McGruder makes big leaps
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BY KEN HAMBLETON / Lincoln Journal Star
One unwritten rule in track and field is that you improve in increments.
Not by 2 feet in the triple jump and by a foot in the long jump.
But Nebraska sophomore Leandra McGruder did just that Saturday when she posted a triple jump of 40 feet, 11½ inches in the Holiday Inn Invitational at the Devaney Sports Center.
In the first indoor meet of the season, McGruder won the long jump Friday with a leap of 18-11¼. While neither mark is close to her goals, both were vastly improved over the last year.
“It shows what can happen when you have a year here, get the nerves out and just relax and jump,” said the native of Jefferson City, Mo. “This time last year, I was 2 feet shorter in the triple jump and about a foot shorter in the long jump.
“Now I feel like I’ve got something going and can set my goals higher this year,” she said.
McGruder said she was inspired because her high school coaches, Dennis and Roberta Lickliter, along with two recruits from her alma mater, Jefferson City High, were in the stands.
“They never got to see me compete in college and I’m proud I got to show them I deserve to be here,” she said. “Last year, as a freshman, I was so scared, so intimidated. I was wondering if I should even be here. But I’m jumping with Danielle Smith and Zarinah Suluki-Drakes and I think we push each other to compete at a higher level.”
Husker All-America sprinter Dan Christensen, a junior from Millard West, also got a good start to his season.
Christensen won the 200-meter dash in 21.96 seconds and ran the anchor leg on the winning 1,600 relay. He joined All-American Lukas Hulett, Andrew Pearson and Tyrell Ross to finish in 3:13.87, almost two seconds ahead of a Nebraska team of All-Americans Scott Wims, Dax Danns and teammates Nick Makukutu and Blaise Rewaka.
“It’s such a great feeling to get a good start to the season,” Christensen said. “Basically, the idea is to build yourself up to get this team some points at the Big 12 meet and to qualify for the nationals.
“We’ve got some great sprinting speed and we’ve got the experience of running last year,” he said.
Christensen, Dans, Hulett and Wims teamed to finish third in the 1,600 relay last year to give the Huskers a share of the Big 12 team title. In the outdoor season, the same group finished eighth at the NCAA meet.
Former Husker pole vaulter Ray Scotten impressed the crowd of more than 1,500 with a mark of 18-½. He beat runner-up Gabe Baldwin, another former Husker, by more than a foot and Huskers Zac Holoch and Seth Burney by almost 2 feet.
Scotten, who last competed for Nebraska in 2006, is finishing his degree work in nutrition, working nights and trying to train for the U.S. Olympic Trials later this season.
“I’m injury-free and I’m pretty confident because I just matched my personal best indoor and almost made my personal best all-time when I barely missed at 18-2¼,” he said.
Scotten said he juggles his busy schedule, working, school, and training with the Nebraska vaulters by living the life of a college student, “without the parties.”
He was slowed by a severe hamstring injury for almost two years but is finally healed and already vaulting his best.
“I love training with the guys here,” he said. “Burney will be a great one and our freshmen, Luke Franssen (Lincoln High) and Pat Burke, are solid competitors,” he said. “I hope to be ready to qualify for the U.S. Trials.”
Reach Ken Hambleton at 473-7313 or at khambleton@journalstar.com.
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