COLLEGE STATION, Texas – On the final day of the NCAA West Preliminary Round, the Nebraska track and field team secured five more bids to the NCAA Outdoor Championships, bringing their final total to 11 qualifiers.
Three of the Huskers’ five qualifiers on Saturday came in the men’s 110-meter hurdles. Crete native Luke Siedhoff led the way, finishing fourth overall and earning an automatic spot with a top-three finish in his heat. Siedhoff ran a wind-legal personal-best 13.58, which ranks sixth in school history. The two-time All-American in the event will make his third career NCAA Championships appearance.
Lincoln High product Darius Luff earned an automatic bid to nationals as well with a top-three finish in the same heat as Siedhoff. Competing in his first collegiate outdoor season, Luff posted a personal-best 13.64, the No. 8 time in school history. Finally, Joey Daniels came in fourth in the same heat, but his time of 13.67 was good enough to qualify by time as one of the top-12 overall finishers. Daniels will compete at the NCAA Championships for a second time. The Princeton transfer was a second-team All-American in 2019 after finishing 12th.
Distance runner Dais Malebana will head to Eugene, Oregon after finishing sixth overall in the 1,500 meters with a personal-best time of 3:39.36, the No. 5 time in school history. Malebana entered the regional meet seeded 34th out of 48 competitors, but he comfortably punched his ticket to nationals on Saturday.
Finishing out the day for the Big Red, Husker senior distance runner Judi Jones secured her first career NCAA Championships bid in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. She finished with a time of 9:56.13, which earned her the 12th and final spot at the NCAA West Preliminary Round.
The NCAA Outdoor Championships will be held June 9-12 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
Nebraska’s NCAA Outdoor Championships Qualifiers
Mayson Conner (High Jump)
Joey Daniels (110-Meter Hurdles)
Maddie Harris (Javelin)
Michael Hoffer (High Jump)
Michael Hoffer (Long Jump)
Judi Jones (3,000-Meter Steeplechase)
Mirta Kulisic (Javelin)
Burger Lambrechts Jr. (Shot Put)
Darius Luff (110-Meter Hurdles)
Dais Malebana (1,500 Meters)
Luke Siedhoff (110-Meter Hurdles)
