Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney track and field team had six top two finishes and senior Tanner Barth and freshman Abby Everitt had career-best performances Sunday afternoon at the Loper Twilight #2 at Kearney High School.

This "Last Chance" meet was moved up an hour to a 2 p.m. start due to inclement weather in the area. Including Saturday's Loper Twilight #1 meet, 25 different schools from NCAA Division I and II the NAIA were represented this weekend. 

Barth (Utica-Centennial H.S.) was one of three Lopers to take advantage of the "free eligibility" year and returned to UNK for the 2021 outdoor season. That move paid off as he moved up the national shot put list this weekend with a career-best heave of 58-3 yesterday and then a 58-6 effort today. That puts him in the top 15 at the moment, right in the hunt for a spot at the NCAA Championships Memorial Day Weekend in Michigan. Barth also moves up a spot to fifth on UNK's all-time shot put list.

Next, Everitt (O'Neill) won the high jump with a career-best leap of 5-8.50. She was already in the NCAA meet but this moves her into the national top 10. Everitt's previous career-best jump of 5-8 had her tied for fifth on the UNK all-time list with her older sister, Emily ('18), and Deb Arter ('78). 

Also having a career-best performance was Kearney redshirt freshman Courtney Thee. She remains eighth on the Loper all-time pole vault list by going 11-4.25 today. Her previous top height was 11-3.50 which was achieved last month.

Finishing as runners up today were Florida junior Montrez Jackson (high jump/6-9), Central City junior Andrew Schuller (discus/173-2), Kansas sophomore Josh Bohlke (javelin/172-6), Taylor redshirt freshman Jordan Dockweiler (shot/48-0.50) and Kansas freshman Jaida McEwen (javelin/134-3).

Finally, Schuller was third in the hammer (189-0), Kearney redshirt junior Cole Willis led a herd of Lopers in the 800 (3rd/1:53.86), Holdrege redshirt sophomore Baylee Barnett was third in the women's 800 (2:18.89) with Grand Island senior Mackenzie Puckett (4th/triple jump; 38-0.75) and New Mexico senior Lindsey Larabee (3rd/pole vault; 15-3.50) wrapping up their respective Loper careers.

The field for the NCAA Championships, cut by 25% this spring due to the ongoing pandemic, will be released on Tuesday.