Wildcats Host Ward Haylett Invitational in Last Stop Before Big 12s

MANHATTAN, Kan. – The Kansas State track and field team will host the Ward Haylett Invitational at R.V. Christian Track on Saturday, as the team makes its last stop before departing for the Big 12 Championship on May 11-13 in Waco, Texas.

The Ward Haylett Invitational features a showdown with in-state rival, Kansas, beginning at 11:00 a.m. CT on Saturday. Last year, the Wildcats racked up 13 first-place victories while claiming both the men's and women's team victory over the Jayhawks.

"For us we want to try to get some of our athletes a shot before conference," Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Cliff Rovelto said. "At this point in the season we are just looking to cross 'T's and dot 'I's before going into conference (championship)."

Just one week out from the Big 12 Championship, the Wildcats hold four marks that lead the Big 12, including 27 marks that are in the top-five of the conference. Of those marks, several current and post-collegiate Wildcats will be in action at this weekend's Ward Haylett Invitational.

Senior Morgan Wedekind currently holds the second-best time in the Big 12 in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase, an event that she is the reigning Big 12 Champion. Wedekind clocked a 10:08.36 two weeks ago at the Kansas Relays, where she went on to break the Kansas Relays Quadrangular meet record, while besting her personal record time of 10:15.62 set at the Big 12 Championship in 2017. Entering the weekend, Wedekind, Kayla Doll and Cara Melgares hold three of the top 10 steeplechase times in the Big 12.

Two-time Big 12 high point scorer, sophomore Nina Schultz will also be in action on Saturday, competing in several events. Schultz currently has the best heptathlon score in the NCAA this season, after scoring 6,018 points to win the Roadrunner Invitational in San Antonio, Texas on March 24.

The Wildcats are coming off impressive performances in Lubbock, Texas and Des Moines, Iowa from a week ago, including freshman Tejaswin Shankar's NCAA-leading jump of 2.29m/7-06 to win the men's high jump at the Texas Tech Corky/Crofoot Shootout. Shankar's jump earned his first career Big 12 Athlete of the Week honor, while setting a series of records in the process.

Along with the competition on the track and in the field, the Wildcats will recognize the outstanding accomplishments from this year's senior class, which includes 17 outgoing seniors, including Claudette Allen, Kayla Doll, Janee' Kassanavoid, A'Keyla Mitchell, Keiteyana Parks, Rhizlane Siba, Megan Vanderpool, Morgan Wedekind, Brett Bachman, Jeff Bachman, Miles Bearden, Mitch Dixon, Colton Donahue, Lukas Koch, Sam Oxandale, Terrell Smith and Bryan Zack. The senior recognition is set to begin at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Competition is set to kick off at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday with the men's 5,000 meters, followed by the Conrad Nightingale men's 3,000-meter steeplechase at 11:25 a.m. Field events will follow at 11:30 a.m. with the Kendra Wecker women's javelin. Admission to the Ward Haylett Invitational is free.

For more information on the meet, including a full schedule, click here. Live results will also be provided by Heartland Timing and can be found 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.

Wildcats Host Ward Haylett Invitational in Last Stop Before Big 12s

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Players Mentioned

Claudette Allen

Brett Bachman

Jeff Bachman

Miles Bearden

Mitch Dixon

Kayla Doll

Colton Donahue

Janee' Kassanavoid

Lukas Koch

Cara Melgares

A'Keyla Mitchell

Sam Oxandale

Keiteyana Parks

Nina Schultz

Tejaswin Shankar

Rhizlane Siba

Terrell Smith

Megan Vanderpool

Morgan Wedekind

Bryan Zack

Kansas State University Athletics