Tiger track and field teams get off to fast start at Nebraska

The Cowley College indoor track and field teams braved the bitter winter cold front that came through the Midwest and traveled to Lincoln, NE, to compete at the University of Nebraska Graduate Classic on Friday and Saturday. The team had a lot of success with the small group of 30 that traveled. 

The Lady Tigers had four national qualifiers, Mayce McDonald in the weight throw, Dheniffer Vaz in the 3,000-meter run, Kennedy Kizarr in the pole vault, and Cierra Gray in the shot put.

"It was really great to see all of our women national qualifiers right out the gate," Cowley head coach Cameron Rieth said. "Then seven of our eight New Top 15 program marks were also done by members of the women's team."

The Tiger men were led by Mason Bickle placing 10^th in the 3,000-meter run. Bickle's time of 8:51.30 is the 14^th fastest time in program history.

"We had several athletes right on the bubble of qualifying and also several personal bests as well," Rieth said. "Us coaches, we know the first meet is usually more about breaking up the competition rust and just getting used to competing indoors. For many, it was their first time doing that. Then just like most track meets there were some good things that were exciting to see, then some things we really need to knuckle down and iron out moving forward.

The Tiger track and field teams will now prepare to take part in the Washburn Rustbuster Saturday at 11 a.m. in Topeka, KS, before competing at the Wichita State University Herm Wilson Invite on January 26-27.

"We are looking forward to the next few weeks of competition," Rieth said.  

Results:

MEN

*200-meter dash – Davonte Pruitt, 23.59, ninth.

*400-meter dash – Dagen Geier, 54.74, 18^th; Pruitt, 56.23, 19^th; Garrah Bauer, 56.42, 20^th.

*1,000-meter run – Jakub Barcik, 2:41.38, 11^th; Korbin Woods, 2:51.43, 13^th.

*3,000-meter run – Mason Bickle, 8:51.30, 10^th; Austin Schaeffer, 8:52.44, 11^th; Mason Blochowicak, 9:09.15, 16^th.

*High jump – Victor Morfin, 6-0 ¾, eighth; Bauer, 5-10 ¾, 11^th.

*Pole vault – Randall Coble, 13-9 ¼, sixth; Riley Hunter, 13-9 ¼, eighth.

*Weight throw – Jacob Creswell, 45-5, 11^th.

WOMEN

*60-meter dash – Isabella Kupka, 7.93, sixth.

*400-meter dash – Dayanna Brito-Hernandez, 1:08.38, 12^th.

*Mile run – Savannah Fischer, 5:56.27, 14^th.

*3,000-meter run – Dheniffer Vaz, 10:34.84, eighth; Kayli Myers, 11:10.23, 14^th; Leticia Belo, 11:11.28, 15^th; Britt Hunter, 11:54.06, 24^th.

*High jump – Riannon St. Clair, 4-11, eighth.

*Pole vault – Kennedy Kizarr, 11-1 ¾, eighth.

*Shot put – Cierra Gray, 43-10 ¾, eighth; Mayce McDonald, 35-2, 16^th.

*Weight throw – McDonald, 49-6 ½, 10^th; Kennedy Bulger, 41-0 ½, 14^th.

Photo by RyAnn Myers