Seniors Lead the Way to NCAA Championships

Austin, Texas ? The Nebraska track and field team continued to add to its list of NCAA qualifiers during the final day of the NCAA West Regional Preliminary Round, as six individuals and two relay squads added their names to the list on Saturday, including eight seniors. Overall, nine seniors and 20 total Huskers punched their ticket to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore., over three days at Mike A. Myers Stadium.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

An all senior 4x100-meter squad of Scott Wims, Lukas Hulett, Dan Christensen and Dax Danns opened the action on the track by securing NU’s first NCAA spot in the running events. The team earned an automatic bid to the national meet by finishing second in its heat, running below 40 seconds for the first time this season with a time of 39.84. Entering the meet ranked 17th in the region, the veteran group made it count when it mattered most, as the foursome posted the sixth-best time overall in the field.

 

Hulett then ended the night for the Huskers with an impressive anchor leg in the 4x400-meter relay to qualify the NU men in both relays. Adam Dailey, Cylend Simmons and Tommy Brinn had the Huskers in fourth with one leg to go and Hulett took over. The senior from Bellevue, Neb., stayed back until the final 100 meters, where he made up ground over the Oklahoma Sooners to take third and earn an automatic bid. The Huskers shattered their previous season-best time of 3:08.36 with a 3:06.61, while the Sooners ran 3:06.92.

 

Senior jumpers Leandra McGruder and Epley Bullock became Head Coach Gary Pepin’s fourth and fifth jumpers to add their names to the NCAA list, with McGruder qualifying in the triple jump and Bullock in the high jump.

 

A native of Jefferson City, Mo., McGruder blasted a personal best of 43-1 on her second attempt in the triple jump to finish second overall. One of three jumpers in the field to clear 43 feet, McGruder was able to pass on her final three attempts of the competition. Already an indoor All-America triple jumper, McGruder will now try to earn her first outdoor honor in her third trip to the outdoor championships.

 

After struggling two weeks ago at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships, Bullock bounced back in a big way in her home state of Texas with four straight first attempt clearances. A three-time Texas Class 5A state meet qualifier for Allen High School in Allen, Texas, Bullock passed at the first height, 5-4 1/2, before clearing 5-6 1/2, 5-8 1/2, 5-10 and 5-11 1/4 without a miss. Already a five-time All-American, Bullock is now a four-time qualifier for the outdoor championships and eight-time overall qualifier for the NCAA Championships,

 

The senior qualifiers continued in the 110-meter hurdles, where the veteran pair of Lehann Fourie and Tyrell Ross each earned automatic bids. Fourie finished second in his heat with a time of 13.60, while Ross finished third in his heat and improved his personal best for the second time in two days. Entering the meet with a personal best of 13.87, Ross clocked a 13.68 on Saturday and a 13.82 yesterday. Ross will be making his third appearance at the outdoor national meet and Fourie will be making his second.

 

Sophomores Tyler Hitchler and Jade Hodson became Throwing Coach Mark Colligan’s fourth and fifth throwers of the regional meet to earn spots at the national meet, joining Adam Wolkins (javelin), Trey Jordan (shot put) and Morgan Wilken (discus). Hitchler finished 11th in the men’s discus, while Hodson placed 12th in the women’s hammer throw.

 

Hitchler would have qualified with his first throw of the competition, 178-5, but made sure his spot was secure with a throw of 180-0 on his fifth attempt. Hitchler will be making his second straight appearance at the national meet in the discus.

 

Hodson locked up her first career trip to the NCAA Championships on her final throw of the competition, when she cleared 187-0. Just like Hitchler, Hodson would have qualified with a previous throw, as she tossed 186-9 on first attempt.

 

The Huskers will now return to Lincoln to train in preparation of the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The meet is schedule to start on Wednesday, June 9 and will run through Saturday, June 12 at Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon.

 

Nebraska Men’s NCAA Qualifiers (15)

Tommy Brinn ? 4x400 Relay

Dan Christensen ? 4x100 Relay

Dax Danns ? 4x100 Relay

Adam Dailey ? 4x400 Relay
Lehann Fourie ? 110-Meter Hurdles

Nicholas Gordon ? Long Jump

Paul Hamilton ? High Jump

Tyler Hitchler ? Discus

Lukas Hulett ? 4x100 Relay & 4x400 Relay

Trey Jordan ? Shot Put

Chris Phipps ? Long Jump

Tyrell Ross ? 110-Meter Hurdles

Cylend Simmons ? 4x400 Relay

Scott Wims ? 4x100 Relay

Adam Wolkins ? Javelin

 

Nebraska Women’s NCAA Qualifiers (7)

Epley Bullock ? High Jump

Jade Hodson ? Hammer Throw
Leandra McGruder ? Triple Jump

Chantae McMillan ? Heptathlon*

Megan Wheatley ? Heptathlon*
Morgan Wilken ? Discus

Natalie Willer ? Pole Vault

 

* - qualified via the descending order list prior to the regional meets. Combined events were not competed at the NCAA Regional Preliminary Round sites.