2018-19 Shocker Women XC and Track & Field

[1972Shocker]

At San Marcos:

Thursday:

Shocker senior Kelsey Slawson took 4th in the discus with a throw of 48.4m/158-9.5. A few feet short of her PR. That throw would have scored a couple points in last year's AAC Championship. None of the other 3 Shockers were close to that nor did they qualify for the finals. Not Kelsey's strongest event. That would be the shot put.

Friday:

Halle Johnson sixth in 1500m with a personal best time of 4:36.30. That's pretty solid time for the Freshman. 9th best in the AAC so far this season although it is very early.

Claudia Rojo seventh in long jump with a personal best (5.83m/19-15). That jump might score in the AAC Championship and it would score very well in the heptathlon.

Saturday:

Sydney Wilson ran a personal best 14.58 to finish 24th in the 100m hurdles. While that probably doesn't score in the AAC open 100 hurdles it is a very solid time in the heptathlon good for 898 points.

At Texas Relays:

Friday:

Kelsey Slawson finished fourth in section B of shot put with a mark of 15.21m/49-11. Kelsey always seems to be right at or little better than 50' in the shot put. That won't be at the top of the AAC but probably scores a point or two.

Saturday:

Raianna Maples, Paul Garcia, Jacque Darby and Taniyah McMillian finished 10th in the 4x100m invitational with a time of 45.84. The women's 4x100m invitational field featured five USATF teams. That's a pretty solid time. Perhaps top 5 in the AAC good.

At Stanford:

Rebekah Topham started things off for the Shockers in the women's 3000m steeplechase. The redshirt junior finished sixth in the invitational section with a time of 10:09.94 That is a very good early season time for Rebekah. About 10 seconds off her PR but would have easily won this event in last year's AAC Championship and is easily the best time in the AAC so far this season.

.Winny Koskei finidhrf 31st in the women's invitational 10,000m race with a time of 33:50.68. Again a very good early season time. Only 20 seconds off her PR and about 1.5 minutes faster than she ran in winning the AAC Championship 10k last year.

[1972Shocker]

RH: Wichita State Freshman Up and Running

Nice up close and personal article on Shocker freshman sprinter Tianna Holmes. Tianna's primary event at this point is the 400. She finished 6th at the AAC Indoors.

[1972Shocker]

KT Woodman Classic - Cessna Stadium - April 10-13:

Thursday Highlights:

Battling 40-degree weather, Kendra Henry won the javelin and 800m to move into first to claim victory in the heptathlon with 4,955 points. Teammate Sydney Wilson finished the competition in second with a personal best score of 4,869 points.

Henry finished day one of the heptathlon with 3,013 points, 182 points behind leader Wilson. Wilson started day two winning the long jump with a leap of 5.27m/17-3.25, increasing her lead by 286 points. Henry first closed the gap winning the javelin with a throw of 41.99m/137-9, coming within 17 points of Wilson after six events.

In the final event of the heptathlon, Henry jumped out to a strong start in the 800m in second place after the first lap. She continued to battle the bitter cold moving into first with about 300m left, eventually winning the race with a time of 2:28.95. She won the overall competition with 4,955 points, 86 points ahead of Wilson.

The Shockers currently have the top 3 heptathlon scores in the AAC this year although it is still early. Jr. Claudio Rojo at 4,973, So. Kendra Henry at 4,955 and So. Sydney Wilson at 4.869 top the current AAC charts. Kendra won last year's AAC heptathlon championship with a score of 5,018.

Friday Highlights:

Kendra Henry added to her K.T. Woodman Classic resume, winning the women's javelin with a throw of 45.09m/147-11. Kendra's best throw this year is 153-8 which is curretnly 3rd on the AAC charts but that would only have been 7th best in the 2018 AAC Championships.

Fr. Yazmine Wright won the 1500m clocking a personal best time of 4:33.16 which is the 9th best time in the AAC. Yazmine finished 6th in the 800m run at this year's AAC Indoor Championship. She has not yet run a 800m outdoor race.

So. Winny Koskei won the 5k in 16:23.65 and Jr. Rebekah Topham followed in 16:44.84. Those are the top 2 times so far this year in the AAC and both time were below Winny's 16:49.01 that won last year's ACC Championship.

R-Fr. Rita Schacker made her 10k debut winning that race in 36:32.28 which is 9th best in the AAC this year. That time would have taken 6th place in last year's AAC Championship.

