University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

Regular Season Wraps Up with Another Novacek Record

Erika Pritchard, UNK Communications

Men's Track and Field | 2/21/2025 10:13:00 PM

Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska Kearney track and field teams finished up the regular season Friday night with the Loper Tune Up and the Nebraska Tune Up.

The small meets are in preparation for the 2025 MIAA Indoor Championships next weekend (Fri.-Sun.) in Maryville, Mo.

Once again redshirt junior Lily Novacek (Kearney H.S.) led the way by having her fifth personal best and third school record of the season in the weight throw. This time she had a winning heave of 64-10.50 which bumped her up to second in Division II. Novacek paced the Loper Tune Up field by over 10 feet and now trails only Molly Winner of Ashland, Ohio (65-9). This winter, the two-time NCAA outdoor qualifier has had five throws of at least 61-2. Finally, Novacek also was second in the shot put (42-9).

At UNL, McCool Junction freshman Kassidy Stuckey won the mile with the sixth best time (4:58.39) in program history. She led a field of mainly D1 runners with UNK having six of the top 18 finishers. That included York junior Brynn Hirschfeld having a career-best 5:00.43 to come in third and remain ninth in the annuals. In the men's mile, five Lopers were in the top 15 led by David City senior Payton Davis in second place (4:10.79) with UNK having six of the top 19 in the 3,000. The top Loper there was Omaha junior Nick Abdalla (8:31.44).

Outside of the women's weight throw, UNK won eight other events in Cushing Coliseum with Omaha redshirt freshman Aaliyah Franklin leading at both 60 (7.94) and 200 (26.34) meters. Her time in the 60 is just shy of her career-best (7.89).

Next, four Lopers reached 5-3.75 in the women's high jump led by Dannebrog sophomore Sydney Davis and Grand Island freshman Keira Jones with Overton junior Maeli Meier running a 2:21.46 at 800-meters. On the men's side, Firth junior Tanner Cooper led herd of Lopers in the 800 (1:53.31) with Kearney senior Richard Harbols leading in the high jump (6-2.25). Cooper (25th) is now one of four to rank in the nation's top 46. Finally, Ord freshman Blake Hinrichs won the triple jump with an effort of 45-8 with St. Paul freshman Jonah Paulsen the runner up (45-1).

The MIAA's begins with the multi-events on Friday with the action starting Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

Sydney Davis: Sophomore; So.

Aaliyah Franklin: Redshirt Freshman; R-Fr.

Brynn Hirschfeld: Junior; Jr.

Maeli Meier: Junior; Jr..

Lily Novacek: Redshirt Junior; R-Jr.

Nick Abdalla: Senior; Sr./Jr.

Tanner Cooper: Junior; Jr./R-So.

Payton Davis: Senior; Sr.

Richard Harbols: Senior; Sr.

Jonah Paulsen: Sophomore; So.

Players Mentioned

Sydney Davis
: Sophomore; So.

Aaliyah Franklin
: Redshirt Freshman; R-Fr.

Brynn Hirschfeld
: Junior; Jr.

Maeli Meier
: Junior; Jr..

Lily Novacek
: Redshirt Junior; R-Jr.

Nick Abdalla
: Senior; Sr./Jr.

Tanner Cooper
: Junior; Jr./R-So.

Payton Davis
: Senior; Sr.

Richard Harbols
: Senior; Sr.

Jonah Paulsen
: Sophomore; So.