Huskers Add Three More All-Americans

Fayetteville, Ark. ? Once again heavy rain hit John McDonnell Field on Friday morning, delaying the start of day three of the NCAA Outdoor Championships by over an hour. Once the clouds split and the sun broke through, 5,430 track and field fans saw the Huskers produce three first-time outdoor All-Americans. With three days in the books, the Husker men sit in 12th, while the women are in 47th.

 

Kirkland Thornton completed the first half of his journey to become the first Husker in school history to earn All-America in both the 110- and 400-meter hurdles at the same meet on Friday night, placing fifth in the 400 hurdles with a time of 49.81. Adding to the impressive feat, Thornton pulled off the All-American finish just over an hour after he qualified for the 110-hurlde finals, running the fourth fastest time in the semifinals at 13.67.

 

Thornton becomes the first Husker on the men’s side to finish in the top eight in the 400 hurdles at the national meet since Mark Jackson also finished fifth 17 years ago in 1992. A native of South Holland, Ill., Thornton will try to complete the double-header tomorrow at 12:59 p.m. in the 110-meter hurdle finals, scheduled for a live broadcast on CBS.

 

The third time was a charm for junior Epley Bullock on Friday as she earned her first outdoor All-America honor in the women’s high jump after failing to reach the top eight at the past two outdoor championships. All ready a three-time indoor All-American in the high jump, Bullock tied four other jumpers for fifth place, clearing 6-0.

 

Bullock got off to a hot start, clearing the first two bars, 5-8 1/2 and 5-9 3/4, on her first attempts. After a second-attempt clearance at 5-10 3/4, she was down to her last jump at the 6-0 bar. With a spot in the top-eight on the line, the Allen, Texas, native soared over the bar to lock up her fourth career All-America honor. Bullock’s finish is tops by a Husker since 2001, when Carrie Braness also tied for fifth. Bullock is also the first Husker woman since Braness in 2000 to earn All-America indoors and outdoors in the same year.

 

After producing the first All-America honor of his career during the indoor season, Seth Burney added an outdoor honor by finishing ninth overall and sixth among American vaulters in the men’s pole vault. After clearing 16-8 3/4 on his second attempt, Burney coasted over 17-2 3/4 with ease on his first attempt. The momentum would not carry over to the 17-6 1/2 bar, as Burney was unable to climb past the next bar. The Beatrice, Neb., native is the first men’s vaulter at NU to sweep All-America honors since Ray Scotten did so in 2006, finishing ninth overall/sixth American outdoors and fifth indoors.

 

In the men’s high jump, sophomore Paul Hamilton came up one spot shy of earning his first ever All-America honor, finishing 10th overall and ninth among American jumpers with a leap of 7-0 1/4. Hamilton was one of three jumpers to clear the 7-0 1/4 bar, but took three attempts to clear the height, with the other two clearing on their first attempts. The 2009 Big 12 outdoor champion made big strides from the 2008 national meet, where he finished tied for 20th.

 

Starting day two of the women’s heptathlon in 12th place with 3,370 points, sophomore Megan Wheatley had her work cut out for her to get into the top eight, with only three events remaining. The Perth, Australia, native got off to a quick start, placing fifth in the long jump with a leap of 19-8 1/4, scoring 850 points and moving her to eighth overall with 4,220 points. She then moved to the javelin where she finished 12th with a toss of 118-8, dropping her to ninth overall with 4,814 points. Wheatley ended with a time of 2:20.10 in the 800 meters, leaving her in ninth place for the second straight year at the national meet with 5,636 points, just 32 points behind eighth-place finisher Shevell Quinley of Arizona.

 

Junior Leandra McGruder wrapped up her 2009 NCAA Championships on Friday afternoon in the women’s triple jump with a 26th-place finish. After fouling on her first two attempts, McGruder cleared 40-11 on her third attempt in the prelims. The Jefferson City, Mo., native was one of three Huskers to compete in two events at the meet, also placing 21st in the long jump on Wednesday.

 

Like McGruder, true freshman Chris Phipps was also competing in his second event of the meet on Friday, the men’s triple jump. The youngster from Patterson, N.J., finished 26th with a leap of 44-4 3/4, adding to his 23rd-place finish in the long jump from Wednesday.

 

With three days down, the Huskers will make one final trip to John McDonnell Field tomorrow for the final day of the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Thornton will be the only Husker in competition, running the 110-meter hurdles at 12:59 p.m. Fans will be able to catch the event live on CBS, as the meet will be broadcast from Noon to 2 p.m. (Central).For more information regarding the championships, check the track and field page at Huskers.com.