February 28, 2005

Track Finishes 2^nd, 3^rd at RMAC's

Cordes, Fellows Honored; Lopers Have Seven  Champions

            Kearney, Neb. –   The Nebraska-Kearney track teams finished second (women) and third (men) at the 2005 RMAC Indoor Track & Field Championships, held yesterday and today in Cushing Coliseum.

            Hooper junior Cali Cordes earned Female Athlete of the Meet honors while Ross Fellows of Kearney was named the Male Freshman of the Year.

            The UNK women scored a school-record 198 points but it wasn't enough to hold off Adams State.

            The Grizzlies, scoring 228 points, finally passed the Lopers near the end of the meet thanks to strong showings in the 200 dash (26 points), 800 meter run (15 points) and 3,000 meter run (31 points).

            The Grizzlies have now won 13 RMAC indoor titles, including the past four. UNK has been runner up in the meet six consecutive years.

            On the men's side, Adams walked away with the title by scoring a whopping 207 points. Western State rallied for a second place showing (141) with the Lopers scoring 125 points.

            This is the Grizzlies second straight title and seventh overall.

            After winning the pentathlon and pole vault yesterday, Cordes placed fifth in the high jump (5-3) today. She was responsible for 24 team points.

            Fellows scored 14 team points by placing third in the long jump yesterday and coming in second in the triple jump today (45-2).

            Culbertson sophomore Sara Wagner repeated as triple jump champ as she went a season-best 39-11, which also is the second best effort in the nation this year.

            Also winning for the second straight year was Bellwood senior Kate Semin in the 400. She ran a 58.88 to edge fellow senior Denise Kolar (59.85).

            Elkhorn senior Lesley Crutcher was the Lopers' third champ of the day as she went 5-7 to win the high jump. However, the 2004 All-American was injured on a jump attempt and will be questionable for the NCAA's.

            UNK also scored 14 points in the shot as Central City junior Shauna Birchard was second (47-6.50) and Red Cloud junior Amber Tiedeman third (45-4).

            Finally for the women, Marshland junior Randi Furman was runner up at 60 meters (7.77) with the 4 x 400 relay team of Semin, Kolar, Lexington senior Andrea Andersen and Norfolk sophomore Carrie Divis also placing second (4:04.32).

            On the men's side, Brady junior Craig O'Dell won the 60 hurdles in a time of 8.22 while Eustis sophomore Mike Strong was runner up in the shot put (52-3).