.

In 1992, Hibbing received Dana’s Outstanding Young Alumni Award. He is a 1972 graduate of Paullina (Iowa) High School.

Dana College is a private, liberal arts institution that currently enrolls approximately 600 students. The campus is located on 150 acres overlooking the Missouri River Valley in Blair, Neb. Dana grants bachelor’s degrees in more than 20 liberal arts, business, education and pre-professional programs. Dana is affiliated with the Nebraska Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and its athletic teams compete in the Great Plains Athletic Conference.

More information on Dana College can be found on its web site, www.dana.edu.

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For more information contact:
Sarah Cavanah
Communications Coordinator
Dana College
(402) 426-7216
scavanah@dana.edu