Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney track and field team won four events and had 18 other top five finishes at the Wichita State Open Saturday in Kansas. The large non-team scoring meet ran deep into the night and featured schools from around the Midwest including the host Shockers and fellow Division I members Tulsa and Arkansas State.
Winning their respective events was McCook redshirt junior Tiara Schmidt (shot put), Colorado redshirt junior Logan Prater (discus), Fremont redshirt freshman Wes Ferguson (800) and Kearney redshirt freshman Brayden Sorensen (high jump).
Schmidt had a season-best throw (47-2.50) to pace the field and move up the national list while Prater’s 189-1 in the hammer ranks third best in school history. Schmidt (179-3) also had a career toss in the event as she came in sixth and Prater third. They got to compete against one of the world’s best in Brooke Andersen. Representing Ironwood Track Club, the former Northern Arizona star won with an effort of 256-6.
In the discus, Prater had a winning throw of 136-11. Sorensen and Florida junior Montrez Jackson both cleared 6-9 in the high jump with Sorensen winning by judge’s decision. This is the first time Jackson has cracked the national list this spring. Next, Ferguson ran a 1:51.72 to lead a large field in the 800 with a time just off his personal best.
At longer distances, McCool Junction sophomore Luke Stuckey was third (3:49.86) and Hastings redshirt sophomore Seth Simonson fourth (career-best 3:51.38) in the 1,500 with Juniata redshirt sophomore Justin Vrooman runner up in the 5,000 (career-best 14:53.38). Simonson now ranks third in Loper lore with Vrooman vaulting up to seventh. He was one of three Lopers in the 5,000 top eight.
In men’s field events, Central City redshirt junior Andrew Schuller came in third (188-4) in the hammer with Giltner redshirt sophomore Alex Goracke (185-7) a spot behind. Goracke moves onto the national list as well as being eighth on the all-time top 10 list. Finally on the men’s side, Holdrege redshirt senior Blake Schroeder led UNK in both the discus (3rd/154-3) and shot (5th/49-9.25) with New Mexico senior Lindsey Larabee and Mitchell redshirt sophomore Justin Spencer both clearing 15-0 in the vault.
Holdrege redshirt junior Baylie Bryant was second in the women’s vault (11-6.25) with Kearney redshirt sophomore Haley Schall fourth in the long jump (18-4.50). Next, Kearney freshman Grace Bonsall had the sixth best time in school history to be fifth at 5,000 (17:57.38) with Imperial senior Destiny Reinke seventh in the steeplechase (11:43.81). Bonsall was one of three Lopers in the 5,000 top 10 with Reinke’s time seventh fastest by a Loper. Finally, the 4×4 relay team finished third (4:01.42) and featured four underclassmen; Hannah Anderson (Gothenburg), Kyla Carlson (Aurora), Rebekah Roh (Abie) and Nicole Messbarger (Kearney). UNK hosts the Loper Invite next Friday afternoon at Kearney High School.
