Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney track and field team had 28 top five finishes Friday night at the
Prairie Wolf Invitational in Lincoln.
The annual non-team scoring meet was held in the Bob Devaney Sports Center and NWU's Knight Fieldhouse.
Winning their respective events were distance runners
Morgan Benesch (mile),
Cole Wellnitz (mile) and
Cody Wirth (800 meters). Coming in second was Fairfield junior
Bailey Stapleman (pole vault) and Columbus freshman
Cassidy Dyhrkopp (long jump).
Benesch (Columbus) paced a field of 28 by running a 5:07.56. Right behind here were Holdrege sophomore
Gabby Gracia (4th/5:19.67) and Blair junior
Molly Dibben (6th/5:24.84). In the men's mile, Wellnitz (4:16.35) led a pack of 29 with Scottsbluff senior
Tayler James finishing fifth (4:26.30). At 800 meters, Wirth (Kearney H.S.) ran a 1:55.26 to win by almost a full second.
Also on the track, Texas senior
Preston Foley (4th/60 meters; 7.03), Fremont junior
Trevor Wiegert (3rd/3,000; 8:49.17), Kansas junior
Josh Mehl (4th/3,000; 8:49.58) and Milford freshman
Ty Masco (3rd/5,000; 15:50.30) all cracked the top four.
Dyhrkopp went 17-0.50 to collect the silver medal in the long jump. She also was third in the triple (34-10.50) with Grand Island freshman
Mackenzie Puckett two spots back (34-5.75). Next, O'Neill junior
Emily Everitt tied for third in the high jump (5-2.25) and Nelson junior
Holly Bower came in seventh in the weight throw (51-4.25). Finally, Stapleman cleared a season-best 15-11 to be one of two Lopers in the top four in the pole vault. He now ranks 15th nationally in the event.
UNK has a rare Sunday meet next weekend at Concordia.