LINCOLN, Neb. — With the Big East Indoor Track & Field Championships on the horizon, Creighton used the Nebraska Tune-Up as a final opportunity to gain momentum and set new program benchmarks.
“Today was all about building momentum as our athletes prepare for the BIG EAST Indoor Conference next week,” Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator Matthew Fayers said.
Despite a lineup different from what Creighton will field at the conference meet, many races saw standout performances, particularly in the 800 meters.
“We had some great performances in the 800, with the ladies setting the No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 times in school history,” Fayers said.
Following a competitive four laps around the 200-meter track, the Bluejay women claimed the top three times in school history. Junior Anika Nettekoven led the way, winning the race in a thrilling photo finish with Nebraska’s Deavion DeLeon. Nettekoven clocked a time of 2:14.242, narrowly edging out DeLeon’s 2:14.244 with a late push down the stretch to break the previous Creighton record of 2:16.6, set by freshman Katie Roche just four weeks ago. Also shattering the time was Roche, who finished fourth with a time of 2:15.19, and junior Carly Manchester, who claimed seventh with a time of 2:15.61.
On the distance side, junior Katherine Soule delivered a strong performance in the women’s 3,000 meters, finishing second with a personal-best time of 10:12.90, while sophomore Taylor Rorick secured a sixth-place finish in the mile with a time of 5:07.47.
The Creighton men also saw several impressive results. In the 800 meters, junior Brian Hiltebrand placed second in 1:53.43, just ahead of sophomores Ryan Hendrickson (1:53.61) and junior Dominic Ricci (1:55.74).
In the men’s mile, sophomore Evan Kraus was Creighton’s top finisher, taking sixth place in 4:16.43. Senior Ryan Montera ran a personal-best of 8:26.10 in the 3,000 meters to finish second, while fellow senior Henry Slagle placed sixth with a time of 8:37.51.
With their first-ever trip to the BIG EAST Indoor Championships approaching, the Bluejays will have the chance to test themselves against some of the nation’s top programs, including Villanova and Georgetown.
“It gives us a good sense of where we fit in on the national stage,” Fayers said.
The Big East Indoor Championships take place today and tomorrow in the Windy City of Chicago, marking a historic moment for Creighton’s track and field program.