Huskers Secure Four Titles at Big Ten Championships

Nebraska track and field closed the Big Ten Indoor Championships on Saturday night in Indianapolis, Ind., with a fifth-place finish on the men’s side and sixth-place finish for the women behind four event titles. 

The Huskers swept the high jump titles as Jenna Rogers set a meet record, clearing 1.92m (6-3 ½) for the Big Ten gold medal. Tyus Wilson set a new indoor career-best (2.25m, 7-4 ½) earning the event title on the men’s side. Ela Velepec secured a team point for the Huskers with her eight-place finish (1.77m, 5-9 ¾), and Brooklyn Miller (1.77m, 5-9 ¾) rounded out the Huskers in the top 10. On the men’s side, Mason Kooi (2.16m, 7-1) and Reid Nelson (2.13m, 6-11 ¾) earned sixth and seventh, respectively, earning a combined five points for the Big Red. 

In the heptathlon, Adria Navajon earned his sixth conference title as he scored 5,579 points for the new sixth-best mark in school history. Navajon finished 2nd in the long jump, third in the 60mH and fourth in both the 1000m and the high jump. Brayden Bergkamp and Luke Noland also earned podium finishes as they scored 5,137 points for seventh and 5,076 for eighth. Bergkamp highlighted the day with a third-place finish in the high jump and Noland earned sixth-place finishes in the long jump, 60mH and pole vault. 

Axelina Johansson improved her school record and holds the Swedish national record, throwing 19.31m (63-4 ¼) to win the Big Ten Shot Put Championship. Mine De Klerk finished fifth with a throw of 17.46m (57-3 ½), and Kalynn Meyer placed eighth (16.98m, 55-8 ½). On the men’s side, two Huskers earned podium finishes as Maxwell Otterdahl (18.73m, 61-5 ½) and Cade Moran (18.55m, 60-10 ½) came in sixth and seventh, respectively. 

Micaylon Moore jumped 15.94m (52-3 ¾) in the triple jump, earning a silver medal and eight points for the Huskers. On the women’s side, Rhianna Phipps earned a bronze medal with a mark of 13.37m (43-10 ½). Velecia Williams added a podium finish of her own coming in fifth, jumping 13.13m (43-1), and Lotavia Brown jumped 12.70m (41-8), placing 12th.

Brynna McQuillen set a new school record in the 3000m, running 9:14.12, earning sixth place. Berlyn Schutz added another sixth-place finish in the mile, running 4:42.76. Niko Schultz claimed a point for the men’s team in the 800m, running 1:49.37 for eighth. 

In the men’s 4x400 relay, Tyrell Pierce, Niko Schultz, Logan Lebo and Pradeep Senthilkumar ran 3:12.21 to finish eighth and add a point to the Husker total.  

The NCAA Indoor Championships on March 14-15 in Virginia Beach, Va., are next up for the Huskers, with participants being released this Tuesday, March 4.