Men's Track Competes At Big Ten Meet

Feb. 21, 2005

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THIS WEEK — The men’s track team will compete at the 2005 Big Ten Indoor Championships Saturday and Sunday in West Lafayette, IN. All events will be held at Lambert Fieldhouse. All-session tickets are $12 for adults and $7 for students. Single-session tickets are $7 for adults and $4 for students. Tickets will be sold at the Lambert Fieldhouse west entrance.

2004 INDOOR BIG TEN REVIEW — Iowa placed 10th at the 2004 Big Ten Indoor Championships with 13 points. Wisconsin won the team title with 174.5. Iowa’s highest event finish was fifth place by the 1,600-meter relay of Zach Digney, Jason Nolting, Juan Coleman and Russell Peterson.

IOWA IN BIG TEN HISTORY — Iowa has won three Big Ten indoor track team titles and 72 event titles since the first meet was held in 1911. The Hawkeyes won titles in 1926 and 1929 and were co-champions with Michigan in 1963. Iowa has also had two student-athletes earn Big Ten Indoor Freshman of the Year honors. Bashir Yamini earned the honor in 1996 for placing second in the high jump, and Jeremy Allen earned it in 1998 for placing second in the shot put. Former Hawkeye Ed DeLashmutt set the Big Ten Indoor Championships 1,500 meter record (3:49.90) in 1981. That record is now retired.

LAST WEEK — The men’s and women’s team hosted the Hawkeye Open Friday at the Recreation Building in Iowa City. Competing teams included Iowa, Coe, Grinnell, Wartburg and Washington. Four Hawkeyes provisionally qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships at the meet. Seniors Andy Banse and Ken Kemeny qualified in the shot put, while junior Adam Hamilton and senior Chris Voller qualified in the weight throw. The men’s team crowned nine event champions at the meet.

MEN’S TEAM CAPTAINS CHOSEN — Seniors Ken Kemeny, Juan Coleman and Bill Neumann are 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.

2005 SIGNINGS — The Hawkeyes inked two 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.

Chaplin is a National Elite Youth All-American 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.

NEXT COMPETITION — The men and women’s teams will compete March 5 at the Last Chance Meet in Ames, IA. All events will be at Lied Recreation Center on the Iowa State University campus. Field events are schedule to start at 9:30 a.m. and running events at 10:30 a.m.