Hawkeyes Host Iowa Invitational

Feb. 13, 2007

IOWA CITY –

Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

THIS WEEK — The University of Iowa women’s track team will host the Iowa Invitational Friday at the University of Iowa Recreation Building. The meet will begin with the field events and the 60 meter hurdles at 3:30 p.m.

COMPETING TEAMS — Augustana, Grinnell, Coe and Wartburg will provide the competition on Friday.

LAST WEEK — The Hawkeyes won two events and provisionally qualified three athletes for the NCAA Championships at the Cyclone Invitational in Ames, IA. Junior Diane Nukuri provisionally qualified in the 5,000 meters with a first-place time of 16:24.50. Senior Meghan Armstrong provisionally qualified and took first place in the mile with a season-best time of 4:44.55. Tiffany Johnson was the third Hawkeye to provisionally qualify, finishing in a tie for second place in the 60 meter hurdles with a time of 8.41.
Junior Kineke Alexander improved on her provisional qualifying time in the 200 meters taking third place with a time of 23.75.
Sophomore Renee White broke the school record in the triple jump with a leap of 41-5 3/4. The record was previously held by senior Tiffany Johnson at 40-10 1/4.

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS — The Hawkeyes have automatically qualified one event and provisionally qualified seven for the NCAA Championships held in Fayetteville, AR, on March 9-10. Kineke Alexander has automatically qualified in the 400 meters and provisionally in the 200 meters.
The following are all provisional qualifiers: Meghan Armstrong in the Mile and the 3,000 meters, Diane Nukuri in the 3,000 and 5,000 meters, Tiffany Johnson in the 60 meter hurdles and Peaches Roach in the high jump.

NATIONALLY RANKED — The University of Iowa team has three athletes who are ranked in the nation by trackwire.com. No. 2 in the 400 meters is Kineke Alexander, Meghan Armstrong at No. 9 in the Mile and Diane Nukuri at No. 11 in the 5,000 meters.

HAWKEYE COACHES — James Grant is in his 11th year at the helm of the women’s track and field program. The past four seasons have been outstanding for Grant and the Hawkeyes. Kineke Alexander became Grant’s first NCAA champion (400 meters) and only the fourth in school history. In his time at Iowa, the Hawkeyes have crowned 21 Big Ten champions, 60 regional qualifiers, 21 all-region selections, 28 NCAA qualifiers and 10 all-Americans, one NCAA champion (Alexander) and set 22 school records.
Assistant coach Layne Anderson is in his third season at Iowa. He works with the distance runners and is also the head women’s cross country coach.
Victor Houston is in his third season with the Hawkeyes. His main area of responsibility include field events and multi-event athletes.

NEXT COMPETITION — The Hawkeyes will compete in the Big Ten Championships, hosted by the University of Illinois, Feb. 24-25.