Feb. 28, 2004
ANN ARBOR, MI –
The University of Iowa men’s track and field team is in 10th place with five points after the first day of competition at the 2004 Big Ten Men’s Indoor Track and Field Championships Saturday in Ann Arbor, MI. Wisconsin, looking for its fourth team title in five seasons, leads the team race with 68. Despite their team standing, the Hawkeyes recorded six personal-best and 11 season-best performances on the day.
Senior Ken Kemeny led the team with a sixth-place finish in the shot put. He bettered his previous NCAA provisional qualifying mark with a new personal-best of 60-0 1/2. Iowa’s distance medley relay also placed seventh in 10:10.66. In the 3,000 meters, junior Matt Esche placed ninth with a season and personal best of 8:17.28 and junior Tony Rakaric placed 12th with a season-best 8:26.75.
Four Hawkeyes advanced to Sunday’s finals in their individual events. Senior Derrick Burks qualified in the 60 meters with a personal-best 6.84, senior Russell Peterson qualified in the 60-meter hurdles with a personal-best 7.97, junior Matt O’Hollearn qualified in the 600 meters with a season-best 1:21.02 and senior Zach Digney qualified in the 200 meters with a season-best 21.77.
The second day of Big Ten competition begins Sunday at 8 a.m. at the University of Michigan Indoor Track Building.
TEAM STANDINGS (AFTER DAY ONE)
1. Wisconsin 68
2. Michigan 25
3. Ohio State 18
Indiana 18
5. Purdue 16
6. Michigan State 15
7. Penn State 11
8. Minnesota 10
9. Illinois 9
10. Iowa 5