Huskers Add Saturday?s KSU Open to Schedule

The Nebraska men’s and women’s track and field teams added another competition to its 2005 indoor schedule Tuesday, with the hopes of further preparing themselves for next weekend’s Big 12 Indoor Championships. The Huskers plan to send roughly 25 athletes to this Saturday’s KSU Open, hosted by Kansas State at Ahearn Field House in Manhattan, Kan. Other squads that will be in attendance include Emporia State, Kansas State, Missouri-Kansas City and Wichita State. Both field events and running events are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.

While most of NU’s 26-man Big 12 Indoor Championship roster slots have been set for both men’s and women’s teams, a few spots remain open for competition. The KSU Open will give Nebraska one last opportunity to evaluate individuals in contention for those spaces, while others merely will be gearing up for next weekend’s conference meet held at the Devaney Center.

"Part of the reason we decided to go down there is that some of our kids are still trying to vie for a (Big 12 Championships) spot," Head Coach Gary Pepin said. "Some are simply going there because they feel another meet will help them prepare for next week."

Huskers scheduled to participate at the KSU Open include a large men’s pole vault group comprised of junior Ray Scotten, sophomore Gable Baldwin, senior Danny Tylka and juniors Nic Petersen and Patrick Southern. Senior Nenad Loncar and junior Aaron Ross will both run the men’s 60-meter hurdles, while junior Oliver Williams Jr. is entered in the men’s 60-meter dash. Junior Tom Donlin (weight throw, shot put) and freshman Bubba Kramer (shot put) are the lone members of the Nebraska men’s weight crew who will be in attendance, as is the case with freshman Patrick Burke in the men’s high jump. Senior Jesse Colburn will prepare for the Big 12’s heptathlon by competing in the long jump, pole vault and shot put.

The NU women will take their finest multi-event athletes this weekend to prep for next week’s heptathlon. Juniors Ashley Selig (60-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put), Sara Jane Baker (60-meter hurdles, high jump. long jump, shot put) and Casie Witte (60-meter hurdles, high jump, long jump, shot put), as well as freshman Kim Shubert (60-meter hurdles, high jump) each will participate in multiple contests at Kansas State. The remainder of the Husker women’s contingent will be filled by pole vaulters and those entered in weight events. Nebraska’s top three women’s pole vaulters, senior Christi Lehman and junior Jessi Graff and Jenna Blubaugh, will each compete, as will some of the squad’s top throwers in junior Jamie Senkbile (weight throw), sophomore Jen Steiner (shot put), and freshmen Amber Curtis (shot put), Tami Solari (weight throw) and Laura Wormann (shot put). The lone women’s athlete entered in a jump event is Vanessa Maher, who will vie for the meet title in the high jump.

NU Set to Host Big 12 Indoor Championships
Nebraska hosts the 2005 Big 12 Conference Indoor Championships next Friday and Saturday, Feb. 25-26, at the Bob Devaney Sports Center Indoor Track. This year’s meet marks the fifth consecutive season that NU has hosted the conference championships at its home facility.

This year the Huskers aim for a repeat of last season’s championship sweep, as both the NU men and women earned team titles in 2004. Both squads seem primed to duplicate last year’s Big 12 success, with each appearing among the nation’s top-10 teams (both 9th) in the Trackwire Top-25 rankings. The men’s team is going for a sixth straight indoor championship.

Three Husker athletes look to defend individual indoor conference titles in 2005, including senior Anne Shadle (women’s 1,000 meters) and sophomores Arturs Abolins (men’s long jump) and Dmitrijs Milkevics (men’s 800 meters). Individuals aiming for that elusive first Big 12 title include seniors Authea Chambers (women’s long jump, triple jump), Richard Davidson Jr. (men’s 60-meter hurdles), Nenad Loncar (men’s 60-meter hurdles) and Dusty Stamer (men’s 60 meters); juniors Jessie Graff (women’s pole vault), Courtney Jones (men’s 60-meter hurdles), Aaron Nasers (men’s 800 or 1,000 meters), Aaron Plas (men’s high jump) and Ashley Selig (pentathlon); and sophomore Priscilla Lopes (women’s 60-meter hurdles, 60 meters).

The Big 12 Indoor Championships begin on Friday with the multi-event competitions at 9:30 a.m. Sprint and middle distance prelims and semifinals will begin at 2:00 p.m. with the women’s 60-meter hurdles, while the men’s weight throw will kick off a select group of field events (men’s-weight throw, pole vault and long jump; women’s-long jump and weight throw). The lone running event finals held on the meet’s first day will be the men’s and women’s 5,000-meter run and distance medley relays. Action continues on Saturday with the conclusion of the men’s heptathlon at 9:30 p.m. Remaining field events begin at 1:30 p.m. with the women’s triple jump, running event finals commence at 3:00 p.m. with the women’s 60-meter hurdles.

Reserved tickets for the Big 12 Indoor Championships may be purchased in advance from the NU ticket office for $12 (two-day pass) or $7 (single day). Tickets also are available the day of competition, by visiting Huskers.com or by calling 1-800-8BIGRED.