Hawkeye Fan Shop — A Black & Gold Store | 24 Hawkeyes to Watch 2016-17 | Hawk Talk Monthly — Feb. 2017
IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa track and field team will send nine student-athletes to the 2017 NCAA Indoor Championships in College Station, Texas, on March 10-11.
Sophomore Mar’yea Harris, junior Carter Lilly, senior Aaron Mallett, freshman Emmanuel Ogwo, freshman Collin Hofacker, sophomore DeJuan Frye, junior O’Shea Wilson, junior Brittany Brown, and junior Jahisha Thomas will represent the Hawkeyes in six events and one relay at the national meet.
“The athletes, coaches, and everybody is excited,” UI director of track and field Joey Woody said. “This is the highest we’ve ever been ranked on the men’s side heading into the NCAA Championships. Our biggest goal is to compete like a top 10 team and get some first-team All-Americans. Let’s finish this indoor season off on a high note.”
Mallett heads to the NCAA Indoor Championships for the third time in his career. He ranks fourth in the nation with a time of 7.63 in the 60-meter hurdles. Last year, he finished third and was named an All-American for the second time.
Brown is ranked fourth in the nation in the 200 meters. Her time of 22.79 set at the Big Ten Championships is a school and Big Ten record. She is looking to become the first Hawkeye to be named an All-American in the 200 meters since she earned the honors as a freshman in 2014.
Harris is heading to NCAA Championships in two events. He will anchor the men’s 1,600-meter relay and participate in the 400 meters, where he is seeded sixth with a school-record leading 45.75.
The men’s 1,600 meter relay enters the NCAA Championships ranked sixth nationally after their runner-up finish at the Big Ten Championships. The group of Ogwo, Hofacker, Frye, and Harris set the school-record twice during the season, ending with a time of 3:04.93.
Iowa has a pair of athletes in the long jump. Wilson and Thomas are making their first appearances at the NCAA Championships. Wilson is ranked 10th in the nation after his personal best jump of 25-feet 9 ½ inches (7.86m) at the Hawkeye Invitational on Jan. 14. Thomas is 11th in the NCAA. Her jump of 20-feet 11 ¾ inches is a personal best and school record.
Lilly qualified for his first NCAA meet in the 800 meters. Lilly set the school-record in the event with a time of 1:47.33 at the Meyo Invitational on Feb. 3-4. He is seeded 12th in the event.
The NCAA Indoor Championships is streamed on ESPN3.
