6 Hawkeyes Earn All-Big Ten Honors

6 Hawkeyes Earn All-Big Ten Honors

May 16, 2012

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Six University of Iowa student-athletes have earned All-Big Ten track and field honors. Matt Byers, Troy Doris and McKenzie Melander earned first team all-conference honors following their first place performances at the Big Ten Championships on May 13. Betsy Flood, Ethan Holmes and Ashley Liverpool earned second team accolades. The honors were announced by the conference office on Tuesday.

Doris, a native of Bolingbrook, Ill., defended his Big Ten triple jump title with a school record mark of 54-8 (16.66m). The first place finish was his fourth in four conference championships. He also won Big Ten indoor titles in 2011 and 2012.

All-Big Ten honorees Betsy Flood and McKenzie Melander.

Byers became the fifth Hawkeye in school history to three-peat as a Big Ten champion when he captured the javelin title with a mark of 222-11 (67.94m). A native of Wichita, Kan., Byers’ career-best mark of 245-8 (74.89) is an Iowa and Big Ten record.

Melander won her first Big Ten title when she crossed the finish line of the 5,000 meters in 16:14.03. The senior from Apple Valley, Minn., won her first conference title in her final championships’ event. She also placed second in the 10,000 meters on Friday night.

Flood finished seven seconds behind Melander to place second in the 5,000 meters. Holmes placed second in the 110-meter hurdles for the second straight year and Ashley Liverpool ran a career-best 52.47 to finish runner-up in the 400 meters.

Flood and senior Jeffery Herron were recognized with the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award, given to a male and female from each institution. The student-athletes chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. In addition, the student-athletes must be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.

Click for a complete list of men’s and women’s honorees.

Big Ten Champion Matt Byers.