LINCOLN — It took 3 ½ months for one of the best women’s gymnasts in Nebraska history to pull the “interim” tag from her coaching title.
Heather Brink, who took over for NU in mid-October after the sudden retirement of Dan Kendig, was given a four-year contract — worth $145,000 per year — this week to become the Huskers’ permanent coach.
“As a Lincoln native and Nebraska alum, it is an honor to be named head coach and I am very humbled to have this opportunity,” Brink said in a press release. “Nebraska is a special place to me that is rich in tradition and success.”
Said NU Athletic Director Bill Moos: “Heather was asked to step in to the interim coach role shortly before the start of the season, and our team did not miss a beat. I have been impressed with her leadership, organization and vision for the future of Nebraska gymnastics, and she has great respect from our student-athletes.”
Brink, 40, won two national titles at Nebraska and was an 11-time All-American. She was also Nebraska’s associate head coach when Kendig retired after a meeting with Moos to discuss compliance issues. NU thought Kendig may have committed NCAA violations — though none were related to student-athlete welfare — and had planned to submit a report.
“It didn’t get past the retirement piece,” Moos said in October of his discussion with Kendig.
Brink has been an assistant at NU since 2012. During her tenure, Nebraska has reached the Super Six twice and produced 11 gymnasts with a combined 41 All-America awards. She joined the Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016. She’s the only NU women’s gymnast to win a national all-around title.
She has led the Huskers to a 3-1 start this season in duals, with the only loss coming to No. 1 UCLA. Nebraska currently ranks No. 13 entering Sunday’s meet against No. 10 Michigan.
She’s the fourth coach Moos has hired since he arrived in Lincoln in October 2017. Nebraska football coach Scott Frost was Moos’ first and most prominent hire. He hired men’s golf coach Mark Hankins and men’s tennis coach Sean Maymi in 2018.
