Nebraska Track and Field Announces 2024-25 Newcomers

Nebraska track and field announced 31 newcomers to its program for the 2024-25 season on Friday.
 
This talented group represents 12 states and eight countries, including seven transfers and 24 incoming freshmen. The 31-member class is made up of a First-Team All-American, two Gatorade Players of the Year and multiple national and conference champions.
 
Keyshawn Strachan headlines the list of newcomers as a transfer from Auburn. He’s a First-Team All-American after placing fifth in the javelin at the 2024 NCAA Championships. From Chandler, Ariz., Hayden Gorovitz is the Arizona state record holder in the javelin and a two-time state champion.
 
Dyson Wicker and Zach Zohner will add depth to the pole vault. A six-time All-American, Wicker claimed the 2024 New Balance Indoor National Title and was named the 2023 Texas 6A State Champion. Zochner is a transfer from Concordia (Neb.), where he claimed the 2024 NAIA Indoor and Outdoor National titles and three GPAC titles.
 
James Ledbetter is a standout sprinter and hurdler from Fulshear, Texas. He’s a USATF and New Balance Outdoor All-American and the Texas UIL 6A 300m hurdles runner-up. Raiko Kahr is a hurdles addition from Kangru, Estonia and is the reigning Baltic U20 Team Champion and Estonian U20 Champion in the 110m hurdles. Amare Williams is an Indoor All-American and All-Conference in the 200m from Webber International and Bode Smith is a sprinter from Naperville, Ill., who boasts four all-state honors.
 
Rico Leijenaar is a distance runner from Potchefstroom, South Africa, bringing worldwide experience. He placed second at the 2024 South African U20 Championships in the 5,000m and 23rd at the 2024 World Cross Country Championships. Jack Witte, Riley Boonstra, Dennis Chapman, Logan Lebo and Maxwell Myers are all Nebraskans expected to bolster NU’s distance/mid-distance squad. Witte was the NSAA Class A State Champion in the 800m, 1600m and 3200m, Boonstra is a four-time NSAA Class B State Champion and Chapman is a four-time top-five finisher at the 2024 NSAA Class A Championships. Lebo is the 2024 NSAA Class C State 400m Champion and Myers is the Lincoln Southwest cross country school record holder in the 5K. Liem Chot is from Lincoln, Neb., but spent the past couple of seasons at Temple. William McDavid is a mid-distance runner from Centennial, Colo., where he finished fourth in the 400m and 800m at the 2024 Colorado Class 5A State Championships. Pradeep Senthilkumar is a mid-distance star from Chennai, India, ranked third nationally in 2023. He also finished 41st at the World Junior Athletics Championships.
 
In the combined events, Adria Navajon brings extensive experience from his time at Wichita State. He’s a five-time American Athletic Conference Champion and secured a combined 24 team points at the AAC Championship meets last season. Brayden Bergkamp is coming to Nebraska from Dodge City Community College, where he was named an NJCAA All-American after placing sixth in the decathlon.
 
Desire Tonye-Nyemeck, set to join the high jumpers, is a Kansas Relays Champion and a three-time all-state selection. From Clarendon, Jamaica, Balvin Israel is a three-time Issa Boys and Girls Athletic Championships Gold Medalist and the 2024 Penn Relays Champion in the long jump. 
 
On the women’s side, Karsyn Leeling is an elite high jumper from Sidney, Neb., expected to make an impact immediately. She’s the 2023-24 Gatorade Nebraska Girls Track & Field Player of the Year, 2024 Nike Outdoor Nationals High Jump Champion, a five-time state champion and jumped a world lead 6-1 ½ this past season. Ela Velepec is a high jump addition from Celje, Slovenia. She was named the Slovenian Athlete of the Year and is a three-time Slovenian U20 Champion.
 
In the sprints and hurdles, Kelsie Belquiest is coming to Nebraska as a 10-time North Dakota State Champion and a three-time top-20 finisher at the 2023 Nike Outdoor Nationals. After the 2023 season, Belquist was named the Gatorade North Dakota Girls Track & Field Player of the Year.
 
