Kansas State University Athletics

4x100 Meter Relay | Taishia Pryce, Asha Cave, Ranae McKenzie, Akia Guerrier The Kansas State women’s 4x100 meter relay squad of Taishia Pryce, Asha Cave, Ranae McKenzie and Akia Guerrier enter the West Preliminary with the 8th fastest time in the West of 44.33, which placed them second at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship in Norman, Oklahoma on May 12. The time was also the third fastest 4x100 meter relay time in K-State outdoor history.
Asha Cave | 100 Meters, 200 Meters | St. Thomas, Barbados Qualifying in both the women’s 100 and 200 meters, senior Asha Cave enters the West Preliminary with the No. 39 mark in the 100 meters of 11.62 and the No. 41 mark in the 200 of 23.68. Both of Cave’s times came at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship including the No. 8 200 meter time in K-State history which placed her fifth overall.
Morgan Coffman | High Jump | Vassar, Kan. Senior Morgan Coffman enters the NCAA West Prelims with the No. 47 mark in the women’s high jump, clearing 1.73m/5-08 at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship, where she placed ninth. This year marks Coffman’s second appearance at the West Prelims.
Alex Ferguson | 800 Meters | Topeka, Kan. In just her freshman campaign as a Wildcat, Alex Ferguson registered the 31st fastest West regional time in the women’s 800 meters, where she ran a 2:06.67 at the National Relay Championships on April 26. Ferguson’s time also ranks in the eighth in the K-State 800 meter record books.
Clare Gibson | High Jump | Perth, Australia In just her sophomore season, Clare Gibson enters her second NCAA West Preliminary, ranking No. 12 in the West in the women’s high jump after clearing 1.80m/5-10.75 at the Big 12 Championship and Michael Johnson Invitational. Gibson went on to place as the runner-up in the event at the Big 12 Championship.
Antoni Hoyte-Small | 400 Meters | St. Michael, Barbados After a breakout indoor season, where he broke the K-State 600-yard record as just a freshman, Antoni Hoyte-Small enters his first NCAA Preliminary after running a 46.92 in the 400 meters at the Sun Angel Classic, which ranks 42nd in the West region.
Helene Ingvaldsen | Hammer Throw | Bergen, Norway Claiming the sixth K-State women’s hammer throw Big 12 title in the last seven years, junior Helene Ingvaldsen enters the NCAA West Preliminary with the No. 19 mark in the region, after throwing 61.80m/202-09. At last year’s West Prelims, Ingvaldsen advanced to the NCAA Championships, before finishing with First Team All-America honors.
Kassidy Johnson | 800 Meters | Wichita, Kan. Redshirt freshman Kassidy Johnson has had a breakout outdoor debut this season for the Wildcats, running the No. 9 time in the West Region in the women’s 800 meters. Johnson’s time of 2:04.45 came at the Sun Angel Classic on April 5, which ranks as the third-fastest 800 meter time in school history.
Taylor Latimer | Shot Put | Valley Center, Kan. After throwing the No. 2 mark in the women’s shot put in K-State history (17.74m/58-02.25) sophomore Taylor Latimer won her first-career Big 12 title and enters the NCAA West Preliminary with the No. 4 mark in the West Region. Latimer’s throw is just off the K-State school record of 17.75m/58-03 set by Dani Winters in 2016.
Shardia Lawrence | Triple Jump | St. Catherine, Jamaica Jumping the No. 2 triple jump mark (13.72m/45-00.25) in K-State outdoor history, senior Shardia Lawrence won her second-career Big 12 Outdoor title in the event and enters the NCAA West Preliminary with the No. 3 mark in the West. Lawrence makes her fourth appearance at the preliminary meet, advancing to the NCAA Championships in two of the last three seasons.
Ranae McKenzie | 400 Meter Hurdles, 4x100 Meter Relay | Manchester, Jamaica Entering the preliminary round with the No. 1 mark in all of the country, senior Ranae McKenzie looks to continue her momentum in the 400 meter hurdles in Sacramento. McKenzie is coming off her second-consecutive Big 12 title in the event, while clocking the fastest time in the NCAA of 56.11 at the Michael Johnson Invitational earlier this year.
Shanae McKenzie | High Jump | Manchester, Jamaica Senior Shanae McKenzie enters her second-career NCAA West Preliminary, after clearing 1.75m/5-08.75 in the high jump at the Sun Angel Classic on April 5 to rank 40th in the West Region. The clearance marks a season best for the senior, as she went on to place fifth at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship in the event.
