WICHITA—The Wichita State track and field teams kicked off their weekend with day one of competition at the John McDonnell Invitational on Saturday at John McDonnell Field in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
 
Rebekah Topham and Michael Bryan improved upon their nationally-impressive marks this season and both are in the top 10 of the NCAA performance list this season.
 
Topham ran away with the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase, winning with a meet-record time of 9:58.39. Her time puts her at No. 10 in the NCAA. She became the 11th woman in the NCAA this year to run under the 10-minute mark in the event.
 
Michael Bryan broke the men's hammer throw school record for the fourth time this season. He beats his previous mark by 30 centimeters with a mark of 70.45m/231-1. Bryan's mark earned a runner-up finish in the event and improves upon his No. 7 mark in the NCAA.
 
Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Steve Rainbolt said he saw a lot of good performances Saturday.
 
"I told the athletes that good athletes round in to shape at the right time and we had a lot of athletes demonstrate that today," Rainbolt said. "Another great performance by Michael Bryan and all the men and women hammer thrower's threw well. I'm really glad that Kendra Henry will be on our team for the conference meet, she threw well in the javelin. Brady Palen jumped 6-11, so I'm really excited for him."
 
In the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase, three Shockers set new personal bests. 
 
Ethan Kossover broke the 9-minute barrier with a time of 8:58.45. He took third behind Arkansas State's Bennett Pascoe who ran the NCAA's leading time and Oklahoma State's Jonas Price.
 
Clayton Duchatschek and Britte Magnuson also set new personal-best times in the steeplechase. Duchatschek clocked in with a time of 9:03.36 and Magnuson improved his personal best by nearly 20 seconds, crossing the line in 9:22.28.
 
The men's high jumpers also had an outstanding day. All three Shocker high jumpers set new personal bests in the event.
 
Freshman Brady Palen nearly put himself in the Shockers' all-time top 10, clearing 2.11m/6-11, which is just one centimeter short of No. 10 on the Shockers' performance list. Davis Dubbert and Weston Lewis both cleared 2.05m/6-8.75 for personal bests of their own.
 
Dowdy Elazarig (triple jump), Cory Martens (shot put), Zack Penrod (1,500 meters) and Taran Taylor (javelin) all earned individual victories to cap off an excellent first day of competition for the Shocker men.
 
Nicole McMillen also impressed in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase. McMillen took fifth in the race, running a personal-best time of 10:21.09. She moves her name up the Wichita State all-time performance list to No. 5.
 
Cassidy Androff moved up on the Shockers' all-time list in the women's hammer throw. She tossed the hammer 52.35m/171-9 to move up to No. 7 in school history. Alex Adams finished third in the women's hammer throw with a toss of 54.12m/177-7.
 
Kendra Henry won the women's javelin with a throw of 47.90m/157-2. She improves on her No. 3 mark in the conference this year.
 
"Our 400 hurdlers went very good as did our men and women triple jumpers," Rainbolt said. "Emily Gardiner had a personal record in the pole vault and we had some really strong performances by our good distance runners, highlighted by Rebekah Topham.
 
"This all caused me to feel like our Shocker men and women are getting ready for a strong showing at the AAC Championships in Tampa three weeks from now."
 
Wichita State track and field returns to action at 10 a.m. on Sunday for the second day of action at the John McDonnell Invitational.
 
Men's Individual Results
 
200 Meters
7. Joakim Genereux – 21.67
14. Adam Gauzy – 21.87
19. Jaleel Montgomery – 22.14
25. JD Prinsloo – 22.50(w)
 
1,500 Meters
1. Zack Penrod – 3:43.39
3. Jed Helker – 3:44.22
4. Adam Moore – 3:44.67
18. Bryce Merriman – 3:52.81
 
400-Meter Hurdles
3. Antonio Norman – 52.06
5. Yuben Goncalves – 52.87
 
3,000-Meter Steeplechase
3. Ethan Kossover – 8:58.45
5. Clayton Duchatschek – 9:03.36
11. Britte Magnuson – 9:22.28
 
Triple Jump
1. Dowdy Elazarig – 15.31m/50-2.75(w)
3. Yuben Goncalves – 15.08m/49-5.75(w)
 
Shot Put
1. Cory Martens - 17.53m/57-6.25
--. Dae' Trell Gordon – NM 
 
Hammer Throw
2. Michael Bryan – 70.45m/231-1
6. Cory Martens – 60.92m/199-10
7. Aidan Camp – 55.98m/183-8
 
Javelin
1. Taran Taylor – 71.03m/233-0
2. Davis Dubbert – 64.32m/211-0
4. Cauy Lindsay – 55.82m/183-2
5. Jeff Ast – 55.01m/180-5
8. Chonnor Ludolph – 47.38m/155-5
 
High Jump
1. Brady Palen – 2.11m/6-11
3. Davis Dubbert – 2.05m/6-8.75
4. Weston Lewis – 2.05m/6-8.75
 
Decathlon Overall (through five events)
4. Nate Vann – 3,818 points
 
Decathlon 100 Meters
4. Nate Vann – 11.04
 
Decathlon Long Jump
2. Nate Vann – 7.01m/23-0(w)
 
Decathlon Shot Put
5. Nate Vann – 12.04m/39-6
 
Decathlon High Jump
4. Nate Vann – 1.89m/6-2.25
 
Decathlon 400 Meters
2. Nate Vann – 49.54
 
Women's Individual Results
 
200 Meters
5. Paula Garcia – 24.08
16. Jacque Darby – 24.72
18. Taniyah McMillian – 24.86
23. Faith Turner – 25.18
30. Sydney Wilson – 25.51
39. Destiny Masters – 26.34
41. Maria Romero – 27.31
42. Kendra Henry – 27.43
 
800 Meters
7. Yazmine Wright – 4:27.11
18. McKenna Paintin – 4:52.29
 
5,000 Meters
4. Danielle Rinn – 17:36.04
 
5,000 Meters Invitational
8. Winny Koskei – 16:50.09
 
400-Meter Hurdles
5. Daysha Bullocks – 1:03.17
6. Anycia Cole – 1:03.22
10. Anna Heacock – 1:06.18
 
3,000-Meter Steeplechase
1. Rebekah Topham – 9:58.39
5. Nicole McMillen – 10:21.09
 
Triple Jump
5. Faith Turner – 12.16m/39-10.75(w)
8. Semaj McGhee – 11.98m/39-3.75
11. Ezinne Okoro – 11.49m/37-8.50
 
Hammer Throw
3. Alex Adams - 54.12m/177-7
4. Cassidy Androff - 52.35m/171-9
6. Jocelen Ruth - 49.16m/161-3
--. Sadie Boos – NM 
 
Discus
4. Alex Adams – 41.67m/136-8
5. Amanda Kakoulias – 40.77m/133-9
7. Anna Zimmer – 37.54m/123-2
9. Jocelen Ruth – 34.10m/111-10
 
Javelin
1. Kendra Henry – 47.90m/157-2
3. Erika Hoag – 37.39m/122-8
4. Jocelen Ruth – 33.53m/110-0
5. Halie Brown- 29.29m/96-1
 
Pole Vault
11. Emily Gardiner – 3.79m/12-5.25