WICHITA, Kan. — About half of the Wichita State track &
field team's members will split up to take part in the Nebraska Tune-Up and
Kansas State Open Friday. The meets serve as a final chance to compete before
next weekend's Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Championships.
Steve Rainbolt, director of track & field and cross
country, said some spots still remain on Wichita State's men's and women's
rosters for the indoor championships and this weekend could help cement who
will fill those spots.
"We're going to take those athletes and let them have an
opportunity to compete and try to battle their way up onto the roster for the
Missouri Valley Conference championship," Rainbolt said.
For some of the other Shockers participating this weekend,
the meets simply serve as another opportunity to face competition before
traveling to the MVC Indoor Championships in Cedar Falls, Iowa Feb. 25-26.
The Nebraska Tune-Up in Lincoln, Neb., opens with the women's
distance medley relay at 12:30 p.m. in the Bob Devaney Sports Center.
The Kansas State Open starts at 2:30 p.m. Friday with the
women's and men's weight throw at Ahearn Fieldhouse in Manhattan, Kan.
The Shockers most recently competed in the SPIRE Division I
Track & Field Invitational Feb. 10-11 in Geneva, Ohio where several Shockers moved
into or up on Wichita State's all-time top-10 lists.
Junior Jake Wike was named MVC Men's Track Athlete of the
Week after his performance in the men's 1,000 meters marked the second-fastest
time in school history in the event (2:24.63). His 4:08.84 mile time last
weekend also ranked as one of the Shockers' all-time top-10 best.
Junior Aliphine Tuliamuk competed at the Iowa State Classic
Feb. 11 where she automatically qualified in the women's 5,000 meters for the NCAA
Indoor Championships and broke school and conference records with her time of
15:36.53. Tuliamuk was named MVC Women's Track Athlete of the Week.
- Wichita State -
