34 | nebraska Cross Country | 2013
Husker Men building for climb up the big ten The Nebraska men’s cross country team has worked hard for improved performances, and the young team hopes to ascend the Big Ten standings in 2013. Senior co-captains Jarren Heng and Trevor Vidlak return as leaders for a youthful Husker squad that regularly featured five or more freshmen among its top seven runners in 2012. Both Heng and Vidlak battled injuries in 2012. Vidlak missed the entire season after suffering an injury on the track in 2011-12. His return could provide a major boost to Nebraska’s place in the Big Ten in 2013. Heng brings leadership on and off the course for the Huskers and is expected to be one of NU’s top runners in 2013. Heng owns four top10 finishes in his collegiate career and plans to add to that total as a senior. “Jarren must stay away from any injuries to have the kind of season to lead our team,” Nebraska Coach David Harris said. “His leadership as a captain is vital, just as it was last year when we were so young.” He could be one of the biggest surprises in the Big Ten by staying healthy and racing well.” Vidlak and junior Connor Gibson are expected to join Heng in providing a nucleus of experienced runners for the Huskers. Vidlak, a Lincoln native, is a three-time Husker captain and Nebraska’s Most Valuable Runner in 2011. As a junior, Vidlak finished 35th at the Big Ten Championships before taking 80th at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships.
Jarren Heng is expected to be one of Nebraska’s top runners in 2013. The senior co-captain from Norfolk, Neb., will be a leader for a young Husker team.
Meet The Huskers l men’s Runners
2013 Returning Runners (11) Matthew Bloch, Nolan Border, Connor Gibson, Matthew Gilbert, London Hawk, Jarren Heng, Jonah Heng, Sidney Madlock, Jacob Olson, Alney Tobias, Trevor Vidlak Returning Letterwinners (6) Matthew Bloch (1), Connor Gibson (1), Jarren Heng (2), Jonah Heng (1) , Jacob Olson (1), Trevor Vidlak (2) 2013 Newcomers (10) Jackson Barbour, Joseph Harter, Clayton Henderson, Jacob Holtmeier, Lucas Keifer, Pat Letz, Christian Martin, Nicholas Matysek, Daniel Otto, Peter Spinks 2012 Departed Runners (7) Taylor Anders, Tommy Brinn, Dani Dapo, Brett Grieb, Anthony Pittman, Adam Procknow, Aron Sebhat Gibson joined Vidlak in a redshirt season while recovering from injuries in 2012. Gibson lettered in cross country as a sophomore in 2011, producing several strong performances during the regular season. He did not compete for the Huskers at the Big Ten or Midwest Regional championships. “We bring back Connor Gibson and Trevor Vidlak into our program this year after sitting out with injury last year,” Harris said. “Just those two guys alone will make a huge difference for us this.” A fourth native Nebraskan, sophomore Jacob Olson will be looking to make a jump in his performance after a successful freshman season. Olson, a native of Kearney, Neb., regularly ran among NU’s top three throughout the season. He was NU’s No. 2 finisher on three occasions, including the Woody Greeno/Nebraska Invitational, the KU Rim Rock Farm Classic and the Wisconsin adidas Invitational. Jonah Heng, a sophomore from Overland Park, Kan., and a younger cousin to Jarren, also returns after regularly finishing among Nebraska’s top-three runners in 2012. As a freshman, Jonah Heng was the first Husker to cross the finish line at both the Big Ten Championships and the Wisconsin adidas Invitational. While the Huskers hope to be bolstered by the return of more experienced runners, they will also benefit from a talented recruiting class that they hope can make an immediate impact. Freshman Joe Harter, the reigning Gatorade Nebraska High School Runner of the Year, could make the biggest impression in 2013. The Omaha, Neb., native won the 2012 Nebraska Class A cross country championship for Millard West High School. Two-time Nebraska Super-State honoree Lucas Keifer out of Lincoln Southwest High School also could help the Huskers immediately. The Huskers boast a highly competitive 2013 schedule. Nebraska opens the season at the Augustana Twilight in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Friday, Sept. 6. Following the season-opening trip to South Dakota, the Huskers return to Lincoln to play host to the annual Woody Greeno/ Nebraska Invitational. One of the Midwest’s largest cross country competitions will take place at Pioneers Park on Saturday, Sept. 21. The following week, the Huskers head to Minnesota for the Roy Griak Invitational on Sept. 28. Nebraska returns to competition at the South Dakota Invitational in Vermillion on Oct. 19, before battling the Big Ten’s best at the conference championships in West Lafayette, Ind., on Sunday, Nov. 3. Nebraska will compete at the NCAA Midwest Regional in Ames, Iowa on Nov. 15, in hopes of qualifying for the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Ind., on Saturday, Nov. 23.