Saturday Highlights:

Claudia Rojo won the women's 100m hurdles with a time of 14.30, the multi-event athlete not only set a personal best but also recorded a 2019 Shocker season leading time in the event. This time might not win any points in the AAC in this event but would be very high scoring in the heptathlon. Claudia also won the women's 400m hurdle race in 1:02.44, a Shockers season leading time, although probably not good enough to score in the AAC Champships.

The 200m dash was completely dominated by Wichita State as the Shocker women would finish 1-5. True Freshman Tianna Holmes won the race with a season leading time of 24.20, Taniyah McMillian followed in second (24.41), Paula Garcia in third (24.43), Jacque Darby in fourth (24.49) and Sidney Sapp in fifth (25.18). These are not bad times but may not be good enough in the speed heavy AAC.

Fr. Amiya Anoma won the triple jump with a leap of 12.23m/40-1.5. This is about 16 inches short of her season best but Amiya should be in the hunt to score some points in the AAC Championship.

Sr. Kelsey Slawson finished 2nd in both the shot put (15.16m/49-9) and the discus (47.85m/157-0). Both efforts are short of her PR but Kelsey should be in the hunt for points in both of these events come AAC Championship time.

R-So. Sydney Wilson led the women's high jump trio finishing second with a clearance of 1.63m/5-4.25. Not a bad jump in today's cool and windy confitions. Probably won't score in the AAC but is a pretty solid scoring jump in the heptathlon. Fr. high jump specialist Sidney Sapp only managed 5-2.25 in today's conditions. Sidney has a lot of potential although have noticed her performances are pretty inconsistent.

A day after winning the women's 1500m in the distance carnival Friday night, Yazmine Wright added to her K.T. Woodman Classic resume winning the 800m race with a time of 2:13.58. That's Yazmine's first outdoor 800m time in her Shocker career and is about 10th best in the AAC this year. But considering the weather conditions today and that this field probably didn't push Yazmine very hard plus Yazmine has run 2:11.00 indoors I think she has quite a bit left in the tank. Hopefully, enough to get into the scoring column come AAC Championship time.

[1972Shocker]

Some nice performances at the KU relays today.

After qualifying three Shockers from Friday's 200m preliminaries, the group of Paula Garcia, Jacque Darby and Taniyah McMillian did not disappoint in Saturday's finals. All three Shockers recorded personal bests and all-time top-10 marks.

Garcia led the group finishing fourth overall with the third fastest time in Shocker history of 23.66. Jacque Darby improved her all-time top-10 mark moving to No. 7 finishing fifth in the finals with a time of 23.89, while Taniyah McMillian added the eighth fastest 200m time of 24.07 to her Shocker resume. McMillian placed seventh overall in the race. Paula's time is 4th best in the AAC this year, Jacque's is the 11th fastest and Taniyah's is 16th fastest which kind of shows you how tough of a sprinter conference the AAC is. One positive though is that Paula and Jacque are redshirt sophomores and Taniyah is a redshirt freshman.

The sprints group was not done after that performance, the 4x400m women's team of Tianna Holmes, Daysha Bullocks, Darby and McMillian placed third with the fourth fastest time of 3:41.86 in Shocker history. The group currently ranks No. 3 in the American Athletic Conference.

Kelsey Slawson represented the Shocker women in field events, the senior became just the fifth Shocker to join the 50m+ club after finishing seventh in the discus with the fifth best mark in school history of 50.32m/165-1 which is 3rd best in the AAC this year.

[1972Shocker]

At the Corky/Crofoot Shootout in Lubbock vs Texas Tech and Nebraska Jr. Claudia Rojo set a new PR of 19-2.5 in the long jump and So. Jacque Darby also set a new PR jumping 19-0.25 in what I believe is only Jacque's 2nd ever long jump competition. Neither of the those jumps are probably good enough to score in t the AAC Championships but Claudia's jump would score a very solid 804 points in the heptathlon.

Claudia also set a PR in the 100m hurdles at 14:22. 8th best in the AAC this year but a time that would score bit in the heptathlon at 947 points.

The Shocker's 4x100 team of Paula Garcia, Jacque Darby, Tianna Holmes, Taniyah McMillian ran a Sh daocker season best 44.98 with is 4th best in the AAC his year and I think that is the 3rd fastest time in WSU history.

Kelsey Slawson spun the discuss 161-1. A solid effort leading up to the AAC Championship. So. Amanda Kakoulias threw the discus 153-1 for a nice new PR that is 9th best in the AAC this year.

