April 13, 2011
- Big Ten Championships – Iowa City, Iowa
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- Iowa and the Big Ten Network
- Big Ten Network: Free Hawkeye Video
- 24 Hawkeyes to Watch
IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa junior Erik Sowinski was named the Big Ten conference’s male track athlete of the week following his performances at the Sun Angel Classic last weekend.
Sowinski, a Waukesha, Wis. native, leaned across the line at 1:48.32 to earn the top spot in the 800 meter run at the Sun Angel Classic. He was one of four Hawkeyes named champion of their event at Sun Devil Stadium. Sowinski leads the team in the 800 meters, and ranks third in the event (1:48.00) among Iowa’s all-time top performers. He earned All-American honors at the 2010 NCAA outdoor championships and recently captured a fourth place finish in the 800 at the 2011 NCAA indoor championships.
“My first thought is, what a deserving guy,” said head coach Larry Wieczorek. “He’s an All-American, Iowa record holder, Big Ten champion and recently placed fourth in the country. It’s tough to say enough good things about the guy. Some people are successful for two reasons; they have a single minded goal and their habits are just better than the rest of us. Erik Sowinski is one of those people and he truly deserves the honor.”
The weekly honor is the first this season for the Hawkeyes, and the first since Ray Varner was named athlete of the week in April of 2009.
Sowinski and the Hawkeyes will be back on the track this weekend at the War Eagle Invite in Auburn, Ala.