Mavericks Head To Jennett Invitational at UNI
Jan 29, 2014 | Track & Field
This Week
The Omaha track & field team heads east to take part in the Jack Jennett Invitational at Northern Iowa on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 31-Feb. 1. The meet begins at 1:30 p.m. with multi-event athletes competing at the UNI-Dome. Competition resumes for all other events on Saturday at 10 a.m.
The Coaches
Chris Richardson is in his eighth season with the Omaha track & field program, his first as head coach after seven seasons as an assistant. Richardson helped guide the Mavericks through some of their most successful years including three conference championships and three top-five NCAA finishes. The highlight of that stretch included a fourth-place finish at the 2010 indoor championship prior to the Mavericks' reclassification to Division I. In 2011, he was named the USTFCCCA South Central Regional Assistant Coach of the Year.
Richardson is assisted by Marc Bierbaum and Ryan Finley. Bierbaum is in his fourth season coaching the distance events in addition to coaching the cross country team. Finley is in his first season, coaching both sprints and jumps.
Pre-Season Picks
The Mavericks were picked to finish third in this year's Summit League Indoor Championship in the annual pre-season poll of the league's coaches. The Mavericks earned 26 points in the voting, ranking behind six-time defending champion North Dakota State (35 points/five first-place votes) and South Dakota (32/2), the team they edged by four points for last year's runner up finish. South Dakota State (21), Western Illinois (16), Fort Wayne (9) and IUPUI (8) rounded out the poll.
Last Week's Action
At the Prairie Wolf Indoor Invitational last Friday, Sami Spenner won the triple jump, 60 meter dash, and 200 meter dash. Spenner's 60 meter dash time was a new personal record and was just four tenths of a second from the school record.
Katarina Zarudnaya finished first in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:11.48 while teammate Catherine Davison set a new personal record running a time of 2:22.41 to finish seventh.
The Mavs were in Manhattan, Kan. on Saturday to take part in the K-State Invitational finishing with one first place finish and a number of new personal bests. Zarudnaya won the mile run with a time of 4:59.67, while Lindsey Bruns and Kristin Rogers set new PR's in the race.
Ashley Kildow finished the 800 meter run in second place with a time of 2:19.55, and Denneil Shaw set a new PR in the 60 meter dash with a time of 8.10.
Kathie-Lee Laidley finished the high jump in fourth place, and Amanda Conlin set a new PR in the shot put with a throw of 42-01 1/2, finishing fourth.
Other notable performances included: Spenner recording a new personal record in the shot put with a throw of 39-06 1/2, finishing eighth, and Shaw coming in second in the long jump with a leap of 18 feet 1 3/4 inches.
Where Maverick Athletes Rank In The Summit League.
In meets through Jan. 25, many Maverick athletes are tops in the Summit League for individual events. Sami Spenner ranks first in the 60 meter dash while Katarina Zarudnaya ranks first in the 800 meter run . Ashley Kildow ranks fourth in the 800 meter run, and Zarudnaya ranks third in the mile.
The Mavericks hold the top two spots in the 60 meter hurdles with Spenner and Kathie-Lee Laidley. They also have two runners ranked in the top eight for the 5,000 meter run with Lindsey Bruns and Kristin Rogers.
In field events, Spenner ranks first in both long jump and triple jump with Laidley third in the long jump. Maverick triple jumpers hold four of the top eight spots in the conference as Spenner (1), Denneil Shaw (3), Nicole Liske (5) and Jessica Ripp (6) all rank in the top eight standings. Laidley and Spenner are tied for third in the high jump.
Up Next For The Mavericks
Next weekend, the Mavericks head north to compete in the Univeristy of South Dakota Alumni Meet on Saturday, Feb. 8th. A start time has yet to be announced.
The Omaha track & field team heads east to take part in the Jack Jennett Invitational at Northern Iowa on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 31-Feb. 1. The meet begins at 1:30 p.m. with multi-event athletes competing at the UNI-Dome. Competition resumes for all other events on Saturday at 10 a.m.
