13 Wildcats Honored as USTFCCCA All-Americans
Jun 14, 2021 | Track & Field
Junior Tejaswin Shankar leads the way with First Team honors
MANHATTAN, Kan. – The Kansas State men's and women's track and field teams capped a successful outdoor season on Monday (June 14), as a total of 13 Wildcats were honored as All-Americans by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Association (USTFCCCA). The honors came after their performances at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, which concluded on Saturday at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
Athletes who finished among the top-8 of their respective event earned First Team All-America status from the organization, while Second Team honors went those who finished between ninth and 16th place. Honorable mention went to those athletes who finished 17th through 24th in their event.
Led by a national runner-up finish in the men's high jump by junior Tejaswin Shankar, the Wildcats had a combined seven athletes earn First or Second Team All-America honors. Along Shankar's First Team accolade, seniors Ariel Okorie and Lauren Taubert in the heptathlon, junior Taylor Latimer in the women's shot put, senior Ashley Petr in the women's discus, senior Taishia Pryce in the women's long jump and senior Logan Wolfley in the men's javelin were named to the Second Team.
In addition to the seven First and Second All-American, six athletes were honorable mention, including senior Kimisha Chambers in the women's 400-meter hurdles, senior Helene Ingvaldsen and Shaelyn Ward in women's hammer, junior Wurrie Njadoe in the women's 100 meters, freshman Rhianna Phipps in the women's triple jump and senior Jullane Walker in the men's long jump.
"Both teams had good conference meets and we had an impressive number of athletes get to the final weekend," said Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Cliff Rovelto as he wrapped up his 29th season at the helm of the Wildcat track and field programs. "The outdoor season was a good one for us."
A six-time All-American, Shankar has now earned First Team honors in three consecutive outdoor championships in the high jump (2018, 2019, 2021). The 2018 national champion, he lost the NCAA title on Friday night to a familiar foe in LSU's JuVaughn Harrison, who won his fourth consecutive high jump national title (2019 indoor and outdoor and 2021 indoor and outdoor). In that span, Shankar has finished second twice (2019 and 2021 outdoor) and third on another occasion (2021 indoor). A Wildcat high jumper has now registered All-America honors 16 times in the last 18 outdoor championships dating back to 2003.
Taubert was selected an All-American for the fourth time (indoor and outdoor) in her career, including the second time in the heptathlon. Latimer and Pryce each registered All-America distinction for the second time with Latimer earning the honor in the shot put in consecutive outdoor championships (2019 and 2021) and Pryce claiming accolade in the long jump in both the indoor and outdoor seasons.
Okorie, Petr and Wolfley each tallied All-America status for the first time in their careers.
Taubert and Okorie are the first Wildcat tandem to earn All-America honors in the heptathlon in the same championship in school history, while they extend K-State's streak of having at least one athlete earn All-America honors in the heptathlon to six consecutive outdoor championships.
"Lauren, Ariel and I have worked together for five years now," said Rovelto. "They are special people who have grown immensely. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to share the process with them."
Petr is the first women's discus All-American since Shadae Lawrence did it in three consecutive years from 2016-18. The two, along with Angie Miller (1990 and 1991) are the only Wildcat women to collect All-America distinction in the discus in school history.
Wolfley is just the fourth Wildcat to earn All-America honors in the men's javelin since 1991 and the first since Ivan Hartung finished 16th at the 2014 Championships. Overall, he is seventh Wildcat to collect First or Second Team All-America honors in the javelin since 1943.
USC led the nation with a combined 43 First and Second Team All-Americans, followed by LSU (36), Texas (32), Texas A&M (27), North Carolina A&T (26), Kentucky (26) and Arkansas (25).
LSU won the men's team title with 84 points, while host Oregon (53), North Carolina A&T (35), Florida (34.50) and USC (33) finished off the top-5. USC won the women's team title with 74 points over second-place Texas A&M, which collected 63 points. Georgia (37.50), Alabama (31) and North Carolina A&T (31) finished off the top-5.
With the conclusion of the NCAA Championships, the Wildcats now head into training for various Olympic qualifying events, including the U.S. Olympic Trials, which will be held at Hayward Field from June 18-27.
"Our program will miss all the seniors who completed their eligibility this year," said Rovelto. "They have been a special group."
