Three Huskers Go Provisional at Husker Invite

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>LINCOLN?The 32nd annual Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational opened up Friday, as Huskers recorded three new NCAA provisional-qualifying performances in front of a Devaney Center Indoor Track crowd of 1,573. Two meet records also fell on Friday in the men's 5,000-meter run and weight throw.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

Nebraska gained its first two new NCAA provisional qualifiers early on the weekend with the 2-3 finishes of senior Casie Witte and junior Kim Shubert in the women’s pentathlon. Both Huskers set career-best scores while finishing behind only former All-America teammate Sara Jane Baker (unattached), who won the competition with 4,040 points.

 

Witte opened the day with three consecutive individual event bests on her way to a Big 12 Conference-leading score of 3,791. The Lincoln, Neb., native, who redshirted the 2006 season, recorded marks of 9.00 in the 60-meter hurdles, 5-10 in the high jump and 36-0 ? in the shot put. The high jump mark equaled the clearance she set to earn her first NCAA provisional qualification during last weekend’s adidas Classic. Witte finished the competition by leaping 17-8 ? in the long jump and clocking 2:32.37 in the 800 meters.

 

Shubert shattered her previous best score of 3,611 with a 3,716 point total thanks to four straight individual event bests to open the day. She moved into second behind Witte on the Big 12’s performance list in the pentathlon after recording personal record marks of 9.10 in the hurdles, 5-8 ? in the high jump, 34-10 ? in the shot and 17-1 ? in the long jump. Shubert clocked in with a time of 2:27.85 in the 800 to meet her first NCAA requirement.

 

In addition to Witte and Shubert, freshmen Megan Wheatley and Erin Hannon completed her first pentathlons at Nebraska with 3,611 and 3,551 points, respectively.

 

On the men’s side of the combined events, junior Ben Schutter put together a solid first day in the heptathlon by totaling 3,049 points, 153 points ahead of the pace he set last year when he met the NCAA provisional standard to win his first Husker Invite title. Schutter paces the field, which also includes teammates Pat Burke (unattached; 2,837 points) and Lee Martin (2647 points). Sophomore Skyler Reising pulled out of the competition prior to the day’s final event, the high jump.

 

The men’s heptathlon wraps up Saturday with the 60-meter hurdles, pole vault and 1,000 meters still to be contested.

 

The final Husker NCAA qualifier emerged in the last event of the evening, as senior Daniel Roper, an All-American in the triple jump, soared past his previous personal best in the men’s long jump with a mark of 24-7 ? for a second-place finish. Roper and former teammate Demea Carter, who won the event while competing unattached (24-8 ?), both defeated UTEP All-American jumper Mickael Hanany.

 

Two new meet records were set on Friday with the performances of Kansas’ Egor Agafonov (74-0 ?) in the men’s weight throw and UTEP’s Stephen Samoei (14:06.51) in the men’s 5,000 meters.

 

In preliminary action on the track, Nebraska had several individuals qualify for Saturday’s event finals, including senior two-time All-American Nate Probasco, who notched the day’s fastest time in the men’s 200-meter dash prelims of 21.38.

 

Redshirt freshman Tyrell Ross finished second in his qualifying heat of the men’s 60-meter hurdles, but managed to advance on after clocking in with a personal-best mark of 8.01. Ross broke his previous best of 8.05 set last weekend at the adidas Classic. Freshman teammate Jamie Ryder advanced to Saturday’s second semifinal with the day’s 10th-fastest time of 8.26, while another freshman, Nikita Eades (8.55), made it to the women’s semifinals with a fifth-place effort.

 

Freshman Scott Wims matched his lifetime best in the 60-meter dash while winning his preliminary heat in 6.83, and he will face off against fellow freshman Dax Danns (6.89) in the second of two semifinal heats on Saturday. Wims’ time ranked fifth during Friday’s prelims, while Danns’ mark was 12th. Wims will also compete in the 200 finals with Probasco after running the day’s third-quickest time of 21.49.

 

Also qualifying for Saturday’s finals was freshman Tim Grier in the men’s 400-meter dash. Grier posted a personal-best time of 48.79 to advance.

                                                                                                              

The Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational comes to a close Saturday, as several exciting matchups pitting All-American against All-American will be contested. For fans attending the meet during the Dollar Days promotion, general admission, hot dogs and soda each will be offered for only $1.