Nebraska Wesleyan University will have eight athletes competing in nine events at the 2011 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships that will be held on March 11-12 at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. Three women and five men have qualified for the track & field championships for the Prairie Wolves.

Three NWU men will enter the championships with marks that rank in the top three in their respective events. Senior Elliott Bulling (Lincoln, Neb.) leads the way as he has the best throw in the country in the shot put. Bulling had a school record toss of 58-4 to come into the championships with the top throw.

Senior Kevin Janata (Howells, Neb.) has the second fastest time in the country in the 55-meter hurdles and will be aiming for his first indoor All-American honor. Janata was an All-American last season at the outdoor championships. His time of 7.51 was the second best time in NCAA III this season.

Jack Chatelain (Kearney, Neb.) comes into this weekend with the third best mark in the men’s long jump. Chatelain had an automatic qualifying time of 23-8 ¼, which is the sixth best jump in NWU history. Chatelain was an All-American in the long jump at the outdoor meet as a freshman in 2010.

Joining Chatelain in the long jump will be teammate John Kersenbrock (O’Neill, Neb.). Kersenbrock has a season best mark of 23-2 ½ to enter the championships with the 12th best mark in DIII. The final NWU men’s athlete that will be competing is junior Jay Wall (Grant, Neb.) in the pole vault. Wall came on strong at the end of the year and went 15-11 at the Iowa State Last Chance meet to get into the national championship meet.

Senior Amanda Brichacek (Schuyler, Neb.) leads the NWU women into the championships, as the only athlete to qualify in two events. Brichacek qualified in the weight throw with the eighth best mark in the country at 57-3 ¾, and also will be competing in the shot put. She qualified in the weight throw in 2010, placing 12th overall.

Sophomore Taylor Tacha (Bertrand, Neb.) will be making her second straight appearance in the 55-meter hurdles. Tacha enters with the seventh fastest time (8.25) in the country this year. The other woman to compete at Nationals will be junior Katie Schoen (Adams, Neb.) in the high jump. Schoen has a mark of 5-5 ¾ to enter the meet with the 12th best jump.

NWU Qualifiers

Men

Elliott Bulling, Sr., Lincoln, Neb. (Lincoln Northeast ) – Shot Put

Jack Chatelain, So., Kearney, Neb. (Kearney) – Long Jump

Kevin Janata, Sr., Howells, Neb. (Howells) – 55-Meter Hurdles

John Kersenbrock, So., O’Neill, Neb. (St. Mary’s) – Long Jump

Jay Wall, Jr., Grant, Neb. (Perkins County) – Pole Vault

Women

Amanda Brichacek, Sr., Schuyler, Neb. (Schuyler Central) – Shot Put/Weight Throw

Katie Schoen, Jr., Adams, Neb. (Freeman) – High Jump

Taylor Tacha, So., Bertrand, Neb. (Bertrand) – 55-Meter Hurdles