Hawkeyes Head South for NCAA Regional

May 25, 2010

Complete Release in PDF Format

NCAA West Preliminary Schedule in PDF Format

THIS WEEK —Iowa will send 34 student-athletes to compete in the preliminary round of the NCAA Championship in Austin, TX, May 27-29. The University of Texas will host the event at the Mike A. Myers Track and Soccer Stadium. Live results can be found at hawkeyesports.com on the Track & Field schedule page. The event will be streamed live at NCAA.com via the NCAA all-access page.

IOWA’S NCAA QUALIFIERS
Men’s (28 qualifiers – 20 athletes, 13 individual events, 2 relays)

Women’s (18 qualifiers – 14 athletes, 6 individual events, 2 relays)

2010 CHAMPIONSHIP FORMAT–The 2010 NCAA Outdoor Championships structure has changed for Division I since its previous structure, set in 2003. Previously, qualification was based on a set qualifying mark and subsequent placement at a regional meet.

Beginning this season, the country is divided into two regions: East and West. Qualification to the preliminary round competition of the Championship is based on the descending order list for the season. For each individual event, the top 48 declared student-athletes will be accepted into the competition. For each relay event, the top 24 declared relay teams will be accepted. The top 12 individuals or relays in each event from each preliminary site will form a final field of 24 and advance to the NCAA Championships June 9-12 in Eugene, OR. The multi-events athletes are the only competitors that will not compete during the preliminary rounds. The top 24 nationally ranked decathletes will earn an automatic bid to the NCAA final round.

MEN’S HEAD COACH Larry Wieczorek ON NCAA QUALIFIERS– “Having such a great number of competitors advance to the NCAA Championships is the icing on the cake for what has been a very good season. These athletes demonstrate the breadth of our program and they have me very optimistic about the immediate and distant future of Iowa track & field. It’s a great group that is hungry to win and we’re looking forward to having a great competition and advancing some athletes on to Eugene, OR.”

WOMEN’S HEAD COACH Layne Anderson ON NCAA QUALIFIERS–“We’re very excited to send this number of athletes to the regional competition. Qualifying for the NCAA meet is a great accomplishment that reflects the level of hard work these student-athletes have committed to throughout the season. I know they’re excited to compete and represent themselves and the University of Iowa on a national level.”

IOWA REGIONAL MEET HISTORY– Since 2003, the Hawkeye women’s team has sent 114 qualifiers to the meet and crowned two champions with 38 all-region selections. The men’s team has sent 133 qualifiers and crowned one champion and 29 all-region honorees. Iowa’s regional champions were Kineke Alexander (400 meters – 2006 and 2007) and Bill Neumann (javelin – 2003).

IOWA REGIONAL RECORDS– The Hawkeye men posted their highest finish in 2008 (12th), while the women’s team tallied their highest placing in 2007 (8th).

This season’s total of 20 student-athletes for the men’s team is a new UI record. The women’s total of 14 student-athletes ties a record set in 2007.

Former Hawkeyes Kineke Alexander, Tiffany Johnson and Peaches Roach hold the women’s school record for times qualified to the regional meet in a career. All three are 10-time qualifiers. Alexander qualified in three events in 2005, four in 2006, two in 2007 and one in 2008. Johnson advanced in three events in 2005 and 2007, and four events in 2006. Roach qualified in three events in 2005, 2006 and 2007 and one event in 2004. Former Hawkeye thrower A.J. Curtis hold the men’s record for most times qualified for the regional with eight. He qualified in the shot put and discus in each of his four seasons at Iowa (2006-09).

VARNER CAPS SENIOR YEAR WITH TITLE–Senior Ray Varner earned his first Big Ten title May 16 in the 400-meter hurdles, clocking in at 50.61. Heading into the conference championships, Varner’s season-best performance of 50.24 at the Sun Angel Classic on April 4 led the Big Ten and ranked eighth nationally. Varner is only the second individual to win a 400-meter hurdle title at Iowa, the first being Pat McGhee, Iowa’s record-holder in that event, who did it three times in 1986, 1988, and 1989.

WILLEY WINS 400-METER TITLE–Junior Steven Willey entered the Big Ten Championships ranked second in the 400 meters and came out on top, winning the title with a collegiate-best time of 46.12. This moves Willey up to fourth all-time at Iowa in the 400 meters. Willey is Iowa’s third 400-meter champion, the first since Andre Morris in 1996. This win marked Willey’s first career conference title.

BYERS TOSSES TO CONFERENCE TITLE–Hawkeye freshman Matt Byers continued his impressive rookie campain, earning a Big Ten title in the javelin, tossing 220-6 (67.22m). Byers’ season-best throw came in his collegiate-debut at the Sun Angel Classic on April 9, where he threw 232-2 (70.76m). This distance led the Big Ten, ranked 10th nationally, and second all-time at Iowa. Byers is Iowa’s fifth student-athlete to earn a Big Ten title in the javelin, the last being Bill Neumann in 2003.

FLOOD EARNS BIG TEN WEEKLY HONOR–Betsy Flood was named Big Ten Women’s Track and Field co-Athlete of the Week on May 5 for her collegiate-best 3,000-meter performance at Musco Twilight XI. The Des Moines, IA native won the race in 9:22.63, which ranks third in the Iowa record books. “This is a tremendous honor for a well-deserving student-athlete,” said Women’s Head Coach Layne Anderson. “Betsy continues to exemplify what it means to be a Hawkeye on and off the track.” The award marked Flood’s second career weekly honor. She was named Big Ten Cross Country Runner of the Week on Sept. 8, 2009.