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THIS WEEK
The Hawkeyes begin postseason competition at the Big Ten Championships in State College, Pennsylvania, this weekend. The three-day championship begins Thursday at 12 p.m. (CT)
FOLLOW ALONG
Live results will be available through the team’s schedule page on hawkeyesports.com and at hawkeyesports.com/tracklive. Follow the team’s twitter account @iowaxc_tf for live updates of the meets. The meet will air at 6 p.m. (CT) on May 14 on the Big Ten Network
BIG TEN LEADERS
The Hawkeyes have four Big Ten leaders entering the conference championships.
- Junior Brittany Brown leads in the 200 meters (22.69).
- The men’s 4×400 meter relay: freshman Emmanuel Ogwo, sophomore Mar’yea Harris, freshman Collin Hofacker, and junior Carter Lilly (3:03.78).
- The women’s 4×100 meter relay: sophomore Taylor Chapman, sophomore Briana Guillory, senior Alexis Hernandez and junior Brittany Brown (44.34).
- Senior Aaron Mallett is first in the 110-meter hurdles (13.56).
HY-VEE CUP CHAMPIONS
The men’s track and field team won the Hy-Vee Cup at the 2017 Drake Relays. The Hawkeyes tallied 39 points to win their first Hy-Vee cup, defeating defending champion Illinois by 11 points. Team scores are based on the finish in five relays — the 4×100, 4×400, 4×800, Sprint Medley Relay, and Distance Medley Relay.
DRAKE RELAY CHAMPIONS
Iowa won a program-best four Relays at the Drake Relays on April 27-29. The men won three relays and the women won one. The three relays — the 4×400, 4×800, and sprint medley relay — are tied for the most in men’s program history (1929) since the relays began in 1910. Iowa won the sprint medley relay for the third time in six seasons (2011 and 2016) and won the 4×400 and 4×800 for the first time since 1967 and 1929, respectively. The women won the 4×100 for the second time in program history (2014). Junior Brittany Brown and senior Alexis Hernandez are the only returning winners from that 2014 winning relay.
RENO TUUFULI: DRAKE RELAYS DISCUS CHAMPION
Sophomore Reno Tuufuli won his first white flag at the Drake Relays, taking the championship in the men’s discus throw. Tuufuli recorded a mark of 59.34 meters to win his fourth discus title of the season. Tuufuli ranks second in the Big Ten and 10th in the NCAA in the event with a mark of 60.23 meters.
MALLETT NAMED BIG TEN ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Senior Aaron Mallett was named Big Ten Track Athlete of the Week on May 3 following his performance at the Drake Relays. Mallett competed in his fourth and final Drake Relays, winning the 110-meter hurdles for his first Drake Relays championship. Mallett posted a time of 13.47 seconds to win the event and move into fourth in the NCAA. This is Mallett’s third time receiving the honor during the outdoor season, the most in program history.
EKLIN SETS 90 SECOND PERSONAL BEST AT DRAKE
Sophomore Ian Eklin set a new lifetime best in the 10,000 meters on the first day of the Drake Relays on April 27. Eklin finished in 29:47.06 to finish fifth overall. Eklin now ranks sixth all-time in program history in the event.
2016 BIG TEN OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Hawkeyes crowned five Big Ten Champs in 2016 (2 women, 3 men) at the 2016 Big Ten Championships in Geneva, Ohio. Aaron Mallett won his second-straight Big Ten title in the 110-meter hurdles, the men’s 4×100 meter relay won their third title in four years, Kevin Spejcher won the high jump championship, Briana Guillory won the 200 meters and was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and the women’s 4×400 meter relay won their third title in program history. The men’s team finished fourth with 86 points and the women placed sixth with 58 points.
BIG TEN MEET RECORDS
The Hawkeyes have one meet record at the Big Ten Championships. Former Hawkeye Bashir Yamini tied the long jump record at the 1997 Big Ten Championships with a mark of 26 feet, 8 1/4 inches, tying Jesse Owens’ jump from 1935. Jon Reimer owns the only retired record under Iowa’s name. Reimer set the 330-yard hurdle record in 1965 with a time of 36.10 seconds.
FROM FOOTBALL TO TRACK
Freshman Emmanuel Ogwo is excelling in his first season on the UI track and field team. A former Hawkeye football player, Ogwo switched to track and has been one of Iowa’s best additions. Ogwo has competed in the 200 meters, 400 meters, 4×100 meter relay, sprint medley relay and 4×400 meter relay. At the Drake Relays, he won two Drake Relay titles in the sprint medley relay and the 4×400 meter relay. Ogwo ranks fourth in the Big Ten in the 400 meters (46.46) and 13th in the 200 meters (21.04)
RELAY WARRIORS
The Hawkeye relay teams have been some of the best and most consistent groups on the track and field team. The men’s 4×400 meter relay group set the school record twice in the indoor season and has set two top 10 times this outdoor season. The men have set nine top 10 times in various relays in 2017. They rank second in the Big Ten in the 4×100 meter relay (39.46) and first in the Big Ten in the 4×400 meter relay (3:03.78) and eighth in the NCAA.
The women have put five relays in Iowa’s all-time top 10 in 2017 and have set the school record in the 4×200 meters with a time of 1:35.36. The women rank first in the Big Ten in the 4×100 meter relay (44.34) and second in the 4×400 meters (3:32.37).
TAUSAGA’S MONUMENTAL SEASON
Freshman Laulauga Tausaga continues to boast one of the best discus throws in the country. Tausaga is eighth in the NCAA after her record-breaking performance at the Florida Relays, throwing 56.10 meters (184 – 1). Tausaga is third in the Big Ten and is one of two freshman ranked in the top 20 in the NCAA.
MYLENEK ATOP STEEPLECHASE LEADERBOARD
Freshman Nathan Mylenek boasts one of the best times in the country in the men’s 3,000 meter steeplechase. Mylenek ran a career-best 9:56.93 at the San Francisco State Distance Carnival on March 31. He now ranks fourth in school history and fifth in the Big Ten.
COUNTING CURRENT ALL-TIME HAWKEYES
The men have 23 current athletes in Iowa’s all-time top 10, led by Aaron Mallett (110-meter hurdles) and William Dougherty (Decathlon) who hold school records in their respective events. The women have 26 athletes in the top-10 and four school record holders on the roster in Briana Guillory (100 meters), Brittany Brown (200 meters), Marta Bote Gonzalez (3,000m Steeplechase), and Laulauga Tausaga (Discus).
NCAA LEADERS
Iowa has two events and a relay ranked in the top 10 in the NCAA. Senior Aaron Mallett is fourth in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 13.47, the men’s 4×400 meter relay ranks eighth (3:03.78), and junior Brittany Brown is tenth in the 200 meters (22.69),
NEXT ON THE BLOCK
Iowa returns to Iowa City for a week before heading to the NCAA Regional in Austin, Texas, May 25-27.
