THIS WEEK
University of Iowa track and field hosts their third consecutive meet with the Larry Wieczorek Invitational on Friday and Saturday. The meet begins Friday at 11 a.m. (CT) with the weight throw at the Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex (HTRC) and the high jump at the Iowa Indoor Track Facility. Running events start at 4:00 p.m. The meet picks back up on Saturday at 11 a.m. with the shot put at the Iowa Indoor Track Facility. Running events follow at 2:50 p.m. with the 60-meter hurdle prelims. Admission is free.
FOLLOW ALONG
Fans can follow the meet on the Meet Day page at hawkeyesports.com/tracklive. Results will also be posted on the team’s official twitter account @iowaxc_tf. A live stream is available on B1G+ (subscription required).
THE COMPETITION
This week’s Larry Wieczorek Invitational features 15 programs, including three Big Ten teams — Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin. Iowa will also host Bradley, Dubuque, Illinois State, Indian Hills, Iowa Central, Loras, Minnesota State, Simpson, Tiffin, Tulsa, UNI, and Western Illinois.
MCKIVER IS BACK
Jenoah McKiver made his season debut on Jan. 14 at the Hawkeye Invitational, cruising to victory in the 400-meter event with a time of 46.26. McKiver, a sophomore from High Point, N.C., ranks third, nationally, in the event.
McKiver broke three school records last season. At the Meyo Invite, McKiver ran the seventh-fastest 600 meters in NCAA history (all conditions) and improved his school record (1:15.36). McKiver’s hot streak continued as he won the 400 meters at the Tyson Invitational with yet another school record (45.39). The then-freshman also ran the anchor leg of the school-record setting 4×400-meter relay (3:02.40). McKiver ranked fifth nationally in the quarter-mile, while Iowa’s time ranked second in the NCAA. McKiver earned back-to-back Men’s Big Ten Track Athlete of the Week honors (Feb. 2 & Feb. 9) for his performances. At the Big Ten Championships, McKiver won two gold medals (600 meters, 4×400-meter relay) to lead the Hawkeyes to back-to-back indoor titles.
WELCOME TO THE TOP-10
Five Hawkeyes joined or improved their standing in the history books during the Hawkeye Invitational on Jan. 14. Junior Alli Bookin-Nosbisch stepped into the Top 10, ranking sixth in the 600-meter race with her time of 1:30.02. Zack Pluff is tied for eighth all-time in the high jump following his leap of 2.11 meters (6’ 11”). DeAndre Stapleton Jr. used an impressive triple jump effort to land sixth in Hawkeye history with his mark of 15.12 meters (49’ 7.25”). Junior hurdler Myreanna Bebe moved into a tie for second all-time at Iowa with her 8.22 finish in the 60-meter hurdles. Jordan Johnson’s toss of 20.06 meters (65’ 9.75”) improved his standing of ninth-best in the men’s weight throw record books.
MEET THE RECORD HOLDERS
Eight Hawkeyes account for seven indoor school records. They include:
Kalen Walker – 60 meters (6.61)
Jenoah McKiver – 400 meters (45.39) | 600 meters (1:15.36)
Chadrick Richards, Julien Gillum, McKiver – 4×400 meter relay (3:02.40)
Austin West – Heptathlon (5,832 points)
LaSarah Hargrove – 60 meters (7.25)
Mariel Bruxvoort & Tesa Roberts – 4×400 meter relay (3:32.38)
HURDLE U.
Junior Grant Conway picked up where he left off last season, setting a season-best time of 7.69 in the 60-meter hurdles at the Jimmy Grant Invitational. He currently ranks third, nationally, in the event. Conway (7.72) and junior Gratt Reed (7.72) each qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships on March 11-12 of 2022 after they each put down personal-best times at the Big Ten Championships. Conway finished as Big Ten runner-up and Reed took bronze. On the women’s side, junior hurdler Myreanna Bebe claimed the 60-meter hurdles title at the Hawkeye Invitational on Jan. 14, tying her for second all-time at Iowa (8.22).
FIVE MORE YEARS
Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Joey Woody received a contract extension through June 2027. Woody, an Iowa City native and World Champion, is in his ninth season at the helm of Iowa track and field. He is a four-time Big Ten Coach of the Year and a six-time USTFCCCA Regional Coach of the Year. Since arriving on campus, Woody has led Iowa to 49 Big Ten individual titles, 12 conference relay titles, four men’s Big Ten team titles, four Big Ten Athletes of the Year, and 199 All-America honors.
BIG TEN COACH OF THE YEAR
Iowa Director of Track and Field Joey Woody earned his fourth-consecutive Big Ten Coach of the Year honor on March 2 after leading the Hawkeye men to their second-consecutive Big Ten Indoor Championship. In 2021, 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.
2022 INDOOR ALL-AMERICANS
The Hawkeyes finished the 2021-22 indoor season with 12 All-America honors. Iowa returned 400-meter first-team All-Americans Jenoah McKiver (2nd) and Chadrick Richards (7th). Second-team All-Americans Austin West (heptahlon), Gratt Reed (60-meter hurdles), Grant Conway (60-meter hurdles), Kalen Walker (60-meters) and Julien Gillum (1,600-meter relay) will also be back for the Hawkeyes.
On the women’s side, senior Mariel Bruxvoort and junior Tesa Roberts returned as first-team All-Americans in the 1,600-meter relay.
LEADING THE WAY
After narrowly missing the NCAA indoor championships, senior sprinter LaSarah Hargrove returned for a chance to break into the field in the 60-meter and 200-meter events. Hargrove holds the 60-meter school record with a time of 7.25. Senior Amanda Howe looks to build on her 2022 Big Ten Outdoor Championship performance by taking things to the next level in the weight throw. Junior Tionna Tobias has shown improvement in different field events in preparation for the pentathlon. Tobias holds a team-best mark of 6.14 meters (20’ 1.75”) in the long jump. Fellow junior Paige Magee aims to jump back to the top of the Big Ten in the 60-meter hurdles, after taking gold at the 2021 B1G Indoor Championships.
NEXT ON THE BLOCK
The Hawkeyes hit the road for the first time in 2023, traveling to Fayetteville, Arkansas, for the Razorback Invite on Jan. 27-28.