Brett Neelly | Shot Put, Discus | Gallatin, Tenn. After setting the school record both indoors and outdoors in the men’s shot put, senior Brett Neelly enters the NCAA West Preliminary in two events, the men’s shot put and discus. Neelly holds the No. 5 mark in the West region in the men’s shot put, throwing 20.13m/66-00.50 at the Triton Invitational on April 12 to break the school record, while also throwing 57.36m/188-02 in the discus at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship to rank No. 12 in the West. Neelly placed as the runner-up in both events at the Big 12 Championship and holds the No. 1 and No. 5 marks in K-State history between the shot put and discus.
Ariel Okorie | 100 Meter Hurdles | Waynesville, Mo. Also qualifying for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the heptathlon, junior Ariel Okorie punched her ticket to the NCAA West Prelims in the women’s 100 meter hurdles by running a 13.55 at the Jim Click Combined Events on April 6. Okorie’s time ranks 37th in the West Region and sixth in K-State history.
Ashley Petr | Discus, Hammer Throw | Hastings, Neb. After winning Big 12 Athlete of the Week a week prior, junior Ashley Petr came through with another outstanding performance at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship, throwing a personal best 56.32m/184-09 to place as the runner-up in the event and rank as the No. 11 throw in the West region. Petr’s throw is also the third best in K-State history. Petr also qualifies for the West Prelims in the women’s hammer throw, with a top mark of 58.51m/191-11, which ranks 41st in the region.
Taishia Pryce | Long Jump | Kingston, Jamaica Holding the No. 1 mark in the West Region, junior Taishia Pryce looks to find her way to nationals after jumping 6.60m/21-08 (2.4) to win the Texas Relays. The reigning NAIA National Champion at Wiley College went on to win the Big 12 Outdoor title in the long jump in her first year with the Wildcats.
Tom Pyle | Long Jump | Overland Park, Kan. Qualifying for his first NCAA West Preliminary, senior Tom Pyle enters the men’s long jump with the No. 43 mark in the West Region of 7.46m/24-05.75 recorded at the Bobcat Invitational on March 28.
Konstantina Romaiou | Triple Jump | Corfu, Greece At the 2019 Texas Relays, junior Konstantina Romaiou leaped the 11th best jump in the West Region this year, reaching a slightly wind-aided 13.40m/43-11.75 (2.1). Romaiou went on to place second at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship in the event.
Tejaswin Shankar | High Jump | New Delhi, India Last year’s NCAA Champion in the men’s high jump, sophomore Tejaswin Shankar looks to place in the top-12 of the West Prelims in Sacramento, as he enters with the No. 3 jump in the West this season. Shankar cleared a season best 2.26m/7-05 at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship, where he went on to win his first Big 12 Outdoor title in the event and sweep both the indoor and outdoor Big 12 high jump crown.
Lavaun Stephenson | 400 Meter Hurdles | St. Catherine, Jamaica Freshman Lavaun Stephenson earned a trip to the NCAA West Preliminary in her first season with the Wildcats, running a 58.91 in the 400 meter hurdles, which ranks as the 24th fastest in the West region this year.
Gabby Tozer | Shot Put | Salina, Kan. Junior Gabby Tozer heads to Sacramento with the 20th best throw in the women’s shot put in the West Region, throwing 16.02m/52-06.75 at the Michael Johnson Invitational on April 20. Tozer’s mark also ranks No. 7 in K-State Outdoor history.
Jullane Walker | 100 Meters, 200 Meters | Kingston, Jamaica Doing the triple between the long jump, 100 and 200 meters, junior Jullane Walker enters with the 17th fastest 200 meter time (20.78) and the 28th fastest 100 meter time (10.35) in the West region. Both of Walker’s times were recorded at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship, where he placed as the runner-up in the 200 and fourth in the 100. Walker also ranks 40th in the men’s long jump with a mark of 7.50m/24-07.25 set at the National Relay Championships.
Shaelyn Ward | Hammer Throw | Sapulpa, Okla. One of three members of the K-State bomb squad competing at the West Preliminary, sophomore Shaelyn Ward enters with the 31st best mark in the West of 60.00m/196-10, which came at the Michael Johnson Invitational on April 19. Ward’s big throw also ranks eighth in K-State history.
Logan Wolfley | Javelin | Silver Lake, Kan. After reaching his first West Prelims a season ago, junior Logan Wolfley returns for the Wildcats in the javelin, holding the No. 37 mark in the West Region this season, after throwing 63.42m/208-01 at the TCU Invitational on March 16.

