FHSU Athletics
KEARNEY, Neb. - Student-athletes representing the Fort Hays State track and field team broke one school record, posted 10 national qualifying marks and won two events on the final day of the regular season Saturday at the Loper Twilight. The Tigers will now await Tuesday's announcement of selections for the 2024 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships to see who will travel to Emporia, Kan. to compete at the national stage May 23-25.
Former Hays High standout Keamonie Archie had a big day, taking part in two national qualifying marks and breaking one school record. The freshman placed first in the long jump with a top leap of 24-9.25, breaking an 18-year-old record by 1.5 inches (Maurice Henson, 24-7.75, 5/7/06). Archie was leading the competition the entire way after posting a mark of 24-1.75 on his first attempt of the day. He then broke the school record on his sixth and final trip down the runway, moving into 18th on the national performance list and putting him in prime position to advance to nationals. Archie also ran the anchor leg of the 4x100m relay team that posted a season-best time of 40.25, good for 21st in the country to date.
Senior javelin thrower Rhyann Brown had a huge day, all but securing her fourth-consecutive trip to the national meet with a season-best toss of 158-2, 12 feet further than her previous season-high. Brown entered the day firmly on the bubble for selection for nationals, but now ranks sixth in the country this season. The toss is just one foot, eight inches off her career best set last season (159-10).
Toby Wahlmeier was a part of three national-qualifying times, running personal-bests in the 100m dash and the 200m dash while running the third leg of the 4x100m relay that posted a national-qualifying time of 40.25. After opening the day in the relay, Wahlmeier bolted out to a time of 10.44 in the 100m dash to move into fifth at FHSU during the DII era. Less than one hour later the sophomore placed second in the 200m dash with a blazing time of 20.85, good for fourth on the FHSU DII era performance list and 21st on the national performance chart, firmly on the bubble for national selection.
Kenny Fritsch also posted a pair of national qualifying marks, running the second leg of the 4x100m relay while shaving one-hundredth of a second off his personal-best in the 100m dash via a 10th-place finish with a time of 10.50. Eddie McVay was the final member of the 4x100m relay team. He also ran in the 100m dash, posting a time of 10.87.
Trevor Medina won the 800m run, crossing the line with a national-qualifying time of 1:50.78.Three Tiger pole vaulters surpassed the national-qualifying height, with Jacob Clark placing second with a top clearance of 16-8. Kurtis McCormick and Brady Deges both surpassed the bar at 15-11.25, with McCormick finishing seventh and Deges placing ninth on total misses. It was a personal-best for McCormick.