NU sprinter looks forward to NCAA qualification meet

Ricco Hall was struggling.

His junior season at Wyoming Park High School was bumpy at best. Injuries slowed down Hall, and at the state meet, he placed fifth in the 400-meter dash.

Fifth place was nothing to be ashamed of, but wasn't likely to earn him a spot on a college track team.

The root of his struggles at Wyoming Park, Hall said, wasn't just a lack of team chemistry. In his three years at Wyoming Park, Hall ran for three different coaches at what Hall called a "guinea pig school" for new coaches.

"The way they set up workouts was completely different," Hall said.

So he made a change.

Hall left Michigan High School Division 2 Wyoming Park for Division 1 powerhouse East Kentwood High School – the five-time reigning state champion.

The coaching he received at East Kentwood in one year under coach Dave Emeott propelled him from the fifth place finisher in Division 2 to the Division 1 state champion in the 100- and 400-meter dashes and the title of Michigan's "Mr. Track and Field."

Just moments after Hall ran personal bests of 10.55 and 47.00 seconds, respectively, Nebraska coach Billy Maxwell offered Hall a full-ride scholarship to run for the Huskers. Once the offer was official, Hall signed with the Huskers, skipping out on in-state Michigan, Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan.

"I think they're coming in like they might've seen something that I might've not seen," Hall said. "I'm pretty confident that they knew what they were doing."

Now in his first season as a Husker, Hall works closely with Maxwell and coach Matt Martin. In his first season at Nebraska, Hall is leading the team in the 200- and 400-meter dashes.

Coach Martin said, in Hall's first season, he's been very attentive and has absorbed the advice his coaches have to offer.

"What's been exciting for us as coaches has been how open-minded he's been to the work level, the intensity, the coaching tips we're giving him," Martin said. "You never know with any kid how they're going to respond to that.

"He kind of came out of nowhere in Michigan high school ranks. So, he doesn't pretend to think he's got it all figured out yet."

While he may not have it all figured out, it appears as though Hall, the nation's 18th ranked 400-meter runner, has an idea at least. Still, Hall says his immediate success has caught him a bit off-guard.

"It was a surprise to me, actually," Hall said. "I didn't think I was going to improve as much as I did the first year in college."

Because of his hot start at Nebraska, Hall will compete alongside his teammates at the Big Ten Indoor Championships Friday and Saturday. Hall ranks second in the conference in the 400-meter run and fourth in the 200-meter dash.

Martin said Hall is a "national-level sprinter" and has a chance to qualify for the NCAA Championships if he performs well at this weekend's Big Ten meet.

"Sometimes in the sprint races they're electric and the track lights up because you've got a good competition and everybody's fighting for points and you do see that," Martin said. "So you don't know how the conference plays itself out, but I certainly think he's going to have a good chance to run something even faster."

Hall will need to run a 20.73 in the 200-meter or a 46.00 in the 400-meter on the Devaney Center's banked track to automatically qualify for the NCAA meet. His current personal bests are 21.33 and 46.93, respectively.

"He understands that the times that he's run, the achievements that he's had thus far, they really don't mean anything up to this point in terms of what's perceived as high level in the NCAA," Martin said.

The Big Ten meet won't be the last chance for Hall to get his time, however. There are a couple "last-chance" meets where runners can qualify for the NCAA Championships. Hall said he still would have to post his best performance.

"I think possibly this year, if not next year," Hall said. "I guess we'll see."

chrispeters@dailynebraskan.com