Mavericks Gear Up For Summit Championships
May 14, 2014 | Track & Field
This Week
The Omaha track & field team will conclude its season this week at The Summit League Outdoor Championships on Thursday - Saturday, May 15-17. The meet is being hosted by North Dakota State, and each day of competition begins at 11 a.m. from the Ellig Sports Complex in Fargo, N.D.
The Coaches
Chris Richardson is in his eighth season with the Omaha track & field program, his first as its 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.
Defending Their Championships
The Mavericks have two defending Summit League outdoor champions on their roster. Senior Sami Spenner won the long jump, triple jump and heptathlon at last year's outdoor championship. She was named the Field Championship MVP for her efforts. Katarina Zarudnaya took first in last year's 1,500 meter run. Last year, the Mavericks finished in third place in the team standings with Spenner earning 49 of the team's 143 points.
Last Time Out
Kathie-Lee Laidley earned two event wins for the Mavericks at the Nebraska Invitational last weekend. She won the high jump with a season-best leap of 5-08 ¾. She also set a season best in the long jump when she won the event with a mark of 19-11 ½.
Denneil Shaw was sixth in the long jump at 18-04 ¼ while Nicole Liske was one place behind with a personal best mark of 18-02 ¼.
Shaw also set a personal best in the 100 meters, running a time of 13.05.
In the triple jump, Liske set a personal best with a mark of 34-10 ¼, good for fourth place.
From the throwing circle, Liz Thompson set a new personal best in the hammer throw with a toss of 130-04, almost three feet farther than her previous best.
In the 200 meters, Sami Spenner finished second with a time of 23.95, just .41 off her school record time. Liske posted a career best with a time of 25.99, good for sixth place.
Katarina Zarudnaya finished second in the 800 meters with a season best time of 2:13.24. Alyssa Thavenet was fifth with a personal best time of 2:16.72 while Lauren Psota was seventh with a season-best time of 2:17.71.
In the 1,500 meters, Ashley Kildow finished fourth in a time of 4:42.37, just two seconds off her personal best set earlier this season.
Where Maverick Athletes Rank in the Summit League
In meets through May 10, many Maverick athletes are in the top eight in the Summit League for individual events. Sami Spenner ranks in the top five in 10 events and has the top marks in the long jump (20-04 1/4), the triple jump (41-10 1/2) and the heptathlon (6,003). Her heptathlon score ranks second in the NCAA. She's also ranked in the 100 meters (3), 200 meters (3), 400 meters (3), 800 meters (5), 100 meter hurdles (2), high jump (4) and javelin (5).
Kathie-Lee Laidley is ranked second in the high jump with a mark of 5-08 3/4, and she's also ranked second in the long jump (19-11 1/2). She is fourth in the 100 meter hurdles.
Also in the field events, Denneil Shaw is fifth in the triple jump and seventh in the long jump. Jessica Ripp is seventh in the triple jump while Amanda Alexander (7) and Macy Woitzel (8) also are ranked in the heptathlon. In the throws, Liz Thompson is eighth in the Summit in the shot put.
On the track, Katarina Zarudnaya ranks sixth in the 1,500 meters. Kristin Rogers is fifth in the 10,000 meters while Lindsey Bruns is eighth; Celeste Robinson is eighth in in the 100 meter hurdles, and Terri Armstrong is eighth in the 100 meters.
The Maverick 4x100 meter relay team ranks third and the 4x400 meter relay team ranks fifth.
The Omaha track & field team will conclude its season this week at The Summit League Outdoor Championships on Thursday - Saturday, May 15-17. The meet is being hosted by North Dakota State, and each day of competition begins at 11 a.m. from the Ellig Sports Complex in Fargo, N.D.
The Coaches
Chris Richardson is in his eighth season with the Omaha track & field program, his first as its 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.
Defending Their Championships
The Mavericks have two defending Summit League outdoor champions on their roster. Senior Sami Spenner won the long jump, triple jump and heptathlon at last year's outdoor championship. She was named the Field Championship MVP for her efforts. Katarina Zarudnaya took first in last year's 1,500 meter run. Last year, the Mavericks finished in third place in the team standings with Spenner earning 49 of the team's 143 points.
Last Time Out
Kathie-Lee Laidley earned two event wins for the Mavericks at the Nebraska Invitational last weekend. She won the high jump with a season-best leap of 5-08 ¾. She also set a season best in the long jump when she won the event with a mark of 19-11 ½.
Denneil Shaw was sixth in the long jump at 18-04 ¼ while Nicole Liske was one place behind with a personal best mark of 18-02 ¼.
Shaw also set a personal best in the 100 meters, running a time of 13.05.
In the triple jump, Liske set a personal best with a mark of 34-10 ¼, good for fourth place.
From the throwing circle, Liz Thompson set a new personal best in the hammer throw with a toss of 130-04, almost three feet farther than her previous best.
In the 200 meters, Sami Spenner finished second with a time of 23.95, just .41 off her school record time. Liske posted a career best with a time of 25.99, good for sixth place.
Katarina Zarudnaya finished second in the 800 meters with a season best time of 2:13.24. Alyssa Thavenet was fifth with a personal best time of 2:16.72 while Lauren Psota was seventh with a season-best time of 2:17.71.
In the 1,500 meters, Ashley Kildow finished fourth in a time of 4:42.37, just two seconds off her personal best set earlier this season.
Where Maverick Athletes Rank in the Summit League
In meets through May 10, many Maverick athletes are in the top eight in the Summit League for individual events. Sami Spenner ranks in the top five in 10 events and has the top marks in the long jump (20-04 1/4), the triple jump (41-10 1/2) and the heptathlon (6,003). Her heptathlon score ranks second in the NCAA. She's also ranked in the 100 meters (3), 200 meters (3), 400 meters (3), 800 meters (5), 100 meter hurdles (2), high jump (4) and javelin (5).
Kathie-Lee Laidley is ranked second in the high jump with a mark of 5-08 3/4, and she's also ranked second in the long jump (19-11 1/2). She is fourth in the 100 meter hurdles.
Also in the field events, Denneil Shaw is fifth in the triple jump and seventh in the long jump. Jessica Ripp is seventh in the triple jump while Amanda Alexander (7) and Macy Woitzel (8) also are ranked in the heptathlon. In the throws, Liz Thompson is eighth in the Summit in the shot put.
On the track, Katarina Zarudnaya ranks sixth in the 1,500 meters. Kristin Rogers is fifth in the 10,000 meters while Lindsey Bruns is eighth; Celeste Robinson is eighth in in the 100 meter hurdles, and Terri Armstrong is eighth in the 100 meters.
The Maverick 4x100 meter relay team ranks third and the 4x400 meter relay team ranks fifth.
Players Mentioned
Jumps/Multi-Even
/ Track & Field
Sprints
/ Track & Field
ATH
/ Cross Country
Distance
/ Track & FieldATH
/ Cross Country
Jumps
/ Track & Field
Sprints/Jumps
/ Track & Field
Sprints
/ Track & Field
Multi-Events
/ Track & Field
Multi-Events
/ Track & Field
ATH
/ Cross CountryDistance
/ Track & Field
Jumps
/ Track & Field
Jumps/Multi-Even
/ Track & Field
Throws
/ Track & Field
Multi-Events
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & FieldATH
/ Cross CountryWednesday, August 26
Wednesday, August 26
Friday, August 21
Tuesday, April 21
