The Western Nebraska Community College athletic department will induct the second class of WNCC’s Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday, January 28.

                This year’s inductees are former Cougar men’s basketball player Bernard Garner, who played at WNCC from 1993-95; and Neal and Lora Blomenkamp, in partnership with Runza® Restaurants, as distinguished supporters.

                The ceremony will take place before the women’s basketball game with Otero Junior College at 5:30 p.m. in the Learning Commons. There will be a meet-and-greet from 5-5:30 p.m. The women’s game on Friday will tip-off at 6 p.m. At halftime of the men’s basketball game with Otero, which is slated for an 8 p.m. start, the inductees will be introduced to those in attendance.

                “It is a big surprise and a great honor to be inducted into the hall of fame,” Neal Blomenkamp said. “There are so many deserving individuals of this award. So many wonderful memories have been made. We have very much appreciated the opportunity to be involved with the athletic program.”

                As for Garner, he is also humbled.

                “It is a great honor to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. I never thought this moment would ever happen,” Garner said. “Thanks to Coach Soupy Campbell and Coach Dewy (Haley), all of the dorm parents and sponsors. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. But overall, the whole Western Nebraska Community College program.”

                The two inductees have been a valuable part of WNCC athletic history in different ways. The Blomenkamps started out as fans in 1992 and quickly became one of the premiere athletic sponsors over the next nearly 30 years.

                Lora Blomenkamp said their association with WNCC athletics started in 1992 when they attended a game.

                “Dr. Glen Vandenberg invited Neal to attend a game. He introduced me to Coach Dave “Soupy” Campbell,” Neal said. “I remember walking in and seeing all of the families in attendance. The gym was still an oval and would hold 3,200 fans. I was not a major sport fanatic. However, I was so touched by the families -- grandparents, parents, and children.

                “No other event had this much positive impact on families at one time in our community. I was surprised that the ticket price and concession was reasonable. A family of four could attend the game and all have a soda pop and popcorn for less than $20.00. I was hooked. We had to get involved.”

                That first game got the Blomenkamps hooked and from there they were part of many promotions in the 1990s and 2000s.

                Campbell and Neal went to work on many ideas and the biggest one was the promotion on the tickets where when the Cougars scored 90 points, they could get a free Runza®.

                “The first set of season tickets were printed the following year and the offer on the back of the ticket was, ‘When the Cougars score 90 points or more, come to Runza® for a Free Runza® Sandwich with the purchase of a large Pepsi’. The first year we gave away over 5,000 Runza® Sandwiches. Was this worth this? Yes, and we have continued with this with all the athletic department.”

                What made this promotion exciting was seeing the fans get into the action when the team was nearing 90 points.

                “Nancy Campbell and the entire booster club would start chanting during the games as the Cougars neared 90 points ‘Runza, Runza, Runza’,” Neal said. “The entire fan base would join in.  This was cool,”

                After that, the Blomenkamps and Runza® continued with different promotions through the years.

“From this we went to ball boys with Runza® shirts, kids club, Runza® Logo on the score board and table,” they said. “We have had Runza® Rex with Buddy at the games. We sold Mini Runza® Sandwiches in the concession stand. We had a Runza® Blimp to drop coupons and this was navigated by locals from the RC club. We expanded in to all the different sports from women’s basketball, volleyball, softball, baseball, and sponsors in the Cougar Classic golf tournament.”

The Blomenkamps were hooked and two of their children attended WNCC with Brooke playing volleyball for the college. Runza® also purchased new volleyball nets for the college that said Runza on them.

“As the years went on Neal attended every game home and away,” they said. “Our entire family came to all the home games. Spencer was a ball boy and attended all the basketball camps. Brooke attended the volleyball camps and even played her first two years of college volleyball before moving on to play at Grand Canyon University. Tanner attended camps along with one year in auto body, before joining the Air Force.”

The Blomenkamps and Runza® are still actively a part of Cougar athletics. The Blomenkamps said what WNCC athletics offers the community is family entertainment without breaking the bank.

“Family entertainment for little to no cost,” they said. “Plus, the opportunity to attend various sports camps along with meeting some future big-time players like Bobby Jackson. We have had so many wonderful memories including attending the championships in Hutchinson, Kansas, and meeting so many young players.”

