UNK Athletics had a standout weekend, highlighted by a dominant track and field showing at the Loper Invitational, along with strong performances from golf and softball.
Track & Field
The UNK track and field teams led the way, winning 11 events at the annual Loper Invitational at Kearney High School. The meet, which featured seven teams, was pushed back a day due to weather, but the Lopers made the most of their home opportunity.
Kassidy Stuckey delivered one of the top performances of the day, winning the 800-meter run with a time of 2:09.61, the second-fastest in program history. On the men’s side, Luke Brachle also made history, recording the second-best time in school history in the 110-meter hurdles (14.18) while finishing second overall.
Other women’s event winners included Lily Novacek in the hammer throw, Maddie Schneider in the discus, McKenzie Campbell in the shot put and Charis Robinson in the 1500-meter run.
The Lopers also saw multiple strong finishes and personal-best performances, including career marks in the pole vault and high jump.
On the men’s side, UNK claimed victories from Rylan Basart in the javelin, Clayton Kelly in the triple jump, Conner Wells in the 1500, Kale Muir in the 800 and Garett Novacek in the high jump. The 4×400 relay team also delivered a top-10 program time, while several athletes moved up UNK’s all-time lists with standout efforts.
UNK will compete across multiple meets next weekend, including the Drake Relays, as the outdoor season continues.
Golf
UNK golf captured the team title at the Wildcat Classic in Wayne with an impressive second-round surge. After a weak first round, the Lopers posted 294 strokes on day two to finish with a 602, winning the tournament by six strokes.
Claire Berquist led UNK by taking home first place after winning a playoff, while Calie Dockter tied for third with a strong two-round performance. Beth Grant, Liz Lyons and Pella Broms all contributed to the team’s overall success.
The victory showcased UNK’s depth and resilience, as the Lopers climbed four spots in the final round to secure the win. The “B” team also impressed, finishing with a 641 to outperform five varsity squads and further demonstrate the program’s overall strength and depth. Led by Emmie Rhude, who had a top-five finish.
UNK also earned recognition across the conference, placing three players on the 2026 All-MIAA team. Freshman Pella Broms was named to the second team, while Juniors Claire Berquist and Liz Lyons earned honorable mention honors. It marks just the second time in program history that UNK has had three All-MIAA selections in the same season.
The Lopers are competing at the MIAA Championships in Warrensburg, Missouri. The three-day tournament started on Monday and runs through Wednesday.
Softball
UNK softball faced a challenging doubleheader against Central Oklahoma on Friday, falling 14-7 and 16-1. Despite the losses, the Lopers had key offensive moments, including a grand slam from Gianna Galli in game one. Galli finished with five RBIs, and Bailey Peterson added three hits in the effort.
The Lopers took on Newman on Saturday and after dropping game one of the doubleheader 11-7, they bounced back for a 2-0 shutout victory in game two. Zakayia Fredrick led the way with a complete-game shutout, allowing just six hits. Aubrey De Jong provided the difference offensively with her first collegiate home run, while Peterson added an RBI.
In game one, after being down 9-0, UNK gave a good effort but came up short. Galli and Alivia De La Cruz each had three hits, and Kaycee Graff added her first collegiate home run.
UNK will travel to Central Missouri on April 24 and Northwest Missouri on April 25.
