March 14, 2005
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THIS WEEK — The women’s track team will open the 2005 outdoor season Friday and Saturday at the Shamrock Invitational in Conway, SC. The meet will be held at the Coastal Carolina University track and field facility. The men’s track team is idle this week.
LAST WEEK — Hawkeye sophomore Peaches Roach and freshmen Kineke Alexander earned all-America honors at the 2005 NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, AR. Roach placed sixth in the high jump (6-0) and Alexander placed sixth in the 400 meters (54.06). The duo is Iowa Head Coach James Grant’s first indoor all-Americans. Roach became Iowa’s first Hawkeye field event competitor to earn the honor since Lisa Van Steenwyk in the shot put in 1992 and the first Hawkeye high jumper since Mary Mol in 1983. It was also the first time since 1994 the Iowa women’s team has had two student-athletes earn all-America honors at the same meet.
REGIONAL QUALIFIERS — During the outdoor season, the Hawkeye men’s and women’s teams will be trying to qualify for the NCAA Midwest Regional, which will be held May 27-28 in Norman, OK. The top five student-athletes in each event from each of the four regions will then advance to the NCAA Championships, scheduled for June 8-11 in Sacramento, CA.
2005 SIGNINGS — The Hawkeyes inked Jamaican sprinters Jodyann Powell and Annabella Reid during the early signing period in November. 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 at Whitefish Bay High School in Milwaukee, WI, 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 Coach James Grant is in his ninth season at the helm of the Iowa women’s track team. 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 11 all-Americans and 19 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 women’s team will compete at the Flordia Relays in Gainesville, March 25-26. The men’s team will send some competitors to the Florida Relays and some to the Cardinal Open in Stanford, CA.