2016 Scholarship Recipients

LTC Awards $15,000 in Scholarships to Local Track and Field AthletesThe Lincoln Track Club awarded six, $2,500 scholarships totaling $15,000 to local high school track and field athletes on Sunday, June 5 at the Jayne Snyder Trails Center, 250 N 21^stStreet. Scholarship recipients must be from the Lincoln/Lancaster county area and plan to compete in cross country and/or track and field at the collegiate level. The LTC established the scholarship program in 2013 to assist area track and field athletes with college expenses as athletic scholarship funds for track and field athletes are limited.“Awarding scholarships to these outstanding student athletes is one of the highlights for the Lincoln Track Club Board of Directors,” said Glen Moss, LTC president. “Part of our mission is promoting the sport and giving back to the Lincoln community for supporting our events. Providing these scholarships is one area we felt could make a significant impact while encouraging high school athletes to continue with the sport at the next level. Each recipient is very deserving of this honor and I look forward to following their collegiate careers.”The scholarship recipients are:

• Amanda Cook from Waverly High School lettered in cross country (2012), volleyball (2013-14-15), basketball (2013-14-15-16) and track (2013-14-15-16). One of the top hurdlers in the state, she was fourth in the 100 meter hurdles, second in the 300 meter hurdles and ran a leg on the winning 1600 meter relay while leading Waverly to the 2016 Class B state title. An outstanding student, she was a member of the National Honor Society and was named to the Lincoln Journal Star Academic All-State team in basketball (2014-15), volleyball (2014-15) and track ((2014-15-16). Cook plans to attend Doane University and compete in track and field where she will major in biology. Her parents are Lynne and Corey Cook.
• Ashley Cook from Waverly High School lettered in cross country (2012-13), volleyball (2014-15), basketball (2013-14-15-16) and track (2013-14-15-16). She helped lead Waverly to the 2016 Class B state title in track by winning the 300 meter hurdles as well as running legs on the winning 1600 meter and 400 meter relays. Cook also finished second in the 400 meter dash and third in the 100 meter hurdles. In 2015 she also won the 300 meter hurdles. In basketball, she was named second team all-state in Class B. An outstanding student, she was a member of the National Honor Society and was named to the Lincoln Journal Star Academic All-State team in basketball (2014-15-16), volleyball (2014-15) and track ((2014-15-16). Cook plans to attend Doane University and compete in track and field where she will major in biology. Her parents are Lynne and Corey Cook.
• Alana Sesow from Lincoln East High School lettered in cross and track. She ended her track career with a third place finish in the 3200 meter run and fifth place finish in the 1600 meter run at the 2016 state track meet. Sesow also ran a leg on the 12^th place 1600 meter relay at state. In 2014, she was a member of the all-class state record 3200 meter relay. In cross country, she was sixth place at the state cross country meet in 2012 and was 37^th place in the Nike Cross Heartland Regional. She was academic all-state in both cross country and track and won the Andrea Baker Kabourek “I can. I will!” scholarship from Lincoln East. Sesow will attend Augustana University where she will major in journalism and media studies while competing in cross country and track. Her parents are Jana and Clint Sesow.
• Mitch Grosserode from Lincoln Pius X ran track and cross country. An 8-time letter winner, he is a member of the school record 1600 and 3200 meter relays. In 2013, he ran a leg on the all-class, gold-medal champion 3200 meter relay at the state track meet. He is also second on the all-time charts in the 1600 meter relay. He plans to run track and field at the University of Kansas and major in business. His parents are Joann Grosserode and the late John Grosserode.
• Wyatt McLeod from Lincoln Northeast lettered in cross country, track and swimming. His best finishes at state include a fourth place finish in cross country as well as third in the 3200 meter run, sixth in the 1600 meter run, third in the 3200 meter relay and eighth in the 1600 meter relay at state track. He was a three-time super state selection in cross country and three-sport academic all-state. McLeod will compete in cross country and track at Augustana University where he will major in biology and mathematics. His parents are Keith and Laura McLeod.
• Nathan Pierce from Lincoln North Star competed in cross country and track. He finished his career with a fifth-place finish in both the 800 meter and 1600 meter runs at the 2016 state track meet. Pierce was also on the 1600 and 3200 meter relays. In state cross country, he was 26^th in 2016. Pierce will major pre-medicine at the University of Nebraska at Kearney where he will run cross country and track. His parents are Kent and LeAnne Pierce.

Photo Details: 2016 scholarship recipients. Front Row from left to right: Alana Sesow, Ashley Cook, Amanda Cook, Mitch Grosserode, Wyatt McLeod and Nathan Pierce. Back Row from left to right: Al Neemann, LTC Scholarship Committee chair; Ann Ringlein, LTC Vice President;  and Glen Moss, LTC President.

The Lincoln Track Club was established in 1975 by an eager group of track enthusiasts as a non-profit community service organization to promote running throughout the area and provide educational assistance for its runners. For over 40 years the LTC has stayed true to its roots as a non-profit, all-volunteer organization and gave $95,000 back to the community including $15,000 in scholarships in 2015. Overall, the LTC has awarded $36,000 in scholarships since 2014. The LTC is a member club of both the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) and USA Track and Field.