25 Wildcats Headed to Sacramento for NCAA West Preliminary

May 14, 2019 | Track & Field

By: 25 Wildcats Headed to Sacramento for NCAA West Preliminary

MANHATTAN, Kan. – 25 members of the Kansas State men's and women's track and field teams qualified for the NCAA West Preliminaries, the NCAA announced on Thursday, taking place at Hornet Stadium in Sacramento, California on May 23-25.

K-State is one of over 120 Division I programs competing at the West preliminary, with 25 individuals and 30 entries competing in their respective events. The West Preliminary, which serves as a qualifier for the NCAA Championships in Austin, Texas on June 5-8, takes the top-12 in their respective event to the Championship meet.

NCAA West Preliminary Schedule | Men's Entries | Women's Entries

The Wildcats are coming off a strong showing at the 2019 Big 12 Outdoor Championships, where the No. 14 K-State women scored the most points in program history and most as a runner-up in the history of the meet, while the No. 40 K-State men tallied 85 points to place fourth overall.

The 2019 NCAA West Preliminaries kick off at 2:00 p.m. CT on Thursday, May 23 with the start of field events. For more information on the NCAA West Preliminary, including a full schedule of events and more, click here.

Four Wildcats also punched their tickets to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Austin, Texas on June 5-8, including juniors Ariel Okorie and Lauren Taubert (heptathlon), senior Simone Fassina (decathlon) and junior Aaron Booth (decathlon).

