The Basics
            The Shocker track and field programs return to action after 11 months away from competition. The 2020 Outdoor season was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic and the 2020 Cross Country season was postponed to the spring of 2021.
            Wichita State opens the schedule with a home meet. The Shocker Prelude will take place at 11 a.m. on Thursday in the Heskett Center. This meet figures to be lowkey with just Wichita State and Oklahoma Baptist slated to compete.
            The Shockers also will send a group to Manhattan for the KU-KSU-WSU Triangular. That meet is set to begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday at the Ahearn Fieldhouse.
 
Follow The Meet
            Fans can follow along with updates on Twitter @GoShockersTFXC. A full recap of each day will be posted on Twitter, Facebook and GoShockers.com.
            A live results link will be posted for the Shocker Prelude when it becomes available.
            Fans can keep up with live results of the KU-KSU-WSU Triangular at http://results.tfmeetpro.com/AccuData_Timing_Service_LLC/2021_KSUKUWSU_Triagular/
 
Meet Schedule
            The Shocker Prelude is set to begin at 11 a.m. on Thursday with field events. The weight throw kicks off the field event slate.
            Running events on Thursday are set to start at 12:30 p.m. with the 60-meter hurdles prelims. The men's 200 meters will conclude the day at 2:30 p.m.
            The KU-KSU-WSU Triangular is set to kick off at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
 
Last Time Out
            The last time the Shockers took to the track, American Conference Championships were on the line.
            The Shocker men and women finished fifth in the team standings, but saw strong individual performances.
            Rebekah Topham won the AAC Most Valuable Performer for the second year in a row. She won individual titles in the Mile and 3,000 meters. She also helped the Shocker women score one point in the DMR to total 21 team points.
            Joseph Holthusen and Antonio Norman went 2-4 in the 60-meter hurdles, earning Holthusen all-conference honors.
            Adam Gauzy came in fourth in the men's 400 meters, but ran a time of 47.52 to set the school record in the event.
            The men's DMR team won a conference title. Adam Moore anchored with a huge comeback final 1,600 meters to win.
            Winny Koskei and Weston Lewis also brought home all-conference honors.
 
Assistant Director of Track and Field and Cross Country John Wise on the Meet
On what it's like to be back competing on the track
"It's really exciting. Yesterday, we had our first hard workout since we got back (from winter break). Everyone was up there training hard. The throwers were up there, the distance runners were there. It felt normal. It was fun. It was so fun. I envision the meets will feel the same way too. With things being so tentative right now, we've focused on the positive things. We're going to compete hard obviously, but getting back and having fun is key. I think competing will be fun."
 
On the significance of the Triangular meet
"Number one, it's a Kansas thing. If you're from Kansas, you might have been competing against these people your whole life or you might face an old teammate. Secondly, it's a scored meet. That kind of brings the team together. Also for us, we want to beat those teams. It's a good chance to show we're on the same level as them."
 
On the men's hurdling group that is poised for a breakout year
"Those guys have worked hard in the past seven weeks. We had a special group of hurdlers about 10 years ago where a couple of guys made the Olympic Trials because the whole group was pushing each other. They like each other. This group pushes each other and wants to beat each other. They've also got great leadership within the group. You've got young guys like Jaleel Montgomery, Yuben Goncalves and Kieron Hunter. Then you've got guys who have been in the war more like Joseph Holthusen and Antonio Norman. This is a year of taking that next step as a group." 
 
Back to the Track
            It has been a long time since the Shockers took to the track in a competitive setting with other teams.
            320 will have come and gone between the conclusion of the 2020 American Athletic Conference Indoor Championships and the beginning of the Shocker Prelude.
            The COVID-19 pandemic has been the main reason behind two consecutive seasons being canceled (2020 Outdoor and 2020 Cross Country).
            Wichita State has tried to remain active, though. In the fall, the Shockers competed with each other three times, including the annual Intrasquad Meet.
            Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Steve Rainbolt said the staff came up with the idea in the spring and wanted to give athletes a competitive setting. He said the scrimmages would be a benefit come the indoor season.
            "I think this gives them a sense of where they're at and what they need to work on," Rainbolt said. "Where they're at is one thing, but they can also see some technical issues on film. We can look at that and see what we need to do to get that form correct. This will help during the season for sure."
 
The Host with the Most
            Wichita State won't have to travel far this season.
            In fact, the Shockers host a total of five meets across the track and field and cross country seasons.
            The American Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships are included in that slate of five.
            The Shockers were set to host that meet for its original date of Oct. 31, 2020, but the season was canceled due to COVID-19.
            Head Cross Country Coach Kirk Hunter said he was excited to host the meet, but he was more excited to have a date of competition to look forward to.
            "Our student-athletes are extremely excited for the opportunity to be able to put on a uniform and compete again," Hunter said. "This will go a long way toward mending their mental and emotional well-being after losing their outdoor track season last spring and losing their opportunity to compete this past fall."
 
Pride of Kansas on the Line
            The three Division I track and field programs convene on Saturday in Manhattan to battle it out for the pride of Kansas in the KU-KSU-WSU Triangular.
            At last year's meet, the Shockers came in second as the host school. Wichita State put up 221 team points behind Kansas State's 254.5 team points, but ahead of Kansas' 191.5.
            Sprints coach John Wise said the meet has significance for a few reasons.
            "Number one, it's a Kansas thing," Wise said. "If you're from Kansas, you might have been competing against these people your whole life or you might face an old teammate. Secondly, it's a scored meet. That kind of brings the team together. Also for us, we want to beat those teams. It's a good chance to show we're on the same level as them."