Aspen Fears, Jacelyn Neighbors and Arina Razina are pole vaulters with impressive resumes. A native of Murrieta, Cal., Fears is a three-time CIF Finals and Masters Champion and two-time US U20 Championship qualifier. The 2024 Texas UIL 6A Pole Vault Champion, Neighbors is a four-time top-five pole vault finisher. Rounding out the group of pole vaulters is Razina, a native of Russian and transfer from Memphis. Razina qualified for the 2024 NCAA East First round, finished third at the 2024 American Outdoor Track & Field Championships and tallied four pole vault victories during the 2024 season. 
 
Luciana Medina and Jordan Metzler add depth to the Husker distance group for the 2024-25 season. A native of St. Louis, Mo., Medina finished second and third respectively at the 2023 and 2024 MSHSAA Class 5 State Championships. Metzler, a graduate of Wakefield High School, is a two-time Nebraska state champion in the 800m and the NSAA Class C 800m state and state meet record holder. 
 
In the women’s javelin, two-time Kansas state champion and the javelin school and state record holder, Jenessa Ruder, will look to make an impact, while nine-time AAU and USATF All-American and 2024 Texas Shot Put State Champion Lauren St. Peters joins the Husker squad as an experienced thrower.
 
Women
Kelsie Belquist - Sprints/Hurdles - New Rockford, N.D. (New Rockford-Sheyenne High School)
2022-23 Gatorade North Dakota Girls Track & Field Player of the Year
10x North Dakota State Champion
3x top-20 finisher at 2023 Nike Outdoor Nationals
 
Aspen Fears - Pole Vault - Murrieta, Cal. (Vista Murrieta High School)
IE Varsity first team, 3x CIF Finals Champion, 3x CIF Masters Champion, 2x US U20 Championship Qualifier
Third at California State Championships
 
Karsyn Leeling - High Jump - Sidney, Neb. (Sidney High School)
2023-24 Gatorade Nebraska Girls Track & Field Player of the Year
National High Jump Champion at 2024 Nike Outdoor Nationals (All-American)
5x State Champion (High Jump - 2023, 2024; Triple Jump - 2023, 2024; Long Jump - 2024)
National lead, world lead and state record in the high jump with a 6-1 1/2
 
Luciana Medina - Distance - St. Louis, Mo. (Nerinx Hall High School)
Second in 400m at 2024 MSHSAA Class 5 State Championships
Third in 400m at 2024 MSHSAA Class 5 State Championships
PBs: 400: 55.84, 800: 2:10.70
 
Jordan Metzler - Distance - Wayne, Neb. (Wakefield High School)
2x 800m State Champion (2023, 2024)
NSAA Class C 800m State and State Meet Record Holder
400m State Runner-up (2024)
 
Jacelyn Neighbors - Pole Vault - Fate, Texas (Royse City High School)
2024 Texas UIL 6A Pole Vault Champion
Four-time top-five pole vault finisher at state (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
 
Arina Razina - Pole Vault - ​​Memphis University Transfer - Chelyabinkska, Russia
Qualified for 2024 NCAA East First Round
Third in pole vault at The 2024 American Outdoor Track & Field Championships
Four pole vault wins during 2024 outdoor season
 
Jenessa Ruder - Javelin - Norton, Kan. (Norton High School)
2x Javelin State Champion (2022, 2024)
Javelin School and State Record Holder
Fifth in the discus at state (2024)

Lauren St. Peters - Throws - Aledo, Texas (Aledo High School)
2024 Texas Shot Put State Champion
9x AAU and USATF All-American
 
Ela Velepec - High Jump - Celje, Slovenia
Slovenian Athlete of the Year
Three-time Slovenian U20 Champion (2023, 2024, Indoor 2024)
Fourth at 2024 Balkan U20 Indoor Championships
 
Men
Brayden Bergkamp - Combined Events - Dodge City Community College Transfer - Jetmore, Kan.
NJCAA All-American (Sixth in the decathlon)
2024 Indoor/Outdoor Region 6 Champion (Heptathlon/Decathlon)
 
Riley Boonstra - Distance - Norris, Neb. (Norris High School)
4x NSAA Class B State Track and Field Champion (1600, 2023 and 2024; 3200, 2023 and 2024)
2024 NSAA Class B Track and Field team title
 
