Mavericks Return To Action at Dordt
Jan 9, 2013 | General, Track & Field
Weekly Release
This Week
The Omaha track & field team gets back into competition on Saturday, Jan. 12 at the Dordt College Indoor Invitational. The meet begins at 10 a.m.
The Coaches
Steve Smith is in his seventh season as the head coach of the Omaha track & field program. He served as an assistant for one year prior to taking the head coach's position. Smith was named the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Indoor Coach of the Year in 2009 after guiding the Mavericks to a stunning win in the MIAA Indoor Championships. He earned the award the next winter, guiding the Mavs to a repeat as MIAA Indoor Champs. Overall, Smith has guided the Mavericks to three conference championships and three top-five finishes at the NCAA Division II Championship including a fourth-place finish indoors in 2010.
Smith is assisted by Chris Richardson (jumps and multi-events), who was named the USTFCCCA South Central Regional Assistant Coach of the Year in 2011. Marc Bierbaum is in his third season coaching the distance events in addition to coaching the Omaha cross country team.
First Meet of the Season
Amanda Vorthmann broke the school record in the 5,000 meters, and Sami Spenner won two events as the Omaha track & field team opened the indoor season at the Iowa State Holiday Preview on Dec. 7.
Vorthmann ran a time of 17:39.73, taking more than 12 seconds off the previous record set by Kellie Ryan in 2006. The senior finished second in the event. She also took third in the mile with a time of 5:12.19, just ahead of teammate Ashley Kildow who came in at 5:15.15.
Spenner won the long jump with a leap of 19-06 and took first in the triple jump with a jump of 41-01 ¾. Both marks were personal bests. On the track, Spenner posted another personal best, finishing fifth in the 60 meter hurdles with a time of 8.95.
In another notable performance, Kayla Fenske won the 3,000 meters for UNO in a personal best time of 11:10.80.
NCAA Marks
Because the Mavericks do not qualify for NCAA championships during their four-year reclassification to Division I, their marks do not appear on the national performance list. However if included, Spenner would rank eighth in the country with her long jump mark of 19-06 at Iowa State on Dec. 7. Her triple jump mark of 41-01 3/4 would rank fourth in the country. In addition, Vorthmann's school record 5,000 meter time of 17:39.73 would rank 10th in NCAA Division I.
The Schedule
The Mavericks have seven meets on their schedule for the 2012-13 indoor season, all of them leading up to their first-ever Summit League Indoor Championship which will be hosted by South Dakota on Feb. 22 and 23 in Vermillion, S.D.
UNO made two changes to its meet schedule including this week's meet at Dordt College. Next weekend, they'll travel to the Nebraska Wesleyan Invitational in place of an originally scheduled meet at Minnesota. The Mavs also will take part in meets at Nebraska, Northern Iowa and Wichita State. They also will make a return trip to Iowa State two weeks before the Summit League Championship.
NCAA Championship
Omaha is now in the second year of its four-year reclassification to Division I during which it is unable to compete in the NCAA Championships. The Mavericks will be eligible for Summit League conference and NCAA championships beginning with the 2015-16 season.
Up Next For the Mavericks
Next weekend, the Mavericks will compete in the Nebraska Wesleyan Invitational on Friday, Jan. 18. The meet begins at 3 p.m. at Nebraska's Bob Devaney Sports Complex in Lincoln.
This Week
The Omaha track & field team gets back into competition on Saturday, Jan. 12 at the Dordt College Indoor Invitational. The meet begins at 10 a.m.
The Coaches
Steve Smith is in his seventh season as the head coach of the Omaha track & field program. He served as an assistant for one year prior to taking the head coach's position. Smith was named the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Indoor Coach of the Year in 2009 after guiding the Mavericks to a stunning win in the MIAA Indoor Championships. He earned the award the next winter, guiding the Mavs to a repeat as MIAA Indoor Champs. Overall, Smith has guided the Mavericks to three conference championships and three top-five finishes at the NCAA Division II Championship including a fourth-place finish indoors in 2010.
Smith is assisted by Chris Richardson (jumps and multi-events), who was named the USTFCCCA South Central Regional Assistant Coach of the Year in 2011. Marc Bierbaum is in his third season coaching the distance events in addition to coaching the Omaha cross country team.
First Meet of the Season
Amanda Vorthmann broke the school record in the 5,000 meters, and Sami Spenner won two events as the Omaha track & field team opened the indoor season at the Iowa State Holiday Preview on Dec. 7.
Vorthmann ran a time of 17:39.73, taking more than 12 seconds off the previous record set by Kellie Ryan in 2006. The senior finished second in the event. She also took third in the mile with a time of 5:12.19, just ahead of teammate Ashley Kildow who came in at 5:15.15.
Spenner won the long jump with a leap of 19-06 and took first in the triple jump with a jump of 41-01 ¾. Both marks were personal bests. On the track, Spenner posted another personal best, finishing fifth in the 60 meter hurdles with a time of 8.95.
In another notable performance, Kayla Fenske won the 3,000 meters for UNO in a personal best time of 11:10.80.
NCAA Marks
Because the Mavericks do not qualify for NCAA championships during their four-year reclassification to Division I, their marks do not appear on the national performance list. However if included, Spenner would rank eighth in the country with her long jump mark of 19-06 at Iowa State on Dec. 7. Her triple jump mark of 41-01 3/4 would rank fourth in the country. In addition, Vorthmann's school record 5,000 meter time of 17:39.73 would rank 10th in NCAA Division I.
The Schedule
The Mavericks have seven meets on their schedule for the 2012-13 indoor season, all of them leading up to their first-ever Summit League Indoor Championship which will be hosted by South Dakota on Feb. 22 and 23 in Vermillion, S.D.
UNO made two changes to its meet schedule including this week's meet at Dordt College. Next weekend, they'll travel to the Nebraska Wesleyan Invitational in place of an originally scheduled meet at Minnesota. The Mavs also will take part in meets at Nebraska, Northern Iowa and Wichita State. They also will make a return trip to Iowa State two weeks before the Summit League Championship.
NCAA Championship
Omaha is now in the second year of its four-year reclassification to Division I during which it is unable to compete in the NCAA Championships. The Mavericks will be eligible for Summit League conference and NCAA championships beginning with the 2015-16 season.
Up Next For the Mavericks
Next weekend, the Mavericks will compete in the Nebraska Wesleyan Invitational on Friday, Jan. 18. The meet begins at 3 p.m. at Nebraska's Bob Devaney Sports Complex in Lincoln.
Players Mentioned
Distance
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & Field
Jumps/Multi-Even
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & FieldTuesday, September 01
Wednesday, August 26
Friday, August 21
Tuesday, April 21
