May 14, 2010
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BLOOMINGTON, IN – The University of Iowa track and field team kicked off the 2010 Big Ten Championships today at the Robert C. Haugh Track & Field Complex in Bloomington, IN, hosted by Indiana University. The first day of the three-day competition included the decathlon, heptathlon, hammer throws, pole vault and 10,000-meter runs.
Senior Dan Rolling and the conference decathletes opened the competition with the 100-meter run. Rolling finished fourth in 11.27 seconds, just one one-hundreth of a second from matching his collegiate-best mark, set at last month’s Drake Relays. Through five events, the Milford, IA native sits in seventh place with 3,627 points, 281 points behind leader R.J. McGinnis of Minnesota. The decathlon wraps up tomorrow with the 110-meter hurdles, pole vault, discus, javelin and 1,500-meter run.
Through four events, Iowa’s Missy Miller sits in 10th place in the heptathlon. The freshman from Tipton, IA set a personal-best, springing 1.54 meters (5′-00.5″) in the high jump. Wisconsin’s Dorcas Akinniyi leads the heptathlon heading into tomorrow’s long jump, javelin and 800-meter run.
Hawkeye sophomore Ryan Lamparek finished in 14th place with a personal-best toss of 55.35m (181′-07″) in the hammer throw. Freshman Ben Stancombe recorded a toss of 54.22m (177′-11″) and sophomore Matt Banse led the Hawkeyes with a throw of 57.16m (187′-06″).
Sophomore Tiffany Medenwaldt recorded a top 10 finish in the women’s hammer throw with a toss of 51.99m (170′-7″) to capture eighth place and put the Hawkeyes on the scoreboard. Freshman Majesty Tutson recorded a mark of 41.04m (134′-08″) in her Big Ten Championships debut.
“I thought Tiffany came out ready to compete,” said women’s Head Coach Layne Anderson. ” She fought for the eighth spot by throwing beyond her seed and was able to put a point up for the team score.”
Freshman Kyle Reid trailed conference champion Ben Peterson of Minnesota in the pole vault. Reid vaulted to a height of 4.80m (15′-09″) while Peterson recorded a mark of 5.40m (17′-08″) en route to the Big Ten title.
Nick Holmes recorded a collegiate best mark of 30:02.31 in the men’s 10,000-meter run. Junior Jesse Luciano finished three spots behind his teammate with time of 30:37.54.
Megan Lessard paced the Hawkeyes with a top 10 finish in Day 1’s final event, the women’s 10,000-meter run. Lessard finished the lengthy race in a collegiate-best, 35:28.04. Teammate Lindsay Anderson finished one position later, turning in a time of 35:31.40. Fionna Fallon (36:35.95) and Megan Ranegar (37:22. 35) rounded out the Hawkeye competitors.
“We didn’t get off to the start we expected today,” said men’s Head Coach Larry Wieczorek. “We wanted to come away with some points early to get things going, but we were a little off. We’ll have to regroup and attack the field tomorrow with a determined purpose. Dan (Rolling) is in seventh place heading into Day 2 so we still have a chance to use today’s events to get on the board.”
“We had a solid day,” Anderson said of the women’s competitors. “The 10k race was tightly contested and a couple of our athletes competed for those top 10 spots. Everyone who competed today was committed to providing a tremendous effort. We just missed on breaking into the eighth scoring position, but it was to no fault to or athletes. The effort was certainly there and we expect to see a similar effort tomorrow. Tomorrow is a big day.”
The Big Ten Championships resume tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. (CT) and conclude Sunday with a series of finals.
BIG TEN CHAMPIONS (plus Iowa):
Men’s Hammer Throw
1. Micah Hegerle, MINN 63.47m (208-03)
11. Matt Banse, IOWA 57.16m (187-06
14. Ryan Lamparek, IOWA 55.35m (181-07)
18. Ben Stancombe, IOWA 54.22m (177-11)
Women’s Hammer Throw
1. DeAnne Hahn, MINN 56.60m (185-08)
8. Tiffany Medenwaldt, UI 51.99m (170-07)
21. Majesty Tutson, IOWA 41.04m (134-08)
Pole Vault
1. Ben Peterson, MINN 5.40m (17-08.5)
13. Kyle Reid, IOWA 4.80m (15-09)
Men’s 10,000-meters
1. Mohammed Ahmend, WIS 29:03.71
14. Nick Holmes, IOWA 30:02.31
17. Jesse Luciano, IOWA 30:37.54
Women’s 10,000-meters
1. Megan Duwell, MINN 34:02.12
10. Megan Lessard, IOWA 35:28.03
11. Lindsay Anderson, IOWA 35:31.40
18. Fionna Fallon, IOWA 36:35.95
24. Megan Ranegar, IOWA 37:22.35