Huskers Set to Host Graduate Classic

Nebraska track and field continues its season this weekend as the Huskers host the Graduate Classic at the Devaney Center Indoor Track on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 16-17. 

Friday's action begins at 1 p.m., while Saturday's events begin at 10 a.m. Admission is free. 

Graduate Classic Information
Date: Friday-Saturday, Jan. 16-17
Venue: Devaney Center Indoor Track
Start Times: Friday: 1 p.m. (Running) / 1:15 p.m. (Field)  |  Saturday: 10 a.m. (Running) / 10:35 (Field)

Meet Schedule
Live Video
Live Results

Teams Competing: Nebraska, Concordia, Creighton, Doane, Hastings, Indian Hills CC, Iowa Western CC, Midland, Minnesota, Nebraska-Kearney, Northern Colorado, Northwestern, Nebraska-Omaha, Southeastern CC.

Husker Holiday Open Recap
Nebraska track and field put together a strong showing in the season debut, earning event titles in 18 of the 29 events and setting two new school records at the Husker Holiday Open on Dec. 12. 

Highlighting the day, Axelina Johansson opened up her senior campaign breaking the school record and Swedish record in the shot put with a mark of 19.72m (64-8 ½) to win the event title.

Dyson Wicker broke a school record of his own, clearing 5.62m (18-5 ¼), earning the men’s pole vault title. Cade Moran won the men’s shot put title, moving up to fifth in school history with a mark of 20.07m (65-10 ¼). 

Donna Douglas made a strong debut for Nebraska, winning the all-Husker women’s weight throw with a mark of 19.33m (63-5), followed by Hillevi Carlsson (18.38m, 60-3 ¾), Harshita Sehrawat (18.33m, 60-1 ¾), and Sage Burbach (17.60m, 57-9). 

Aspen Fears won the women’s pole vault title, clearing 3.96m (12-11 ¾), and Arina Razina took second with a mark of 3.81m (12-6).

Seth Schnakenberg set a new personal best in the men’s weight throw with a mark of 20.87m (68-5 ¾), earning the event title. Noah Isaia (20.52m, 67-4), Brett Schwartz (20.08m, 65-10 ½), and Gustav Rydaker (19.83m, 65-0 ¾) rounded out the top four.

In the women's 300m, Abrielle Artley won the event title, running 39.00. Sakena Massiah made her Husker debut, earning a third-place spot, running a 39.93.

Three Husker men made their program debut in the 300m. Emmanuel Rwotomiya finished second with a time of 34.28. Jacorric Allen (34.71, 3rd) and Richard Simpson (34.95, 4th) followed with quality showings for their first races as Huskers.

Elo Blessing Okpah raced as the only Husker in the women’s 60m and took first place with a time of 7.66. Ashriel Dixion also raced solo for the Huskers in the men’s competition and took second with a personal best 6.88.

In the men's 60m hurdles, Brayden Bergkamp won the event, running a personal best 8.18. Kate Campos kicked off her career as a Husker, winning the women's 60m with an 8.52.

Alea Hardie took the women’s mile title, running a new personal best of 4:56.18. Jaylee Wingate came in second, finishing with a 5:02.80. On the men's side, Gabe Nash took the event title, running a 4:15.26. Grant Wasserman came in second with a 4:17.16.

In the men's 600m, sophomore William McDavid won the event with a 1:20.05. On the women’s side in the 400m, Luciana Medina took second, running 58.12.

Ela Velepec hit a new personal best of 1.83m (6-0) to claim the title in the women's high jump. Karsyn Leeing came in second, also clearing 1.83m (6-0). Junior, Luke Noland, from Kearney, Mo., took the long jump title at 7.04m (23-1 ¼). 

In the women's 4x400, the Huskers (Sakena Massiah, Abrielle Artley, Kelsie Belquist, Luciana Medina) won the event title with a 3:43.41. The Husker men (Richard Simpson, James Ledbetter, Jacorric Allen, William McDavid) followed that up with another first-place finish in the men’s 4x400 with a time of 3:15.61.

Desire Tonye-Nyemeck took the men's high jump title, with an indoor personal best, clearing 2.14m (7-0 ¼).

Johansson Tabbed National Athlete of the Week
Nebraska senior shot put thrower from Hok, Sweden, Axelina Johansson was named NCAA DI National Athlete of the Week on Dec. 15 following her record-breaking performance in the season opener Husker Holiday Open.

On Friday at the Husker Holiday Open, Johansson threw for a mark of 19.72m (64’ 8.5”) to shatter her own school record. Notably, this throw set a new Swedish record and an NCAA record.

Johansson was named a Big Ten Preseason Track and Field Athlete to Watch earlier this season. She previously held the shot put school record with a throw of 19.31 (63’ 4.25”) set on March 1, 2025. 

The international student athlete placed 10th in the Olympic shot put competition in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, where she competed as a part of the Swedish team. 

Johansson adds this new record to her extensive list of accomplishments throughout her collegiate career and looks to add many more in her final year.