He was inducted in 2008, but Gary Pepin’s amazing coaching career continued until his retirement after 2021-22 season, his 42nd at the University of Nebraska. He became the winningest track & field coach in Big 8/Big 12 Conference history and added more accolades when the Huskers moved to the Big Ten in 2011-12.
In 2009, Pepin surpassed Frank Sevigne (USTFCCCA Class of 2004) as the longest tenured head coach in the history of the Nebraska program. Pepin was only the fourth coach to guide Nebraska’s men’s program since World War I.
Pepin began his coaching career in 1967 as an assistant coach at the University of Kansas under legendary coach Bob Timmons (USTFCCCA Class of 1997). He was also the KU women’s head coach since 1976 and began at Nebraska after the 1980 season, leading the Husker women to national indoor titles in 1982, 1983 and 1984. He added the role of Husker men’s coach in 1984.
Pepin, who graduated from Pittsburg (Kan.) High School and later Pittsburg State University, guided his teams to 73 conference titles – 44 indoor/outdoor in the Big Eight (most in conference history), 23 in the Big 12 and six in the Big Ten. He coached 639 NCAA All-Americans, 597 individual conference champions, 68 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans and 59 individual NCAA champions.
Coaching awards for Pepin also began to accumulate. In all, he earned the USTFCCCA Midwest Region Coach of the Year 11 times and Big 8/Big 12/Big Ten Coach of the Year 28 times. He also was named 1995 National Indoor Track & Field Coach of the Year by the United States Track Coaches Association (now the USTFCCCA).
Many of his former athletes have gone on to achieve remarkable post-collegiate careers. The most notable is Merlene Ottey, a 12-time national collegiate champion who went on to win nine Olympic medals. Pepin has also coached Rhonda Blanford, a four-time NCAA champion, and Dusty Jonas, a 2008 Olympic team member and NCAA Indoor champion.