Freyhof Earns Automatic Bid to NCAA Championships

Erika Freyhof qualified to compete at the NCAA Championships for the second consecutive season with a 10th-place finish at the NCAA Midwest Regional on Friday morning in Iowa City, Iowa.

Freyhof covered the 6K course with a time of 20:56.07. With her 10th-place finish, Freyhof garnered All-Region honors for the third straight time after back-to-back 11th-place finishes in 2018 and 2019.

 

The Nebraska women finished ninth out of 32 teams in the 6K with 303 points, while the Husker men placed 16th in the 10K with 467 points.

“Before the race began, I truly believed that I could qualify for Nationals, and I gave it everything I had to finish well until the line,” said Freyhof. “Coach Wackerly believed in me and that really helped me to believe as well. I wanted to run the best I could, no matter what the results were and bring glory to God throughout the way I raced this morning.”

 

Following Freyhof, Hannah Godwin was the next Husker to cross the finish line with a time of 21:37.72 to place 48th. Grace Pagone recorded a 64th-place finish with a run of 21:49.02. Jacquelyn Abanses clocked a 21:57.99 to finish 75th, followed by Taya Skelton in 109th with a time of 22:27.72 to round out the scoring for Nebraska.

“Erika cemented herself as one of the greatest female cross country runners in Nebraska history today,” said head coach Matt Wackerly. “She ran a poised and tough race to earn her ticket to nationals. Considering how young we are, the rest of the women ran well, and I think the future is bright with them. The men ran well in tough conditions this morning. Dais hurt his back in the race, but we would have been top-10 as well if he had finished.”

 

On the men’s side, Ryan Martins had the top finish for the Big Red, placing 28th with a time of 31:06.03. Mark Freyhof posted a time of 31:45.99 to finish 59th. Bailey Timmons covered the course in 32:39.58 to place 106th. Ryan Eastman had a 131st-place finish with a run of 33:04.25 while Jerry Jorgenson capped the scoring for the Big Red with a time of 33:18.00 to finish 145th.

 

Women’s Lineup (6K)

10. Erika Freyhof – 20:56.07

48. Hannah Godwin – 21:37.72

64. Grace Pagone – 21:49.02

75. Jacquelyn Abanses – 21:57.99

109. Taya Skelton – 22:27.72

131. Lindsey Blehm – 22:41.61

159. Brynna McQuillen – 23:06.38

 

Men’s Lineup (10K)

28. Ryan Martins – 31:06.03

59. Mark Freyhof – 31:45.99

106. Bailey Timmons – 32:39.58

131. Ryan Eastman – 33:04.25

145. Jerry Jorgenson – 33:18.00

166. Sadio Fenner – 33:48.86