At this time last year, J’Lynn Ledesma was not with her Wichita State track and field teammates at the NCAA Championships. She did not qualify, and finished her freshman year on a disappointing note.

But that was a year ago. Now, Ledesma is preparing to travel to Des Moines, Iowa, for the NCAA Championships which start Wednesday, to compete for an All-American certificate in the women’s high jump.

“The transition going into college was really crazy. You know the freshman 15, it really does exist, it happened to me,” Ledesma said. “I always joke with (Coach Steve Rainbolt) saying the reason I’m so good now is because last year I jumped with so much extra weight.”

After finishing in the top 24 athletes at the NCAA West Preliminary round in Austin, Texas, Ledesma jumped a lifetime best of six feet in a training session preparing for Wednesday’s meet.

“It was good, because it gave me a lot of confidence going into nationals; I was nervous,” Ledesma said. “Right now I’m ranked pretty low, but I looked at the results and six foot would place pretty high.”

Aliphine Tuliamuk will also compete at the NCAA Championships in the 5,000- and 10,000-meter races, with her sights set on a first-place finish.

“I’ve always wanted to be a national champion, and I think I have the best chance this year,” Tuliamuk said. “I’ve been training a lot, and the thing about last year is I wasn’t as good as I am this year, and I got fifth so I think I might be able to win.”

As only a junior, Tuliamuk holds the WSU and Missouri Valley records for both the 5,000- (15:26.07) and 10,000-meter (32:39.35) races. Tuliamuk also finished with an All-American status in both events last season.

Todd McKown and Lawson Montgomery will both compete in the 110-meter hurdles for WSU. Only one other school will send two athletes to compete in the same event.

“We really love the hurdles at Wichita State,” WSU track and field coach Steve Rainbolt said. “These two guys are certainly representative of that at a high level. That means a lot to us; it means a lot to us to continue having Missouri Valley champions, to continue having entrants at the NCAA Championships, and for these guys to go all the way to the finals really means a lot.”

Prior to the NCAA Championships, Rainbolt was named the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Midwest Men’s Coach of the Year. The men’s team will send four athletes to the NCAA Championships, and the women’s team will send four as well.

“The older I get, the more meaningful it is to me to see athletes compete well, and face tough challenges and battle through those on top of their opponent, or on top of their own demons,” Rainbolt said. “That’s a major battle in a situation like this, and I think these athletes are significantly ready for that.”