February 20, 2005

Track Strong in Final Regular Season Meet

Several Lopers Have Season-High Efforts

            Kearney, Neb. –   The Nebraska-Kearney track team entered the UNK All-Comer meet Friday night in Cushing Coliseum with the goal of improving their national standing in many events.

            The Lopers finished the night reaching that goal as many individuals either provisionally qualified for the NCAA's for the first time this year or greatly enhanced their chances of going to the big meet.

            On the women's side, Culbertson sophomore Sara Wagner had season-best efforts in both the long (18-10.25) and triple (39-0.75) jumps. Winning both events with ease, Wagner's leap in the triple is the third best in the nation this year while her long jump effort is the seventh best.

            Central City junior Shauna Birchard, who came into the meet with the second best throw in the shot put this year (47-11.50), improved upon that with a throw of 48-5.50.

            Only April Burton of Cal State-Bakersfield (48-9) has thrown the shot farther this year.

            Also in the throws, Bellevue junior Carli Seeba improved her national standing by having a season-best toss of 44-9.25 in the shot while Butte senior Amber Tiefenthaler, battling a bad back, provisionally qualified in the weight throw (53-3).

            Finally, Minden junior Amber Burke's converted time in the 200 (25.68) puts her on the national list as well. She won the event in a time of 26.18.

            The men were paced by Bertrand senior Mike Ford in the pole vault, Omaha junior Al Stahlnecker in the 55 hurdles and Kearney freshman Ross Fellows in the long jump.

            Ford placed first thanks to a season-high effort of 16-8.75. The mark should keep him in the top seven nationally.

            Stahlnecker placed second in the 55 hurdles (7.64) and when converted to the 60  hurdles (8.17), he should rank in the top 15 in the nation.

            Already qualified in the triple jump, Fellows is now on the national list in the long jump as he won that event with a season-best leap of 23-5.50.

             Also cracking the national list was Eustis junior Mike Strong in the shot put. He placed second in the event, and had the Lopers best throw on the year, with a toss of 52-1.50.

            Overall, UNK had 26 top two finishes in the meet (16 women, 10 men).

            The Lopers host the RMAC Championships next Saturday and Sunday.