 
Gallery: (5/14/2019) NCAA West Preliminary Qualifiers
  • The Kansas State women's 4x100 meter relay squad of Taishia Pryce, Asha Cave, Ranae McKenzie and Akia Guerrier enter the West Preliminary with the 8th fastest time in the West of 44.33, which placed them second at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship in Norman, Oklahoma on May 12. The time was also the third fastest 4x100 meter relay time in K-State outdoor history.
  • Qualifying in both the women's 100 and 200 meters, senior Asha Cave enters the West Preliminary with the No. 39 mark in the 100 meters of 11.62 and the No. 41 mark in the 200 of 23.68. Both of Cave's times came at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship including the No. 8 200 meter time in K-State history which placed her fifth overall.
  • Senior Morgan Coffman enters the NCAA West Prelims with the No. 47 mark in the women's high jump, clearing 1.73m/5-08 at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship, where she placed ninth. This year marks Coffman's second appearance at the West Prelims.
  • Qualifying for his first NCAA Preliminary, junior Justin Davis recorded the 39th fastest time in the West Region this year, clocking a 46.86 at the Michael Johnson Invitational. Davis went on to place seventh at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship in the event.
  • In just her freshman campaign as a Wildcat, Alex Ferguson registered the 31st fastest West regional time in the women's 800 meters, where she ran a 2:06.67 at the National Relay Championships on April 26. Ferguson's time also ranks in the eighth in the K-State 800 meter record books.
  • In just her sophomore season, Clare Gibson enters her second NCAA West Preliminary, ranking No. 12 in the West in the women's high jump after clearing 1.80m/5-10.75 at the Big 12 Championship and Michael Johnson Invitational. Gibson went on to place as the runner-up in the event at the Big 12 Championship.
  • After a breakout indoor season, where he broke the K-State 600-yard record as just a freshman, Antoni Hoyte-Small enters his first NCAA Preliminary after running a 46.92 in the 400 meters at the Sun Angel Classic, which ranks 42nd in the West region.
  • Claiming the sixth K-State women's hammer throw Big 12 title in the last seven years, junior Helene Ingvaldsen enters the NCAA West Preliminary with the No. 19 mark in the region, after throwing 61.80m/202-09. At last year's West Prelims, Ingvaldsen advanced to the NCAA Championships, before finishing with First Team All-America honors.
  • Redshirt freshman Kassidy Johnson has had a breakout outdoor debut this season for the Wildcats, running the No. 9 time in the West Region in the women's 800 meters. Johnson's time of 2:04.45 came at the Sun Angel Classic on April 5, which ranks as the third-fastest 800 meter time in school history.
  • After throwing the No. 2 mark in the women's shot put in K-State history (17.74m/58-02.25) sophomore Taylor Latimer won her first-career Big 12 title and enters the NCAA West Preliminary with the No. 4 mark in the West Region. Latimer's throw is just off the K-State school record of 17.75m/58-03 set by Dani Winters in 2016.
  • Jumping the No. 2 triple jump mark (13.72m/45-00.25) in K-State outdoor history, senior Shardia Lawrence won her second-career Big 12 Outdoor title in the event and enters the NCAA West Preliminary with the No. 3 mark in the West. Lawrence makes her fourth appearance at the preliminary meet, advancing to the NCAA Championships in two of the last three seasons.
  • Entering the preliminary round with the No. 1 mark in all of the country, senior Ranae McKenzie looks to continue her momentum in the 400 meter hurdles in Sacramento. McKenzie is coming off her second-consecutive Big 12 title in the event, while clocking the fastest time in the NCAA of 56.11 at the Michael Johnson Invitational earlier this year.
  • Senior Shanae McKenzie enters her second-career NCAA West Preliminary, after clearing 1.75m/5-08.75 in the high jump at the Sun Angel Classic on April 5 to rank 40th in the West Region. The clearance marks a season best for the senior, as she went on to place fifth at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship in the event.
  • After setting the school record both indoors and outdoors in the men's shot put, senior Brett Neelly enters the NCAA West Preliminary in two events, the men's shot put and discus. Neelly holds the No. 5 mark in the West region in the men's shot put, throwing 20.13m/66-00.50 at the Triton Invitational on April 12 to break the school record, while also throwing 57.36m/188-02 in the discus at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship to rank No. 12 in the West. Neelly placed as the runner-up in both events at the Big 12 Championship and holds the No. 1 and No. 5 marks in K-State history between the shot put and discus.
