The RoundHouse | 5/9/2019 2:53:00 PM

Cory Martens is both a newcomer and nearing the end of his track and field career. 
 
He came to Wichita State last summer with most of his throwing career completed. He is a graduate transfer with eligibility remaining for one indoor (now completed) and two outdoor seasons.
 
Perhaps it wasn't automatic for someone with that timeline to enthusiastically invest in team success. Martens did so in a way that coaches and teammates quickly noticed.
 
"It's clear to me he's a guy that is into the team concept," Wichita State director of track and field Steve Rainbolt said. "For an athlete to transfer in here and have that type of mindset and that type of approach and so quickly jump in and be a leader in that regard has really been fabulous."
 
Martens, from Newton, transferred from NCAA Division II Chadron (Neb.) State to pursue a master's degree in criminal justice, a program Chadron doesn't offer. 
 
He said his teammates made the transition easy and pulled him into the team-first atmosphere. He comes from a football family, which he said helps him understand the importance and dynamics of a team sport. A knee injury cost him an outdoor season of competition at Chadron, which made him recognize the fragility of an athletic career.
 
"Being an older athlete, it has also helped me realize you only have a finite number of competitions, number of years you're going to do this," he said. "I think I've been more appreciative of the process of getting to know people and trying to be a better teammate. You realize there's a lot more going on than just yourself."
 
Martens will compete in the discus, hammer and shot put this weekend at the American Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships at Cessna Stadium. He enters the meet ranked first in the conference in the hammer with a throw of 201 feet, six inches. He ranks third in the discus (181-3) and fourth in the shot (57-10 ¼).
 
Rainbolt's office overlooks the throws area and he is willing to wager that when he hears activity, it is usually Martens there to get the area ready for practice. That work ethic is what coaches first noticed and became his pathway to leadership. Martens is always around, always working and always interested in how his teammates are doing. In the weeks leading up to the conference meet, he regularly checks performances lists on tfrrs.org to see how Wichita State compares to other conference schools. 
 
"It feels like he's always been here," throws coach John Hetzendorf said. 
 
The Shockers finished second in the men's indoor conference meet behind Houston, which has won five consecutive indoor titles and three straight outdoors. The women finished third, 14 points behind the first-place Houston women.
 
Improving those finishes requires Martens and others with the potential to score in multiple events to perform at their best while guarding their energy. They will lean on distance runners Rebekah Topham, Winny Koskei and Zack Penrod, Rayvon Allen in the jumps and relays and others to compete, recover and compete again.
 
Coaches consider the schedule when entering events and factor in the potential for fatigue. Topham, for example, runs in the 1,500 prelims at 6 p.m. Saturday, followed by the 3,000-meter steeplechase at 7:45. On Sunday, the 1,500 final is scheduled for 4:50 p.m. and the 5,000 at 7:05.
 
"Ultimately, we go for it," Rainbolt said. "we will talk about sometimes and we will think 'Gosh, maybe we should pick one of those events or maybe we need to be conservative and really put it all on one event.' Generally, we find ourselves 'Let's give it a go and see.'"
 
Packing those events into two days is new for Topham, who redshirted last season. She previously ran in the Missouri Valley Conference championship meets with her four events spread over three days.
 
"Prelims, you always want to get by as slow as possible and just make the final," she said. "I'm just hoping the 1,500 prelims will be kind of like a shake-loose where I don't have to run all out. The second day, I'll have the 1,500 finals, hopefully. Then give whatever I have left in the 5k."
 
Martens will throw all three days, starting with the hammer on Friday. He will attempt to stay fresh by limiting his practice throws. 
 
"At this point in the year, you've done all your training," he said. "You know what you need to do. You've just got to step in the ring and do it."
 
Events to watch
 
Houston's sprinters are among the nation's best, with that group accounting for 10 top-20 marks nationally. The top four times in the 100 meters in the conference belong to Houston, led by Mario Burke's 10.07. Amere Lattin owns five conference hurdles title and ranks fifth nationally in the 110-meter and 400 hurdles.
 
Wichita State's Austin Corley knocked off Lattin in the 400 hurdles in last season's outdoor meet, running a meet-record time of 50.07 seconds. Corley ranks No. 21 nationally with a season-best time of 50.90.
 
Wichita State decathlete Ben Johnson likely needs to score around 7,400 points to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Johnson, who won the heptathlon at the conference indoor meet, will be challenged by Cincinnati's Jordan Torney (7,225) and Benjamin Grosse (6,624). Johnson's season-best is 6,567.
 
Shockers javelin thrower Aaron True ranks third nationally and first in the American with a throw of 247-2. Teammate Jeff Ast is second in the conference at 203-8.
 
Bearcats women's thrower Annette Echikunwoke leads the conference in the shot put (54-3 ¾) and hammer (212-10). Wichita State's Kelsey Slawson ranks second in the shot (52-2) and third in the discus (165-1).
 
Wichita State's Kendra Henry won the conference heptathlon as a freshman with 5,018 points. Cincinnati's Katie Straus enters the meet first with 4,996 points, followed by WSU's Claudia Rojo (4,973) and Henry (4,955).
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.