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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 29, 2002
| Sprints/Hurdles | Jumps/ Pole Vault | Distance | Throws |
The 2002 Nebraska-Kearney men's track team will be going for an
unprecedented fifth straight RMAC indoor title this winter. In addition,
the Lopers have also become a force during the outdoor season, finishing
runner up in the RMAC in two of the last three years.
To continue this success, head coach Andy Meyer and his staff have
to replace a senior class that rewrote the records books and featured five
All-Americans. But don't feel sorry for the Lopers. Last year's freshman
class made an immediate impact and there is still enough talent among the
upperclassmen for UNK to be a major force in the RMAC.
"Losing the seniors will effect our depth and that is our
biggest concern right now," Meyer said. "Our representation at
the NCAA Championships will be as good as ever. The graduation losses will
be felt at the conference meet. We may not go 1-2-3 in some events like
last year but we're still going to be strong."
Meyer will also have several standouts redshirting, further
clouding the picture in some events. Two that will be sitting out the year
are junior Derek Bailey and sophomore John Laux.
"We have some key people redshirting, whether it be one season
or both. That will effect us," Meyer said. "We hope some of our
questions can be answered by our newcomers"
Stars of the past few years - Joel Brandt, Ryan Bedlan, Wes Hinze
and Joel Janecek - have graduated but there are still some thoroughbreds
left over.
Sophomores Garth Mins (55 meters) and Scott Schukar (200 meters)
both placed third at the RMAC indoor meet and will be in the hunt to
qualify for the NCAA's.
Casey Marsh, another sophomore, also had a strong first year and
joins Schukar to captain the team's sprinters. Allen Burrell, Mike Bell
and Yly Rock join Mins as football players who will help UNK in the sprint
events.
"Garth had a good year last year and should be a highlight for
us. I think Allen is going to be a force to reckon with," Meyer said.
Meyer thinks true freshmen Ryan Brown and Nolan Little will help
the team in the 400 and on the 4 X 400 relay team.
Bailey, Hinze and Janecek were the team's top performers in the
hurdles and their replacements are still a question for Meyer to answer.
Top candidates include sophomore John Corkle and freshman Kris Schaaf.
Departed senior Joel Farrand, Bailey (the outdoor RMAC high jump
champ and a national qualifier) and Laux (RMAC outdoor triple jump champ),
will be missed. However, this is a strong area for the Lopers and the team
should still get plenty of points from these events.
Senior Jeremy
Chancellor was the RMAC triple jump champ in 1999 and will captain the
Loper jumpers. Sophomore Clark Spanel had a great freshman year, winning
the RMAC indoor long jump title and thus qualifying for the NCAA's.
Sophomore Mike Ford and Mins placed 1-2 in the pole vault at the indoor
meet with Ford being runner up during the outdoor season.
Junior Jesse Kruger is the team's top returnee in the high jump and
is one of several that will be asked to play a bigger role this year.
"A lot of our key performers will have to step it up. They got
a taste of success last year. With Derek gone, Jesse will have to have a
good year for us," Meyer said.
Departed senior Joe Cooper was an All-American in the 800 but the
Lopers return nearly everyone else. Senior Shannon Stenger is the captain
in these events and is joined by talented upperclassmen John Gorman and
Heath Stukenholtz. Freshmen Jake Hinshaw and Heath Trampe should make an
impact as both ran in the top five during the cross country season.
"With Adams State and Western State, this is the premier
distance conference in the nation. I think our group of guys this year can
maybe break up the Adams-Western dominance and score some points,"
Meyer said.
UNK has dominated this area in the RMAC for years and nothing will
change in 2002. Brett Wetton, an All-American and a RMAC champ, has
departed but everyone else is back.
"We really didn't lose a lot behind Brett and I expect all the
guys are going to have a good year," Meyer said.
Senior Scott Schepers was runner up in both the shot and weight
throw at the indoor meet and qualified for the NCAA championships. Junior
Brian Meade also was strong at the RMAC indoor meet, placing third in the
weight throw.
At the outdoor meet, senior Jim DeLeat and sophomores Scott
Jorgensen and Derek Frese went 1-2-3 in the discus. Junior David Smith
actually had the team's second best effort during the year (160-3).
Sophomore Kurt Nielsen, one of the strongest members of the
football team, and transfer Nate Wheat, a NAIA national qualifier at
Bethany College, should also be threats to qualify for nationals. Wheat
will redshirt during the outdoor season, something Nielsen did last year.
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Contact:
Peter Yazvac
yazvacpa@unk.edu |
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University of Nebraska at Kearney
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