Most people would be happy just to qualify for the NCAA Track and Field Championships, but not Senior Kris Curnyn. The All-American will be making her third trip to Nationals, this year in the hammer throw and also likely the shot put.

“This season has gone pretty well,” Curnyn said. “I’ve improved in two events (hammer and shot), but I’m really disappointed in the third (discus). The shot is kind of a surprise because I only throw it once a week; the discus has been more frustrating than anything. I kept trying different techniques, because I know my form has been off. It’s really been hard for me, I think I was almost overdoing it.”

Curnyn’s hammer toss of 191-11 automatically qualified her and ranks her 12th nationally. Her personal and season best shot put (50-9 1/4) set at the Minnesota meet places her 21st in the nation and should be good enough to get her in.

“A person’s senior year can sometimes be tough when dealing with their future, but she is ending her career real strong,” Coach Dick Lee said. “She is the best pure competitor I’ve ever witnessed on the female side. Her focus is amazing; when she steps into the ring she is always trying to do her best, and she never backs down on or away from the track.”

The Jefferson, Iowa, native has been battling some nagging back problems, which has limited her lifting which is crucial for throwers. She hopes with a few more treatments she will be at full strength by the June 3 meet.

Last season Curnyn was crowned the Big 12 conference discus champion with a toss of 174-10, a new school record. She also placed third in the shot and fourth in the hammer throw. She racked the second highest individual point total with 21. The discus mark qualified her for the NCAA meet,where she finished 11th with a toss of 166. She also competed in the USA Track and Field Championship in both the hammer and discus, placing 17th and 12th respectively.

Curnyn originally set the discus record as a freshman with a fling of 154-7. She also owns the school record in the hammer (191-11), which earned her third at this year’s conference meet and gave her an automatic bid to Nationals. She also finished third in the discus (167-9) and shot put (50-1 3/4), giving her 18 individual points — good for seventh overall.

“The discus is really reliant on the weather,” Lee said. “You need to be throwing into some amount of head-wind in order to make the discus fly. There was no wind for her at the conference meet. There was a slight wind during the first flight, but she threw in the second. Actually we’ve had very few meets this year that had good conditions.”

The three-time high school state champion first became an All-American when she placed ninth at last year’s indoor meet in the 20 lb wt. throw, she also finished second in both the shot and 20 lb wt. during the conference indoor meet last year. She first qualified for Nationals during the indoor season of her sophomore campaign, when she placed 13th in the 20 lb wt. throw. During the spring, Curnyn placed 13th at the NCAA outdoor in the hammer. She has earned all-conference 16 times throughout her career.

Not only has Curnyn made an impact on the field, but she has been a team asset off as well.

“She is a real leader that takes charge out there,” freshman Lisa Griebel said. Griebel has already qualified for nationals in the shot. “She’s like a second coach by pointing out what I’m doing wrong and giving me tips. She has really taken me and others under her wing; she’s like a second mom.”

Griebel and Curnyn, along with Trina Radske in the long jump and Saul Limpirikany in the men’s 5,000 meters, will begin their quest June 3 through the 6th in Buffalo, NY.

“I’m very competitive,” Curnyn said. “Even though there may be someone out there that can easily out throw me, I still want to win. I try to improve from week to week in order to be happy, if I do bad I’m really disappointed.

“Right now I want to make the (hammer) finals. I’ve been 10th or 11th before, and I really want to make it this year,” she added. The top nine competitors advance to the finals.