‘Make positive contributions’: UNO Maverick 5K helps to raise funds for women’s athletics

If you like running and supporting women’s athletics, you can do both Saturday at the University of Nebraska Omaha’s Maverick 5K.UNO continues to be at the forefront of growing women’s athletics. Their newest initiative, Maverick “HER-oes” along with the Maverick 5K Saturday will continue that mission to increase support.”Creating this positive environment for our female student athletes here who then go out into the Omaha community and make positive contributions in that way too. It’s just kind of a full circle moment, and we just really believe in that investment,” UNO Deputy Athletic Director Lindsey Ekwerekwu said.Ekwerekwu said the money from both helps with overall scholarship support for women’s athletics.”It allows people to maybe choose where they feel like they would make the most impact, so whether that be scholarships or any of those other pillars as well,” Ekwerekwu said.Cross country and track and field head coach Cliff Cisar has been with the program since 2010. Cisar says it’s programs like the 5k that allow UNO to take tremendous strides in growing women’s sports in Omaha.”Physical therapy opportunities here, strength and conditioning opportunities, athletic training opportunities and the academic support; it’s all increased so much over the last decade and a half,” Cisar said.Izzy Apel, now a senior cross-country athlete, says they feel the community support that has helped shape the growth.”We want to express our gratitude towards the community because their support means more than they know,” Apel said.It’s that support and donations that continue to help athletes like Apel thrive.”Having those sort of resources to kind of be there as a net in order to make us the most successful individuals we can has been a huge undertaking that Omaha has kind of led the forefront in to demonstrate what it really means to support the holistic approach of the athlete,” Apel said.Anyone who runs the maverick 5k Saturday will help support Mav’s women’s athletics. As For Apel who’s no stranger to 5k’s her advice for maybe a first timer.”You’re going to go out, find a comfortable rhythm as my coach always says and if you’re feeling good at about 3-k that’s when you can kind of turn it on and pick up the pace,” Apel said.You can donate as well as sign up for the 5K and help UNO women’s athletics at this link.Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |