Track Prepared for Competitive Field in First Trip to Texas Invitational

TEXAS INVITATIONAL

MANHATTAN, Kan. – The Kansas State track and field team continues its three-meet swing in the Southwest after two successful meets in Arizona as the team travels to Austin, Texas, to compete in the Texas Invitational on Friday and Saturday.

The meet marks the first trip that the Wildcats have made the trip to Austin since the 2014 Texas Relays and it is the first time that the program has competed in the Texas Invitational.

“We have never been to this meet, but recently it has been a very good competition,” Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Cliff Rovelto said about this weekend’s meet. “We have a few athletes opening up competition this weekend. We also have some that will be running open events after having only run relays this season.”

During the team’s last trip to Austin, the Wildcats recorded one first-place finish and two top-five finishes between its throws and jumps groups. The lone victory came from former Wildcat Sara Savatovic, who used a toss of 65.19m/213-09 on her second attempt to claim the top spot in the event.

The Wildcats are coming off a competitive weekend in Arizona, which saw members of the team compete at the Jim Click Combined Events (Tucson) and the Sun Angel Classic (Tempe).

Newcomer Nina Schultz highlighted the weekend in the desert, winning the heptathlon at the Jim Click Combined Events with a score of 6,021 points. The point total is the fourth-best in program history, the third best in Division I this season and is currently the fourth best in the world. Her efforts earned her Big 12 Athlete of the Week honors.

In Tempe, Kain Ellis led the charge for the Wildcats, recording the team’s lone victory on Saturday after winning the 800-meter run at the Sun Angel Classic. Ellis, who won the race with a time of 1:49.73, also won the 800-meter run at the event in 2015 with a then personal-best time of 1:50.05.

Friday’s action is set to begin at 2:00 p.m. with the men’s hammer throw, while competition on Saturday begins at 10:00 a.m. with the men’s discus throw.

Live results for the meet will be provided by PT Timing and can be located here. More information on the meet, including a full schedule, can be found on the Texas track and field website 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