Huskers Head to ISU Classic and Tyson Invitational

Lincoln - For the first time this season the Husker track and field team will hit the road as the Huskers travel to Ames, Iowa, for the Iowa State Classic and to Fayetteville, Ark., for the Tyson Invitational.

The Iowa State Classic will be hosted on the campus of Iowa State at the Lied Recreational Center on Friday, Feb. 15 and Saturday, Feb. 16. The field events start at 1:30 p.m. with the women’s weight throw, while the women’s 60-meter hurdle preliminaries start the running events at 2 p.m. on Friday. Saturday, the women’s high jump starts the field events at 10:30 a.m., with the unseeded section of the women’s 3,000-meter run at 9:25 a.m. starting up the running events. Live stats will be available at Huskers.com, with recaps available at the conclusion of each day. The Lied Recreational Center was the host site for last year’s Big 12 Indoor Championships.

A select group of Huskers will also travel to Fayetteville, Ark., for the prestigious Tyson Invitational. The meet will be held at the Randal Tyson Track Center, home to the 2008 NCAA Indoor Championships. Huskers.com will carry live stats with recaps at the end of each day. Fans will also be able to catch a tape-delayed broadcast of the meet on Sunday, Feb. 17 on ESPN from 4-6 p.m. CST.

The Huskers have been at home for four straight weeks after hosting the Holiday Inn Invitational, Conference Challenge, Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational and most recently, the adidas Classic. After this weekend’s meets, the Husker will return home next week to compete in the NWU Invite, hosted by Nebraska-Wesleyan at the Devaney Center. The following week the

Huskers will host the Big 12 Conference Indoor Championships.

- van der Westhuizen Rockets up Distance Charts
South Africa native Peter van der Westhuizen continued his season-long assault on the Husker indoor record book as he easily beat out the rest of the field by more than nine seconds in the men’s one-mile run with a new personal best and NCAA provisional qualifying time of 4:02.19 at the adidas Classic. van der Westhuizen now ranks third all-time in the Husker indoor record book in the one-mile, 3,000-meter and 5,000-meter runs after winning the 5,000 meters at the Conference Challenge and 3,000 meters at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational. van der Westhuizen has been using the longer races as building blocks for the one mile.

"It is a grueling schedule and you have to train very hard to stay at the top. Running the 3,000 and 5,000-meter races help me build stamina and reach my goal of 3:59.50 or better in the mile," said van der Westhuizen, referencing that 3:59.50 is the NCAA automatic qualifying mark for the one-mile run.

- Husker Hurdlers Tough to Beat
Freshmen Karyn LaCour and Arna Erega both continued to impress in the women’s 60-meter hurdles as they finished with the top two collegiate times and second and third overall times at the adidas Classic. Both finished behind Husker 60-meter hurdles record-holder, Priscilla Lopes-Schliep. Both LaCour’s (8.40) and Erega’s (8.42) times were NCAA provisional qualifying marks. However, LaCour posted a faster time at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational at 8.39. Lopes-Schliep said she hopes she is pushing the Husker freshman.

"It’s awesome to come out here and see them (LaCour and Erega) do well. There are times where we train together and I not only push them, they push me to do better as well. It was awesome to be back here at home, competing in front of a Husker crowd," said Lopes-Schliep.

In the 60-meter hurdles at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational, LaCour led a trio of Huskers to a 1-2-3 finish. LaCour and Erega have continued to excel in the hurdles as they has posted the top collegiate times in the hurdles in all four meets this year. LaCour has taken the gold each meet, with Erega finishing second.

- Huskers Set 41 PRs at adidas Classic
The Husker track and field team had a very productive adidas Classic as it came away with 41 new personal bests. The men led the way with 25, while the women racked up another 16.

Freshman Lehann Fourie’s personal-best time of 7.81 in the men’s 60-meter hurdles was an NCAA provisional qualifying mark. The time placed him sixth all-time in the Husker record book and currently ranks him No. 1 in the Big 12 Conference.

Senior co-captain Dusty Jonas added another high-jump title to his trophy case as his jump of 7-3 3/4 (2.23) beat out former NAIA All-American Trevor Barry, who was competing unattached.

