March 29, 2024

Sports briefs: Mostek honored, Arevalo receives ranking

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Omaha award

OMAHA, Neb. — University of Nebraska senior Natalie Mostek received UNO’s Outstanding Student-Athlete Award at the 2019 Honors Convocation.

Each year, UNO recognizes excellence and student achievement at its Student Honors Convocation. Not only are students from each department and school recognized, but a select number are also chosen for college-wide and campus-wide awards. This year, 14 different students (including Mostek) were selected for these awards not only their academic achievements but also their contributions to the university and community.

Mostek is not only known for her performance on the softball field and in the weight room, but also for her work in the lab where she is helping UNMC researchers synthesize compounds for opioid alternatives and new drugs for malaria and Zika virus protection.

Graduating in May with a degree in chemistry and a concentration in medical chemistry, the Creston native has been on the UNO softball team since she was a sophomore and has made the Summit League Academic Honor Roll each year. She is also the recipient of the “Maverick Muscle” award and Omaha Strength and Conditioning Lifter of the Year.

During her time as a Maverick, Natalie has also given back to the community through volunteer events with Girls Inc.; Mighty Mavs; Athletes and Elders; the Summit League Food Drive; clean-up of Elmwood Park; and various softball camps.

On Wednesday Mostek played right field for the Mavericks at home against Iowa State University. The game was tied 6-6 when the Cyclones pushed across seven runs on eight hits in the eighth inning for a 13-6 victory.

Arevalo ranked

SIOUX CITY — The Morningside senior women’s duo of Kati Kneifl of Sheldon and and Aurora Arevalo of Lenox both jumped up the Track and Field Results Reporting System for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Friday and Saturday.

Kneifl’s school-record javelin toss of 154 feet, 6 inches at Doane College’s Jim Dutcher Memorial bolted her to the top of the national performance list while winning the event by better than 19 feet. Arevalo’s 4,562-point effort in the heptathlon at Northwestern College’s Red Raider Open, good for third place in a strong field, moved her to seventh nationally.

Arevalo won the 200 meters in the heptathlon competition in a time of 25.47. She was second in the 800 meters in 2.37.43. In the 100 meter hurdles Arevalo was third in 15.54, along with second in the high jump at 5.-1 1/4, sixth in the long jump at 15-10 1/4, second in the shot put at 35-8 and second in the javelin throw at 111-08.

One week earlier Arevalo was the meet MVP at the Sioux City Relays.

Morningside College’s senior women’s track and field standout captured first place in the 200 meter dash, clocking a 26.2-second effort to edge National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II foe Jordyn Pester of Wayne State College of Nebraska by 24-hundredths of a second; tossed the javelin 118 feet, 8 inches to take second but still defeat three Division II athletes in the field; and anchored the 4x100 meter relay quartet of herself, freshman Betsy Ridout of Ankeny, sophomore Lindsey Flammago of Lawton, and freshman Jo McKibben to a third-place ending (50.74 seconds).

The combined two-time indoor and outdoor National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ All-American was one of two event champions for head coach Dave Nash’s Mustangs’ women’s team, joining senior Kati Kneifl of Sheldon, who was atop the podium in the javelin making her three for three in claiming top honors this season.

Arevalo, who also finished third in the 100-meter hurdles at 15.75 seconds, which jumped her into the NAIA top 70 on the Track and Field Results Reporting System, was named the meet’s women’s collegiate Athlete of the Meet. Her javelin throw mark also earned her tremendous strides on the national list, bolting to No. 41.

Morningside competes today at the Mount Marty Invitational today (Wednesday) and several events qualified for the Drake Relays Thursday through Saturday,

Bearcat track

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Northwest Missouri State University senior Maria Mostek of Creston ran the 10,000 meters at the Kansas Relays on April 18.

Mostek placed 10th in the race in 40:09.13. Teammates Keely Danielsen (39:01.83) and Katie Bush (39:53.81) were third and sixth place, respectively.

Mostek will run the 10K May 4 at the MIAA championships in Warrensburg, Missouri.

Singles win

WAVERLY — Wartburg College edged the Grand View men’s tennis team on April 6, 5-4. Creston native Ryan Kucera won his singles match for the Vikings, 7-6 (8-6), 6-4. He teamed with Ryan Lamke to fall 8-4 in doubles play.

The Heart of America Conference meet begins April 26 in St. Louis, Missouri.

— Compiled by Larry Peterson, CNA senior feature writer