Novacek Battles Rain to Win Another National Title

Senior Lily Novacek repeated as the national hammer champion (211-4) at the 2026 NCAA Division II Championships Thursday in Emporia, Kan.

The three-day meet began this morning and dodged weather until the women's hammer finals when rain began to fall. Rain is in the forecast for Friday but better weather is expected Saturday.

In the early afternoon, Novacek (Kearney H.S.) led the hammer for five of the six throws. Her first attempt when 197-10 and, after a foul, she reached 207-6 to regain the lead and then had a toss of 209-10. With rain beginning to fall during warmups and then picking up during the last three throws, Novacek mustered tosses of 209-10, 206-3 and 211-4. Veteran Molly Winter of Ashland (Ohio) was runner up at 199-9 with the MIAA having four All-Americans (top 12). Novacek joins UNK Athletic Hall of Famer Janet Boettcher ('00) as the only Loper women to win two D2 national titles; Boettcher was first in the 1999 weight throw and the 2000 hammer.

Next, McCool Junction sophomore Kassidy Stuckey reached the 1,500-meter finals (top 12) on Saturday by turning in a 4:24.60. That effort ranked fifth in the fast heat and eighth overall. She'll run again Saturday at 4:05 p.m. and joins Michelle Dill (2007) as the only UNK women to earn D2 AA status in this event. In the men's steeplechase prelims, Lincoln sophomore Carter Hohlen (9:05.35) and Omaha senior Nick Abdalla (9:05.54) finished 16th and 17th, respectively, after running in different heats. The last time to reach finals was 8:57.33.

Finally, Sidney senior Mitchell Deer was 16th in the 400-hurdle prelims (53.45) with Ord redshirt sophomore Sam Boettcher 19th in the hammer (194-0). Deer was sixth in the second heat with the last qualifying time being a 51.59 with Boettcher having his best toss coming on his second attempt. The last AA spot came in at 203-10.

Weather permitting, three men's high jumpers compete on Friday as well as Novacek in the discus.