Huskers Secure 11 Bids to NCAA Championships

LAWRENCE, Kan. - The Nebraska track and field team has locked up 11 bids to the NCAA Outdoor Championships with one day remaining at the NCAA West Preliminary Round at Rock Chalk Park.

Sarah Firestone and Brittni Wolczyk earned the Huskers' first bids on Friday in the javelin. Firestone saved her best effort for her last attempt, throwing 168-7 (51.38m) to finish sixth in the regional and earn her second straight trip to nationals. The freshman Wolczyk earned her way to nationals with a throw of 163-3 (49.76m) to place 10th. 

Cody Rush easily won his 400-meter heat to earn an automatic berth to Eugene. Rush's time of 45.88 was the second-fastest time at the regional and gave the senior from Grand Island his second career trip to outdoor nationals in the 400 meters. He finished 13th in 2014. 

Karolina Pahlitzsch won her 400-meter hurdles heat with a time of 58.17 to qualify for outdoor nationals for the first time in her career. Sean Pille, of Oakland, Neb., put together a furious rally in the final 50 meters of his 400-meter hurdles race to advance to nationals in the event for the second straight outdoor season. Running in the outside lane, Pille posted a personal-best time of 50.72, which narrowly won him his heat but turned out to be the fastest time at the regional. 

Reka Czuth qualified in the high jump after winning a jump-off with two other high jumpers competing for two remaining spots. Czuth cleared 5-9 1/4 (1.76m) in the initial competition to tie two others for 11th place. Czuth, the Big Ten champion in the event, will compete at outdoor nationals in the high jump for the first time. 

Wayne, Neb., native Grant Anderson also earned his first trip to nationals in the high jump by clearing 7-1 (2.16m) on his first attempt. Anderson cleared all four bars on the day on either his first or second attempt. 

Tierra Williams clinched one nationals spot in the long jump and will look to add the triple jump on Saturday. The Auburn, Neb., product posted a best leap of 21-0 1/2 (6.41m) to finish first overall in the competition. Jazmin McCoy also qualified by leaping 19-8 3/4 (6.01m) on her final attempt to grab the 12th qualifying spot. McCoy will make her third straight appearance in the event at the outdoor championships.

Paula Andrie qualified in the pole vault by clearing 13-6 1/4 (4.12m) on her first attempt. It will be the first trip to nationals for the Husker senior. 

Friday's qualifiers joined Cody Walton, who has already qualified for nationals in the decathlon with his season-high 7,620 points at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships, which ranks 12th nationally. 

Inclement weather again forced a shuffling of the meet schedule. The men's discus, with Nick Percy, Carlos Davis and Kahlil Davis, was moved to Saturday at 9 a.m. The women's long jump was moved indoors, where both high jumps and pole vaults were held. Events at Rock Chalk Park were delayed for more than four hours in the afternoon. 

Saturday's action begins at 9 a.m. with the men's triple jump. The 4x100 relays begin the running events at 10 a.m.