The RoundHouse | 9/7/2024 1:13:00 PM

By Paul Suellentrop
 
Faith Ekart lives in a Shocker Hall suite with three other freshmen distance runners at Wichita State. Adjusting to college life and competition is often a challenge, so learning together is a bonus.
 
"I'm definitely getting a lot more sleep than I did in high school," Ekart said. "We're like 'We need our nine hours every night.' We can keep each other accountable and make sure we're where we need to be. It's pretty fun."
 
Wichita State distance coach Kirk Hunter is watching a lot of his runners find their way in September. His men's and women's cross country teams will lean on young runners as the programs restock after graduation and deal with injuries that will delay the season debuts of top runners.

On Saturday at Clapp Cross Country Course, the Shocker men won the JK Gold Classic for a third straight year by finishing ahead of American Athletic Conference foe North Texas. Both teams entered the season ranked No. 12 in their region.
 
Junior Yared Kidane, running for WSU for the first time after competing unattached last season, placed third with a time of 18 minutes, 13.28 seconds in the 6-kilometer race.
 
The WSU women placed third behind conference rivals Tulsa (which swept the top five spots) and North Texas with Sarah Bertry placing sixth at 17:37.72 in the 5K.
 
"The way (Yared) ran showed he's going to be a contender when it comes to conference time," Hunter said.
 
The men's team ran Saturday without junior Adrian Diaz Lopez, who finished ninth in the AAC meet in 2022. The women's team is waiting on better health for Lucy Ndungu, last season's AAC runner-up, and senior Miranda Dick, who placed seventh.
 
"It's going to be a learning year for the girls," Hunter said. "(Freshmen) are going to be a huge part of how we do. We have to bring them through the season together."
 
Ekart, from Sterling, is off to a solid start to her freshman season. She placed 16^th with a time of 18:20.86 on Saturday after debuting by finishing third in a three-mile race with a time of 18:35.71 in the Terry Masterson Twilight Classic in Hutchinson.
 
"Faith had a huge increase in her time, I think about a 50-second personal record from what she did in high school," Hunter said. "That's amazing. She put in the training. She did a wonderful job this summer working and it's showing."
 
She lives with Cailey Freeze, Kalyn Willingham and Emily See. See finished 21^st on Saturday with a time of 18:43.88.
 

"It's good to have them," Ekart said. "We're all going through pretty similar changes."
 
Ekart started her college change by upping her mileage to 40-50 miles a week, 10-20 more than in high school.
 
"I think it's helped," she said. "I've been feeling really good."
 
The men's team must replace its top four runners from last season. Redshirt freshman Ian Schram, who ran unattached in two meets in 2023, is one the young runners with an opportunity to contribute significantly. He placed 12^th on Saturday with a time of 18:29.70.
 
"Last year was tough," he said. "I was struggling. But the guys really took me in and made me feel like I'm one of them. Now that we're here second year, I'm ready to give my heart out for them on the course."
 
Hunter is looking for several runners to step up this fall. Junior Cesar Ramirez finished 11^th on Saturday. Redshirt freshmen Colin Graham (15^th) and Landen O'Neill (16^th) rounded out WSU's top scorers.
 
"(Ian) ran well – he definitely tracked people down in the last part of the race, which helped us as a team," Hunter said. "As he gets mentally stronger, he's going to get better and better. He's a super-talented person."
 
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.