Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney track and field team won eight events, had 14 runner up finishes, turned in 10 record book efforts and had many national list performances at the Central Nebraska Challenge Saturday at Kearney High School. 

This team-scored meet was UNK's first home outdoor event in nearly two years. The Lopers will return to KHS on April 16 and May 15. 

The Kearney men scored 178.33 points to edge Fort Hays State (145) for first with Chadron State a distant third (83.33). The Tiger women (128.33) won with UNK a close second (108) and Black Hills State third (89). 

Kearney redshirt freshman Brayden Sorensen was among the many men who had a strong day. He won the high jump with the second-best leap (7-0.25) in school history. Current junior Montrez Jackson went 7-0.50 in May 2019. That jump is also the second best in D2 at the moment. 

Also moving into second place in the UNK annuals was McCool Junction redshirt sophomore Luke Stuckey. His winning time of 3:49.56 in the 1,500 vaults him up four places, trailing only Cole Wellnitz (3:47.64). Stuckey's effort also puts him on the national list and paced a field of 36. 

Also winning on the track was Fremont redshirt freshman Wes Ferguson (800/1:51.52) and Wallace redshirt freshman Micah Swedberg (400/47.77). Ferguson, one of three Lopers in the top four, now ranks seventh in school history with Swedburg fourth. In field events Central City redshirt junior Andrew Schuller continues to impress as he won the discus with a career-best 173-4. That moves him into eighth on the Loper all-time list and pushes him up nationally. He also was third in the hammer (179-7).

Finally on the men's side, Lincoln redshirt freshman Nicholas Crosby was second in both the 100 (10.99) and 200 (22.06), Ravenna true freshman Jack Drahota won both the 110 (15.39) and 400 (55.10) hurdles, Mitchell redshirt sophomore Justin Spencer was runner up in the pole vault (career-best 15-9.25), Utica senior Tanner Barth was second in the shot put (career-best 56-2), and Kansas redshirt freshman Evan Prohaska was second in the javelin (185-7).

The Loper women were paced by Elm Creek sophomore Claire Cornell and Colorado redshirt junior Logan Prater. Connell won on the long jump (18-7.75) with Prater second in both the discus (145-10) and hammer (career-best 179-6).

Next, Kansas true freshman Jaida McEwen had the third best javelin throw in UNK history (139-9) to place second, McCook senior Tiara Schmidt was third (45-9.25) and Taylor redshirt freshman Jordan Dockweiler fourth (45-7.75) in the shot put with Grand Island redshirt junior Mackenzie Puckett runner up in the triple jump (38-6). Finally, Iowa senior Maddie Bach (1,500/4:46.53) and Kearney freshman Nicole Messbarger (400/58.79) came in second on the track.

UNK competes in the Wichita State Open next Saturday.