Nebraska track and field hosts the Graduate Classic this weekend at the Bob Devaney Sports Center Indoor Track to open its season. Events begin on Friday and Saturday at 12 p.m.
Graduate Classic Meet InformationHost: NebraskaDate: Friday-Saturday, Jan. 12-13Venue: Bob Devaney Sports Center Indoor TrackStart Times: Friday – Field & Running Events: 12 p.m.; Saturday – Field Events: 12:30 p.m. / Running Events: 12 p.m.Meet ScheduleLive VideoLive Results
2024 Season PreviewThe Graduate Classic is the first chance to watch the Huskers return to competition after a historic season. Justin St. Clair, officially announced as head coach ahead of the 2023 Big Ten Indoor Championships, led the Husker men to their best indoor NCAA finish since 2009 and the Husker women to their best indoor and outdoor NCAA finish since 2006 last season.
Finishing eighth in the men’s race at the NCAA Indoor Championships, they had five indoor USTFCCCA first-team All-Americans – their most since 2005 – along with one second-team All-American. The Huskers finished second in the team race at the Big Ten Indoor Championships and had 14 new top-10 marks and three school records in the indoor season. The NU women tied for 14th at the NCAA Indoor Championships, producing three First-Team All-Americans – their most since 2009 – while adding two school records and eight new top-10 marks.
Nebraska carried the success into the outdoor season with the men claiming the Big Ten title and the women finishing third. Both finishes mark 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.
Nebraska’s Returning 2023 All-Americans and Big Ten ChampionsDarius Luff headlined the hurdles in 2023, breaking the 60m hurdles (7.54) and 110m hurdles (13.32) school records, claiming the indoor and outdoor Big Ten titles (60mH, 110mH) and earning two First-Team All-America honors. The Lincoln-native raced to third at the NCAA Indoor Championships and sixth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Arthur Petersen holds Nebraska’s javelin school record, breaking it at last season’s Michael Johnson Invitational with a distance of 252-11 (77.08m). The transfer from UT Arlington garnered his third All-America honor, placing 11th in the javelin at the NCAA Championship. Petersen claimed the Big Ten title with a mark of 252-9 (77.03m), while teammate Dash Sirmon took second.
Sirmon threw the third-best javelin mark in school history as a freshman, claiming the silver medal at the Big Ten Championship with a 247-2 (75.35m). A Second-Team All-American, Sirmon placed 13th in the javelin at the NCAA Championships. Sirmon secured the U.S. U20 Javelin National Title and took second at the NACAC U23 Championships over the summer.
Maxwell Otterdahl enters his fifth collegiate season as a five-time All-American. Most recently, he took fourth in the shot put and 13th in the discus at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. At the outdoor conference meet, the Minnesota-native won the discus title and earned silver in the shot put. Otterdahl placed fourth in the shot put at the NCAA Indoor Championships and tabbed two top-five finishes in the shot put and the weight throw at the Big Ten Indoor Championships. He holds the No. 2 weight throw, No. 3 indoor and outdoor shot put and No. 8 discus distances in Nebraska history.
Till Steinforth rewrote the school record books last season, shattering the decathlon and heptathlon records. A two-time First-Team All-American, Steinforth placed fourth at the NCAA Championships in both the heptathlon and decathlon. The junior from Saxony-Anhalt, Germany added a Big Ten title with a record-breaking 8,064 points, while winning three of the decathlon events.
Tyus Wilson closed his sophomore season on a high note, finishing fourth at the NCAA Outdoor Championship in the high jump. The First-Team All-American added a runner-up finish at the Big Ten Outdoor Championship, posting the ninth-best high jump mark in school history. During the indoor season, Wilson claimed the bronze at the conference meet.
Nick Bryant won the 600m title at the Big Ten Indoor Championships with a personal-best 1:15.37, marking the fastest time ran in school history on an indoor oversized track. He added a contribution to the runner-up 4x400m relay at the indoor conference meet. The outdoor season was marked by a personal-best 400m time (46.18) at the NCAA West Preliminary Round and sixth-place finishes in the 400m and the 4x400m relay at the Big Ten Championships.
