Kansas State University Athletics
High Expectations
Apr 26, 2024 | Track & Field, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Riley Marx expected to do this. Yes, the Kansas State freshman javelin thrower and former four-time Class 4A state champion at Andale High School — two titles in javelin, two in discus — expected to experience early success in his collegiate career. He expected to finish top-5 in javelin in his first college meet at the Hurricane Invitational on March 15-16 in Miami, Florida. He expected to throw a personal best 66.99 meters and finish as runner-up at the Jim Click Shootout on April 5-6.
Why did he expect to do this?
Because he said so.
"I don't want to sound cocky, but this is what I expected to do, and I know I can do more," Marx said. "It's really cool. It's great to visit new places. But yeah, I expect this of myself.
"The first meet in Miami, I realized where I was and all the things that went into it. The performance — it was exciting to see I can compete at a very high level. And I've proven it."
Interestingly, javelin was not Marx first love.
He was a terror on the football field, playing fullback, linebacker and defensive end to help power Andale High to four-straight state titles. Listed at 6-foot-1 and 215 pounds, Marx rushed for 1,176 yards and 20 touchdowns while recording 103 tackles in his career, according to Kansas Pregame, and he ran a 4.77 40, benched 340 pounds, and squatted 470. He also finished state runner-up in wrestling as a senior in 2022.
"He's just a special, special athlete with physical tools," Andale High head coach Dylan Schmidt told Kansas Pregame.
Marx said that he attended K-State football camp and received a few scholarship offers (Kansas Pregame reports that he was offered by UTEP, Old Dominion and Southeast Missouri State), and contemplated attempting to play football and compete in track and field, but he decided to pursue track. Marx has two brothers and three sisters, and two of them also currently attend K-State.
"Just being close to home was a big thing," he said, "but also I liked the coaching and the other athletes and the investment the school makes in track and field with the new buildings."
There was no way Marx could've expected his path to the K-State track and field team. He had to build toward his success at an early age. And that meant a few growing pains along the way.
"One of the first times I threw a javelin, you talk about a rough start, we were doing little baby throws and I had this tendency of throwing it offline and I threw it and went straight into the football goal post and snapped the javelin in half," he said. "Definitely started from the bottom, for sure. The first couple throws were not very good but there was a big learning curve."
All Marx had to do was look to his family for inspiration. Although several family members threw the javelin through the years, perhaps none throw it better than Marx's cousin, Katelyn Fairchild, a junior at Texas A&M, who earned Second Team All-America honors after scoring a bronze medal in the javelin at the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
"I saw that," Marx said, "and I was intrigued by it. I knew about javelin before I ever started throwing it."
And now, here he is, heading down the stretch of his freshman year, weight training three days a week, practice Monday through Saturday, about 3 ½ hours a day, and oh, he is also dabbling in the hammer throw, because he has talent, and he expects it of himself.
Although he is just getting started throwing the javelin at the collegiate level, he already has made many fond memories, including his performance at Jim Click Shootout.
"I actually threw one that was probably longer at Miami," he said. "My second throw (at Jim Click), which was my longest throw, my approach wasn't very good, and I ended up stopping much farther back on the line than I would've liked to have been, and just watching video, I saw it was my best throw, but I just had a poor approach.
"It's kind of hard to describe technique, but it's a lot of timing. Obviously, the last meet (Mt SAC Relays) I was releasing early, I wasn't getting a lot of power and was short arming it. If you don't do those things, it'll go far."
K-State's next two meets are both in the state of Kansas, meaning folks won't have to travel far to witness Marx's progress. K-State hosts the Ward Haylett Invitational on Friday and Saturday. Then the Wildcats will participate in the Shocker Open at Cessna Stadium in Wichita on May 3.
As for Marx's potential in the javelin during his career?
"I think I can throw over 70 meters this year and, shoot, by the end, I hope to throw very far," he said. "I don't know a number to put on it yet, but by the end, definitely over 75 meters."
Marx has a great many opportunities ahead of him. And he will do many fine things. Why? Because of his preparation. Because of his dedication. And because he expects it.