Dennis Chapman - Distance - Omaha, Neb. (Creighton Prep High School)
4x top-five finisher at 2024 NSAA Class A State Championships
NSAA Class A State Team Champion
 
Liem Chot - Distance - Temple Transfer - Lincoln, Neb.
Third in 5K at 2023 Boston University David Hemery Valentine Invite with PR 14:32.39
Eighth in 10K at 2023 Colonial Relays with PR 30:43.15
 
Hayden Gorovitz - Javelin - Chandler, Ariz. (Desert Vista High School) 
Arizona state javelin record holder
Two-time state javelin champion 
 
Balvin Israel - Long Jump - Clarendon, Jamaica (St. Jago High School)
3x Issa Boys and Girls Athletic Championships Gold Medalist
2024 Penn Relays Champion
 
Raiko Kahr - Hurdles - Kangru, Estonia
2024 Baltic U20 Team Champion (110m hurdles)
2024 Estonian U20 Champion (110m hurdles)
 
Logan Lebo - Mid-Distance - Lincoln, Neb. (Lincoln Lutheran High School)
2024 NSAA Class C State 400m Champion
Third in 800m and fourth in 200m at state
 
James Ledbetter - Sprints/Hurdles - Fulshear, Texas (Jordan High School)
USATF All-American
New Balance Outdoor All-American
6A 300m hurdles runner-up
 
Rico Leijenaar - Distance - Potchefstroom, South Africa
Second at 2024 South African U20 Championships in the 5K (14:32.12)
23rd at 2024 U20 World Cross Cross Championships with an 8K time of 24:30
 
William McDavid - Mid-Distance - Centennial, Colo. (Cherry Creek High School) 
2x fourth-place finisher at 2024 Colorado Class 5A State Championships (400m, 800m)
Third in 4x400m relay at 2024 Colorado Class 5A State Championships
Two top-five finishes at 2023 state championships (800m, 4x400m relay)
 
Maxwell Myers - Distance - Lincoln, Neb. (Lincoln Southwest High School)
Lincoln Southwest school record holder in the 5K
2023 District Team Champions
 
Adria Navajon - Combined Events - Wichita State Transfer - Barcelona, Spain 
5x American Athletic Conference Champion
Scored 14 team points at 2024 AAC Indoor Championships and 10 points at 2024 AAC Outdoor Championships
 
Pradeep Senthilkumar - Mid-Distance - Chennai, India
41st place at World Junior Athletics Championships
Third in national ranking in 2023
2023 National Games Champion
400m PR: 47.80; 800m PR: 1:48.10
 
Bode Smith - Sprints - Naperville, Ill. (Naperville Central High School)
3x all-state in the 4x400m relay, 1x all-state in the 300m hurdles
300m hurdles - 37.8; 400m split - 47.58
 
Keyshawn Strachan - Javelin - Auburn Transfer - Nassau, Bahamas
First-Team All-American
Placed fifth in the javelin at the NCAA Outdoor Championships
Auburn school record holder in the javelin
 
Desire Tonye-Nyemeck - High Jump - Kansas City, Mo. (Park Hill High School)
3x All-State
MileSplit First-Team
KU Relays Champion
 
Dyson Wicker - Pole Vault - Heath, Texas (Rockwall-Heath High School)
2024 New Balance Indoor National Champion
2024 New Balance Indoor National Field Athlete of the Meet
6x All-American
2023 Texas 6A State Champion & Outdoor National Champion
 
Amare Williams - Sprints - Weber International University Transfer - Eustis, Fla. 
Indoor All-American and All-Conference (200m)
Outdoor All-Conference (4x100m)
PB: 100m (10.48), 200m (20.79), 400m (49.05) 
 
Jack Witte - Distance - Omaha, Neb. (Millard West High School)
NSAA Class A State Champion in the 800m, 1600m and 3200m
All-class gold in the 1600m
Contributed to the winning 4x800m relay (all-class gold)
 
Zach Zohner - Pole Vault - Concordia University (NE) Transfer - Battle Creek, Neb.
2024 NAIA Indoor and Outdoor Pole Vault National Champion
2023 NAIA Indoor and Outdoor Pole Vault All-American
3x GPAC Champion