Weekly Release

This Week
The UNO Maverick track & field team will travel back to Lincoln, Neb. for the Nebraska Wesleyan Invitational held on Friday, Jan. 20. Competition will start at 12:30 p.m. and will be held at the Knight Field House and Devaney Sports Center.

The Coaches
Steve Smith is in his sixth season as the head coach of the University of Nebraska Omaha track program after more than two decades of success as an assistant at Barton Community College, Nebraska and at UNO. Smith was named the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Indoor Coach of the Year after guiding the Mavericks to a stunning win in the 2009 MIAA Indoor Championships in March. Smith's team also finished the 2010-11 season 20th by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. Smith is assisted by Chris Richardson (jumps and pentathalon/heptathalon), Marc Bierbaum (distance) and Rich Emsick (throws).

Last Meet
This past weekend, the Mavericks traveled to Lincoln, Neb. to compete in the Holiday Inn Invitational, hosted by Nebraska. The team held its own, placing in many events. Amanda Vorthmann took second place in the 5000 meter run with a time of 18:30:80 on the first day of competition. Fellow teammate Kristin Rogers took third with 19:10:03. Both times were personal bests for the athletes. It was the first time running in the 5000 meter for both Vorthmann and Rogers this season. Also on Day 1, Kathie-Lee Laidley placed third in the long jump with a distance of 19-6 ½. This marks the longest distance made by a Maverick in the long jump this season. Saturday brought a fourth-place finish for Sami Spenner in the triple jump. She had a leap of 38-9. The distance medley relay team, which included Amanda Vorthmann, Terri Armstrong, Ashley Kildow and Kristin Rogers, took fourth with a time of 13:03:19.  

Would-be Qualifiers
With UNO unable to compete in the NCAA Championships this season, the Mavericks cannot be ranked on the national list. Amanda Vorthmann would secure the 42nd ranking on the Qualifier List for the 5000 meter run with her time of 18:30:80 at the Holiday Inn Invitational on Friday, Jan. 14. Kathie-Lee Laidley would be ranked 29th in the long jump with her mark of 19-6 ½, also made at the same meet.

All-Academic Team
Last season, the UNO track & field team earned an All-Academic Team  honor. Overall the athletes acquired a GPA of 3.19 and had 12 student-athletes on the Dean's List for the fall semester and 10 at the end of the spring semester. To earn all-academic honors, the team must accumulate a GPA of at least 3.00. Eight Mavericks also were named USTFCCCA All-Academic honorees for the 2010-11 academic year. The athletes who made the list were: Jody-Ann Coore, Kayla Koepke, Lianne McNaughton, Maja Mihalinec, Heather Minssen, Anja Puc, Celeste Robinson and Sami Spenner.     

Up Next For the Mavericks
The weekend of January 27-28, the team will compete at the Jack Jennett Invite at Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. The action will be held at the UNI-Dome.