Kelsey won the shot put with a season best 50-11 which is just a couple inches shy of her WSU school record.of 51-0.75 and is 2nd best in the AAC this year. So. Amanda Kakoulias set her second PR of the day improving well over a foot to 48-6.75 in the shot put which is 6th best in the AAC this year.

True Fr. Amiya Amona set a new outdoor PR in the triple jump at 41-5.75 which is 4th best in the AAC this year.

Fr. Tianna Holmes ran a new PR of 53.80 to win the 400m race. This is the 3rd fastest in school history and 3 fastest in the AAC this year. Tianna's previous best was 55.13 which was 11th best in the AAC so this is a big improvement for the true freshman.

So. Paula Garcia set a new PR in the 100m dash with a solid 11.71. Probably not good enough to score in the AAC but getting close.

Jr. Alexi Whatley set a new PR in the 400m hurldes at 1:01.49 which is 9th best in the AAC at this point.. Probably needs to find another 0.5 second to score in the AAC Championship.

R-Fr. Taniyah McMillian had a very nice PR of 23.68 to finish 2nd in that event. That is the 5th fastest time in the AAC this year. Taniyah's previous best was 24.07 which was 16th fastest in the AAC.

To close out the meet for the Shocker women R-So. Daysha Bullocks, R-So. Paula Garcia, R-Fr. Taniyah McMillian and true Fr. Tianna Holmes set a new Wichita State record in the 4x400 relay finishing a close 2nd to Texas Tech and recording the 2nd fastest time in the AAC this season.

Some very nice performances by the Lady Shocks this weekend.

[1972Shocker]

At the Drake Relays on Friday:

Griswold, Iowa, native Rebekah Topham came out on top in front of her home crowd winning the women's 1500m seeded race with a season best time of 4:24.76. Her time ranks No. 3 in the American Athletic Conference.

Topham ran her first 300m in 55.48, she then moved up to seventh at the 700m mark with her second split being 1:11.16. The redshirt junior wasn't done, she moved up five spaces clocking her third split at 1:11.85, before running her last split in 1:06.28 to run across the line as champion.

The Shocker women will finish up at the Drake relays tomorrow in the distance medley relay.

[1972Shocker]

The Shockers are holding the regular season ending Shocker Open this evening. This is for the most part an intra-squad event that serves as an avenue for a Shocker Senior Night and for a light warm-up to any athletes that feel like they could benefit from that prior to next weekends AAC Championships and for perhaps some of the less accomplished athletes to get another competition under their belt. A lot of the Shockers' more accomplished athletes will sit this one out.

R-Jr Alex Adams did set a PR in the hammer throw at 181-10. However, she would probably have to throw 195+ to score in the AAC meet.

True Freshman Amiya Anoma set a PR in the triple jump at 41-7 which is 4th best in the AAC this year.

R-Jr Claudia Rojo tied her PR in the 100m hurdles at 14.22 seconds but her previous time was wind aided. I don't think tonights mark will be wind aided.

Sr Kelsey Slawson broke her own school record in the shot put with a heave of 52-2 breaking her previous record of 51-075 but a little over a foot. She has the 2nd best throw in the AAC this year. Here is an athlete that has worked very hard to improve in her time as a Shocker.

Claudia Rojo ran a season best 1:00.43 and R-Fr ran a PR of 1:00.48 in the 400m hurdles. Those are the 4th and 5th fastest times in the AAC this year.







.

[1972Shocker]

13 Shocker Women Qualify for NCAA West Regional

13 Shocker women qualified for the first rounds of the NCAA Championships on May 23-25, hosted by Sacramento State University. Athletes were required to record a top-48 regional mark in their respective event to qualify for the NCAA West Regional.

Athletes that place in the top-12 advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Austin, Texas, on June 5-8. An equal number of qualifiers will come out of the East regional being held in Jacksonville, Florida.

Women's Qualifiers
Paula Garcia – 200m, 4x100m, 4x400m
Taniyah McMillian – 200m, 4x100m, 4x400m
Tianna Holmes – 400m, 4x100m, 4x400m
Rebekah Topham – 3000m Steeplechase
Winny Koskei – 5,000m, 10,000m
Anycia Cole – 400m Hurdles
Sidney Sapp – High Jump
Amiya Anoma – Triple Jump
Kelsey Slawson – Shot Put, Discus
Kendra Henry – Javelin
Jacque Darby – 4x100m
Daysha Bullocks – 4x400m
Trudy Martin – 4x100m (alternate), 4x400m (alternate)

[1972Shocker]

Shocker women in action today at the NCAA West Region Preliminaries

Thursday, May 23

2:00 p.m. - Kendra Henry - Javelin
5:30 p.m. - Sidney Sapp - High Jump
6:30 p.m. - Anycia Cole - 400m Hurdles (First Round)
9:20 p.m. - Tianna Holmes - 400m (First Round)

None of the Lady Shockers advanced to the next round or to Austin.

