Nebraska track and field announced 29 newcomers to its program for the 2023-24 season on Wednesday.
This talented class represents 13 states and three countries, including eight transfers and 21 incoming freshmen. The 29-member class is made up of 62 state titles, four national titles and two world championships.
Highlighting the class on the women’s side is Mine De Klerk, University of Oregon transfer and Welkom, South Africa-native. De Klerk is expected to bolster NU’s throwers, as a two-time World U20 Champion, a World U20 runner-up, a World U20 bronze medalist and a South African U20 National Record Holder.
Cece Deebom comes in as a decorated sprinter, jumper and hurdler from Fargo, N.D., collecting 12 state titles through her high school career.
Joining Nebraska’s distance corps, Ali Bainbridge is an eight-time South Dakota State Champion and Hayley Trotter is a seven-time Kansas State Champion.
Berlyn Schutz and Sage Burbach are Nebraska-natives that have made impacts at the state meet. A distance runner from Lincoln East, Schutz won three state titles, while Burbach is a two-time state champion in the throws.
Adding to the sprints and hurdles, Abrielle Artley is a two-time state champion from Illinois.
On the men’s side, Tyrell Pierce is a sprinter transferring from Knox College and has earned two DIII First-Team All-America honors. Garrit Twitero is another DIII First-Team All-American joining Nebraska, transferring from Texas Lutheran University.
Max Herman, a Nike Indoor National Champion and Adidas Indoor National Champion in the weight throw, comes to Lincoln from Marietta, Ga.
Highlighting the in-state newcomers, Jack Gillogly is an accomplished sprinter from Creighton Prep. He holds the state record in the 200m and is a five-time Nebraska State Champion. Jaylen Lloyd, an incoming freshman from Omaha Westside, has captured six state titles and won the long jump at the Nike Outdoor National Championship. Lloyd and fellow newcomer Malachi Coleman are two dual-sport athletes, playing wide receiver for Nebraska football.
Mason Kooi is a three-time Illinois State Champion and a New Balance Indoor National Champion in the high jump. Kael Miedema, a thrower from Sioux Falls, S.D., notched three state titles. Adding to the distance runners, Gabe Nash is a four-time state champion from Iowa.
Jeremiah Smith and Brice Turner add depth to the sprints, with Smith winning three state titles in Kansas and Turner capturing two state titles in Texas.
Women
Abrille Artley - Sprints/Hurdles - Evanston, Ill. (Evanston Township High School)
• 100mH: 14.35; 300mH: 43.25; 400m: 56.36
• 2x Illinois State Champion
Ali Bainbridge - Distance - Sioux Falls, S.D. (Sioux Falls Lincoln High School)
• 800m: 2:14.26; 1600m: 4:53.59; 3200m: 10:30.25
• 8x South Dakota State Champion
Sage Burbach - Throws - Norris, Neb. (Norris High School)
• Shot put: 46-4; Discus: 136-0
• 2x Nebraska State Champion
Cece Deebom - Sprints/Jumps/Hurdles - Fargo, N.D. (Davies High School)
• 100m: 11.80; 200m: 24.39; 100mH: 14.00; Long jump: 19-7
• 12x North Dakota state champion
Mine De Klerk - Throws - University of Oregon/ Welkom, South Africa
• Shot put: 57-7; Discus: 178-8
• 2x World U20 Champion, 1x World U20 runner-up, 1x World U20 bronze medalist, South African U20 National Record Holder
Cammy Garabian - Throws - Harvard College/ Seekonk, Mass.
• Hammer throw: 203-8; Weight throw: 61-2
Seven Hicks - Sprints - Illinois State University/ Peoria, Ill.
• 60m: 7.39; 100m: 11.65; 200m: 24:01
Grace Parsons - Combined Events - Columbia, Mo. (Rock Bridge High School)
• 100mH: 14.48; 300mH: 43.83
Rebecca Pecora - Combined Events - Houston Christian University/ Milan, Italy
• High jump: 5-9 3/4; Long jump: 20-8 1/2; Pentathlon: 3,604; Heptathlon: 5,059
Berlyn Schutz - Distance - Lincoln, Neb. (Lincoln East High School)
• 800m: 2:11.57; 1,600m: 4:44.77; 3,200m: 10:45.43
• 3x Nebraska State Champion
Hayley Trotter - Distance - Clearwater, Kan. (Clearwater High School)
• 400m: 58.63; 800m: 2:12.00; 1,600m: 5:06.00
• 7x Kansas State Champion
Arianna Walker - Sprints - Illinois State University (Richton Park, Ill.)
