EMPORIA, Kan. – The Wichita State track and field team placed 14 athletes in the top five at the Emporia State Spring Invitational on Saturday.
 
The Shockers competed under clear blue skies after the meet got pushed from Friday to Saturday due to Friday's snowfall. Eight athletes made their collegiate outdoor debuts as a combination of multi-event athletes, pole vaulters and throwers kicked off the new season.
 
Wichita State claimed two event titles, courtesy of Tanner Brown and Amanda Kakoulias. Brown won the 400 meters with a time of 48.41 and Kakoulias set a new outdoor personal best in the shot put with a throw of 15.27m/50-1.25 to remain comfortably in the second spot of the WSU all-time list.
 
Margaux Thompson opened her outdoor season with a second-place finish in the pole vault, clearing 3.50m/11-5.75. Taran Taylor also placed second over in the javelin with a throw of 62.88m/206-3, earning him the 25^th spot in the national rankings and the sixth-best mark in the West.
 
In her collegiate outdoor debut, Samantha Marx finished third in the javelin with a 43.32m/142-1 throw. Also claiming the third spots in their events were Brianna Utecht in the 100-meter hurdles (14.35) and Hudson Bailey in the 110-meter hurdles (15.08).
 
Other top-five finishers included Anna Heacock and Chonnor Ludolph in the hurdles, Utecht in the 400 meters, Ridge Estes in the discus, Creighton Camp in the hammer throw, and Alyssa Wheeler, Lillie Diaz and Eli Newman in the pole vault.
 
The Shockers will compete at their outdoor home opener March 25-26 at Cessna Stadium.