Mavericks Head To Two Meets This Weekend
Jan 27, 2010 | General, Track & Field
Weekly Release
The Week Ahead: The University of Nebraska at Omaha track and field team will head in two directions this week. Several team members will head to the Jayhawk Invitational hosted by Kansas on Friday, Jan. 29 for events beginning at 3 p.m. Pentathlete Shannon Moore will be in Lincoln, Neb. for the Husker Multi Challenge on Saturday, Jan. 30. Competition is set to begin at 9:30 a.m.
The Coaches: Steve Smith is in his fourth season as the head coach of the University of Nebraska at Omaha track program after more than two decades of success as an assistant in Kansas, Lincoln and at UNO. Smith was named the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Assocation indoor Coach of the Year after guiding the Mavericks to a stunning win in the 2009 MIAA Indoor Championships in March. UNO fiished the season fifth in the nation indoors. Smith is assisted by #Chris Richardson# (jumps and pentathlon/heptathlon), John Mulligan (distances) and Rich Emsick (throws).
Another New Standard: Shot putter #Heather Minssen# reset the top national mark in the shot put for the third meet in a row last week at the Iowa State Invitational. Minssen threw 49' 2 1/4”, resetting her own school record and personal best. She has already automatically qualified for the NCAA Division II National Championship and has thrown more than four inches farther than the second-place throw by Rebecca Stier of Winona State.
Provisional Marks: Several UNO athletes have already earned provisional qualifying marks for the NCAA Indoor Championships. Sophomore Maja Mihalenic improved on her time in the 200 meters with a time of 24.69 and has the fifth-best time in the nation. She's also earned a provisional time in the 60 meters at 7.64, tying her for seventh nationally. Junior Kayla Kopeke is ranked fifth nationally with a provisional mark of 57.14 in the 400 meters. Senior #Shannon Moore# has run a provisional qualifying time in the 60 meter hurdles with a time of 8.84, good for sixth in the nation. UNO's 4 x 400 meter relay team of Koepke, Mihalinec, #Anja Puc# and Moore is third in the nation with a provisional mark of 3:50.00. All provisional marks were earned at the Iowa State Invitational on Jan. 23.
School Record: Junior #Anja Puc# set a new school record in the 1,000 meters with a time of 2:54.57 to win the event at the Holiday Inn Invitational on Jan. 15. She beat the old school record by more than two seconds. For her performance, she was named the MIAA's Track Co-Athlete of the Week on Jan. 18 along with Missouri Southern's Kimi Shank. Puc already holds the school record in the 800 meters (2:05.91).
What's Next: Again next week, the Mavericks will take part in two meets. Athletes will compete in the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 5 and 6. Action begins at 5 p.m. on Friday and 12 p.m. on Saturday. Some team members will head to the John Dalton Invitational at South Dakota on Saturday, Feb. 6 beginning at 8 a.m.
The Week Ahead: The University of Nebraska at Omaha track and field team will head in two directions this week. Several team members will head to the Jayhawk Invitational hosted by Kansas on Friday, Jan. 29 for events beginning at 3 p.m. Pentathlete Shannon Moore will be in Lincoln, Neb. for the Husker Multi Challenge on Saturday, Jan. 30. Competition is set to begin at 9:30 a.m.
The Coaches: Steve Smith is in his fourth season as the head coach of the University of Nebraska at Omaha track program after more than two decades of success as an assistant in Kansas, Lincoln and at UNO. Smith was named the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Assocation indoor Coach of the Year after guiding the Mavericks to a stunning win in the 2009 MIAA Indoor Championships in March. UNO fiished the season fifth in the nation indoors. Smith is assisted by #Chris Richardson# (jumps and pentathlon/heptathlon), John Mulligan (distances) and Rich Emsick (throws).
Another New Standard: Shot putter #Heather Minssen# reset the top national mark in the shot put for the third meet in a row last week at the Iowa State Invitational. Minssen threw 49' 2 1/4”, resetting her own school record and personal best. She has already automatically qualified for the NCAA Division II National Championship and has thrown more than four inches farther than the second-place throw by Rebecca Stier of Winona State.
Provisional Marks: Several UNO athletes have already earned provisional qualifying marks for the NCAA Indoor Championships. Sophomore Maja Mihalenic improved on her time in the 200 meters with a time of 24.69 and has the fifth-best time in the nation. She's also earned a provisional time in the 60 meters at 7.64, tying her for seventh nationally. Junior Kayla Kopeke is ranked fifth nationally with a provisional mark of 57.14 in the 400 meters. Senior #Shannon Moore# has run a provisional qualifying time in the 60 meter hurdles with a time of 8.84, good for sixth in the nation. UNO's 4 x 400 meter relay team of Koepke, Mihalinec, #Anja Puc# and Moore is third in the nation with a provisional mark of 3:50.00. All provisional marks were earned at the Iowa State Invitational on Jan. 23.
School Record: Junior #Anja Puc# set a new school record in the 1,000 meters with a time of 2:54.57 to win the event at the Holiday Inn Invitational on Jan. 15. She beat the old school record by more than two seconds. For her performance, she was named the MIAA's Track Co-Athlete of the Week on Jan. 18 along with Missouri Southern's Kimi Shank. Puc already holds the school record in the 800 meters (2:05.91).
What's Next: Again next week, the Mavericks will take part in two meets. Athletes will compete in the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 5 and 6. Action begins at 5 p.m. on Friday and 12 p.m. on Saturday. Some team members will head to the John Dalton Invitational at South Dakota on Saturday, Feb. 6 beginning at 8 a.m.
Players Mentioned
Throws
/ Track & Field
Multi-Events
/ Track & Field
Sprints
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