Njadoe Shines as Wildcats Take Second at the KSU-KU-WSU Triangular

WICHITA, Kan. – Freshman Wurrie Njadoe high-point scorer of the meet effort highlighted a well-rounded performance as the Kansas State track and field team finished in second place at the KSU-KU-WSU Triangular on Thursday at the Heskett Center in Wichita.

Njadoe accounted for 22.25 of the Wildcats 231 total team points, 11 points behind the Triangular champion Kansas Jayhawks, who took home the title at the event for the second-straight season.

“Individually, I thought we had some really strong performances because the bottom line is we have to have those looking toward conference and nationals,” Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Cliff Rovelto said. “What we were really looking for was who is going to compete. I think the overwhelming majority of the kids that we are going to depend on did what they needed to do and the others need to find it within themselves to compete.”

The Wildcats got off to a quick start in the meet, as senior Janee' Kassanavoid and freshman Helene Ingvaldsen took the top two spots in the women’s weight throw. Kassanavoid won the event with a mark of 20.78m/68-02.25, while Ingvaldsen’s throw of 19.08m/62-07.25 set a new personal best and moved her into a tie for eighth place with Dani Winters on the school’s all-time list.

K-State’s men saw equal success in the weight throw, claiming the top three spots in the event. Senior Brady Grunder took first place with a personal best throw of 20.92m/68-07.50, while junior Mitchell Dixon also scored for the Wildcats in the event, taking second place with a mark of 18.93m/62-01.25. Senior Kyle Smith claimed third place, setting a new personal best with a throw of 18.83m/61-09.25.

The throws group continued to dominate as both men’s shot putters finished the meet at the top of the leaderboard. Sophomore Brett Neelly fell five centimeters short of tying his personal best with a mark of 18.02m/59-01.50 to claim first, while fellow sophomore Jayce Brack recorded a new personal best in the event after a throw of 16.97m/55-08.25.

Njadoe’s career-best leap of 5.97m/19-07 in the women’s long jump fell just a centimeter short of cracking the school’s top-10 list but was good enough to win first place in the event. Junior Claudette Allen tied her personal best in a second-place effort with a leap of 5.94m/19-06.

In men’s long jump, freshman Angelo Gordon recorded a huge personal best leap, posting a mark of 7.09m/23-03.25 to claim fourth place in the event. Junior Max Estill posted a personal best mark of 6.74m/22-01.50 to score for the Wildcats.

Gordon used another huge personal best of 14.84m/48-08.25 in triple jump to claim second in the event. K-State’s women took first and second in the triple jump, led by Shardia Lawrence's 12.63m/41-05.25. Freshman Konstantina Romaiou took second in the event with a jump of 12.41m/40-08.75.

The Wildcat women also swept the high jump as Kim Williamson took first with a jump of 1.86m/6-01.25 and Rhizlane Siba took second after a jump of 1.75m/5-08.75. On the men’s side, junior Christoff Bryan stole the show, winning the men’s high jump with a mark of 2.21m/7-03.

K-State’s pole vaulters had a strong day as senior Zack Supple tied for third place with a season-best jump 4.90m/16-00.75, while junior Megan Vanderpool recorded a mark of 3.42m/11-02.50 in the women’s pole vault to finish in fourth place.

On the track, sophomore Ranae McKenzie had a dominant race in the 400 meter dash, coming from behind to win the race with a personal best time of 56.22. The Wildcats also dominated the 60 meter dash as Njadoe used a personal best time of 7.41 to win the event, tying her for second on the school's all-time list in the event, while Terrell Smith also won his race with a time of 6.82.

Njadoe completed her hat trick by winning the women’s 200 meter dash with a personal best time of 24.42, the 10th-fastest time on the school’s all-time list in the event. Smith won his second event of the day, taking first place in the 200 meter dash after outrunning the field with a time of 21.50.

Senior Morgan Wedekind and freshman Erin Lee took third place and fourth place in the women’s mile with times of 4:54.69 and 4:55.87, respectively. Junior Lukas Koch won the men’s mile, posting a season best time of 4:12.71, while freshman Noah Stevenson finished in sixth place with a time of 4:21.75. Lee’s and Stevenson’s marks were both personal bests.

Lee and fellow freshman Travis Hodge each set personal bests in the 800 meter run with times of 2:15.36 and 1:53.90, respectively. Sophomore Rene Perla also recorded a personal best, running a 1:14.82 in the 600 yard run to finish in second place.

Probably the best race of the day was the men’s 1000 meter run, as sophomore Kurt Loevenstein, who ran a 2:28.01 barely edged out teammate Kain Ellis, who finished second in the race with a time of 2:28.02. Wedekind also recorded a new personal best in the 1000 meter run, taking second place with a time of 2:55.90, two seconds ahead of third-placed finisher Marija Stambolic, who finished in 2:57.23.

K-State returns home next weekend as the Wildcats host the DeLoss Dodds Invitational on January 20-21 in Ahearn Field House. Combined events on Friday begin at 10 a.m., CT, while action on Saturday begins at 9 a.m., CT. Admission to the meet is free.

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

KSU-KU-WSU Triangular

Heskett Center

Wichita, Kan.

