Kearney, Neb. – McCook redshirt junior Tiara Schmidt won the college shot put at the Drake Relays and Nebraska-Kearney had several strong efforts at the Pittsburg State Tune Up on Saturday afternoon and late Saturday night.
The Lopers were split up this weekend with a select group in Des Moines on Friday and Saturday for the Drake Relays with the rest of the squad well South in Kansas for the Pitt State meet.
Schmidt followed the lead of Logan Prater who won the discus on Friday afternoon. She is believed to be the first Loper woman to have won an event at Drake. Schmidt led a field of 13 in the shot with a toss of 46-8.
Also in Iowa, O’Neill freshman Abby Everitt was fifth in the high jump (5-3) with Giltner redshirt sophomore Alex Goracke fifth (185-7) and Central City redshirt junior Andrew Schuller sixth (182-7) in the hammer. Next, Holdrege senior Blake Schroeder was one of three Lopers in the top 11 in the shot put (8th/50-9.25) with Ainsworth redshirt freshman Ben Arens turning in the 10th best time in school history in the steeplechase (3rd of 19/9:10.29).
Wallace redshirt freshman Micah Swedberg paced UNK at Pitt State as he placed first among 39 runners in the 400 (48.09). He also ran lead on the sixth place 4×4 relay team (3:17.24). Also on the track, Columbus redshirt junior Nick Balerud (steeple/9:40.13) and Ravenna freshman Jack Drahota (400 hurdles/55.02) each came in fourth with three Lopers in the 800 top 10. That trio was led by Kearney redshirt junior Cole Willis (6th/1:52.37).
The women saw Imperial senior Destiny Reinke (3rd/11:32.14) and Ulysses redshirt sophomore Sinclare Fiala (4th/11:50.02) have top 10 efforts in the steeple. Reinke remains sixth on that list with Fiala moving into ninth. Also having a record book time was Omaha redshirt freshman Hannah Pollan in the 5,000 (4th/18:04.57). That effort moves her into ninth place.
Finally, Grand Island redshirt junior Mackenzie Puckett was fourth in the triple jump (38-11.75), Kearney redshirt sophomore Haley Schall was sixth in the long jump (18-8) with Iowa senior Maddie Bach runner up in the 1,500 (4:40.96). Three spots back, in a field of 32, was Holdrege redshirt sophomore Baylee Barnett (4:48.72).
UNK heads to Fort Hays State next Friday for the annual Alex Francis Classic.
McCook native has big day at Drake Relays
