The Wichita State women’s assistant track coach said last season was promising, but this year is going to be better.

The women’s team is looking forward to capturing more Missouri Valley Conference championships in the 2014-15 season.

“Last year we were second indoors and first outdoors in the Missouri Valley Conference,” assistant head coach John Wise said. “We have a young team; I think that’s the most reassuring thing about it.

At the outdoor meet in the MVC, we scored 160 points. Our seniors scored 15 of those points, so 90 percent of our points are returning, and that’s something that keeps up optimism when thinking of the future of Wichita State track and field.”

Although Wise said the coaches don’t think it’s a guaranteed win for the MVC titles, he said the team has as good of a chance as any other team in the conference, because of the returning talent and good recruiting.  

Wise said their most significant returner is junior Nicki Larchmiller, who scored more than 30 points and led the team to the Missouri Valley championship last season.

The coach said Shanice Andrews, a senior, is also considered to be a cornerstone of the team because of her versatility.

“Shanice has won a title in the triple jump, and she is a good hurdler,” Wise said. “We are hoping she takes another step, because she has the talent and athletic ability. She missed the NCAA finals by a centimeter.”

Ashley Petersen won the MVC outdoor and indoor high jump competition and also qualified for the NCAA. She is coming back and is expected to become a national contender as she continues her dominance in the Missouri Valley.

“Those three are the foundation of the team,” Wise said.

Only seven girls graduated and 20 recruits were added, of which many are expected to come in right away and contribute.

Angie Vailas is a transfer from Friends University in Wichita. She is expected to make major contributions to the team in sprints. Her personal bests are a wind-aided 11.79 in the 100-meter dash and a wind-aided 24.73 in the 200-meter dash. She also won three 2014 KCAC Championships in sprints and placed ninth in the 2014 NAIA National Championships in the 60-meter dash.

Tiffany Christensen is expected to make an immediate impact on the track and cross country teams. She is from Eagle Grove, Iowa, where she attended Eagle Grove High School. Wise said he sees Christensen as someone who will be able to help the WSU women’s distance team next year. Her personal bests include: 58.38 seconds in the 400-meter dash, 2:15.14 in the 800-meter run, 4:46.08 in the 1,500-meter run and a 4K time of 14:29.

Christensen also has collected a number of honors, including a state championship in the 1,500-meter run at the 2013 Iowa State track meet, a fifth place finish in the 400-meter dash and a second place finish in the 800-meter run. She also placed second in the 1,500-meter run at the 2012 Iowa State track meet.

Another key recruit is transfer Jamesia Milton. Milton is from Duncan, Okla., and previously attended Cowley County Community College. Wise and the staff expect Milton to make an immediate impact for the Shockers in the weight throw, shotput, discus throw and hammer throw. Her personal bests include: 59’ 4 ¼’’ in the weight throw, 46’ 1 ½’’ in the shotput, 122’ 9’’ in the discus throw and 160’ 4’’ in the hammer throw.

Milton accomplished quite a bit during her junior college career. Her honors include third place at the 2013 NJCAA Indoor Nationals in the weight throw, second place in the shotput and third place in the hammer throw at the 2013 NJCAA Outdoor Nationals meet.

“There are a lot of other good athletes, too,” Wise said. “We signed 20 of them, and I imagine at least 10 of them will able to contribute immediately.

“We hope that those athletes that we signed can produce more than what the seniors on our team did last year, and with our returners getting better, we will have a better team. We’ve had great women’s track for a long time. In fact, it’s possibly the most successful team in our athletic department. We hope more people come out to support them.”