University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

Busy Weekend Starts Off in Three Places

Erika Pritchard, UNK Communications

Women's Track and Field | 4/28/2023 1:13:00 PM

Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney track and field teams started a busy weekend by taking part in three different meets on Thursday.

The Lopes were divided between the Alex Francis Classic in Hays, the Kip Janvrin Open in Indianola, Ia., and the Drake Relays in Des Moines. The Javrin and Drake events continue Friday and Saturday with UNK also headed over to Lincoln for the Prairie Wolf Invite. Brynn Hirschfeld

Redshirt junior Alex Goracke (Giltner) led the way on Thursday by winning both the shot (52-6) and hammer (194-3) and finishing third in the discus (160-9) in Kansas. Additionally, redshirt junior Ben Arens (Ainsworth) ran the second fastest time in school-history in the 5,000 (14:15.50) at Drake.

At Hays, Goracke was one of three Lopers in the hammer top five. The is the second time in three meets he's reached at least 194-0 with Kansas redshirt junior Evan Prohaska (career-best 187-0) coming in third. That moves him into ninth place in Loper lore. Next, Creighton junior Alex Homan was runner up in the vault (16-1.25), Kansas true freshman Rylan Basart was second in the javelin (190-9) and Juniata redshirt senior Justin Vrooman led the way in the 5,000 (15:49.54).

On the women's side at Hays, Taylor redshirt sophomore Jordan Dockweiler won the shot (44-1.50), Kansas sophomore Brooklyn Staab was first in the high jump (5-5) and McCook junior Mackenzie Smith was runner up in both the hammer (165-11) and discus (143-9).

At Simpson College, York freshman Brynn Hirschfeld was second out of 25 in the steeple (11:01.55) with a time that moves up to fourth in UNK history. In the men's steeple, Omaha sophomore Nick Abdalla ran unattached but turned in a solid 9:09.49 to be fifth in a field of 49.

Finally at Drake, Arens was seventh in the unseeded 5,000. The field consisted of 38 runners and he moves up five spots to second in UNK history, trailing only Tanner Fruit (14:14.58; April 2013). Also turning in top 10 times was Holdrege redshirt senior Trevor Matousek (seventh/3:51.09) and David City sophomore Payton Davis (fifth/3:49.17) in the 1,500. Davis came in ninth out of 28 with Matousek 14th.

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Players Mentioned

Nick Abdalla: Sophomore; So.

Ben Arens: Redshirt Junior; R-Jr.

Payton Davis: Sophomore; So.

Alex Goracke: Redshirt Junior; R-Jr.

Alex Homan: Junior; So./Jr.

Trevor Matousek: Redshirt Senior; R-Sr.

Evan Prohaska: Redshirt Junior; R-Jr.

Justin Vrooman: Redshirt Senior; R-Sr.

Jordan Dockweiler: Redshirt Junior; R-So.

Mackenzie Smith: Junior; R-So./Jr.

Players Mentioned

Nick Abdalla
: Sophomore; So.

Ben Arens
: Redshirt Junior; R-Jr.

Payton Davis
: Sophomore; So.

Alex Goracke
: Redshirt Junior; R-Jr.

Alex Homan
: Junior; So./Jr.

Trevor Matousek
: Redshirt Senior; R-Sr.

Evan Prohaska
: Redshirt Junior; R-Jr.

Justin Vrooman
: Redshirt Senior; R-Sr.

Jordan Dockweiler
: Redshirt Junior; R-So.

Mackenzie Smith
: Junior; R-So./Jr.