Selig Punches Ticket to NCAA Championships

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Austin, Texas?The Texas Relays continued Thursday, as Nebraska featured nine athletes in competition at Texas’ Mike A. Meyers Stadium. Chief among the group were seniors Ashley Selig and Casie Witte, who each concluded the final session of the women’s heptathlon by meeting qualifying provisions for June’s NCAA Outdoor Championships.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

Selig is a lock to compete at the national meet in Sacramento, Calif., after meeting the automatic qualifying requirement with a fifth-place total of 5,595 points. The five-time NCAA All-American concluded the meet with a blistering 800-meter run time of 2:12.94 that ranked tops among the 19-athlete field, while she posted additional marks of 18-10 in the long jump and 108-9 in the javelin. WashingtonState’s Diana Pickler won the competition with a phenomenal score of 6,204 that ranks first among all United States athletes in 2007.

 

The two-day heptahtlon marked Selig’s first such competition since the 2005 outdoor national meet, as she was forced to redshirt outdoors last season. While she admitted following the day that she still has much to work on this season, Selig was happy with her opening performance.

 

“It was good to be back on the track, and we had pretty much the ideal conditions for the heptathlon,” Selig said. I’m not saying that I’m satisfied with my performance this week, but my goal coming in was to qualify for nationals automatically. I definitely see a lot of areas I can improve on, but I just trust the plan that Coach (Kris) Grimes and I have. A lot of these girls here already are in the middle of competitive seasons, so I just needed to know where I am starting.”

 

Joining Selig as an NCAA qualifier was Witte, who met the provisional standard by placing 16th with 5,080 points. Witte’s top individual effort of the week came in the javelin Thursday, as she reached a distance of 135-10 for the day’s No. 3 mark. She also recorded a leap of 18-0 ? in the long jump before finishing the day with a clocking of 2:33.20 in the 800.

 

While Witte’s final total was shy of her personal best of 5,138, and she said she see lots of room for improvement as the outdoor season rolls along.

 

“Some events were good for me, like the javelin and long jump, but the high jump, hurdles and some others weren’t as good as I can do,” Witte said. “I know I can do a lot better. It’s like I want to compete again right now, because I know I can do much better.”

                                                      

Two additional members of the Husker men’s team earned trips to the NCAA Midwest Regional with strong performances. Freshman Tim Grier ran a time of 52.12 in his first career 400-meter hurdles competition as a Husker to place 16th during the preliminary round. He became the third NU freshman to reach the regional standard this season. Junior Andrew Pearson continued to inch closer to the mark, as he ran a season-best time of 52.65 to finish in 22nd, while redshirt freshman Tyrell Ross placed 40th in a personal-best 53.69.

 

The only other Huskers to compete on the meet’s second day were in the hammer throw, led by senior Issar Yazhbin. Yazhbin improved on his season-opening effort last week with a spin of 204-6 to finish sixth in a very tough field of throwers. He was only about 2 ? shy of the lifetime-best mark he set as a junior in 2005. Junior Aaron Bozarth also competed well, as he matched the personal best he set last week in Stanford by throwing 174-10 to finish in 19th.

 

On the women’s side, junior Tamara Solari recorded a best mark of 163-4 to place 17th in the hammer throw, while freshman Nikita Eades clocked a time of 1:04.30 in the women’s 400-meter hurdles.

 

The Texas Relays continue Friday, as Nebraska will see its largest contingent of athletes compete yet this week. Among the group will be senior Arturs Abolins, the defending NCAA outdoor long jump champion, who will be making his 2007 debut in the event.

 

 

Women’s Heptathlon (100H, HJ, SP, 200, LJ, Jav, 800):

5. Ashley Selig, 5,595 (14.18, 5-8 ?, 36-4, 24.80w, 18-10, 108-9, 2:12.94) NQ

16. Casie Witte, 5,080 (14.91w, 5-6 ?, 33-11 ?, 26.12w, 18-0 ?, 135-10, 2:33.20) PQ

 

Women’s 400-Meter Hurdles

47. Nikita Eades, 1:04.30

 

Men’s 400-Meter Hurdles

16. Tim Grier, 52.12p RQ

22. Andrew Pearson, 52.65

40. Tyrell Ross, 53.69

 

Women’s Hammer Throw

17. Tamara Solari, 163-4

 

Men’s Hammer Throw

6. Issar Yazhbin, 204-6 RQ
19. Aaron Bozarth, 174-10

 

NQ - NCAA Championships automatic qualifier
PQ - NCAA Championships provisional qualifier
RQ - NCAA regional championships qualifier