AUSTIN, Texas,- On the final day of the NCAA West Region Preliminary one more Shocker punched his ticket to the NCAA meet. Another Shocker earned the right to race for two national championships.
Jon Rizzo set a new personal best of 232-10 in the javelin. The senior's throw ranked eighth in the preliminary and earned him a trip to the NCAA Outdoor Championships. A native of Goddard, Rizzo ranks third all-time at WSU in the javelin.
Rizzo became the fifth Shocker to qualify for the national meet. He will join Tomas Cotter, Austin Bahner, Tanya Friesen, and Aliphine Tuliamuk-Bolton in Eugene, Ore. June 5-8. This will be Rizzo's first trip to the NCAA Championships.
Aliphine Tuliamuk-Bolton earned her second runner-up finish of the week with a time of 15:56.91 in the 5,000m run. Tuliamuk-Bolton will compete in both the 5,000m and 10,000m runs at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The senior placed second in the 10,000m run, Thursday night.
The greatest female athlete in Shocker history, according her coaches, Tuliamuk-Bolton ranks second in the 10,000m and third in the 5,000m run nationally. She will try to earn NCAA First Team All-American honors for the 13th time when she competes at Oregon.
Tyson Holmes started things for the Shockers on day three. The freshman threw a mark of 189-10 (57.86m) to finish 39th overall. Holmes ends his freshman season ranked ninth all-time at WSU in the javelin.
Courtney Reinke finished her Shocker career with a mark of 40-4 ¼ in the triple jump. The senior placed 32nd overall. Reinke leaves WSU ranked second indoors and fifth outdoors in the triple jump.
Five Shockers will travel to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore., June 5-8. Four Shocker seniors will try to end their career with a national championship.
-Wichita State-
