Kansas State University Athletics
‘I Have High Expectations for Myself’
Jun 04, 2025 | Track & Field, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
They were all there. Parents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, and cousins. They were there last Wednesday to support Riley Marx (Kansas State), and cousins Blake McCormick (Wichita State), and Katelyn and Mckenzie Fairchild (Texas A&M) at the NCAA West Preliminary at E.B. Cushing Stadium in College Station, Texas. It is an athletic family, yes, but as the kids grew up, it became apparent that they were simply gifted. It all just seemed common.
Last Wednesday, 20-year-old Riley, a sophomore, achieved the uncommon. Riley threw the javelin the farthest he had in his life. His distance of 72.58 meters (238 feet, 1 inch) was more than five feet farther than his previous best. It was the fourth-farthest throw at the NCAA West Preliminary.
And the throw punched his ticket to the NCAA Championships on June 11-14 at legendary Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
Not bad for a guy from Andale, Kansas, who first touched a javelin in the ninth grade and passed the time entrenched in mock track meets in the Fairchild's backyard during COVID.
"When your family does stuff, you want to be able to beat them," Marx said. "That's how we self-motivated each other — trying to be better than one another. Yeah, that's how it all started."
This is how it's going: Marx's throw in the West Preliminary was the second-farthest throw in the history of K-State track and field.
"I have high expectations for myself," Marx said. "The way I look at it is if you're not competing and winning, then you're not doing much."
The time spent throwing the javelin in the Fairchild's backyard is paying off. It actually paid off handsomely almost immediately for Marx. He was a four-time Class 4A state champion at Andale High School — two titles in javelin, two in discus. At one point, he ranked No. 1 in the nation by throwing the javelin 209 feet his junior year.
"When I opened up my junior year No. 1 in the country at 209, I felt at that point that I could probably do this at the college level," he said.
But, alas, he was actually in love with another sport: Football.
He was terror on the gridiron, 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 2023.
Marx attended K-State football camp and received a few scholarship offers, and he contemplated walking onto the K-State football team and competing in track and field, but he opted to stick with track.
"To be honest, I thought I was going to walk-on and play football and compete in track at the same time," he said. "I definitely could've walked on, but it's passed me at this point. I probably could've but it's not my time anymore."
It's been a time of reflection for Marx, who appears to be ahead of schedule. As a freshman, his goal was to become an All-American his junior year. Now in his sophomore year, he's near the top of charts in the college ranks.
"Over the last couple weeks, I've sat back and evaluated the season," Marx said. "I'm honestly really confident in myself. I normally feel like I have to prove myself out there, but for whatever reason the last couple weeks I've felt confident in beating the other people out there. I just knew I had it in me."
Now comes the next step in a couple weeks in Eugene.
"In high school, my big goal was to get the high school record," he said. "I didn't get that done. I feel pretty good about the NCAAs and getting the school record and not necessarily chase a mark but improve myself and get better."
Asked if he believed that he could win the javelin at the NCAA Championships, Marx paused.
"I'd have to do some good things," he said, finally. "But crazier things have happened, right?"
Like learning to throw the javelin in a backyard during COVID and rising to the No. 1 high school thrower in the nation and then hurling the second-farthest throw in the history of K-State track and field — as a sophomore.
He is just uncommon.
"Last Wednesday, I didn't force too much," he said. "I just kind of fell into the throw and let the javelin do its thing. With the javelin, it's not a lot about making things happen. You have to surrender to the javelin. I knew I passed the 70-meter line. I didn't know exactly where it was until the official measurement came up on the board. I was just happy.
"Now it's back to game time."
They were all there. Parents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, and cousins. They were there last Wednesday to support Riley Marx (Kansas State), and cousins Blake McCormick (Wichita State), and Katelyn and Mckenzie Fairchild (Texas A&M) at the NCAA West Preliminary at E.B. Cushing Stadium in College Station, Texas. It is an athletic family, yes, but as the kids grew up, it became apparent that they were simply gifted. It all just seemed common.
Last Wednesday, 20-year-old Riley, a sophomore, achieved the uncommon. Riley threw the javelin the farthest he had in his life. His distance of 72.58 meters (238 feet, 1 inch) was more than five feet farther than his previous best. It was the fourth-farthest throw at the NCAA West Preliminary.
And the throw punched his ticket to the NCAA Championships on June 11-14 at legendary Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
Not bad for a guy from Andale, Kansas, who first touched a javelin in the ninth grade and passed the time entrenched in mock track meets in the Fairchild's backyard during COVID.
"When your family does stuff, you want to be able to beat them," Marx said. "That's how we self-motivated each other — trying to be better than one another. Yeah, that's how it all started."
This is how it's going: Marx's throw in the West Preliminary was the second-farthest throw in the history of K-State track and field.
"I have high expectations for myself," Marx said. "The way I look at it is if you're not competing and winning, then you're not doing much."
The time spent throwing the javelin in the Fairchild's backyard is paying off. It actually paid off handsomely almost immediately for Marx. He was a four-time Class 4A state champion at Andale High School — two titles in javelin, two in discus. At one point, he ranked No. 1 in the nation by throwing the javelin 209 feet his junior year.
"When I opened up my junior year No. 1 in the country at 209, I felt at that point that I could probably do this at the college level," he said.
But, alas, he was actually in love with another sport: Football.
He was terror on the gridiron, 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 2023.
Marx attended K-State football camp and received a few scholarship offers, and he contemplated walking onto the K-State football team and competing in track and field, but he opted to stick with track.
"To be honest, I thought I was going to walk-on and play football and compete in track at the same time," he said. "I definitely could've walked on, but it's passed me at this point. I probably could've but it's not my time anymore."
It's been a time of reflection for Marx, who appears to be ahead of schedule. As a freshman, his goal was to become an All-American his junior year. Now in his sophomore year, he's near the top of charts in the college ranks.
"Over the last couple weeks, I've sat back and evaluated the season," Marx said. "I'm honestly really confident in myself. I normally feel like I have to prove myself out there, but for whatever reason the last couple weeks I've felt confident in beating the other people out there. I just knew I had it in me."
Now comes the next step in a couple weeks in Eugene.
"In high school, my big goal was to get the high school record," he said. "I didn't get that done. I feel pretty good about the NCAAs and getting the school record and not necessarily chase a mark but improve myself and get better."
Asked if he believed that he could win the javelin at the NCAA Championships, Marx paused.
"I'd have to do some good things," he said, finally. "But crazier things have happened, right?"
Like learning to throw the javelin in a backyard during COVID and rising to the No. 1 high school thrower in the nation and then hurling the second-farthest throw in the history of K-State track and field — as a sophomore.
He is just uncommon.
"Last Wednesday, I didn't force too much," he said. "I just kind of fell into the throw and let the javelin do its thing. With the javelin, it's not a lot about making things happen. You have to surrender to the javelin. I knew I passed the 70-meter line. I didn't know exactly where it was until the official measurement came up on the board. I was just happy.
"Now it's back to game time."
Players Mentioned
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