Five Huskers Compete at USA Championships

Des Moines, Iowa ? The Nebraska track and field team had a total of five former, current and future Huskers in competition on Thursday during the second day of the USA Outdoor Championships in Des Moines, Iowa. The five-day meet is held on the blue oval at Drake Stadium and hosts the top track and field athletes in the United States.

 

In the junior division of the heptathlon, true freshman Anne Martin finished seventh out of 32 multi-eventers with a score of 4,787. Martin struggled through day one of the two-day event, as she failed to place higher than 11th in any of the first four events yesterday. The Waverly, Neb., native came out strong on day two with a pair of sixth-place finishes in the long jump (17-7 1/2) and javelin (120-11). She finished the heptathlon with a 15th-place showing in the 800 meters with a time of 2:31.63.

 

Fellow true freshman Veronica Grizzle added a seventh-place finish in the junior division of the shot put. Grizzle tossed 46-10 on her first attempt and the mark held up throughout to secure a top-10 finish.

 

Switching to the senior circuit, former Husker national champion Angee Henry posted the seventh-best time in the 400-meter preliminaries at 52.23. The time secured Henry a spot in tomorrow’s semifinals at 6:45 p.m.

 

Leandra McGruder also competed in the senior division of the triple jump. McGruder cleared 41-7 to take 15th place.

 

One future Husker was also in competition on Thursday, as Ellen Dougherty of Moville, Iowa, competed in the prelimaries of the 800 meters. Dougherty, who has already signed a letter of intent with the Huskers, qualified for Friday’s 1:30 p.m. final with the eight-best preliminary time at 2:10.58. Dougherty won 14 state medals and four state titles in Iowa’s Class 4A while at Sioux City East High School.

 

Action is set to start up tomorrow with the junior division of the men’s 10K race walk at 8 a.m.