Four Huskers Gain All-America Status

Four Nebraska track and field student-athletes garnered All-America honors for the 2020 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field season the USTFCCCA announced on Tuesday. The Huskers named All-Americans were George Kusche, Alencar Chagas Pereira, Burger Lambrechts Jr. and Kristina Insingo.

Normal policies dictate that All-America honors are awarded based on classifications on performance at the NCAA Championships, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic and cancellation of the NCAA Indoor Championships, new criteria was adopted for the 2020 indoor season. The criteria states that based on the post-medical scratches startlist for the NCAA Indoor Championships posted on Wednesday, March 11, all student-athletes listed on the startlist for the anticipated event will be given All-America honors. There will not be a distinction of “first-team”, “second-team” or “honorable mention” to these recognitions.

Kusche became a two-time All-American by qualifying for the NCAA Indoor Championships in both the mile and 3,000 meters. He was seeded 11th in the mile after breaking his own school record at the Washington Invitational with a time of 3:57.93 on the oversized track and 15th in the 3,000 meters after shredding the school record at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational with a time of 7:50.93. Kusche finished with the bronze medal in both the mile (4:09.68) and 3,000 meters (8:14.02) at the Big Ten Indoor Championships.

Pereira gained All-America accolades in the weight throw and was the top-ranked Husker for the NCAA Championships, sitting 10th nationally after breaking the school record and winning the weight throw at the Big Ten Indoor Championships with a toss of 72-6 1/4 (22.10m). 

Lambrechts Jr. was named an All-American in the men’s shot put. He was ranked 11th in the shot put with a throw of 64-8 (19.71m) at the adidas Classic. His shot put throw at the adidas Classic is currently the No. 4 throw in NU history. Lambrechts Jr. was the runner-up in the shot put at the Big Ten Indoor Championships with a mark of 63-9 (19.43m)

Insingo was the final Husker to gain All-America honors. She was seeded 15th in the women’s shot put after a throw of 55-0 (16.76m) at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational. Her mark at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational was good for the No. 4 throw in program history. Insingo finished 11th in the shot put at the Big Ten Indoor Championships with a toss of 50-4 (5.34m).

For all four student-athletes, it would have been their first time competing at the NCAA Indoor Championships.