Kansas State University Athletics
Kassanavoid Tosses School Record in Final Meet Before Big 12s
Feb 18, 2017 | Track & Field
STEVE MILLER OPEN
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Janee' Kassanavoid cemented herself into Kansas State track and field history on Friday, shattering the nine-year-old school record and meet record in the women's weight throw by an impressive 40 centimeters at the Steve Miller Open.
Kassanavoid's record-setting weight throw mark of 21.81m/71-06.75 earned her one of K-State's 17 first-place finishes at Friday's meet, matching the most victories earned by the Wildcats in a single meet this season, the first coming on December 10, 2016, when the team also saw 17 first-place results at the K-State Winter Invitational.
"I thought we had a lot of really, really good performances today," Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Cliff Rovelto said. "Obviously Janee' had the school record and a personal best in weight throw, so that was huge. But there were plenty of other really good performances as well. I saw a lot of things that are encouraging for next week."
The senior weight thrower's toss came at an opportune time, as she was looking to make her mark as an NCAA title contender in the event with just one meet remaining before the NCAA Championship in College Station, Texas. The Lawson, Missouri, native's throw not only shattered the Loren Grove's school record (21.41m/70-03) and meet record (21.10m/69-02.75), but moved her to the fourth in Division I this season.
"Janee' has been throwing really well," Rovelto added about his record-setting weight thrower. "Coach [Greg] Watson has said she has had throws over that distance in practice. He knew it was coming. She has just done a great job and has made a lot of progress."
Senior Brady Grunder, sitting on the cusp of an NCAA berth, recorded a personal-best toss of 21.27m/69-09.50 on his last attempt in the series, which is currently good for sole possession of 15th position in Division I this season. Junior Mitchell Dixon finished in second in the event with a throw of 20.10m/65-11.50, good for third place on the school's all-time list, while senior Kyle Smith, competing in his final meet in Ahearn Field House, took third place with a mark of 19.61m/64-04, moving him to eighth place on the school's all-time list.
Fellow thrower Brett Neelly closed out the night with bang, recording a personal-best throw of 18.58m/60-11.50 in shot put to win the event and move to a tie for fifth place on the school's all-time list with Andrew Gilliam.
The Wildcats' jumpers were also dominant on the lone day of competition at the Steve Miller Open, recording an impressive five first-place finishes out of a possible eight total jump events. The Wildcats' women's long jumpers opened the competition in style, as junior Claudette Allen and senior Zanri Van der Merwe took the top two spots with personal-best leaps of 6.21m/20-04.50 and 5.94m/19-06, respectively. Allen's leap is now tied for the fourth-farthest mark in the long jump in program history.
In the high jump, junior Miles Bearden matched his season-best mark, winning the event with a final clearance of 2.10m/6-10.75, while fellow junior Rhizlane Siba won the women's competition after clearing 1.75m/5-08.75. Senior Zack Supple matched his personal best in pole vault, winning after a clearance of 5.05m/16-06.75.
On the track, the Wildcat sprinters had a productive outing, winning both the men's and women's 200-meter dash. Junior Terrell Smith, currently in position for a berth at the NCAA Championship in the event with the 13th-fastest time in Division I, won the race with a time of 21.21, while newcomer Akia Guerrier took home the women's title in the 200-meter dash with a personal-best run of 24.71. Junior A'Keyla Mitchell also posted an impressive time in her 2017 debut, running 25.12 to claim second place in the event.
The Wildcats' 400-meter dash runners also continued to improve, claiming the top-three spots in the competition, paced by junior Kaneil Harrison, who won the race with a time of 49.47, narrowly missing his personal best time. Sophomore Devie Freeman II finished just behind Harrison, crossing the finish line in 49.71.
K-State's most dominant performance in the distance events came in the men's mile, as the Wildcats claimed the top-six spots in the race, behind a time of 4:17.57 from event-champion Sam Oxandale. Of the six racers for the Wildcats that ran in the event, four recorded new personal bests.
Seniors Kain Ellis and Morgan Wedekind led the way for the Wildcats in the men's and women's 1000-meter run, recording times of 2:27.49 and 2:56.69, respectively, to both finish in first place. Junior Bryan Zack also finished in first place in his event, running a time of 8:48.34 in the 3000-meter run.
"I think our mindset heading into the conference meet is pretty good," Rovelto said. "I think we have a fighting chance score around 100 points and if we do that, it should give a fighting chance to get into the top-three. On the men's side, the guys are coming around. I think we can battle to be around fourth place. I think that would be a nice finish for us."
K-State will look to carry the momentum from Friday's performance into the Big 12 Championship, which will be held in Ames, Iowa, at the Lied Recreation Center on February 24-25. More information on the conference championship can be found on the Big 12 website by clicking here.
