Mavericks Announce Twelve Additions for 2016-17
Jul 15, 2016 | Track & Field
OMAHA, Neb. – Omaha track & field head coach Chris Richardson announced today the signing of 12 student-athletes for the 2016-17 academic year.
“We think the student-athletes we are adding this year will be able to fill the spots left by some of our recently graduated seniors,” said Richardson. “In particular, we've added athletes who will add depth in the distance events and sprints. Some of them will be able to contribute immediately while others should develop into athletes who can help us in Summit League competition.”
Of the 12 incoming athletes, five are from Nebraska including two from greater Omaha. The Mavericks also will welcome five more recruits from Iowa and one each from Kansas and Missouri.
2016-17 Incoming Class
Brekk Flax – Dodge City, Kan. (Dodge City)
Flax will boost UNO's sprinting corps following a standout career at Dodge City High School. She was the 100 meter runner up at the 2014 state championship as well as a 10-time state meet qualifier and a two-time 6A regional champion.
Merzedes Hart – Council Bluffs, Iowa (Abraham Lincoln)
Hart will come across the river from Council Bluffs where she was a six-time Iowa state qualifier in class 4A in the sprints for Abraham Lincoln High School.
Willa Koenig – Lincoln, Neb. (Lincoln Pius X)
Koenig will specialize in the distance events following four years at Lincoln Pius X. She was a four-time state qualifier in Class A and B cross country as well as the Class B-3 District cross country champion in 2014 and the Class A-2 District Champion in 2015. She also was a state qualifier in track & field in 2015 in the 3,200 meters.
Kirsten Leisinger – Charter Oak, Iowa (Charter Oak-Ute)
Leisinger was twice an Iowa state 1A runner up in the discus (2015, 2016) while throwing for Charter Oak-Ute High School. In 2015, she was the Iowa Class 1A District champion in the discus as well as a state qualifier in the shot put. She also qualified for the Iowa state meet in the discus in 2013.
Sydney McAlister – Lincoln, Neb. (Lincoln)
McAlister competed in multiple events for Lincoln High School where she was a three-time class A state scorer and six-time qualifier. She competed in the 100, 200, 400, 300 meter hurdles and the high jump.
Casey Middleswart – Urbandale, Iowa (Urbandale)
Another distance specialist, Middleswart was a two-time Iowa state meet qualifier in cross country will running for Urbandale High School.
Sydnee Mitchell-Jemison – Grandview, Mo. (Grandview)
Mitchell-Jemison was the 2015 USATF Region 9 champion in the 400 meters, part of a strong resume compiled while running for Grandview High School. She was twice a Missouri state champion while running on Grandview's 4 x 200 meter relay team. In 2015, she was the state runner up in Class 4 in the 400 meters. Overall, she qualified for the Missouri state meet in Class 3 & 4 14 times and scored 11 times. She also was qualified for the 2014 AAU Junior Olympics in track & field.
Sasha Quattlebaum – Omaha, Neb. (Millard North)
Quattlebaum specialized in the hurdles and horizontal jumps while competing for Millard North High School. She was an eight-time qualifier for the Nebraska state track & field championship in Class A and scored in the meet five times during her career.
Jade Romagna – Dubuque, Iowa (Dubuque Wahlert)
Romagna will contribute to the Mavericks' distance efforts following her high school career at Dubuque Wahlert. She was a six-time Iowa state track & field qualifier and qualified for the state cross country championship in 2015.
Sarah Steffensmeier – Fort Madison, Iowa (Fort Madison)
Another distance runner, Steffensmeier qualified for the Iowa state track & field championship six times and the state cross country championship three times while running for Fort Madison High School.
Nya Thichiot – Omaha, Neb. (Burke)
Thichiot was the 2015 Nebraska Class A champion in the triple jump while competing for Omaha's Burke High School. She qualified for the Class A state meet five times while also scoring five times in the championship.
Renata Vaquier-Chavez – Elkhorn, Neb. (Elkhorn)
Bolstering the distance corps, Vaquier-Chavez was the Nebraska District B-1 champion in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters in 2015. She also was a multiple qualifier for the state cross country championship while running for Elkhorn High School.
