FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — University of Iowa track and field hits the road for the third-consecutive week, traveling to Fayetteville, Arkansas, for the Tyson Invitational and Ames, Iowa, for the Iowa State Classic. The Tyson Invitational begins at 2:15 p.m. (CT) on Friday and resumes at 11:30 a.m. (CT) Saturday. Action in Ames is slated to begin at noon (CT) both days.
Arkansas hosts the Hawkeyes and 19 additional teams, including Academy of Art, Alabama, Arizona State, Barton County CC, Drake, Duke, Florida, Florida State, Kansas State, LSU, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina A&T, North Carolina State, Nebraska, Oklahoma City, Ole Miss, Princeton, Tennessee.
Iowa State hosts the Hawkeyes and 21 additional teams, including Air Force, Bradley, Carleton, Chadron State, Colorado State, Drake, Kansas, Kansas State, Loras, Loyola (Ill.), Minnesota, Minnesota State-Moorhead, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Paradise Valley CC, South Dakota State, (Southeastern Louisiana), TCU, UNI, Wartburg, West Virginia.
FOLLOW ALONG
Fans can follow the meet on the live results page at hawkeyesports.com/tracklive. Results will also be posted on the team’s official twitter account @iowaxc_tf. A live video feed will be available for both meets. The Tyson Invitational will be streamed on espn.com (ESPN+) and the Iowa State Classic will be available on flotrack.org.
IN THE RANKINGS
The Hawkeye men rank inside the top-10 for the third-consecutive week in the USTFCCCA National Track and Field Index. The No. 8 Hawkeyes are the highest-ranked Big Ten team. No. 11 Nebraska is the only other Big Ten team in the top-25. Additionally, the Hawkeye men are ranked first in the Midwest Region, and the women rank second in the Midwest Region.
B1G HONORS
The Hawkeyes have earned Big Ten accolades on three occasions this season:
LaSarah Hargrove (So.) B1G Women’s Track Athlete of the Week (Dec.15)
Jenoah McKiver (Fr.) B1G Men’s Track Athlete of the Week (Feb.2, Feb. 9)
BREAKING RECORDS IS A HABIT
Six school records have gone down in the first half of the indoor season for the Hawkeyes. Senior Tyler Lienau broke his own scool record in the weight throw not once, but twice. Freshman Jenoah McKiver is the new owner of the 600-meter school record, and sophomores Kalen Walker and LaSarah Hargrove each posted their names atop the 60-meter lists for men and women, respectively. Sophomore Austin West proved to be the top-heptathlete in Hawkeye history on Jan. 28 at the Razorback Invitational . The most recent addition to the record book came last weekend at the Meyo Invite when senior Nik Curtiss broke the shot put record.
B1G TIME(S) FOR MCKIVER
Freshman sprinter Jenoah McKiver has been on an absolute tear to start the season. Through five meets, the Hawkeye currently leads the conference in a trio of events. McKiver took down teammate Wayne Lawrence, Jr.’s 600-meter school record at the Wieczorek Invite on January 21, setting a new meet record, facility and track record and new Big Ten lead (1:16.08). On Jan. 29, McKiver ran a Big Ten-leading time (45.78) in the 400 meters at the Razorback Invitational to win the event and is currently second-fastest in the NCAA and the third-fastest all-time at Iowa. Last weekend at the Meyo Invite, McKiver ran the eighth-fastest 600 meters in NCAA history (all conditions) and improved his school record (1:15.36). He went on to anchor the conference-leading, meet-winning 4×400-meter relay (3:05.63). Iowa’s time currently ranks eighth in the NCAA and is No. 5 all-time at Iowa. McKiver has earned back-to-back Men’s Big Ten Track Athlete of the Week honors on Feb. 2 and 9 for his performances.
