WICHITA – The Wichita State track and field team collected eight event wins on day two of the Herm Wilson Invitational.
 
Maria Romero highlighted the Saturday performances, running the seventh-fastest 1,000 meters in school history and winning the event with a time of 2:57.28.
 
"Today was just a test to see what she could really do, and I was incredibly impressed with what she did today," distance coach Kirk Hunter said. "I think she impressed everybody that knows her. To do what she did today was amazing, so she stamped herself as a big contributor for this year's distance program, and I'm really proud of her."
 
Romero made the decision to move away from being a multi-event athlete and focus on the mid-distance events for her final collegiate season and now leads the team in both the 800 meters and 1,000 meters.
 
"With most people, I feel like I have time to get to know them as a runner to figure out what the best training is for them, but for her I have no time –  zero," Hunter said. "So I said, 'we can't screw this up. This is our only opportunity,' and she's just been buying into everything every step up the way, and you can see her progressing and being verry strong in practice."
 
Also winning distance events, Bryce Merriman ran a personal-best 1:54.42 in the 800 meters to win by two seconds. Abeba Sullivan bested her PR from a week ago, running 9:52.94 to win the 3,000 meters.
 
The Shockers earned an event sweep in the high jump with Destiny Masters (1.75m/5'8.75"), Marissa Jensen (1.70m/5'7") and Mattelyn Swartz (1.70m/5'7") going 1-2-3 for the women and Brady Palen (2.10m/6'10.75") and Weston Lewis (2.10m/6'10.75") went 1-2 for the men, tying their season bests that rank second in the conference and 39^th in the NCAA.
 
In the 60-meter hurdles, Joseph Holthusen got the best of Jaleel Montgomery as they've been trading hurdles wins throughout the indoor season. Holthusen, a 2020 All-American in the event, improved his season best to 8.00, and Montgomery placed second in 8.36.
 
Ridge Estes claimed his second-straight shot put victory, throwing over 16 meters for the second time (16.40m/53'9.75"), and the women's 4x400-meter relay team of Sadie Millard, Maria Romero, Lea Jerkovic and Ma'Liyah Anderson closed out the meet with one final win, running 4:07.75.
 
The Shockers will split up next weekend for the South Dakota Invitational and the Iowa State Classic Saturday, Feb. 4.

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Men's Results

71	Malakai Schaad	60m (P)	7.63
3	JD Prinsloo	200m	23.05
16	Ryan Dreiling	400m	53.72
1	Bryce Merriman	800m	1:54.42
38	Kolby Caster	1,000m	3:02.09
2	Erik Enriquez	3,000m	8:44.83
1	Joseph Holthusen	60m Hurdles (F)	8.00
2	Jaleel Montgomery	60m Hurdles (F)	8.36
4	Hudson Bailey	60m Hurdles (F)	8.41
6	Nate Vann	60m Hurdles (F)	8.75
1	Joseph Holthusen	60m Hurdles (P)	8.03
3	Hudson Bailey	60m Hurdles (P)	8.42
4	Jaleel Montgomery	60m Hurdles (P)	8.43
6	Nate Vann	60m Hurdles (P)	8.61
7	Kolby Caster	60m Hurdles (P)	8.62
9	Bryan Haney	60m Hurdles (P)	8.89
1	Brady Palen	High Jump	2.10m/6'10.75"
2	Weston Lewis	High Jump	2.10m/6'10.75"
8	Hudson Bailey	High Jump	1.90m/6'2.75"
3	Weston Hulse	Pole Vault	4.46m/14'7.5"
5	Wyatt Leutzinger	Pole Vault	4.46m/14'7.5"
7	Kolby Caster	Pole Vault	4.46m/14'7.5"
8	Caden Carlson	Pole Vault	4.31m/14'1.75"
16	Eli Newman	Pole Vault	3.71m/12'2"
--	Malakai Schaad	Pole Vault	NH
7	Nate Vann	Long Jump	6.57m/21'6.75"
2	Hudson Bailey	Triple Jump	14.08m/46'2.5"
1	Ridge Estes	Shot Put	16.40m/53'9.75"
21	Beau Kerschen	Shot Put	11.64m/38'2.25"
--	Adria Navajon	Shot Put	NM
7	Creighton Camp	Weight Throw	14.88m/48'10"
--	Beau Kerschen	Weight Throw	NM
4	Luke Porter	Heptathlon	4406 pts
5	Luke Porter	Hept 60m	7.40
5	Luke Porter	Hept Long Jump	6.01m/19'8.75"
5	Luke Porter	Hept Shot Put	10.58m/34'8.5"
5	Luke Porter	Hept High Jump	1.72m/5'7.75"
6	Luke Porter	Hept 60mH	9.47
3	Luke Porter	Hept Pole Vault	3.80m/12'5.5"
3	Luke Porter	Hept 1000m	2:48.31

