K-State track and field will finish up their regular season at home today with the K-State Open at Ahearn Field House. Not every athlete will be competing, as this meet will only be a “tune-up,” according to head coach Cliff Rovelto.
Five athletes currently sit on the cusp of qualifying for the Big 12 Indoor Championships. Senior Kyle Wait, junior Zack Riley, senior Carlos Rodriguez, sophomore Alyx Treasure and sophomore Sonia Gaskin will be pushing for a spot in the conference championships held on Feb. 28 and March 1 in Ames, Iowa.
The Wildcats have enjoyed phenomenal success at home, averaging 15 first-place finishes in Ahearn across three meets this season. Overall, the men and women have maintained a stronghold in the top five of the Division I Midwest Regional Rankings throughout the season – the men staying put in third while the women slipped to fourth after a colder performance last week. However, nationally the men find themselves outside of the top 50 with a mark at No. 75 while the women hold tight at No. 42.
The K-State Open will kick off at 5 p.m. with the women’s long jump and weight throw events. The men’s and women’s relay events will finish off the competition.