Wildcats Hit the Road for Iowa State Classic, Tyson Invitational

IOWA STATE CLASSIC / TYSON INVITATIONAL

MANHATTAN, Kan. – The Kansas State track and field team continues its three-week road swing as the No. 13-ranked women’s team and the No. 33-ranked men’s team will send athletes to both the Iowa State Classic in Ames, Iowa, and the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on Friday and Saturday.

Action in Iowa kicks off on Friday at 11 a.m, with men’s long jump, while the Wildcats get underway in Arkansas at 2:30 p.m. Saturday’s competition begins at noon in Ames, with competition resuming in Fayetteville at 3:00 p.m.

“This weekend typically serves as a pretty good window as to how we match up at the conference as well national level,” Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Cliff Rovelto said. “Pretty much everyone will have competed by this weekend. Both meets are high quality affairs and great tests.”

Both meets have been a mainstay on the Wildcats’ indoor competition schedule, as the team routinely sends a large contingent to at least one of the meets every year.

Last season was no exception, as K-State sent a big group to Fayetteville for the Tyson Invitational. The meet was highlighted by then sophomore Terrell Smith, who broke the school record in the 200-meter dash with a time of 20.93. Morgan Wedekind was one of two athletes who competed at the Iowa State Classic last season, recording what was then a personal best in the 3000-meter run with a time of 9:43.20.

Over the course of the weekend, the team posted three first-place finishes and saw ten athletes, including Smith and Wedekind, record new personal bests in their respective events.

K-State saw dominant marks during last week’s meet, the Sevigne Husker Invitational, as freshman Nina Schultz put on a show on day one in the pentathlon, winning the event with a score of 4,271 points. The third-best score in program history earned her Big 12 Athlete of the Week honors. Also in Lincoln, senior Brady Grunder continued his dominance in weight throw, recording his sixth-straight win with a mark of 21.06m/69-01.25.

Day two of the Husker Invitational also produced strong marks, highlighted by junior Lukas Koch, who became the first Wildcat since 2006 to break into the school’s all-time list in the mile run with a winning time of 4:05.95, and sophomore Ranae McKenzie, who posted the second-fastest time on the school’s all-time list in the 200-meter dash after crossing the finish line in 23.87.

More information on the Iowa State Classic, including a full schedule, heat sheets and live results, can be found on Iowa State’s track and field homepage by clicking here. The meet will be broadcast by FloTrack, viewable by clicking here. Information on the Tyson Invitational can be found on Arkansas’ track and field website by clicking here. Fans can watch the action on the SEC Network+, which is located 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.

Schedule