Women's Results

4	Chidera Okoro	60m (F)	7.79
6	Kennady Washington	60m (F)	7.90
4	Chidera Okoro	60m (P)	7.85
6	Kennady Washington	60m (P)	7.89
18	Ezinne Okoro	60m (P)	8.13
36	Jaazer Ridges	60m (P)	8.46
45	Grace Lange	60m (P)	8.68
6	Ma'Liyah Anderson	200m	26.75
10	Tyler Lindsey	200m	26.97
11	Cali Kerschen	200m	27.03
24	Jalen Milligan	200m	27.73
6	Courtney Wilborn	400m	1:02.55
10	Tyler Lindsey	400m	1:03.39
12	Ma'Liyah Anderson	400m	1:03.78
2	Tess Roman	800m	2:23.41
7	Abby Klipstein	800m	2:29.42
9	Aracely Martinez	800m	2:30.01
1	Maria Romero	1,000m	2:57.28
2	Lea Jerkovic	Mile	5:16.16
3	Peyton Pogge	Mile	5:16.32
1	Abeba Sullivan	3,000m	9:52.94
3	Miranda Dick	3,000m	10:13.08
4	Lubna Aldulaimi	3,000m	10:20.72
2	Courtney Wilborn	60m Hurdles (F)	8.88
4	Abby Klipstein	60m Hurdles (F)	9.11
5	Kenisa Meyer	60m Hurdles (F)	9.16
2	Kenisa Meyer	60m Hurdles (P)	9.01
3	Courtney Wilborn	60m Hurdles (P)	9.12
4	Abby Klipstein	60m Hurdles (P)	9.13
7	Cali Kerschen	60m Hurdles (P)	9.53
8	Tess Roman	60m Hurdles (P)	9.55
9	Jalen Milligan	60m Hurdles (P)	9.58
14	Sadie Millard	60m Hurdles (P)	9.69
1	#N/A	4x400m Relay	4:07.75
1	Destiny Masters	High Jump	1.75m/5'8.75"
2	Marissa Jensen	High Jump	1.70m/5'7"
3	Mattelyn Swartz	High Jump	1.70m/5'7"
6	Kenisa Meyer	High Jump	1.50m/4'11"
10	Abby Klipstein	High Jump	1.45m/4'9"
12	Sadie Millard	High Jump	1.40m/4'7"
--	Tess Roman	High Jump	NH
2	Margaux Thompson	Pole Vault	3.59m/11'9.25"
3	Alli Burke	Pole Vault	3.59m/11'9.25"
12	Lillie Diaz	Pole Vault	3.14m/10'3.5"
3	Jalen Milligan	Long Jump	5.31m/17'5.25"
4	Courtney Wilborn	Long Jump	5.03m/16'6"
5	Kennady Washington	Long Jump	5.01m/16'5.25"
7	Tess Roman	Long Jump	4.86m/15'11.5"
10	Jaazer Ridges	Long Jump	4.74m/15'6.75"
1	Faith Turner	Triple Jump	11.60m/38'0.75"
2	Ezinne Okoro	Triple Jump	11.47m/37'7.75"
3	Skaila White	Triple Jump	11.16m/36'7.5"
5	Grace Lange	Triple Jump	10.71m/35'1.75"
7	Jaazer Ridges	Triple Jump	10.42m/34'2.25"
2	Anna Zimmer	Shot Put	13.85m/45'5.25"
8	Kylie Zimmer	Shot Put	11.76m/38'7"
1	Kylie Zimmer	Weight Throw	16.13m/52'11"
13	Samantha Marx	Weight Throw	13.48m/44'2.75"
18	Anna Zimmer	Weight Throw	12.82m/42'0.75"
29	Emma Bezdek	Weight Throw	9.46m/31'0.5"
--	Gabby Hopkins	Weight Throw	NM
1	Destiny Masters	Pentathlon	4043 pts
4	Kenisa Meyer	Pentathlon	3329 pts
8	Anna Heacock	Pentathlon	2740 pts
1	Destiny Masters	Pent 60mH	8.47
2	Kenisa Meyer	Pent 60mH	9.10
8	Anna Heacock	Pent 60mH	9.52
1	Destiny Masters	Pent High Jump	1.76m/5'9.25"
6	Kenisa Meyer	Pent High Jump	1.55m/5'1"
10	Anna Heacock	Pent High Jump	1.46m/4'9.5"
3	Destiny Masters	Pent Shot Put	11.49m/37'8.5"
6	Kenisa Meyer	Pent Shot Put	9.82m/32'2.75"
8	Anna Heacock	Pent Shot Put	8.99m/29'6"
1	Destiny Masters	Pent Long Jump	5.92m/19'5.25"
2	Kenisa Meyer	Pent Long Jump	5.17m/16'11.5"
11	Anna Heacock	Pent Long Jump	4.53m/14'10.5"
6	Destiny Masters	Pent 800m	2:34.40
7	Kenisa Meyer	Pent 800m	2:34.48
15	Anna Heacock	Pent 800m	2:50.45