While the Blomenkamps have played a major part in the success of the athletic program from the sponsorship side, Garner had an outstanding career on the basketball court. Garner played alongside Bobby Jackson from 1993-95, who was one of the first members to be inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame in 2017 along with Dick “Night Train” Lane.

Garner had a storied career at WNCC before transferring University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Garner was a member of the Cougar team that finished third at the NJCAA national tournament in Hutchinson in 1995. That, at the time, was the highest finish of any Cougar athletic team at nationals.

During his playing career, Garner holds the career record for most points scored in a career with 1,304 points. Garner played 77 games in his two years at WNCC averaging 16.9 points a contest. He also shot 76 percent from the charity stripe and made 191 free throws. Garner also was a versatile player, canning 123 3-pointers which is eighth on the 3-point scoring charts with 369 points.

Garner also pulled down 7.12 rebounds a contest with a total of 551 rebounds, which is third all-time behind Fernando Bonfim’s 782 from 2003-05 and Marvin Singleton’s 572 in 1988-90. Garner is also sixth in blocked shots with 65.

In the 1994-1995 season, Garner scored 708 points, becoming one of six Cougars to score 700 points in a season. He averaged 18.2 points a contest his sophomore year, which helped him become the NJCAA men’s basketball player of the year.

Garner had a career high 47 points in a game on December 1, 1994, against Hagerstown Community College. He scored 30 points five times and over 20 points 29 times in his career at WNCC.

After WNCC, Garner went on to have a storied career as a Husker. The Husker website said, “Bernard Garner was one of the most prolific two-year players in school history. Garner has the eighth-highest scoring total among two-year NU players with 649 career points. He started 43 games in his NU career and finished with two-year averages of 10.3 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. Garner was Nebraska's leading rebounder as a junior, averaging 6.3 boards per game. As a senior, Garner was NU's top reserve, averaging 9.9 points per contest and was named to the Big 12's All-Bench Team.”

His career highs at Nebraska included 22 points against Weber State in November 1996 and 13 rebounds against Iowa State in February 1996.

After Nebraska, Garner stayed in Lincoln and went to work. It wasn’t until spring of 2014 that Garner completed his bachelor’s degree in Child, Youth and Family studies. He said that was one of the most special moments showing his mom, wife, and kids that you can go back and finish her degree.

Garner first arrived at WNCC after spending one semester at South Florida Community College. He met a recruiter at a local basketball tournament and asked for help getting his name out to coaches.

“I said to Joe I'm looking for a school to go to and asked him if he can put the word out, which he did. I had made my mind up. I don't care who and where the school was at, I was going because I may never get another shot.”

Garner said that a few days went by and no one called. After a few days, he was in his room and the reality was kicking in that maybe no one was going to call. He remembered looking out his bedroom window and looking in the trees where birds were everywhere. He then heard the phone ring and it was for his mom. Then the phone rings again and his mom said “Bernard, phone.” It was Soupy Campbell.

                Garner and Soupy talked for a while and Soupy asked Garner if he was still looking for a school to go to. Garner said yes and Soupy said he was from WNCC, which is three hours from Denver. Soupy asked him to attend and the rest is all history.

“Coach Campbell become the father figure in my life,” Garner said. “We argued and fussed, but I truly love him. Not only him, but his wife Nancy Campbell and the Campbell Family. I also had great dorm parents in Sherry & Ron Zweibel, who lived in Torrington. Also Dr. Anthony Gooden & Joyce Gooden became my family. They had two children, Lauren and Evan. We bonded like a family and I love the Gooden and Zweibel family. What great memories we all had together.”

Today, Garner is currently back home in Many, Louisiana with his mom working on community projects. His oldest daughter, Alexis, is in graduate school at the University of Nebraska Omaha majoring audiology. His two youngest children include his son, Christopher Bernard Garner, Jr., and daughter CeCe. Christopher is in the eighth grade in the Norris school systems while CeCe is in the sixth grade. His son plays for Norris junior high while his daughter plays volleyball and soccer.