The Coaches
Chris Richardson is in his eighth season with the Omaha track & field program, his first as head coach after seven seasons as an assistant. Richardson helped guide the Mavericks through some of their most successful years including three conference championships and three top-five NCAA finishes. The highlight of that stretch included a fourth-place finish at the 2010 indoor championship prior to the Mavericks' reclassification to Division I. In 2011, he was named the USTFCCCA South Central Regional Assistant Coach of the Year.
Richardson is assisted by Marc Bierbaum and Ryan Finley. Bierbaum is in his fourth season coaching the distance events in addition to coaching the cross country team. Finley is in his first season, coaching both sprints and jumps.
Pre-Season Picks
The Mavericks were picked to finish third in this year's Summit League Indoor Championship in the annual pre-season poll of the league's coaches. The Mavericks earned 26 points in the voting, ranking behind six-time defending champion North Dakota State (35 points/five first-place votes) and South Dakota (32/2), the team they edged by four points for last year's runner up finish. South Dakota State (21), Western Illinois (16), Fort Wayne (9) and IUPUI (8) rounded out the poll.
Last Week's Action
At the Prairie Wolf Indoor Invitational last Friday, Sami Spenner won the triple jump, 60 meter dash, and 200 meter dash. Spenner's 60 meter dash time was a new personal record and was just four tenths of a second from the school record.
Katarina Zarudnaya finished first in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:11.48 while teammate Catherine Davison set a new personal record running a time of 2:22.41 to finish seventh.
The Mavs were in Manhattan, Kan. on Saturday to take part in the K-State Invitational finishing with one first place finish and a number of new personal bests. Zarudnaya won the mile run with a time of 4:59.67, while Lindsey Bruns and Kristin Rogers set new PR's in the race.
Ashley Kildow finished the 800 meter run in second place with a time of 2:19.55, and Denneil Shaw set a new PR in the 60 meter dash with a time of 8.10.
Kathie-Lee Laidley finished the high jump in fourth place, and Amanda Conlin set a new PR in the shot put with a throw of 42-01 1/2, finishing fourth.
Other notable performances included: Spenner recording a new personal record in the shot put with a throw of 39-06 1/2, finishing eighth, and Shaw coming in second in the long jump with a leap of 18 feet 1 3/4 inches.
Where Maverick Athletes Rank In The Summit League.
In meets through Jan. 25, many Maverick athletes are tops in the Summit League for individual events. Sami Spenner ranks first in the 60 meter dash while Katarina Zarudnaya ranks first in the 800 meter run . Ashley Kildow ranks fourth in the 800 meter run, and Zarudnaya ranks third in the mile.
The Mavericks hold the top two spots in the 60 meter hurdles with Spenner and Kathie-Lee Laidley. They also have two runners ranked in the top eight for the 5,000 meter run with Lindsey Bruns and Kristin Rogers.
In field events, Spenner ranks first in both long jump and triple jump with Laidley third in the long jump. Maverick triple jumpers hold four of the top eight spots in the conference as Spenner (1), Denneil Shaw (3), Nicole Liske (5) and Jessica Ripp (6) all rank in the top eight standings. Laidley and Spenner are tied for third in the high jump.
Up Next For The Mavericks
Next weekend, the Mavericks head north to compete in the Univeristy of South Dakota Alumni Meet on Saturday, Feb. 8th. A start time has yet to be announced.
Players Mentioned
ATH
/ Cross Country
Throws
/ Track & Field
ATH
/ Cross Country
Distance
/ Track & FieldATH
/ Cross Country
Jumps
/ Track & Field
Sprints/Jumps
/ Track & Field
Multi-Events
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & FieldATH
/ Cross Country
Jumps
/ Track & Field
Jumps/Multi-Even
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & FieldATH
/ Cross CountryWednesday, August 26
Wednesday, August 26
Friday, August 21
Tuesday, April 21
