WICHITA/LAWRENCE – The Wichita State track and field team opens its 2024 season at the Friends First-Chance Qualifier and the KU-KSU-WSU Triangular on Thursday and Friday.
 
While the multi-event athletes began their season on Nov. 30 at the Shocker Multi, the remainder of the team will compete for the first time this indoor season.
 
The Shockers will have 29 athletes compete at the Friends First-Chance Qualifier Thursday, Jan. 11 at the Heskett Center starting at 10 a.m.
 
The following day, each of the men's and women's teams will field a 30-athlete roster to compete at the 10^th-annual Kansas-Kansas State-Wichita State Triangular in Lawrence, Kan.
 
The Triangular marks the only meet of the season that is scored as combined co-ed teams with a mixed 4x400-meter relay to finish it out.
 
The meet will be scored using the 7-5-4-3-2-1 system with only two athletes per team able to score in each event.
 
The Shockers have three athletes returning with All-America honors in Joseph Holthusen (60-meter hurdles 2021), Destiny Masters (high jump 2023), Brady Palen (high jump 2023).
 
Wichita State has never won the Triangular as K-State and KU have split the wins with five apiece. The Shockers' best team finish came in 2020 when they scored 221 points to place second behind the Wildcats. WSU always placed second as a team in the first meet in 2015 with 217 points.
 
A year ago, the Shockers hosted the meet in Topeka, Kan. at the Washburn Indoor Athletic Facility and placed third with 198 points with Kansas winning for the first time since 2019 with 268 points and K-State placing second with 204 points.
 
13 Shockers will compete for the first time in a Wichita State uniform. After redshirting two seasons ago and missing last season, sprinter Elontae Hackney-Cooper will race for the Shockers for the first time in uniform.
 
Jason and Josh Parrish, the twins from Olathe, Kan., along with Kate Campos should make a splash in the hurdles as freshmen, and Josh Parrish will also be a strong long jumper for the Shockers.
 
Events begin at 11 a.m. at Anschutz Pavilion.