Jonas, Probasco Earn Separate Awards

Jonas Named Big 12 Athlete of the Week<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

DALLAS ? Nebraska junior Dusty Jonas was named Big 12 men’s track and field athlete of the week Tuesday after putting together two of the nation’s top performances this season during Sunday’s Nebraska Open. The award marked the second straight season the Husker has been honored by the conference during the outdoor season.

 

Jonas, a five-time All-American and two-time NCAA silver medalist in the men’s high jump, concluded his week of competition by recording two national top 10 season marks while winning both the high jump and the long jump on Sunday. He registered a season-best height of 7-5 ? in the high jump to become the new conference leader in the event this season, while the performance also ranks No. 3 nationally. Jonas’ previous best mark this season was 7-4 ?, which he recorded to finish second at the 2007 NCAA Indoor Championships on March 10. His Sunday effort was one centimeter shy of both his career-best and <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Nebraska’s Ed Weir Stadium record.

 

In addition to his high jump performance, Jonas set a career-best long jump of 25-5 ? (wind-aided)?nearly 1 ? feet further than his previous best mark. The long jump effort currently ranks second in the Big 12 and sixth among all NCAA athletes this season. Jonas previously had never broken the 24-foot barrier in the event, as he registered his former lifetime best of 23-11 ? during the Kansas Relays on April 21.

 

NU will hold its final regular-season tune-up for next week’s Big 12 Outdoor Championships on Saturday, when it plays host to the Nebraska Invitational at Ed Weir Stadium. Competition begins at 11 a.m., and admission to the meet will be free.

 

                              

Probasco Receives NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship

INDIANAPOLIS ? Senior three-time All-American Nate Probasco was one of 58 winter sports student-athletes from across the nation awarded an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, it was announced Tuesday. Probasco was one of only four indoor track and field athletes?and the lone Division I competitor?to receive the honor.

 

A native of Scribner, Neb., Probasco was named a second-team Academic All-American as a junior in 2006. He has competed as a senior this season after already having earned his bachelor’s degree in history last August with a 3.78 cumulative grade-point average. On the track, Probasco has combined to win four Big 12 championships in the 200-meter dash and 4x100-meter relay events during his career. He also ran on the Huskers’ eighth-place 4x400-meter relay at the NCAA Indoor Championships in early March.

 

To qualify for an NCAA postgraduate scholarship, a student-athlete must have an overall grade-point average of 3.200 (on a 4.000 scale) or its equivalent and must have performed with distinction as a member of the varsity team in the sport in which the student-athlete was nominated. The student-athlete also must intend to continue academic work beyond the baccalaureate degree as a full-time or part-time graduate student.

 

The NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship was created in 1964 to promote and encourage postgraduate education by rewarding the Association’s most accomplished student-athletes through their participation in NCAA championship and/or emerging sports. Athletics and academic achievements, as well as campus involvement, community service, volunteer activities and demonstrated leadership, are evaluated. In maintaining the highest broad-based standards in the selection process, the program aims to reward those individuals whose dedication and effort are reflective of those characteristics necessary to succeed and thrive through postgraduate study in an accredited graduate degree program.