HARGROVE GROOVING
LaSarah Hargrove ran the third-fastest 60-meter time in program history (7.40) at the Jimmy Grant Invite on Dec. 11. The sophomore earned Big Ten Women’s Track Athlete of the Week honors on Dec. 15 for her performance – the first conference honors of Hargrove’s career. She followed up her performance with a time of 23.58 seconds in the 200 meters at the Hawkeye Invite on January 15, winning the meet and running the fifth-fastest time in Iowa history. Her time currently ranks second in the conference and No. 31 nationally. Hargrove stayed hot, returning to the 60-meter race at the Larry Wieczorek Invitational and running 7.31 to break the school record in the prelims. That time currently clocks in at No. 2 in the Big Ten and No. 25 nationally.
RUN DON’T WALK(ER)
The Hawkeye sprint group was a force in the Big Ten a year ago, but lacked a single qualifier in the 60-meter final at the Big Ten Championships. Kalen Walker is one of the most intriguing additions to the men’s team this year. Walker exploded onto the scene in his Hawkeye debut at the Jimmy Grant Invitational, tying the 60-meter school record with a time of 6.69 in the prelims. Walker added a win at the Hawkeye Invitational, winning the 60 meters with a meet-record time of 6.71. Walker improved his all-time best mark last time out at the Wieczorek Invitational, becoming the lone school-record holder in the 60 meters (6.67), running that time in both the prelims and final. Walker continued his consistency and ran 6.68 in the prelims at the Razorback Invitational and 6.74 in the finals to finish sixth. Walker joins sophomore Austin Kresley, who owns a career-best time of 6.72 in the 60 meters, and adds some needed depth to the short sprints group.
MID-DISTANCE DOMINANCE
Freshmen Antonio Abrego and Jenoah McKiver led a mid-distance assault in the 600 meters and 800 meters at the Meyo Invitational. McKiver won the 600 meters, besting his own school record with a time of 1:15.36. McKiver’s time ranks No. 8 all-time in NCAA history (all surfaces). Junior Tyler Olson followed suit, finishing second with a personal-best time of 1:16.70. Olson’s time ranks No. 4 in school history. The Hawkeyes grabbed the top-seven spots in the 600 meters. Junior Julien Gillum and freshman Armando Bryson grabbed third and fourth place, posting times of 1:17.02 and 1:17.70, respectively. Abrego recorded a personal best by finishing fifth in the 800 meters (1:48.48). Abrego’s time puts him first in the Big Ten and No. 13 in the NCAA. This season, the Hawkeyes have had 10 athletes finish under 1:20 in the 600 meters and five athletes under 1:50 in the 800 meters.
LAUNCHING RECORDS
Four current Hawkeye women have thrown all-time top-10 program marks in the weight throw this season:
• 2. Nia Britt (20.94m / 68’8.5”)
• 3. Amanda Howe (20.85m / 68’5”)
• 4. Jamie Kofron (19.39m / 63’7.5”)
• 9. Alivia Bauer (18.11m / 59’5”)
Junior Amanda Howe set a new meet record (20.67m / 67’9”) at the Jimmy Grant Invitational and moved into second all-time at Iowa in the weight throw. Senior Nia Britt won the event at the Larry Wieczorek Invitational with a 20.35-meter throw and moved to second all-time at Iowa at Razorback Invitational, winning the meet (20.68m / 67’10.25”). Nia Britt improved upon her career best mark (20.94m / 68’8.5”) at the Meyo Invitational, finishing third. Amanda Howe was close behind in fourth improving upon her career best (20.85m / 68’5”). Britt and Howe currently rank No. 4 and No. 5 in the Big Ten and No. 24 and No. 28 in the NCAA. In the shot put, the Iowa women again have four current athletes on the program’s all-time top-10 list. Britt’s mark (16.75m / 54’11.5”)came in 2019, but three Hawkeyes (Moody, Berry, Kofron) have thrown top-10 marks this season. Sophomore Kat Moody has the best mark this season. Moody won the shot put (16.32m / 53’6.5”) at the Hawkeye Invitational. Moody’s mark was a career best that moved her into third all-time at Iowa.
