SEWARD, Neb. – Nebraska Wesleyan track and field delivered a strong showing at the Concordia Indoor Invite on Friday, highlighted by personal bests, school record climbs, and standout performances across the board. The Prairie Wolves showcased their depth and talent in a meet that saw several athletes rise to the occasion in critical events.
How It Happened
The day started with a bang in the field events as Eric Lenz set the tone with a massive personal best in the men's weight throw. His mark of 17.96m (58-11.25) not only secured him a fourth-place finish but also moved him to third on the program's all-time list and 16th nationally. Lenz's performance was a sign of things to come for the Prairie Wolves.
On the track, Natalie Cummins continued to impress, advancing to the finals of the women's 60m with a personal best of 7.83. Her time tied her for fifth in school history and placed her 46th nationally. Cummins wasn't done there, as she later claimed first place in the women's long jump with a leap of 5.44m (17-10.25), moving her to 10th in program history. Teammate Chloe Mooberry wasn't far behind, taking second with a mark of 5.39m (17-08.25).
The hurdles were another bright spot for NWU. Rachel Smith blazed through the women's 60m hurdles, running a lifetime best of 9.28 in the finals to finish third. Her time now sits 10th in school history. On the men's side, freshman Jacob Young continued his stellar debut season, improving his own freshman record in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.26. That mark places him sixth in program history and 26th nationally.
In the sprints, Steven Dalmeida and Ghaith Taha led the way for the men, with Dalmeida clocking 7.00 in the 60m finals to finish third. Taha followed closely in sixth with a time of 7.19. For the women, Emily Penne and Abbie Drewes showed promise in the 200m, with Penne running 27.92 and Drewes finishing in 29.17.
The middle-distance and distance events saw strong performances as well. McClain Meyer dominated the men's 400m, winning with a time of 49.94, while Morgan Conner and Connor Plahn followed in second and third, respectively. In the women's 400m, Raegan Levi and Chloe Mooberry placed fifth and sixth, with Levi crossing the line in 1:01.08.
The men's 800m featured a solid outing from Alex Ienn, who finished fourth in 2:00.73, while Trevor Larson and Coleman Keck also turned in strong performances. In the women's 3000m, Kari Mathsen and Avary Byers took second and third, with Mathsen clocking 11:01.16 and Byers close behind in 11:02.52.
The field events were equally impressive. Benjamin Cumpston cleared 1.93m (6-04.00) in the men's high jump to finish third. Emily Druse had a standout day in the women's pole vault, clearing 3.50m (11-05.75) to finish third and move to second in school history.
The throws were another area of strength for NWU. Sam Clements continued his dominant season, winning the men's shot put with a personal best of 16.59m (54-05.25). His mark moves him to fifth in program history and eighth nationally. Eric Lenz and Colin Wojtkiewicz also had strong showings in the shot put and weight throw, with Lenz finishing fourth in the weight throw and Wojtkiewicz placing eighth.
Up Next
The Prairie Wolves will look to build on this momentum as they prepare for the upcoming SDSU Classic next weekend.
