SEATTLE, Wash.?Four Nebraska pole vaulters were in action Saturday at the Washington Last Chance Qualifier as each attempted to improve their individual chances of being selected for next week’s NCAA Indoor Championships. Three other Huskers who were slated to compete in Ames, Iowa, were unable to make it out of Lincoln because of road closures due to the recent inclement weather.
Sophomore Brysun Stately shared the women’s pole vault title at the University of Washington’s Dempsey indoor facility with Idaho’s Melinda Owen after both athletes reached a height of 13-8 ?. The clearance was just short of a season best for Stately, who entered the day ranked tied for fifth nationally in the event with the personal best of 13-8 ? that she set last month during the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark. Despite not improving her mark, the Rancho Cordova, Calif., native still appears to be a near-lock for selection to next week’s national indoor meet, which also will be held in Fayetteville.
Joining Stately in competition was junior teammate Jenny Green, who tied for fourth with a height of 13-0 ?. Although Green entered the weekend ranked among the nation’s top-25 women in the pole vault, she is a long shot to reach the national meet after not improving on her previous season best of 13-1 ?. Typical fields range from 14 to 20 in individual NCAA indoor events.
On the men’s side, freshman Seth Burney also claimed a tie for fourth place with a mark of 17-0, while senior Gable Baldwin cleared 16-6 to tie for sixth. Neither Husker improved on previous bests, as each had reached 17-4 ? earlier this season to enter the weekend tied for 18th among the national field. The Huskers will have to wait to see if the pair is selected for nationals.
The indoor season comes to a close next weekend in Arkansas, as the NCAA indoor meet will pit the nation’s elite against each other with national honors on the line. Competition begins Friday, March 9, at Arkansas’ Randal Tyson Track Complex and concludes the following day. Nebraska will learn which of its athletes have been selected to compete this Monday.