Huskers Add Four Throwers to Roster

The Husker Track and Field team announced the signing of four highly-ranked throwers Thursday afternoon. Senior Alex Talley and sophomore Max Otterdahl join the Huskers after starting their careers at North Dakota State where they both earned All-America honors. Taylor Latimer, a junior-transfer from Kansas State, joins the Huskers as a two-time All-American, and Axelina Johannson rounds out the group as a world-ranked thrower from Sweden. 

Talley, a native of West Fargo, N.D., joins the Huskers after spending three seasons at NDSU. A six-time All-American, Tally has had an impressive career thus far. The 2021 USTFCCCA Midwest Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year, Talley won the shot put event title at the Summit League Championships with a mark of 64-01.25 (19.54m). He also claimed the hammer throw title with a meet-record of 228-11 (69.78m). Talley went on to finish sixth in the nation at the NCAA Championships in the hammer throw with a mark of 232-11 (70.99m) earning First Team All-America honors. The senior is a six-time All-American and is currently ranked fifth in the NCAA in shot put and third in the weight throw. Talley has also succeeded in the classroom earning USTFCCCA All-Academic honors and a spot on the Summit League Academic All-League team. 

Otterdahl, a native of Rosemount, Minn., comes to Nebraska after spending two seasons at NDSU. The sophomore finished in third at the Summit League Indoor Championships after hitting a season-best mark of 62-09.50 (19.14m) in the shot put. Otterdahl earned All-America honors after claiming an eighth-place finish at the 2021 NCAA Indoor Championships. He is currently ranked 12th in the NCAA in the shot put with a personal best of 19.66m. Otterdahl is also ranked 25th in the discus with a personal best of 57.64m and 32nd in the weight throw with a personal best of 20.76. 

Latimer, a native of Valley Center, Kan., joins the Huskers after spending four seasons at Kansas State. The senior is a two-time All-American and is currently ranked 11th in the shot put with a personal best of 17.74. Latimer’s career has been highlighted by first-place finishes in shot put at the 2019 and 2021 Big 12 Outdoor Championships. Latimer has also been successful in the classroom earning 2021 Academic All-Big 12 First Team honors and 2019 Academic All-Big 12 Second Team honors.

Rounding out the group is Johannson, an internationally ranked shot put thrower from Falun, Sweden. Currently ranked 47th internationally, Johannson has a personal best mark of 18.08m. She was also a bronze medalist at the U23 European Athletics Championships.