WICHITA, Kan. -- Wichita State's Aliphine Tuliamuk set a meet record as she and fellow Shocker Cassie Craig won Missouri Valley Conference titles Friday during the first day of the 2012 State Farm MVC Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Cessna Stadium.
Tuliamuk, a junior from Kapenguria, Kenya, set a MVC meet record in the women's 10,000 meters with her title-winning time of 34:53.20. The all-American entered the race with the fourth-fastest women's 10K time in the nation this season.
Wichita State's Cassie Craig, a senior, won the conference title in the women's pole vault with a personal-best mark of 13-4 1/2 Friday. The Wichita native's height ranks third all-time at Wichita State. The MVC title is Craig's second in the event in the last three seasons.
The Wichita State women lead the team race with 49.5 points through four events. The Shocker men are currently tied with Northern Iowa for fifth place with 14 points through three events.
Several Shockers also posted second-place finishes Friday.
Shocker senior Scarla Nero finished second in the women's 10,000 meters behind Tuliamuk with a time of 36:03.28 to help Wichita State secure a total of 18 points in the event.
Senior Brett Trudo finished second in the men's javelin Friday to defending national champion and current NCAA leader Tim Glover of Illinois State. Trudo's mark Friday of 237-1 was his best of the season. Glover won with a throw of 254-6.
Sarah Gilbert finished second overall in the women's javelin with a personal best throw of 136-8 for all-conference honors. Illinois State's Leigh Petranoff won with a top throw of 161-4.
Shocker junior Tanya Friesen leads the women's heptathlon through four events with 3,207 points. Her mark of 5-5 ¼ in the high jump led the field. She threw a personal best mark of 33-10 in the shot put. Friesen completed the 100 meters in 14.04 and the 200 meters in 25.10. The heptathlon continues at 10 a.m. Saturday with the long jump.
Wichita State's Aaron Young leads the men's decathlon with 3,903 points through five events. He finished first in the 100 meters with a season-best time of 10.91 and finished first in the 400 meters with a time of 48.49. The multi-event continues at 10:30 a.m. Saturday with the 110-meter hurdles.
Saturday's schedule opens with the women's heptathlon long jump at 10 a.m. Field events begin at 4 p.m. and running events open at 6 p.m.
Admission Saturday and Sunday costs $6 for adults and costs $3 for youth ages 2-12 and seniors ages 65-plus.
For more championship information, including a complete meet schedule and heat sheets, please visit the meet central webpage.
2012 Wichita State MVC Champions:
Cassie Craig, Pole Vault
Aliphine Tuliamuk, 10,000 Meters
2012 Wichita State MVC All-Conference:
Cassie Craig, Pole Vault
Sarah Gilbert, Javelin
Scarla Nero, 10,000 Meters
Brett Trudo, Javelin
- Wichita State -
