Your Prep Sports Alumni Report: O’Connor, Skopec and Smith With Strong Showings
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
The Your Prep Sports Alumni Report is a weekly segment that recognizes the accomplishments of graduates from YPS area schools that are continuing their careers as student athletes at the collegiate level.
Alumni News is a way for readers to keep tabs on former area standouts as well as honoring those athletes that continue to excel at the next level.
Gabby Skopec
West High graduate and current Iowa senior Gabby Skopec placed 50th at the Big Ten Cross Country Championships on Saturday at the Blue River Course in Shelbyville, Indiana.
Skopec was the top finisher for the Hawkeyes, completing the 6,000-meter course in a time of 21:53.2 in her second appearance at a Big Ten Championship.
Skopec was 106th in her Big Ten Championship debut last season.
Nick O’Connor
Clear Creek Amana graduate Nick O’Connor, a current freshman at Indian Hills Community College, set a school record in the 3,000 meter on Saturday at the Northwest Missouri State University Herschel Neil Invitational in Maryville, Missouri.
O’Connor clocked a 9:10.17 in the event, the fastest in program history on his way to a 13th place finish in the 30-member field.
Abby Smith
Solon graduate Abby Smith, a sophomore at the University of Dubuque, won the high jump on Saturday at the Sol Butler Classic helping the Spartans win the team title at their own meet.
Smith cleared 1.59 meters (5-2 ½) on her way to winning the high jump title and that mark ties the second-best performance in NCAA Division III this season.
If you know of a Your Prep Sports area graduate currently excelling at the collegiate level let us know by sending information to rmurken@yourprepsports.com or @yourprepsports on Twitter.
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