Burning up the track

From the June 1954 University of Omaha Alumni Newsletter

Photo from 1955 Tomahawk yearbook

 

Bill Barnes, sophomore hurdler, June 4 became OU's first athlete to put his name in the books as a national record-holder.

He gained a share of the low-hurdle title of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics by tying the existing mark of 24.1. His performance came in the preliminaries at the NAIA's national track and field meet in Abilene, Tex.

 

Barnes went on to the finals and captured second in the low hurdles and third in the highs to become third high scorer in the meet. Teammate Bob Gerdeman boosted the OU squad into seventh place among more than 60 schools with a third in the 400-emeter hurdles.

 

Gerdeman's time is a new school record, the eleventh to be set by this year's squad. All the new record-holders will be back next year.

 

A major 1955 target will be the Saunderson Mile Relay Trophy awarded at the Sioux City Relays. OU's mile relay team, two-time trophy winner, will be trying for the third victory which brings permanent possession.