Four Huskers Earn NCAA All-America Status

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Four Nebraska track and field athletes garnered All-America recognition for their efforts during the first day of action at the NCAA Indoor Championships Friday.

The NU men’s and women’s teams earned eight team points each for runner-up performances by juniors Ray Scotten in the men’s pole vault and Priscilla Lopes in the women’s 60-meter hurdles, while sophomores Gable Baldwin and Nate Probasco also gained recognition for their efforts in the men’s pole vault and 200-meter dash events.

Scotten, who finished fifth in the pole vault at last year’s national indoor meet, was one of three athletes to record a height of 18-0 1/2. The Indianapolis, Ind., reached the personal-best-tying mark for the fourth time this season, while he continues to be ranked No. 2 on Nebraska’s all-time indoor list. Oregon’s Tommy Skipper won the event by clearing 18-4 1/5, while Baldwin tied for eighth place to earn his first All-America award.

"Ray put himself in good position today," Head Coach Gary Pepin said. "He didn’t vault quite like he felt he could have, but he still had an excellent result."

Last year’s champion in the women’s 60-meter hurdles, sophomore Priscilla Lopes finished as the runner-up in 2005 to USC’s Virginia Powell, with a season-best time of 7.99. Lopes earned her fourth career NCAA All-America accolade, while she also nabbed the final spot for Saturday’s final of the women’s 60-meter dash with a mark of 7.30.

"It’s been a good weekend so far," Lopes said. "I didn’t feel my (60-meter hurdles) start was the same as it has been so far this season, but I was more than ready mentally to race today."

"Priscilla ran very good in both events," Pepin said. "She was just beaten (in the hurdles) by someone who had a better day. It doesn’t take anything away from what she accomplished."

Sophomore Nate Probasco finished just out of the running for the final spot in the evening’s 200-meter dash finale in ninth place, but gained All-American status for finishing as the eighth American. Probasco’s personal-best time of 20.93 was a bit overshadowed by Arkansas’ Wallace Spearmon in the second preliminary heat, as the Razorback pleased the hometown crowd by breaking the American record with a time of 20.21. Spearmon would go on to smash that mark in the finals by running 20.10.

Senior Anne Shadle cruised through the preliminary round of the women’s mile to reach Saturday’s final. The 2005 Big 12 Indoor Champion recorded the third-fastest time in her heat, as well as overall, with a 4:45.03.

Senior Dusty Stamer advanced to his first 60-meter dash final after posting a time of 7.70 in the event’s second preliminary heat. The Grand Island, Neb. native finished fifth in the heat, as well as seventh overall. Oklahoma’s DaBryan Blanton, who finished runner-up to Stamer in a photo finish at the Big 12 Indoor Championships two weeks ago, won Stamer's heat with a time of 6.58.

Senior Authea Chambers concluded her Husker career in the preliminary round of the women’s long jump. Chambers, runner-up at this year’s Big 12 Indoor Championships, recorded a leap of only 18-7 1/4 and failed to reach the finals. Sophomore Arturs Abolins, NU’s lone qualifier in the men’s long jump, also was unable to make the finals after fouling on each of his three attempts.

Early during Friday’s action, Nenad Loncar and Richard Davidson Jr. were eliminated from the men’s 60-meter hurdle competition after finishing Nos. 10 and 11 in the preliminary round. Davidson Jr. claimed fifth in the first hurdle heat in 7.87, with Loncar earning sixth with a time of 7.83 in the following race.

Saturday will be a key day in Nebraska’s title hopes, as nine Huskers will compete for top NCAA honors. NU's day begins with juniors Ashley Selig and Sara Jane Baker battling the nation’s elite in the women’s pentathlon and ends with Lopes and Stamer competing in the women’s and men’s 60-meter dash finals.

Team Standings
Women
1. Tennessee      21
2. Texas             19
3. Miami             14
4. Stanford          12
5. BYU               11
    Florida            11
13. Nebraska       8

Men
1. Oregon             20
2. Arkansas          19
3. Wisconsin        16
4. Arizona State    15
    Florida             15
    Stanford           15
13. Nebraska        8.5