JACKSONVILLE, Florida – The University of Iowa track and field team traveled to North Florida University to compete against the Big Ten’s best and captured 12 gold medals on Day 2 of the B1G Florida Invitational on Saturday in Jacksonville, Florida.
The Hawkeyes opened the day in the field with the discus and triple jump.
In the men’s discus open, Dawson Ellingson led the way finishing seventh with a throw of 48.80 meters. Jordan Hawkins and Austin West finished 13th and 23rd with throws of 46.14 meters and 39.07 meters. West recorded a career best in his discus debut.
Laulauga Tausaga earned her second gold medal of the weekend, winning the invite discus with a throw of 59.24 meters. Serena Brown completed the one-two sweep finishing second with a throw of 57.44 meters.
“Even though it wasn’t her best day Lagi continues to dominate the Big Ten in the discus with her second best mark of the season. Serena continues to improve and show that she’s one of the best in the nation,” said Iowa director of track and field Joey Woody.
James Carter, Jr. recorded his second career best of the weekend and his fourth in the last two weeks by finishing second in the invite triple jump. Carter recorded a jump of 15.94 meters, a mark that ranks fifth all-time in program history.
In the women’s invite triple jump, Eavion Richardson and Kayla Hutchins finished third and fourth with identical jumps of 12.52 meters. Hutchins’ jump was a new career best.
The quartet of Jason Hoffman, Tyler Olson, Alec Still, and Tysen VanDraska took home gold in the 4×800 relay with a time of 7:29.81, a time that ranks seventh all-time in program history.
Jamal Britt recorded his second career-best in as many days, winning the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 13.52. Josh Braverman, Gratt Reed, and Jaylan McConico finished sixth, seventh, and eighth with times of 14.03, 14.27, and 28.00.
In the women’s 400 open, Katie Moore finished 13th with a career best 57.94. Dallyssa Huggins was close behind in 14th with a time of 59.07.
In the men’s 400 open, the Hawkeyes won five of the top six spots. Antonio Woodard picked up the win with a career best 47.98. Woodard’s previous career best was 49.44. Armando Bryson finished second with a career best 48.32. Nolan Kembel was next, placing fourth in 48.85. Josh Andrews placed fifth with a career best 48.98. Tyler Olson finished sixth in 49.00.
Jordan Johnson placed third in the invite discus with a throw of 55.44 meters. Elijah Barnes finished sixth with a career best throw of 51.81 meters. Tyler Lienau placed eighth with a throw of 50.66 meters.
Jenny Kimbro won gold in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 59.25. Mariel Bruxvoort was next for the Hawkeyes in third with a time of 60.44. Payton Wensel and Karina Joyner finished fifth and eighth with times of 61.77 and 63.11.
In the men’s 400 hurdles, the Hawkeyes had four of the top six finishers. Jamal Britt finished second with a time of 51.43, just .01 from his career best. Austin Lietz ran 53.06 to finish third. Drake Woody placed fourth with a career best 53.29. Raymund Clarke finished sixth with a time of 54.08.
Mallory King led the way for the women in the 800-meters, placing fifth with a time of 2:08.01. Clare Pitcher was 10th with a time of 2:12.44. Logan Akason and Amber Aesoph finished 13th and 14th with times of 2:14.69 and 2:15.39. Aesoph’s time is a new career best.
In the men’s 800 meters, Kal Lewis picked up the win with a career best time of 1:51.96. Lewis’s finished very strong as his second lap was faster than his first. Jeff Roberts finished eighth with a time of 1:54.80.
In the women’s 200 meters, Lasarah Hargrove and Antoise Christian finished third and fourth. Hargrove dipped under 24 for the first time in her career with a time of 23.76. Christian finished with a time of 24.05.
Jaylan McConico brought home the gold medal in the open 200 meters with a time of 21.09. The time is career best for the McConico by almost eight-tenths of a second. Gratt Reed and DeJuan Frye were next in sixth and eight with times of 21.46 and 21.60. Evan Schuster finished 22nd with a time of 21.95 and Grant Conway was 31st with a career best 22.51. Tanner Iske was the final Hawkeye in at 34th with a time of 22.62.
“We had some really good performances in the 200 and 400 open today, and after falling in the hurdles, Jaylan McConico came back with a huge PR and great performance to win the open 200,” Woody said.
Jamie Kofron finished sixth in the open discus with a career best throw of 48.88 meters. This mark currently ranks eighth all-time in program history. Kat Moody finished 12th with a throw of 43.12 meters.
In the women’s 3,000 meters, Kelli Tosic grabbed the bronze medal with a time of 9:54.05. Emma Gordon recorded a career best by over 15 seconds with a time of 10:00.35 to finish fifth.
Nick Trattner led the way for the Hawkeyes in the 3,000 meters finishing first with a time of 8:17.67. Noah Healy was second with a time of 8:18.19. Trattner and Healy separated themselves from the pack closing in 61 and 62 seconds respectively. Aidan King and Konnor Sommer finished sixth and seventh with times of 8:37.78 and 8:41.38. Sommer’s time was a new career best.
