Huskers Sweep Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Titles

Columbia, Mo. -- Nebraska swept the Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Championships Sunday with the help of conference-title performances from senior Dalhia Ingram in the triple jump, redshirt freshman Leann Boerma in the shot put and freshman Eric Eshbach in the pole vault

The Husker women outdistanced Texas 169-146, while the NU men came from behind to overtake the Longhorns in the final four events. The Husker men downed Texas 134-127. Both NU squads also won conference indoor titles in February.

"The kids had an awesome meet up and down the line," Nebraska Head Coach Gary Pepin said. "It was a great team effort. It's really fun as a coach to see a team that likes each other so much -- and wants to win a championship so much - earn a win like this on both sides.

Aided by strong performances in the javelin, pole vault, 4000 meters shot put and triple jump, the Husker women won their first outdoor title since 1995. Texas had not failed to win an outdoor conference title since 1990. On the men's side, Nebraska won its first title in 1998 before the Longhorns won last season.

The NU men trailed by four points with just the javelin, pole vault, 5,000 meters and 4x400 meter relay remaining, before Eshbach vaulted a personal best and school record 18-2 1/2 to win and set a school and conference meet record. Eshbach broke his own school record of 18-0 1/2 set during the indoor season.

Texas senior Jacob Davis, the defending NCAA and conference outdoor champion, finished third at 17-7. Both Davis and Eshbach are graduates of Orangefield (Texas) High School.

"I was really struggling all through the outdoor season," said Eschbach, now tied at No. 4 in the nation. "Then everything came together. Somebody had to put it on the line and get it done for the team."

Eschbach, who came down with the bar shaking, was the only Husker male athlete to win an individual title on Sunday. The Husker men were aided by second-place performances from junior Chris Chandler in the 100 (10.22) and 200 meters (20.59), while sophomore Jimmy Pino finished third in both events.

On the women's side, the Huskers were led by Ingram, who claimed titles in both the long jump (Saturday) and the triple jump. The seven-time All-American triple jumped 44-2 1/2 on Sunday to earn her seventh conference title - and fourth this season. Ingram also won both events at the indoor meet in February.

"It feels so good to leave with a team championship both indoors and outdoors," Ingram said. "I've been wanting this for a very long time. It means so much. This is the best team I have ever been on - and not just on the track. We're just really close knit."

In the shot put, Boerema placed first with a mark of 51-1 3/4, while NU junior Erin Wibbels took fourth with a personal-best mark of 47-0 3/4 and junior Brandy Trofholz placed seventh (45-6 1/4). The threesome gave the Huskers 17 points in the shot put.

Battling a wet runway from a morning rain, the NU women scored 19 points in the high jump. Junior Janet Dutton led the way clearing 5-9 3/4 in her first attempt on the height to finish second. Having solidified second, Dutton did not opt to battle Texas senior Erin Aldrich, who won the event with a leap of 5-11 1/2, because of the slippery conditions. NU juniors Jessica Thompson and Carrie Braness tied for third at 5-9 3/4

In the 400 meters, Nebraska senior Stella Claussen took third (52.69), followed by junior Lesleyy Owusu in fourth (53.06) and sophomore Jelena Stanisavljevic in seventh (54.45). Aside from Ingram, NU junior Anie Prebyl and freshman Krisztina Kovesi placed third and fourth, respectively, in the triple jump.