By Jared Fields, Editor in Chief
The Wildcats returned home from the Sooner Indoor Open in Norman, Okla., with few athletes who bettered qualifying marks for next month’s NCAA Division II Indoor Championships in Mankato, Minn.
The women’s distance medley relay team improved its time by 10 seconds, winning at Oklahoma with a time of 11:58.12. Their time ranks them ninth in the nation, but is not an automatic time.
“I think they’re pretty safe,” said head coach Don Hood. “All of those girls are already in, and under 12 minutes is kind of a landmark, so I think they’ll be OK.”
Men’s pole-vaulters Aaron Cantrell and Bradley Tatum cleared 15-7.75 to provisionally qualify them, but they currently rank just inside the top 20 in the nation.
Landon Ehlers improved his provisional mark by winning the pole vault with a jump of 16-1.75.
Three other Wildcats rank above Cantrell and Tatum nationally. Ehlers ranks eighth, while Cory Altenberg ranks 14th and Stephen Toler sixth.
Toler jumped in the elite division, clearing 16-1.25, which is an inch-and-a-half below his best provisional mark.
“I jumped (16-1.25) pretty easily but just didn’t have a very good run-up on my next bar at 16-7,” Toler said. “I’ve jumped a 17-foot bar in practice, but just hadn’t got it at the meet yet.”
Classified as a freshman, Toler is in his first year of competition after tearing his Achilles’ tendon last year in just his second meet.
“It was rough at first, but here lately it’s been great, no problem,” Toler said of his recovery. “It’s just sore every once in a while, but that’s expected.”
Weight-thrower Jessica Sloss improved her previous provisional mark by about two feet from the previous week with a throw of 54-6.00. Her throw ranks her 19th in the nation.
In the women’s pole vault, Elizabeth Buyse improved her provisional mark, jumping 11-10.00, which puts her just behind teammate Katy Abner. The two rank 17th and 18th, respectively.
The Wildcats had three other event winners, but two of them, Harold Jackson in the 400 and Julius Nyango in the 800, did not improve previous times. Keva Wilkins, who won the 600- yard race in 1:23.74, did not qualify because the event is not run at the championship meet.