To learn more about the 13 Wildcats who qualified for the NCAA Championships, fans can click on the NCAA Championship Central link on the K-State Athletics' website, which includes athlete bios, features and highlights from the 2020-21 season.
Athletes who finished among the top-8 of their respective event earned First Team All-America status from the organization, while Second Team honors went those who finished between ninth and 16th place. Honorable mention went to those athletes who finished 17th through 24th in their event.
Led by a national runner-up finish in the men's high jump by junior Tejaswin Shankar, the Wildcats had a combined seven athletes earn First or Second Team All-America honors. Along Shankar's First Team accolade, seniors Ariel Okorie and Lauren Taubert in the heptathlon, junior Taylor Latimer in the women's shot put, senior Ashley Petr in the women's discus, senior Taishia Pryce in the women's long jump and senior Logan Wolfley in the men's javelin were named to the Second Team.
In addition to the seven First and Second All-American, six athletes were honorable mention, including senior Kimisha Chambers in the women's 400-meter hurdles, senior Helene Ingvaldsen and Shaelyn Ward in women's hammer, junior Wurrie Njadoe in the women's 100 meters, freshman Rhianna Phipps in the women's triple jump and senior Jullane Walker in the men's long jump.
"Both teams had good conference meets and we had an impressive number of athletes get to the final weekend," said Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Cliff Rovelto as he wrapped up his 29th season at the helm of the Wildcat track and field programs. "The outdoor season was a good one for us."
A six-time All-American, Shankar has now earned First Team honors in three consecutive outdoor championships in the high jump (2018, 2019, 2021). The 2018 national champion, he lost the NCAA title on Friday night to a familiar foe in LSU's JuVaughn Harrison, who won his fourth consecutive high jump national title (2019 indoor and outdoor and 2021 indoor and outdoor). In that span, Shankar has finished second twice (2019 and 2021 outdoor) and third on another occasion (2021 indoor). A Wildcat high jumper has now registered All-America honors 16 times in the last 18 outdoor championships dating back to 2003.
Taubert was selected an All-American for the fourth time (indoor and outdoor) in her career, including the second time in the heptathlon. Latimer and Pryce each registered All-America distinction for the second time with Latimer earning the honor in the shot put in consecutive outdoor championships (2019 and 2021) and Pryce claiming accolade in the long jump in both the indoor and outdoor seasons.
Okorie, Petr and Wolfley each tallied All-America status for the first time in their careers.
Taubert and Okorie are the first Wildcat tandem to earn All-America honors in the heptathlon in the same championship in school history, while they extend K-State's streak of having at least one athlete earn All-America honors in the heptathlon to six consecutive outdoor championships.
"Lauren, Ariel and I have worked together for five years now," said Rovelto. "They are special people who have grown immensely. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to share the process with them."
Petr is the first women's discus All-American since Shadae Lawrence did it in three consecutive years from 2016-18. The two, along with Angie Miller (1990 and 1991) are the only Wildcat women to collect All-America distinction in the discus in school history.
Wolfley is just the fourth Wildcat to earn All-America honors in the men's javelin since 1991 and the first since Ivan Hartung finished 16th at the 2014 Championships. Overall, he is seventh Wildcat to collect First or Second Team All-America honors in the javelin since 1943.
USC led the nation with a combined 43 First and Second Team All-Americans, followed by LSU (36), Texas (32), Texas A&M (27), North Carolina A&T (26), Kentucky (26) and Arkansas (25).
LSU won the men's team title with 84 points, while host Oregon (53), North Carolina A&T (35), Florida (34.50) and USC (33) finished off the top-5. USC won the women's team title with 74 points over second-place Texas A&M, which collected 63 points. Georgia (37.50), Alabama (31) and North Carolina A&T (31) finished off the top-5.
With the conclusion of the NCAA Championships, the Wildcats now head into training for various Olympic qualifying events, including the U.S. Olympic Trials, which will be held at Hayward Field from June 18-27.
"Our program will miss all the seniors who completed their eligibility this year," said Rovelto. "They have been a special group."
To learn more about the 13 Wildcats who qualified for the NCAA Championships, fans can click on the NCAA Championship Central link on the K-State Athletics' website, which includes athlete bios, features and highlights from the 2020-21 season.
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