Husker Women to Lean on Youthful Talent in 2007

Nebraska’s 2006 women’s track and field team put together another successful season capped by a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Championships. Some key athletes from that squad were lost, most notably a pair of national champions in thrower Becky Breisch and hurdler Priscilla Lopes, who have since moved on to professional careers.

The Huskers will attempt to offset those holes with some talented newcomers from an incoming class ranked No. 4 nationally by Track & Field News. At the same time, four All-Americans remain for a program that has totaled five top-five NCAA finishes and 41 national meet scorers since the start of the 2003 season.

"We certainly have a young team, so there are some unknown factors there," Head Coach Gary Pepin said. "I think it is a good team. We have a ways to go before I would call it a great team, but I think it has that potential. There are some individuals here who possess outstanding potential."

Much like the Husker men, the women feature outstanding depth in areas such as the vertical jumps and combined events, while other event groups, such as the sprints and hurdles, will rely almost exclusively on unproven youngsters.

Sprints/Hurdles
The Huskers will rely heavily on youth in their attempt to replace Lopes, one of the top sprinters/hurdlers in school history. Sophomore Chi Kalu is the lone returnee among the short sprints group, and Assistant Coach Matt Martin said she has shown improvement during fall training.

Freshman Sarah Lyons, one of the greatest sprinters in Nebraska prep history, brings an impressive resume with her to Lincoln, and she could be NU’s featured athlete this season in the short sprints.

"Sarah has the ability to contribute in a variety of events, anything from the 100 to the 400 meters," Martin said. "Now that she has had the ability to train every day, she has shown Big 12-caliber potential right away."

Another in-state freshman, Alyssa Vierreger, will help provide depth in her first season while continuing to develop for the future.

In the hurdles, freshman Nikita Eades will compete in both the 100- and 400-meter events for NU after competing with Lyons at the U.S. Junior Championships during the summer.

"Nikita is a motivated, talented young athlete who wants to achieve at a high level," Martin said. "I have been impressed with her short sprint speed."

Redshirt freshman Bridget Meduna will also compete for the first time as a Husker this season in the long hurdles after joining the team midway through last season.

Senior Justine Roach will once again be NU’s major threat in the 400-meter hurdles after reaching the NCAA regional meet for the third straight year in 2006.

"Justine is one of the more dedicated runners we’ve had here," Assistant Coach Billy Maxwell said. "She trains really hard, and I think she will compete really well this year."

In addition to Roach, Nebraska also returns senior Sheryl Morgan in the 400-meter hurdles. Morgan will be a factor for the Huskers in a variety of areas again this season, including NU’s 4x100- and 4x400-meter relays.

"Sheryl had the best fall training she’s had by far since she’s been here," Maxwell said. "We expect some great things from her, and her training lends itself to her competing with the upper echelon of the Big 12."

Middle Distance/Distance
Senior Danute Ceika will anchor the Huskers in the 800- and 1,000-meter events this season. The Latvian native enters her final season having already earned five All-Big 12 honors during her career.

"We look for Danute to continue what she has already done while also improving," Maxwell said. "She trained hard this fall and still has room for improvement."

Nebraska’s distance corps could feature a sense of depth and balance that has not been seen from the group in a few years. Former All-Big 12 athletes or potential conference scorers will be featured in most events from the 1,500 meters on up. The recently completed season by the Husker cross country team culminating in a third-place finish in the Big 12 created even more room for optimism in the area.

Senior Kim Pancoast returns healthy for her final season after dealing with injuries for much of her career. When healthy, Pancoast has performed at an all-conference level in both the 1,500 and the mile and has reached the NCAA regional meet.

"I think Kim will be very good," Assistant Head Coach Jay Dirksen said. "She ran very well two years ago, so we’re really looking forward to having her back after her outdoor redshirt last season. She appears to be in better shape now than she’s ever been."

Sophomore Natalja Zarcenko is expected to make major improvements in the 1,500 and mile after beginning her Husker career with an eighth-place finish in the mile indoors as a freshman.

"I think just making the adjustment to America was tough for Natalja last year," Dirksen said. "She is running at a totally different level this year."

Several other young athletes will provide depth in the 1,500 and mile this season while preparing for future success. Sophomores Jennifer Pancoast and Joslyn Dalton are ready to compete at much higher levels for NU in 2007.

