Barbara A. Hibner

LINCOLN, NE Barbara A. Hibner, Ph.D., 65, formerly of Hanover, died Wednesday, March 7, 2007, at her home. Born September 26, 1941, in Hanover, she was the daughter of Murry and Welma (Leppo) Hibner. Dr. Barbara Hibner committed 28 years to the University of Nebraska and the promotion of Husker Women's Athletics. Barbara was Nebraska's Assistant Women's Athletic Director from 1976-1985, and the Women's Athletic Director from 19851994. Dr. Hibner was an Associate Athletic Director and Senior Women Administrator from 1994-2005 when she retired from the University of Nebraska. A graduate of Gettysburg High School in 1960, Dr. Hibner's start as an administrator coincided with the official start of the Title IX Educational Amendment of 1972. After graduating from Penn State University in 1964, Dr. Hibner taught high school in Pennsylvania and New York, coaching basketball, tennis, and softball. After earning her masters degree in 1970 from State University of New York (SUNY) at Cortland, she moved to SUNY Binghamton to assume coaching, teaching, and administrative tasks. She earned her PhD from Texas Women's University in 1977 and assumed the duties of women's athletic director, professor of physical education, and coach at Simpson College in Iowa. In a leadership role at the University of Nebraska, Dr. Hibner saw the Athletic Department grow from 10 sports in 1978 to its current 13 women's varsity sports, which leads the Big 12 Conference, and provides 117 scholarship opportunities. "Dr. H", as she was fondly called by many student-athletes and peers, never "worked" a day, for each day was a "duty of happiness". She never wanted credit for paving the way for women's athletics, as she proudly and diligently worked behind the scenes as the Nebraska women's athletics won nine national championships in her tenure. Hibner was selected to receive the Lyell Bremser Special Merit Award from the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame in 2003. She was chosen as the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators District VII Administrator of the Year in 1997. The National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches for Women named Hibner the 1998-1999 Region Three Administrator of the Year. She received the YWCA Tribute to Women award in 1994, and was honored in 2000 with the University of Nebraska Athletic Department's first Trailblazer Award, an honor that will be renamed in her honor this spring upon its sixth presentation. Dr. Hibner left her legacy with the University of Nebraska as she was the driving force in the creation of Nebraska's mascot "Lil' Red" in 1994. She also supervised the annual publication of the student-athlete handbook and was the senior editor of the letterwinners directory, "107 Years of Letterwinners at Nebraska," in 1997. Dr. Hibner was very active on the national scene as she was a member of the National Association for Collegiate Directors of Athletics and the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators. Also, she held membership in the National Association of Athletic Marketing and Development and the National Association of Athletics Compliance Coordinators. She also was a member of the American Association of University Women, and the softball, volleyball and women's basketball coaches association. Dr. Hibner served in the NCAA Committees on Committees from 1989-1991, she chaired the Midwest Softball Advisory Committee as she was on the NCAA Division 1 Softball Committee from 1999-2003. In 1991, she was the director of the Women's College World Series. On the Lincoln campus, she was on the Board of Directors of the University Credit Union for six years and was a past president of the University of Nebraska Association for Administrative Development. Barbara is survived by her mother, Welma N. Wagaman of Hanover; her father, Murry E. Hibner of Oceanside, Calif.; and her seven brothers and sisters, Gary D. Hibner of Roseville, Mich., Nancy J. Hill of Des Moines, Iowa, Richard W. Wagaman, Jr. of Bartlett, Tenn., Susan L. Baublitz of Abbottstown, Peggy D. Beard of Hanover, Lynda K. Racer of Hanover, and Robin Barton of York; nine nephews; nine nieces; 16 greatnephews; and 15 great-nieces. She was preceded in death by a brother, Bobby E. Wagaman, who greeted her in Heaven. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, March 12, at Murphy Funeral Home, 501 Ridge Ave., McSherrystown, with Pastor Kevin Orewiler officiating and Rhonda Revelle having a eulogy. Burial will be held in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Hanover. Friends and relatives will be received Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home. Serving as pallbearers will be Stan Harbold, Bob Slonaker, Jimmy Barton, Rick Baublitz, Steve Hossler, and Dan Faulk Memorial contributions may be made to the University of Nebraska Athletic Department Office, One Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, NE 68588-0154. There will be a Celebration of Life service at a later date at the University of Nebraska. Condolences or personal reflections may be sent online at www.roperandsons.com.