Contributor: The Nerd
Nebraska doesn't offer an indoor track season, but racing opportunities have dramatically increased the past few years. These are 'open' meets where the athletes compete unattached (not linked to your high school), so each athlete is responsible for registering.
These are very low-key meets and are excellent way sneak in a mid-winter workout or work on racing strategy. If you're aware of other races, shoot us an e-mail at jayslagle@hotmail.com and we'll add it.
Saturday, December 14: Washburn University, Topeka, KS (1st of 3 meets), 165 miles from Omaha and Lincoln. High school athletes only. 200-meter banked track. Three meets on December 14, January 18 and February 22. The meet information for 2024/25 has not been published as of 11/11/24 but the 2023/24 meets included running events from 60 meters to 2-mile as well as six field events.
Sunday, December 15: Concordia University, Seward, NE (1st of 4 meets). 200-meter track, limited entries, 6 field events and 6 running events up to 1600 meters for high school athletes PLUS five running events and the long jump for 5th-8th grade. Two-hour meet from 3:00 to 5:00. Registration opens soon.
Sunday, December 15: HyVee Arena, Kansas City for youth and high school athletes (ages 7-18, 1st of 3 events). 350-meter track, no field events. The 2024/2025 meet dates have been updated but the current season's registration and information links are not active as of 11/11/24. The 2024 schedule for the HyVee events shows races from 60 meters to 3000. The 2024 high school fields weren't as deep or the marks as impressive as what we've seen at Concordia, College of St. Mary and NWMSU, but it does offer you a change of scenery.
Sunday, January 5: HyVee Arena, Kansas City for youth and high school athletes (ages 7-18, 2nd of 3 events). 350-meter track, no field events. The 2024/2025 meet dates have been updated but the current season's registration and information links are not active as of 11/11/24. The 2024 schedule for the HyVee events shows races from 60 meters to 3000. The 2024 high school fields weren't as deep or the marks as impressive as what we've seen at Concordia, College of St. Mary and NWMSU, but it does offer you a change of scenery.
Saturday, January 11: Mount Marty, Yankton, SD (1st of 3 meets). In the midst of a collegiate meet, Mount Marty has previously included high school races in the 60, 200 and 800. Date confirmed but registration link has not been updated for 2025 yet. Registration link wasn't up as 11/11/24 but should be available as a dropdown under the "More+" tab at https://mountmartyathletics.com/sports/mens-track-and-field.
Sunday, January 12: College of St. Mary, Omaha (1st of 3 meets). High school athletes only. Newer facility with 200-meter track that will certainly bolster CSM's young track program. Running events range from 60 to 1600 meters, with a max of 24 athletes per running event and 16 athletes per field event on 1/12 and 1/26. Top finishers from the first two meets have registration priority for third meet on 2/16, but you can still register for 2/16 if you miss the first two meets. Field events include pole vault, shot put, weight throw, high jump, long jump and triple jump. Here are the details:
Sunday, January 12: Doane University, Crete. High school and middle school athletes. Teaser announcement made on November 11 with registration opening on December 1st. We'll update this listing once more information has been posted.
Friday, February 17-Saturday, February 18: Mount Marty, Yankton, SD. In the midst of a collegiate meet, Mount Marty will feature high school races in the 60, 200 and 800. Date confirmed but registration link has not been updated as 11/11/24; it should be available as a dropdown under the "More+" tab at https://mountmartyathletics.com/sports/mens-track-and-field.
Saturday, January 18: Washburn University, Topeka, KS (2nd of 3 meets), 165 miles from Omaha and Lincoln. High school athletes only. 200-meter banked track. Three meets on December 14, January 18 and February 22. The meet information for 2024/25 has not been published as of 11/11/24 but the 2023/24 meets included running events from 60 meters to 2-mile as well as six field events.
Sunday, January 19: Concordia University, Seward, NE (2nd of 4 meets). 200-meter track, limited entries, 6 field events and 6 running events up to 1600 meters for high school athletes PLUS five running events and the long jump for 5th-8th grade. Two-hour meet from 3:00 to 5:00. Registration opens soon. https://www.cune.edu/athletics/teams/track-and-field/nebraska-championship-series
Sunday, January 19: College of St. Mary, Omaha (2nd of 3 meets). High school athletes only. Newer facility with 200-meter track that will certainly bolster CSM's young track program. Running events range from 60 to 1600 meters, with a max of 24 athletes per running event and 16 athletes per field event on 1/12 and 1/26. Top finishers from the first two meets have registration priority for third meet on 2/16, but you can still register for 2/16 if you miss the first two meets. Field events include pole vault, shot put, weight throw, high jump, long jump and triple jump. Here are the details:
Friday, January 24-Saturday, January 25: Shocker Track meet, Wichita, KS. The Wichita State facilities host this meet for athletes from 8U through high school. The Friday night schedule is limited to the pole vault, triple jump and high school shot put. Running events range from 60 meters to 3200 meters, and in 2024 they offered five field events (no weight throw).
