Huskers Continue to Roll in Oklahoma

NORMAN, Okla.-The Nebraska men's and women's track and field teams concluded a full weekend of competition Saturday with the John Jacobs Invitational, hosted by the Oklahoma at its John Jacobs Track and Field Complex. The Huskers collected 10 event titles and five new NCAA regional-qualifying marks during the meet.

NU utilized a pair of outstanding performances to sweep the men's and women's pole vault events. Ray Scotten cleared 18-2 1/2, two inches better than his previous best, to claim the men's title, while Christi Lehman earned her first outdoor pole vault win of the season with a mark of 12-11 1/2. 

Huskers earned the top three spots in the women's hammer throw. Jamie Senkbile paced the field with her personal-best throw of 173-11, while teammates Laura Wortmann (171-4) and Tamara Solari (154-11) finished second and third, respectively.

For the third consecutive meet, Kayla Wilkinson proved unbeatable in the women's javelin with her winning throw of 169-7. Dace Ruskule finished off an outstanding meet for the NU women's throwers by claiming the discus with a mark of 177-9.

Kwonya Ferguson, who made her outdoor debut on Saturday, recorded a pair of regional-qualifying marks while winning the women's triple jump (42-1 1/2) and placing second in the long jump (19-8 1/4).

Husker men excelling included Aaron Plas (7-2 1/2), who earned his first regional qualification to win the men's high jump, and Adam Evans, who won the men's hammer throw with a heave of 163-9. NU also swept the top two positions in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase with Paul Wilson (9:08.24) taking first ahead of Kyle Doperalski (9:26.82). Wilson just missed regional-qualifying status by less than one second.

Other Huskers earning their first regional-qualifying marks were Nate Probasco (21.05) in the men's 200-meter dash and Aaron Nasers (1:49.85) in the men's 800-meter run.

A select group of NU distance runners competed Friday evening at the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, Calif., as well as at the Long Beach Invitational Saturday afternoon.

Anne Shadle notched another win in her brilliant senior campaign at Mt. SAC in the women's 800-meter run. Shadle's time of 2:07.82 was a personal best for the 800, while it registered sixth on Nebraska's all-time outdoor performance list. The South Sioux City, Neb., native has now reached the regional-qualifying standard for two events, joining Lopes and Casie Witte as the only Huskers to accomplish the feat so far this season.

Shadle also won the 800 meters at Saturday's Long Beach Invitational, with an unofficial time of 2:08.1. Peter van der Westhuizen made it a clean Husker sweep by taking the men's 800-meter race in an unofficial time of 1:49.9. Kim Pancoast also had a superb performance in the women's race, setting a new career-best mark.

Nebraska returns to the road next weekend by travelling to the Kansas Relays in Lawrence, Kan.