State athletic leaders honor trio of LPS administrators

May 20, 2026

Three Lincoln Public Schools athletic administrators earned statewide honors this spring for their championship-level leadership talents.
 
The Nebraska State Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NSIAAA) recognized JJ Toczek, Kara Graham and Jeff Pierce at the organization’s awards banquet. Toczek received the NSIAAA Meritorious Service to Education-Based Athletics in Nebraska Award, Graham received the NSIAAA Emerging Athletic Administrator of the Year Award and Pierce received the NSIAAA Assistant Athletic Administrator of the Year Award.
 
NSIAAA Executive Director Mark Armstrong and NSIAAA Past President Mitchell Stine said all three LPS leaders own strong credentials. Toczek is LPS director of athletics and activities, Graham serves as Southeast High School director of athletics and activities and Pierce is Northeast High School’s associate athletic and activities director.
 
“Recognition through NSIAAA awards reflects years of dedication and service,” Stine said. “These honors are not simply about any short-term or transactional success in terms of wins or state championships, but about leadership, mentorship and a commitment to advancing educationally-based athletics and activities throughout Nebraska. Kara, Jeff and JJ are all very deserving of this recognition.”
 
“High school activities and athletics are often the front porch of a school’s identity, and it is imperative that those providing leadership for these different activities be competent and very skilled in what they do and how they provide leadership for these programs,” Armstrong said. “Folks like JJ, Kara and Jeff deserve to be recognized for the expertise they provide to their positions of leadership, providing a stable base upon which these programs can be built and operate.”
 
NSIAAA President Sara Fjell said LPS athletics and activities programs are admired across Nebraska because of leaders like Toczek, Graham and Pierce. The Lincoln High grad said she has been impressed with how the LPS department operates.
 
“I think LPS athletic directors have a strong reputation of making decisions that keep kids in the forefront of plans and purpose,” Fjell said. “They collaborate well amongst each other and have found ways to continue the growth for both opportunities and activities that LPS can offer. They also work well amongst their HAC (Heartland Athletic Conference) schools in making great conference events and sending good competitive teams and individuals to state tournaments.”
 
JJ Toczek
Toczek said he was thankful for the opportunity to spend the past 30 years in public education. He said his current position gives him a front-row seat to the many good deeds that LPS students, teachers, coaches and administrators provide others every day.
 
“I believe the LPS education-based athletics and activities program is respected across the state because of our intelligent, hardworking, fundamentally sound and competitive student participants, our dedicated and knowledgeable coaches, our kind, caring, collaborative and tireless ADs, and our supportive school district and community,” Toczek said.
 
Fjell said Toczek has been an important role model for her. She is the activities director and assistant principal at Elkhorn High School and has been involved in many NSIAAA projects.
 
“JJ has been a mentor to me since I came into this position five years ago,” Fjell said. “He has guided me with steadfast advice, and his wealth of knowledge and experience within both coaching and building administration has been so helpful. He was a strong president for the NSIAAA and I was glad to work with him as he modeled to me strong leadership.”
 
Toczek grew up in Grand Island and graduated from Grand Island Northwest in 1990. He participated in football, concert choir, show choir and drama all four years and was involved in Student Council activities for three years. He also took part in basketball, track and speech during his time with the Vikings and was class president all four years.
 
“Those formative high school academic and extracurricular experiences provided me the framework to understand the importance of education-based athletics and activities,” Toczek said. “They required me to focus on academics, be a servant leader, put in the time and sweat necessary to achieve my goals, and understand that competition makes myself and everyone around me better.”
 
Toczek taught physical education, business and English classes at LPS from 1996-2003 before becoming assistant director of athletics and activities at Papillion-La Vista. He returned to LPS in 2009 and became Southeast’s director of athletics and activities in 2013. He began his current role in 2022.
 
Toczek said he believes LPS athletics and activities will remain at the forefront of student education in Nebraska.
 
“I am truly grateful to be a member of the Lincoln community, an employee of LPS and a servant leader of the district’s education-based athletics and activities program,” Toczek said. “We strive to do things the right way with integrity, competency, consistency and class, while always keeping LPS kids and coaches first.”
 
Kara Graham
Graham graduated from Southeast in 1995 and was honored as Miss Nebraska Basketball her senior year. She said one of her top aims is to help current Knights enjoy their high school years as much as she did.
 
“Southeast is home,” Graham said. “I understand firsthand the impact that a strong athletic program can have on student-athletes. My goal for our student-athletes is that one day, long after they graduate, that the Southeast fight song will still give them goosebumps, like it does for me. Southeast has given me so much, and I just want to return the favor.”
 
Graham graduated from the University of Nebraska-Kearney in 2000 and taught physical education at Belmont Elementary School until 2006. She then joined her alma mater in a pair of mentorship roles. She taught physical education classes and began a successful run as head girls basketball coach.
 
Graham became associate athletic director at Southeast in 2018 and rose to the top AD spot in 2022. She oversees a department that sponsors girls and boys teams in 15 sports.
 
Graham’s impact reaches far beyond the city limits. She represents District I on the Nebraska School Activities Association (NSAA) Board of Directors. The organization supervises a wide variety of school-based events and programs each year.
 
Graham said she is passionate about working in high school athletics because of the personal growth that takes place. She felt the time spent in practices, meetings, games and tournaments can serve as a launching pad for a meaningful future.
 
“It brings me joy to watch student-athletes compete,” Graham said. “Athletes can begin on the freshman team and then work hard to make varsity as a senior and see all of their hard work pay off. There is nothing like the progression of skills and character development that occurs in high schools.”
 
Jeff Pierce
Pierce’s 36-year career in public education has included roles in elementary, middle and high schools. He has been at Northeast since 2017 and said he has enjoyed every minute of it.
 
“I am fortunate to be in a place that feels like a family,” Pierce said. “The northeast part of town is like its own small community. People take pride in the school and area while knowing that the education provided here will give them the tools necessary to be successful in whatever one chooses to do in life. I am fortunate to be a part of it.”
 
Pierce grew up in Lincoln and attended classes at Lakeview Elementary School and Everett Junior High School. After graduating from Milford High School, he completed bachelor’s and master’s degree programs at Doane University. He has used that expertise in teaching, coaching and administrative positions at LPS.
 
Pierce said he enjoys helping hundreds of Rockets reach their goals in both academics and activities. He accomplishes that by greeting students in hallways, overseeing facility schedules, helping in concession stands and assisting with many aspects of event management. He said it is meaningful to serve as a mentor and advocate for young people.
 
“It is a fast-paced profession in which no two days are ever the same,” Pierce said. “I have the privilege of working with coaches, athletes, parents, staff and other community members while networking in the school, district and state. It is a welcoming environment for growth.”
 
Pierce said all LPS schools are committed to providing the best possible experiences for students and spectators. He said that is one of many reasons why he likes working in Lincoln.
 
“Each school wants to represent themselves and the district at the highest level of competition while respecting others and supporting the fellow schools in the district and throughout the state,” Pierce said. “A vision is in place to grow facilities and its people with planning and support. It allows LPS to stay a leader for years to come.”
 
Stine said Toczek, Graham and Pierce have made lifelong impressions on thousands of LPS students during their award-winning tenures.
 
“Kara, Jeff and JJ each represent the professionalism, integrity and student-centered leadership our profession strives for,” Stine said. “Their commitment to creating positive opportunities for students, supporting coaches and sponsors, and promoting educationally-based athletics and activities has had a meaningful impact within both LPS and the state of Nebraska.”
 
Discover how leaders like JJ, Kara and Jeff help fulfill the mission of LPS athletics and activities for students.
 
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