• 60m: 7.48; 100m: 11.67; 200m: 23.91
Men
Luca Arcuri - Distance - Park Ridge, Ill. (Maine South High School)
• 1,600m: 4:24.97; 3,200m: 9:23.11
Jeremiah Charles - Jumps - Arlington, Texas (Arlington Martin High School)
• Triple jump: 50-3 3/4; Long jump: 23-1 1/2
Malachi Coleman - Sprints - Lincoln, Neb. (Lincoln East High School)
• 100m: 10.46; 200m: 21.31
Jack Gillogly - Sprints - Omaha, Neb. (Creighton Prep High School)
• 100m: 10.53; 200m: 20.90
• 5x Nebraska State Champion
• Nebraska State Record Holder in the 200m
Max Herman - Throws - Marietta, Ga. (Marietta High School)
• Weight throw: 80-5 3/4; Hammer throw: 213-8 1/2
• Nike Indoor National Champion (Weight throw)
• Adidas Indoor National Champion (Weight throw)
Mason Kooi - High Jump - Springfield, Ill. (Springfield Lutheran High School)
• High jump: 7-0
• 3x Illinois State Champion
• New Balance Indoor National Champion (High Jump)
Jaylen Lloyd - Jumps/Sprints - Omaha, Neb. (Omaha Westside High School)
• 100m: 10.43; 200m: 21.32; Long jump: 25-5 1/2; Triple jump: 50-6
• 6x Nebraska State Champion
• Nike Outdoor National Champion (Long jump)
Ethan Magee - Hurdles - Columbia, Mo. (Battle High School)
• 60mH: 8.09; 110mH: 14.66; 300mH: 39:56
Kael Miedema - Throws - Sioux Falls, S.D. (Sioux Falls Washington High School)
• Shot put: 64-8; Discus: 196-6
• 3x South Dakota State Champion
Cade Moran - Throws - University of Michigan/ Murrieta, Calif.
• Shot put: 58-3; Weight throw: 54-4 1/2
Gabe Nash - Mid-Distance - Sioux City, Iowa (Sioux City North High School)
• 800m: 1:51.23; 1,600m: 4:12.30; 3,200m: 9:07.94
• 4x Iowa State Champion
Luke Noland - Combined Events - Kearney, Mo. (Kearney High School)
• Long jump: 23-2; 100m: 11.28; 200m: 22.13; 110mH: 14.30; 300mH: 40.91
• Missouri State Champion
Tyrell Pierce - Sprints - Knox College/ Auburn, Ala.
• 200m: 21.49; 400m: 46.45
• 2x DIII First-Team All-American
Kaleb Sharp - Mid-Distance - Jordan, Minn. (Jordan High School)
• 400m: 49.61; 800m: 1:53.23; 1,500m: 3:59.98
• Minnesota State Champion
Jeremiah Smith - Sprints - Tecumseh, Kan. (Shawnee Heights High School)
• 60m: 6.80; 100m: 10.27; 110mH: 14.26; 300mH: 39.53
• 3x Kansas State Champion
Brice Turner - Sprints - Bay City, Texas (Bay City High School)
• 100m: 10.25; 200m: 20.97
• 2x Texas State Champion
Garrit Twitero - High Jump - Texas Lutheran University/ McQueeney, Texas
• High jump: 6-10 3/4
• DIII First-Team All-American
SIX HUSKERS NAMED TO SENIOR BOWL WATCH LIST
Six Nebraska football players were named to the Senior Bowl Watch List, announced on Wednesday. Offensive linemen Bryce Benhart and Ben Scott, running back Anthony Grant, defensive back Quinton Newsome, linebacker Luke Reimer and defensive lineman Ty Robinson each earned a spot on the watch list.
The 2024 Senior Bowl will be held on Feb. 3, 2024, in Mobile, Alabama. Elite draft prospects from around the country are selected to showcase their talent at the Senior Bowl and connect with coaches and decision-makers from all 32 NFL teams.
Benhart has started 29 games at right tackle for the Big Red over the past three seasons. In addition to being the most seasoned offensive lineman on the Husker roster, Benhart has also excelled in the classroom as a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection.
Scott landed on his second watch list of the preseason, as he was also named to the Rimington Trophy watch list. Scott is a transfer from Arizona State, where he started 28 games the last three years. He has proven to be a versatile offensive lineman with multiple starts at right tackle (17 starts) and center (11 starts).
Grant led Nebraska in rushing in his first season in a Husker uniform in 2022. He carried 218 times for 915 yards and six touchdowns last fall. Grant’s 915 rushing yards were the most by a Husker in four seasons, and he produced five 100-yard rushing performances while also catching 18 passes. He was an honorable-mention All-Big Ten selection in 2022.
Newsome has started every game at cornerback the past two seasons, carrying a streak of 24 consecutive starts into the 2023 campaign. He has totaled 101 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks and 14 pass breakups the last two years. Newsome is one of the top returning cornerbacks in the Big Ten, as he earned honorable-mention all-conference accolades last season.
Reimer is the Big Ten’s active career leader with 245 tackles over his first four seasons. He has started each of the 22 games he’s played over the last two years, totaling 194 tackles during that stretch. A 2022 honorable-mention All-Big Ten pick, Reimer averages nearly nine tackles per game in his 27 career starts with 15.5 TFLs, 4.0 sacks, four forced fumbles, 11 pass breakups and a pair of interceptions.
Robinson has started 23 games in his career, including every game last season. He has recorded 51 tackles the past two seasons with 8.0 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks and a pair of pass breakups. Robinson was Nebraska’s co-Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2022.