March 8, 2010
THIS WEEK — Iowa will close out the indoor season, sending fourteen individuals in nine events to the 2010 NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, AK. Friday events at the Randal Tyson Track Center are set to begin at 10 a.m. CST, and Saturday events at 11:00 a.m.
2010 HAWKEYE QUALIFIERS
| NAME | EVENT | NCAA RANK |
| Kevin Dibbern | 1,600-meter relay | 34 |
| Karessa Farley | 60-meter hurdles | 28 |
| Betsy Flood | Mile/Distance Relay | 32/33 |
| Adam Hairston | 800 meters | 25 |
| Amanda Hardesty | 3,000 meters | 59 |
| Lauren Hardesty | Mile/Distance Medley | 28/33 |
| Tiffany Hendricks | Distance Relay | 33 |
| Nick Kuczwara | 800 meters | 34 |
| McKenzie Melander | Distance Relay | 33 |
| Bethany Praska | 800 meters | 51 |
| Erik Sowinski | 800 meters/1,600 Meter Relay | 21/34 |
| Jeff Thode | Mile | 43 |
| Ray Varner | 1,600-meter relay | 34 |
| Steven Willey | 400 meters/1,600-Meter Relay | 22/34 |
IOWA NCAA NOTES
– Iowa has crowned 13 NCAA Champions in program history, the most recent being Kineke Alexander in 2006 in the women’s 400-Meter Dash.
– 12 Hawkeyes qualified for the indoor championships last season. This includes five of this year’s qualifiers, all of whom are competing in the same event as last season: Farley (60-Meter Hurdles), Flood and Melander (Distance Medley Relay), Hairston (800 Meters) and Willey (400 Meters).
– Karessa Farley earned all-American honors last season in the 60-meter hurdles, placing sixth at 8.23.
LAST TIME OUT – NCAA QUALIFIER — Junior Steven Willey and freshman Jeff Thode set school records in their respective events, Willey in the 400 meters (2nd, 46.75) and Thode in the mile (1st, 4:03.07). Both records have stood for over 25 years, with the previous 400-meter record being set in 1984 by Terrence Duckett and the mile mark set in 1981 by Ed DeLashmutt. Junior Bethany Praska provisionally qualified in the 800 meters (5th, 2:08.54) with a collegiate-best mark that ranks third all-time at Iowa. Junior Nick Kuczwara became the third provisional qualifier in the 800 meters, finishing fourth at 1:49.59.
UP NEXT — Iowa will have a quick turnaround after this weekend, beginning it’s outdoor season at Coastal Carolina for the CCU Invitational on Friday and Saturday Mar. 12-13. Events are set to start at 2 p.m. CT and 9 a.m.