On the men’s side, four Hawkeye men have thrown all-time top-10 program marks in the weight throw this season:
• 1. Tyler Lienau (22.20m / 72’10”)
• 6. Jordan Hawkins (20.11m / 65’11.5”)
• 8. Jordan Johnson (19.47m / 63’10.25”)
• 10. Sean Smith (19.11m / 62’8.5”)
Senior Tyler Lienau is coming off of a season-best throw (22.20m / 72’10”) at the Meyo Invite, winning the meet and improving his school record. Three other Hawkeyes have joined the top-10 this season. Jordan Hawkins and Jordan Johnson are both coming off of new career-best marks as well. Hawkins and Johnson rank sixth and eighth in program history.
2FAST4U
The Hawkeye men and women know how to run a quarter mile. The men’s squad of Khullen Jefferson, Julien Gillum, Chadrick Richards and Jenoah McKiver ran a conference-leading time of 3:05.63 in the 4×400-meter final at the Meyo Invitational on Feburary 4th. The relay team consisting of three freshmen (Jefferson, Richards and McKiver) and one junior (Gillum) ranks eight-fastest in the NCAA. On the women’s side, the quartet of junior Mariel Bruxvoort, senior Payton Wensel and freshmen Jaiden Itson and Tesa Roberts passed the baton around in a Big Ten-leading time of 3:35.90 (No. 16 in the NCAA) at the Razorback Invitational on January 28th.
FAST AND FURIOUS
At the Jimmy Grant Invite, sophomore LaSarah Hargrove ran the third-fastest 60-meter time in school history (7.40), with freshman Lia Love close behind (7.44), who jumped onto the all-time list, ranking fifth. Love also finished runner-up in the 200 meters, recording a new personal-best (24.58). Hargrove followed Big Ten Women’s Track Athlete of the week performance with a time of 23.58 seconds in the 200 meters at the Hawkeye Invitational on January 15, winning the meet and running the fifth-fastest time in Iowa history. Freshman Mytika Mayberry recorded back-to-back personal-bests in the 60-meter prelims (7.70) and finals (7.64), winning the final at the Jimmy Grant Invitational. Hargrove and Love both improved their 60-meter times last time out at the Wieczorek Invite. Hargrove ran a new school-record time of 7.31, while Love moved up to third all-time at Iowa with a 7.40. Hargrove recorded her third-best time of the season (7.36) at the Razorback Invitational to fiinsh sixth. Love finished 12th in the prelims with a time of 7.50. The women were without a qualifier in the 60-meter final at the Big Ten Championships last season but have added a pair of talented freshmen to the squad in Love and Mayberry.
HURDLE U? HURDLE U.
The Hawkeye men and women hurdlers have risen to expectations this year. The men have four athletes ranked inside the top-10 of the Big Ten and the top-48 of the NCAA. Sophomores Grant Conway (7.77) and Gratt Reed (7.85) currently sit No. 12 and No. 23 in the NCAA. Senior Josh Braverman (7.89) and junior Peyton Haack (7.93) are currently No. 7 and No. 8 in the Big Ten. Sophomore Myreanna Bebe leads the way for the women’s group. The Hawkeye is No. 2 in the Big Ten and currently 26th in the NCAA (8.26), and ranks third in program history. Sophomore Tionna Tobias is No. 8 in the Big Ten (8.44) and moved onto 10th on Iowa’s all-time list.
2021 INDOOR ALL-AMERICANS
The Hawkeyes finished the 2020-21 indoor season with five All-America honors. Returning this season on the men’s side is five-time indoor All-American Wayne Lawrence Jr. (400m honorable mention 2021) and second-team All-America heptathletes Peyton Haack and Austin West. Senior Mallory King returns for the Iowa women after earning second-team All-America honors in the 800m a year ago.
BIG TEN COACH OF THE YEAR
The Hawkeyes come off one of the best seasons in program history. A season ago, director of track and field Joey Woody became the first coach in program history to sweep the indoor and outdoor coach of the year awards. Iowa completed a Big Ten Championship sweep on the men’s side for the first time since 1963 — its outdoor title marking two-in-a-row. The indoor conference championship was the fourth in school history. The Hawkeyes had 10 medalists, including Big Ten champions James Carter, Jr. in long jump and Peyton Haack in the heptathlon.
NEXT ON THE BLOCK
The Hawkeyes head back to South Bend, Indiana, on Feb. 19 for the Alex Wilson Invitational.