Woody Named B1G Coach of the Year, Tausaga Named Field Athlete of the B1G Championships

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ROSEMONT, Ill. — University of Iowa Director of Track and Field Joey Woody was named Big Ten Coach of the Year and junior Laulauga Tausaga was named Field Athlete of the Big Ten Championships when the league office announced its annual award winners on Wednesday.

Woody led Iowa to its first Big Ten championship since 2011. The men’s team won the conference title with 116 points, 13 more than second-place Indiana (103). Two individuals and one relay earned conference titles in the 400 meters, 400-meter hurdles, and 1,600-meter relay.

Tausaga picked up her third consecutive gold medal in discus, throwing 60.28 meters (197-9) to set the Francis X. Cretzmeyer Track record. She also finished third in shot put (17.17 meters, 56-4) and seventh in hammer (60.91 meters, 199-10), leading the Hawkeye women to a third-place finish.

Junior Jenny Kimbro, and senior Chris Douglas were recognized with sportsmanship awards.

Kimbro competed in the 100-meter hurdles, 400-meter hurdles, and the heptathlon. She finished second in the 100-meter hurdles (13.38) and heptathlon (5,501 points), and finished fifth in the 400-meter hurdles, adding 22 points to the Hawkeyes’ 93 overall total.

Douglas scored 14 points for the men’s team. He won the men’s 400-meter hurdles with a personal best, 50.32, and finished fifth in the 110-meter hurdles (13.93).

The Hawkeyes head to the NCAA West Regional in Sacramento, California, on May 23-25. The NCAA will announce the NCAA Regional qualifiers on Thursday, May 16 by 1 p.m. on NCAA.org.

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