University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

Long Weekend Starts on a Good Note

Todd Gottula

Men's Track and Field | 4/28/2022 10:34:00 PM

Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney track and field teams started a busy weekend by competing in the Prairie Wolf Invite in Lincoln and the Drake Relays and Kip Janvrin Open in Iowa on Thursday.

Select Lopers will remain in Des Moines and Indianola while UNK also takes part in the annual Alex Francis Classic (Fort Hays State) on Friday.

At Drake, McCool Junction redshirt junior Luke Stuckey turned in a season-best 3:44.57 in the 1,500. The time is just off his school-record (3:44.24), placed him fifth out of 29 and vaults him up the national list. Hastings redshirt junior Seth Simonson came in 16th (3:48.93) and that also is a season-best effort.

In Lincoln, David City sophomore Gabrielle Oborny won the pole vault (11-7) based on judge's decision with Creighton sophomore Alex Homan first on the men's side (16-3.50). That is a season-best height for Homan, moves him up a spot to seventh in school history and to 23rd nationally. Kearney sophomore Courtney Thee cleared 11-7 as well and came in second; that pushes her up to seventh on the women's all-time list.

Also coming in first was Hebron freshman Chloe Souerdyke in the high jump (5-2.75) and Grand Island freshman Eder Garcia in the 5,000 (15:46.29) with Aurora sophomore Kyla Carlson (400 hurdles/1:07.85) joining Thee as one of five women's runners up.

That group included Elm Creek junior Claire Cornell (long jump/19-6), Surprise sophomore Allie Frasher (steeple/12:08.85) and Omaha junior Hannah Pollan (5,000/19:43.28). Cornell's effort is a career-best and moves her up on the all-time list (fifth) and nationally (14th). She also joins Carrie Hoehner Goltl (20-5.25) and Kelli Dring (19-10.25) as the only UNK women to reach 19-5. Finally, Elkhorn freshman Trevor Bills was third in the high jump (6-7.50).

Finally at Simpson College, Ainsworth junior Ben Arens was second in the 5,000 (14:34.08) with Iowa senior Maddie Bach 17th (17:57.27) on the women's side. The men's field consisted of 130 runners with the women's at 83. Arens now is sixth in UNK history in this event.

Action resumes in Iowa Friday morning, weather permitting.

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Players Mentioned

Maddie Bach: Fifth Year; Sr. (I)/R-Jr (O)

Kyla Carlson: Sophomore; Fr.

Claire Cornell: Junior; So.

Allie Frasher: Redshirt Sophomore; Fr-R

Gabrielle Oborny: Sophomore; Fr.

Hannah Pollan: Junior; So. (I)/Fr-R (O)

Courtney Thee: Junior; So. (I)/Fr-R (O)

Ben Arens: Junior; So. (I.)Fr-R (O)

Alex Homan: Sophomore; Fr.

Seth Simonson: Senior; Jr. (I)/R-So. (O)

Players Mentioned

Maddie Bach
: Fifth Year; Sr. (I)/R-Jr (O)

Kyla Carlson
: Sophomore; Fr.

Claire Cornell
: Junior; So.

Allie Frasher
: Redshirt Sophomore; Fr-R

Gabrielle Oborny
: Sophomore; Fr.

Hannah Pollan
: Junior; So. (I)/Fr-R (O)

Courtney Thee
: Junior; So. (I)/Fr-R (O)

Ben Arens
: Junior; So. (I.)Fr-R (O)

Alex Homan
: Sophomore; Fr.

Seth Simonson
: Senior; Jr. (I)/R-So. (O)