February 8, 2004

Track Wins 12 Events at Doane

Loper Women Set Three Meet/Stadium Records

            Kearney, NE – The Nebraska-Kearney track team won 12 events at Saturday's Fred Beile Track Classic in Crete. The non-team scoring event was hosted by Doane College.

            The UNK women won nine events and broke three meet/stadium records in the process. The Loper men won four events and, as usual, dominated the throwing events.

             On the women's side, the Loper sprinters had a very strong meet. UNK went 1-2 in the 200 and 2-3 in the 55. Bellwood junior Kate Semin ran a 26.08 to win the 200, breaking the meet record of 26.11, while Wyoming senior Angela Sorenson (26.71) was runner up. In the 55, Minden sophomore Amber Burke was runner up (7.30) with Wayne junior Amanda Maryott third (7.39).

            Sorenson then placed third in the 55 hurdles (8.68) with Hildreth senior Kathryn Alt winning the 1,000 (2:57.97), Lexington junior Andrea Andersen placing first in the 600 (1:39.65) and Auburn sophomore Sara Whitehead winning the 800 (2:29.35).

            Alt's time shattered meet (3:05.18) and stadium record (3:04.62) as she won by nearly 10 seconds. She then helped the 4 x 100 relay team run a 4:00.21 to eclipse stadium and meet records (4:00.72). Joining Alt on the squad were Semin, Andersen and Springfield junior Denise Kolar.

            Culbertson freshman Sara Wagner led a good effort by the UNK jumpers. She won the long (18-7.25) and was second in the triple (37-7). Her effort in the long jump provisionally qualifies her for the NCAA's.

            Kansas senior Lesley Crutcher won the high jump (5-4) with Gering freshman Katie Schaneman third in the pole vault (10-9). Finally, in the throws, Central City sophomore Shauna Birchard was victorious in the shot put (45-4).

            The Loper men had five of the top six in the shot put and three of the first four finishers in the weight throw. Brining home the gold were Kearney freshman Chase Beideck in the shot (52-9) and Walthill junior Derek Frese in the weight throw (59-0.25). Frese's effort was a personal best and should move him up on the national list.

            Eustis sophomore Lance Pfeiffer (shot/52-4.50) and Grand Island senior Scott Jorgensen (weight throw/54-0) were second to Beideck and Frese, respectively.

            In the jumps, Lexington senior John Laux won the triple (46-10.50) while Ansley senior Derek Bailey (high/6-8) and Will Hood (pole vault/15-0) were second in their events. 

            Bailey was also second in the 55 hurdles (7.82). Also on the track, Kearney junior Nolan Little was first in the 600 (1:26.04) with Kearney freshman Joe Richardson coming in second in both the 55 (6.60) and 200 (23.49) dashes.

            UNK heads to Lincoln this Friday night for the Nebraska Wesleyan Invite.