For the latest on K-State track and field follow @kstatesports and @KStateTFXC on Twitter or Kansas State Track & Field/Cross Country on Facebook.
Steve Miller Open
Ahearn Field House
Manhattan, Kan.
Men's 200 Meter Dash
1. Terrell Smith – 21.21
Women's 200 Meter Dash
1. Akia Guerrier – 24.71 (PR)
2. A'Keyla Mitchell – 25.12
Men's 400 Meter Dash
1. Kaneil Harrison – 49.47
2. Devie Freeman II – 49.71
3. Justin Davis – 50.19
Women's 600 Yard Run
4. Marija Stambolic – 1:26.03
Men's 800 Meter Run
6. Rene Perla – 2:05.69
Men's 1000 Meter Run
1. Kain Ellis – 2:27.49
2. Travis Hodge – 2:30.14
3. Noah Stevenson – 2:30.68
6. Chris Sandquist – 2:32.31
Women's 1000 Meter Run
1. Morgan Wedekind – 2:56.69
Men's Mile Run
1. Sam Oxandale – 4:17.57
2. Brett Bachman – 4:18.47 (PR)
3. Jeff Bachman – 4:18.81 (PR)
4. Nicholas Skinner – 4:20.69
5. Keegan Donahue – 4:25.70 (PR)
6. Joe Gorthy – 4:25.18 (PR)
Women's Mile Run
2. Emma Wren – 5:02.11
3. Kayla Doll – 5:02.58
Men's 3000 Meter Run
1. Bryan Zack – 8:48.34
Men's 60 Meter Hurdles
3. Simone Fassina – 8.53
8. Max Estill – 8.78
Women's 60 Meter Hurdles
1. Ariel Okorie – 8.50
2. Lauren Taubert – 8.77
10. Morgan Coffman – 9.45 (PR)
Men's 4x400 Meter Relay
- Shelton-Pyle-Freeman II-Davis – DNF
Women's 4x400 Meter Relay
1. Taubert-R. McKenzie-Mitchell-Schultz – 3:49.13
2. Parks-Coffman-Guerrier-Okorie – 3:56.21
Men's High Jump
1. Miles Bearden – 2.10m/6-10.75
Women's High Jump
1. Rhizlane Siba – 1.75m/5-08.75
4. Ariel Okorie – 1.60m/5-03
Men's Pole Vault
1. Zack Supple – 5.05m/16-06.75
6. Simone Fassina – 4.30m/14-01.25
Women's Pole Vault
T8. Megan Vanderpool – 3.15m/10-04
Men's Long Jump
3. Tom Pyle – 6.69m/21-11.50
4. NaQuon Shelton – 6.58m/21-06.25 (PR)
Women's Long Jump
1. Claudette Allen – 6.21m/20-04.50 (PR)
2. Zanri Van der Merwe – 5.94m/19-06 (PR)
Men's Triple Jump
1. NaQuon Shelton – 14.17m/46-06
Men's Shot Put
1. Brett Neelly – 18.58m/60-11.50 (PR)
3. Jayce Brack – 16.18m/53-01.
13. Simone Fassina – 13.03m/42-09
Women's Shot Put
11. Nina Schultz – 11.25m/36-11
13. Morgan Coffman – 11.00m/36-01.50
Men's Weight Throw
1. Brady Grunder – 21.27m/69-09.50 (PR)
2. Mitch Dixon – 20.10m/65-11.50
3. Kyle Smith – 19.61m/64-04 (PR)
Women's Weight Throw
1. Janee' Kanssanavoid – 21.81m/71-06.75 (School Record, PR)
2. Helene Ingvaldsen – 19.41m/63-08.25
@font-face { font-family: 'ElegantIcons'; src:url('http://www.ahearnfund.com/images/tickets/ElegantIcons.eot'); src:url('http://www.ahearnfund.com/images/tickets/ElegantIcons.eot?#iefix') format('embedded-opentype'), url('http://www.ahearnfund.com/images/tickets/ElegantIcons.woff') format('woff'), url('http://www.ahearnfund.com/images/tickets/ElegantIcons.ttf') format('truetype'), url('http://www.ahearnfund.com/images/tickets/ElegantIcons.svg#ElegantIcons') format('svg'); font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; } .icon_ribbon, .icon_datareport_alt, .icon_comment, .icon_document .icon_document_alt, .icon_map, .icon_volume-high, .icon_mic, .icon_cloud, .icon_mobile, .social_twitter, .social_youtube { font-family: 'ElegantIcons'; speak: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-variant: normal; text-transform: none; line-height: 1; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; }
Players Mentioned
