Mavericks To Take Part in Nebraska Invitational
May 8, 2014 | Track & Field
The Omaha track & field team remains in-state for its penultimate meet of the season this weekend. The Mavericks travel to Lincoln for the 2014 Nebraska Invitational on Saturday, May 10 beginning at 1 p.m. from Ed Weir Stadium.
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.
Last Time Out
Sami Spenner earned two first-place finishes and turned in a sharp performance in a new event as the Mavericks took part in the Howard Wood Dakota Relays last weekend in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Spenner won the triple jump with a distance of 40-09 ¾, more than two feet farther than the runner-up. She also won the long jump with a leap of 18-11 ¾.
Perhaps most impressive was Spenner's time in the 400 meters. Running the event for the first time, she finished second in a time of 54.66, less than one second off the school record set by All-American Pinar Saka in 2009.
Spenner also placed fourth in the javelin with a throw of 122-08.
Terri Armstrong, also running in the 400, was eighth with a time of 58.34. She also put up a time of 25.56 in the 200 meters, good for 14th in the field of 38. Nicole Liske ran the 200 as well, coming in 17th at 26.09.
The Mavericks earned two personal bests in the 800 meters. Ashley Kildow finished in a time of 2:18.51, taking more than three seconds off her previous PR. Catherine Davison also ran a personal best, posting a time of 2:25.48, more than six seconds better than her previous best.
Kristin Rogers earned another PR in the 5,000 meters, running a time of 18:16.99, UNO's top time in the event this season. Lindsey Bruns was close behind, finishing in a time of 18:31.73.
In the shot put, Liz Thompson was eighth with a mark of 43-04 ½. She also was ninth in the discus with a throw of 135-00.
Where Maverick Athletes Rank in the Summit League
In meets through May 3, many Maverick athletes are tops in the Summit League for individual events. Sami Spenner ranks in the top eight in nine 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 (6).
Kathie-Lee Laidley is ranked second in the high jump with a mark of 5-08, and she's also ranked fourth in the 100 meter hurdles and fifth in the long jump.
Also in the field events, Denneil Shaw is fifth in the triple jump and seventh in the long jump. Jessica Ripp ranks sixth 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.
Up Next For The Mavericks
Next week, the Mavericks will finish their season at the Summit League Championships on May 15-17 in Fargo, N.D. Now in the third year of their four-year Division I reclassification, Omaha is not eligible for NCAA Championship competition.
