LINCOLN, Neb. - The Nebraska track and field team opened the 2021 season hosting the Husker Triangular at the Bob Devaney Sports Center Indoor Track on Saturday. Competing against Iowa and Minnesota in the non-scored meet, the Huskers won eight individual titles and a handful of Huskers flashed their potential with some of the top performances in school history in their respective events. 

Three Husker distance runners put together standout performances on Saturday. Junior college transfer Dais Malebana won the 5,000 meters with the third-fastest standard-track time in school history, 14:16.56. Ryan Martins placed third in the event with a career-best time of 14:24.20, which put him at No. 10 in NU history. Erika Freyhof also had a top-10 performance, running a standard-track PR of 16:27.29 in the 5,000 meters, the third-fastest time in school history on a 200-meter track. She finished second in the event to Minnesota senior Bethany Hasz, who broke the Devaney Center facility record at 15:50.74.

Junior Papay Glaywulu, a transfer from Oklahoma, stole the show in the men's triple jump with a winning mark of 53-6 1/4 (16.31m) in his first meet as a Husker. Glaywulu's jump put him in a tie for fourth all-time in Nebraska indoor school history.

Kevin Shubert set a personal best in the shot put by three feet to win the event. The sophomore from Omaha threw 61-10 1/2 (18.86m) on his fifth attempt. His mark moved him into the all-time Nebraska indoor Top 10 at No. 7. Marika Spencer also joined the NU all-time top 10 in the weight throw, as her mark of 61-7 3/4 (18.79m) ranks No. 10 in school history and earned her runner-up honors at the Husker Triangular.

Darby Thomas won the women's long jump title with a personal-best mark of 19-9 3/4 (6.04m) to open her sophomore season. Ieva Turke was the runner-up with a leap of 19-4 3/4 (5.91m). Later in the day, Turke was the champion of the women's triple jump with a mark of 41-8 3/4 (12.72m), and teammate Ashley McElmurry was second at 39-1 3/4 (11.93m). 

The Husker men went 1-2-3 in the long jump. Freshman Clayton Keys captured the title with a jump of 23-7 1/4 (7.19m). Micaylon Moore was second at 23-4 1/2 (7.12m), and freshman Bennet Vinken placed third at 23-3 1/2 (7.10m). The NU men also dominated the high jump with Michael Hoffer winning gold at 6-9 3/4 (2.08m) and Lincoln McPhillips silver at 6-8 1/4 (2.04m).

Andy Jacobs won the women's pole vault with a height of 12-5 1/2 (3.80m). Jessica Gardner cleared the same height, a personal best for her, and finished third via tiebreaker. 

Behind Glaywulu in the men's triple jump, Passmore Mudundulu took second at 46-7 1/4 (14.20m), and Matthias Algarin was third at 44-9 (13.64m).

On the track, LaQwasia Stepney finished third in the women's 60m hurdles with a time of 8.75. Thomas followed her winning long jump performance with a third-place finish in the 60 meters in 7.58. Matthew Brown was also third in the men's 60 meters, running 6.79.

Tony Nou was the third-place finisher in the 400 meters in a time of 47.71. Emma Algarin finished third in the 200 meters with a time of 24.61. Alex Nelson was third in the men's 200 meters (21.66).

A couple of unattached Huskers placed in the top three of the men's pole vault. Tyler Loontjer was the top finisher at 17-4 1/2 (5.30m), and Spencer Powell was third at 15-11 (4.85m). Also competing unattached, Elsa Forsberg was the runner-up in the mile with a time of 4:52.13 and placed third in the 800 meters (2:15.13). Emma Bresser posted the same time to finish fourth.

The Huskers head to Iowa City, Iowa next weekend for the Larry Wieczorek Invitational.

Huskers Fall to Hawkeyes in Season Opener

The Nebraska swimming and diving team opened up the season with a close 170-128 defeat against Big Ten foe Iowa on Saturday afternoon. This was the first action of the new 2021 campaign for the Huskers, who still managed to succeed against a tough Hawkeye team in their hometown of Iowa City.

Nebraska saw some similar faces rise up to the ranks, as seniors Autumn Haebig and Abi Knapton, along with junior Audrey Coffey, all secured victories in their respective events earlier this afternoon.

Haebig began her successful stretch of three victories in the 200 free, where she swam to a first place finish with a time of 1:46.82. Kim Lanaghen was the next Husker to finish, rallying in fourth (1:51.52).

In the 50 yard free, two Huskers placed in the top four, with freshman Lexi Kucera earning a great second place finish (23.59), falling to Iowa's Sarah Schemmel by a tenth of a second. Fellow freshman Caitlin Cairns swam to a fourth place finish (23.90)

In her second victory of the day, Haebig finished first in the 100 free (50.11), followed by solid finishes from freshman Caitlin Cairns in fourth (52.24) and sophomore Kim Lanaghen in fifth (52.32). Her final victory came in the 500 free, where she swam to victory with a time of 4:50.69. Audrey Coffey came in next for the Huskers, taking third place (4:53.10).

Coffey already looks to be in mid-season form after receiving her victory in the 1000 free, swimming to a quick time of 9:53.80. Coffey already holds the Nebraska record in the 1000 free, conquering that achievement last year. Her time today would have been good for second all time, if she hadn't already held the top spot. Katelyn Kilpatrick followed up the nice performance, landing in third (10:13.35), while Molly Rosenthal finished in fourth (10:13.73).

In the 100 fly, it was senior Izzie Murray who swam to a good second place finish (55.12), followed by Lexi Kucera who finished right behind in third (55.46). Maggie Berning was the first Husker to finish in the 200 fly, where she swam to a third place finish in a tight race, with a time of 2:02.04. Berning was followed by junior transfer, Shannon Stott, who finished in fourth (2:03.22), in her first official race as a Husker. 

Husker sophomore Berkeley Livingston and freshman Gabby Donahue secured good performances in the 200 yard IM. Livingston finished in second place with a time of 2:06.50, while Donahue grabbed third with a time of 2:06.99.

In the 100 yard breaststroke, freshman Ella Stein swam to a great second place finish with a time of 1:04.10. She also captured a third place finish in the 200 yard breast as well (2:21.71). Gabby Baratta finished with a solid fourth place finish in the 200 breast (2:24.96).

In the 100 backstroke, Boise State junior transfer Madesyn Ronquillio grabbed fourth place (56.25) and Gabby Donahue landed in fifth (57.57). Berkeley Livingston would be the first Husker finisher in the 200 back, grabbing fourth (2:05.68).

Abi Knapton led the charge on the diving boards, as the Huskers had a great performance all day in the deep water. In the one meter dive, Knapton was victorious after securing a score of 298.15. Junior Sara Troyer followed up with a good third place score of 276.25. Hallie Roman dove in fourth for the Huskers (260.30).

In the three meter dive, it was again Knapton who took first, diving to a winning score of 343.55. Sara Troyer came in second place, diving to a score of 321.90 and Hallie Roman captured fourth with a score of 270.40.

In the relays, the Huskers performed well, capturing second place in both the 200 yard medley and the 400 yard freestyle relay. In the 200 medley, it was Madesyn Ronquillio, Ella Stein, Caitlin Cairns and Lexi Kucera (1:43.79). The 400 free was led by Autumn Haebig, Lexi Kucera, Caitlin Cairns and Shannon Stott (3:27.35).

The Huskers drop to 0-1 on the season, but will try and even that record at home next weekend. Nebraska will host the Illinois Fighting Illini at 11 AM on Saturday, January 23 for Senior Day at the Devaney Natatorium.

No. 11 Huskers Down No. 6 Air Force, 4,672-4,649

Lincoln – The No. 11 Nebraska rifle team put together its best performance of the season en route to upsetting No. 6 Air Force, 4,672-4,649, Saturday afternoon at the NU Rifle Range.

"We saw some significant improvement in the way our athletes approached obstacles and strategized throughout both guns," Nebraska Coach Rachel Martin said. "We have some of the best athletes in the NCAA, and I know we can perform at a higher level as a team."

The Huskers, who improved to 2-1 on the season, took control of the match in the Air Rifle by posting four of the top five scores in the event to outscore Air Force, 2,364-2,346, in the event. Senior Emily Cheramie paced the Big Red with a score of 593 on her way to her first Air Rifle title of the season. Freshman Madelynn Erickson (third, 591), All-American Elena Flake (fourth, 591) and freshman Cecelia Ossi (fifth, 589) rounded out the top five in the event, as Flake and Ossi both recorded season highs.

In the Smallbore, Nebraska recorded a narrow five-point win (2,308-2,305), taking three of the four spots in the discipline. Cheramie, who has six top-two finishes through the Huskers' first three matches, led NU with a runner-up finish of 580. Ossi placed third with a mark of 579, while Erickson placed fourth with a score of 576. Flake rounded out the Huskers' scoring lineup as she finished seventh (573).

Peter Fiori of Air Force finished first in the Smallbore in addition to garnering runner-up honors in the Air Rifle (591).

The two teams will be back in action on Sunday, with competition scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. (central).