The RoundHouse | 4/12/2019 2:35:00 PM

Everything about Tianna Holmes told Wichita State track coaches that she possessed talent worthy of NCAA Division I.
 
They just had to convince her to trust the stopwatch.
 
"I felt like for a while I believed in her more than she did," said John Wise, assistant director of track and field. 
 
Holmes, a freshman from Moore, Okla., came to Wichita State last fall with two Class 6A state titles in the 400 meters (55.82 seconds as a senior). She wasn't sure what that meant when stepping up to college competition. She envisioned attending a junior college or NCAA Division II school most of her high school career. Twin sister Kianna runs the 800 meters for Oklahoma Christian University and they long planned to attend the same school.
 
Late in Tianna Holmes' senior year, Wichita State, as well as Tulsa and Oklahoma State, recruited her. She had not heard of Wichita State when she received her first recruiting letter. Her father, she said, talked her out of throwing it away. 
 
"In high school, a lot of people didn't see me as being very good and going to the Division I level," she said. 
 
In the fall, Wichita State coaches worked on that confidence. Testing revealed Holmes possessed the speed to run the 100 or 200 as she developed. Wise and Holmes used "Mind Gym: An Athlete's Guide to Inner Excellence" to help with a message of positive motivation. 
 
"I didn't really have a lot of self-confidence, so it's helped me see that I'm here for a reason," Holmes said. "I'm here to get better and help this team out."
 
Holmes worked through the athletic adjustment and homesickness during the fall semester. In February, her performance at the American Athletic Conference Indoor Championships provided a boost. She placed sixth in the 400 with a personal-best time of 55.33 seconds, third on Wichita State's career list. She ran on the conference champion distance medley relay team, which clocked a time of 11 minutes, 32.19 seconds.
 
"I wasn't expected or projected to make the finals," she said. "When I did, I was like 'OK, I'm actually good.'"
 
On Saturday, she will run in the 200 meters and two relays during the K.T. Woodman Classic before returning to the 400 to prepare for the outdoor conference meet.
 
Much of Holmes' progress comes from confidence. Some of it comes from improved practice habits, particularly with her starting techniques.
 
"To advance right to the final in the American championships is a tough, tough accomplishment for a freshman," Wichita State coach Steve Rainbolt said. "We were majorly celebrating when she decided to come to Wichita State. She is showing herself to be just what we hoped."
 
While some freshmen burst out early and get worn down later in the season, Holmes took longer to start peaking. Wise is hopeful that progression works later this spring.
 
"Outdoors, she's starting to blossom at the right time," Wise said. "When a lot of freshmen are struggling, she's starting to hit her stride. You can tell she really wants to be good. She's got that fire."
 
On Saturday, Oklahoma Christian will compete at Cessna Stadium and the Holmes twins will see each other. Oklahoma Christian, located in Edmond, is 150 miles from Wichita and that separation added to Holmes' adjustments in the fall.
 
 "It was hard in the beginning," she said. "I got adjusted to it, but I still miss her. We're on Snapchat every day. We send each other videos and funny things on Instagram, Twitter. FaceTime. We talk every single day, all day."
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.