Class of 2002 - Volleyball, Track

Andy Cole was a member of the Nicolet High School graduating class of 2002. He was a natural athlete who excelled in both Track and Volleyball and his accomplishments in both sports earned him an induction in the Nicolet Athletic Hall of Fame on his first ballot. Andy was known for his quiet yet confident demeanor. These traits led him to being elected as a varsity team captain for the volleyball team. Andy’s track accomplishments include earning four varsity letters and all conference honors seven times in both the long jump and triple jump. Additionally Andy competed at the state track meet three of his four years of high school. At the state meet Andy finished in 6th place in triple jump (‘00) and 4th place in the triple jump (‘02). To top off Andy’s 2002 senior track season of fourth in the state in triple jump he was also crowned state champion in the long jump with a jump of 23’8”. This state besting jump of 2002 is still the best jump in school history at the time of Andy’s induction into the hall of fame. Andy’s longest triple jump of 45’8”still stood as a school best too. Andy’s athletic abilities also paid major dividends on the volleyball court where he earned three varsity letters and was named to all conference volleyball team his sophomore, junior, and senior seasons. At the conclusion of his senior season Andy was also named 1st Team All-Area by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel and earned 1st Team All-State at the conclusion of both his junior and senior seasons. Upon graduation from Nicolet, Andy was invited to play on the Junior National Volleyball Team and ultimately attended The Ohio State University on a Volleyball scholarship. While at Ohio State Andy earned conference freshman of the year honors, All Conference Honors (3 years), played in the National Semifinals, and was named Academic All-Big Ten for four years.

Class of 1958 - Golf, Football, Basketball

When it comes to firsts at Nicolet High School, Don Edwards has everyone beat.  Don played Golf, Football and Basketball at Nicolet and was a member of the first graduating class in 1958.  He was the first Nicolet Boys Golf Captain and was a key member of the first Nicolet Golf team to win a conference championship his senior year.  Don became the first Nicolet Gold medalist at the conference golf meet and also earned the first ever individual golf state tournament berth.  He was the first golfer in school history to be awarded a Division 1 letter at UW-Milwaukee and at UW-Madison.  Don played middle linebacker on the first football team at Nicolet serving as Captain his senior year and earning All-Conference honors while being voted Team MVP.  His Nicolet football team went undefeated his junior year and finished 2nd in the conference his senior year.  He also played on the first Nicolet Basketball team.  Don was more than just a great athlete; he was also an excellent student and patriot.  He was a member of Nicolet’s National Honor Society achieving high honor roll and served as an Airborne Ranger Artillery Officer in the US Army where he was awarded a medal for meritorious service.  These days, Don still plays golf, is an active volunteer with Milwaukee youth, is CEO for DigiTenna LLC, and enjoys spending quality time with his wife Kay and their four boys Todd, Craig, Scott and Matthew and his seven grandchildren.   

Coach - Girls Basketball, Boys Volleyball (1984-2003)

Starting in 1984, John Gustavson would carve out a truly exceptional coaching career in three sports that would span over 20 years. While it was as the head girls’ basketball coach where Gus would make his name, he actually gave birth to the boys’ volleyball program at Nicolet in 1986. As head coach for 3 years, it didn’t take long to achieve success as Gus led the Knights to the 1987 & 1988 end of season state invitationals. Gus also coached girls’ volleyball at the frosh & JV levels for multiple seasons between 1989 and 2002. His coaching legacy for girls’ hoops began with Gus coaching at the frosh & JV levels from 1984-1989. It was in 1989 that he was named as the varsity head coach setting the Knights on a course of incredible success over the next 14 seasons. Part motivator, part tactician, & part nurturer, Gus would lead the girls to a stellar record of 190-128 over his career. It was during the incredible run from 1991-1998 where his Knights truly flourished & became a household name statewide. Over this era, the girls’ teams tallied 139 wins against just 49 losses. His teams would make 6 WIAA Sectional Final appearances (1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999) & claim 5 North Shore Conference titles (1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999). And 3 times – 1994, 1997, & 1998 – seasons would culminate with appearances in the WIAA State Tournament. Extremely well regarded amongst his peers & players, Gus was named North Shore Herald (NOW) Area Coach-of-the-Year in 1994 as well as being selected as the head coach for the WBCA All-Star game in 2002. And while he would leave his math teaching & coaching career at Nicolet in 2003 to become Athletic Director at nearby Whitefish Bay High School, Gus returned to his true “home” in 2016 as an assistant coach in the girls’ basketball program. Without question, John Gustavson will long be remembered as one of the most revered coaches in Nicolet athletic history.