  • Also qualifying for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the heptathlon, junior Ariel Okorie punched her ticket to the NCAA West Prelims in the women's 100 meter hurdles by running a 13.55 at the Jim Click Combined Events on April 6. Okorie's time ranks 37th in the West Region and sixth in K-State history.
  • After winning Big 12 Athlete of the Week a week prior, junior Ashley Petr came through with another outstanding performance at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship, throwing a personal best 56.32m/184-09 to place as the runner-up in the event and rank as the No. 11 throw in the West region. Petr's throw is also the third best in K-State history. Petr also qualifies for the West Prelims in the women's hammer throw, with a top mark of 58.51m/191-11, which ranks 41st in the region.
  • Holding the No. 1 mark in the West Region, junior Taishia Pryce looks to find her way to nationals after jumping 6.60m/21-08 (2.4) to win the Texas Relays. The reigning NAIA National Champion at Wiley College went on to win the Big 12 Outdoor title in the long jump in her first year with the Wildcats. Tom Pyle – Qualifying for his first NCAA West Preliminary, senior Tom Pyle enters the men's long jump with the No. 43 mark in the West Region of 7.46m/24-05.75 recorded at the Bobcat Invitational on March 28.
  • At the 2019 Texas Relays, junior Konstantina Romaiou leaped the 11th best jump in the West Region this year, reaching a slightly wind-aided 13.40m/43-11.75 (2.1). Romaiou went on to place second at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship in the event.
  • Last year's NCAA Champion in the men's high jump, sophomore Tejaswin Shankar looks to place in the top-12 of the West Prelims in Sacramento, as he enters with the No. 3 jump in the West this season. Shankar cleared a season best 2.26m/7-05 at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship, where he went on to win his first Big 12 Outdoor title in the event and sweep both the indoor and outdoor Big 12 high jump crown.
  • Freshman Lavaun Stephenson earned a trip to the NCAA West Preliminary in her first season with the Wildcats, running a 58.91 in the 400 meter hurdles, which ranks as the 24th fastest in the West region this year.
  • Junior Gabby Tozer heads to Sacramento with the 20th best throw in the women's shot put in the West Region, throwing 16.02m/52-06.75 at the Michael Johnson Invitational on April 20. Tozer's mark also ranks No. 7 in K-State Outdoor history.
  • Doing the triple between the long jump, 100 and 200 meters, junior Jullane Walker enters with the 17th fastest 200 meter time (20.78) and the 28th fastest 100 meter time (10.35) in the West region. Both of Walker's times were recorded at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship, where he placed as the runner-up in the 200 and fourth in the 100. Walker also ranks 40th in the men's long jump with a mark of 7.50m/24-07.25 set at the National Relay Championships.
  • One of three members of the K-State bomb squad competing at the West Preliminary, sophomore Shaelyn Ward enters with the 31st best mark in the West of 60.00m/196-10, which came at the Michael Johnson Invitational on April 19. Ward's big throw also ranks eighth in K-State history.
  • After reaching his first West Prelims a season ago, junior Logan Wolfley returns for the Wildcats in the javelin, holding the No. 37 mark in the West Region this season, after throwing 63.42m/208-01 at the TCU Invitational on March 16.

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

Aaron Booth

/ Track & Field

Asha Cave

/ Track & Field

Morgan Coffman

/ Track & Field

Justin Davis

/ Track & Field

Simone Fassina

/ Track & Field

Alex Ferguson

/ Track & Field

Clare Gibson

/ Track & Field

Akia Guerrier

/ Track & Field

Antoni Hoyte-Small

/ Track & Field

Helene Ingvaldsen

/ Track & Field

Kassidy Johnson

/ Track & Field

Taylor Latimer

/ Track & Field

Shardia Lawrence

/ Track & Field

Ranae McKenzie

/ Track & Field

Shanae McKenzie

/ Track & Field

Brett Neelly

/ Track & Field

Ariel Okorie

/ Track & Field

Ashley Petr

/ Track & Field

Taishia Pryce

/ Track & Field

Tom Pyle

/ Track & Field

Konstantina Romaiou

/ Track & Field

Tejaswin Shankar

/ Track & Field

Lavaun Stephenson

/ Track & Field

Lauren Taubert

/ Track & Field

Gabby Tozer

/ Track & Field

Jullane Walker

/ Track & Field

Shaelyn Ward

/ Track & Field

Logan Wolfley

/ Track & Field

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