A Nebraska coaching legend, Jerry Eickhoff retired at the end of the 2009 basketball season as Nebraska’s all-time leader in boys’ basketball victories, compiling an astonishing 670-226 record.
The 1969 Peru graduate was a rarity in high school coaching, as he spent his entire 40 years of teaching and coaching at Hampton (Neb.) High School.
In 10 state tournament appearances, Eickhoff’s Hawks won three state titles, had three runner-up finishes, and a third-place finish. Under his guidance, the Hawks won 51 straight games in 1972-74. In addition, Hampton played in four straight state championship games from 1987-1990.
He was known for stressing the positive and instilling a sense of confidence in all his players. Early on in his career, Eickhoff also coached football, volleyball, and track. In addition, he was athletics director and high school principal at Hampton for more than 30 years.
In 1999, Eickhoff was inducted into the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame.
