OCTOBER 31 • 2024 | 27

running,” she said.

Asked for an example of where 
she fell short, she gave a quick 
response.
“I never broke 12 seconds in 
the 100,” she said. “My best was 
12.07 in my junior year at U-D 
Mercy.”
Meisner launched her track 
career as a seventh-grader at 
Norup International School in 
Oak Park in 2004. In her first 
race, the 70, she ran so fast and was so far ahead of 
her competitors that she thought she ran too far.
Meisner ran for U-D Mercy from 2010-15. 
She still holds U-D Mercy top-10 women’s track 
and field times in the 60, 100, 200, 4x100 and 4x400. 
She had the second-best time of 7.75 seconds in the 
60 when she graduated. 
She scored in the Horizon League Championships 
in the 60, 100 and 200 and in the 4x100 and 4x400 
relays.
Meisner’s competitive running career ended in 
2015, but, at age 32, she’s filled that void and then 
some.
She and her husband, Neil Brooks, live in Oak 
Park and have three sons: Tony Meisner, 10, Bruce 
Meisner-Brooks, 4, and Leon Meisner-Brooks, 2. 

Sports are still a big part of her life. 
She’s the coach of the sixth-grade and seventh- and 
eighth-grade girls basketball teams and sixth-through 
eighth-grade boys and girls track and field teams at 
Norup. Her husband is the assistant coach for the 
basketball teams.
In addition to her time at the track at U-D Mercy, 
she earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and 
psychology with a minor in leadership in 2014 and a 
master’s degree in intelligence analysis in 2016.
For the last year and a half, she’s worked in the 
Detroit Board of Police Commissioners’ Office of the 
Chief Investigator. The office is staffed by civilians 
who receive, investigate and resolve citizen complaints 
about misconduct by Detroit Police Department 
personnel.
“We check out non-criminal complaints about 
things like demeanor, procedure 
and handling of property,” she 
said. “We’ve been busy. A record 
1,600 complaints have been filed 
this year.”
She previously worked as a 
private investigator, child welfare 
investigator, in a day care, and 
helped adults who were in foster 
care develop life skills.
She also was employed for a 
short time as an officer in the 
Ferndale Police Department 
after graduating from the 
Oakland Community College 
Police Academy.
Also honored Oct. 29 at the 
Hall of Fame induction banquet 
were the Jewish News High 
School Athletes of the Year, 
Pillars of Excellence recipients, 
Dr. Steve and Evelyn Rosen 
Stars of Tomorrow Scholarship 
recipients and ex-University of Michigan basketball 
star Jalen Rose, who received the Alvin and Shirley 
Foon Inspiration Award.
Aaron and Ryan Rose and Cami Katzen are the 
Jewish News High School Athletes of the Year.
Jim Berk, Gary Gerson, Michael Fishman, Steve 
Matz and Mort Plotnik make up the 2024 Pillars of 
Excellence class.
Blaine Cohen and Adam Nothstine are the Stars of 
Tomorrow scholarship recipients.
See future issues of the Jewish News for more on 
the 2024 Hall of Fame inductees, Jewish News High 
School Athletes of the Year and Pillars of Excellence 
and Stars of Tomorrow Scholarship recipients. 

Send sports news to stevestein502004@yahoo.com.

UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT MERCY

Nicole Meisner heads for the 
finish line during a race when she 
was a member of the University 
of Detroit Mercy women’s track 
and field team.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Former JCC Maccabi Games and Maccabiah 
Games medal-winner Nicole Meisner is a 
member of the Michigan Jewish Sports Hall 
of Fame Class of 2024.

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