[1972Shocker]

Shocker women in action on Friday at the NCAA West Region Preliminaries:

Friday, May 24

2:00 p.m. - Kelsey Slawson - Discus
9:30 p.m. - Paula Garcia - 200m (First Round)
9:30 p.m. - Taniyah McMillian - 200m (First Round)
10:20 p.m. - Rebekah Topham - 3000m Steeplechase

Rebekah Topham finished 10th in the 3000m steeplechase and her time of 9:53.92 broke her own Wichita State school record of 10:00.59 while punching her ticket to the NCAA Championships in Austin.

None of the other Shocker ladies advanced.

[1972Shocker]

Shocker women in action on Saturday at the NCAA West Region Preliminaries:

Saturday, May 25

5:00 p.m. - Amiya Anoma - Triple Jump
7:15 p.m. - Kelsey Slawson - Shot Put
8:00 p.m. - Paula Garcia, Taniyah McMillian, Tianna Holmes, Jacque Darby, Trudy Martin (Alt) - 4x100m
10:05 p.m. - Winny Koskei - 5000m
11:25 p.m. - Paula Garcia, Taniyah McMillian, Tianna Holmes, Daysha Bullocks, Trudy Martin (Alt) - 4x400m

None of the Lady Shocks competing on Saturday were able to advance. Senior Kelsey Slawson had a pretty good swan song performance putting the shot 51-6.25. Kelsey's school record is 52-2.

[1972Shocker]

The Lady Shockers will be represented by Rebekah Topham in the 3000m steeplechaser at the NCAA National Championships in Austin, Texas.

Rebekah will run in the semifinals on Thursday, June 6th at 7:30 pm CT. The semi-finals consist of 2 heats of 12 runners each. The top 5 from each heat plus the next 2 fastest times will advance the the finals on Saturday, June 8th at 5:54 pm CT.

Looks like the semi-finals will be on ESPNU and the finals will be on ESPN3. Note that schedule times are subject to possible delays and changes.

Championship Links

Broadcast Info (Times shown on this link are Eastern time).

[1972Shocker]

Quotables: Pre-NCAA: Coach Rainbolt, Ben Johnson, Aaron True and Rebekah Topham

Director of track and field Steve Rainbolt, NCAA Championships qualifiers Ben Johnson, Aaron True and Rebekah Topham, fielded questions Wednesday afternoon, on the upcoming NCAA Championships beginning June 5-8, in Austin, Texas.

Some really good responses by the student athletes I thought.

[1972Shocker]

Rebekah Topham Travels to NCAA Championships

REBEKAH TOPHAM PREVIEW
The redshirt junior punched her ticket to the NCAA Championships on May 24, after finishing 11th in the NCAA West Regional with an American Athletic Conference and school record time of 9:53.92. Topham enters the meet seeded No. 11 and is scheduled to run heat No. 2 of the 3000m steeplechase prelims on Thursday, June 6 at 7:32 p.m. The top-5 finishers from each heat plus the next two fastest will advance to Saturday's finals at 5:54 p.m. The Griswold, Iowa, will be making her first appearance and is the first female Shocker in the program's history to qualify for the NCAA Championships in the 3000m steeplechase.

Thursday, June 6
Rebekah Topham
7:32 p.m. – 3000m Steeplechase (Semifinal)(ESPNU)

Saturday, June 8
Rebekah Topham (if she qualifies in the top 12)
5:54 p.m. – 3000m Steeplechase (Final)(ESPN2)

[1972Shocker]

Paul Suellentrop weighs in on Rebekah Topham: RH: Redshirt Season Paid Off For Rebekah Topham

Rebekah Topham started running seriously at age 8 and hasn't stopped thinking or talking about running since.

That devotion makes her one of Wichita State's top distance runners – eight conference championships and eight spots in the top five best career times for Shockers - and a bit intimidating.

"She can be difficult to coach, because I feel like I'm telling her things she already knows," Wichita State distance coach Kirk Hunter said. "I'm challenged, as a coach, to give her new information some times. She's that good."

Hunter's admiration for Topham's knowledge includes rest, nutrition, race strategy, training plans and the psychology of preparation and competition.