WICHITA, Kan.- Wichita State Track & Field will send four athletes to the NCAA Indoor Championships. Austin Bahner, Tanya Friesen, J'Lynn Ledesma, and Aliphine Tuliamuk-Bolton will each compete for an individual national championship.

With three qualifiers for the NCAA Indoor Championships, and their highest ranking in school history, the Shocker women's team looks for its best finish in school history.

"I just feel like these three ladies can do some damage at the NCAA meet," said head coach, Steve Rainbolt. "If they all have a great meet, we could have a top 15 finish."

Friesen, Ledesma, and Tuliamuk-Bolton have all qualified for nationals before, but this will be the first trip to the NCAA Indoor Championships for Friesen and Ledesma.

Friesen has competed twice at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. As a senior, she hopes to make her first trip to the indoor meet count.

"I'm healthy," Friesen said. "I'm excited to go. There's great competition and I'm going to be ready this time."

After winning back-to-back MVC Indoor High Jump Championships Ledesma will also make her first NCAA Indoor Championships. The junior competed at the 2012 NCAA outdoor meet.

Ledesma has already made history this season by becoming the first woman in MVC history to jump over six feet.

"Right now, J'Lynn is jumping so well, it's incredible," Rainbolt said. "I'm really proud of her and excited for her. I could easily see her scoring points."

The lone representative for the Shocker men's team, Bahner will compete in his first NCAA meet. The 2013 MVC Indoor Heptathlon Champion received some advice from his coach.

"Do what you did to get there, relax and have fun," Rainbolt said. "You have to go to that meet and not let the stage of the NCAA meet get to you."

While the pressure of competing on the national stage may be new to Bahner, he proved at the MVC Indoor Championships he can overcome adversity, when he entered the final event of the heptathlon in second place.

"There was two situations, I had to run a fast 1,000m to beat the guy who was in front of me," Bahner said. "Also, I had to run a certain time that was a PR to go to the national meet."

Bahner achieved both of the goals to win his second MVC Championship and secure his first trip to nationals.

Unlike her teammates, Tuliamuk-Bolton has competed at the NCAA Indoor Championship twice before. Between track and cross country, she will have competed at nationals eight times by the end of the weekend.

"Aliphine has demonstrated repeatedly that she can go to that meet and score points, and make All-American," Rainbolt said. "I am excited to watch her 5,000m, wondering if she can battle for the win."

A nine-time NCAA first-team All-American, Tuliamuk-Bolton looks for the only thing that has eluded her during her career, an NCAA Championship.

"It's a tough field," Tuliamuk-Bolton said. "The girls that I ran with in cross country, they are all in my race, and they are all good."

Tuliamuk-Bolton currently ranks second in the nation in the 5,000m. Watch the above video to hear how Tuliamuk-Bolton prepared for the national meet.

The meet begins on Fri. March 8, when Bahner begins the heptathlon at 10:00 a.m. Ledesma competes in the high jump at 3:15 p.m. Tuliamuk-Bolton will also compete in the 5,000m run on Friday.

On Saturday, Bahner will complete his heptathlon, while Friesen competes in the pentathlon throughout the day. Tuliamuk-Bolton will conclude the meet in the women's 3,000m at 7:40 p.m.

For more insight from each of the competing athletes, watch Shocker Track Weekly. Click here for live results of the 2013 NCAA Indoor Championships.

-Wichita State-