Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney track and field team won 12 events at the annual Prairie Wolf Invitational Thursday night in Lincoln.

This non-team scoring meet hosted by Nebraska Wesleyan was UNK's last of the 2019 regular season. A few Lopers will head East to the Drake Relays this weekend with the MIAA Outdoor Championships set for May 3-4 at Central Missouri. 

Leading UNK at Wesleyan was Cairo senior vaulter Grant Myers and McCook sophomore thrower Tiara Schmidt. Myers cleared a career-best 16-5.25 to place first with Schmidt winning the shot put thanks to a career-best toss of 49-7.25. Both Myers and Schmidt now rank in the nation's top 15 in their respective event with both also moving into fourth place in UNK history. 

Schmidt was a double winner, leading the hammer thanks to an effort of 168-7. UNK took gold in three other field events as Elm Creek senior Jacob Bartling had a throw of 171-3 in the discus, Utica junior Tanner Barth had a toss of 56-0.25 in the shot and Kearney freshman Haley Schall leaped 18-0.50 in the long jump. Finally, UNK had seven runner up finishes in the field including Waco senior Mackenzie Crowder in the shot (46-2.50), Grand Island grad transfer Zach Brittain in both the shot (54-6.50) and discus (166-7) and Grand Island junior Mackenzie Puckett in the triple jump (38-1.50).

Oklahoma junior Cassidy McIntire led the Lopers on the track as she had ran a career-low 12.02 to win the 100 meter dash. She turned in that time, third best in school history, in both prelims and finals. McIntire also was first in the 200 thanks to a 25.13.

Next, Colorado senior Micheala Hoffman won the 400 hurdles (1:02.94), Kearney senior Lacie Lindner was first in the 1,500 (4:57.18) and Comstock redshirt freshman Zoe Ritz led the way in the 5,000 (19:34.45). On the men's side, UNK went one through three in the 800 led by McCool Junction freshman Luke Stuckey (1:56.49). Finally, the runners up on the rack included Axtell freshman Jarett Bertrand in the 400 (50.72), Maryland junior Zach Gascho in the steeple (10:26.78) and Columbus sophomore Jessica Lahm in the 800 (2:23.26).