Dec. 13, 2012
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IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa track and field program honored its student-athletes at the team’s annual awards banquet on Dec. 2. Multiple student athletes were honored for their accomplishments during the 2012 season.
Erik Sowinski, Troy Doris and McKenzie Melander each received the track and field Most Valuable Player award, while senior Jon Michael Brandt and graduate student Mareike Schrulle earned MVP honors for the 2012 cross country season. Matt Byers and Betsy Flood received the Coaches Award, and a pair of Hawkeye throwers, Gabe Hull and Annemie Smith, earned the outstanding freshman award.
Sowinski, a Waukesha, Wis., native and the most decorated 800 meter runner in school history, medaled at the NCAA indoor and outdoor championships in 2012. He finished third at the NCAA indoor championships (1:48.93) and second at the outdoor championships (1:47.90), earning All-America accolades. He broke his own school record in the outdoor 800 meters three times during the 2012 season, and won the indoor 800 meters Big Ten Championship in 2012. He currently holds school records in the indoor (1:47.62) and outdoor (1:45.90) 800 meters, the 3,200-meter relay (7:23.77), and the sprint medley relay (3:16.18).
Doris earned All-America honors at both the indoor and outdoor NCAA Championships. The Bolingbrook, Ill., native, finished fourth (53-1; 16.18m) in the triple jump indoors, and fifth (54-1; 16.48m) outdoors. He also earned back-to-back conference titles in the triple jump at the indoor and outdoor Big Ten Championships. Doris currently holds the indoor (54-0; 16.46), and outdoor (54-8; 16.66m) triple jump school records.
Melander, an Apply Valley, Minn., native, earned a 14th place finish in the 5,000 meters at the 2012 NCAA Outdoor Championships. She was the Big Ten 5,000 meter Champion in 2012, and she currently holds the school record in the indoor mile (4:39.78).
Brandt was Iowa’s top finisher at three different meets in 2012. The Winona, Minn., native, finished fourth at the Bradley Open (25:17), 24th at the Roy Griak Invitational (25:20) and 62nd at the NCAA Midwest Regional (31:57).
Schrulle, a native Arnsburg, Germany, was the Big Ten runner-up and finished seventh at the 2012 NCAA Championships when she crossed the 6,000 meter line in a personal best time of 19:43. That mark ranks second all-time at Iowa. Schrulle earned All-America honors for her performance.
Byers, a senior from Wichita, Kan., earned All-America accolades after placing 10th in the javelin at the 2012 NCAA Championships. Byers also captured his third consecutive Big Ten javelin title with a gold medal toss of 222-10 (67.94m) at the conference championships. He currently holds the school record (245-8; 74.89m) in the event.
Flood ran the lead leg on the Drake Relays 6,400-meter relay championship team (19:16.73).The Des Moines, Iowa, native, was also the Big Ten 5,000 meter runner-up in 2012.
Hull, a sophomore from Bloomington, Ind., led the team in the discus in 2012. He placed second in the event at the Musco Twilight XIII (51-1; 15.57m). That mark currently ranks fifth all-time at Iowa.
Smith, a South Africa native, led the team in the hammer throw throughout the 2012 season. Smith placed second in the event at the Messersmith Invite with a toss of 187-7 (57.19m). That mark currently ranks second all-time at Iowa.
Other awards given were the Keatinge/Cretzmeyer Award (Nick Brayton, Jackie Laesch), Teammate Award (Keaton Rickels, Nicole Erickson), Most Improved Athlete (Jeffery Herron, McKenzie Melander), Inspirational Competitor (Ethan Holmes, Raven Moore), and the Silver Hawk Award (Matt Banse, Kelsey Hart).
The team finished the year with three all-region honorees, five Big Ten Champions, seven school record holders, and 10 All-Americans.
The Hawkeyes open the 2013 season Jan. 12 hosting the Iowa Open.
MVP Track and Field: Erik Sowinski, Troy Doris, McKenzie Melander
MVP Cross Country: 2012 Jon Michael Brandt, Mareike Schrulle
Keatinge/Cretzmeyer: Nick Brayton, Jackie Laesch
Teammate Award: Keaton Rickels, Nicole Erickson
Coaches Award: Matt Byers, Betsy Flood
Most Improved: Jeffery Herron, McKenzie Melander
Outstanding Freshman: Gabe Hull, Annemie Smith
Inspirational Competitor: Ethan Holmes, Raven Moore
Silver Hawk Award: Matt Banse, Kelsey Hart