WSU notes: Move to American may change track and field recruiting

Wichita State track and field coach Steve Rainbolt values Missouri Valley Conference titles as the end, not the means to an end. That makes his program unique at Wichita State, where others may value a conference title, but largely as a path to NCAA competition.

Rainbolt targets the MVC meets as his No. 1 goal. He awards scholarship money based on points scored in conference meets. NCAA competition is important for individuals, usually a few elite ones who qualify. Winning an MVC title is a team accomplishment and Rainbolt considers recruiting, organizing, coaching and motivating a full team his priority.

His attachment to conference titles meant it took Rainbolt time to warm up to a move to the American Athletic Conference. While leaving his team’s tradition of success in the MVC wasn’t easy, once he began to seriously weigh the competitive and reputation boosts of the American, he jumped on board.

“I consider the Valley a legitimate, tough, track and field conference,” he said. “The American is a step up. But not a dramatic step up. The Valley is tough enough that we feel like we can go into that conference and be competitive right away.”

The Shockers are annually one of the MVC’s top teams, sometimes dominant. They swept the indoor championships this season and the 2016 outdoor titles. The WSU women have won three straight outdoor titles and five of the past six.

Rainbolt scored the American’s indoor meet with WSU performances that same day in late February. Houston won the men’s meet, according to WSU’s scoring, with 152 points. WSU came in second with 121, ahead of Tulsa’s 94. Central Florida’s 112 points won the women’s meet with the Shockers second (108) and Cincinnati third (92).

Rainbolt considers the American a strong sprints conference, in part because of Houston’s men’s program. The javelin will be more competitive in the American. The MVC is probably stronger in the hurdles.

Many years, WSU overwhelms the MVC with its depth. That will be more difficult in the American and Rainbolt is weighing how he should he adjust recruiting. Roster size may drop by 5-10 athletes as coaches figure how to blend recruits who need time to develop with those who can score points immediately in the American.

“We probably will now be going after a little bit of a tighter roster, with higher-level athletes,” he said. “We’re going to have to focus more on ready-made, big-time recruits.”

WSU’s schedule won’t change significantly. Rainbolt expects to search out indoor meets with a banked track to duplicate the American’s indoor meet in Birmingham, Ala.

“I consider it a prestigious conference,” he said. “I think it’s going to be a meaningful and tough challenge.”

MVC’s new direction — Murray State is a long-rumored potential MVC member. With Wichita State’s departure, the Kentucky school is again a popular candidate and on Friday at a Board of Regents meeting it appeared to start the institutional mechanics for a move.

“This is a time of significant opportunities that can transform Murray State,” university president Robert Davies said, according to Edward Marlowe of the Paducah Sun. “We may be approached. We may not be. We may have opportunity to grow like the University of Northern Iowa.”

Harry Schroeder of the ValleyHoopsInsider reported that Valparaiso is also a candidate and some sources tell him the MVC may expand to 12 teams. That would mean three additions to the current roster of nine.

Help from Hull — Former Shocker assistant coach Chris Jans paid proper respect to Lou Henson, the former New Mexico State coach, during his introduction Monday as coach of the Aggies basketball team.

That’s a must — Henson led the Aggies to the 1970 Final Four. He coached New Mexico State from 1966-75 and from 1997-2005 and remains close to the program.

Jans also mentioned he had some help with Henson from a mutual friend.

While he didn’t name the friend on Monday, it wasn’t too much of a mystery. Shocker radio and TV analyst Bob Hull worked as Henson’s assistant coach from 1979-85 at Illinois. Hull and Henson remain in regular contact.

Hull had called to check on his former boss’ health. Henson called back with the update. The next day, Henson called again to ask about Jans. Hull praised Jans’ work with X’s and O’s and scouting reports and told Henson about the role he played in WSU’s success.

“I told him he would make a great head coach and we would hate to lose him,” Hull said. “Coach (Gregg) Marshall leans on him a lot.”

This story was originally published April 22, 2017 at 2:00 PM with the headline "WSU notes: Move to American may change track and field recruiting."