Coach - Boys Basketball (1995 - 2016)

Coach Hepp arrived at Nicolet High School in 1995 as a history teacher and to coach the boys basketball team when he was just 25 years old and with just two years of previous head basketball coaching experience.  When Coach Hepp retired from coaching after the 2015-16 season, he totaled an impressive list of accomplishments, including garnering the respect of his peers and colleagues.  During the 2012 season, Coach Hepp became the winningest coach in North Shore Conference history.  His career coaching record at Nicolet included a 263-211 overall record with six Conference Championships: 1999 (15-7), 2001 (18-3), 2002 (19-2), 2003 (19-3), 2004 (19-3) and 2005 (20-3).  From 2001-2005, his teams went 96-14 (.870) overall and 65-5 (.930) in conference play.  His teams won 15 or more games nine times.  In his 21 years coaching boys basketball at Nicolet, he was voted North Shore Coach of the Year six times, CNI Newspapers Area Coach of the Year (2003) and was named the Head Coach of the WBCA Division 1 South All-Star game (2005).  His teams made five WIAA Sectional appearances in 1996, 2000, 2004, 2005 and 2010.  He coached six players that would go on to play Division 1 college basketball, including two that played professionally in Europe.  But Paul Hepp was more than just a basketball coach.  His favorite memories of his coaching career are not last minute game-winning baskets or overtime victories.  He most remembers developing relationships with his players during their four years in high school and being able to follow them as adults as they had their own families and built their own careers.  He remembers fondly his players’ parents, his assistant coaches, colleagues and administrators that helped him along the way, many of whom he is still friends with to this day.

“The decision I made to come to Nicolet was the best decision I made in my life and the journey of these past two plus decades have been simply incredible in so many ways.” 

Class of 1982 - Volleyball, Basketball, Softball

By her senior year, Kristin was known by opposing volleyball players as an intimidating spiker and blocker. Yet, as a freshman, she was cut during tryouts. Kristin persisted and continued to practice with the team. Her hard work and dedication paid off. During her senior year, Kristin was co-MVP, leading the team to its first Braveland Conference Championship. The team continued on to take 5th place in the Wisconsin State Volleyball Tournament. That same year, Kristin was unanimously selected to the Braveland First Team All-Conference.

Kristin also played four years of basketball. As a power forward, she led the team in total points scored, as well as offensive and defensive rebounds, in her senior year. She was unanimously voted MVP by her teammates and selected to the Braveland Second Team All-Conference. 

If all that was not enough, Kristin played four years on the varsity fast-pitch softball team as a left fielder. Her senior year, she helped the team to complete its first winning season in school history. Kristin also received Braveland All-Conference Honorable Mention for softball. 

Kristin exemplified the term “student athlete.” Not only did she earn 7 varsity letters over the course of her time at Nicolet, she was a National Honor Society member and graduated in the top 10% of the 1982 Nicolet High School class. In addition, she received the first Craig R. Kahn Scholarship and the Glen A. Kukla Scholarship. 

After high school, Kristin received a scholarship to play collegiate volleyball at Marquette University where she earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering. At Marquette, she was team co-captain and co-MVP her senior year. She still holds Marquette’s all-time record for most Service Aces in a single season (80) and is also ranked the 6th highest kill percentage leader. 

Kristin was always a quiet, hardworking team player. Losses only drove her to try harder. She never bragged about her talents but rather demonstrated them on the courts and field. 

Class of 1999 - Tennis

Eric Robertson was a member of the Nicolet High School graduating class of 1999. He was one of the most talented and successful tennis players to ever play at Nicolet. His excellence on the tennis court earned him a spot in the Nicolet Tennis Hall of Fame after graduation and eventually a place in the Nicolet Athletic Hall of Fame. Eric’s dominance on the tennis court is unparalleled not only at Nicolet but in the state of Wisconsin. It did not take long for Eric to begin his dominance on the court at Nicolet. As a freshman in 1996, Eric earned a varsity letter, was and Individual Conference Champion, won the WIAA Individual State Championship and was named team MVP as his team captured the North Shore Conference Championship. During his sophomore tennis season, his team again won Conference and this time also took home the WIAA Team State Championship as Eric finished 2nd at Individual State. Eric’s junior and senior years proved to be just as amazingly successful as he captured two more Individual Conference and State Championships as did his team. When the dust finally settled on his Nicolet Tennis career, Eric totaled four Varsity Letters, four Individual Conference Championships (1996,1997,1998,1999), three Individual State Championships at #1 Singles (1996,1998,1999), one 2nd place finish at #1 Singles (1997) and his team won four consecutive North Shore Conference Championships (1996-1999) and three consecutive WIAA State Team titles (1997-1999). During his high school tennis career, Eric was a State, Regional and Nationally Ranked tennis player. Upon graduation from Nicolet, he earned and accepted an Athletic Scholarship to play tennis at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. In college, Eric was an excellent student in the classroom and loyal to the tennis team, playing all four years. Eric Robertson is just one of seven boys all-time to win at least three WIAA Individual State Championships and finished his high school tennis career with one of the best overall records in Nicolet and WIAA history.