OMAHA, Neb. —

The Center of Excellence Award honors former Husker football players Mark Pelini and Cole Pensick. Both died in separate car crashes just six months apart.

An Omaha Westside football player is the second-ever recipient of the award since it began in 2024.

"This award was created to remember them. To keep the idea that there's more to life than football," CJ Zimmer, a former teammate of Pensick and Pelini, said.

The two former Husker centers' memories live on in the Center of Excellence Award. This year's winner is Eli Svendsen-Antillon of Westside.

"I never thought I could really get this far with football and just playing center in Nebraska, especially in Class A with all these other dudes who are just 10 times bigger than you, it's an honor," Svendsen-Antillon said.

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