Sunday, January 26: Concordia University, Seward, NE (3rd of 4 meets). 200-meter track, limited entries, 6 field events and 6 running events up to 1600 meters for high school athletes PLUS five running events and the long jump for 5th-8th grade. Two-hour meet from 3:00 to 5:00. Registration opens soon. https://www.cune.edu/athletics/teams/track-and-field/nebraska-championship-series
Sunday, January 26: Rock Chalk Open HS Meet, University of Kansas, Lawrence. In prior years the meet included five field events and eight running events from 60 meters to 3000 meters. The website has been updated to reflect the 2025 date but as of 11/11/24 the information link still references the 2024 meet.
Friday, February 7: Mount Marty, Yankton, SD. We're still waiting for information for the 2025. In 2024 in the midst of the Last Chance collegiate meet, Mount Marty featured high school races in the 60, 200 and 800. Date confirmed but registration link wasn't up as 11/11/24; it should be available as a dropdown under the "More+" tab at https://mountmartyathletics.com/sports/mens-track-and-field.
Sunday, February 9: Concordia University, Seward, NE (Championship meet). 200-meter track, limited entries, 6 field events and 6 running events up to 1600 meters for high school athletes PLUS five running events and the long jump for 5th-8th grade. Two-hour meet from 3:00 to 5:00. Registration opens soon. There are no additional performance or prior meet requirements to register for this meet, but this 4th and final meet will include medals for the top performers based on results at all four meets on 12/15, 1/19 and 1/26. Few athletes compete in all four meets and many will only compete in one.
Saturday, February 17: Washburn University, Topeka, KS (3rd of 3 meets), 165 miles from Omaha and Lincoln. High school athletes only. 200-meter banked track. Three meets on December 14, January 18 and February 22. The meet information for 2024/25 has not been published as of 11/11/24 but the 2023/24 meets included running events from 60 meters to 2-mile as well as six field events.
Sunday, February 18: College of St. Mary, Omaha (3rd of 3 meets). High school athletes only. Newer facility with 200-meter track that will certainly bolster CSM's young track program. Running events range from 60 to 1600 meters, with a max of 24 athletes per running event and 16 athletes per field event on 1/12 and 1/26. Top finishers from the first two meets have registration priority for third meet on 2/16, but you can still register for 2/16 if you miss the first two meets. Field events include pole vault, shot put, weight throw, high jump, long jump and triple jump. Here are the details:
Thursday, February 20 through Saturday, February 22: Simplot Games in Pocatello, ID. A highly-regarded meet that Patrick Grosserode calls the highest level indoor meet outside of Nationals. More information at https://simplotgames.com/for-athletes-coaches/. Registration opens January 1. One interesting quirk is that there are prelims and finals for the 800, 1600 and 3200. You can review the 2024 results at https://simplotgames.com/records-results/ to decide whether it's a good fit for you.
Sunday, February 23: HyVee Arena, Kansas City for youth and high school athletes (ages 7-18, 3rd of 3 events). 350-meter track, no field events. The 2024/2025 meet dates have been updated but the current season's registration and information links are not active as of 11/11/24. The 2024 schedule for the HyVee events shows races from 60 meters to 3000. The 2024 high school fields weren't as deep or the marks as impressive as what we've seen at Concordia, College of St. Mary and NWMSU, but it does offer you a change of scenery.
Monday, March 3: Official start of Nebraska high school track season. High school athletes are prohibited in competing in open events between February 26 and the end of the State meet unless they receive clearance in advance from their coaching staff and the NSAA.
Meets held in 2024 where we're still waiting for 2025 information:
Saturday, January 6: Pittsburg State/Prentice Gudgen HS Invitational high school meet, Pittsburg, KS. 300-meter track. The information link was not active as of 11/4/23 but the 2018 schedule reflected races from 60 meters to 3000 as well as four field events (no weights). A 300-mile trip from Omaha or Lincoln so likely not a great option for most Nebraskans.
Saturday, January 13: University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. High-level and huge meet (e.g., 90-100 heats of sprint prelims). Information will eventually be posted at https://arkansasrazorbacks.com/sport/w-track/meet-information/.
Sunday, January 21: Northwest Missouri State, Maryville, MO (1st of 3 meets), 115 miles from Omaha. Awesome 300-meter track. Youth and high school meet, and presumably post-high school. Their 2021-2023 meets drew competition from as far as Colorado and Arkansas, although there may be less competition with more events on the schedule. The NWMSU website had not been updated for registration and information links as of 11/4/23. We'll update this post once that link becomes available.
Sunday, January 28: Northwest Missouri State, Maryville, MO (2nd of 3 meets), 115 miles from Omaha. Awesome 300-meter track. Youth and high school meet, and presumably post-high school. Their 2021-2023 meets drew competition from as far as Colorado and Arkansas, although there may be less competition with more events on the schedule. The NWMSU website had not been updated for registration and information links as of 11/4/23. We'll update this post once that link becomes available.
Saturday, February 17: MVP Vibe Fest at Worrill Track & Field Center in Chicago. No info yet on the 2024 meet other than this date, but this link https://il.milesplit.com/meets/509671-mvp-vibe-fest-chicagoland-2023/results/875592/formatted/events gives you an idea of the caliber of athletes who participated in 2023. Boys and girls distance events have 3-4 very competitive athletes but then a large drop off; Nebraska meets may be almost as competitive for distance runners.