Hoffer, Lambrechts Jr. Qualify for Nationals

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Nebraska track and field’s Michael Hoffer and Burger Lambrechts Jr. punched the Huskers’ first two tickets to the NCAA Championships on Wednesday at the NCAA West Preliminary Round at Texas A&M’s E.B. Cushing Stadium. 

Hoffer became Nebraska’s first qualifier on the first of four days of the regional meet with a long jump personal best of 25-8 1/4 (7.83m), which earned him a fifth-place finish in the 48-man field. The top 12 individuals in each event advance to the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon, from June 9-12. 

Hoffer’s PR of 25-8 1/4 (7.83m) was the No. 7 wind-legal jump in school history. His previous personal best was 24-10 (7.57m), set earlier this month. 

Burger Lambrechts Jr. also qualified for the NCAA Championships. He posted a shot put of 63-5 (19.33m), which earned him ninth place in the competition. Lambrechts was the Big Ten indoor shot put champion and was a first-team All-American, finishing fifth at the NCAA Indoor Championships. 

Four Huskers competed in preliminary races on the track on Wednesday, and all four advanced to Friday’s final races that will feature 24 runners competing for 12 NCAA berths. Dais Malebana earned a spot in the 1,500-meters final with a time of 3:45.46, the 14th-fastest qualifying time. 

Luke Siedhoff ran 13.52 in the 110-meter hurdles, the fourth-fastest time, to qualify for Friday’s final. Joey Daniels automatically qualified by winning his heat with a time of 13.64. Darius Luff advanced as well with a time of 13.65. Siedhoff’s and Luff’s times were personal bests with wind aid. Siedhoff’s time was the seventh-fastest ever run by a Husker in any conditions, while Luff’s was tied for 10th. 

Garrison Hughes set a pole vault PR on Wednesday, clearing 17-6 1/2 (5.35m) on his first attempt to finish in a tie for 16th place. Kevin Shubert had an outdoor PR of 60-8 1/2 (18.50m) in the shot put and finished 19th.

The Husker women take the stage on Thursday. NU will have athletes in the javelin, long jump, pole vault, shot put, 400 meters and 10,000 meters. Action begins at 1:30 p.m.