March 31, 2008
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THIS WEEK —
The University of Iowa men and women’s track teams will send split squads to the south, west and midwest this weekend.
The men’s squad will open their 2008 outdoor season Friday and Saturday at the Tiger Classic in Auburn, AL, and Saturday at the Messersmith Invite in Cedar Falls. The Tiger Classic will be held at Hutsell-Rosen Track on the Auburn University campus, with events starting at 4:30 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday (CT). The Messersmith Invite will be held at the Messersmith Track Complex on the Northern Iowa campus.
The Hawkeye women will send competitors to the Stanford Invite in Stanford, CA, as well as the Tiger Classic at Auburn. The Stanford Invite will be held at Cobb Track and Angell Field on the Stanford University campus. Events are set to start at 10:45 a.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday (CT).
NCAA REGIONAL QUALIFIERS —
Two Hawkeyes have qualified for the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships, which will be held May 30-31 in Des Moines, IA. Their event, qualifying marks and where they rank in the Big Ten, region and the nation are listed below.
Big 10/Region/NCAAName Event Mark RankingMeghan Armstrong 1,500 Meters 4:26.62 1st/4th/7thTammilee Kerr Javelin 148-9 (45.34 m) 2nd10th/26th="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>
ARMSTRONG EARNS BIG TEN HONOR —
Hawkeye senior distance runner Meghan Armstrong was named Big Ten Women’s Track Athlete of the Week March 25. She earned the weekly conference award for her winning and regionally qualifying 1,500-meter time of 4:26.62 at the Shamrock Invitational. Armstrong is the first Hawkeye runner in school history to earn the conference outdoor honor. The other three Hawkeye student-athletes to earn the Big Ten outdoor honor were thrower Mandy Beck on March 22, 1999; jumper Aisha James on April 28, 2003; and thrower Alana Redfern on May 5, 2003.
WOMEN’S TRACK SIGNS 2008-09 CLASS —
The Iowa women’s track team has signed five student-athlete distance runners for the 2008-09 season. Lindsay Anderson (Leeds, ND), Betsy Flood (Des Moines, IA), Brooke Eilers (Holland, MI), McKenzie Melander (Apple Valley, MN) and Danielle Berndt (Bloomington, MN) will all be joining the Hawkeyes.
Anderson, sister of current Hawkeye Krista Anderson, is a two-time North Dakota Gatorade Athlete of the Year. She is an 11-time state champion, winning four titles in cross country, five in the 1,600 meters and two in the 3,200 meters. She is a three-time Footlocker National High School Cross Country meet qualifier.
Flood is one of the top all-around prep runners in Iowa, winning state titles in the 800 and 1,500 meters and the distance medley relay. She is a member of the AAU record setting 3,200 meter relay team. Entering her senior season her personal best in the 800 meters is 2:13 and 4:35 the 1,500 meters.
Eilers has received all-state accolades in cross country and track. Her has a personal best time of 4:59 in the 1,600 meters and 10:49 in the 3,200 meters.
Melander posted a state runner-up performance in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters in 2007. Her personal best time in the 1,600 is 4:59 and in the 3,200 is 10:52.
Berndt placed second in the state 3,200 meters (10:49) and fourth at the state cross country championships. She is also an excellent nordic skier having recently qualified for the national championships in Alaska.
2008 MEN’S TEAM CAPTAINS NAMED —
Seniors Shane Maier, Max Milder and Micah VanDenend are team captains for the 2008 season. Maier and VanDenend both served as captains last season. Maier, from Storm Lake, IA, is the defending Big Ten indoor shot put champion and a two-time all-region honoree. He and four other Hawkeye throwers hold the school record for most times qualified for the NCAA Midwest Regional (4). VanDenend, a native of Glenbard, IL, is the defending Big Ten 10,000-meter champion and won the 2006 NCAA Midwest Cross Country Regional title. The three-time all-region honoree currently holds four of Iowa’s school distance records. Milder, a sprinter from Council Bluffs, IA, is a two-time regional qualifier, earning all-region honors as part of the 400-meter relay last season.
WOMEN’S TEAM OPENS 2008 OUTDOOR SEASON —
The Hawkeye women’s track and field team won three events and had posted two NCAA regional qualifiers at the Shamrock Invitational in Conway, SC, March 22.
Seniors Tammilee Kerr and Meghan Armstrong posted regional qualifying performances, winning their events. Kerr won the javelin with a throw of 148-9, while Armstrong won the 1,500 meters in 4:26.62. Senior Jessica Schmidt also won the steeplechase with a collegiate-best 11:03.29. That time ranks second in school history.
Six other Hawkeyes posted collegiate-best performances at the meet. They were graduate student Sarah Henize in the 800 meters (2:17.44), senior Monica Mims in the 400 meters (56.99), junior Krista Anderson in the 1,500 meters (4:43.58), and freshmen Kimberly Stanford in the 100-meter hurdles (14.11), Tiffany Hendricks in the 200 meters (25.41) and Bethany Praska in the 200 meters (25.69).
UP NEXT —
The Hawkeye men and women’s teams will send split squads to the Sun Angel Classic April 11-12 in Tempe, AZ, or the the Lee Calhoun Memorial April 12 in Macomb, IL.
The Sun Angel Classic will be held at Joe Selleh Track at Sun Angel Stadium on the Arizona State University campus. Events are scheduled to start at 6 p.m. (CT) Friday and 2 p.m. (CT) Saturday.
The Lee Calhoun Memorial will be held at Hanson Field on the Western Illinois University campus. Events are scheduled to start at 9 a.m. (CT).
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