March 10, 2012
- Video interview with T. Doris
- Video interview with E. Sowinski
- Download your Iowa Hawkeye iPhone app!
- Iowa and the Big Ten Network
- Big Ten Network: Free Hawkeye Video
- 24 Hawkeyes to Watch
NAMPA, Idaho — University of Iowa seniors Troy Doris and Erik Sowinski earned first team All-America honors following their performances at the NCAA Track & Field Indoor Championships tonight. Sowinski earned the bronze medal in the 800 meters, while Doris placed fourth in the triple jump. It is the second straight year both athletes earned All-America honors in their respective events.
The two Hawkeyes contributed 11 points toward the NCAA team race to lead Iowa to a 15th place finish. Florida won the team title with 52 points. Arkansas finished second (47) and Arizona State placed third (41).
Sowinski, a native of Waukesha, Wis., placed third with a time of 1:48.93. He ran the entire race with the front of the pack and got tangled up a bit near the final 200 meters before using a late kick to edge Georgia’s Aaron Evans for third place on the medal stand.
“Taking third is a good feeling,” said Sowinski, “but I wanted to do a little better in the finals. I tripped a little bit, but I came back pretty well that last lap. When you almost go down it affects you a lot.”
Arizona State’s Michael McHenry grabbed the lead on the final lap and finished first in 1:47.96. Texas A&M’s Michael Preble led three of the four laps and finished second in 1:48.11.
“There were a lot of talented guys in the field, but I’ve run with, if not beaten, most of the guys in the field, so I had high expectations, but you can’t win them all,” said Sowinski.
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All-American Troy Doris |
Doris, a native of Bolingbrook, Ill., earned his second indoor All-America honor in as many seasons with a leap of 53 feet, 1 inch (16.18m). He earned the mark on his second jump of the night to guarantee a top nine finish.
“It doesn’t get old (being an All-American),” said Doris, “but I always want to get better; I’m greedy. I didn’t do my best today. I had ups and downs again, but fourth place is good. I’ll work on it for outdoors.”
Florida’s Omar Craddock earned the national title with a jump of 54 feet, 11 inches (16.75m). Chris Benard (ASU, 54-1) and Hasheem Halim (Va. Tech, 53-6) placed second and third, respectively.
Doris and Sowinski were both conference champions in their respective events this season. They act as team captains for the 2012 season and they’ll aim to repeat as outdoor All-Americans when Iowa returns to the track later this month.
“The indoor season was something to learn from,” said Doris. “This gives me a lot of confidence, so I’ll transition that to the outdoor and try to be No. 1 outside.”
The Hawkeyes open the outdoor season March 30-31 at the Arkansas Invite in Fayetteville, Ark. Iowa has eight competition dates, including the 13th annual Musco Twilight Meet on April 21 and the Drake Relays on April 26-28, before defending its Big Ten Outdoor Championship in Madison, Wis., on May 11-13.