T&F Notebook: Iowa State Classic, Tyson Invitational

Feb. 10, 2016

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Weekly Release

THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa track and field team splits competitors at the Iowa State Classic in Ames, Iowa, and the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on Friday and Saturday. The Iowa State Classic begins Friday with field events at 11 a.m. (CT) and running events at noon. Action resumes Saturday with running events at 10 a.m. and field events at noon.

Friday’s competition at the Tyson Invitational begins with running events at 1 p.m. followed by field events at 2 p.m. Field events open action Saturday at 11 a.m. with running events at noon.

FOLLOW THE HAWKEYES
Live results are available on the track and field schedule page at hawkeyesports.com. Follow @IowaXC_TF on twitter for updates and relevant statistics throughout the meet.

A LOOK AT ISU CLASSIC
The Iowa State Classic hosts nine top-25 teams on the men’s side: Florida (1), Virginia Tech (3), LSU (4), Arkansas (8), Georgia (10), Stanford (11), Alabama (15), Purdue (23), and Oklahoma State (24).

The Hawkeye women compete in a field of 10 nationally-ranked programs: Georgia (2), Florida (4), Georgetown (8), Wisconsin (10), Kentucky (12), Stanford (13), Notre Dame (16), Baylor (17), LSU (21), and Oklahoma State (22).

SCOUTING THE COMPETITION – TYSON INVITATIONAL
The Tyson Invitational features seven nationally-ranked men’s teams — Florida (1), Texas (5), Tennessee (7), Arkansas (8), NC State (19), Oklahoma State (24) and Kansas State (25). Eight top-25 programs — Arkansas (1), Florida (4), Texas (5), Kansas State (6), NC State (9), Tennessee (14), Baylor (17), and Oklahoma State (22) — represent the field for the women.

SCHOOL RECORD ALERT
After posting two personal bests at the Razorback Invitational from Jan. 29-30 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, sophomore Jahisha Thomas (20-4 ½, 6.21m) broke the women’s long jump school record set by Zinnia Miller (20-4 ¼, 6.20m) in 2014 to place second at the Meyo Invitational on Feb. 5. The London native also set a personal-best 8.51 in the 60-meter hurdles. That time ranks sixth in school history.

MELCHERT REWRITES ALL-TIME LISTS
Sophomore Michael Melchert has recorded two personal bests this season in the men’s mile (4:05.37) and 3,000 meters (8:08.57), each with the fourth-fastest time in school history.

RACE TO THE FINISH
Junior Elexis Guster dropped to second in the Big Ten after finishing behind Purdue’s Symone Black (53.13) in a collegiate-best 53.47 at the Meyo Invitational on Feb. 6. The pair anchored their respective teams in the 1,600-meter relay as Guster held off Black to edge out Purdue (3:37.89) for the win in 3:36.99. Guster was joined by senior MonTayla Holder, freshman Briana Guillory, and junior Alexis Hernandez. The quartet’s time is 0.02 seconds off the school record and ranks second in the Big Ten behind Ohio State (3:36.16).

600-METER DOMINANCE
Five Hawkeyes rank among the conference’s top eight in the men’s and women’s 600 meters. Senior Will Teubel climbed to third following his collegiate-best performance (1:17.55) at the Meyo Invitational on Feb. 5, while sophomore Carter Lilly ranks seventh (1:18.07). Teubel’s time is second in school history.

The Hawkeye women hold three of the top eight positions. Senior MonTayla Holder (3rd) clocked a season-best 1:30.09 at the Meyo Invitational, while Mahnee Watts’ collegiate best (1:30.83) puts her sixth in the Big Ten and fifth at Iowa. Junior Elexis Guster (7th/1:30.93) also joins the mix.

SPRINTERS IN THE BIG TEN
Iowa is the only Big Ten program to have a men’s and women’s representative rank among the conference’s top eight in the short and long sprints:

• M 60 meters: 6th/O’Shea Wilson (6.76)
• W 60 meters: 3rd/Lake Kwaza (7.41)
• M 200 meters: 8th/Christian Brissett (21.36)
• W 200 meters: 3rd/Briana Guillory (23.87); 6th/Lake Kwaza (23.99)
• M 400 meters: 4th/Mar’yea Harris (47.10)
• W 400 meters: 2nd/Elexis Guster (53.47); 6th/Briana Guillory (54.44)
• M 600 meters: 3rd/Will Teubel (1:17.55); 7th/Carter Lilly (1:18.07)
• W 600 meters: 3rd/MonTayla Holder (1:30.09); 6th/Mahnee Watts (1:30.83); 7th/Elexis Guster (1:30.93)

NEXT ON THE BLOCK
The Hawkeyes head to the Alex Wilson Invitational in South Bend, Indiana, on Feb. 20.