March 9, 2010
Nebraska Wesleyan University will have six athletes competing at the 2010 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships that will be held on March 12-13 at DePauw University in Greencastle, Ind. Four women and two men have qualified for the track & field championships for the Prairie Wolves.
Senior Anne Kersenbrock (O’Neill, Neb.) leads the NWU women into the championships, as the only athlete to qualify in two events. Kersenbrock qualified in the long jump with the fifth best mark in the country at 18-9 ¼, and also will be competing in the 55-meter dash. She qualified in the long jump at the 2009 NCAA Indoor Championships and placed ninth, just missing All-America honors.
Junior Amanda Brichacek (Schuyler, Neb.) will be making her first appearance at the Indoor Championships competing in the weight throw. Brichacek has the 14th best mark in the country with a toss of 53-10 ¼.
A pair of freshmen also have qualified for the Prairie Wolves. Taylor Tacha (Bertrand, Neb.) will be competing in the 55-meter hurdles. Tacha has the eighth fastest time in the country (8.31) to qualify for her first NCAA Championships. Deanna Dirkschneider (North Bend, Neb.) will be competing in the shot put for the Prairie Wolves after qualifying with the 15th best mark in the country (43-3 ¾).
Two Nebraska Wesleyan men qualified for the NCAA III National Meet. Junior Kevin Janata (Howells, Neb.) will be competing in the 55 meter hurdles for the second straight season. He has a qualifying time of 7.64 to enter the meet ranked 13th.
True freshman John Kersenbrock, the younger brother of Anne, made a late season run and qualified for the long jump. Kersenbrock had a leap of 23-7 ¼ last Saturday and now enters the championships tied for the fourth best mark in all of NCAA Division III.
NWU Qualifiers
Women
Amanda Brichacek, Jr., Schuyler, Neb. (Schuyler Central) – Weight Throw
Deanna Dirkschneider, Fr., North Bend, Neb. (North Bend) – Shot Put
Anne Kersenbrock, Sr., O’Neill, Neb. (St. Mary’s) – Long Jump, 55 Meters
Taylor Tacha, Fr., Bertrand, Neb. (Bertrand) – 55 Meter Hurdles
Men
Kevin Janata, Jr., Howells, Neb. (Howells) – 55 Meter Hurdles
John Kersenbrock, Fr., O’Neill, Neb. (St. Mary’s) – Long Jump
NCAA III Track & Field Championships Website
| NWU Schedule of Events | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Athlete | Event | Date | Time (Eastern Time) |
| Anne Kersenbrock | Long Jump | Mar. 12 | 12:00 pm |
| Amanda Brichacek | Weight Throw | Mar. 12 | 2:30 pm |
| John Kersenbrock | Long Jump | Mar. 12 | 3:30 pm |
| Kevin Janata | 55m Hurdles | Mar. 12 | 4:35 pm |
| Taylor Tacha | 55m Hurdles | Mar. 12 | 4:50 pm |
| Anne Kersenbrock | 55m Dash | Mar. 12 | 5:35 pm |
| Deanna Dirkschneider | Shot Put | Mar. 13 | 3:30 pm |
