Eight Huskers Named NCAA Indoor All-Americans

Eight members of the <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Nebraska men’s and women’s track and field teams officially were named NCAA Indoor All-Americans this week by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. Each athlete competed at the NCAA Indoor Championships earlier this month.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

Arturs Abolins, who won his first NCAA title in the men’s long jump, and Sara Jane Baker, who tied for 11th place in the women's high jump, were the only Huskers to be honored for the first time ever. Becky Breisch, the fourth-place finisher in the women’s shot put, claimed the ninth honor of her career, while Priscilla Lopes won her seventh award after finishing second in the women’s 60-meter hurdles.

 

Other Husker award winners included Ashley Selig (fifth career honor), who earned fifth place in the women’s pentathlon; Dusty Jonas (third career honor) and Aaron Plas (third career honor), the fifth- and seventh-place finishers in the men’s high jump; and Ray Scotten, who finished 11th in the men’s pole vault.

 

In Division I track and field, the top eight finishers in each event at the NCAA Indoor Championships, including relays, earn All-America status. In the individual (non-relay) events, if one or more of the top eight finishers are of another nationality, eight American-born athletes are selected in addition to any foreign-born All-Americans.

 

Nebraska opens the 2006 outdoor season this week, as six Husker multi-event athletes travel to Tucson, Ariz., to compete in the Jim Click Combined Events on Thursday and Friday. Pat Burke, Lee Martin, Skyler Reising and Ben Schutter are entered in the men’s decathlon, while Baker and Kim Shubert will participate in the women’s heptathlon. The bulk of NU’s roster will wait until next week to open its season at the Stanford Invitational.