Huskers Add to 2016 Signing Class

LINCOLN, Neb. – Nebraska track and field head coach Gary Pepin continues to add to the 2016 Husker signing class. 

Nebraska most recently picked up the signature of Catherine Mick, a standout senior at Bruning-Davenport/Shickley. 

Mick will start her Husker career as a multi-event athlete and pole vaulter. She is a three-time Class D state champion in the pole vault. Mick won the 2015 pole vault all-class gold medal by clearing 12-3, which ranks No. 6 in Nebraska high school history. Mick became the first athlete from Nebraska's smallest class to win the pole vault all-class gold medal.

In addition, Mick was the 100- and 300-meter hurdles champion in 2015. She owns a 100-meter hurdles best of 15.35 and 300-meter hurdles best of 45.39, both set at the 2015 state meet.

A talented all-around athlete, Mick was also an all-state volleyball player and honorable-mention all-state basketball player for BDS.

The Huskers now have 10 athletes set to join the women's team and four set to join the men's team next season.

Click here to view photos of the 2016 Husker signing class.

WOMEN

Rachel Brush, Waukee, Iowa - Distance
Attended Waukee High School in Waukee, Iowa...set PRs of 4:45.97 in the 1,500m and 10:18.23 in the 3,000m...also set a personal-best 18:24.00 in the cross country 5K...as a junior in 2015, placed seventh in the 1,500m and ninth in the 3,000m at the Iowa 4A State Championships...also took fourth with the 4x800 relay team...born Oct. 31, 1997.

Josilyn Dostal, Naperville, Ill. - Jumps
Attended Naperville Central High School in Naperville, Ill...set a triple jump PR of 36-11 and long jump PR of 16-5...won the triple jump title at the Illinois 3A Naperville North Girls Sectional as a junior...captured the DuPage Valley Conference indoor long jump and triple jump titles to lead Naperville Central to the indoor conference championship in 2015...was an accomplished figure skater before turning to track and field as a sophomore...born July 10, 1998...parents are Scott Dostal and Kimberly Jepsen.

Elsa Forsberg, Lincoln, Neb. - Distance
At Lincoln Southeast, set personal bests in the 800 meters (2:18.60), 1,600 meters (5:04.71) and 3,200 meters (10:58.81) in her junior season on the track in 2015...posted a pair of third-place finishes in the 1,600m and 3,200m at the 2015 Class A State Championships while taking sixth in the 800 meters...won gold medals in the 1,600 and 3,200 at the highly competitive Harold Scott Invite, breaking the meet record in the 1,600 with a time of 5:05.89...finished fourth at the 2015 Class A State Cross Country Championships in October, running the 5,000-meter course in 19:23.1...her time was a nine-second improvement from her junior state meet, when she also finished fourth...born Feb. 11, 1998.

Andy Jacobs, Rochester, Minn., Pole Vault
Attended Rochester Century High School in Rochester, Minn...set a pole vault PR of 13-7 1/4, a Minnesota state record and making her the top active high school vaulter in the country...was a three-time Minnesota state champion and holds the Minnesota state meet record...won the USATF Junior Olympics pole vault title in 2015 with her jump of 13-7 1/4...was a high school All-American in diving, as well as a three-time sectional champion and section record holder...was the Minnesota state runner-up in 2013 and placed fourth as a junior in 2014...born Andrianna Jacobs on Sept. 5, 1997...parents are Chad and Christina Jacobs.

Kiara Kearney, Colorado Springs, Colo. - High Jump
Attended Rampart High School in Colorado Springs, Colo...set a high jump PR of 5-8...as a junior in 2015, placed second at the Colorado 5A state meet with a clearance of 5-6...took up track and field as a sophomore in 2014 and finished sixth at the state meet...placed fifth in the 2014 Junior Olympic National Championships...won the title at the Colorado Indoor Championships with a jump of 5-8...born March 2, 1998...mother is Kimberly.

