Wicker, Zimmerman Highlight First Day of Big Ten Championships

Dyson Wicker and Henry Zimmerman grabbed second-place finishes as Nebraska track and field competed at the opening day of the Big Ten Championships on Friday in Indianapolis, Ind.

The Huskers secured three top-three finishes and two spots in tomorrow’s finals, as the men sit in fifth place with 19 points and the women are in 12th place with six points. 

In the men’s pole vault, freshman Wicker earned a runner-up finish, clearing 5.45m (17-10 ½). Zach Zohner cleared a personal-best 5.25m (17-2 ¾), earning seventh. Arina Razina was the top female vaulter as she finished ninth (4.26m, 13-11 ¾). Aspen Fears was 11th (4.01m, 13-1 ¾) and Jacelyn Neighbors was 12th (4.16m, 13-7 ¾). 

Zimmerman improved his school record as he threw 23.15m (15-11 ½) to grab the men’s weight throw runner-up finish and eight team points. Seth Schnakenberg advanced to the finals and threw a personal-best 20.68m (67-10 ¼) for the ninth-place finish. Kellyn Kortemeyer finished 10th in the women’s weight throw with a personal-best 20.08m (65-10 ½).

Lishanna Ilves jumped 6.51m (21-4 ¼) in the women’s long jump to finish third. Velecia Williams finished ninth (19-11 ¾) and Darby Thomas was 10th (6.07m, 19-11). On the men’s side, Kavian Kerr jumped 7.49m (24-7) in the men’s long jump, good for the seventh-place finish and two team points.

Berlyn Schutz ran 4:41.24 in the women’s mile qualifier, placing fourth and moving on to the final tomorrow. In the men’s 800m qualifier, Niko Schultz ran 1:48.36, qualifying in seventh and advancing to tomorrow’s final.

In the men’s 600m, Holden Ruse ran a personal-best 1:18.18, finishing 12th, Pradeep Senthilkumar (1:18.22) added a 13th-place finish. Abrielle Artley (54.55) and Kelsie Belquist (54.86) both ran personal bests in the women’s 400m, finishing 14th and 15th respectively. 

Through four events in the heptathlon, Adria Navajon leads the way for the Huskers in fourth place with 3,109 points. Brayden Bergkamp is in ninth with 2,894 points, and Luke Noland sits in 11th with 2,858 points). 

In the pentathlon, Favour Wanjoku finished in 14th place with 3,737 points, including seventh-place finishes in the 60mH and long jump. Grace Parsons finished seventh in the shot put and ran a personal-best in the 60mH for the 17th-place finish and 3,561 points. 

Action resumes tomorrow with the heptathlon at 9:20 a.m. (CT), field events at 10:10 a.m. (CT) and running events at 12:20 p.m. (CT). 

Big Ten Indoor Championships Day One Results

Pole Vault
2. Dyson Wicker - 5.45m (17-10 ½)
7. Zach Zohner - 5.25m (17-2 ¾) PR

9. Arina Razina - 4.26m (13-11 ¾)
11. Aspen Fears - 4.01m (13-1 ¾)
12. Jacelyn Neighbors - 4.16m (13-7 ¾)
16. Kylie Clark - 4.01m (13-1 ¾)

Mile
4. Berlyn Schutz - 4:41.24; qualified for finals

28. Jack Witte - 4:20.16

400m
14. Abrielle Artley - 54.55 PR
15. Kelsie Belquist - 54.86 PR

26. Tyrell Pierce - 48.93 

Long Jump
7. Kavian Kerr - 7.49m (24-7)
20. Balvin Israel - 6.83m (22-5) 

3. Lishanna Ilves - 6.51m (21-4 ¼)
   9. Velecia Williams - 6.09m (19-11 ¾)
   10. Darby Thomas - 6.07m (19-11) 

60m
15. Darby Thomas - 7.37 

800m
7. Niko Schultz - 1:48.36; qualified for finals 

Weight Throw
10. Kellyn Kortemeyer - 20.08m (65-10 ½) - PR
13. Hillevi Carlsson - 19.45m (63-9 ¾)
20. Cammy Garabian - 18.54m (60-10)

2. Henry Zimmerman - 23.15m (75-11 ½) - PR
9. Seth Schnakenberg - 20.68m (67-10 ¼) - PR
17. Brett Schwartz - 19.73m (64-8 ¾)
19. Maxwell Otterdahl - 19.46m (63-10 ¼)
25. Max Herman - 18.58m (60-11 ½) 

600m
12. Holden Ruse - 1:18.18 - PR
13. Pradeep Senthilkumar - 1:18.22

23. Luciana Medina - 1:34.53 

200m
16. Kavian Kerr - 21.34

5000m
11. Ali Bainbridge - 16:23.29

Distance Medley Relay
11. Jack Witte/Logan Lebo/Holden Ruse/Sam Kirchner - 9:48.68

10. Brynna McQuillen/Rebecca Pecora/Alea Hardie/Berlyn Schutz - 11:27.51