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Chat with Washington State track & field head coach Rick Sloan, along with student-athletes Jeshua Anderson and Marissa Tschida on Thursday, June 3 at 10 a.m. PT.

Moderator: Hello Cougar fans and thank you for visiting WSUCougars.com and this morning's online chat with Track & Field Head Coach Rick Sloan and student-athletes Jeshua Anderson and Marissa Tschida. This morning's chat offers the unique opportunity to chat with two of the nation's best athletes at their respective events. The three-time Pac-10 champion in the 400m hurdles, Jeshua is set to defend his NCAA 400m hurdles title for the third consecutive year at the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Ore., June 9-12. Marissa, the Pac-10 javelin champion, enters the NCAA Championships as the national leader and school record-holder at 186-1 (56.71m) in the event. In addition to Marissa and Jeshua, Holly Parent (high jump), Anna Layman (800m), Trent Arrivey (high jump), and Courtney Kirkwood (javelin) make up the six Cougar student-athletes who will be competing at the NCAA Championships. Thank you to all three for taking time out from your preparation for the NCAA Championships to answer some questions today.

Rick Sloan: Thanks for your involvement and your questions. We are fortunate to have two of the outstanding student-athletes in the nation to answer your questions today.

Moderator: We have a lot of questions submitted so let's get right to it.

Sue (Palouse): First, congratulations to you both on making the NCAA Championship AGAIN. Do you find it any easier to prepare, since you've been there done that? I would also like to find out how big an impact on your lives away from the track area your coaches (Macdonald & Farwell) have been in your life?

Marissa Tschida: Being in the championships before does give you a little bit of an advantage because you are aware of the atmosphere and environment. You realize how it feels to be in one of those big meets. Coach Farwell has had a tremendous impact on my life outside of track. I didn't realize it when I came to WSU that my coach would be so involved, not only in my track career but in my everyday life as well. It's having someone to support you in everything you do.

Jeshua Anderson: As far as having gone to the NCAA Championships the past two years, the experience does help. I know how the meet is run, I know what it takes to qualify. I'm trying to prepare myself to be at the top of my game. I'm not nervous because as long as I'm well prepared I will be ready to go. Coach Mac does a great job of giving me his life experiences with what I am going through as a student-athlete. He motivates me to keep my nose to the grindstone in all aspects of my life.

Henry (spokane): Marissa: I see you have two other jav teammates right there with you that have been pretty successful themselves. How have Jennifer and Courtney helped you either during practice or competition or even outside of track to keep you relaxed and focused?

Marissa Tschida: Being around on a daily basis with people who compete at a high level is definitely helpful because you are always pushing each other and feeding off each other's attitudes. It's not only having two really good throwers out there in practice to challenge you, but it's nicer to have two successful teammates right there to motivate you.

Cougar MVP (Pullman, WA): Jeshua: It seems that your times are ahead of last year at this point in time. What have you and Coach Mac adjusted or enhanced to keep your performances at such a high level???

Jeshua Anderson: I don't think we changed anything too much. Last year I was hurt , so we had to train differently last year with more long sprints instead of going over hurdles. This year, I have more of a hurdle fitness, especially with the fall training and not having football practice allowed me to have a base to begin the spring season.

Rick Sloan: Coach Macdonald and Jeshua have transitioned to a stride pattern where he runs 13 steps between hurdles after the first hurdle. Last year, he ran 14 steps to the last two hurdles. The whole idea is to maintain your momentum and Jeshua is making the transition to 13 steps very nicely.

CougarMVP (Pullman): Marissa: In the past, you probably were the hunter trying to keep up with the nation's best and make a name for yourself in the javelin. This year, with your #1 nation-leading throw, what does it feel like to be at the top and have competitors trying to knock you off?

Marissa Tschida: It's not so much having a national rank throughout that matters to me because in the end it doesn't matter if you had the best throw in the nation, except for that second week in June. It doesn't matter to me more to have one good throw. I'd rather have solid consistency at a high level. It doesn't matter who is out there, what meet it is, you need to perform how you want and not regulate that on someone else's throw. You can't focus on other people because you have no control, you can only focus on yourself.

CougarMVP (Pullman): Jeshua: Was leaving WSU football one of the hardest decisions you have made in your life? Do you think focusing on one-sport has helped your performances on the track?

Jeshua Anderson: I feel leaving the football team was a hard decision, but then again, it was a great decision for me. Focusing on track has helped my performance. I was able to do my fall training and being able to do that for three months from September to November gave me a better base than finishing the football season out and then having to work extra hard to get my body back into track shape. It was easier for me to transition into the indoor season.

Brian (California): Jeshua, Congratulations and good luck as you go on. What advice do you have for a high school sophomore who is having some success as a 300 hurdler? What other events should he be in? Thanks and Go Cougs!!!

Jeshua Anderson: My advice is to continue to work hard, be a student of your event, and set high goals for yourself. Specifically, the open 400 is a good event because the speed and strength required for that event will carry over to the intermediate hurdles.

CougarMVP (Pullman): Marissa: What will it take for you to win a national championship this year? Also, how does training with two nationally comepetitive throwers (Courtney Kirkwood) and Jennifer Hamilton) help with your training? It must be great to have them as teammates to push you each and everyday.

Marissa Tschida: Thankfully, nothing out of the ordinary. It is just a matter of staying relaxed and executing everything coach and I have been working on. It helps to keep you focused but it always brings a lot of fun to training. While we are all trying to better ourselves individually we love to be around each other and compete with each other. It's nice to actually really want to hang out in practice, and compete with two really good throwers.

Lori Mitchell (Anna's Aunt): Great job! We will be cheering for you in Eugene!!

Rick Sloan: Thank you and Go Cougs!

Shane Skladany Gig Harbor: hey i was wondering how you guys feel being in the NCAA championships for track and field?

Rick Sloan: When the season begins in September it is always our goal to be at the national championships in June. We are pleased to accomplish that goal and we look forward to the competition in Eugene. Along with Jeshua and Marissa, both juniors, we have four other Cougars competing in Eugene. Senior Trent Arrivey in the high jump, junior Anna Layman in the 800m, freshman Holly Parent in the high jump and sophomore Courtney Kirkwood in the javelin. So are only competitor in their final season is Trent.

Moderator: Okay, that's all the time we have. Thank you guys for joining us once again.

Rick Sloan: On behalf of the Cougar Track & Field program, thank you all for your questions. We are all looking forward to the national championships. Go Cougs!

Moderator: Thank you to everyone for your questions. Remember, to get all the information about WSU Athletics, go no further than WSUCougars.com, the official website of Cougar Athletics. Please check back to WSUCougars.com for future online chats.