Huskers Send 21 to NCAA Outdoors

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Lincoln? The Nebraska track and field team will have 21 athletes competing at the 2008 NCAA Outdoor Championships on June 11-14, following the addition of six new at-large bids released on Monday. Following the regional meet, the Huskers secured 15 entries at the meet, including Megan Wheatley’s automatic-qualifying score in the heptathlon at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

On Monday, Kim Shubert and Chantae McMillan each earned at-large bids to the NCAA Championships. Along with that duo, Lara Crofford will run the 10,000 meters at the national meet, based on her provisional time from the Stanford Invitational. Originally, Crofford automatically qualified in the 5,000 meters at the regional meet, but will not compete in that event at nationals.

 

Shubert tied for the fifth spot at the regional meet, losing in a jump off for the automatic birth. Just like last year, Shubert received and at-large bid and looks to improve on her 19th-place finish last year. McMillan participated in the long jump at last year’s national meet and this year she will take her shot at the heptathlon. McMillan’s provisional score of 5,444 points at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships will seed her in the No. 21 spot.

 

The men added four more athletes to the eight who had already qualified. Freshmen Lehann Fourie, Paul Hamilton and Austin Braman were selected along with junior Skyler Reising. Fourie will compete in the 110-meter hurdles, seeded No. 18 with a time of 13.71. Braman will compete in the javelin and Reising in the decathlon for the second straight year. Last year Reising finished 20th.

 

After making a trip to the indoor championships, Hamilton will move on to the outdoor championships, even though he lost a jump off at the regional meet. The Midwest region was easily the top region in the country for high jumpers. Five of the top 10 jumpers come from the region and including the top three jumpers, Nebraska’s Dusty Jonas, UTEP’s Mickael Hanany and KansasState’s Scott Sellers.

 

The NCAA Outdoor Championships are scheduled to start on Wednesday, June 11, and run through Saturday, June 14. CBS College Sports will broadcast live from 7-10 p.m. on Friday night and CBS will have live coverage from 3-5 p.m. on Saturday. Check Huskers.com for a full schedule, live results and daily recaps.

 

Nebraska’s NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship Participants

 

Women

Name                         Year        Event                            Hometown

Epley Bullock             So.          High Jump                     Allen, Texas

Lara Crofford               Fr.           10,000 Meters               Newville, Pa.

Erin Hannon               So.          High Jump                     Bradford, Pa.

Chantae McMillan       So.          Heptathlon                     Rolla, Mo.

Kim Shubert               Sr.           High Jump                     Lincoln, Neb.

Megan Wheatley         RFr.         Heptathlon                     Perth, Australia

Kayla Wilkinson          Sr.           Javelin                           Deshler, Neb.

Natalie Willer              Fr.           Pole Vault                     Elkhorn, Neb.

Natalja Zarcenko         Jr.            1,500 Meters                 Valmiera, Latvia

 

Men

Name                         Year        Event                            Hometown

Austin Braman            Fr.           Javelin                           Buffalo, Kan.

Adam Dailey               Fr.           400-Meter Hurdles          Wahoo, Neb.

Lehann Fourie             Fr.           110-Meter Hurdles          Pretoria, South Africa

Nicholas Gordon         Fr.           Long Jump                    Kingston, Jamaica

Paul Hamilton             Fr.           High Jump                     Sidney, Neb.

Lukas Hulett               So.          400 Meters                    Bellevue, Neb.

Dusty Jonas               Sr.           High Jump                     La Vernia, Texas

Keith Lloyd                 Jr.            Shot Put / Hammer Throw       Omaha, Neb.

Skyler Reising            Jr.            Decathlon                      Lincoln, Neb.

Tyrell Ross                 So.          110-Meter Hurdles          Mullica Hill, N.J.

Peter van der Westhuizen  Sr.           1,500 Meters                 Kempton Park, South Africa

LeRon Williams          Jr.            Long Jump                    Omaha, Neb.