University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Bill Bergan Classic
UNI track and field sets new program top-five marks in Friday showcases
1/16/2026 8:48:00 PM | Track and Field
Panthers compete at Kansas State and Iowa State, setting top-five program marks in three events.
MANHATTAN, Kan. — The UNI track and field team faced their toughest competition of the 2025-26 indoor season on Friday as the Panthers competed at Kansas State's Thane Baker Invitational, as well as Iowa State's Bill Bergan Classic in Ames.
Northern Iowa set ten total career-best marks, along with two meet records and three new top-five marks in program history in Manhattan, continuing to build its momentum in its second weekend of competition since the start of the new calendar year.
HOW IT HAPPENED (Thane Baker Invitational)
UNI saw success in the distance events as Meghan Wheatley (10:00.90) and Melody Ochana (10:03.26) finished first and second in the 3,000-meter run, with Wheatley setting a new meet record. Colin Lillie meanwhile took sixth in the men's 3,000 meters in 8:25.32.
Jersey Jones (55.91) and Darci Wiseman (56.91) both set new career-best times to finish third and fourth respectively in the women's 400 meters, as Zach Fall took fifth in the men's 400 meters (47.96). Olivia Kramer earned herself a fifth-place finish in the 60-meter hurdles finals in 8.93 seconds.
Josey Dunbar set a new career-best mark to take fifth in the women's long jump with a leap of 19 10 ¼, the second-best jump in school history. Brylie Lorence (55' 2 ¼) and Lauren Kounkel (53' 6 ½) took home second and fourth place finishes in the women's weight throw, with Carson Lienau (60' 3 ¼) and Spencer Kessel (59' 2) earning third and fourth places respectively in the men's weight throw.
Jorie Hanenburg (46' 10) and Breanna Hackman (46' 2 ½) earned podium finishes in the women's shot put in second and third places respectively. In the men's shot put, it was Carson Lienau who set a new season-best mark throwing for 59' 3 to finish in third. David Russell (57' 10 ¼) and Spencer Kessel (57' 4 ¾) answered closely behind as they earned a fourth and fifth place finish. Daniel Adams meanwhile took fifth in the high jump after clearing 6' 7, as Carter Morton finished fifth in the men's triple jump (47' 4 ¼).
Parker Kiewiet set a new meet record as he dominated the men's 200-meter dash in 21.31 seconds with Tyler Sickerson narrowly behind finishing in 21.97 seconds for fifth. Emma Randecker (24.38) and Joey Perry (24.62) competed in the women's 200 meters with Randecker clocking a new career-best time.
Derek Woods recorded a new career-best time in the men's 800-meter invite, finishing in second place with a time of 1:51.33, while Jake Bosch closely behind earning a third place finish in 1:53.81. Anna Van Kooten set a new career-best as well as she ran the women's open 800-meter run in 2:13.82, with Sarah Feddersen following in fourth (2:13.28).
Lindsey Sonderman and Amelia Hill raced their ways through the women's 3,000 meter invite with Sonderman running the fifth-fastest time in school history for the event in 9:42.30. Hill took home fifth place in 9:43.55.
Perry, Randecker, Wiseman and Jones rounded out the night with the second-fastest women's 4x400-meter relay time in team history, finishing in second-place in 3:42.69.
HOW IT HAPPENED (Bill Bergan Classic)
Competing unattached, Chase Knoche (1:51.47), Keegan Steege (1:51.65), and Micaiah Ellis (1:52.95) earned first, second and fourth-place finishes respectively in the 800-meter run. Josee Simonson and Claire Wright followed up with their own second and third-place finishes as they completed the women's 800 meters in 2:14.74 and 2:15.55.
The women's 60-meter finals saw Eryianna Singleton (7.75) and Giada Grimes (7.93) take second and fourth places respectively, with Grant Batiste locking down third-place in the men's 200-meter dash (22.23). Luke Meyers (48.37) and Carter Meyers (49.89) competed unattached in the 400-meter dash, finishing in first and fourth place.
UP NEXT
UNI returns to action next Friday and Saturday as it competes at both the Larry Wieczorek Invitational in Iowa City.
UNI track and field action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Track and Field), X (@UNITrackFieldXC) and on Instagram (@uni_tf_xc). Schedules and rosters, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.
Players Mentioned
