2020-21 Shocker Women XC and Track & Field

[1972Shocker]

Coach Rainbolt announces his income class of Track and Field Athletes with 9 additions to the women's team and 17 addotions to the women's team.

https://goshockers.com/news/2020/9/10/cross-country-shocker-track-and-field-welcomes-26-new-shockers.aspx

Impossible to predict how track and field athletes will develop but my pick for the most likely to make an impact in her Shocker career is:

Faith Turner (Pittsburg, Kansas; Pittsburg HS) Jumps: Won state championships in the long jump and triple jump during her sophomore and junior years … Placed third at the KSHSAA State meet in the open 100 meters … Won a combined eight competitions in the triple jump and long jump during the 2019 outdoor season … Also played volleyball in high school and was named team captain twice … Came from an athletic family that saw her father Quentin played football at Pitt State and both of her sisters play collegiate athletics as well … Plans on studying Elementary Education. Personal Bests – Long Jump: 5.84m/19-2; Triple Jump: 12.20m/40-0.5; 100 Meters: 12.30

Pretty solid high school PR's in those events.

One of the transfers has some decent PR's in her events and has a very unusual bio -- I have no idea where she is eligibility-wise:

Nicole McMillen (Pickering, Ontario, Canada; Tusculum University) Distance: Won three titles at the 2020 South Atlantic Indoor Conference Championships with wins in the 3,000 meters, 5,000 meters and distance medley relay … Qualified for the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships for a second consecutive year in 2019 and finished 92nd … Won individual conference titles at the 2019 South Atlantic Outdoor conference meet in the 1,500 meters, 5,000 meters and the 3,000-meter steeplechase … Qualified for the NCAA Division II Championships in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and finished sixth to earn All-America honors … Won the South Atlantic Conference's indoor mile race in 2019 with a time of 5:06.43 … Also finished second at the conference indoor meet in 2019 in the 3,000 meters … Finished 59th at the Division II Cross Country Championships in 2018 and was only the third runner in Tusculum history to qualify for the national meet … A former soccer player turned distance runner, McMillen started in all but one of Tusculum's women's soccer matches in her four years on the team … Started running competitively during her junior year of college. Personal Bests – 1,500 Meters: 4:37.74; Mile: 4:53.57; 3,000 Meters: 9:39.38; 5,000 Meters: 16:53.86; 3,000-Meter Steeplechase: 10:25.37

My vote for the most-likely to be conservative and well-ground in the U.S. Constitution would be:

Madelynn Luster (Minco, Oklahoma; Minco HS) Throws: Was a first team All-Conference honoree in the discus during her sophomore and junior years … Earned first team honors in the shot put during her junior year … Qualified for the Junior Olympics in the shot put and discus in 2018 and 2019 … Was a Junior Olympics All-American in the discus in 2019 … Was a multi-sport athlete in high school as she also played fastpitch softball, slowpitch softball and basketball … Holds the Washington HS discus record … Parents Mike and Donna were athletes at Hillsdale College. Personal Bests – Discus: 42.34m/138-11; Shot Put: 12.54m/41-2

[goshox74]

FYI - McMillen only has outdoor track eligibility but she is a good one! Her steeplechase PR along with Topham make them an incredible 1-2 punch!

Another significant transfer is Karen Lyvers from USF. Really good HS athlete that didn't progress at USF - will remind you of a Larch-Miller with her personality.

Also, Jocelyn Ruth, transfer from Okie State, was a big-time recruit out of HS but struggled at OSU. Might only have 1 year of eligibility.

[WuDrWu]

Karen Lyvers from USF. Really good HS athlete that didn't progress at USF - will remind you of a Larch-Miller with her personality.

That is a HIGH bar, to be sure. Those 2 student athletes are among the best to ever grace the halls at WSU, in a lot more ways than just their athletic prowess. Special young ladies.

[1972Shocker]

Winny Koskei won the women's individual title for the second consecutive year. She ran the 5K race in 17:19.13 to set the 4 Mile Creek Resort course record at 5,000 meters. Koskei's performance beat out the record held by Shocker Sports Hall of Famer Tonya Nero.

https://goshockers.com/news/2021/1/23/cross-country-winny-koskei-wins-second-straight-jk-gold-title.aspx

Rebekah Topham apparently used up all her XC eligibility and isn't running XC. Howerver, Rebekah is still on the Track & Field Roster.

