Nebraska-Kearney track & field coach Brady Bonsall announced today the names of eight high school seniors (five men and three women) who will compete for the Lopers in 2014.
In February, UNK added 24 newcomers (14 women and 10 men) to next year’s roster. Overall, the 32 newcomers won 12 gold, six silver and eight bronze medals at the 2013 Nebraska & Kansas State Championship meets in May.
“We’ve added some student-athletes to our recruiting class since February that we look forward to welcoming to UNK,” said Bonsall. “There are still a couple of student-athletes who are finalizing their decisions but we’re already pleased with both the men and women’s recruiting classes.”

Women's Newcomers (Name, High School, Events at UNK, Prep Honors)
Abagayle Spilinek, Goodard, Kans./Goodard H.S., throws (2013 Class 5A place in shot & javelin)
Bailey Sokolowski, Kearney Catholic H.S., high jump (2013 Class B 5th place in the high jump) … will also be on the Loper volleyball team
Kelsey Weimers, Kearney H.S., jumps (2013 Class A top 15 in both the long & triple jumps)

Men's Newcomers (Name, High School, Events at UNK, Prep Honors)
Jahn Landrigan, Nebraska Christian H.S., distance, (2012 Class D Cross runner-up)
Jeremy Long, Kearney H.S., pole vault (2012 Class A 3rd place in the pole vault)
Grant May, Glenwood, Iowa/Glenwood H.S., jumps, (2012 Class 3A long jump state champ)
Kyle Stewart, McCook H.S., pole vault, (2013 Class B state champ in the pole vault)
Cody Wirth, Kearney H.S., middle distance (2013 Class A 3rd place at 800 meters)

The Nebraska School Activities Association is pleased to announce the
final
s
tandings for The U.S. Cellular
®
Cup, the NSAA All
-
Activities Award for Nebraska high schools. The annual awards program, which began in
200
7 to recognize the state’s most successful high school athletic and fine arts programs, is presented to the 12
Nebraska high schools which earn the most points during the school year by participating in NSAA education
-
based activity programs
.
This all
-
act
ivities (fine arts and sports), all
-
school recognition
platform
recognizes
the “Best of the Best” each year
in NSAA programs and
parallels the
service objectives of the program’s
sponsor.
“At U.S. Cellular, we focus on having the world's best customer ser
vice and delivering industry
-
leading
innovations. Our customers receive unique benefits such as a valuable rewards program that recognizes
customer loyalty, and points can be used to upgrade to the latest 4G LTE devices faster as well as accessories
and ri
ngtones. Our strong line
-
up of cutting
-
edge devices are designed to simplify and organize your life. They
are all backed by our high
-
speed network which has the highest call quality of any national carrier, and
customers enjoy national coverage. We are exp
anding a 4G LTE network, which currently covers 61 percent
of customers and will cover 87 percent by the end of 2013.”
-
U.S. Cellular Website, June 2013
The U.S. Cellular Cup is presented to the winning schools in the four classes of the All
-
School Divis
ion,
Girls Division and Boys Division during special ceremonies the following fall.
U.S. Cellular
®
Cup Details & Point System
Each year the NSAA and U.S. Cellular recognize the most successful activities programs in the state with the
U.S. Cellular Cup. U
.S. Cellular Cup winners are determined by a point system based on participation in
NSAA education
-
based activities and performance in state championship events within each division and
class. Music, which does not have a state
-
level event, earns points b
ased on participation at the district music
contest.
The boys and girls competition in each class features schools earning participation and performance points
from their respective activities. In the case of coed schools, the fine arts activity performan
ce points are
divided equally among a school’s boys and girls U.S. Cellular Cup totals. In the all
-
school division, schools
receive participation points for each of its NSAA registered programs, and earn additional points for placing in
NSAA championship e
vents.
2012
-
2013
U.S. Cellular
®
Cup
Final
Standings
ALL
-
SCHOOL DIVISION
--
TOP TEN AND TIES
--
Class A
Cup Points
Lincoln Pius X
642.5
Millard West
632.5
Lincoln Southwest
562.5
Millard North
505
Millard South
472.5
Lincoln East
442.5
Kearney
435
Lincoln
Southeast
432.5
Papillion
-
La Vista South
415
Omaha Westside
387.5
Class B
Cup Points
Omaha Skutt Catholic
620
Elkhorn South
587.5
Gretna
490
Scottsbluff
477.5
McCook
372.5
Omaha Gross Catholic
332.5
Elkhorn
330
Norris
325
York
322.5
Gering
2
87.5
South Sioux City
287.5
Class C
Cup Points
Kearney Catholic
370
Columbus Scotus
332.5
Crofton
295
Grand Island Central Catholic
285
Norfolk Catholic
281
Thayer Central
267.5
Wahoo
257.5
Boone Central
255
Ord
247.5
Freeman
242.5
Class D
Cup Points
St. Mary’s
315
Hartington
265
Guardian Angels Central Catholic
250
Arapahoe
237.5
Bruning
-
Davenport
232.5
Pender
220
Bertrand
215
Paxton
215
Giltner
210
Humphrey St. Francis
185
Pope John
185
Wynot
185
GIRLS DIVISION
--
TOP TEN AND
TIES
--
Class A
Cup Points
Lincoln Pius X
382.5
Omaha Marian
377.5
Millard West
355
Millard North
320
Lincoln East
271.25
Lincoln Southwest
252.5
Lincoln Southeast
245
Papillion
-
La Vista South
230
Omaha Westside
222.5
Bellevue West
200
Class B
Cup Points
Elkhorn South
296.25
Omaha Skutt Catholic
262.5
McCook
232.5
Gretna
227.5
Holdrege
195
Gering
190
Northwest
190
Elkhorn
187.5
York
187.5
Seward
162.5
Class C
Cup Points
Columbus Scotus
265
Kearney Catholic
235
Crofton
193.75
Grand
Island Central Catholic
173.75
Norfolk Catholic
145
Chadron
142.5
North Platte St. Patrick’s
142.5
Minden
136.25
Auburn
135
Hastings St. Cecilia
132.5
Class D
Cup Points
Guardian Angels Central Catholic
200
St. Mary’s
195
Bertrand
131.25
Arapahoe
125
Bruning
-
Davenport
125
Humphrey
120
Giltner
117.5
Sutherland
102.5
Wynot
100
Exeter
-
Milligan
95
BOYS DIVISION
--
TOP TEN AND TIES
--
Class A
Cup Points
Creighton Prep
aratory
School
367.5
Millard South
355
Lincoln Southwest
330
Kearney
308.75
Millard W
est
297.5
Lincoln Pius X
280
Papillion
-
La Vista
246.25
Grand Island
223.75
Omaha Burke
220
Lincoln Southeast
207.5

