Omaha Set For Jim Duncan Invitational
Apr 8, 2015 | Track & Field
This Week
The Omaha track & field team is set to compete in the Jim Duncan Invitational in Des Moines, Iowa hosted by Drake University. The event begins at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, April 10 and at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 11 at the Drake University Stadium.
The Coaches
Chris Richardson is in his ninth season with the Omaha track & field program, his second 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 fifth season coaching the distance events in addition to coaching the cross country team. Finley is in his second season, coaching both sprints and jumps. Cliff Cisar and former UNO standout and multiple record holder Sami Spenner are volunteer assistant coaches.
The Previous Meet
The Omaha track & field team competed in the Dakota Duels last weekend, breaking three meet records and setting multiple personal records.
Stephanie Ahrens posted the second-best high jump mark in school history with a personal best leap of 5-09 ¾. She took second in the event and was one of four athletes to break the Dakota Duels record of 5-4 ¼. Taryn Derickson placed fifth, also jumping a personal best of 5-03 ¾.
Lauren Doeschot took first place in the javelin throw with a personal best mark of 115-08. Megan Adams placed fifth place with a personal best throw of 112-04 while Macy Woitzel was eighth with a mark of 104-03.
In the shot put, Amanda Conlin earned fourth place with a personal best throw of 42-10 ¾.
In the long jump, Noni Henderson posted a personal best mark of 17-01 ¼ for sixth place. Nicole Liske earned seventh place with a leap of 16-07 while Amanda Alexander jumped 15-01 ½, good for eighth place. Henderson also placed fifth in the triple jump with a personal best 36-03 ½.
On the track, Terri Armstrong finished sixth in the 100 meters with a time of 12.65 while Hannah Fowler finished seventh in 13.40 and Tschida Johnson was eighth with a personal best time of 13.43.
Armstrong also placed in the 200 meters finishing in fifth place with a personal best time of 25.32. Liske had a time of 26.21, good for eighth.
Ashley Kildow was third in the 1,500 meters with a personal best time of 4:39.16 while Katarina Zarudnaya finished in 4:42.57, good for fifth place. Both Kildow and Zarudnaya were among a group of five runners who broke the previous meet record of 4:43.71, set in 2011.
Zarudnaya took eighth in the 400 meters with a time of 59.75. Alyssa Thavenet finished the 800 meters in 2:19.74 to earn seventh place.
In the 100 meter hurdles Ahrens placed third with a personal best time of 15.14 while Alexander was seventh with a time of 17.71. Maddie Buller took eighth in the 400 meter hurdles with a time of 1:05.69. In the relays, the team of Armstrong, Buller, Fowler and Johnson put up a time of 49.61 in the 4 x 100, earning them third place.
Ranking in the Summit League
The Mavs have five athletes ranking in the top eight of the Summit League in five different events.
Ashley Kildow is eighth in the 1,500 meters (4:39.16). Stephanie Ahrens is fourth in the 100 meter hurdles (15.14).
Ahrens also ranks in the high jump at second (5-09 3/4) while Derickson is sixth (5-03 3/4). Megan Adams is eighth in the discus throw (119-04) and Lauren Doeschot is seventh in the javelin throw (115-08).
The “Last” Season
The Omaha track & field team is in its fourth and final year of reclassification from Division II to Division I. The Mavericks are eligible for NCAA competition beginning with the 2015-16 season.
Up Next For The Mavericks
The Mavericks' track & field team will take some time off before competing at the Pre-Drake meet in Lincoln, Neb. on Wednesday, April 22 and the Drake Relays, Thursday, April 23 to Saturday, April 25. Also on Friday, April 24, the Mavs will compete at the Kip Janvrin Open in Indianola, Iowa.
