WICHITA—Claudia Rojo kicked off her season with a victory in the pentathlon as the Wichita State men's and women's track and field teams opened competition Wednesday in the Heskett Center.
 
Rojo used three individual event victories to boost her to an overall pentathlon crown. She won the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.81. She finished the day with wins in the long jump and 800 meters.
 
"She's just developing beautifully as a senior," said Wichita State Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Steve Rainbolt said. "That was a beautiful start to her season today. I'm excited for Claudia." 
 
Rojo finished with a total of 3,754 points, which was a personal best for the senior.
 
Kendra Henry finished the pentathlon in second place, scoring 3,542 points. Henry won the shot put with a mark of 12.13m/39-9.75 and the high jump clearing the bar at 1.64m/5-4.5.
 
Henry and Rojo are the defending conference champion and runner-up in the heptathlon, respectively.
 
Rainbolt said he also saw a good performance from Maria Romero.
 
"Maria Romero had a particularly special meet," Rainbolt said. "She has not competed at that level her first two years here, but she's worked hard and continued to work hard. That was a fabulous pentathlon for her."
 
Romero finished third overall with 3,507 points. She set or tied her personal best in each of the five events that make up the pentathlon.
 
The men competed in the first four events of the heptathlon. They competed in the 60 meters, long jump, shot put and high jump.
 
Tanner Brown collected 2,865 points to sit in first after the first day of competition. Brown is on the Shockers' roster but is competing unattached.
 
Grant Downes is in third overall and is the best-positioned Shocker. He has 2,808 points, and collected a win in the shot put with a personal-best mark of 11.46m/37-7.25. Downes also ran the second-best 60-meter dash time of the day, clocking in with a time of 7.09.
 
"The guys had good days," Rainbolt said. "Grant Downes had a good day. 
 
"For the most part, across the board it was one pretty darn good thing after another."
 
The men will return to action at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Heskett Center to complete the heptathlon. They will compete in the 60-meter hurdles, pole vault and 1,000 meters.