It was a busy weekend for Loper athletics as teams competed across multiple states and brought home strong performances. From women’s cross country’s historic finish to basketball’s early-season battles, several UNK teams were in action.
Cross Country
The women’s cross country team is headed back to nationals for the second time in program history after placing third at the NCAA Central Regional meet in Joplin, Missouri. The 19th-ranked Lopers tallied a program-best 116 points, led by Abigail Burger, who finished 13th overall. Kassidy Stuckey (15th) and Ella Buhlke (17th) joined Burger in earning All-Region honors, marking the second straight year Buhlke has been recognized. With every scorer finishing in the top 41, UNK outpaced No. 25 Minnesota State by 28 points to automatically qualify.
“We had some girls who really stepped up during that race,” Buhlke said. “Most of our scorers ran all-time bests in a 6K. Not only did we perform as we were expected to, we outperformed our rank headed into regionals.”
The men’s team also put together a strong showing, finishing sixth overall with 165 points. Nick Abdalla led the way, placing eighth to grab All-Region honors for the second time. Carter Hohlen crossed the finish line 31st, followed by Drew Elliott in 36th, Juan Garcia in 43rd and Nathan Johnson in 48th. The men qualified for nationals after receiving an at-large bid.
The Lopers will race at the national meet in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Saturday, Nov. 22.
Basketball
UNK basketball opened the season in Billings, Montana, competing in the three-day Division II Conference Commissioners Association Tip-Off Classic.
The women’s team fell 84-80 to Colorado State-Pueblo in the season opener. Forward Jordan Sears and center Tara Biocanin combined for 32 points. Despite outrebounding Pueblo 54-34, 22 turnovers and free-throw disparities proved costly.
The Lopers rebounded Saturday with a 72-70 victory over Colorado School of Mines. UNK overcame 25 points off turnovers, controlled the boards with a plus-17 rebound margin, and hit 26 of 32 free throws to secure the win. Jillian Aschoff led with 17 points, Sears scored 14 and Myleigh Weers added 13.
On Sunday, UNK closed the weekend with a 56-46 win over Texas-Tyler. Weers scored a game-high 24 points, while Sears and Biocanin added key contributions. Sears and Weers’ performances earned them spots on the All-Tournament Team.
The women return home for the NSIC/MIAA Crossover to face Minnesota Crookston at 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 14, and Northern State at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15.
On the men’s side, UNK dropped its opener to Angelo State, 73-62, despite strong performances from guards Ja’Bryant Hill and Kendrick Gilbert, who combined for 37 points. Three minutes into the second half, forward Anthony Smith was forced to leave the game after taking a hit to the back of the head.
The Lopers bounced back Saturday with an 85-76 win over Colorado School of Mines. Gilbert led the way again with 19 points and nine rebounds, while Wade Williams and Hill added 18 and 12 points, respectively.
UNK wrapped up the weekend with a 100-80 loss to host Montana State-Billings. Hill scored 20 points, followed by Tom Connelly with 19 and Gilbert with 16. However, Montana State Billing’s relentless full-court pressure forced 19 turnovers and created many second-chance opportunities. Hill and Gilbert were both named to the All-Tournament Team for their standout performances throughout the three-game stretch.
The Lopers return to the road for the NSIC/MIAA Crossover in Hays, Kansas, facing Concordia-St. Paul at 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, and Southwest Minnesota State at 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16.
Volleyball
Back at home, the No. 5 Loper volleyball team started the weekend strong, bouncing back with a 3-1 victory over No. 8 Washburn, which beat UNK in straight sets earlier in the season. Emilee Lane led with 16 kills, Carly Purdy had 15 and Brynn Stowell added 14. Sydney Davis led with six blocks, while Stowell and Purdy added five and two, respectively. Setter Peyton Neff contributed 54 assists, and both Neff and Ellie Spang recorded 14 digs each.
The following day, the Lopers faced No. 24 Emporia State and fell 3-1, with their 41-match home win streak coming to an end in a four-set battle. The team struggled to close out the second and third sets, losing both by two points. Lavra Krizanic had 23 kills, while Lane again tallied 16 kills. Davis added six blocks, and Spang finished with 25 digs.
The Lopers host Northwest Missouri State at 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 13.
Swimming
Finally, UNK women’s swimming hosted its two-day invitational, placing fourth overall. Joslynn Grace highlighted the weekend with the second-best time in program history in the 400 individual medley. Grace also placed fourth in the 200 individual medley and seventh in the 100 individual medley, ranking in the all-time top 10. The team also picked up points in diving, with Maryann Kassner and Elizabeth Welsh placing second and third on the one-meter board.
The Lopers travel to Topeka, Kansas, for the KC Crown Classic on Nov. 20-22.