The long distance events will feature a pair of young standouts in junior Channing Anseth and sophomore Ari Goldstein, who combined to lead the cross country squad during the fall. Anseth paced the Huskers in the 5,000 meters last season at the Big 12 indoor meet with a sixth-place finish, while Goldstein spent the outdoor season recovering from anemia.

"Ari and Channing are very good prospects, and both have run well for us in their short time here," Dirksen said. "Both athletes have come back well from physical problems last year, and we are looking forward to seeing them run."

Junior Betsy Miller will be looked at to lead the Huskers in the steeplechase outdoors, and Dirksen believes she could be a potential conference scorer in the event. Sophomore Jennifer Fritz, a transfer who sat out last season, has also made tremendous progress in the event.

Redshirt freshman Sara Prince will begin her competitive career as a Husker in the 3,000 and 5,000 meters, while sophomore Rachel Carrizales will continue to further her progression in the same distance events.

Throws
The Huskers suffered huge losses in the throws with the graduation of 10-time All-American Becky Breisch and a season-ending shoulder surgery in the fall for senior Kayla Wilkinson, who finished runner-up in the NCAA javelin competition last year.

Despite the setbacks, several impact athletes remain in the area, including senior NCAA discus champion Dace Ruskule, who came of age as a junior to win her first national title. She enters the season as a clear-cut favorite to repeat in 2007.

"Dace will try to fortify her standing among the elite in the history of Nebraska track and field," Assistant Coach Mark Colligan said. "Preparations are going well, and her interests extend beyond the NCAA to next summer’s World Championships, so we are trying to organize her season to peak for those two events."

With Breisch gone, senior Jeni Steiner has stepped forward as a true team leader for the throws group. Steiner possesses conference-level ability in four events?the shot put, discus, weight and hammer throws?and she could also claim her first NCAA Championships bid this season in the shot.

"Jeni has flashed a broad variety of talent," Colligan said. "The leadership role has had a great effect on her, and in an environment where some talented veterans are gone, she is now the centerpiece of our team effort. She has really seemed to improve in every aspect of her throwing."

Sophomore Kacie Sharp will also compete in the shot for the Huskers, while attempting to make up for the loss of Wilkinson in the javelin. In addition to Sharp, several of the Huskers’ heptathletes will be given a chance to succeed in the javelin.

In the weight and hammer throw areas, junior Tamara Solari returns after making significant strides in both events last season. While the weight throw is expected to be an improved event in the Big 12 in 2007, Solari appears capable of elevating the sixth-place standing she earned in her favorite event a year ago.

"Tamara is stronger, but she is going to have to continue to improve to maintain the status quo in our league," Colligan said. "At the same time, she doesn’t want to maintain her standing. Tamara wants to assault the higher ranks."

Several young Huskers will provide depth while continuing to build for Nebraska’s future. Redshirt freshman Lisa Minnick with compete in the hammer throw after attempting a comeback from shoulder surgery, and Amanda Latsch and Beth Christensen will adjust to collegiate throwing during their first seasons in Lincoln.

Jumps
The women’s jumps area will showcase some of the top young talent on the team this season. Perhaps no event group benefited more from NU’s strong recruiting class than Pepin’s jumps corps. As many as five freshmen appear ready to make an impact on the conference level, while a few returnees should also continue their own progression.

Zarinah Suluki-Drakes, only a sophomore, will be the veteran presence in the horizontal jumps. Following a season in which she finished just outside the Big 12’s top eight performers in both the long and triple jump events, Suluki-Drakes appears poised for a breakthrough season following some strong fall training.

"Zarinah has had a much, much better fall than a year ago," Pepin said. "She has some experience, and I think she now knows what it takes to be successful at this level. She is a talented young athlete."

Two former Missouri high school state champions were added to the mix this season in Leandra McGruder and Chantae McMillan. Both possess tremendous skills in both horizontal events, although McMillan’s season is expected to be delayed due to ankle surgery.

"Leandra has done a very fine job as a freshman," Pepin said. "She has a chance to be a conference scorer this season. Chantae is also very talented, but her injury has been a big loss for us so far."

Nebraska will also receive a boost in the long jump during the outdoor season from senior Ashley Selig, who has twice scored in the event at Big 12 meets in addition to her combined events duties. Additionally, freshman Danielle Smith could contribute in the triple jump if she continues to progress in her first season.

