Five More Huskers Earn NCAA Bids

The Nebraska track and field team secured five more bids to the NCAA Championships on day two of the NCAA West First Round at Hornet Stadium in Sacramento, Calif., on Thursday. 

With the Husker women earning five national qualifiers on Thursday, Nebraska now has 11 total bids to the NCAA meet with two days of competition left at the regional meet. 

Maddie Harris and Rhema Otabor qualified in the javelin, while Axelina Johansson and Taylor Latimer will head to Austin, Texas in the shot put. Velecia Williams capped the night by earning a bid in the long jump. 

Harris, last year’s NCAA runner-up, had the second-best javelin throw at the regional, 186-1 (56.72m). Otabor, the school-record holder who finished fourth in the nation last year, qualified with a mark of 170-11 (52.10m). Otabor and Harris rank first and second in the nation, respectively. 

Johansson, the nation’s leader in the shot put, threw 61-3 1/2 (18.68m) to qualify with the second-best mark at the regional meet. Latimer will join her at nationals after a season-best throw of 57-2 1/4 (17.43m), the No. 4 throw in school history. 

Williams recorded a season-best 20-10 3/4 (6.37m) to earn a trip to nationals in the long jump. Williams finished 17th at last year’s NCAA Outdoor Championships in the event. 

The Husker men are back in action on Friday, beginning at 3 p.m. (CT) with the discus. 

Nebraska’s NCAA Outdoor Championships Qualifiers

Maddie Harris, Women’s Javelin

Axelina Johansson, Women’s Shot Put

Taylor Latimer, Women’s Shot Put

Rhema Otabor, Women’s Javelin

Maxwell Otterdahl, Men’s Shot Put

Arthur Petersen, Men’s Javelin

Dash Sirmon, Men’s Javelin

Till Steinforth, Men’s Decathlon

Till Steinforth, Men’s Long Jump

Velecia Williams, Women’s Long Jump

Jonah Wilson, Men’s Shot Put