Huskers End Regular Season at Kansas State

The Nebraska track and field team wraps up the outdoor regular season at the Ward Haylett Invitational in Manhattan, Kan., this Friday and Saturday. 

The meet begins for the Huskers on Friday at 7 p.m. with the women’s 400 meters. Saturday’s field events begin at 10 a.m., while running events commence at 1 p.m. 

Following this weekend’s meet, the Huskers will head to the Big Ten Outdoor Championships in Minneapolis, Minn., from May 13-15. The NCAA West Preliminary Round will be held May 25-28 in Fayetteville, Ark., and the NCAA Outdoor Championships are set for June 8-11 in Eugene, Ore. 

Racking Up Weekly Awards

The Huskers have combined for four Big Ten weekly honors already this outdoor season:

• Freshman Jenna Rogers has twice been named Big Ten Women’s Field Athlete of the Week (April 6 and 13) for standout high jump performances. Rogers was the Big Ten indoor high jump champion and a first-team All-American after finishing seventh at the NCAA Indoor Championships. 

• Darius Luff was the Big Ten Men’s Track Athlete of the Week on April 6 after winning the 110-meter hurdles at the Pepsi Florida Relays in 13.70. Luff was a first-team All-American indoors in the 60-meter hurdles after finishing seventh. 

• Mayson Conner was tabbed Big Ten Men’s Field Athlete of the Week on April 6 after a high jump clearance of 7-1 (2.16m) at the Pepsi Florida Relays. Conner won the Big Ten indoor high jump title and placed 13th at nationals in March. 

Huskers Moving Up the Charts

A number of Huskers have cracked the all-time Nebraska outdoor top 10 charts through two weeks of the outdoor season:

• Erika Freyhof moved up one spot to No. 2 on the 10,000 meters chart with a new PR of 33:50.38 at the Stanford Invitational. In the same event on the men’s side, Ryan Martins ran 29:44.24 to move to No. 6 all-time, and Mark Freyhof set a new best of 30:09.72 to rank ninth in school history.

• Jenna Rogers, the Big Ten indoor high jump champion and a first-team All-American as a freshman, already cracked the outdoor top 10 chart at No. 4 with a best mark of 6-1 1/4 (1.86m) at the John McDonnell Invitational. 

• Hannah Godwin ran the ninth-fastest 3,000-meter steeplechase in school history (10:39.87) at the John McDonnell Invitational, while Taya Skelton comes in at No. 10 (10:42.86) after her Drake Relays performance. 

• Darius Luff’s 110-meter hurdles PR of 13.59 at the John McDonnell Invitational ranks No. 7 in school history. 

• Till Steinforth scored 7,473 points in the decathlon at the Jim Click Multis, the No. 6 total in school history.

• Alex Talley shattered the hammer throw school record at the Sooner Invitational with a PR of 234-1 (71.36m). He also ranks No. 8 in the outdoor shot put with a throw this season of 63-5 (19.33m). 

• Maxwell Otterdahl joined the ranks of the all-time best shot put marks with a throw of 65-6 3/4 (19.98m) at the Drake Relays, the No. 5 throw all-time. 

• Henry Zimmerman has worked his way up to No. 4 among the all-time hammer throw performances with a best of 213-1 (64.95m). 

• Axelina Johansson jumped up the women’s shot put chart to No. 3 with a throw of 58-4 (17.78m) at the Michael Johnson Invitational. 

• Ryan Martins climbed the 5,000 meters chart to No. 4 with a PR of 14:06.35 at the Drake Relays.

Big Ten Leaders at a Glance

A number of Huskers have positioned themselves among the Big Ten event leaders with one week left until the Big Ten Outdoor Championships.

Men

2. Mayson Conner, High Jump, 7-1 (2.16m)

2. Maxwell Otterdahl, Shot Put, 65-6 3/4 (19.98m)

2. Alex Talley, Hammer Throw, 234-1 (71.36m)

3. Darius Luff, 110m Hurdles, 13.59

3. Reid Nelson, High Jump, 6-11 3/4 (2.13m)

3. Tyus Wilson, High Jump, 6-11 3/4 (2.13m)

4. Alex Talley, Shot Put, 63-5 (19.33m)

5. Cory Berg, 400m Hurdles, 51.32

5. Till Steinforth, Decathlon, 7473

Women

1. Jenna Rogers, High Jump, 6-1 1/4 (1.86m)

1. Maddie Harris, Javelin, 178-2 (54.31m)

2. Axelina Johansson, Shot Put, 58-4 (17.78m)

2. Mirta Kulisic, Javelin, 169-2 (51.57m)

3. Lishanna Ilves, Long Jump, 20-9 (6.32m)

3. Ashley McElmurry, Triple Jump, 42-4 (12.90m)

3. Erika Freyhof, 10,000m, 33:50.38

3. Riley Masten, High Jump, 5-10 1/2 (1.79m)

5. LaQwasia Stepney, Long Jump, 20-7 3/4 (6.29m)

5. Brooklyn MIller, Javelin, 151-4 (46.14m)

Huskers in the NCAA Rankings

In addition to the Huskers’ Big Ten event leaders, a handful of Nebraska track and field athletes rank in the top 25 nationally:

Men

6. Alex Talley, Hammer Throw, 234-1 (71.36m)

8. Maxwell Otterdahl, Shot Put, 65-6 3/4 (19.98m)

13. Darius Luff, 110m Hurdles, 13.59

17. Alex Talley, Shot Put, 63-5 (19.33m)

20. Till Steinforth, Decathlon, 7473

23. Mayson Conner, High Jump, 7-1 (2.16m)

Women

4. Axelina Johansson, Shot Put, 58-4 (17.78m)

7. Jenna Rogers, High Jump, 6-1 1/4 (1.86m)

12. Maddie Harris, Javelin, 178-2 (54.31m)

19. Mirta Kulisic, Javelin, 169-2 (51.57m)



Ward Haylett Invitational

Schedule of Events

FRIDAY

7:00 PM – Women’s 400m – Nieve Walsh

7:15 PM – Men’s 1,500m – Zach Van Brocklin

SATURDAY

10:00 AM – Women’s High Jump – Madison Yerigan, (Abby Klipstein)

    to follow – Men’s High Jump – Charlie Hoston

10:00 AM – Men’s Long Jump – Passmore Mudundulu, Charlie Hoston, Clayton Keys, Michael Hoffer

    to follow – Women’s Long Jump – Ieva Turke, (Abby Klipstein)

11:30 AM – Women’s Pole Vault – Andy Jacobs, Hannah Preissler

    to follow – Men’s Pole Vault – Drake Burton, Garrison Hughes

1:00 PM – Men’s Triple Jump – Passmore Mudundulu

    to follow – Women’s Triple Jump – Ieva Turke

1:00 PM – Women’s 3,000m Steeplechase – Audrey Freyhof

1:20 PM – Women’s 100m Hurdles – (Abby Klipstein)

1:33 PM – Men’s 100m – Alex Nelson

1:40 PM – Women’s 800m – Kaitlynn Johnson, Nieve Walsh

1:45 PM – Men’s 800m – Holden Ruse, Sam Easley, Jack Nolley, (Niko Schultz)

2:02 PM – Men’s 400m Hurdles – Clayton Keys, Tyler Drew, Joseph Clifford

2:10 PM – Women’s 200m – (Abby Klipstein)

2:13 PM – Men’s 200m – Alex Nelson