Selig Claims Silver in Texas Relays Heptathlon

Austin, Texas ? Sophomore Ashley Selig set the tone for the Nebraska track and field team in the opening two days of the 77th Annual Texas Relays with a second-place finish in the women’s heptathlon.

 

Selig won silver in the heptathlon with 5,316 points to provisionally qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The Lincoln native vastly improved her first day performance, going from seventh place after the first four events to second place on Thursday's second day of competition.

 

Selig easily outdistanced the field in the final event of the day, winning the 800-meter run by more than five seconds with her time of 2:14.88.

 

Teammate Sara Jane Baker also made a large leap from the first to the second day in the women’s heptathlon, going from ninth place to fifth overall with a score of 5,100 points to also provisionally qualify for the national meet. Baker had a solid 800-meter run to cap the day, finishing behind Selig for second place in a time of 2:19.12.

 

Freshman Gable Baldwin qualified for his first NCAA Regional appearance, clearing 16-4 ? in the B section of the men’s pole vault for a 14th-place finish.

 

Senior Tia DeSoto took a 12th-place finish in the women’s hammer throw, with a toss of 176-8 to open the throwing events for the Huskers.

 

Danny Hill led the Nebraska 400-meter hurdlers with a 13th-place finish, as all four Huskers failed to make the finals of the event. Hill clocked a time of 52.90 to lead NU. Andrew Nelson was behind him in 21st in 53.56. Freshman Andrew Pearson ran a time of 54.44, while Mark Harrison turned in a time of 55.66.

 

In the women’s 400-meter hurdles, Maggi Escudero ran a time of 1:03.18, while Justine Roach came in at 1:03.87.

 

A much larger contingent of Husker track and field athletes will take the track on Friday to compete in the Texas Relays. Others will compete for NU at the Emporia State Relays on Saturday.