I don't know if this photo is from today's race but if so looks to me like Winny has added some muscle to her frame. Whether that's good or not for a long distance speciaist I don't know. But she is still good enough to set the course record at 4 Mile Creek Resort.

[1972Shocker]

Today's JK Gold Classic is the only race the Shocks will run this year prior to the AAC Championship when the Shockers retrun to 4 Mile Creek Resort to host the AAC Championship on Satruday, February 6th.

https://goshockers.com/news/2021/1/23/the-roundhouse-rh-koskie-sets-course-record.aspx

[1972Shocker]

Winny Koskei won her 3rd consecutive AAC individual cross country this morning at 4 Mile Creek Resort this morning completing the 6K circuit in 20:49.3 to finish 4.6 seconds ahead of Tulsa's Caitlin Klopfer. I believe Winny now holds the distinction of being the only 3-time AAC individual XC champion.

Shocker senior Yazmine Wright ran a storng race to finish in 5th place with a time of 21:12.3.

However, Tulsa won the team championship with 40 points with their top 5 runners finishing 2-6-7-11e and 14.

The Lady Shockers finished 2nd in the team standings with 61 points with their top 5 runners finishing 1-5-13-16 and 27. Very good showing by the Shocker women but they could not match Tulsa's quality depth. Cincy was closely behind the Shockers with 70 points. If Rebekah Topham had been eligible this season the Shockers would likely have been the team champions.

http://live.halfmiletiming.com/meets/179/events/3166

[1972Shocker]

Winny Koskei Takes Third Straight Conference Crown

https://goshockers.com/news/2021/2/6/cross-country-winny-koskei-takes-third-straight-conference-crown.aspx

Winny Koskei made history Saturday with a win in the women's 6K for her third consecutive conference cross country title. She became the first person, man or woman, in AAC history to win three conference cross country individual titles.

Koskei ran with the lead pack the entire way, but waited until about the final 1,000 meters to make her move ahead of the lead pack. She crossed the line with a time of 20:49.24.

Koskei punched her ticket to the NCAA Championships as the best-placing individual in the conference.

Yazmine Wright also had a strong performance for the Shocker women, finishing in fifth overall with a time of 21:12.30. Wright earned her second-ever cross country all-conference award and third overall (2019 DMR).

McKenna Paintin earned all-conference honors for the first time her career with a 13th-place finish. She crossed the line with a time of 22:03.57 over 6K.

Danielle Rinn just missed out on all-conference honors with a 16th-place finish, and Hope Saunders rounded out the Shockers' scoring in 27th.

The women's team took second-place behind defending champion Tulsa. The Shockers scored 61 points, which was 21 off of Tulsa's 40.

[1972Shocker]

Day Two of Championship at The Peak

https://goshockers.com/news/2021/2/26/track-and-field-michael-bryan-sets-school-record-on-day-two-of-championship-at-the-peak.aspx

Sadie Boos had a significant personal best in the women's weight throw. Boos earned a fourth-place finish with a toss of 17.84m/58-6.50. Boos' mark catapults her to No. 4 on the Shockers' all-time indoor performance list and was more than a meter better than her previous personal best.

Two Shocker women advanced to the 200 meters' final on Saturday. Paula Garcia and Jacque Darby went 2-3 in the 200-meter prelims to advance to the final. Garcia ran a time of 24.33 and Darby finished the race with a time of 24.77.

The Wichita State women's distance medley relay team came out victorious with a time of 12:52.45. Yazmine Wright, Kylie Meier, Sharon Kiprop and Winny Koskei all became the first Shockers to become Champions at The Peak.

[1972Shocker]

Shocker Women Claim Championship at The Peak Team Title

https://goshockers.com/news/2021/2/27/track-and-field-shocker-women-claim-championship-at-the-peak-team-title.aspx

The Wichita State women came away as the event's team champions with 75 points.

Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Steve Rainbolt's father was an Air Force Captain and flew 175 combat missions in the South Pacific in World War II. He said it was a special experience to compete at the Air Force Academy and perform well.

Rainbolt said "During these extremely tough circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this has been deeply meaningful for this old coach."

