Story by NU Athletic Communications
Nebraska track and field continues its outdoor campaign this weekend at the Jim Click Shootout, hosted at Drachman Stadium in Tucson, Ariz. Combined events begin at 12:30 p.m. (CT) on Friday, with field events starting at 1 p.m. (CT).
Jim Click Shootout Meet Information
Date: Friday-Saturday, April 5-6
Location: Tucson, Ariz. (Drachman Stadium)
Start Times (CT): Friday - Combined Events: 12:30 p.m. / Field Events: 1 p.m.; Saturday - Combined Events: 12 p.m. / Field Events: 1 p.m. / Running Events: 2:30 p.m.
Meet Schedule: Link
Participating Schools: Nebraska, Arizona, Kansas, Kansas State, Eastern Michigan, Iowa, Cincinnati
NCAA LeadersNebraska has 10 athletes that currently rank inside the top 20 of the NCAA in their respective events:
Rhianna Phipps, Triple Jump, 43-10 (13.36m), No. 4 NCAAEniko Sara, Javelin, 177-11 (54.23m), No. 6 NCAAAmelia Flynt, Shot Put, 56-1 (17.09m), No. 7 NCAAEmmanuela Casadei, Javelin, 173-6 (52.88m), No. 12 NCAALishanna Ilves, Long Jump, 20-11 ¼ (6.38m), t-No.13 NCAAMirta Kulisic, Javelin, 170-6 (51.97m), No. 16 NCAAAshley McElmurry, Triple Jump, 42-4 ¼ (12.91m), No. 20 NCAAMicaylon Moore, Triple Jump, 52-1 (15.87m), No. 7 NCAADarius Luff, 110m Hurdles, 13.46, t-No. 7 NCAANiko Schultz, 800m, 1:47.40, No. 6 NCAA
All-Time Top-10 PerformancesThe following Huskers have either improved their marks or cracked the all-time top-10 outdoor charts at Nebraska this season:
Niko Schultz, 800m, 1:47.40, No. 6Amelia Flynt, Shot Put, 56-1 (17.09m), No. 5Hillevi Carlsson, Hammer Throw, 203-11 (62.16m), No. 5Mine De Klerk, Discus, 181-0 (55.17m), No. 6Darby Thomas, 100m, 11.35, t-No.6Berlyn Schutz, 1500m, 4:19.94, No. 8Eniko Sara, Javelin, 177-11 (54.23m), No. 9Rhianna Phipps, Triple Jump, 43-10 (13.36m), No. 9
Huskers in the PollsNebraska women’s track and field is ranked 11th in the second week of the USTFCCCA rankings after a majority of the team spent the weekend in Gainesville, Fla. at the Pepsi Florida Relays.
The women were ranked 59th in last season’s week two poll, before quickly dropping to 11th during the week five rankings.
Through the first weekend competing this season, the Husker women posted five marks inside the top-15 nationally, while adding seven all-time marks.
Rhianna Phipps ranks fourth nationally in the triple jump, after hitting 43-10 (13.36m) at the Florida Relays. The Huskers have three javelin throwers in the top-16 of the NCAA, led by Eniko Sara at sixth with a 177-11 (54.23m). Newcomer Emmanuela Casadei is ranked 12th with a 173-6 (52.88m) and Mirta Kulisic is 16th with a 170-6 (51.97m). Amelia Flynt won the shot put at the Florida Relays with the current seventh-best mark in the country, 56-1 (17.09m). Lishanna Ilves leads the long jump corps as she’s tied for 13th in the NCAA with a distance of 20-11 ¼ (6.38m).
On the men’s side, Darius Luff (110m hurdles), Micaylon Moore (triple jump) and Niko Schultz (800m) all rank inside the top 10 nationally.
2024 Indoor Season RecapThe Husker men and women closed the indoor season inside the top 25, with the men tying for 12th and the women claiming 25th at the NCAA Championships. Out of 12 Husker entries, eight earned First-Team All-America honors by placing in the top eight.
Till Steinforth recorded his highest-career NCAA finish in the heptathlon to finish third, a day after becoming the first Husker to become a long jump First-Team All-American in the last decade with a seventh-place finish. The last Husker to place third or higher in the heptathlon at the NCAA Indoor Championships was Björn Barrefors in 2009. Tyus Wilson and Jenna Rogers each pitched in a top-eight finish in the high jump, while Micaylon Moore represented NU as a First-Team All-American in the triple jump. Rhianna Phipps placed fifth in the triple jump, Mine De Klerk took seventh in the shot put and Henry Zimmerman finished seventh in the weight throw to round out Nebraska’s First-Team All-Americans.
With Nebraska sending 11 athletes and 12 entries to the NCAA Championships, that marked the most athletes to qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships since 2010 and the most entries since 2011.
At the Big Ten Championships, the Husker men finished second as a team, only four points behind Wisconsin. The women finished in eighth. Wilson (high jump), Moore (triple jump), Steinforth (long jump) and De Klerk (shot put) brought in Big Ten titles.
Zimmerman broke the weight throw school record on four occasions, while Berlyn Schutz broke the school record in the mile as a freshman. Altogether, 26 performances either broke into the all-time list for the first time or moved up the list during the indoor season.
2023 Outdoor Season RecapNebraska’s last outdoor season was marked by the men claiming the Big Ten title and the women finishing third. Both finishes were the best placements since the 2016 season. The team combined for 12 event titles throughout the meet. The women, powered by Axelina Johansson (shot put) and Rhema Otabor (javelin) bringing in NCAA titles, took eighth place at the NCAA Championships. That was the best finish since the 2006 season, when the Huskers tied for fourth. The men tied for 17th, their best team finish in seven years. The men and women combined for eight First-Team All-America honors, seven school records and 32 new top-10 marks throughout the outdoor season.