April 17, 2005
Women's Track Wins Prestigious Meet
Lopers Add to NCAA List; Frese Has Big Throw
Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney track teams placed first (women) and eighth (men) at the Godfather's Pizza Division II Challenge this weekend in Emporia, Kans.
The annual two and a half day event pits the top track teams from around the Midwest.
The Loper women, getting 42 points in the throws, tallied 116.50 points to win the 16-team meet. South Dakota (109) was runner up with Central Missouri State (105) third and Pittsburg State fourth (89).
The UNK men had six individuals score in the top eight and finished with 44 points. South Dakota won with 120.50 with Fort Hays State second (113.50).
Individually, Walthill senior Derek Frese led the way as he tallied 16 team points, placing third in the hammer (179-5) and first in the discus (170-8).
His hammer effort is the second best in school history, trailing only a 179-11 effort by Brett Wetton at the 2001 Challenges.
Placing ahead of Frese were Dan Raithel of Central Missouri (182-4) and Dan Tolsma of USD (180-3).
On the women's side, a balanced Loper attack was led by Central City junior Shauna Birchard and Culbertson sophomore Sara Wagner, who each scored 16 points.
Birchard won the shot put (45-7.75) while placing third in the hammer (157-7). Wagner was runner up in both the long (18-9.75) and triple (38-11.50) jumps. Both efforts were season bests but will not count on the NCAA lists due to the high wind.
Bellwood senior sprinter Kate Semin contributed 13 points to the UNK cause as she was runner up at 400 meters (56.64) and finished fourth in the 200 (25.20).
Butte senior Amber Tiefenthlaer added 10 more when she won the hammer (163-10) while Red Cloud junior Amber Tiedeman also scored 10 points, thanks to a runner up finish in the shot (45-6.50) and a seventh place effort in the hammer (152-3).
Hooper's Cali Cordes had a busy weekend, provisionally qualifying in the heptathlon by scoring 4,552 points, good for a sixth place finish. She and Gering sophomore Katie Schaneman then went 10-11.75 in the pole vault, tying for sixth place.
Eleven others, and two relay teams, scored points as well. They included Crawford sophomore Kelsey Johnson in the long jump (8th/17-9), Marshland junior Randi Furman (6th/12.51) and Minden junior Amber Burke at 100 meters (7th/12.54), Kearney junior Erin Riedel (7th/11:53.90) and Wyoming senior Laura Emmerich (8th/11:57.99) in the 3,000 steeplechase, Lexington senior Andrea Andersen (5th/2:18.86) and Imperial freshman Michelle Dill (6th/2:19.02) at 800 meters and Springfield senior Denise Kolar in the 400 hurdles (7th/1:04.39). The 4 x 100 relay team was sxith (49.03) while the 4 x 400 team was fifth (3:56.99).
Placing in the top three were Bellevue junior Carli Seeba in the discus (3rd/135-4), Elkhorn senior Lesley Crutcher in the high jump (Tied for 3rd/5.5) and Kearney freshman Jordan Pallas at 5,000 meters (3rd/18:47.60).
For the men, Bertrand senior Mike Ford won the pole vault by going a season-high 17-0. That is a automatic effort for the NCAA Championships, a rare feat for a Loper.
Adding his name to the NCAA list is Kearney freshman Ross Fellows in the triple jump (2nd/47-11.50).
Also scoring were Bartlett freshman Andrew Smith in the decathlon (2nd/5,952), York freshman Darrel Branz in the 110 hurdles (8th/16.34) and Kearney freshman Brock Steinbrink at 1,500 meters (8th/4:06.68).
UNK is at the Doane Relays next weekend with a few Lopers headed to the Kansas Relays.
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Contact:
Peter Yazvac
yazvacpa@unk.edu |