Scotten Wins Texas Relays Pole Vault Title

AUSTIN, Texas-Ray Scotten claimed the men's pole vault title on the final day of action at the Texas Relays Saturday. Scotten was one of several Nebraska track and field athletes competing during the event's final day.

Scotten improved his personal best in the pole vault to 18-0 1/2 while winning his first Texas Relays title. He had recorded a best of 17-11 while competing last year for Southern Illinois. His previous season-best height of 17-10 ? was No. 2 on NU's all-time outdoor performance charts, trailing only former Husker Eric Eshbach's 2004 record vault of 18-8 1/4.

Priscilla Lopes earned a runner-up finish in the women's 100-meter hurdles with a time of 12.89, which surpassed the meet record. Texas' Ashlee Williams, who recorded a winning time of 12.83, set the new meet standard.

Dace Ruskule claimed third place in the women's discus with a throw of 172-7, which was five feet shy of Ronda Gullatte's (Auburn) winning toss of 177-7.

Other Huskers in action included Dusty Jonas (7-0 ?), who earned fifth place in the men's high jump, and Nenad Loncar (13.91), who also claimed a fifth-place finish, in the men's 110-meter hurdles. Dusty Stamer (10.38) and Frances Keating (59.38) each placed seventh in the men's 100-meter dash and 400-meter hurdles, respectively.

For complete results from the Texas Relays, please visit the following link:
http://www.texassports.com/results/tr2005/index.htm

Nebraska also sent a squad of athletes to the Emporia, Kan., Saturday for the Emporia State Relays.

Notable performers included Kayla Wilkinson, who set a personal-best heave in the women's javelin with a winning throw of 174-3. Wilkinson smashed her previous best by more than 17 feet, while the performance also came within seven feet of the NU record of 181-0 (Cassi Morelock, 2000).

Casie Witte also broke a personal-best mark to win the women's long jump with a height of 5-9 ?. Witte's previous best was 5-8 ?, which she recorded at the Stanford Invitational.

Arturs Abolins staked claim to the men's long jump title with a leap of 24-11, while he also finished third in the men's 100-meter dash in 10.90.

Other Husker winners at Emporia State included Egle Uljas (2:12.51) in the women's 800-meter run and Peter van der Westhuizen (1:53.36) in the men's 800 meters, as well as the NU men's 800-meter relay team, which recorded a time of 7:55.31.

Results from the Emporia State Relays can be found at:
http://www.emporia.edu/athletics/track/05ESURelaysResults.htm

Nebraska returns to the track next Saturday at the John Jacobs Invitational in Norman, Okla.