Huskers Turn In Top-10 Performances at Ohio, Iowa

The Nebraska track and field team began competition at both the SPIRE Big Ten Invitational in Geneva, Ohio and the Hawkeye B1G Invitational in Iowa City, Iowa on Friday. 

Bailey Timmons led the small group of Huskers at the oversized-track Spire Institute with a fifth-place finish in the 5,000 meters. His 20-second personal best of 14:10.28 was the fifth-fastest time in Nebraska indoor history on any size of track. 

At Iowa, Monica Aldrighetti was the Hawkeye B1G Invitational pole vault champion, her third individual title this season. She cleared a personal-best 13-9 1/4 (4.20m) on her last attempt to take the gold medal. Her mark is tied for fourth in NU indoor history. Andy Jacobs vaulted over 13-3 1/2 (4.05m) to place third.

All five women's long jumpers made the final and the Huskers claimed four of the top-five spots. Lishanna Ilves won the event with a jump of 20-5 1/4 (6.23m), while Ieva Turke was second at 19-10 1/4 (6.05m) and Darby Thomas was third at 19-6 (5.94m). LaQwasia Stepney placed fifth with a leap of 19-4 1/4 (5.90m), just one centimeter shy of her indoor PR.

Lincoln McPhillips won the high jump title at Iowa, clearing a personal-best 6-9 3/4 (2.08m) to edge teammates Michael Hoffer (6-8, 2.03m) and Mayson Conner (6-8, 2.03m). Madison Yerigan led the women's high jumpers in sixth place at 5-6 (1.68m).

Bennet Vinken earned runner-up honors in the men's long jump with a new collegiate PR 24-5 (7.44m), and Terrol Wilson placed eighth for the Huskers at 23-0 3/4 (7.03m). Unfortunately Vinken's meet and freshman season abruptly came to an end after he suffered a devastating leg injury on his fifth attempt. 

On the track at Iowa, Matthew Brown was the runner-up in the 60 meters with a time of 6.78. He paced a Husker-dominated final that included Chris Ramsey (6.87) in fifth and Lorenzo Paissan (6.87) in sixth. Emma Algarin, with a new PR 7.60, placed sixth in the women's 60-meter final.

Darius Luff (7.99) finished fifth in the men's 60m hurdles at the Hawkeye B1G Invitational, and Kerrigan Myers (9.00) was seventh in the women's race. Emma Bresser came in seventh place in the 800 meters, running 2:13.33. Kayla Hugg ran the 400 meters in 55.87 to finish eighth.

Meanwhile at the SPIRE Big Ten Invitational in Ohio, Erika Freyhof was fifth in the women's 5,000 meters with a time of 16:34.44. Alex Nelson took seventh place in the 200 meters in 21.64. 

Action continues on Saturday with an 11:40 a.m. start time for the Huskers at the SPIRE Big Ten Invitational and a Noon start time for the Huskers at the Hawkeye B1G Invitational.