Nebraska Wesleyan University will have four athletes competing in five events at the 2012 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships that will be held on March 9-10 at Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa. Two men and two women have qualified for the track & field championships for the Prairie Wolves.

Junior John Kersenbrock (O’Neill, Neb.) is the only NWU athlete that will be competing in two events. Kersenbrock has qualified in the men’s long jump and the 400 meter dash. Kersebrock enters the meet with the sixth best mark in the long jump (7.21m) and the fourth fastest time in the 400 at 48.85. Kersenbrock was 7th in the indoor long jump last season to earn his first All-American honor.

The other NWU male athlete that will be competing is Tommie Bardsley (Beatrice, Neb.) in the high jump. Bardsley, who is in his first season of indoor track & field, has the second best jump in NCAA III this season with a leap of 6-10.75 earlier this season. Bardsley was fifth at the Outdoor Championships in 2011 to earn his first All-American honor.

For the Nebraska Wesleyan women, senior Katie Schoen (Adams, Neb.) is making her second consecutive trip to the NCAA Indoor Nationals in the women’s high jump. Schoen enters the competition tied for the third highest jump with her mark of 5-7.25. Last season, Schoen just missed All-American honors by placing ninth in the high jump.

Junior Deanna Dirkschneider (North Bend, Neb.) has qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships in the shot put. Dirkschneider will be making her first appearance at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Dirkschneider has thrown the shot put 45-5 this season, which is the seventh best mark in NCAA III. Dirkschneider was fourth at the 2011 Outdoor Championships in the shot put to earn her first All-American honor.

NWU Qualifiers

Men

Tommie Bardsley, Fr., Beatrice, Neb. (Beatrice) – High Jump

John Kersenbrock, Jr., O’Neill, Neb. (St. Mary’s) – Long Jump/400 meters

Women

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

Deanna Dirkschneider, Jr., North Bend, Neb. (North Bend) – Shot Put

NWU Schedule of Events

Athlete, Event, Date, Time

John Kersenbrock, Long Jump, March 9, 4:00 pm

Katie Schoen, High Jump, March 9, 4:30 pm

John Kersenbrock, 400 meters, March 9, 6:05 pm

Tommie Bardsley, High Jump, March 10, 1:30 pm