March 7, 2009
Complete Results in PDF Format
AMES, IA – The University of Iowa Track teams were in action Saturday at Iowa State University for the Last Chance Meet. Iowa saw two new provisional qualifying performers and some new names in the all-time record books.
Junior Adam Hairston became Iowa’s eighth NCAA provisional qualifier of the season with his season-best performance in the 800 meters (4th, 1:49.81). His performance ranks second in the Iowa Indoor record books, only behind Hairston’s own performance (1:49.63) at last year’s Last Chance Meet. Freshman teammate Erik Sowinksi was not far behind (11th, 1:51.39) earning a new collegiate best that ranks fifth all-time. The 1,600-meter relay team of sophomore Steven Willey, freshman Patrick Richards, sophomore Chris Barton, and junior Ray Varner provisionally qualified (14th, 3:09.62) with a season best performance. Junior sprinter Paul Chaney, Jr. earned a new collegiate best in the 200 meters (13th, 21.34), moving to fourth all-time in the indoor 200 meters.
“I thought it was a real positive highlight weekend for us,” said Men’s Head Coach Larry Wieczorek. “There were a lot of guys that performed well, especially our young guys. Adam Hairston’s performance in the 800 meters was sensational, as well as Erik Sowinski continuing a great freshmen campaign. Our 1,600-meter team did well, Paul Chaney did well and I was pleased all around. It gives us a lot to look forward to with the great potential that these young guys have.”
Iowa State has been good to sophomore Karessa Farley this year. Saturday, Farley set a new indoor school record with her provisionally qualifying win in the 60-meter hurdles (1st, 8.21). This beats the previous school record of 8.30, which was set by Farley on Valentine’s Day weekend earlier this season at the Iowa State Classic.
“It was an outstanding performance,” Head Coach Layne Anderson says of Farley. “She ran a very clean race; she didn’t hit a single hurdle. It was a great bounce back from her fall at the Big Ten Championships. I’m proud of her.”
In the triple jump, senior provisional qualifier Renee White finished third with a jump of 40-11.5 (12.48m). Freshman McKenzie Melander earned a third place finish in the mile (4:52.09) with senior teammate Jennie Docherty earning a new collegiate best (9th, 5:01.53).
Student-athletes who qualify will compete at the 2009 NCAA Indoor Championships March 13-14 at College Station, TX. All events will be held at Gilliam Indoor Stadium on the Texas A&M University campus. Competition is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. Friday and Noon Saturday.