Wildcats Head to NCAA Track Nationals
May 27, 2002 | Track & Field
May 27, 2002
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Kansas State, fresh off winning the Big 12 Conference women's outdoor team championship, takes seven women and five men to Baton Rouge, La., for the 2002 NCAA Division I Outdoor National Championships.
The Wildcats are led by defending national heptathlon champion Austra Skujyte, who will participate both in the combined-event competition as well as the women's shot put. Eight-time All-American Amy Mortimer will also compete in the women's 1,500. Big 12 champions Rebekah Green (shot put) and Kendra Wecker (javelin) will also do battle on the national stage.
Kansas State finished in a tie for fifth on the men's side at the Big 12 Championships two weeks ago at the University of Missouri. Junior Terence Newman, also a captain on the Wildcat football team,won the men's 100-meter dash at the Big 12s and will try to improve on his 11th-place finish from a year ago. Sophomore javelin thrower Craig Smith is injured and will not compete.
The Wildcats' best team finishes on the women's side at the NCAAs were an 11th-place finish at the 2000 meet, while the men were ninth in 1972. The K-State men had a 10th-place team finish as recently as 1998 when they scored 25 points in Buffalo.
HEAD COACH CLIFF ROVELTO
* Mondo Midwest Region Women's Coach of the Year for 2nd straight year
On the women's meet...
"If they do what they're capable of doing individually, I think we're within reach of between 20 and 30 points. If we got in the upper 20s or 30s, we could be among the top five or six teams. Our women have never been in the top 10, so that could be kind of a neat deal... I think Austra (Skujyte) is ready to go after a PR in the heptathlon. How much she can go over her previous best is to a large part dependent on the high jump."
On the K-State men...
"I think everyone is capable of making their final. They all have to run as well as they've ever run to do that, but I think they can do it."
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RETURNING OUTDOOR ALL-AMERICANS
AUSTRA SKUJYTE (Sr., Combined Events, Birzai, Lithuania)
* Defending NCAA national champion in the heptathlon (5,857 in rainy conditions at Oregon)... Set school record with 6,150 in heptathlon at last year's Big 12 Outdoor... Did not compete in heptathlon at this year's Big 12s.
* Individual high-point scorer at 2002 Big 12 Outdoors with 22.75 points to help K-State win second straight Big 12 women's team title - won long jump (20-2.25), 2nd in shot (53-7.75), 6th in javelin (146-11), 8th in discus (156-9), T9th in high jump (5-5)... Also participated on 4x100 relay (6th in 47.41) and 4x400 relay (10th at 3:51.48).
* Named Mondo Midwest Region Women's Athlete of the Year by U.S. Track Coaches Association.
* Has qualified for '02 NCAA Nationals in six events - three auto (hep, HJ, SP) and three provisional (LJ, DT, JT).
* Big 12 champ indoors in 2002 in pentathlon, setting collegiate record with 4,439 points... Other Big 12 Indoor finishes: 3rd in shot (53-3), 5th in long jump (19-3.50), 7th in high jump (5-6.50).
* At 2001 Big 12 Outdoor: 1st in heptathlon, 2nd in shot put (52-4), 4th in long jump (20-5.25), 4th in javelin (151-2), 12th in high jump (5-5.25), scoring 28 points to help K-State win team title.
* Currently on K-State career outdoor lists in: heptathlon (1st at 6,150), high jump (5th at 6-0.50), long jump (2nd at 20-10), shot put (2nd at 55-10.50), discus (6th at 168-4), javelin (6th at 167-5)... Shot, discus and javelin marks were set this year at the same meet - Jim Click Shootout in Tucson, Ariz. (3/23).
* 12th in heptathlon at 2000 Sydney Olympics and was 6th in 2001 World Championships at Edmonton.
* Verizon Academic All-District first-teamer as voted on by CoSIDA.
AMY MORTIMER (Jr., Middle Distance, Manhattan, Kan.)
* Eight-time All-American for Wildcats, including three honors in cross country (1999-2000-2001), four in indoor track (4th at 3K indoors this year) and one outdoors (3rd at 5K outdoors in 2000).
* Has hit automatic marks for NCAAs this year in 1,500 (4:18.17) and 5,000 (15:52.99)... Will not enter 5,000 at NCAA
* 2002 Big 12 Outdoor champion in 1,500 with 4:19.26... Also placed 4th at 5,000 (16:23.97).
* At 2002 Big 12 Indoor Meet, placed 2nd in mile (4:41.51) and 4th at 3,000 meters (9:27.92), finishing with 13 points.
* At 2001 Big 12 Outdoor, was 5th in 1,500 at 4:25.96... Won Big 12 Outdoor title at 5,000 meters in 2000, running 16:26.09.
* Currently on K-State career outdoor lists at 800m (7th at 2:09.67), 1,500m (2nd at 4:16.78), 3,000m (3rd at 9:13.74) and 5,000 (1st with school-record 15:52.99 set at Mount Sac Relays on 4/19).
* Verizon Academic All-District first-teamer as voted on by CoSIDA.