Returning All-American Dan Christensen took the top collegiate time in the men’s 400-meter dash with a time of 48.05. Christensen’s time was second overall and a new personal best. Fellow Husker, Dax Danns, finished second in the men’s 200-meter dash with a personal-best time of 21.80.

Huskers Nicholas Gordon, Chris Nuttelman and Jonas posted the top three collegiate jumps in the men’s triple jump. Gordan led the way at 48-10 1/4 (14.89), followed by Nuttelman at 48-4 (14.73) and Jonas at 47-11 1/4 (14.61). All three were beat out by Aarik Wilson (54-10; 16.71), a former two-time national champion for the Indiana Hoosiers, who was competing unattached.

van der Westhuizen was not the only Husker distance runner to do well in the mile. Four other Huskers reached new personal bests as Kyle Custer (4:12.81) finished fourth, Ethan Luebbe (4:12.95) finished fifth, David Adams (4:13.59) finished seventh and Vince Sickler (4:15.80) finished 11th out of out of 37 runners.

Adam Dailey, Nick Makukutu, Blaise Rewaka and Matt Conahan all set new personal bests in their respective events as well. Both Daily and Makukutu set new personal bests in the 600-yard run. Daily’s third-place time of 1:10.80 beat out Makukutu’s fifth-place time of 1:11.75. Rewaka’s time of 1:52.50 in the men’s 800 meters placed him in second, just ahead of Conahan, who finished in fourth at 1:52.86.

Trey Jordan posted the top collegiate mark in the men’s shot at 55-5 (16.89). The transfer from TCU continues to improve and will look to better his personal best of 56-3 3/4 (17.16) before the end of the indoor season.

In the pole vault, Zac Holoch and Pat Burke finished third and fourth, respectively, as they each jumped 15-11 (4.85), Holoch placed third with fewer misses.

Veterans Natalja Zarcenko and Sheryl Morgan both won individual titles and set new personal bests in their respective events. Zarcenko won the women’s 1,000-meter run with a time of 2:50.98, beating out 18 other competitors and moveing up to No. 3 on the conference performance list. Morgan’s time of 1:21.94 in the 600-yard run moved her to No. 1 on the Big 12 indoor list.

Joslyn Dalton and Ari Goldstein also set new personal bests in the mile run with Dalton’s seventh-place finish at 4:58.36 barley beating out Goldstein’s eighth-place finish of 4:58.63.

Jennifer Pancoast finished with the top collegiate mark in the women’s 3,000-meter run at 9:57.85, as her mark placed her third overall. Former Husker Ann Gaffigan won the event with a time of 9:26.81.

In the field events, Zarinah Suluki-Drakes out-jumped Husker teammate Danielle Smith to win the women’s triple jump. Suluki-Drakes jumped 40-9 1/2 (12.43), barley beating Smith’s jump of 40-7 (12.37). Amanda Latsch finished with the top collegiate mark in the shot put and third overall with a new personal-best mark of 48-10 1/4 (14.89).

Freshman Natalie Willer also finished with the top collegiate mark in the pole vault with a vault of 12-0 (3.66). High jumpers Audrey Svane and Erin Hannon both jumped 5-7 (1.70), with Svane earning second place with less misses. Both lost out to Chealsea Taylor of Alabama, who jumped an NCAA automatic qualifying mark of 6-0 3/4 (1.85).

On Friday, Bryan Bell started off the 2008 adidas Classic on the right foot for the Huskers as he won the first event of the meet, the men’s 35-pound weight throw. Bell claimed first place with a new personal-best mark of 63-4 (19.30), good enough to move him into eighth all-time on the Husker indoor chart. The senior from Bellevue, Neb., beat fellow Husker senior Aaron Bozarth, who finished in third at 56-11 1/2 (17.36).

In the women’s 20-pound weight throw, senior Tamara Solari finished as the runner-up with a final mark of 58-8 (17.88).

In the men’s 5,000 meters, freshman Eric Thies (Arlington, Minn.) improved his personal best by 5.49 seconds to finish in sixth place with a time of 15:42.69.

