WICHITA, Kan.  --  Wichita State's defending Missouri Valley Conference Championship men's and women's track and field teams welcomed 28 newcomers to the program this fall, including 16 from the state of Kansas, two Division I transfers, four junior college All-Americans and two with success overseas. 

"I am always excited each fall about our newcomers," Rainbolt said. "I am always very hopeful because you don't really know how good a group is going to be, but we have some awfully good athletes on both the men's and women's side. Just like always I am looking forward to see how they develop."

The 28 newcomers earned 19 state high school individual tities, and even more top three finishes at the respective state championships, while four were Junior College All-Americans. The states of Kansas, Iowa, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Texas, Illinois, and Missouri were represented, as were the countries of Spain and Ireland. 

"Every coach will tell you, 'let me get back to you in three years and I will tell you how good each class is,' but certainly on paper and based on their accomplishments up to this point in their track and field careers, we feel like we signed some talented athletes, some that can help this men's team, and this women's team, score points in the Missouri Valley Conference Championship."

Two division I transfers, Mike Wells from the University of Oklahoma on the men's side, and Trudy Martin from Prairie View A&M, are also in the mix.

Freshman Davis Bahner of Wichita Heights High School, the brother of Shocker All-American Austin Bahner, also joins the list of newcomers.

"I am excited that my brother, Davis, is coming to Wichita State," said Austin Bahner, who is one of the top Decathletes in the country. "I look forward to watching him carry on the legacy of Shocker multi-athletes. He is a stud, and already taller than me. I'm going to teach him as much as I can while he is here, and hopefully he will learn to love it just like I do."

Two student-athletes from overseas, Paula Garcia, from Madrid, Spain, who was the Under-18 200 meter champion in Spain before coming to WSU, and Sean Curran, from Dungarvan, Ireland, who finished third and sixth in the 1,500 meters the last two seasons at the All-Ireland Schools' Championship, add to the Shockers talent and diversity.

"It is always difficult to single-out all of their great accomplishments, because they all have excelled in many events," Rainbolt said. "But, it is our goal to always keep an eye on upcoming holes that we need to fill in and reload, and I feel like we have done that. In some areas we are going to continue to be really strong in certain events. I can't wait until this group gets going in their first season here."

Men's Newcomers

Jeff Ast- Colwich, Kan. (Andale HS)… Won the Class 4A javelin in 2015 and was runner-up in 2016… Also had the No. 1 javelin throw in 2015… Personal Bests - Shot Put 55-9.5, Discus 178-2, Javelin 226-2.

Davis Bahner – Wichita, Kan. (Wichita Heights HS)… Bahner was fifth in the javelin at the Kansas State Track and Field Championship, seventh in the long jump and triple jump in 2016. Personal Bests - 22-4 in the long jump, 186-5 in the Javelin, 6,035 points in the Decathlon.

Jace Coppoc – Concordia, Kan. (Cloud County)… Coppoc was 11th at the NJCAA meet in the 600 yards. Personal Bests - 22.50 in the 200 meters, 49.58 in the 400 meters and  1:12.72 in the 600 yards.

Sean Curran – Waterford, Ireland… Was third in the All-Ireland Schools 1,500 meter championship in 2015 and sixth in 2016. Personal Bests - 1:56.48 in the 800 meters and 3:56.72 in the 1,500 meters.

Denvoir Griffin – Kansas City, Mo. (Bishop Miege HS)… Was the 100 meter champion in at the 2016 Kansas State High School Championship. Personal Bests - 6.90 in the 60 meters, 10.66 in the 100 meters and 21.97 in the 200 meters.

Jacob Horsch – Andale, Kan. (Andale HS)… Was third in the 300 hurdles at the 2016 KSHSAA 4A Championship. Personal Bests - 39.40 in the 300 hurdles and 22-7 in the long jump. 

Garrett Kennedy – Wichita, Kan. (Goddard Eisenhower HS)… WAS the 2015 and 2016 5A State Champion in the pole vault at the KSHSAA Championship. Personal Bests - 15-7 in the pole vault. 

Kole Konrade- Ashland, Kan. (Ashland HS)… Class 1A State Champion in the high jump in 2014, and runner-up in 2015 and 2016. Personal Bests - 6-8.75 in the High Jump.

Josh Klein - Omaha, Neb. (Millard West HS)… Placed third in the Class A cross country state meet in 2015 and was third in the 3,200 meters at the 2016 state championship. Personal Bests - 4:25.28 in the 1,600 meters and 9:22.95 in the 3,200 meters

Cory Landon – Carlinville, Ill. (Carlinville HS)… Was second in the Class 1A 1,600 meters and fourth in the 800 meters in the 2016 Illinois State Championship meet. Personal Bests - 1:56.51 in the 800m, 3:55.02 in the 1,500 meters, 4:10.82 in the 3,200 meters and 9:16.46 in the 3,200 meters.

