2016-17 Shocker Outdoor Track & Field

[1972Shocker]

The Shockers are sending 25 athletes (in 18 events) including 14 Shocker women to the NCAA West Preliminaries on May 25-27 in Austin, Texas.

Nikki Larch-Miller is qualified for 3 events. The 100M, 100H and the 4x100 relay. Twin sister Taylor is in the 100H and on the 4x100 relay team. The Shocks 4x100 relay team consists of Raianna Maples, Jacque Darby plus Nikki and Taylor. I don't know if they have the option to run alternates in that race or not but I would antiicipate that, absent injury, it will be those 4 ladies.

In addition, the Lady Shocks have qualified 3 competitors for the heptathlon at the National Championship meet June 7-10 in Eugene, Oregon. Breanne Borman, Gavyn Yetter and Nikki Larch-Miller.

Last year the Shocks sent 25 athletes (15 men and 10 women) but they ware all individual events, no relays. That was the largest contingent in school history so I guess on a combined basis this year's group ties that records in terms of numbers of athletes.

Congrats to all and good luck to all our oustanding Shocker athletes and kudos to Coach Rainbolt and his staff as well.

[1972Shocker]

Wichita Eagle even covering the announcement of the Shocks participation in the NCAA post-season.

http://www.kansas.com/sports/college/wichita-state/article151280077.html

Good to see.

[1972Shocker]

If you are interested in following the Shockers at the West prelims starting today (May 25th) you can find the links in this GoShockers.com report.

The top 12 in each event move on to the NCAA National Championship meet in Eugene, Oregon.

Jamesia Milton is the only Lady Shocker with a top 12 mark going in as she has the 11th best mark in the Hammer Throw.

[WuDrWu]

Great live video and stat coverage at UT.

Unfortunately, the swirling winds certainly had an affect on Pole Vaulter and MVC Champion Alesa Frey. She was one of 2 vaulters that got a no height. Still a great season for the sophomore from Missouri!

[1972Shocker]

Great live video and stat coverage at UT.

Unfortunately, the swirling winds certainly had an affect on Pole Vaulter and MVC Champion Alesa Frey. She was one of 2 vaulters that got a no height. Still a great season for the sophomore from Missouri!

The winds at the Valley meet were a bit challenging as well. It was a tail wind which may have helped with speed on the runway but you could see it might have been effecting the timing of their release point at the top of the job. I thought a few times it looked like wind pushed the vaulter forward into the bar. Hayden Bugner's mom told me that everyone thought Hayden had cleared the height he went out on on one of his jumps but it looked like the wind blew the bar off. I can absolutely see the wind having an impact on the pole vault.

In Alesa's case she had to be battling the nerves as well. She is from Brookfield, MO which is about the equivalent of Scott City, Kansas. She has come a long way in the past two years and who knows what she might do in her next 2 years.

[1972Shocker]

Great live video and stat coverage at UT.

It really is quite good. The live stats are heads and shoulder better than what is typicallly available for Shocker meets. Very first class stuff.

Live stats that are actaully live and real time.

[WuDrWu]

I wonder if Rebekah Topham has a decent chance in the 5k? She's seeded near the bottom of her heat but she often runs multiple events at season meets and this is her only event.

She'll need her patented late kick for sure, and probably needs to take 15+ seconds off her PR.......probably too much to ask, but I'll be watching.

[1972Shocker]

I wonder if Rebekah Topham has a decent chance in the 5k? She's seeded near the bottom of her heat but she often runs multiple events at season meets and this is her only event.

She'll need her patented late kick for sure, and probably needs to take 15+ seconds off her PR.......probably too much to ask, but I'll be watching.

Yeah, that sounds like too much to expect. The main thing for these Shocker youngsters like Alesa, Rebekah, Carlea and Claudia is to experience the competition at this level so they understand what it's like and what the challenge is and then put that experience to good use over the remainder of their careers.

[1972Shocker]

Shocker Sr. Jamesia Milton had the same difficulty that Aaron True had in the javelin and fouled on her first 2 attempts. Her throw of 185-11 on her 3rd throw was 20 feet short of her Shocker best and was only good enough 34th out of the 48 competitors today. Her best throw of 205+ would have easily qualified her for the finals in Eugene.

SIU's Freya Block, the Valley Champ, had a very good throw of 218-8, good for 3rd place, and she will be moving on.

I'm thinkingt the Shockers, knowing that they may be needed career best marks to move on in this competition may be pressing just a bit to much.

[1972Shocker]

Breanne Borman threw 133-1 and Carlea Holt-Miles threw 145-9 putting them in 27th and 12th after 2 flights. Neither of those throws will hold those postions through the 3rd and final flight.

Both throws were 15 to 20 feet below their respective PR's. I don't think either Breanne or Carlea were expected to challenge for a Top 12 spot, especially Breanne, who will be more of a factor in the Heptathlon at the National Championship meet. Today's event was primarily just a chance for Breanne to work on her javelin, which is 1 of the heptathlon events, under live meet conditions.

Carlea is just a sophomore so she can hopefully gain from this experience.

[1972Shocker]

Nikki Larch-Miller will be running in her 1st round 100m heat soon. She is in Heat 3. Heat 1 is juat about ready to go.

6 heats. Top 3 from each heat plus top 6 times move on the the West finals tomorrow at 6:00 pm.

Nikki did not have a good race. Finished last in her heat. Not sure Nikki is 100%.

[1972Shocker]

Nikki and Taylor both qualified for Saturdays 2nd round (final 24) of the 100 hurdles. Nikki ran a 13.42 which qualified her on time and was 16th fastest and Taylor ran a 13.49 qualifying by finishing 3rd in her heat. Taylor's time was 22nd fastest in the preliminary round. Nikki was one of 4 runners in her heat to qualify on time out of the 6 slots available. Clearly Nikki was in the fastest heat.

Nikki and Taylor,depending on the conditions Saturday evening, will probably have to be at or near their PR's to have a shot at making the top 12 and moving on to Eugene in this event.

[1972Shocker]

Nikki finished 14th @ 13.29 and Taylor 18th @ 13.35 in the 100 hurdles.

Rebekah Topham finished 18th in the 5K.

[1972Shocker]

The Shocker trio of Breanne Borman, Gavyn Yetter and Nikki Larch-Miller will participate in the heptathlon on Friday, June 9th and Saturday, June 10th at the NCAA National Chmpionships in Eugene, Orgeon.

http://www.goshockers.com/news/2017/6/6/track-and-field-four-to-compete-at-ncaa-finals.aspx

Good luck Ladies!

[1972Shocker]

There was an error in my previous post. The heptahlon will be contest on Friday and Saturday.