On the women's side, Winny Koskei had no trouble hitting the track after winning the AAC cross country title. She won the women's Mile with a time of 5:18.26.

Yazmine Wright and McKenna Paintin also finished in the top five of the women's Mile. Wright was the runner-up just .05 seconds behind Koskei with a time of 5:18.31, and Paintin took fifth in 5:18.31.

The Shocker women went 1-2-3 in the 3,000 meters to earn 24 team points. Winny Koskei won the race with a time of 11:16.87. Hope Saunders finished second and McKenna Paintin took third.

Winny Koskei is set to run at the NCAA Cross Country Championships on March 15.

Apparently, the AAC is not holding an Indoor T&F Championship this year.

[1972Shocker]

Winny Koskei Set for National XC Meet Appearance

https://goshockers.com/news/2021/3/10/cross-country-holthusen-koskei-set-for-national-meet-appearances.aspx

Winny Koskei qualified for the NCAA Cross Country Championships for the third consecutive year. Her race is on Monday morning. She looks to become the second Shocker to earn two cross country All-America honors. She would join the company of Shocker legend and 2021 Olympian Aliphine Tuliamuk.

The NCAA Cross Country Championships will air live on ESPNU. Coverage starts at 11:30 a.m. (race starts at 11:50 a.m.) and will also stream online. A link to that stream will also be available on GoShockers.com.

Head Cross Country Coach Kirk Hunter on the Meet
On how special it would be for her to be a two-time All-American
It would be incredibly special. I feel like Winny has gone through so much over the last few months. Dealing with COVID and having the issues of competition in limbo and disruptions in school, it's been a tough transition for everyone. Secondly, we're doing cross country and indoor at the same time. If she can accomplish her goals, which are very high, definitely to be an All-American again would be amazing.

On if her history of hanging back and moving up late in National meets has been her plan or pure coincidence
"I think it's been coincidence. Any athlete that is trying to do well has a goal of being at the front the whole time and finishing well. The NCAA meet has such a shock at the beginning with everyone getting out so aggressively. It's much different than any other meet all year. This meet is aggressive. Any regular season meet, it's just not that way. Not being used to that initial push can get someone behind. It takes an amazing amount of mental strength to understand you just have to keep running. The first year she was way back with 1,000 meters to go and she moved up to become an All-American. Last year, she did the same, but just couldn't move up quite enough. The goal would be to be in the top 20 and stay there. Winny has an ability to move up in the last 1,000 meters very well. Better than most, and that's why she's able to move up. Hopefully she isn't so far back where she has to adjust that much to make the top 30 or 40."

[ShockTalk]

GO WINNY!!!

[1972Shocker]

Winny Koskei Finishes in Top Half of NCAA Field

https://goshockers.com/news/2021/3/1...caa-field.aspx


STILLWATER, Okla.—Winny Koskei capped off the Wichita State cross country team's season at the NCAA Cross Country Championships on Monday at the OSU Cross Country Course with a in 125th place finish, completing the 6K race in 21:42.6.

"It was a tough year to try to negotiate indoor track and cross country at the same time," said head cross country coach Kirk Hunter. "Training was different than we've ever approached a season, but I'm proud of Winny for all she did. It wasn't the finish we had hoped for but we will look for better results in the future."

Hopefully, the Outdoor track season will go better for her.

[1972Shocker]

KT Woodman Classic Highlights

https://goshockers.com/news/2021/4/17/track-and-field-four-marks-added-to-all-time-top-10-at-kt-woodman-classic.aspx

"It was cold and blustery (Saturday)and the track meet was certainly depleted due to COVID testing protocols and all of that and yet I felt like our athletes hung in there and had lots of strong performances and did a great job," Rainbolt said. "I'm confident these tough weeks of competition will prepare us well for the American Athletic Conference Championships four weeks from now in Tampa, Florida."

The women's 4X100-meter relay team consisting of Faith Turner, Paula Garcia, Jacque Darby and Taniyah McMillian ran a time of 45.64 to win the event. Their time puts them at No. 7 in school history.

Jocelen Ruth and Cassidy Androff put themselves in the top 10 in school history in the women's hammer throw. Ruth threw the hammer 49.50m/162-5 to etch her name at No. 8 in school history and Androff had a mark of 48.97m/160-8 at No. 10 in school history.