The high jump should be a much-improved event for Nebraska. Freshman Epley Bullock, who jumped 6-0 in high school, appears to be the leader of the group, and Pepin believes she could have a bright future as a Husker.

"Epley has the ability to be a national-level scorer in the high jump," Pepin said. "Whether she does that as a freshman is unknown, but she has probably jumped as high for her age as any female we have ever had compete here at Nebraska."

Senior Ashlee Dickinson, a three-time Al-Big 12 honoree, returns for her final season with degree already in hand. She should once again be in contention for honors in what could be the toughest high jump conference in the nation.

In addition to Bullock and Dickinson, six combined events athletes in seniors Selig and Casie Witte, juniors Kim Shubert and Gy?rgyi Farkas, and freshmen Erin Hannon and Megan Wheatley each possess the ability to immediately contribute in the high jump. Freshman jumper Jessi Kissel also could break into the lineup in her first season of action.

Pole Vault
Nebraska will benefit not only from the return of the program’s all-time most decorated athlete in the pole vault, but also from a pair of talented newcomers. The group could account for as many as two NCAA qualifiers and three Big 12 Conference scorers.

Junior two-time All-American Jenny Green returned from an 18-month layoff last year to earn a Big 12 championship and a pair of national meet appearances, but she was slowed down the stretch outdoors with a recurring back injury. Keeping Green pain-free will be one of the team’s top priorities in 2007.

"Jenny did a fabulous job indoors coming off her injury and exceeded my expectations," Assistant Coach Kris Grimes said. "That being said, we didn’t quite get it right last year. We both feel that we have a better plan for this year, and are going to make sure we keep her healthy for the whole season."

Perhaps the biggest addition to either Husker squad this summer came from the transfer of sophomore Brysun Stately from USC. Stately finished sixth at the 2006 NCAA Outdoor Championships as a freshman and set the Trojans’ school record with a clearance of 13-7 1/4.

"Brysun is already among the nation’s best," Grimes said. "She expects to be near the top of the heap, and that is what our expectations are for her. She is a fabulous competitor who is extremely coachable and driven."

Also adding to the mix this season will be freshman Lindsey Maher, who collected a pair of Nebraska All-Class Gold Medals in her final two years at Utica Centennial High School. Already at the high 11-foot level in the vault, Grimes believes Maher has the potential to reach the mid- to high-12-foot region and place at the conference meet.

Another in-state freshman, Ann Woodman from Kearney, will provide depth while continuing to develop in her first season at Nebraska.

Multi-Events
With six potential all-conference athletes, the combined events should be the deepest area on the women’s squad in 2007. The group will feature three returning Big 12 scorers, including a former NCAA champion, in addition to three talented newcomers.

"We are absolutely delighted with the talent level in this group," Grimes said. "Rarely do you have this type of depth in a group, but the good thing is that all of these women are multiple threats. Each of them can move outside of the multis and score in other areas at the conference level."

Headlining the group in her final season will be Ashley Selig, the 2005 NCAA champion in the pentathlon. Selig redshirted outdoors last season due to nagging back and hip injuries and will return only to compete in the heptathlon outdoors.

"Ashley has looked really good," Grimes said. "I really feel that she is right on her game. With changing her training around to help prevent those recurring injuries, I think she will be a major force for us in the heptathlon this season."

Also returning from a redshirt season is senior Casie Witte, who nabbed bronze honors during both indoor and outdoor Big 12 combined events competitions as a junior in 2005.

"Casie was making some great improvements last fall, and we felt she would have a great scoring opportunity this year with more time under her belt," Grimes said. "She has continued to make that progress and seems to be significantly improved from two years ago."

Junior Kim Shubert, who placed for NU both indoors and outdoors in 2006, also has continued to progress, but she will be pushed by three new Huskers who each seem to hold great potential.

Nebraska brought in two prospects from overseas to compete in the multis in Gy?rgyi Farkas and Meagan Wheatley. A solid all-around athlete, Farkas owns the top personal best score in the heptathlon (5,550) of the newcomers and excels particularly well in the high jump and javelin events. Wheatley, a freshman, features exceptional speed in addition to her jumping ability. Both Huskers should challenge for conference honors this season.

Grimes also believes that another freshman, Erin Hannon, is a future star with incredible potential who may contribute early in her career.