May 9, 2004

Bailey, Semin Lead Track at RMAC’s

Lopers Place Second, Third

            Kearney, NE – Ansley senior Derek Bailey and Bellwood junior Kate Semin were named the Athletes of the Meet at the 2004 RMAC Outdoor Track Championships, which concluded yesterday in Hays, Kans.

            Earlier this year, the duo earned the same honors at the RMAC Indoor Track Championships.

            The UNK women, which won six events, placed second with 210.50 points while the Loper men, with four champions, were third (184) in a very close race for the title.

             Adams State ended the Loper women’s two-year reign as RAMC champs by walking away with the title by scoring 257 points. ASC and UNK dominated as Fort Hays State was a very distant third (141 points).

            The men’s title wasn’t decided until the final event of the meet, the 4 X 400 relay, as the host Tigers secured its fourth straight crown by having a top three finish in the event. Hays ended the three-day event with 197 points, compared to 192 for Adams State. 

            Bailey scored 32 points as he won the 110 hurdles (14.42), was runner up in the 400 hurdles (54.87) and high jump (6-11) and placed third in the triple jump (46-7.25).

            Semin had a hand in 35.5 team points as she won the 400-meter dash by nearly three seconds (55.50), placed second in the 200 (24.45) and was fourth in both the high jump (5-1.75) and triple jump (36-1.50). She also anchored the 4 x 400 relay team that finished second (3:56.12).

            Also having a strong meet on the men’s side was Grand Island senior Clark Spanel. He won the long jump (23-7.50), was second in 100 (10.61), third in the 200 (21.25) and ran anchor on the 4 x 100 relay team that placed second (41.80).

            UNK tallied 66 of its team points in the throws, going 1-4 in the shot put and 3-6 in the hammer.

            Senior Nate Wheat (Lakin, Kans.) repeated as shot champ thanks to a season-best throw of 58-6 while Eustis sophomore Lance Pfeiffer was second (56-8.75) and Kearney freshman Chase Beideck third (54-7.25).

            Walthill junior Derek Frese was runner up (171-9) and Grand Island senior Scott Jorgensen third (170-2) in the discus while Frese led the way in the hammer with a third place effort (170-0).

            The Lopers also dominated the triple jump, going 1-3. Lexington senior John Laux won an unprecedented fourth straight title by going 47-9.75 in his last attempt to edge fellow senior Skyler Price (47-9.50).

            Finally, Bertrand junior Mike Ford was second in the pole vault (15-11) and Omaha sophomore Al Stahlnecker third in the 110 hurdles (15.04).

            Besides Semin’s heroics, Culbertson freshman Sara Wagner had a strong meet. She won the triple jump (38-7), edging out Elkhorn junior Lesley Crutcher (37-6.50), while placing second in the triple jump (18-5).

            UNK tallied 78.5 of its points in the long, triple and high jumps and pole vault. That included Hooper junior Cali Cordes breaking her own school record in the vault by going 11-8.

            The Lopers also scored 56 points in the throws. Central City sophomore Shauna Birchard had a big role in that as she won the shot put (47-1), was runner up in the discus (146-3) and was fourth in the hammer (161-7).

            Bellevue sophomore Carli Seeba was third in the discus (144-8) and fourth in the shot (41-0.50) with Butter junior Amber Tiefenthaler repeating as hammer champ (177-1). Finally, Cordes was third in the javelin (128-1).

            On the track, Springfield junior Denise Kolar won the 400 hurdles (1:03.44) with Hildreth senior Kathryn Alt third (2:16.03) with Lexington junior Andrea Andersen fifth (2:18.78) in the 800.

            UNK will complete in several last chance meets this weekend before heading to California for the NCAA Championships Memorial Day weekend.