WICHITA, Kan.- Following an indoor season that saw four new school records and four national qualifiers, the majority of the Wichita State Track & Field athletes will open their 2013 outdoor season in meets at Stanford or Arkansas this weekend.
Historically, the Shockers have had more success in the outdoor season, winning 10 Missouri Valley Conference Championships in the last 12 seasons. According to the Shockers and Head Coach, Steve Rainbolt, they prefer to compete in the fresh air.
“It feels like coming home,” said junior hurdler, Natalie Morerod. “The 400m hurdles is my baby and it's only ran outdoors so it's exciting to compete in it again and try to defend my MVC title.”
Morerod, an NCAA Second Team All-American in 2012, will reunite with the 400m hurdles this weekend in Fayetteville, Ark.
Like Morerod, Aliphine Tuliamuk-Bolton prefers competing outdoors. After finishing third in the 5,000m run at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Arkansas just three weeks ago, Tuliamuk-Bolton will run her first 5k of the outdoor season at Stanford.
“I always liked outdoor better than indoor,” Tuliamuk-Bolton said. “It's a larger track and it's not banked like the one indoor at Arkansas. With outdoor you have a lot more space, so I think it's better.”
Tuliamuk- Bolton also prefers longer races and during the outdoor campaign she will compete in her favorite race, the 10,000m run.
As is the case with many of Tuliamuk-Bolton's races, several professional runners will compete alongside the ten- time All-American in Palo Alto, Calif. this weekend.
“I've been going to Stanford for four years,” Tuliamuk Bolton. “It's a tradition. It's just one of the places where you can run fast. I want to run fast and that is probably the only place to run fast this weekend.”
Javelin throwers do not compete for the Shockers during the indoor season, since no comparable events take place inside. These athletes have been waiting anxiously to start their season. They finally get their chance this weekend.
“It feels good to finally compete,” said javelin thrower, Jon Rizzo. “We've been practicing all year. I'm looking forward to it. It's a really short season so we have to make every meet count.”
Rizzo and the rest of the men's javelin throwers will have to replace the loss of former All-American, Brett Trudo, who graduated after last season.
“He was an amazing worker,” Rizzo said. “ Athletically, he was really good. He was really disciplined so I try to emulate him.”
With Trudo gone, Rizzo is the Shockers only upper classman in the javelin group. He has embraced his leadership role and set a goal for the entire group.
“I just try to keep it fun for them,” Rizzo said. “It's a really long season, but it's not all business. It can be fun. “
With the exception of the Shocker multis, the WSU Track & Field Team will compete for the first time during the outdoor season in 2013 at either Stanford or Arkansas.
In just two weeks, the Shockers will host their first home meet of the outdoor season, the K.T. Woodman Classic. The college portion of this meet takes place on April 12-13 at Cessna Stadium.
For tickets to this, and other Shocker home meets, contact the Shocker Ticket Office online here, by phone at 316-978-FANS (3267, or visit them in person at the southwest corner of Charles Koch Arena.
-Wichita State-
