January 30, 2005

Jumpers Lead Track

Pole Vault Records Fall

            Kearney, Neb. –   The Nebraska-Kearney track team had 27 top two finishes (18 women, nine men) at the annual Charlie Foster Classic Saturday in Cushing Coliseum.

            The non-team scoring event included Hastings, Concordia, Doane, Fort Hays State, Kansas Wesleyan and Colby Community College.

            Senior pole vaulters Mike Ford (Bertand) and Cali Cordes (Hooper) led the way, breaking the school record in their events.

            Ford broke his own record by a inch as he went 16-6.50 to place first. It's is the second best effort in the country so far this year.

            Back in December at the Pre-Holiday Open in Cushing, Ford went 16-5.50 to set a new UNK standard.

            Cordes provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championships in the event as she went 11-6, breaking Kellie Hawkins school record by a inch.

            Cordes also broke the field house record (11-2) but so did Doane's Meagan Bauer, who placed first (12-0).

            Also adding their names to the national list are Brady junior Craig O'Dell, Central City junior Shauna Birchard and Elgin freshman Chris Vacha.

            O'Dell placed second in the 55 hurdles (7.69) while Vacha won the high jump with a leap of 6-8.25. Birchard, who leads the nation in the shot put (47-11), provisionally qualified in the weight throw when she placed second with a heave of 52-5.75.

            She is the first Loper to be qualified in two events this year.

            Also on the women's side, Marshland junior Randi Furman won both the 55 (7.28) and 200 (26.95) meter dashes while Kearney freshman Jordan Pallas won the mile (5:18.45) and Sidney freshman BrenDee Brauer was victorious in the two mile (12:33.58).

            In other track events, Lexington senior Andrea Andersen won the 600 yard run (1:28.68), Imperial freshman Michelle Dill place first in the 800 (2:21.45) and the distance medley relay team, including Pallas and Dill, won in a time of 12:58.62.

            Finally for the women, Birchard won the shot (46-1) with Culbertson sophomore Sara Wagner winning the long jump (17-6.50).

            For the men, Kearney senior Luke Garringer won the mile (4:25.60) by 15 seconds while fellow KHS alum Brock Steinbrink took home the gold in the 800 (1:58.14).

            Eustis' Lance Pfeiffer, who is redshirting, won the shot put (55-9.50) with Walthill senior Derek Frese coming in second in the weight throw with a toss of 56-8.25.

            Finally, former football player Deano Korecky, competing unattached, was second in the 55 dash (6.64).

            UNK is on the road the next two weeks, going to Doane next weekend and then to Lincoln the following Saturday.