Maddy Wolf and Mayce Russell are freshmen on the Kansas Wesleyan women's track team but their performances in the javelin this spring have been the stuff of seasoned upperclassmen.
Wolf continued her dominant spring by winning the event with a throw of 43.12 meters and Russell placed third at 41.17 in the Kansas Conference Track and Field Championships on Friday at JRI Hospitality Stadium and the Graves Family Sports Complex. Aunisty McNeal, another freshman, finished fifth at 36.51.
Wolf's throw surpassed the NAIA A qualifying standard and Russell topped the B standard. They will compete in the National Championships later this month in Marion, Ind.
"It's consistency, that's the big thing," coach Kyler Hiser said. "Maddy shows up every week, you know what you're going to get. Mayce hasn't thrown for two weeks, had some elbow stuff. Last time she threw was here at home we had to shut her down so to get six throws in (Friday) I was really impressed with that. Then Aunisty McNeal has a season best and finished fifth."
The KCAC Championships returned to Salina for the first time since 2019 and the Coyotes took advantage of the opportunity on the first day.
The 4x800-meter relay team of Madisyn Ehrlich, Josie Koppes, Joni Schroeder and Hailey Nordhus met the NAIA A qualifying standard with a time of 9 minutes, 24.15 seconds. Evangel was first in 9:21.12.
"We switched up the order a little bit from what we ran at Drake (Relays) but being able to hit the A standard and run strong at your home track is awesome," Hiser said. "Those girls just compete. Evangel came out and brought it right to us. You have to have other teams show up to make you go run fast and that's what we're able to do."
Kierra Jensen placed third in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 11:35.61 while Allison Taylor was eighth in 13:13.86.
"Kierra kind of hurt her ankle early in the event but didn't let that deter her and came back," Hiser said. "She's just a strong runner. You have to be strong in that steeplechase, it is tough. She just goes out and gets the job done."
KWU also had a strong showing the 10,000 meters as Charlee Lind placed fourth in 40:02.96, Alayna Behrman fifth in 40:46.58 and Mya Schweitzer ninth in 41:45.85.
"Alayna Behrman, when we recruited her here, she had done hurdles and had a hip thing and now she's out there running 10,000 meters," Hiser said. "Just being a strong senior leader was really exciting to see. Charlee Lind loves long distance, she hears 10K and smiles. Just being really strong and leading that distance group is what those two ladies do."
Elizabeth Stout placed fifth in the hammer throw at 41.13 meters. Roselyn Torres was 21st at 32.04.
Julie Rottinghaus took 11th in the long jump at 5.08 meters; Markyla Shaw was 14th at 4.85 and Dahn Hanlon 18th at 4.70.