Huskers Secure Six Titles on Saturday at Graduate Classic

Lincoln, Neb. - Six Huskers claimed event titles and nine set personal-bests, as Nebraska track and field wrapped up action at the Graduate Classic. 

Darby Thomas won her second-straight 60m dash, clocking a personal-best 7.36, good for fourth all-time in Husker history and seventh in the Big Ten. Kavian Kerr claimed the 300m event title, running 34.70.

Maxwell Otterdahl earned his second shot put title this year, throwing 19.27m (63-2 ¾) followed by Cade Moran in third (18.10m, 59-4 ¾) and Kael Miedema (17.95m, 58-10 ¾). Axelina Johansson claimed the women’s title in the stacked shot put field (17.93m, 58-10) and Kalynn Meyer finished third (16.69m, 54-9 ¼). 

In the men’s high jump, Tyus Wilson cleared 2.24m (7-4 ¼), to get the win and the highest mark in the country. Reid Nelson jumped a personal-best 2.18m (7-1 ¾) to finish second, Mason Kooi placed third (2.12m, 6-11 ½) and Desire Tonye Nyemeck (2.08m, 6-9 ¾) was fourth. On the women’s side, Jenna Rogers took home the title, clearing 1.84m (6-0 ½), Brooklyn Miller finished second (1.76m, 5-9 ¼) and Karsyn Leeling grabbed third (1.76m, 5-9 ¼).

In the men’s 600m, Nebraska finished second through fourth: Niko Schultz (1:19.62), Kaleb Sharp (1:19.68) and Logan Lebo (1:19.68). On the women’s side, Luciana Medina moved into ninth in the top 10 Husker list with 1:32.01 in her event debut, good for a second-place finish. 

Pradeep Senthilkumar placed second in the men’s 800m with 1:49.98, followed by Holden Ruse in fourth (1:52.84). Berlyn Schutz also grabbed second, running a personal-best 2:07.79, in the women’s 800m.

In the women’s triple jump, Rhianna Phipps placed second going 13.08m (42-11), good for 10th in the country. Lotavia Brown (12.49m, 40-11 ¾) and Velecia Williams (12.31m, 40-4 ¾) took third and fourth, respectively. 

The men’s squad of William McDavid, Holden Ruse, Pradeep Senthilkumar and Kaleb Sharp finished second (3:19.30) in the 4x400. In the men’s 60m dash, Ashriel Dixon ran a personal-best 6.89 in the prelims to qualify eighth in the finals, where he matched his fastest time to finish sixth.

Up next, the Huskers will compete at the Prairie Wolf Indoor Invite on Friday, Jan. 24 and on Saturday, Jan. 25 at the Mark Colligan Memorial. 

Graduate Classic Event Winners
Day 1
Men’s Weight Throw - Seth Schnakenberg
Men’s 400 - Pradeep Senthilkumar
Women’s Mile - Berlyn Schutz
Women’s Long Jump - Lishanna Ilves

Day 2
Men’s 300m - Kavian Kerr 
Women’s 60m - Darby Thomas
Men’s Shot Put - Maxwell Otterdahl 
Women’s Shot Put - Axelina Johansson
High Jump - Tyus Wilson 
High Jump - Jenna Rogers