Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska Kearney track and field team returned to action this weekend by competing in the annual two-day Graduate Classic in Lincoln.

The non-team scoring meet included a wide range of competition including Division I members Nebraska, Oregon, Minnesota and Creighton. UNK last competed Dec. 13 at its own Pre-Holiday Classic. 

Kearney redshirt junior Lily Novacek (Kearney H.S.) led way by having the second-best effort in school history in the weight throw. Her 59-11.25 effort on Friday night was good for second place and allowed her to move pass 10-time All-American Janet Boettcher (59-11). Six-time All-American Tara Schmidt holds the school mark at 63-1.50. Novacek now ranks 12th on the national list. 

Next, Blair freshman Reece Ewoldt ran a 10:01.44 in the 3,000 on Friday to come in seventh place in a field of 26. She bested seven D1 runners and now trails only All-American Morgan Benesch (9:48.57) on UNK's all-time list. Also on the women's side, Dannebrog sophomore Sydney Davis went 5-5 in the high jump, Kansas true freshman Maddy Carpenter-Ross cleared 11-5.25 in the pole vault to move into a 10th place tie in Loper lore with Overton junior Maeli Meier eighth at 800-meters (2:17.56).

The UNK men saw Gretna junior Clayton Kelly win the triple jump (47-2.25) on Saturday with Kearney senior Colby Spangler third (45-10). This is the second straight meet Kelly has reached 47-2.25. On the track, Omaha sophomore Reed Emsick is now eighth all-time at 600-meters (1:21.18) with Hastings junior Landon Eckhardt 10th all-time at 1,000-meters after a 2:30.79 on Friday. Finally, Ord redshirt freshman Sam Boettcher was fifth in the weight throw (53-2.25), Hastings sophomore Nolan Studley cleared 6-8 in the high jump with veterans Payton Davis (1:56.29) and Zach Van Brocklin (1:56.54) ninth and 10th, respectively, at 800-meters.

UNK heads to the annual Concordia Classic next Friday and Saturday in Seward.