April 4, 2005

Track 1^st, 2^nd at Hays

Women Open Season with Win

            Kearney, Neb. –   The Nebraska-Kearney track team began the outdoor season by placing fist (women) and second (men) at the Alex Francis Relays Saturday in Hays, Kans.

            The Loper women won 13 events and had 26 top three finishes to score 267 points, well ahead of runner up Fort Hays State (186).

            The UNK men had five winners and 13 top three finishes to tally 169 points. The host Tigers won the meet once again, scoring 280 points.

            On the women's side, Central City sophomore Shauna Birchard and Imperial freshman Michelle Dill were double winners while Gering sophomore Katie Schaneman provisionally qualified for the NCAA's in the pole vault.

            Birchard took home the gold in the shot (46-11.75) with Red Cloud junior Amber Tiedeman second (46-3.25). Birchard then won the discus (143-0) and was runner up in the hammer (160-5).

            Both Birchard and Tiedeman provisionally qualify in the shot while Birchard will also have her name on the national list in the hammer.

            Dill had easy wins in both the 800 (2:22.66) and 1,500 (5:01.26) while Schaneman placed second in the vault, going 11-5.75. Wichita State's Jackie Brown won the event thanks to a 12-11.50 effort.

            Also on the track, UNK went 1-3 in the 3,000 steeplechase with Lincoln senior Andrea Herndon leading the way (12:03.17). Three Loper relay teams won -- 4 x 100 (48.81), 4 x 400 (3:59.69) and 1,600 sprint medley (4:10.00) -- good for 30 team points.

            Winning their events and scoring 10 points as well were Marshland junior Randi Furman (100/12.49), Minden junior Amber Burke (200/25.69), Norfolk sophomore Carrie Divis (400/59.27), Culbertson sophomore Sara Wagner (long jump/18-1.50) and Grand Island freshman Lea Schneider (100 hurdles/15.33).

            The men were led by Brady junior Craig O'Dell, who won the 400 hurdles (54.67) and was runner up in the 110 hurdles (15.47) and Walthill senior Derek Frese.

            Frese won the discus, by nearly 20 feet, with a toss of 174-5 and then was second in the hammer (174-2). Both efforts provisionally qualify him for the NCAA's.

            Also winning were Bertrand senior Mike Ford in the pole vault (16-6.75), Fremont freshman Seth Yount in the long jump (21-2) and the 1,600 sprint medley relay team (3:33.19). Ford joins Frese as a provisional qualifier.

            Finishing second were Kearney freshman Ross Fellows in the long (21-1.25) and triple (44-8.25) jumps, Kearney freshman Brock Steinbrink at 1,500 meters (4:10.34) and Hartington freshman Michael Griess in the high jump (6-6.75).

            Finally, the 4 x 100 (43.20) and 4 x 400 (3:25.98) relay teams were runner up as well.