- Husker Legend Earns Honor
In the latest issue of Track and Field News, the publication celebrated its 60th birthday with a list of the best track and field athletes over the past six decades. Under the "Best College Woman" section, former Husker Merlene Ottey was named the best collegiate woman sprinter.

Ottey is easily the most decorated track and field athlete in Nebraska history as she won 14 national championships from 1980 to 1984. Ottey also competed in seven straight Olympic Games from the 1980 games in Moscow to the 2004 games in Athens. Over her seven Olympics, Ottey was runner-up three times and also earned five bronze medals, including earning the silver in the 100- meter dash (1992 Barcelona), 200-meter dash (1996 Atlanta) and 4x100-meter relay (Sydney 2000). Ottey still holds 13 school records, including four relay marks.

Ottey earned indoor national championships in the 55-meter dash (1984), 60-yard dash (1982), 300-yard dash (1982), 4x220-yard relay (1982), 60-meter dash (1981) and 300-meter dash (1980-81). Outdoors she won titles in the 100-meter dash (1983), 200-meter dash (1983), 1982 (100-meter dash), 4x100-meter relay (1982), 100-meter dash (1981) and 200-meter dash (1980-81).

- Jonas Named Big 12 Track and Field Athlete of the Week
Senior team captain Dusty Jonas was honored as the Big 12 Men’s Track and Field Athlete of the Week for his performance at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational, the league office announced Tuesday.

The La Vernia, Texas, native won last week’s meet with a mark of 2.20m (7-2 1/2) in the high jump. Jonas has already posted an NCAA automatic qualifying mark in the high jump this year as his winning mark of 2.25m (7-4 1/2) at the 2008 Conference Challenge secured him a spot at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark. Jonas’ mark at the Conference Challenge currently has him tied with Scott Sellers (Kansas State) for the No. 1 mark this year in the Big 12 and Division I.

In the Husker record books, Jonas currently is tied for fifth indoors. Outdoors he is tied for second at 7-5 3/4 with Shaun Kologinczak. Both trail Shane Lavy, who jumped 7-6 1/2 in 1999.

Jonas is a six-time NCAA All-American in the high jump, earning the honor three times each in the indoor and outdoor seasons. He also has won the U.S. Junior High Jump Championship, Pan American Junior High Jump Championship and has finished as high as second at the NCAA Championships.

- Wheatley is Automatic at Multi-Events
Sophomore Megan Wheatley (Perth, Australia) was the headliner of the Frank Sevigne meet on day one, destroying her personal best in the pentathlon by 511 points, as she posted an NCAA automatic qualifying mark of 4,122 points en route to a second-place finish. Wheatley only lost to first-place winner Shevell Quinley of Arizona by three points. On the way to her record setting day, she also set new personal bests in the 60-meter hurdles (8.69), high jump (1.64m; 5-4 1/2), long jump (5.93m; 19-5 1/2) and 800-meter run (2:18.46). Wheatley’s performance ranks sixth on NU’s all-time record book.

"My goal coming in was to make the automatic qualifying mark, with it out of the way now I can focus on the Big 12 Conference and NCAA Indoor Meets. I am very happy with my marks today, but I am not satisfied as my goal is to move even farther up on the all-time list," Wheatley said.

- Jonas Jumps to Top of Rankings
Husker senior Dusty Jonas made a big impact during his first home meet of the year as he tied his personal best with a mark of 2.25 (7-4 1/2) in the high jump. Jonas’ jump not only was an NCAA automatic qualifying mark, but also boosted him to the top of the NCAA rankings as he is currently tied with conference rival Scott Sellers of Kansas State for the No. 1 spot in all of Division I in the high jump.

- Husker Sophomores Push the Bar
A pair of young Huskers are making quite an impact this year on the high jump as sophomores Erin Hannon and Epley Bullock have combined to own two of the top three spots on the Big 12 performance list. Hannon and Bullock are currently tied for the top spot with Kelsey Erb of Kansas, as all three have jumped 1.75m (5-8 3/4). Hannon achieved the mark at the Conference Challenge, while Bullock reached the mark at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational

- Freshmen Continue to Shine Early
So far this season 13 events have been won by Husker freshmen. Leading the pack for the men is Paul Hamilton of Sidney, Neb. Hamilton achieved a NCAA indoor provisional mark in the high jump with a leap of 2.19m (7-2 1/4) in his first collegiate meet. Other winners for the men include Adam Dailey (800m), David Adams (3000m) and Nicholas Gordon (long jump and triple jump)

The women are carried by NCAA provisional qualifier Karyn LaCour, who has posted the top collegiate time in the 60m hurdles in her first four collegiate meets, while Lara Crofford (mile run and 5,000m) and Natalie Willer (pole vault) each won their respective events.

