Hawkeyes Crown 14 Champions to Close Hawkeye Invitational

IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa Track and Field crowned 14 champions at the Hawkeye Invitational on Saturday.

Seniors Tionna Tobias and De’Andre Stapleton Jr. each claimed two individual titles inside of the Hawkeye Indoor Track Facility. 

Tobias broke through in the 60-meter hurdles, qualifying for the finals with a personal-best 8.35. The Sicklerville, New Jersey, native shaved even more time off of her best, speeding to a title-clinching 8.19 in the finals. Her time in the finals was a Hawkeye Invite meet record and moved her to third all-time in program history.

The multi-event specialist would later post a 6.11-meter (20’ 0.50”) mark in the long jump, setting another meet record.

Stapleton Jr. continued building on his resume as one of Iowa’s most-versatile athletes. His day was highlighted by the long jump (7.29m | 23’ 11”) and 200-meter (21.73) championships.

“De’Andre had a very consistent day,” Iowa Director of Track and Field Joey Woody said. “He’s getting close to a big breakthrough – probably at a 24 (feet) high mark.”

Three more Hawkeyes set meet records on Saturday afternoon. Sprinter Lia Love clocked a 7.30 in the 60-meter dash on her way to another title. Mid-distance specialist Alli Bookin-Nosbisch led the 600-meter group, finishing in 1:29.13. In the mile, distance runner Amber Aesoph finished second in 4:52.74.

On the men’s side, senior Austin Kresley pushed past the finish line of the 60-meter sprint in 6.69 to claim another title for the Hawkeyes. The 60-meter hurdles unit was led by veteran Gratt Reed, who placed second overall in 7.84. Freshman Kai Graves-Blanks and junior Kalil Johnson finished second and third, respectively.

Audrey Biermann (400-meters), Kayla Hutchins (triple jump), Paige Magee (200-meters) and Ella Meeuwsen (high jump) were also crowned champions in their respective events.

The night concluded with two first-place finishes in the 4×400-meter relays. The women’s quartet of Chloe Larsen, Holly Duax, Gabby Cortez and Alli Bookin-Nosbisch won the event with a 3:41.06 and, at the time of completion, clocked the seventh-fastest time in the nation. The men’s group of Josh Pugh, Ryan Schreiner, Connor Belken and James Fingalsen made their 4×400 relay debut and closed out the competition with a 3:12.92.

HEAR FROM DIRECTOR OF TRACK AND FIELD JOEY WOODY 
“Overall, it was a great weekend for our program. Our field events were very strong today. Tionna [Tobias] and Maud [Zeffou-Poaty] getting over six meters in the long jump is a good sign. Tionna had a major breakthrough in the 60 hurdles. It’s exciting for her to have such a big PR like that. Paige [Magee] had a strong race, opening the 200 with a 23.84. She was consistent in the 60 and that bodes well for her coming back next week for her specialty event: the 60-meter hurdles. Gratt [Reed] ran the fastest opener of his career in the 60 hurdles, which leads me to believe he is going to light it up next weekend. Then to have Kai [Graves-Blanks] come in here as a true freshman and run an eight flat is a strong step in the right direction. He will be a competitor that can be running 7.80s by the end of the season. It was a great day for Alli [Bookin-Nosbisch] in the 600, running away from the field and then coming back with the fastest split in the 4×4.

I feel good about where we are at as a team, but we have a lot of athletes that didn’t race or compete this weekend. Hopefully, next week we will be able to see them shine because we are counting on them. It’s a long season and we wanted to be smart this week, but we’ll open a few more up next weekend and begin building from there.”

UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes host the seventh-annual Larry Wieczorek Invitational on Jan. 19-20 at the Hawkeye Indoor Track Facility.

HAWKEYE RESULTS
Women’s 60m hurdles (prelims)
1. Tionna Tobias – 8.35, Q, PR + 6th at Iowa
2. Natalie Harris – 8.53, Q
4. Katie Petersen – 8.74, q
6. Ellie Rickertsen – 8.86, q
15. Isabelle Woody – 10.00, PR
17. Carlee Rochford – 11.43

Women’s 60m hurdles (finals)
1. Tobias – 8.19, meet record, PR + 3rd at Iowa
2. Harris – 8.56
3. Petersen – 8.64, PR
5. Rickertsen – 8.75

Men’s 60m hurdles (prelims)
2. Gratt Reed – 7.85, Q
3. Kalil Johnson – 8.08, q
4. Kai Graves-Blanks – 8.11, PR, q
9. Sal Capaldo – 8.54

Men’s 60m hurdles (finals)
2. Reed – 7.84
3. Graves-Blanks – 8.03, PR
4. Johnson – 8.10

Women’s 400m
1. Audrey Biermann – 56.22
3. Laney Fitzpatrick – 58.17

Men’s 400m
1. James Fingalsen – 48.80

Women’s 60m (prelims)
1. Lia Love – 7.37, meet record, Q
2. Paige Magee – 7.46, Q
7. Maud Zeffou-Poaty – 7.69, q
10. Alexandria Edison – 7.76, PR
14. Mytika Mayberry – 8.01

Women’s 60m (finals)
1. Lia Love – 7.30, meet record
2. Paige Magee – 7.46
8. Maud Zeffou-Poaty – 7.79

Men’s 60m (prelims)
1. Austin Kresley – 6.75, Q
4. Miles Granjean – 6.87, q
5. Joe Stein – 6.87, q
6. Khullen Jefferson – 6.94, q
8. Kaleba Jack – 7.04, q

Men’s 60m (finals)
1. Austin Kresley – 6.69
2. Miles Granjean – 6.79
5. