Jan. 18, 2005
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THIS WEEK — The Hawkeye men and women’s track teams will compete at the Gold Country Classic Saturday in Minneapolis, MN. All events will be held at the University of Minnesota Fieldhouse. Competing teams in the co-ed meet include Minnesota, Iowa, Minnesota State-Mankato, Marquette, Minnesota-Duluth, Wisconsin-LaCrosse, Lakehead and Manitoba. Scheduled start times are 10:30 a.m. for field events and 11:55 a.m. for running events.
LAST WEEK — The Hawkeye men’s and women’s teams opened the 2005 indoor season hosting the annual Iowa Open. The Iowa women’s team won nine events, while the men’s team won six. Two Hawkeyes recorded NCAA provisional qualifying marks, while over 40 had collegiate-best performances. In all, 25 Hawkeyes made their collegiate debut.
Junior Adam Hamilton and sophomore Peaches Roach were the Iowa NCAA provisional qualifiers. Hamilton won the weight throw with a collegiate-best 65-1 1/4, while Roach won the high jump with a leap of 5-10 3/4. Winning events for the women were Roach (60 meters and high jump), sophomores Lindsey McCalla (200 meters), Erin Sheeley (400 meters), Shannon Stanley (800 meters) and Tiffany Johnson (60-meter hurdles), freshmen Kineke Alexander (600 meters) and Tammilee Kerr (long jump), and the 1,600-meter relay of Sheeley, Alexander, freshman Ashley Granger and McCalla. Winning events for the men were Hamilton (weight throw), senior Ken Kemeny (shot put), junior Dan Haut (two mile), redshirt freshman Ryan Niver (high jump) and freshmen Eric MacTaggart (mile) and Aaron Reed (long jump).
MEN’S TEAM CAPTAINS CHOSEN — The Hawkeye men’s team has chose seniors Ken Kemeny, Juan Coleman and Bill Neumann as tri-captains for the 2005 season. Kemeny is a five-time NCAA qualifier in the shot put, the 2004 Drake Relays champion in that event and has led the team in the shot put each of the last three years. Coleman is a four-time NCAA qualifier in the 1,600-meter relay, and ran the lead leg on the 2001 Big Ten Outdoor Champion 400-meter relay. Neumann is a two-time all-American and Big Ten Champion in the javelin. He won that event in five of six meets in 2003, and is the school record holder in the javelin.
2005 SIGNINGS — The Hawkeyes inked four recruits during the early signing period in November. The men’s team signed sprinter David Chaplin of Stone Mountain, GA, and thrower A.J. Curtis of Brodhead, WI. The women’s team signed Jamaican sprinters Jodyann Powell and Annabella Reid.
Chaplin is a National Elite Youth All-American, a 2004 Georgia Honor Roll member, National Honor Society member and was one of Georgia’s nominees for the Wendy’s High School Heisman Trophy. He helped his Redan High School team to the 2004 state title. His best times are 10.42 in the 100 meters and 21.25 in the 200 meters. Curtis won the Division II state discus title for Brodhead High School with a personal-best 180-7, which ranks sixth among returning prep discus throwers in the nation. He was also state runner-up in the shot put with a throw of 59-7, which ranks 11th among returning prep shot putters in the nation. Powell, from Mandeville, Jamaica, will join the team as a sophomore. Her personal bests include 11.52 in the 100 meters and 24.20 in the 200 meters Reid is enrolled at Whitefish Bay High School in Milwaukee, WI, this year and will join the Hawkeyes as a freshman. Her best 400-meter time is 53.56. She will also run the 200 meters at Iowa.
HAWKEYE COACHES — Head Coaches Larry Wiezcorek and James Grant are in their ninth seasons at the helm of the Iowa men and women’s track, respectively.
During his career at Iowa, Wieczorek has coached 23 all-Americans and 35 Big Ten Champions. Iowa’s highest conference meet finishes during his tenure is second at the 1999 outdoor meet and fourth at the 1997 indoor meet. As a runner, Wieczorek was a six-time Big Ten champion for Iowa, winning four track and two cross country titles. He was also a four-time all-American. In 1998, Wieczorek was inducted into the National Iowa Varsity Club Hall of Fame.
The Hawkeyes crowned two individual champions and recorded their highest placing under Grant (third) and their highest team point total (89) in school history at the 2004 Big Ten indoor championships. During his career at Iowa, Grant has coached nine all-Americans and 18 Big Ten Champions. As a runner, Grant captained Eastern Michigan University’s 1970 and 1971 track teams. He earned all-America honors while specializing in the 400-meter dash, 400-meter hurdles and the mile relay.
NEXT COMPETITION — The Hawkeye men’s and women’s teams will compete at the UNI Open January 28-29 at the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls. The co-ed team field includes Iowa, Missouri, Kansas State, Minnesota, Nebraska and Northern Iowa. Friday’s start times are 3 p.m. for multi-events. Saturday’s start times are 10 a.m. for field events and multi-events and 1:10 p.m. for running events.