“We think the student-athletes we are adding this year will be able to fill the spots left by some of our recently graduated seniors,” said Richardson. “In particular, we've added athletes who will add depth in the distance events and sprints. Some of them will be able to contribute immediately while others should develop into athletes who can help us in Summit League competition.”
Of the 12 incoming athletes, five are from Nebraska including two from greater Omaha. The Mavericks also will welcome five more recruits from Iowa and one each from Kansas and Missouri.
2016-17 Incoming Class
Brekk Flax – Dodge City, Kan. (Dodge City)
Flax will boost UNO's sprinting corps following a standout career at Dodge City High School. She was the 100 meter runner up at the 2014 state championship as well as a 10-time state meet qualifier and a two-time 6A regional champion.
Merzedes Hart – Council Bluffs, Iowa (Abraham Lincoln)
Hart will come across the river from Council Bluffs where she was a six-time Iowa state qualifier in class 4A in the sprints for Abraham Lincoln High School.
Willa Koenig – Lincoln, Neb. (Lincoln Pius X)
Koenig will specialize in the distance events following four years at Lincoln Pius X. She was a four-time state qualifier in Class A and B cross country as well as the Class B-3 District cross country champion in 2014 and the Class A-2 District Champion in 2015. She also was a state qualifier in track & field in 2015 in the 3,200 meters.
Kirsten Leisinger – Charter Oak, Iowa (Charter Oak-Ute)
Leisinger was twice an Iowa state 1A runner up in the discus (2015, 2016) while throwing for Charter Oak-Ute High School. In 2015, she was the Iowa Class 1A District champion in the discus as well as a state qualifier in the shot put. She also qualified for the Iowa state meet in the discus in 2013.
Sydney McAlister – Lincoln, Neb. (Lincoln)
McAlister competed in multiple events for Lincoln High School where she was a three-time class A state scorer and six-time qualifier. She competed in the 100, 200, 400, 300 meter hurdles and the high jump.
Casey Middleswart – Urbandale, Iowa (Urbandale)
Another distance specialist, Middleswart was a two-time Iowa state meet qualifier in cross country will running for Urbandale High School.
Sydnee Mitchell-Jemison – Grandview, Mo. (Grandview)
Mitchell-Jemison was the 2015 USATF Region 9 champion in the 400 meters, part of a strong resume compiled while running for Grandview High School. She was twice a Missouri state champion while running on Grandview's 4 x 200 meter relay team. In 2015, she was the state runner up in Class 4 in the 400 meters. Overall, she qualified for the Missouri state meet in Class 3 & 4 14 times and scored 11 times. She also was qualified for the 2014 AAU Junior Olympics in track & field.
Sasha Quattlebaum – Omaha, Neb. (Millard North)
Quattlebaum specialized in the hurdles and horizontal jumps while competing for Millard North High School. She was an eight-time qualifier for the Nebraska state track & field championship in Class A and scored in the meet five times during her career.
Jade Romagna – Dubuque, Iowa (Dubuque Wahlert)
Romagna will contribute to the Mavericks' distance efforts following her high school career at Dubuque Wahlert. She was a six-time Iowa state track & field qualifier and qualified for the state cross country championship in 2015.
Sarah Steffensmeier – Fort Madison, Iowa (Fort Madison)
Another distance runner, Steffensmeier qualified for the Iowa state track & field championship six times and the state cross country championship three times while running for Fort Madison High School.
Nya Thichiot – Omaha, Neb. (Burke)
Thichiot was the 2015 Nebraska Class A champion in the triple jump while competing for Omaha's Burke High School. She qualified for the Class A state meet five times while also scoring five times in the championship.
Renata Vaquier-Chavez – Elkhorn, Neb. (Elkhorn)
Bolstering the distance corps, Vaquier-Chavez was the Nebraska District B-1 champion in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters in 2015. She also was a multiple qualifier for the state cross country championship while running for Elkhorn High School.
Players Mentioned
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Distance
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Sprints
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