K-State Women Ranked No. 7 in USTFCCCA Preseason Poll

MANHATTAN, Kan. – The Kansas State women's track and field team ranked No. 7 in the USTFCCCA Preseason Poll, the organization announced on Tuesday, the best the team has ranked since coming in at the same position to end of the 2016 season.

The No. 7 ranking marks the ninth consecutive ranking in the top 25 of the poll and the 20^th time in program history the women's team has been ranked in the top 10. The team earned their best ranking, coming in at No. 5, of the week seven poll in 2016.

"We are at a point where we are still doing a lot of work, where we still have to do a lot of work," Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Cliff Rovelto said in preparation for the outdoor season. "It is the start of the season so some people are getting to do what they want to do [in competition] and they are excited."

K-State is one of three Big 12 teams ranked in the women's preseason poll, including No. 5 Texas and No. 17 Oklahoma. On the men's side, K-State came in at No. 91, while four Big 12 teams made up the top-25, including No. 8 Texas Tech, No. 10 Kansas, No. 19 Texas and No. 25 Baylor.

The Wildcats return four individual Big 12 Champions and nine All-Americans from a year ago, as the K-State women enter the 2018 campaign as the reigning Big 12 Outdoor Champions. Among them, senior Morgan Wedekind claimed the women's Big 12 3,000-meter steeplechase title, junior Brett Neelly won the Big 12 men's shot put, sophomore Nina Schultz won the women's high jump and Big 12 High Point award, and Shadae Lawrence continued a perfect season by winning the Big 12 women's discus competition.

K-State also returns a number of All-Americans from 2017, including Helene Ingvaldsen (hammer throw), Ranae McKenzie (4x100, 400mH), Akia Guerrier (4x100), A'Keyla Mitchell (4x100), Claudette Allen (4x100), Wurrie Njadoe (long jump), Janee' Kassanavoid (hammer throw), Schultz (heptathlon), and NCAA Champion Shadae Lawrence (discus).

The Wildcat women finished the 2017 Outdoor campaign with the first Big 12 title since 2003, while finishing ninth with 25 points at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Championship in Eugene, Oregon. Both the K-State men's and women's teams will make their first outdoor appearance at the Roadrunner Invitational on March 22-24 in San Antonio, Texas.

For the latest on K-State track and field follow @kstatesports and @KStateTFXC on Twitter or Kansas State Track & Field/Cross Country on Facebook.

Kansas State University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Claudette Allen

Akia Guerrier

Helene Ingvaldsen

Janee' Kassanavoid

Shadae Lawrence

Ranae McKenzie

A'Keyla Mitchell

Brett Neelly

Wurrie Njadoe

Nina Schultz

Morgan Wedekind

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