Big Ten Championships Next Challenge

Feb. 21, 2006

Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

THIS WEEK — The Hawkeyes will compete in the 2006 Big Ten Indoor Championships this weekend. The University of Wisconsin is hosting the women’s conference meet and the University of Iowa is hosting the men’s meet February 25-26 in the Recreation Building. More information about the conference meets can be found at www.uwbadgers.com and at www.hawkeyesports.com, as well as the Big Ten homepage (www.bigten.collegesports.com).

LAST WEEK — The University of Iowa track team hosted the Iowa Open which included athletes from Augustana, Coe, Grinnell, Wartburg and Iowa Central Community College. The Iowa women picked up five gold medals and the men had eight first place finishes.

Junior Peaches Roach won the high jump and improved her NCAA Indoor provisional qualifying mark when she cleared 6-0 feet. Fellow juniors Becca Franklin and Erin O’Hern continue to battle each other in the weight throw. Franklin set a new school record with a toss of 53-00.25 and O’Hern is second in the record books with a toss of 51-1 in the meet. Ashley Granger won the 200 meter dash, Lindsey McCalla was first in the 400 meters and Amanda Chandler took gold in the shot put. Five Hawkeye women also set new collegiate marks in their respective events

On the men’s side, sophomore Shane Maier improved his personal best by almost two feet when he won the shot put with a distance of 61-2. Junior Adam Hamilton won the weight throw with a toss of 64-3.25. Maier and Hamilton both improved their qualifying marks in their events and will be competing in the NCAA Championships in March. Brice Wilson won the 60-meter hurdles, David Chaplin was first in the 200 meters and Tony Rakaric was tops in the mile run. Jeremy Petsche made his way onto the Top Ten Indoor list when he cleared 6-10.25 in the high jump. Matty Gorman and Aaron Reed took gold and silver in the long jump to make their first appearances on the Top Ten list, as well. Fifteen men also set new personal high marks.

RECORDS FALLING — The Hawkeyes have rewritten the record books this season. Three individuals now hold the top marks in their events and one relay team also took over the first spot. Sophomore Eric MacTaggart owns the best indoor 3,000 meter time when he crossed the finish line in 8:08.79 at the Meyo Invitational. Junior Tiffany Johnson broke the 60-meter hurdle time (8.33) in the Iowa State Classic. Becca Franklin threw the weight throw 53-0.25 in the Iowa Open to take over the number-one spot. Lindsey McCalla, Ashley Granger, Kineke Alexander and Johnson ran 3:40.52 in the 1,600-meter relay at the Classic to break the previous record by almost four seconds.

NCAA QUALIFIERS — Several Hawkeyes have provisionally qualified for the 2006 NCAA Indoor Championships hosted by the University of Arkansas, in Fayetteville, AK. Kineke Alexander, Meghan Armstrong, Tiffany Johnson, and Peaches Roach have qualified in individual events. Lindsey McCalla, Ashley Granger, Alexander and Johnson have qualified in the 1,600-meter relay. Sophomore Shane Maier and junior Adam Hamilton have qualified in field events. For a detailed list of Hawkeye qualifying marks and times, please see the complete release. Also included is how Iowa athletes matchup against Big Ten competitors and athletes from around the country.

TOP TEN INDOOR PERFORMERS — Several student-athletes have made it onto Top Ten indoor performance lists for the first time this season. Others have improved their standings. For a complete list of Hawkeyes and their Top Ten times and marks, please see the complete release.

QUOTING COACH WIECZOREK — “I’m really pleased with the performances. Shane Maier and John Hickey threw well in the shot put. Matty Gorman and Aaron Reed both reached 23 feet in the long jump. Aaron really had a break through in that event and Jeremy Petsche had a lifetime best in the high jump. This meet more than served its purpose in preparing us for the Big Tens next week.”

QUOTING COACH GRANT — “The women that competed tonight did well. Peaches Roach, Becca Franklin and Erin O’Hern did especially well. Peaches’ effort in the high jump significantly helped her place on the Big Ten and NCAA performance lists. Several other athletes also had personal bests tonight, which is always a good thing. I’m pleased with the meet and hope that my feelings of confidence rub off onto our athletes heading into next week’s meet.”

IOWA HEAD COACHING STAFF — Head Coach Larry Wieczorek is in his 10th season at the helm of the Iowa men’s track team. During his career at Iowa, Wieczorek has coached 23 all-Americans and 35 Big Ten Champions. Iowa’s highest Big Ten meet finishes during his tenure are 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 Iowa Varsity Club Hall of Fame.

James Grant is in his 10th year at the helm of the women’s track program. The past three seasons have been outstanding for Grant and the Hawkeyes. Iowa placed third at the 2004 Big Ten Indoor Championships in Iowa City and sixth at the 2003 conference outdoor meet. Both were Iowa’s highest placings during Grant’s tenure. The third-place indoor finish tied the team’s highest conference finish in school history. In the last three seasons, the Hawkeyes crowned 11 Big Ten champions, 38 regional qualifiers, 15 all-region selections, 24 NCAA qualifiers and three all-Americans, while setting 17 school records.