Rands Places Fifth in USA Junior Long Jump

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.?Freshman Robert Rands represented the Nebraska track and field team Thursday during the second day of the AT&T USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at the IU Michael A. Carroll Track and Soccer Stadium. Additionally, four Husker signees also competed in the USA Junior Championships.

Junior Kayla Wilkinson was due to compete in the women’s javelin, but action was suspended because of inclement weather. The event has been moved to 5 p.m. on Friday.

Rands finished fifth while attempting to defend his 2005 junior men’s title in the long jump. The Bellevue, Neb., native registered his best leap of the day of 23-11 ? on his third preliminary attempt. Aaron Smith (South Plains CC) easily won the competition with a mark of 25-11 ?.

Four talented incoming NU recruits also were in action Thursday. Sprinter Scott Wims (Ft. Wayne, Ind.) made the most impressive showing, as he finished sixth in the junior men’s 100-meter dash finals with a time of 10.46. He was second during the preliminary rounds with a blazing mark of 10.43.  Wims next takes to the track Friday at 10:15 a.m. in the junior men’s 200-meter dash prelims.

Hurdlers Tim Grier (Stone Mountain, Ga.) and Nikita Eades (Aurora, Colo.) each advanced to Friday’s finals for the junior men’s and junior women’s 400-meter hurdles, respectively. Grier clocked in at 51.98 to finish fifth overall, while Eades grabbed the last of eight finals spots with a time of 1:01.27. The junior men’s intermediate hurdles final is set for 12:40 p.m. on Friday, while the junior women’s race will follow.

Nebraska prep Sara Lyons (Omaha, Neb.) began her week by running 12.09 during the prelims of the junior women’s 100-meter dash. While she did not advance to the finals, she also will run in the junior women’s 200-meter dash prelims on Friday.