Local coaching legend Steve Spongberg will join Hastings College as the next Bronco Baseball Head Coach. His appointment is effective August 1, 2013.
Spongberg, who earlier this year coached the Sutton Mustangs Boys Basketball team to the Class C-2 championship game, has coached American Legion Baseball teams from Kearney (Neb.) and Sutton (Neb.) to four state championships. Currently, his career baseball coaching record stands at 1261-497.
“Replacing Jim Boeve, who built the modern Hastings College Bronco Baseball program, was not easy. I am grateful for Jim’s service,” said Jerry Schmutte, Athletic Director at Hastings College.
Schmutte continued: “Steve’s passionate about coaching. Consequently, his players are very loyal to him. They continue to seek his advice and to support his teams. Building these kinds of relationships is important at Hastings College.
With his leadership skills and knowledge of baseball, Steve’s just a solid fit for Hastings College.”
Spongberg’s tenure as head coach for the Kearney American Legion team spanned 1978-2010, during which time his teams qualified for post-season play 26 times. In 2010, he was named the 2010 Class A Senior Legion Coach of the Year by the Nebraska Baseball Coaches Association for his achievements on the field and for demonstrating exemplary character, sportsmanship and professionalism. He has coached American Legion Baseball teams in Sutton since 2011. For taking an 11-player Sutton team to its first state tournament appearance in 19 years and its first state title, Spongberg was named the association’s 2012 Class C Junior Legion Coach of the Year.
Since 1985, the Kearney State College graduate has taught physical education, weightlifting and driver’s education at Sutton Public Schools. As head coach of boys basketball, Spongberg led the Mustangs to the state tournament 14 times, earning championships in 1989 and 2003 and finishing as runner’s up in 1987, 2002 and 2013. He has a career basketball coaching record of 548-227. His duties also included serving as assistant football coach. Prior to joining the staff at Sutton, Spongberg taught and coached at Chester-Hubbell Schools from 1978-1984.

This is the eleventh year that the Adams County Fairgrounds has hosted the
Nebraska High School Finals Rodeo.

The high school finals is the state championship for Nebraska High School
Rodeo, and the top thirty rodeo athletes in each of eleven events qualify to
compete June 20-22 in Hastings. After five rodeo performances, the top four
finishers in each event are determined and go on to the National High School
Finals Rodeo in Rock Springs, Wyo. in July.

The finals rodeo consists of four rodeo performances, two each on June 20
and 21, and a finals performance on June 22. Families start arriving on June
19, and stay for the entire weekend, bringing their horses along.

The Adams County Fairgrounds has plenty of camping sites and hook-ups, so is
able to host the approximately 190 families who come to the event. "The
facilities fit well," says Bump Kraeger, board member with the Nebraska High
School Rodeo Association. "There are lots of places to park trailers, and
the stalls are an advantage."

High school finals rodeo chairman Judy Mignery, who lives in rural Hastings,
says that the success of the finals can be credited to the volunteers.
"People know what they're supposed to do," she said of the volunteers.
"There's no way it could go on without volunteers. For example, you look up,
and there's Darrel Stromer, running the south gate. He says, 'it's just my
job,' and that's really great."

Mignery and the committee also work to keep the event fresh and provide fun
things for the kids to do each night. "Each year, we add new things and get
rid of the stagnant things. This year, we've replaced the volleyball
tournament with an evening at the shooting range." Other nightly
entertainment includes a night at the waterpark and at the YMCA.

Tickets for the high school finals rodeo are $6. Performances are at 10 am
and 6 pm on June 20 and 21, with the finals on June 22 at 1 pm. The Miss
Nebraska High School Rodeo Queen is crowned prior to the June 22 rodeo. For
more information, call the Adams Co. Fairgrounds at 402.462.3247 or visit
the website at AdamsCountyFairgrounds.com.