Paula Garcia and Jacque Darby finished first and second in the 200 meter, crossing the line with times of 24.31 and 24.48, respectively.

Rebekah Topham won the 5,000 meters in what felt like a time trial. She won the event by over a minute. Topham's time was 16:30.57 and puts her at No. 3 in the conference and No. 100 in the country.

Sydney Wilson won the women's high jump. She cleared 1.71m/5-7.25 for the victory. Her jump puts her at No. 3 in the conference in the event.

[1972Shocker]

The last couple of weeks I have been combining the women's performances witht the men's on the 2020-21 Men's Track and Field Thread. Howver, with the AAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships coming up next weekend thought I would take a look at what to expect from both teams on separate threads and will track the AAC Championship results for both teams on separate threads.

Here is what it is looking like for the Shocker women on an event by event basis:

Top 8 finishers score: 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1

Houston doesn't dominate the 100m and 200m sprints on the women's side quite to the extent the Houston men dominate but they are still very good. Paula Garcia and Jacque Darby might be able to squeeze out a point or 2 in these events but it will take their best performances of the season.

For whatever reason the 400m race is one where the Shocks are MIA on both the men's and the women's side.

In the 800m run Yazmine Wright had the 11th best time this season in the AAC and she is about a second behind the 8th best time. It's doable for Yazmine to get into the top 8 but again it will take her best performance of the season.

In the 1500m run Rebekah Topham has the 3rd best time in the AAC this year and Yazmine Wright has the 4th best time so hopefully the Shocks will pick up some decent points here. Don't count Rebekah out from defending her title in this race although the competition will be very good.

In the 5000m run Rebekah has the 4th best time and Winny Koskei has the 10th best time. I doubt Rebekah will run this race. I expect her to double up in the 1500m run and the 3000m steeplechase. I am not sure where Winny is at. She doesn't seem to be performing at her best so far this season.

Winny does have the 2nd best time in the 10000m run in the AAC this year. I assume she will attempt the 5k and 10k double as she has done the past two years if she is up to it physically and mentally.

The Shocks will probably not be a factor in the 100m hurdles. In the 400m hurldes Claudia Rojo has a chance to score a point or two.

In the 3000m steeplechase Rebekah has the top time in the AAC this season by 12 seconds. Grad transfer Nicole McMillen has the 4th best time in the AAC this season.

The Shockers have the 6 fastest 4x100m relay in the AAC this season.

As I said the Shockers are MIA in the 400m run and have by far the slowest time of the 11 ACC schools this year. Possible the Shocks will not even field a team in this event.

In the high jump freshman Destiny Masters charts at #2 in the AAC at 5-9.25 and junior Sydney Wilson charts at #4 at 5-7.25.

Senior Emily Garder charts at #7 in the pole vault with a vault of 12-6.25 so it will take a season best effort for her to score a point or two.

Senior Jacque Darby charts at #5 in the long jump at 20-0.5 on Friday at the Shocker Open.

The Shockers will probably not score in the triple jump.

Amanda Kakoulias has the 8th best put of the shot this year in the AAC. So she has a chance to pick up a point or maybe 2 with an extra good performance.

The Shocker women are not a factor in the discus.

The Shockers have the 7th (Alexandrea Adams) and 9th (Cassidy Androff) best hammer throws in the conference this season. So a chance to score.

Kendra Henry has the 3rd best javelin throw in the AAC this season and Kourtni Hubert has the 8th best throw.

In the heptathlon the Shockers have the 7th (Maria Romero) and 9th (Anna Heacock) best scores so far this season in the AAC. Again a chance to score.

The key to the Shocker chances on the women's side may very well be how Winny is able to perform.

[1972Shocker]

I have the Lady Shocks charting out at 77 points.

In the the last AAC Outdoor Championships at Cessna Stadium in 2019 the Lady Shocks won the title with 126 points. The top five scores were:

Wichita State - 126
Cincinnati - 107
SMU - 94
Memphis - 90
UConn & USF - 64

So 77 points would seem pretty much middle of the pack scoring. However, the Shocker coaches have indicated this could be a year where the scoring is broadly spread out although that might just be "putting your best spin on things" thinking on their part.