Bahrij Plays In Notre Dame AFROTC Tournament

CHRIS BAHRIJ jumps for, the ball during a AFROTC basketball tournament.

On Jan. 7, 2006 ten cadets from UNI_ and UNO Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) made their way to Notre Dame University to take part in the 20th annual basketball tournament for AFROTC detachments around the nation. Forty teams of cadets competed including UNL Cadets Chris Bahrij, Andrew Lingenfelter, Scott Leibrarit, Fredric Hertwig, Curtis Michael, and Sam Shamburg. UNO Cadets included Eugene i5ickney, John Abueg, Anre Gjere; and Mance Martin. These Nebraska cadets were the first to represent.

Nebraska at this tournament and did so proudly.

The Nebraska Huskers, Detachment 465 and Mavericks, Detachment 470 were dedicated and determined that not even a snow storm and icy roads could stop their 12 hour journey to Notre Dame. On' Saturday the Nebraska team started off with pool play winning over fellow cadets from Maryland, Howard University from Washington D.C., and Virginia Tech. From pool play the top 16 of the 40 teams entered the tournament on Sunday. Nebraska entered the tournament as the number two seed, behind Texas A & M. Nebraska won over Virginia Tech in the first round, however, lost to West Virginia by one point in the second round.

The Nebraska team placed fifth in the Notre Dame tournament. They were also awarded the Colonel Moe Award for showing the characteristics needed by the POWs and MIAs. Colonel Moe was a Vietnam POW from Jan. 19, 1968, to March 14, 1973.. The cadets of Det: 465 and Det. 470 performed well and represented Nebraska AF'ROTC values of sportsmanship, professionalism, and hard work.

Cadet Christopher Bahrij has recently been inducted into Chi ' Epsilon, a national Civil Engineering Honor Society and was named to dean's list for the fall semester of 2005, by the College of Engineering. .

Christopher is a 2002 graduate of O'Neill St. Mary's and the son of Steve and Leila Bahrij of O'Neill.