- Pepin Leads Husker Squad for Record Tying 28th Season
Nebraska Head Coach Gary Pepin is beginning his 28th year guiding the Husker women’s team and 25th year coaching the NU men's squad. With this year, Pepin will tie former Husker coach Frank Sevigne as the longest-tenured track and field coach in school history. Sevigne logged 28 seasons leading the NU men’s program from 1956 through 1983.

Pepin has helped the Husker women combine for 38 of their 40 conference titles, while also notching 20 of the program’s 21 top-five NCAA team finishes, including each of Nebraska’s three indoor national championships.

Pepin has led the men's team to 26 of its 58 indoor and outdoor conference crowns, while also notching two NCAA top-five placings. The Huskers' second-place finish at the 1996 NCAA Indoor Championships ranks as the squad's highest at an NCAA meet.

- Four NCAA All-Americans Back at it for Nebraska Men’s Squad
Four Husker men who have combined to win seven individual and one relay All-America awards return to power Nebraska in 2008. The group is led by Dusty Jonas, one of the premiere high jumpers in the country.

Jonas enters his final season with the Huskers in search of the one elusive element of his career, an individual national title. Jonas owns six All-America finishes in the last three years, including runner-up showings indoors in both 2005 and 2007. With one final chance for the gold, Jonas will be one of the Huskers to watch in 2008.

Three young Husker sprinters will compliment the seasoned veteran. Junior Dan Christensen and sophomores Lukas Hulett and Scott Wims were part of the 4 x 400-meter relay that earned All-America honors by virtue of their eighth-place performance at the 2007 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships. Wims also earned All-America recognition outdoors for his seventh place in the 200-meters at the outdoor championships. These three sprinters plus sophomore Dax Danns should form the core of the team.

- Two NCAA All-Americans Return for NU Women
The Huskers return two women for the 2008 season who have each earned NCAA All-America honors during their outstanding. Kayla Wilkinson returns for her second attempt at a senior season after redshirting in 2007 due to shoulder surgery, while Epley Bullock is back for her sophomore year following a remarkable debut campaign.

Wilkinson captured her All-America honor with a runner-up finish in the javelin at the 2006 NCAA Outdoor Championships with a toss of 177-7. Had it not been for an injury in 2007, she would have been poised to make a run for a national title in the event last year. That goal resurfaces this season, as well as Wilkinson’s attempt to reclaim the Big 12 javelin title, which she won in both 2005 and 2006.

While Wilkinson has years of collegiate experience under her belt, Bullock is the epitome of young stardom. She finished ninth in the high jump (eighth American) at the 2007 indoor championships with a career-high leap of 6-0, winning one of three freshman All-America honors for the Huskers last season. Bullock again qualified for the NCAA Championships in the high jump during the outdoor season, only to finish 24th. With continued improvement and increased collegiate experience, the Allen, Texas, native should be a serious contender to score in both high jumps this year.

- Huskers Live at Home in 2008
The Husker track and field team will not be leaving the state of Nebraska much during the 2008 indoor track season. The team only plans on leaving Lincoln four more times before the start of the outdoor season.

The team will travel to Ames, Iowa twice for the Iowa State Classic and the Iowa State Last Chance Meet; Nebraska will then make two trips to Fayetteville, Ark. for the Tyson Invite and the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.

The Huskers will host four of their own meets, the Bob Devaney Sports Center Indoor Track will be the host site for this year’s Big 12 Conference Indoor Championships. The Huskers will also be attending the NWU Invite and the Prairie Wolf Invite, however, each of those meets is being held at the Devaney Center. All in all the Huskers will have the privilege of competing at the Devaney Center for seven of their 11 meets.