The 2026 version of the Tri County Northeast track team should be filled with optimism. A total of 32 athletes, 18 girls and 14 boys have made the commitment to be a member of the Wolfpack Track program.
Head coach, Dave Uldrich, will be assisted by Casey Brentlinger, Marc Bathke, Tessa Braun, Bri Ostrand and Austin Coffman.
Heading into the new season, veteran athletes are ready to make their marks and provide an example of leadership to the younger athletes. The first two or three meets will be valuable in making adjustments for the final part of the season.
Returning state athletes include seniors, Kiya Tornez, returns after qualifying as a freshman in the 100, 200 and long jump and running the 4X100 relay as a sophomore and qualifying in the 100, 200 and running the 4X100 relay last year. Rachael Bousquet also returns as a competing member of the 4X100 relay in 2024 and 2025. Junior Joslyn Mackling also returns as a member of the 4X100 relay team in 2025.
The rest of the squad will be assessed daily and fitted based on daily workouts and evaluations by coaches. Getting to know all the athletes’ strengths will be very important in placing athletes into the correct events and insuring athletes can be successful.
One thing will always be definite. Every time an athlete steps on the track, runway or ring, bettering the six-year-old cooperative marks will be a goal. That alone should motivate athletes to strive for betterment daily. The goal for everyone is to be at a peak performance level by the district meet in May.
COACHES COMMENTS:
“The team will work very hard to get better daily. The coaching staff’s philosophy is easy to understand “get better daily’. No negativity, just encouragement. The program is all about personal improvement, not being the first-place person in every meet. We have never made that a priority and will not start now. When the athletes buy into that, and see improvements come individually, they work even harder to better themselves. We as coaches respect, admire and love these kids, seeing them put themselves in front of everyone, risking failure, but risking success too. Eventually the medals will come. The work it takes to compete is a valuable life lesson. We appreciate and respect each athlete that dares to take that challenge. These athletes are tremendously fun and a hard-working group that we are lucky to have in our program.”
TRI COUNTY NORTHEAST WOLFPACK TRACK SCHEDULE
Tuesday March 31 @Cedar Catholic Invite 12:30
Tuesday April 7 @Hartington-Newcastle Invite 2:00
Tuesday April 14 @Cedar Catholic Invite 2 1:00
Thursday April 16 @Homer Invitational 1:00
Tuesday April 21 @L-C-C Invite 12:00
Thursday April 23 @Ponca Invite 1:00
Tuesday April 28 @Ponca 9/10 Invite 1:00
Thursday April 30 @Norfolk Classic TBA
Saturday May 2 @Creighton @ “Lewis & Clark Conference” 9:30
Thursday May 7 @L-C-C “Winch Invitational” 10:00
Thursday May 14 @District Meet @Hartington TBA
Fri/Sat May 22/23 @State Class C @Omaha TBA