"By my junior year," he said, "I want to be an All-American."
Riley Marx expected to do this. Yes, the Kansas State freshman javelin thrower and former four-time Class 4A state champion at Andale High School — two titles in javelin, two in discus — expected to experience early success in his collegiate career. He expected to finish top-5 in javelin in his first college meet at the Hurricane Invitational on March 15-16 in Miami, Florida. He expected to throw a personal best 66.99 meters and finish as runner-up at the Jim Click Shootout on April 5-6.
Why did he expect to do this?
Because he said so.
"I don't want to sound cocky, but this is what I expected to do, and I know I can do more," Marx said. "It's really cool. It's great to visit new places. But yeah, I expect this of myself.
"The first meet in Miami, I realized where I was and all the things that went into it. The performance — it was exciting to see I can compete at a very high level. And I've proven it."
Interestingly, javelin was not Marx first love.
He was a terror on the football field, playing fullback, linebacker and defensive end to help power Andale High to four-straight state titles. Listed at 6-foot-1 and 215 pounds, Marx rushed for 1,176 yards and 20 touchdowns while recording 103 tackles in his career, according to Kansas Pregame, and he ran a 4.77 40, benched 340 pounds, and squatted 470. He also finished state runner-up in wrestling as a senior in 2022.
"He's just a special, special athlete with physical tools," Andale High head coach Dylan Schmidt told Kansas Pregame.
Marx said that he attended K-State football camp and received a few scholarship offers (Kansas Pregame reports that he was offered by UTEP, Old Dominion and Southeast Missouri State), and contemplated attempting to play football and compete in track and field, but he decided to pursue track. Marx has two brothers and three sisters, and two of them also currently attend K-State.
"Just being close to home was a big thing," he said, "but also I liked the coaching and the other athletes and the investment the school makes in track and field with the new buildings."
There was no way Marx could've expected his path to the K-State track and field team. He had to build toward his success at an early age. And that meant a few growing pains along the way.
"One of the first times I threw a javelin, you talk about a rough start, we were doing little baby throws and I had this tendency of throwing it offline and I threw it and went straight into the football goal post and snapped the javelin in half," he said. "Definitely started from the bottom, for sure. The first couple throws were not very good but there was a big learning curve."
All Marx had to do was look to his family for inspiration. Although several family members threw the javelin through the years, perhaps none throw it better than Marx's cousin, Katelyn Fairchild, a junior at Texas A&M, who earned Second Team All-America honors after scoring a bronze medal in the javelin at the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
"I saw that," Marx said, "and I was intrigued by it. I knew about javelin before I ever started throwing it."
And now, here he is, heading down the stretch of his freshman year, weight training three days a week, practice Monday through Saturday, about 3 ½ hours a day, and oh, he is also dabbling in the hammer throw, because he has talent, and he expects it of himself.
Although he is just getting started throwing the javelin at the collegiate level, he already has made many fond memories, including his performance at Jim Click Shootout.
"I actually threw one that was probably longer at Miami," he said. "My second throw (at Jim Click), which was my longest throw, my approach wasn't very good, and I ended up stopping much farther back on the line than I would've liked to have been, and just watching video, I saw it was my best throw, but I just had a poor approach.
"It's kind of hard to describe technique, but it's a lot of timing. Obviously, the last meet (Mt SAC Relays) I was releasing early, I wasn't getting a lot of power and was short arming it. If you don't do those things, it'll go far."
K-State's next two meets are both in the state of Kansas, meaning folks won't have to travel far to witness Marx's progress. K-State hosts the Ward Haylett Invitational on Friday and Saturday. Then the Wildcats will participate in the Shocker Open at Cessna Stadium in Wichita on May 3.
As for Marx's potential in the javelin during his career?
"I think I can throw over 70 meters this year and, shoot, by the end, I hope to throw very far," he said. "I don't know a number to put on it yet, but by the end, definitely over 75 meters."
Marx has a great many opportunities ahead of him. And he will do many fine things. Why? Because of his preparation. Because of his dedication. And because he expects it.
"By my junior year," he said, "I want to be an All-American."
Players Mentioned
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