2024-25 Men's XC and Track & Field

[1972Shocker]

Definitely a lot to like with this men's recruiting class not to mention Yared Kidane making his official Shocker debut after redshirting last year.

I really like how Coach Hetzendorf has reloaded his throws group which was not particularly strong last year plus I am assuming he will have Ridge Estes back who did not compete in the 2023-24 indoor season and only competed unattached in the discus in 1 outdoor meet last year. Not sure what was behind him sitting out last year but I'm thinking some kind of injury. If that's the case is he fully recovered?

Looks like the Shocks potentially could be very strong in the long jump and triple jump and they signed a strong high school high jumper to replace All-American Brady Palen.

In addition to helping out in the horizontal jumps Asher Buggs-Tipton appears capable of stepping right in an competing well against Josh and Jason Parrish in the hurdles in addition the Joseph Holthusen's younger brother Luke joining the hurdle group. Just in terms of airport presence Luke appears to be perhaps a little better/bigger athlete than Joseph but he will have to go some to match big bros grit and determination.

[1972Shocker]

Kidane, Shockers Finish Fifth at Bradley Pink Classic

Wichita State's Yared Kidane led the Shocker men to a fifth-place team finish out of 29 teams at Friday afternoon at the Bradley Pink Classic.

Kidane, a redshirt-junior from Sweden, raced to a fifth-place individual finish over 8K, leading the Shocker men to their fourth-straight top-five Bradley Pink Classic team finish. He ran a personal-best 23:57.95, his first career sub-24-minute performance.

Kidane sat in 53^rd through the first 3K and moved up into the top 15 over the next 4K before running the fastest closing 1K of the day in 2:47.95 to pass six people and finish fifth.

Cesar Ramirez and Adrian Diaz Lopez finished 40^th and 41^st, respectively, Diaz Lopez's first complete race since 2022, and Colin Graham and Riley Vandaveer rounded out the Shocker men's top five, finishing 64^th and 75^th.

The Wichita State men knocked off five regionally-ranked teams, including three Midwest programs. The unranked Shockers beat Midwest No. 10 Drake, Midwest No. 14 Bradley and Midwest No. 7 Illinois State, who finished sixth, eighth and 27^th, respectively.

Adam Rzentkowski, who is racing cross country unattached due to exhausted eligibility but will race in uniform during the track and field season, finished third.

The Shockers have one weekend off before hosting the American Athletic Conference Championships on Sat., Nov. 2 at Clapp Cross Country Course. No doubt Tulsa will be the heavy favorite.

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Yared Kidane has been a surprising development for the Shocker XC team considering he was recruited as a middle distance guy. That middle distance training and background no doubt contributes to his closing kick.

[SubGod22]

Go Shockers - Kidane Tabbed AAC Athlete of the Week

Wichita State's Yared Kidane was named the American Athletic Conference Cross Country Men's Athlete of the Week following his performance at the Bradley Pink Classic.

The redshirt-junior from Sweden raced to a fifth-place individual finish in Peoria, Ill., running a personal-best 8K time of 23:58.0 to lead the Shockers to a top-five team placement.

This marks Kidane's second top-five individual finish of the season and third-consecutive personal-best time.

A mid-distance specialist during the track and field season, Kidane has led the Wichita State men in every cross country race this season.

Kidane and the Shockers are set to race in the AAC Cross Country Championships at home in Wichita on Saturday, Nov. 2 at Clapp Cross Country Course.