2008 Woodie Awards
Track team excels against Olympians, collegians alike
Kris Knowlton
Issue date: 2/11/08 Section: Sports
The Nebraska track and field team did so well this weekend in the Adidas Classic at the Devaney Center Indoor Track that the Cornhuskers just kept winning, even when they didn't cross the finish line first.
The usual suspects for Nebraska -- including seniors like Dusty Jonas, Sheryl Morgan and Peter van der Westhuizen -- helped rack up six outright victories for NU this weekend.
That number jumps to 13 when looking at the number of events Huskers won just against all other collegians, not those at the meet who competed unattached - like Nike - or as Nebraska alumni. NU sprinter Daniel Christensen was one of the seven Nebraska athletes who finished in second behind a non-collegian this weekend, but said that second place felt better than usual this weekend.
"I mean, that guy that I lost to, he was on the Olympic team in 2004 so losing to him wasn't such a bad thing," Christensen said. "It was kind of fun to run against him to see where I'm at compared to someone that's a professional."
At least the Huskers could take solace in the fact that only collegiate athletes are recognized on the awards podium. Two groups of Cornhuskers - the men's and women's triple jump teams - were able to take special control of that space Saturday. Nicholas Gordon, Chris Nuttelman and Jonas finished first, second and third place, respectively, among collegians in the triple jump behind only Aarick Wilson of Nike.
On the women's side, Zarinah Suluki-Drakes and Danielle Smith beat out all competitors for first and second place, respectively. Another dynamic duo on the women's team, that of freshmen Karyn LaCour and Arna Erega, also swept the 1-2 spots among collegians in the 60-meter hurdles.
Who was the non-collegian who bested NU's lauded freshmen this weekend? None other than the greatest women's hurdler in Nebraska history: Priscilla Lopes-Schliep.
"It's awesome to come out here and see them (LaCour and Erega) do well," Lopes-Schliep said, according to NU Media Relations. "There are times where we train together and I not only push them, they push me to do better as well. It was awesome to be back here at home, competing in front of a Husker crowd."
The usual suspects for Nebraska -- including seniors like Dusty Jonas, Sheryl Morgan and Peter van der Westhuizen -- helped rack up six outright victories for NU this weekend.
That number jumps to 13 when looking at the number of events Huskers won just against all other collegians, not those at the meet who competed unattached - like Nike - or as Nebraska alumni. NU sprinter Daniel Christensen was one of the seven Nebraska athletes who finished in second behind a non-collegian this weekend, but said that second place felt better than usual this weekend.
"I mean, that guy that I lost to, he was on the Olympic team in 2004 so losing to him wasn't such a bad thing," Christensen said. "It was kind of fun to run against him to see where I'm at compared to someone that's a professional."
At least the Huskers could take solace in the fact that only collegiate athletes are recognized on the awards podium. Two groups of Cornhuskers - the men's and women's triple jump teams - were able to take special control of that space Saturday. Nicholas Gordon, Chris Nuttelman and Jonas finished first, second and third place, respectively, among collegians in the triple jump behind only Aarick Wilson of Nike.
On the women's side, Zarinah Suluki-Drakes and Danielle Smith beat out all competitors for first and second place, respectively. Another dynamic duo on the women's team, that of freshmen Karyn LaCour and Arna Erega, also swept the 1-2 spots among collegians in the 60-meter hurdles.
Who was the non-collegian who bested NU's lauded freshmen this weekend? None other than the greatest women's hurdler in Nebraska history: Priscilla Lopes-Schliep.
"It's awesome to come out here and see them (LaCour and Erega) do well," Lopes-Schliep said, according to NU Media Relations. "There are times where we train together and I not only push them, they push me to do better as well. It was awesome to be back here at home, competing in front of a Husker crowd."
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