April 16, 2011
War Eagle Invitational Results
Jim Duncan Field Event Results
AUBURN, Al. – The University of Iowa track and field team crowned six champions at Auburn University’s War Eagle Invite and Drake’s Jim Duncan Invite throughout the weekend. One Hawkeye standout in Auburn was Bethany Praska, the new school record holder in the women’s 800 meters.
Praska, a Longmont, Col. native, ran a collegiate best time of 2:05.46 to take the top spot in the event and etch her name atop Iowa’s all-time top-performers list. Praska’s mark replaces previous school record holder, Kay Stormo. The Hawkeye alumni set the time to beat in 1982 at 2:05.67.
Praska was also a member of the women’s 1,600-meter relay team that narrowly missed setting a second school record on the day. The senior started the relay for Iowa before passing off to fellow senior Tiffany Hendricks. Freshman Ashley Liverpool ran the third leg of the relay and junior Nicole Erickson was the anchor for the team that took second place. The Iowa foursome posted a time of 3:36.52, missing the school record by .26 seconds.
The men’s 1,600-meter relay team was successful in Auburn as well, finishing first in the event. Senior All-American Steven Willey started on the gun and junior D’Juan Richardson took the baton for the second leg. Sophomore Ethan Holmes ran the third leg of the race and junior Erik Sowinski carried the baton across the finish line, clocking a 3:08.10.
Senior Adam Hairston was the lone Hawkeye individual atop the victory stand in Alabama. Hairston ran to a 1:50.11 finish in the 800 meter run at the War Eagle Invitational.
The underclassmen ran like vets at Drake Stadium, Saturday. Sophomores Jeff Thode and Keaton Rickels and freshman Tevin-Cee Mincy were all first place finishers at the Jim Duncan Invite. Thode ran a 1:52.53 in the 800 meter run, while Rickels clocked a 53.80 in the 400. Mincy took first in the 100 with a time of 10.66.
Iowa’s women’s team was represented well in Des Moines. Sophomore Kelsey Taylor and redshirt freshman Ashlyn Gulvas took third and fourth, respectively, in the hammer throw. Taylor hit 169-0 (51.51m) while Gulvas recorded a toss of 168-11 (51.50). Gulvas’ throw was a personal best and moves her up Iowa’s all-time top-performers list to fifth.
In the field for the men, sophomore Ben Stancombe reached 192-2 (58.57m) with his throw in the hammer throw competition. Junior Matt Banse took fourth with a mark of 181-5 (55.31m).
Next weekend, the Hawkeyes will be showcased at the Musco Twilight XII in Iowa City. The 12th annual event is set for Saturday, April 23 at the Francis X. Cretzmeyer Track.