REBEKAH GREEN (Jr., Throws, Blacklick, Ohio)
* Big 12 Outdoor champion in shot put at season-best 55-5.50, going 17 inches past her previous season-best to win... Was also 3rd at Big 12 in discus (160-0) and 4th in hammer (174-8)... Scored 21 points as Wildcats won team title.
* Placed 8th in shot put at 2001 NCAA Outdoor Nationals (53-3.75) to earn All-America status... Was 14th at 2002 Indoor Nationals (50-7.25).
* Currently qualified for '02 nationals in shot put (auto mark of 55-5.50) and discus (provisional mark of 166-11)... Discus mark fell short of top 21 qualifiers.
* Scored 10 points for 'Cats at 2002 Big 12 Indoor with 4th-place finishes in shot (51-10.50) and weight throw (55-11.25).
* At 2001 Big 12 Outdoor: 3rd in shot put (51-6.25), 3rd in hammer (170-11), 9th in discus (151-4).
* On K-State outdoor career lists in: shot (school-record holder at 56-0 set at 2001 Kansas Relays), discus (7th at 166-11 this year) and hammer (4th at 176-0).
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OTHER BIG 12 CONFERENCE OUTDOOR CHAMPIONS
TERENCE NEWMAN (Jr., Sprints, Salina, Kan.)
* Big 12 champion in the 100-meter dash at 10.36 seconds... Defended his title won in 2001 (10.29).
* Broke his own school record in the 100-meter dash with 10.20 clocking at Jim Click Shootout in Tucson, Ariz. (3/23).
* 2002 Big 12 Indoor champion at 60 meters (6.65)... Set school record with 6.62 in semifinals... Was 2nd indoors at Big 12 meet in 200 (21.17).
* Reached 2001 NCAA semifinals last year with 11th-fastest semifinal time.
* Has run only five times outdoors in 2002 due to spring football practice... Is a cornerback for Wildcats and was voted a team captain by his teammates for the '02 season... Thorpe Award semifinalist last year in running for honor given to top defensive back in the nation.
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OTHER BIG 12 CONFERENCE OUTDOOR CHAMPS
KENDRA WECKER (Fr., Javelin, Marysville, Kan.)
* Won Big 12 title in women's javelin as a freshman, winning at 173-7 to top field by 19 feet, 11 inches.
* Went five feet past her PR to set school record of 179-9 to win quad meet at Nebraska on 5/4... Mark ranks 3rd nationally as of 5/24 and 1st in Big 12.
* Attended U.S. Olympic Trials as high-schooler in 2000.
* Previous school record of 172-11 was set in 1989 by Greta Semsroth.
* Starter on Wildcat women's basketball team that reached Sweet Sixteen in NCAA Tournament.
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CURRENT NATIONAL QUALIFIERS
ROBERTO CARVAJAL (Sr., Hurdles, Chihuahua, Mexico)
* Placed 3rd in 400 hurdles and 7th in 110 hurdle final at 2002 Big 12 Outdoor Championships.
* His 50.59 which was a provisional mark in 400 hurdles came at Nebraska Triangular meet in early May... Time ranks 4th on K-State all-time outdoor list.
MORGAN HIGH (So., High Jump, Girard, Kan.)
* Set outdoor PR at 2002 Big 12 meet with 6-0 leap to place 2nd and earn NCAA automatic mark... Also had PR at Big 12 Indoor meet with 6-0.75 to win.
* Moved up to 6th on all-time outdoor list at K-State.
* Placed 6th in high jump at '01 Big 12 Outdoor meet with 5-7.25.
* Hit provisional mark with 5-10.75 to win meet at UTEP on 3/30.
CHAYTAN HILL (Fr., Triple Jump, Kirby, Texas)
* Went 7 inches past her season-best with 42-6.25 mark to place 3rd at Big 12 Outdoor meet.
* Now 3rd on K-State outdoor career list in triple jump.
* Two best marks this season have come in last two meets (also 41-10.50 on 5/11 at Nebraska Twilight).
* Placed 11th at Big 12 indoor meet.
BRIE MADDEN (Fr., High Jump, Arlington, Texas)
* Went 5-10.50 to place 2nd at Gatorade Classic in Miami and hit NCAA provisional mark.
* Finished T9th at Big 12 outdoor at 5-5.
* Member of Wildcat women's basketball team that reached Sweet Sixteen in NCAA Tournament.
JOSEF KARAS (Jr., Combined Events, Obrnice, Czech Republic)
* Placed 4th at Big 12 in decathlon with 7,076 points... Won competition in discus, long jump and 1,500.
* Had career-best 7,360 points at College Station meet to move into 4th all-time at K-State... Ninth Wildcat ever to crack 7,000-point mark.
* Also has Wildcats' top marks of season in long jump (24-3.50) and discus (147-6)... Pre-med student.
* Verizon Academic All-District first-teamer as voted on by CoSIDA.
JOSEPH LEE (So., Middle Distance, Junction City, Kan.)
* Placed 2nd at 2002 Big 12s in men's 800 with 1:50.33.
* Hit provisional-qualifying mark with 1:48.17 clocking on 5/4 at Nebraska triangular... Mark moved Lee into 5th place on Wildcats' all-time list.
* Consistent performer who has been under 1:53 all season and who has three marks under 1:50 this year.
