Track looking to live up to predictions

The Wichita State Indoor Track and Field team heads to Cedar Falls, Iowa for the Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Championships on Saturday and Sunday.

In the pre-championship poll, the Shockers team received first place votes from all competing schools.

The WSU women’s team was given 81 overall points and 9 first place votes. Indiana State (66 points), Illinois State (63 points), Southern Illinois (55 points) and UNI (50 points) round out the top-five.

The Shockers women’s team came in second place at last year’s indoor championships. They were 10 points behind the champions, Illinois State (121 points).

The Shockers men’s team is looking to claim a second straight indoor championship. Last season, they claimed the top-spot with 141.5 points.

WSU is coming off a successful regular season, with their most recent victory coming in the Herm Wilson Invitational in Wichita for both the men’s and women’s. Cody Scheck entered his name in the Top 10 all-time list with a 6.86 time in the 60 meters during the Feb. 3 and Feb. 4 meet.

Rebekah Topham won the mile run with a time of 4:46.19 on Feb. 4, breaking the Heskett and Herm Wilson Invitational records. Her time improved her rank to No. 51 nationally.

This season has been filled with record-setting in many events by the Shockers. Ugis Jocis, Connor Stine, Zack Penrod and Aaron Miller broke the men’s distance medley relay record. Natalie Halfman, Martiesha Caines, Daysha Bullocks and Nikki Larch-Miller broke the 4×400 meter indoor school record that had been set earlier this season.

Jocis set a new record in the indoor 3,000 meter, and Kelsey Slawson broke the previous women’s record in shot put.

Sean Curran won the 800 meters in 1:57.20 during the Steve Miller Open at K-State on Feb. 17. Jacob James won the 60 meter hurdles in 8.37 during that meet, with the Shockers claiming six individual victories overall.

The Indoor Championship will be streamed on ESPN3.