Aaron Miller – Ottawa, Kan. (Allen County Community College)… Helped his 4x800 meter relay team to the NJCAA National Championship. Personal Bests - 1:15.81 in the 600 yards, 1:53.18 in the 800 meters.

Pedro Montoya- Ellinwood, Kan. (Allen County Community College)… Was sixth in the NJCAA Outdoor National Championship in the 10k and ninth in the 5k in 2016, and seventh in the NJCAA Indoor Championship in the 5K. Personal Bests - 8:52.92 in the 3k; 14:44.24 in the 5k and 30:51.41 in the 10k. 

Timothy "Lucas" Shaffer – Conway Springs, KS (Conway Springs HS)… Was third in the Class 3A high jump in 2015 and fourth in 2016. Personal Bests - 6-7 in the high jump.

Michael Wells – St. Louis, Mo. (University of Oklahoma)… Was fifth in the Big 12 in the 60 meters in 2015. Personal Bests - 6.71 in the 60 meters, 10.57 in the 100 meters and 21.56 in the 200 meters.

 

Abbi Bird – Lenexa, Kan. (Shawnee Mission Northwest HS)… Runner-up in the 2014 and 2015 6A KSHSAA High Jump Championship. Personal Bests - 5-4 in the high jump.

Daysha Bullocks- Mesquite, Texas (John Horn HS)… Was fourth in the 400 meters at the 2015 6A regional and sixth in 2016. Personal Bests - 25.83 in the 200 meters and 56.89 in the 400 meters.

Katherine Cumpston – Central City, Neb. (Nebraska Christian HS)… Was third in the Class D 1,600 meters, fourth in the 3,200 meters and fifth in cross country. Personal Bests - 5:21.27 in the 1,600 meters and 11:42.52 in the 3,200 meters. 

Jacque Darby – Olathe, Kan. (Olathe South HS)… Was the 6A KSHSAA State Champion in the 100 meters and 200 meters in 2015 and 2016 and also won the 200 meters in 2014. Personal Bests - 11.88 in the 100 meters and 24.65 in the 200 meters.

Paula Garcia – Madrid, Spain … Was the Under-18 National Champion in the 200 meters. Personal Bests - 7.62 in the 60 meters, 12.17 in the 100 meters and 24.46 in the 200 meters.

Emily Gardiner- Oklahoma City, Okla. (Southmoore HS)… Was the Oklahoma Class 6A champion in the pole vault in 2016 and third in 2015.Personal Bests - 12-0 in the pole vault.

Kendra Henry – Waverly, Kan. (Waverly HS)… Personal Bests - 16.04 in the 100 meter hurdles, 47.59 in the 300 meter hurdles, 5-4 in the high jump and 137-11 in the javelin.

Trudy Martin – Los Angeles, Calif. (Prairie View A&M)… Was 11th in the 400 meters at the 2016 SWAC Championship. Personal Bests - 7.94 in the 60 meters, 25.32 in the 200 meters and 55.86 in the 400 meters.

McKenna Paintin – Omaha, Neb. (Central HS)… Sixth in the 2016 Class A Nebraska State meet in the 1,600 meters and eight in the 3,200 meters. Personal Bests - 5:12.49 in the 1,600 meters and 11:14.31 in the 3,200 meters.

Kyleigh Severa – Lawrence, Kan. (Lawrence HS)… Was second in the 2015 KSHSAA 6A long jump, and in 2016 was fourth in the 200 meters and seventh in the long jump. Personal Bests - 25.40 in the 200 meters and 18-3.25 in the long jump.

Emma Stamm – Lenexa, Kan. (Shawnee Mission West HS)… Helped her 4x800 meter team to third place in the 2016 KSHSAA 6A Championship. Personal Bests - 2:20.21 in the 800 meters.

Aubrey Thompson – League City, Texas (Clear Springs HS)… Was second in the UIL 6A District in the pole vault. Personal Bests - 11-0 in the pole vault.

Sydney Wilson – Sterling, Kan. (Sterling HS)… Was KSHSAA State Champion in the Class 3A 100 meter hurdles in 2016 and finished second in five events from 2014-16. Personal Bests -15.07 in the 100 meter hurdles, 5-8 in the high jump, 16-8 in the long jump and 35-7 in the triple jump.

Tangy Wiseman – Algona, Iowa (Iowa Central Community College)… Was third in the 3K and eighth in the 5k at the 2016 NJCAA National meet. Personal Bests - 18:42.07 in the 5K, 11:30.24 in the 3,000 meter steeplechase.