QUOTING WOODY
“I thought the team did a great job overall today building off some great performances yesterday. We started things off winning both the men’s and women’s 100 and 110 hurdles with season-best performances from Jenny and Jamal. I thought they both did a great job coming back to lead our 400 hurdlers with a big win from Jenny and a runner-up performance from Jamal in his debut 400 hurdle race in an Iowa uniform. We had great marks in the triple jump from both the men and women with James Carter leading the way, getting a big PR by finishing second and beating some of the best in the Big Ten. We had a lot of PR’s and season best performances from the entire team today, which shows we are progressing really well. I thought all of the athletes competed really well on the multiple 4×4’s at the end of the meet.”
Rundown B1G Florida Invitational
Saturday:
Men’s Discus
7. Dawson Ellingson / 48.80m (160’1”)
13. Jordan Hawkins / 46.14m (151’4”)
23. Austin West / 39.07m (128’2”) (PR)
Men’s Triple Jump
2. James Carter Jr. / 15.94m (52’3.75”) (PR) 5th all-time
Women’s Triple Jump
3. Eavion Richardson / 12.52m (41’1”)
4. Kayla Hutchins / 12.52m (41’1”) (PR)
Women’s Discus
1. Laulauga Tausaga / 59.24m (194’4”)
2. Serena Brown / 57.44m (188’5”)
Men’s Javelin
10. Will Daniels / 55.59m (182’4”) (PR)
12. Austin West / 54.38m (178’5”) (PR)
Men’s 4×800
1. 7:29.81 (Hoffman,Olson,Still,VanDraska)
Women’s 100 Hurdles
1. Jenny Kimbro / 13.42
4. Myreanna Bebe / 13.81 (PR)
Men’s 110 Hurdles
1. Jamal Britt / 13.52 (PR)
6. Josh Braverman / 14.03
7. Gratt Reed / 14.27
8. Jaylan McConico / 28.00
Women’s 400
13. Katie Moore / 57.94 (PR)
14. Dallyssa Huggins / 59.07
Men’s 400m
1. Antonio Woodard / 47.98 (PR)
2. Armando Bryson / 48.32 (PR)
4. Nolan Kembel / 48.85
5. Josh Andrews / 48.98 (PR)
6. Tyler Olson / 49.00
Men’s Discus
3. Jordan Johnson / 55.44m
6. Elijah Barnes / 51.81m (PR)
8. Tyler Lienau / 50.66m
Women’s 400 Hurdles
1. Jenny Kimbro / 59.25
3. Mariel Bruxvoort / 60.44
5. Payton Wensel / 61.77
8. Karina Joiner / 63.11
Men’s 400 Hurdles
2. Jamal Britt / 51.43
3. Austin Lietz / 53.06
4. Drake Woody / 53.29 (PR)
6. Raymund Clarke / 54.08
Women’s Javelin
11. Marissa Mueller / 40.15m (131’8”)
14. Dallyssa Huggins / 37.88m (124’3”)
Women’s 800 Open
5. Mallory King / 2:08.01
10. Clare Pitcher / 2:12.44
13. Logan Akason / 2:14.69
14. Amber Aesoph / 2:15.39 (PR)
Men’s 800 Open
1. Kal Lewis / 1:51.96 (PR)
8. Jeff Roberts / 1:54.80
Women’s 200
3. Lasarah Hargrove / 23.76 (PR)
4. Antonise Christian / 24.05
Women’s 200 Open
25. Cortney Strohman / 25.12
30. Aly Weum / 25.37
42. Katie Petersen / 26.14
46. Sydney Winger / 26.31
Men’s 200 Open
1. Jaylan McConico / 21.09 (PR)
6. Gratt Reed / 21.46
8. DeJuan Frye / 21.60
22. Evan Schuster / 21.95
31. Grant Conway 22.51 (PR)
34. Tanner Iske / 22.62
Women’s Discus
6. Jamie Kofron / 48.88m (160’4”) (PR) 8th all-time
12. Kat Moody / 43.12m (141’5”)
Women’s 3,000m
3. Kelli Tosic / 9:54.05
5. Emma Gordon / 10:00.35 (PR)
Men’s 3,000m
1. Nick Trattner / 8:17.67
2. Noah Healy / 8:18.19
6. Aidan King / 8:37.78
7. Konnor Sommer / 8:41.38 (PR)
Women’s 4×400
1. IOWA C (Joiner,Welker,Pitcher,Weum) / 3:49.93
Men’s 4×400
1. IOWA C (Woody, Gudgel, Bryson, Still) / 3:14.90
2. IOWA D (Roethler, Andrews, VanDraska, Hoffman) / 3:20.52
Women’s 4×400 Invitational
2. IOWA A (King,Roberts,Saunders,Strohman) / 3:41.25
4. IOWA B (Kimbro,Christian,Bruxvoort,Wensel) / 3:42.12
Men’s 4×400 Invitational
1. IOWA A (Lawrence Jr., Woodard,Olson,Gillum) / 3:09.18
4. IOWA B (Lietz,Clarke ,Kembel,Frye) / 3:12.38