Selig, Shadle Capture NCAA Titles

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. ? The University of Nebraska men’s and women’s track and field teams had a stellar final day at the NCAA Indoor Championships Saturday. The Huskers claimed two individual NCAA titles and two runner-up finishes, while the women’s and men’s teams posted respective placings of fourth and seventh.

 

Nebraska junior Ashley Selig claimed her first national title in the women’s pentathlon with a winning score of 4,327 points. The Lincoln, Neb., native shattered her own previous school record of 4,269.

 

Selig set individual bests in both the high jump (5-9 1/4) and long jump events (20-2 1/2) on the day. The key moment of the competition came on her final long jump attempt, having fouled on her previous two tries. Selig needed an outstanding mark to keep up with BYU’s Amy Menlove, who recorded an incredible jump of 21-10 ? to take a substantial lead. She recorded her personal-best jump of 20-2 1/2 to stay within striking distance of Menlove.

 

“I felt good during the long jump,” Selig said. “I had run fast down the runway, just didn’t hit the board right. I wasn’t too worried about (fouling out).”

 

Entering the pentathlon’s final event, the 800-meter run, the Husker still trailed Menlove by 139 points. Selig needed to defeat the BYU Cougar by about 10 seconds to claim the title. She did just that by finishing in 2:13.40, more than 11 seconds faster than Menlove.

 

“I knew (Menlove) had an amazing meet,” Selig said. “I couldn’t worry about her going into the 800, I just had to run my own race. You have to hand it to not only Menlove, but a number of girls, for their performances today.”

 

Not to be outdone, Anne Shadle won her own NCAA championship in the women’s mile by running a school-record time of 4:38.23. The mark surpassed Fran ten Bensel’s 1992 NU record of 4:38.33.

 

Shadle led during most of the race, as she took over first place midway through the third of eight laps and never looked back. The South Sioux City, Neb., native’s win gave the Huskers their first-ever indoor women’s mile champion.

 

“(Taking the early lead) wasn’t the plan,” Shadle said. “I just wanted to cover everyone else’s moves. I didn’t want it to be a sit and kick race, so I went out and kept the hammer down. I wasn’t going to let anyone pass me on that last lap.”

 

“Selig and Shadles gave us two great wins by Nebraska natives,” Head Coach Gary Pepin said. “They have both came a long way in their time here. They’re great people, great students and great captains.”

 

While the Husker women were having a superb day, the NU men faired quite well themselves.

 

Nebraska’s two Dustys, Dusty Jonas and Dusty Stamer, each finished runner-up in their respective competitions of the high jump and 60-meter dash. Jonas’ surprising finish came when he cleared a career-best height of 7-3 3/4, while Stamer added a personal best of his own by running a 6.62.

 

Other Huskers to earn NCAA All-America honors on the day included Daniel Roper, who finished seventh in the men’s triple jump with a career-long leap of 52-1 1/2. Roper’s placing was NU’s highest for the men’s indoor triple jump since Sheldon Hutchison claimed sixth in 2000.

 

Aaron Plas gave Nebraska another top performer in the men’s high jump when he tied for seventh place. Plas cleared 7-2 1/2 for his first NCAA All-America award.

 

Priscilla Lopes concluded the team scoring for the Husker women when she finshed eighth in the finals of the women’s 60-meter dash. Lopes, who finished runner-up in the women’s 60-meter hurdles competition Friday, earned All-America recognition for the fifth time in her short career.

 

Sara Jane Baker (pentathlon) and Christi Lehman (pole vault) also competed for the Husker women on Saturday. Baker accumulated a personal-best 3,978 points for a 12th-place finish, while Lehman earned 16th place with a vault of 12-7 1/2.

 

“We had a terrific meet on both sides,” Pepin said. “But when you have as good of a year as both of our teams did, this kind of finish is kind of fitting.”

 

With the 2005 indoor track and field season complete, Nebraska will rest next week as it prepares for its 2005 outdoor opener on March 25-26 at the Stanford Invitational in Palo Alto, Calif.

 

Media Note: For complete results for both days of the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, please visit the University of Arkansas women’s athletics web site at ladybacks.com

 

Final Team Scores

Women

1.  Tennessee                46

2.  Florida                      36

3.  Miami                       32

4.  Nebraska                  29

5.  South Carolina          28

 

Men

1.  Arkansas                  56

2.  Florida                      46

3.  Wisconsin                43

4.  Auburn                     37

5.  Indiana                     30

7.  Nebraska                 28