Battle leads KU group at NCAA Outdoor

Junior weights specialist Sheldon Battle will head a contingent of 12 Kansas University qualifiers at this week’s NCAA Outdoor championships in Sacramento, Calif.

Battle, a junior-college transfer, will compete in the hammer, discus and shot put.

Defending NCAA Indoor pole vault national champion Amy Linnen also will head to Sacramento as a potential gold medalist. Joining Linnen in the event will be Big 12 Outdoor champion Ekaterina Sultanova.

The other KU competitors will be Julius Jiles (110 hurdles), Jeremy Mims (800), Benson Chesang (5,000), Gavin Ball (discus), Brooklyn Hann (triple jump), Crystal Manning (triple jump), Abby Emsick (discus), Jen Widerstrom (hammer throw) and Charisse Bacchus (long jump).

Competition will begin Wednesday morning.