Huskers Claim Eight Event Titles at Desert Heat Classic

The Nebraska track and field teams concluded the single-day Desert Heat Classic in Tucson, Ariz. hosted by the University of Arizona. 

The Huskers head home with eight event titles and six improvements/entries on the top-ten lists, highlighted by Kelsie Belquist running the second-fastest 400mH time in school history. 

Belquist crossed the line in 55.60 to claim the event title and improve on her already fastest time in the Big Ten and move into sixth in the NCAA.

True freshman Hencu Lamberts continued his dominant freshman campaign winning the men’s shot put title with the fifth-furthest throw in school history of 20.18m (66-2 ½). Cade Moran added a third-place finish, throwing 20.01m (65-7 ¾).

The Husker men swept the podium in the hammer throw with Noa Isaia claiming the event title, throwing a personal best 67.47m (221-4) and improving on his No. 4 mark in school history. Seth Schnakenberg on his No. 6 mark with a throw of 66.57m (218-5) and Brett Schwartz rounded out the top three with a 65.38m (214-6) throw.

Rhianna Phipps earned the women’s triple jump title with a mark of 13.44m (44-1 ¼). Phipps now sits in first in the Big Ten with that mark. In the men’s triple jump, Ashmika Korala jumped 15.51m (50-10 ¾) to finish in second. 

In the women’s shot put, Axelina Johansson led a Big Red sweep, throwing 19.10m (62-8). Mine De Klerk threw 17.12m (56-2) to claim second and Donna Douglas added a personal-best throw of 16.91m (55-5 ¾) to round out the top three.

Kael Miedema claimed first in the men’s discus with a throw of 57.02m (187-1). Schwartz added a top-three finish earning third with a mark of 55.16m (180-11).

Jana Lowka (53.70m, 176-2) and Taysha Stubbs (53.40m, 175-2) claimed first and second in the women’s javelin, respectively, as Lowka beat Stubbs by just a foot. 

Aleksandr Gerasimov won the men’s high jump title, clearing 2.10m (6-10 ¾). Karsyn Leeling (1.83m, 6-0) added a strong showing on the women’s side with a third-place finish. 

Richard Simpson cut nearly a second off his PR and moved into eighth in school history, running 46.08 in the men’s 400m to claim seventh and fourth amongst collegiate athletes. Jacorric Allen ran a personal best as well, crossing the line in 48.18.

On the women’s side, Abrielle Artley also ran her way to the ninth-fastest 400m time in school history, circling the track in 52.55 to claim third. 

Keyshawn Strachan led off the day with a second-place finish in the men’s javelin, throwing 72.32m (237-3). 

Hillevi Carlsson threw 60.12m (197-3) in the women’s hammer throw to earn a second-place finish. Harshita Sehrawat finished just behind her in third, throwing 59.80m (196-2). Sage Burbach used a lifetime best, 55.38m (181-8) to claim seventh.

Alea Hardie ran a personal best in the women’s 1500m with a time of 4:26.16. Ashriel Dixon ran a personal best of his own in the men’s 100m, running 10.48.

James Ledbetter, Logan Lebo, Jacorric Allen and Richard Simpson powered the men’s 4x400m team to a third-place finish, running a season’s best 3:07.98.

In the men’s 800m, Hannes Fahl ran a personal best of 1:47.62, finishing in seventh. Kaleb Sharp finished just one hundredth of a second behind Fahl, crossing the line in 1:47.63 (PR) to claim eighth. Jordan Metzler added a PR of her own on the women’s side, running 2:09.35 to earn 10th.

The Huskers return home next weekend as they host the Nebraska Spring Tune-Up at the Nebraska Outdoor Track on Friday, May 8.