Huskers Dominant During First Day of Holiday Inn Invite

The Nebraska men’s and women’s track and field teams started the 2005 indoor season with a bang Friday during the first day of the Holiday Inn Invitational at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. Ten Huskers claimed event victories, while three athletes reached the NCAA provisional qualifying marks for their respective events.

Defending NCAA champion Priscilla Lopes began the day by posting a time of 8.37 in the 60-meter hurdles, the fastest time of six preliminary heats. The time reached the provisional qualifying mark and placed her in Saturday’s semifinals along with four other Husker women (juniors Ashley Selig, Sara Jane Baker and Casie Witte and freshman Korey Hardiway.)

Junior Tom Donlin also reached the provisional mark for nationals in the men’s 35-pound weight throw with his career-best heave of 62-11 1/2, breaking his previous long by nearly nine inches. Fellow Husker Issar Yazhbin finished second in the event with a throw of 60-1, which shattered his previous career best of 52-3 3/4. Yazhbin’s toss is also believed to be an Israeli National Record.

Senior Christi Lehman, a 2004 NCAA All-American, won the women’s seeded pole vault over junior Jessi Graff with her provisional qualifying vault of 13-1 1/2. Graff cleared a height of 12-9 1/2 to earn silver.

The women’s 1,000-meter run featured 2004 Big 12 champion Anne Shadle blowing away the competition with a scorching 2:50.20, only four seconds shy of the Devaney Center record. Sophomore Danute Ceika also scored a decisive win in the women’s mile in a time of 5:07.05.

Freshman Greg Peterson, last year’s Nebraska All-Class state champion in the 800 meters, kicked off his Husker career with a win in the men’s 1,000 (2:32.99), while another highly touted freshman, Jack Lemke, dominated the men’s 800 with a time of 1:55.98.

Ashley Selig won the women’s seeded long jump with a leap of 19-0, just inching out senior Authea Chambers (18-10), and redshirt freshman Tamara Solari (51-3 1/2) won the women’s seeded weight throw in her first official meet as a Husker.

Other NU winners included sophomore Arturs Abolins in the men’s seeded long jump (24-5) and senior Paul Wilson in the men’s 5,000 meters (14:44.15).

"In most of the areas, it appears that we have done pretty well," Head Coach Gary Pepin said. "There are still a lot of events to come tomorrow, but I’ve been pleased. I have last year’s meet results and, in most cases, we have done as well or even better than we did then."

The Huskers hit the Devaney Center Indoor Track at noon on Saturday when they wrap up the Holiday Inn Invitational.