Huskers to Compete at USA Outdoor Championships

Thirteen current, future and former Nebraska track and field athletes will compete for national honors this week at the AT&T USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Indianapolis, Ind. The meet is scheduled for Wednesday, June 21 through Sunday, June 25 at the Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium. Portions of the meet will be televised live Saturday (5-7 p.m.) and Sunday (4-6 p.m.) on ESPN2.

Five current members of the Husker track and field team will finish their 2006 track seasons in Indianapolis, led by juniors Gable Baldwin (men’s pole vault) and Kayla Wilkinson (women’s javelin) and sophomore Dusty Jonas (men’s high jump), who will each represent NU in respective Seniors competitions. Jonas (third) and Wilkinson (fourth) enter the week with lofty standings among the USATF rankings, while Baldwin’s top mark is tied for 25th nationally this year.

Ex-Huskers Sara Jane Baker and Becky Breisch, who both recently concluded their collegiate careers at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, also are qualified for Seniors competitions. Baker is entered in the women’s heptathlon after posting the nation’s No. 11 score at the NCAA meet, while Breisch will look to defend her 2005 USATF women’s discus title. Breisch enters the week with the third-best U.S. mark this season in the discus. The 10-time All-American will also vie for top honors in the shot put, for which she currently ranks fourth. Ray Scotten also is a possibility for the men’s pole vault, pending qualification.

Freshmen Sam Ogden and Robert Rands will lead a strong contingent of seven Huskers in Juniors competitions. Rands will attempt to defend the USATF junior men’s title he won last summer in the long jump, while Ogden will make his first junior nationals appearance after redshirting his first season at NU.

Five athletes who have signed National Letters of Intent to compete for Nebraska next season also are due to participate in USATF Juniors action. Sprint recruit Scott Wims (Ft. Wayne, Ind.) will compete in the junior men’s 100- and 200-meter dash events, while the recently signed Tim Grier (Stone Mountain, Ga.) will run the junior men’s 400-meter hurdles. Nebraska prep star Sara Lyons (Omaha, Neb.) also will vie for honors in the junior women’s 100 and 200, while Nikkita Eades (Aurora, Colo.), the top-ranked hurdler in the state of Colorado this year, participates in the junior women’s 400-meter hurdles. Erin Hannon, a top prospect in the jumps events from Bradford, Pa., is entered in the junior women’s triple jump.

Huskers at the USATF Outdoor Championships
Seniors
Name - Event - Event Date (Time)
Sara Jane Baker - Women's Heptathlon - Friday through Saturday (all day)
Gable Baldwin - Men's Pole Vault - Saturday (4:30 p.m.)
Becky Breisch - Women's Discus - Saturday (4:50 p.m.);
Women's Shot Put - Sunday (2:15 p.m.)
Dusty Jonas - Men's High Jump - Sunday (1:15 p.m.)
Ray Scotten - Men's Pole Vault (if qualified) - Saturday (4:30 p.m.)
Kayla Wilkinson - Women's Javelin - Thursday (5:40 p.m.)

Juniors
Name - Event - Event Date (Time)
Sam Ogden - Men's Pole Vault - Friday (11:15 a.m.)
Robert Rands - Men's Long Jump - Thursday (12:15 p.m.)
Nikita Eades - Women's 400m Hurdles - Thursday (10:40 a.m.)
Tim Grier - Men's 400m Hurdles - Thursday (First Round, 11 a.m.) and Friday (Final, 12:35 p.m.)
Erin Hannon - Women's Triple Jump - Friday (11:45 a.m.);
Women's High Jump - Friday (4:30 p.m.)
Sara Lyons - Women's 100m Dash - Thursday (First Round, 10 a.m.; Final, 12:50 a.m.);
Women's 200m Dash - Friday (First Round, 9:50 a.m.; Final, 12:55 p.m.)
Scott Wims - Men's 100m Dash - Thursday (First Round, 10:20 a.m.; Final, 1 p.m.);
Men's 200m Dash - Friday (First Round, 10:15 a.m.; Final, 1:05 p.m.)