Roper Improves NCAA Qualifying Chances

Nebraska junior Daniel Roper improved his previous provisional-qualifying mark in the men’s triple jump for next week’s NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships by winning the event at the Cyclone NCAA Qualifier in Ames, Iowa, Saturday afternoon.

Roper recorded a leap of 51-5 1/2 to exceed his previous season best by one inch while earning top honors at Iowa State. Entering the weekend, the Plantation, Fla., native ranked 18th nationally with his mark of 51-4 1/2 that placed sixth at the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark. Saturday’s performance moved him into a tie for 17th place, which places him on the bubble to earn a bid to the national meet.

Of the 13 Huskers competing Saturday, only Roper improved his stock to a level that could possibly lead to an NCAA bid. Junior Nate Probasco, who entered the meet with hopes of lowering the nation’s No. 21 time of 21.17 in the men’s 200-meter dash, finished seventh place in the 200 with a time of 21.29.

Other NU athletes seeking improved marks for NCAA consideration included senior Jenna Blubaugh, who reached 12-5 1/2 to earn third place in the women’s pole vault; junior Gable Baldwin, who finished fourth in the men’s pole vault (16-7 1/2); junior Aaron Ross, who claimed fourth place in the men’s 60-meter hurdles (7.91); sophomore LeRon Williams, the seventh-place finisher in the men’s long jump (23-11 3/4); and sophomore Elizabeth Lange, who notched a time of 2:10.61 in the women’s 800 meters. None of the five Huskers were able to improve on previous season-best performances.

Sophomore Egle Uljas, already the owner an automatic NCAA qualification in the women’s 800 meters, tuned up for next week’s national competition by finishing runner-up in the 800 to South Carolina’s Shay Shelton with a time of 2:06.24. Uljas set the Nebraska women’s record of 2:05.30 earlier this season to win the event at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational and claim her first career bid the NCAA indoor meet.

Sophomore Demea Carter also competed Saturday, setting a career best of 24-1 3/4 to earn fourth place in the men’s long jump.

Selection to the NCAA Indoor Championships will be announced Monday. Nebraska already owns seven automatic qualifiers (five women, two men), while at least five others also appear to have legitimate chances of earning bids. The meet will be hosted by the University of Arkansas at the Randall Tyson Indoor Track Center Friday, March 10 through Saturday, March 11.