The RoundHouse | 6/26/2024 11:29:00 AM

Counting down 2023-24's top stories for Wichita State athletics:

By Paul Suellentrop

High jumper Brady Palen returned to track and field's big stage and added to his All-American credentials. Distance runner Lucy Ndungu beat the form chart to earn her big moment.
 
Palen, from Beloit, earned All-American honors at the NCAA Outdoor Championships by placing eighth (7-1 ½) in Eugene, Ore. He also won AAC titles in outdoor high jump (7-2 ¼) and indoor (7-1 ¾). In 2023, he won All-American honors indoors and outdoors.
 
Palen will compete in the U.S. Olympic Trials on Thursday in Eugene.
 
Ndungu, from St. Louis, finished a strong debut season with the Shockers after transferring from Cloud County Community College.

She placed second in the AAC cross country meet in October and earned All-Midwest Regional honors. In June, she placed 17^th in the 10,000 meters (34:18.02) at the NCAA Championships, good for honorable mention All-American honors.

Ndungu ranked 25th in the field in the NCAA West Preliminaries in an event where 12 qualify. She placed 11th with a time of 34 minutes, 23.39 seconds in Fayetteville, Ark.

"She just hangs in there," distance coach Kirk Hunter said. "I am incredibly impressed by her spirit. To beat girls that had run a minute faster than her during the year, to hang in there. In those last few laps, she was working hard but she kept picking it up and picking it up."

Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.