Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney track and field teams placed first (men) and second (women) at the annual UNK Pre-Holiday Classic.

The three-team meet in Cushing Coliseum also featured Fort Hays State and former MIAA member Southwest Baptist (Mo.). The Loper men tallied 113.5 points to outpace the Tigers (91.5) with SBU scoring 63. The Hays women (101) edged Kearney by two with the Bearcats scoring 79.

McCook redshirt senior Tiara Schmidt once again starred, breaking her own school record in the weight throw and being one of two Lopers to win twice. Her 62-6 effort in the weight throw bests the effort of 62-1.75 she threw in February; it also leads NCAA Division II at the moment. Next, she won the shot put with a toss of 46-2.75. That ranks second nationally. 

Giltner redshirt sophomore Alex Goracke was UNK's other double gold medal recipient, leading in the weight throw (58-6) and shot (53-11). Both tosses were just off the NCAA provisional standards. Goracke did move up to seventh place on the Lopers all-time weight throw list.

Overall, the Loper men won eight events with the women having four first place finishes. Joining Schmidt on the national list are Kearney sophomore Brayden Sorensen and O'Neill true freshman Abby Everitt, both in the high jump, and 800-meter runners Wes Ferguson (Fremont) and Seth Simonson (Hastings).

Sorenson won the men's high jump with a career-best leap of 6-10.25. That also ties him for fourth best in school history. In her first collegiate meet Everitt came in second thanks to a 5-5.75 effort. That ties her for 10th in Loper lore. The 800 meter run was one of several events where the men had several finishers in the top five. Ferguson (1:54.34) literally edged Simonson (1:54.96) to place first with their converted times (1:51.86 & 1:52.47) placing them first and second, respectively, in the country.

The other UNK men's winners were Wallace sophomore Micah Swedberg at 600 yards (1:15.79), Juniata junior Justin Vrooman in the mile (4:21.24) and Axtell sophomore Lane Bertrand in the 60 hurdles (8:45).

Holdrege senior Baylie Bryant (pole vault; 11-6.25) and Aurora true freshman Kyla Carlson (600 yards; 1:28.27) were the other Loper women's first place finishers. Kearney junior Haley Schall moved up to sixth place on the all-time Loper 60 meter list, thanks to a 7.97, while Lincoln redshirt junior Katie Hastings (400 meters; 1:03.36) and Abie junior Rebekah Roh (800 meters; 2:20.61) both were second in a return to action.

UNK is off until a January 23rd meet at NW Missouri State.