Head track and field director
Steve Rainbolt, senior
Nathan Wickoren and freshman
Sidney Sapp, fielded questions Tuesday afternoon, on the previous Hawkeye Invitational and the upcoming Jan. 18, KSU-KU-WSU Triangular in Lawrence, Kan.
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HEAD COACH STEVE RAINBOLT ON....
...Hawkeye Invitational:
"I enjoyed the meet at the University of Iowa, I felt like it was one of better season openers in a long time...We had a lot of good performances and one thing that I like about it was that the distance races had some good fields where there were some spirited races and our athletes had some chances to compete. I loved that we were on a marvelous track and field facility...As I go through event-by-event there were really good things happening. I told the team at the end of the meet that if I'm one of the other coaches in The American, I'm thinking man Wichita State had a really great season opener, they are going to be tough."
...Nathan Wickoren's performance:
"It was really exciting to watch Nathan have a terrific mile against a strong field of runners. It was a fun and exciting race to watch. It was the same kind of track facility with similar banks on the curves as to what he'll run on in the American Athletic Conference championships, it was a great dress rehearsal."
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..Sidney Sapp's performance:
"To equal her personal record at the season opener was really great...she jumped beautifully and she almost made the next bar, she was up there and ready to make it."
...KSU-KU-WSU Triangular:
"KU, K-State and Wichita State are the three NCAA Division I schools in the state of Kansas, this is our fifth year doing this meet. I am so appreciative and pleased that us three coaches were able to get together about six years ago and put this together. I think it's appropriate to have a triangular between the three Division I schools in Kansas and I think it's been a wonderful meet. I love the rotation, it started at K-State five years ago, went to KU and we hosted it two years ago. I love team scored events, I'm a team track and field guy and from my perspective, this is terrific team track and field."
...women's team:
"I've been doing this a long time. I was able to make my way through with all of those redshirted athletes. They were still training on our team and to me, it went by and I accepted it easily, I know for the athletes it's way different and I think there is a terrific sense of anticipation and excitement about our team being back together this year and being ready to compete.
...WSUtv:
"In recent years when WSUtv has come and done a variety of things, live streaming and now tv production of our track meets. It's unbelievable and absolutely wonderful, it's a very professionally done job and I really appreciate them doing that. They enhance our track meet dramatically and I think it's great, I'm really pleased they are doing that again at our home meets."
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SENIOR NATHAN WICKOREN ON...
...his mile performance in Iowa:
"It was great and I wasn't expecting a personal record, I was hoping to get out and have a great race on a banked track. It's similar to the track in Birmingham and it was nice to rehearse that. I was hoping to go out and compete well, the race was set up really well for me and I think that contributed to me being able to run under 4:10. It's a good confidence boost going into the season."
...expectations heading into the KSU-KU-WSU Triangular:
"I have the 3000m at the Triangular meet, expectations are similar since it's still early in the year. I want to go out and compete well, it's not one of the meets that I'm going to be chasing a really fast time or anything. I just want to go out and run hard against those KU and K-State athletes."
...his expired cross-country eligibility and focusing only on track and field:
"It was nice to be able to build a base during the fall, I enjoyed cross country a lot when I did have eligibility. It was nice to be able to focus on my goal at the beginning of the year, my goal is indoor and I'm building fitness for that. I feel that I'm very ready even at this point in the season, I'm having to kind of hold myself back because I'm so excited to race but I know the goal is conference.
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FRESHMAN SIDNEY SAPP ON...
...difference from high school to college:
"One of the biggest differences is the competition, it is tougher and there are really good athletes that jump just as well as I can. I'm doing really well because I know I have to work harder...I want to be the best and I know the coaches will push me to do my best."
...upcoming KSU-KU-WSU triangular:
"I want to go out there and compete to win. If I PR that's great, I really want to set a personal record every meet but if I don't I won't be disappointed. I just want to compete hard and improve every meet."
...being a freshman at Wichita State:
"It's really fun and the team is really great, it's really fun to practice with them. The bond is really special here, I like how close we are and we know what we are going to do at conference. We're all on the same page and we all know what we are here to do."
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NEXT UP
Wichita State will travel with 26 men and 26 women to compete in KSU-KU-WSU Triangular on Friday, Jan. 18, in Lawrence, Kan. On Saturday, Jan. 19, Wichita State will host the Shocker Prelude beginning with the weight throw at 10:30 a.m., followed with the running events starting at 3:00 p.m. Admission is $5.
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