Ruskule Tops Discus During Day One of Big 12?s

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Lincoln?The Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Championships started off with a successful first day for Nebraska Friday at NU’s Ed Weir Stadium, as senior Dace Ruskule won her second career conference championship in the women’s discus. Several other Huskers experienced outstanding first days in the combined events.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

Ruskule emerged as the Big 12 discus champion for the first time since 2005 after unleashing a winning throw of 182-10 on her opening attempt of the trials round. The performance came just at the right time for the reigning NCAA champion and 2004 Olympian, who has battled nagging injuries this campaign while scuffling for much of the outdoor season. The throw marked a season best and the first time she had broken 180 feet in the event since the season-opening Stanford Invitational.

 

“It was my season best and I was really happy I could win,” Ruskule said. “I wasn’t sure (if she could win). I haven’t been doing great lately because of some nasty injuries, so I was really happy and excited.”

 

Ruskule continued Nebraska’s recent dominance in the women’s discus at the Big 12 Championships. She is the fifth Husker in the last six years to take home the league’s top position.

 

“My first year I won Big 12’s and last year I got second place,” Ruskule said. “It’s kind of nice to finish your Nebraska career as the best in the Big 12.”

 

Senior teammate Jeni Steiner placed a disappointing 13th in the discus, but she will have a chance at redemption Sunday in the shot put.

 

Nebraska experienced a successful opening to the meet with five of seven Husker multi-event competitors concluding the first day on lifetime-best paces in either the women’s heptathlon or men’s decathlon. Huskers currently lead both event races with senior Ashley Selig compiling 3,434 points in the heptathlon and sophomore Skyler Reising totaling a score of 4,006 in the decathlon.

Selig appears on track to become NU’s first-ever two-time conference champion in the heptathlon, matching the title she won as a junior in 2005. She recorded two personal bests in four events, tying her career best of 5-10 in the high jump and running 24.70 in the 200-meter dash. The Lincoln native currently is 14 points ahead of the pace she set during her lifetime-best score of 5,775 that earned her fifth place during the 2005 NCAA Outdoor Championships, while she owns a 159-point lead over second-place Julianne Kennedy (Texas Tech).

In addition to Selig, Huskers currently occupy the Nos. 3, 4 and 7 positions heading into the heptathlon’s final three events. Junior Kim Shubert is more than 200 points ahead of her previous first-day, high-point total of 2,966 after beginning the day with a lifetime-best 100-meter hurdles time of 14.77. Senior Casie Witte, who notched a PR of 36-3 in the shot put, follows just behind with 3,145 points, while freshman Erin Hannon has totaled 2,893 points to sit in seventh.

Reising experienced a near-flawless day in the decathlon, as he set individual bests in four of five events: the 100-meter dash (11.33), long jump (23-4), high jump (6-9 ?) and 400 meters (50.31). His lone non-best of 44-10 ? in the shot put was only one inch off the personal standard he set during last week’s Nebraska Invitational. Reising currently holds a 158-point lead on the rest of the field.

Senior Lee Martin also sits well within striking distance of his third-straight All-Big 12 performance in the decathlon with a ninth-place score of 3,712 points. Just like Reising, Martin registered his fair share of individual event bests with three new record efforts: the long jump (22-4 ?), shot put (43-2 ?) and 400 meters (50.21). He currently trails eighth-place Mitch Henry (Oklahoma) by only 11 points, while he is only 78 points out of the No. 4 position.

The Big 12 Outdoor Championships continue Saturday, as Ed Weir Stadium will see its busiest day of competition in several years. Action begins at 9:30 a.m. with the conclusion of the men’s and women’s combined events, while the first of six field event finals follow at Noon. Track event prelims begin with the women’s 1,500-meter run at 4 p.m.

NOTE: Results from day one of the Big 12 Outdoor Championships are attached both in .html and AP agate form (.txt file). Combined events scoresheets are .pdf files. Results can be accessed via the web at: http://www.deltatimingresults.com/events/2007/big12/

Big 12 Outdoor Championships ? Results
Ed Weir Stadium
Lincoln, Neb.

Team Scores
Women
1. Texas Tech ? 15
2(tie). IowaState ? 10
2(tie). Missouri ? 10
2(tie). Nebraska ? 10
5. Kansas ? 9

Men
1. Texas ? 19
2. Kansas ? 11
3. Texas Tech ? 10
4. Oklahoma ? 8
5. Missouri ? 7
------------------------
-- Nebraska ? No Score

Women’s Heptathlon (100h, HJ, SP, 200m, LJ, JT, 800m) Through 4 of 7 Events
1. Ashley Selig, 3,434 (14.19, 5-10, 37-0 ?, 24.70)
3. Kim Shubert, 3,167 (14.77, 5-10, 33-8 ?. 26.04)
4. Casie Witte, 3,145 (14.79, 5-7 ?, 36-3, 25.99)
7. Erin Hannon, 2,893 (15.68, 5-7 ?, 34-0, 27.06)

Women’s Discus
1. Dace Ruskule, 182-10
13. Jeni Steiner, 150-4

Men’s Decathlon (100m, LJ, SP, HJ, 400m, 110h, DT, PV, JT, 1,500m) Through 5 of 10 Events
1. Skyler Reising, 4,006 (11.33, 23-4, 44-10 ?, 6-9 ?, 50.31)
9. Lee Martin, 3,712 (11.62, 22-4 ?, 43-2 ?, 6-3 ?, 50.21)
DNF?Pat Burke (11.63, 21-4 ?, 34-4 ?, 6-6, DNS)

RQ- NCAA regional qualification

PR- Personal-best mark