Final Team Scores

1. Kansas – 242 pts.

2. K-State – 231 pts.

3. Wichita State – 217 pts.

Men’s 60 Meter Dash

1. Terrell Smith – 6.82 (7 pts.)

5. Nick Albus – 6.99 (2 pts.)

Women’s 60 Meter Dash

1. Wurrie Njadoe – 7.41 (PR)(7 pts.)

8. Akia Guerrier – 7.71 (1 pts.)

Men’s 200 Meter Dash

1. Terrell Smith – 21.50 (7 pts.)

5. Nick Albus – 22.21 (2 pts.)

Women’s 200 Meter Dash

1. Wurrie Njadoe – 24.42 (PR)(7 pts.)

6. Akia Guerrier – 25.81 (1 pts.)

Men’s 400 Meter Dash

4. Justin Davis – 50.90 (3 pts.)

6. Devie Freeman II – 55.62 (1 pts.)

Women’s 400 Meter Dash

1. Ranae McKenzie – 56.22 (PR)(7 pts.)

5. Keiteyana Parks – 58.45 (2 pts.)

Men’s 600 Yard Run

4. Rene Perla – 1:14.82 (PR)(3 pts.)

7. Kaneil Harrison – 1:15.48 (1 pts.)

Women’s 600 Yard Run

6. Morgan Coffman – 1:28.06 (2 pts.)

7. Lauren Taubert – 1:31.34 (1 pts.)

Men’s 800 Meter Run

2. Travis Hodge – 1:53.90 (PR)(5 pts.)

7. Nicholas Skinner – 2:00.63 (PR)(1 pts.)

Women’s 800 Meter Run

3. Erin Lee – 2:15.36 (PR)(4 pts.)

6. Katie Condon – 2:25.62 (PR)(1 pts.)

Men’s 1000 Meter Run

1. Kurt Loevenstein – 2:28.01 (7 pts.)

2. Kain Ellis – 2:28.02 (5 pts.)

Women’s 1000 Meter Run

2. Morgan Wedekind – 2:55.90 (PR)(5 pts.)

3. Marija Stambolic – 2:57.23 (4 pts.)

Men’s Mile Run

1. Lukas Koch – 4:12.71 (7 pts.)

6. Noah Stevenson – 4:21.75 (1 pts.)

Women’s Mile Run

3. Morgan Wedekind – 4:54.69 (4 pts.)

4. Erin Lee – 4:55.87 (PR)(3 pts.)

Men’s 3000 Meter Run

2. Brett Bachman – 8:30.32

6. Jeff Bachman – 8:39.38

Women’s 3000 Meter Run

5. Kayla Doll – 10:16.33 (2 pts.)

6. Emma Wren – 10:53.39 (1 pts.)

Men’s 60 Meter Hurdles

7. Max Estill – 8.70 (PR)(2 pts.)

8. Simone Fassina – 8.75 (1 pts.)

Women’s 60 Meter Hurdles

3. Nina Schultz – 8.50 (PR)(4 pts.)

4. Claudette Allen – 8.67(PR)(3 pts.)

6. Ariel Okorie – 8.72

Men’s 4x400 Meter Relay

3. Gordon-Davis-Perla-Koch – 3:24.26

Women’s 4x400 Meter Relay

2. Njadoe-R. McKenzie-S. McKenzie-Schultz – 3:50.19

Men’s High Jump

1. Christoff Bryan – 2.21m/7-03

T2. Miles Bearden – 2.06m/6-09

Women’s High Jump

1. Kim Williamson – 1.86m/6-01.25 (7 pts.)

2. Rhizlane Siba – 1.75m/5-08.75 (5 pts.)

Men’s Pole Vault

T3. Zack Supple – 4.90m/16-00.75 (4 pts.)

Women’s Pole Vault

4. Megan Vanderpool – 3.42m/11-02.50 (3 pts.)

Men’s Long Jump

4. Angelo Gordon – 7.09m/23-03.25 (PR)(3 pts.)

8. Estill – 6.74m/22-01.50 (PR)(1 pts.)

9. Shelton – 6.46m/21-02.50

Women’s Long Jump

1. Wurrie Njadoe - 5.97m/19-07 (PR)(7 pts.)

2. Claudette Allen - 5.94m/19-06 (5 pts.)

9. Ariel Okorie - 5.16m/16-11.25

Men’s Triple Jump

2. Angelo Gordon – 14.84m/48-08.25 (PR)(5 pts.)

6. NaQuan Shelton – 12.29m/40-04 (1 pts.)

Women’s Triple Jump

1. Shardia Lawrence - 12.63m/41-05.25 (7 pts.)

2. Romaiou - 12.41m/40-08.75 (PR)(5 pts.)

Men’s Shot Put

1. Brett Neelly – 18.02m/59-01.75 (7 pts.)

2. Jayce Brack – 16.97m/55-08.50 (5 pts.)

Women’s Shot Put

6. Schultz - 11.29m/37-00.75 (2 pts.)

7. Coffman - 10.58m/34-08.34 (PR)(1 pts.)

8. Taubert - 10.00m/32-10

Men’s Weight Throw

1. Brady Grunder - 20.92m/68-07.50 (PR)(7 pts.)

2. Mitch Dixon - 18.93m/62-01.25 (5 pts.)

3. Kyle Smith - 18.83m/61-09.25 (PR)

Women’s Weight Throw

1. Janee’ Kassanavoid – 20.78m/68-02.25 (7 pts.)

2. Helene Ingvaldsen – 19.08m/62-07.25 (PR)(5 pts.)

Kansas State University Athletics

Njadoe Shines as Wildcats Take Second at the KSU-KU-WSU Triangular

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