Wilkinson Caps Career with Second All-America Honor

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Des Moines, Iowa ? Senior Kayla Wilkinson capped her final meet in a Husker uniform with a third-place finish in the women’s javelin to earn her second All-America honor on Saturday at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

Exactly one year and six months after a surgery to repair a torn labrum, the three-time Big 12 champion stepped onto the javelin runway North of Drake Stadium with the goal of a national title. She sat in third with her final throw remaining, but was not able to top her best of 179-2 (54.60). Wilkinson’s five-year career at Nebraska ends with three Big 12 titles, two All-America honors and the Nebraska school record of 182-10 (55.73). She will now prepare for the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore., as she has already reached the ?A’ qualifying standard.

“My five-year career at Nebraska has been something special,” Wilkinson said. “When I first had my surgery I was told I may never throw again like I did before my injury. Even though I didn’t win the national title, I am happy that I was able to get back here and earn All-America (honors) again.”

Redshirt freshman Megan Wheatley started day two of the women’s heptathlon sitting in ninth place, with the long jump, javelin and 800 meters still to be competed. In the first event of day two the Perth, Australia, native shattered her personal best in the long jump with a leap of 20-2 1/2 (6.16) on her final attempt. The young heptathlete jumped over six meters for the first time in her career, improving her personal best by nine inches, recording the top jump by any Husker on the women’s side during the 2008 season and sliding her up to fifth place in the heptathlon with two events to go. Wheatley then threw 112-10 (34.40) in the women’s javelin, leaving her in 11th place entering the final event of the heptathlon, the 800 meters. Wheatley’s time of 2:20.80 in the 800 meters moved her into ninth place overall with a total of 5,596. She finished just 38 points short of cracking the top eight and earning NCAA All-America honors.

“I am disappointed I didn’t earn All-America, but in my first trip to the NCAA Outdoor Championships I can’t complain about my finish,” said Wheatley following the meet.

After competing in the long jump at the 2007 NCAA Outdoor Championships, sophomore Chantae McMillan switched to the multi events for the 2008 season. Over the two-day event McMillan set a personal best in the 100-meter hurdles at (14.18). Overall she finished 22nd with 5,261 points.

“It was great to see Dusty (Jonas) and Kayla (Wilkinson) come out and perform well,” Gary Pepin said when asked how he thought his team preformed at the national meet. “We had some young kids come here for the first time and get a taste of the meet. Hopefully with their experience and a good mix of recruits we’ll be back here next year.”

Overall the Husker men finished 36th, while the women finished 43rd in the team rankings.

With the close of the 2008 season, the Nebraska track and field team added three Big 12 champions to bring its total to 782 conference champions while participating in the Missouri Valley (1908-1928), Big Six (1929-1947), Big Seven (1948-1957), Big Eight (1958-1996) and Big 12 (1997-present) conferences. The Huskers NCAA All-America total grew to 552 honorees with the addition of three NCAA All-Americans (Dusty Jonas, Lukas Hulett and Wilkinson) at the 2008 NCAA Outdoor Championships.