Wildcats to Represent at NCAA Outdoor Championships in Austin
Jun 04, 2019 | Track & Field
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State track and field will have 15 individuals and 13 entries in action at the NCAA Outdoor Championships at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas from June 5-8, as the Wildcats look to close out a standout season with more accolades.
The four-day NCAA Championship meet will begin on Wednesday with the men's competition, before the women compete on Thursday. Friday and Saturday serves as the finals for the men and women, respectively, while the decathletes compete on Wednesday and Thursday and the heptathletes compete on Friday and Saturday. For a full schedule of events, click here.
K-State is the only team at the Championships to send multiple individuals in both the men's decathlon and women's heptathlon, as the Wildcats are represented by senior Simone Fassina and junior Aaron Booth on the men's side and juniors Ariel Okorie and Lauren Taubert in the women's competition. The Wildcats also hold the second-longest active streak of sending a heptathlete to the Championships at four years, dating back to 2015.
Of the 15 individuals competing for K-State, two make their fourth-career appearance at the NCAA Outdoor Championship meet, including seniors Brett Neelly and Ranae McKenzie. Neelly qualifies for his fourth NCAA Championships in the men's discus, with his three previous appearances coming in the shot put, while McKenzie earns her fourth bid in the 400-meter hurdles, where she enters with the top seed in the country.
Sights set #KStateTF x #NCAATF pic.twitter.com/UPDouWWOq9
— K-State Track (@KStateTFXC) June 3, 2019
Sophomore Tejaswin Shankar is the only returning National Champion for K-State after winning the men's high jump title a season ago with a jump of 2.24m/7-04.25. Shankar enters with a top jump of 2.26m/7-05, which won him the Big 12 Outdoor high jump title on May 12.
K-State will be heavily involved in the field events throughout the week, with four entries in the combined events and four entries in the throws. The Wildcats will have two events on the track throughout the week, including the women's 400-meter hurdles (McKenzie) and the women's 4x100 meter relay (Taishia Pryce, Asha Cave, Lavaun Stephenson, McKenzie).
The No. 19 ranked K-State women will look to continue a streak of placing in the top-20 for the sixth-consecutive year, while the No. 40 K-State men look to crown their third NCAA individual champion in as many years.
The K-State coaching staff has also earned recognition this season, with Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Cliff Rovelto being named Big 12 Women's Outdoor Coach of the Year for the fifth time in his career, most among active coaches. Rovelo followed the award up by being named the USTFCCCA Midwest Region Women's Coach of the Year, while Assistant Coach Nathan Ott garnered USTFCCCA Midwest Region Women's Assistant Coach of the Year.
The 2019 NCAA Outdoor Championships will stream live on ESPN, with all field events being broadcast live on ESPN3. For a full schedule of NCAA Championship broadcasts, click here. Live results are available here.
K-State NCAA Championships Qualifiers
Wednesday, June 5
Men's Decathlon – Aaron Booth
Men's Decathlon – Simone Fassina
Men's Long Jump – Jullane Walker
Thursday, June 6
Men's Decathlon – Aaron Booth
Men's Decathlon – Simone Fassina
Women's Hammer Throw – Helene Ingvaldsen
Women's 4x100 Meter Relay Semifinal (Taishia Pryce, Asha Cave, Ranae McKenzie, Lavaun Stephenson)
Women's 400-Meter Hurdles Semifinal – Ranae McKenzie
Women's Shot Put – Taylor Latimer
Friday, June 7
Women's Heptathlon – Lauren Taubert
Women's Heptathlon – Ariel Okorie
Men's High Jump – Tejaswin Shankar
Men's Discus – Brett Neelly
Saturday, June 8
Women's Heptathlon – Lauren Taubert
Women's Heptathlon – Ariel Okorie
Women's Discus – Ashley Petr
Women's 4x100 Meter Relay Final*
Women's Triple Jump – Shardia Lawrence
Women's 400-Meter Hurdles Final – Ranae McKenzie*
*Must Qualify
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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