UNK Wins 11 Events in Seward; Home Meet Next Friday

1/25/2025 9:19:00 PM

Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska Kearney track and field team won 11 events (five men and six women) at the annual Concordia Classic Saturday in Seward.

Action began Friday afternoon with the start of the multi-events and wrapped up late Saturday night.

For a second straight week redshirt junior Lily Novacek (Kearney) recorded a personal best in the weight throw. After a 59-11.25 effort last week, she won the seeded weight throw on Saturday with a heave of 61-2. She won by over six feet and joins All-American Tiara Schmidt (63-1.50) as the only Lopers to have reached 60-0 in this event. Finally, Novacek now ranks ninth nationally and second in the MIAA. Lily Novacek

Also winning on the women's side were Overton junior Maeli Meier (600 meters/1:36.91), Kansas junior Lexi Liess (3,000/10:55.33), Kansas sophomore Charis Robinson (1,000/2:58.60), Grand Island freshman Keira Jones (high jump/5-3) and Blair freshman Reece Ewoldt (mile/meet-record 5:05.36). Robinson won by seven seconds and moves up to fifth in school history, Jones was one of five Lopers to place in the top nine with Ewoldt one four UNK runners in the top six. Finally, Dannebrog sophomore Sydney Davis and Lincoln freshman Tasia Sadler tied for second in the high jump (5-3) and Holdrege senior Samantha Schemper led a herd of Lopers in the pole vault (2nd/11-1.75).

The men were paced by Kearney senior Colby Spangler in the triple jump (46-8) and Gretna junior Clayton Kelly in the long jump (23-4.50). Both came in first with Kelly also sixth in the triple (44-0). Also winning their events were David City senior Payton Davis (mile/4:15.40), Sidney junior Mitchell Deer (600 meters/1:21.54) and the 4x4 relay team (3:21.01). Davis was one of three Lopers in the top five and Deer anchored the relay squad.

UNK also ran well in the 3,000 as five of the first eight finishers were Lopers, led by Kansas senior Brett Schoenhofer (2nd/8:41.74). In the 1,000, Omaha sophomore Reed Emsick was runner up with the sixth best time (2:28.98) in the annuals with Lexington freshman Will Kulhanek second at both 60 (6.93) and 200 (22.15) meters. He moves into an eighth-place tie in the 60 with Norfolk senior Jackson Clausen (4th/6.98) and Monroe freshman Dylan Crumley (7th/7.10) also in the 60 finals. Finally, Hastings sophomore Nolan Studley cleared 6-8 to be runner up in the high jump.

UNK hosts its second indoor meet of the winter next Friday in Cushing Coliseum.

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