Lillian Markusch, Englewood, Colo. - Distance
Attended Cherry Creek High School in Greenwood Village, Colo...posted personal bests of 5:03.42 (altitude) in the 1,600m and 11:03.33 (altitude) in the 3,200m...as a junior, placed seventh in the 3,200m at the Colorado 5A State Championship...born Aug. 5, 1998...parents are Bradd and Susan.

Catherine Mick, Carleton, Neb. - Combined Events/Pole Vault
Attended Bruning-Davenport/Shickley High School in Nebraska...was a three-time Class D state champion in the pole vault...won the 2015 pole vault all-class gold medal by clearing 12-3, which ranks No. 6 in Nebraska high school history...became the first athlete from Nebraska's smallest class to win the pole vault all-class gold medal...was also the 100- and 300-meter hurdles champion in 2015...set a 100-meter hurdles best of 15.35 and 300-meter hurdles best of 45.39, both at the 2015 state meet...was also an all-state volleyball player and honorable-mention all-state basketball player for BDS...born May 4, 1998...parents are John and Darlene.

Sydney Otto, DePere, Wis. - Javelin 
Attended De Pere High School in De Pere, Wis…was the national champion in the javelin at the 2015 AAU Junior Olympics with a personal best of 143-6...competed in numerous events during the high school season, including the sprints, hurdles, shot put, high jump, long jump and triple jump...also played volleyball, basketball and softball.

Jessi Smith, Bayard, Neb. - Middle Distance
Was a middle distance standout at Bayard High School...captured four state titles entering her track and field senior season...won the Class C state titles in both the 400 and 800 meters in 2014 and 2015...as a junior in 2015, set a 400-meter personal best of 57.18...set an 800-meter PR of 2:15.27 to win the state title as a sophomore...also earned runner-up honors in the 200 meters as a junior, clocking in at 25.78...born June 2, 1998...parents are Jeff Smith and Celeste Nutter.

Madison Yerigan, Seattle, Wash. - High Jump
Attended Stanwood High School in Stanwood, Wash...set a high jump PR of 5-10...won the Washington 3A state high jump title as a junior in 2015, clearing 5-8...was on the USA World Youth Team in the summer of 2015.

MEN

Givon Washington, Argyle, Texas - Sprints
Attended Liberty Christian School in Argyle, Texas...set PRs in the 200m (21.1) and 400m (48.1) at the 2015 Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools Track & Field Championships, winning the gold in both events as a junior...also won the 200m and 400m at the TAPPS 5A North Regional...born Dec. 25, 1997...parents are George and Kylee.

Simon Wiedel, Thayer County, Neb. - Sprints/Jumps
Attended Thayer Central High School in Hebron, Neb...set PRs in the 100m (10.6, a school record) and 200m (22.07)...won the 100m and finished second in the 200m at the 2015 Class C State Championships as a junior...won both the 100m and 200m state titles as a freshman in 2013, and won the 100m gold in 2014...finished runner-up in the triple jump at the state meet in 2015 with a personal-best jump of 44-7 1/2...was third in the long jump (21-8 3/4)...older brother, Seth, competed for the Huskers from 2011 to 2014...helped the Titans to team state titles in 2013 and 2014...born May 2, 1997...parents are Kurk and Kris.

Michael Williams, Surprise, Ariz. - High Jump
Attended Shadow Ridge High School in Surprise, Ariz...won the high jump 12 times during the 2015 season, but set his personal best of 6-10 at the 2015 Sunrise Mt./Shadow Ridge Meet...won the high jump title at Arizona's biggest meet, the Chandler Rotary Invitational...born July 25, 1998...parents are Bryan and Georgia. 

Erich Wiese, Republic of South Africa - Javelin
A native of South Africa, set a personal-best javelin throw of 237-10 (72.5m) at Rustenburg in 2015...was the 2015 National Secondary Schools champion with his PR throw of 237-10...born Jan. 6, 1997...parents are Gerrie and Betsy.