IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa track and field senior Nik Curtiss broke the outdoor shot put school record at the 21st Musco Twilight on Saturday afternoon at Francis X. Cretzmeyer track, while junior hammer thrower Amanda Howe improved her all-time best mark and the school school (62.92m / 206’5”) to win the meet.
“Nik Curtiss was awesome today,” Iowa Director of Track and Field Joey Woody said. “It was really exciting especially, this being his first year here. For him to be able to not only break the indoor school record, but to also break the outdoor school record here at our home meet was really exciting. I’m really proud of him and that he broke the 20-meter barrier. That’s a big mental barrier, and for him to get over that today was huge.”
Curtiss now owns the indoor and outdoor shot put records, taking them both down in his lone season as a Hawkeye. Curtiss came to Iowa after a decorated career at Tiffin University, transferring with first-year Iowa throws coach Ray Robinson. Curtiss’ mark is No. 5 in the NCAA this year.
Sophomore Khullen Jefferson ran the 11th-fastest 400-meter time in school history (46.36), winning the meet. Jefferson’s time ranks inside the NCAA top-50 this season.
Sophomore Kat Moody also had an exceptional day in the throws, starting the afternoon with a runner-up finish and lifetime-best throw in the discus (52.62m / 172’7”). She followed her performance by winning the shot put (15.64m / 51’3.75). On the men’s side, sophomore Jordan Johnson finished runner-up in the discus (56.27m / 184’7”).
“There was a great atmosphere out here today,” Woody said. “It was fun to compete in front of the hometown crowd. We had some great field events — discus and shot put in particular. The throwers had a great breakout weekend. We just got to keep building these next couple weeks.”
In the high jump, sophomore Zack Pluff was the meet champion (2.10m / 6’10.75”) and senior Maria Gorham was the runner-up on the women’s side (1.68m/ 5’6”).
Senior Payton Wensel won the women’s 200-meter dash with a lifetime-best time (24.00) and senior Erin Dowd was runner-up, also recording a personal best (24.14). Freshman Nylah Perry ran a career-best (1:00.59) to finish runner-up in the women’s 400-meter hurdles.
Iowa stays in the Hawkeye State next weekend for the 112th running of the Drake Relays in Des Moines.
Hawkeye Results:
Women’s Discus
2. Kat Moody – 52.62m / 172’7”, PR
3. Jamie Kofron – 46.29m / 151’10”, PR
5. Alivia Bauer – 45.95m / 150’9”
Men’s Hammer
6. Jordan Hawkins – 55.80m / 183’1”
Men’s Discus
2. Jordan Johnson – 56.27m / 184’7”
7. Quintin Lyons – 49.8m /163’4”, PR
8. Dawson Ellingson – 49.33m / 161’10”
15. Austin West – 42.06m / 138’0”
Women’s Hammer
1. Amanda Howe – 62.92m / 206’5”, PR, School Record
7. Alivia Bauer – 53.42m / 175’3”
12. Jamie Kofron – 44.49m / 145’11”
Women’s 4×100
2. Mayberry/Brines/Fitzpatrick/Bova – 47.55
Women’s 100M Hurdles
4. Jade McDonald – 13.97w, PR
Men’s High Jump
1. Zack Pluff – 2.10m / 6’10.75”, =PR
7. Keith Keahna – 1.87m / 6’01.50”
Women’s High Jump
2. Maria Gorham – 1.68m / 5’6”
Women’s Long Jump
6. Jade McDonald – 5.66mW, PR
Women’s 100M
7. Miya Brines – 11.86w, PR
14. Mytika Mayberry – 12.19, =PR
Men’s 100M
14. James Carter – 10.72w
17. Kalil Johnson – 10.80w
Men’s Javelin
2. Drake Woody – 52.63m / 172’8”
Men’s Shot Put
2. Nikolas Curtiss – 20.04m / 65’9”, PR, School Record
3. Elijah Barnes – 18.36m / 60’3”
4. Dawson Ellingson – 17.87m / 58’7.5”, PR
5. Quinton Lyons – 16.93m / 55’6.5”
6. Jordan Johnson – 16.55m / 54’3.75”
14. Austin West – 13.43m / 44’0.75”
Women’s Shot Put
1. Kat Moody – 15.64m / 51’3.75”
4. Nicole Berry – 15.10m / 49’6.5”
7. Jamie Kofron – 15.05m / 49’4.5”
9. Ianna Roach – 14.70m / 48’2.75”, PR
Men’s 400M
1. Khullen Jefferson – 46.36, PR
13. Josh Andrews – 49.89
Women’s 800M
2. Amber Aesoph – 2:10.21
7. Emma Gordon – 2:15.95
Men’s 800M
5. Spencer Gudgel – 1:50.93
9. Martin Strong – 1:52.68, PR
13. Kal Lewis – 1:56.22
Women’s 400M Hurdles
2. Nylah Perry – 1:00.59, PR
Men’s 400M Hurdles
8. Nolan Roethler – 56.26
Women’s 200M
1. Payton Wensel – 24.00, PR
2. Erin Dowd – 24.14, PR
7. Tesa Roberts – 24.71w, PR
11. Laney Fitzpatrick – 24.95, PR
17. Sarah Bova – 25.43w
Men’s 200M
8. James Carter – 21.58, PR
12. Evan Schuster – 22.02
Women’s 1500M
5. Ellie Twedt – 4:48.73
7. Abby Ryon – 4:51.59, PR
9. Gabby Skopec – 5:03.20
Men’s 1500M
7. Ian Geisler – 3:56.67
Women’s 3000M
2. Madeline Block – 10:04.53, PR
Men’s 3000M
10. Eli Ward – 9:41.48, PR
Women’s 800M Unseeded
6. Samantha Strauss – 2:33.38, PR
Men’s 800M Unseeded
1. Eli Ward – 1:54.93
Women’s 1500M Unseeded
10. Maggie Gutwein – 5:17.52
Men’s 1500M Unseeded
3. Konnor Sommer – 4:01.52