Zimmerman Highlights First Day of Frank Sevigne

Nebraska track and field opened the two-day Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational on Friday, marked by another Henry Zimmerman school record, two titles and six athletes earning spots in finals scheduled for Saturday.

Zimmerman broke the weight throw school record for the third time this season, hitting 75-1 1/4 (22.89m) to win the event. That puts him at second in the Big Ten and fourth in the NCAA this season. Max Herman added a solid weight throw mark, recording a PR 66-7 1/4 (20.30m) to finish fourth.

Ariel Ammentorp moved up to No. 9 all-time in the women’s weight throw, posting a 64-0 1/4 (19.51m) to place second. Cammy Garabian added a third-place finish with a 63-4 (19.30m), while Hillevi Carlsson placed fifth with a 62-6 3/4 (19.07m)

Kavian Kerr secured the men’s long jump title with a leap of 24-9 3/4 (7.56m), while Micaylon Moore added a runner-up finish with a 24-8 1/2 (7.53m). In the women’s long jump, Lishanna Ilves claimed second with a distance of 20-2 1/4 (6.15m). Ashley McElmurry provided a fourth-place finish with a 19-3 1/2 (5.88m). Jessica Gardner placed eighth in the women's pole vault with a mark of 12-10 1/4 (3.92m).

Nick Bryant and Tyrell Pierce captured top-five finishes in the men’s 400m with times of 47.51 (fourth) and 47.67 (fifth). Abrielle Artley claimed sixth in the women’s 400m with a personal-best time of 55.52.

Emma Ralston posted a 17:46.79 in the women’s 5000m to finish fifth and Trevor Acton ran a 14:42.94 in the men’s 5000m to take third.

In the pentathlon, Favour Wanjoku cruised to fifth with 3,373 total points after earning runner-up finishes in the shot put with a PR 39-3 (11.96m) and the long jump (18-8, 5.69m). In the 60m hurdles portion, Wanjoku added a personal-best 8.72 to take third. Rebecca Pecora had the best high jump clearance in the field with a 5-9 1/4 (1.76m), while earning third in the long jump with a distance of 18-5 1/4 (5.62m). She finished the pentathlon in 12th.

After the first four events of the heptathlon, Till Steinforth leads the pack with 3,452 points. He started the meet off with a PR 6.80 in the 60m, then went on to win the long jump with a distance of 25-0 3/4 (7.64m). Steinforth added a pair of runner-up finishes with a 46-8 1/4 (14.23m) in the shot put and a 6-6 (1.98m) in the high jump. Matthias Algarin is in fifth heading into Saturday with a runner-up finish in the 60m (6.98) and a fourth-place finish in the long jump with a 22-8 1/2 (6.92m).

In the men’s 60m hurdles prelim, Darius Luff and Brithton Senior made their season debuts. Luff clocked the fastest time of the prelim with a 7.82, while Senior heads into the final seeded third with a 7.90. Johanna Ilves and LaQwasia Stepney earned spots in tomorrow’s women's 60m hurdles final, running times of 8.46 and 8.66 in the prelim. 

Seven Hicks ran a 7.57 to qualify for the 60m final, while Lorenzo Paissan earned a spot in the men’s 60m final with a 6.79.

The Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational will pick back up tomorrow with the heptathlon at 9:30 a.m. (CT). Running events begin at 10:30 a.m. (CT) and field events start at 12 p.m. (CT).