Ferguson Aims to Defend 800-Meter Title; Two Javelin Throwers Just Miss the Cut
Nebraska, Neb. – Fourteen members of the Nebraska-Kearney track and field team (four women and 10 men) have qualified for the 2023 NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships in Pueblo, Colo. The three-day meet will be May 25-27 at the Colorado State-Pueblo Thunderbowl. Note the meet schedule lists times that are Mountain standard. Fans not in attendance can follow along via live results with the NCAA providing live video of various events. UNK has three in distance running events, two each in the hammer, high jump, javelin and pole vault, one in the discus and one qualified relay. A total of 754 participants, 377 men and 377 women, will compete in the championships. Defending 800-meter national champ Wes Ferguson (Fremont) is looking for his sixth and seventh All-American honors, respectively. A top 12 finish is good for AA status with places nine through 12 on the second-team. Ferguson is third in the 800 (1:46.95) and the anchor for the sixth-ranked 4x4 relay team (3:09.19). Hometown hero Reece Sharman-Newell (1:46.84) and indoor national champ Oussama El Bouchayby (1:45.31) are his top competition in the 800 with El Bouchayby of Angleo (Texas) State the collegiate leader. The Academy of Art (Calif.) is number one in the 4x4 thanks to a 3:05.20 mark a month ago. UNK's only two Division II AA relay teams were of the distance medley variety (2022 and 2023). Next, senior Brayden Sorensen (Kearney) is aiming for his fourth All-American honor as he's tied for second in the high jump (7-1.75). Eli Kosiba of Grand Valley State, Mich. (7-4.50) is the leader with three others having cleared 7-1.75 as well. Sorensen battled injuries last year's outdoor championships after being third in 2021. On the women's side, true freshman Brianna Russell (Stamford) is fourth overall (5-9.75) with junior Brooke Urban of West Texas A&M (5-11.25) the leader. Russell is aiming to be the fourth UNK woman's high jumper to earn AA status. Additionally, redshirt freshman Lily Novacek (hammer and discus) joins Ferguson as Lopers to qualify in two events. Finally, McCool Junction senior Luke Stuckey is 12th in the 1,500 (3:44.76) and hoping to AA for the fourth time this year (one cross country, two indoors), Kansas true freshman Rylan Basart (19th/207-9) is throwing to be UNK's first men's jav All-Americans in 30 years with Kansas junior Jaida McEwen (17th/145-7) aiming to be the first-ever Loper women's jav All-American. Just missing a trip to Pueblo were javelin throwers Kenyon Forest (20th/207-3) and Evan Prohaska (22nd/206-0). The men’s jav field consists of 19 throwers this year. Thursday, May 25 12:05 p.m. Central (pole vault finals) – Alex Homan, Jr., Creighton 1:30 p.m. Central (hammer finals) – Lily Novacek, R-Fr., Kearney 4:30 p.m. Central (hammer finals) - Alex Goracke, R-Jr., Giltner 6:25 p.m. Central (1,500 prelims) – Luke Stuckey, R-Sr., McCool Junction 8:10 p.m. Central (steeple prelims) – Ben Arens, R-Jr., Ainsworth Friday, May 26 3 p.m. Central (discus finals) – Lily Novacek, R-Fr., Kearney 5:45 p.m. Central (high jump finals) – Brianna Russell, Fr., Stamford 7:15 p.m. Central (800 prelims) – Wes Ferguson, Jr., Fremont 8:30 p.m. Central (steeple finals) – Arens if qualifies 9:10 p.m. Central (4x4 relay prelims) – Jack Drahota/Micah Swedberg/Conner Wells/Ferguson Saturday, May 26 12 p.m. Central (pole vault finals) – Gabrielle Oborny, Jr., David City 12:30 p.m. Central (javelin finals) – Jaida McEwen, Jr., Norton, Kan. 3:45 p.m. Central (javelin finals) – Rylan Basart, Fr., Stockton, Kan. 5:45 p.m. Central (high jump finals) – Brayden Sorensen, Sr., Kearney 6:45 p.m. Central (1,500 finals) – Stuckey if qualifies 8:05 p.m. Central (800 finals) – Ferguson if qualifies 10:05 p.m. Central (4x4 relay finals) – UNK if qualifies
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