Johansson was one of 10 athletes nationally to be named to The Bowerman 2024 women’s preseason watch list on Tuesday. The accolade is the highest track and field honor given annually to the most outstanding college male and female athletes. A four-time All-American, Johansson claimed the 2023 Outdoor NCAA title and Indoor NCAA silver medal in the shot put. The junior from Hok, Sweden swept the Big Ten shot put titles last season, putting up a school record-breaking mark of 64-1 1/4 (19.54m) at the outdoor meet to earn the Big Ten Women’s Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year honor. Earlier in the season, Johansson topped the indoor school record book, throwing a 63-4 (19.30m) at the Frank Sevigne Invitational. Her best indoor and outdoor distances also broke the Swedish records.
The reigning NCAA and Big Ten Javelin Champion, Otabor has the No. 2 mark in school history. The three-time All-American spent two seasons at FIU before transferring to Nebraska ahead of the 2023 season. Adding to her collection of accolades, Otabor was crowned the Bahamian National Champion and the NACAC U23 Champion, setting a new meet record. Otabor represented the Bahamas on the national stage in August, competing at the World Athletics Championships. In November, Otabor earned the silver medal at the Pan American Games.
Maddie Harris owns the javelin school record after throwing for 199-3 (60.73m) to win the 2023 USATF Javelin Title. The three-time All-American finished fourth at the NCAA Championship and second at the Big Ten Championship in the javelin last season. From Lee’s Summit, Mo., Harris competed in the Pan American games in November, claiming the bronze.
Jenna Rogers capped off last year with a runner-up finish at the USATF Outdoor Nationals, clearing 6-1 1/2 (1.87m). The junior from Rutherford, N.J. is a four-time All-American and a three-time Big Ten Champion. Rogers owns the second-best indoor mark and fourth-best outdoor mark in Nebraska history. In 2023, she placed fourth at the NCAA Indoor Championships, first at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships and second at the indoor conference meet.
Lishanna Ilves was named a Second-Team All-American in the long jump, placing 14th at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships. From Koeru, Estonia, Ilves climbed to No. 4 on Nebraska’s all-time list in the indoor long jump, leaping 21-3 1/4 (6.48m) at the Texas Tech Open. She also holds the fourth-best mark in the outdoor long jump, hitting 21-10 1/4 (6.66m) in 2021.
Velecia Williams earned Second-Team All-American status in the long jump, leaping to 10th (20-2 1/4, 6.15m) at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. In her first season competing as a Husker, Williams placed eighth in the triple jump and 13th in the long jump at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships.
Rhianna Phipps garnered Second-Team All-America honors at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, placing 13th in the triple jump with a distance of 43-9 3/4 (13.35m). The Kansas State transfer added a bronze in the triple jump at the indoor conference meet. Over the summer, Phipps set a personal-best triple jump mark at the NACAC U23 Championship, winning the title with a 13.61m.
Lotavia Brown won the triple jump crown at the Big Ten Outdoor Championship with a mark of 43-9 (13.33m), moving up to ninth in school history. The indoor season was highlighted by a fourth-place triple jump finish at conference.
Garrett Kaalund, Brithton Senior, Kavian Kerr and Lorenzo Paissan shattered the 4x100m relay school record in 2023, going on to garner Second-Team All-America honors with a 15th-place finish at NCAAs. As a freshman, Kaalund topped the school record book in the 200m, earning the silver medal at the Pan-American U20 Championships.
On top of the talented and experienced returners, 29 newcomers will take the track for NU. Representing 13 states and three countries, eight transfers and 21 freshmen are set to represent the Huskers. The group has combined for 62 state titles, four national titles and two world championships. A breakdown of the newcomers can be found here.
2024 Nebraska Track & Field CaptainsJenna Rogers, High JumpTrevor Acton, DistanceEmma Ralston, DistanceKolby Heinerikson, MultisDarius Luff, HurdlesLishanna Ilves, JumpsJohanna Ilves, Sprints/HurdlesMicaylon Moore, JumpsKevin Shubert, Throws
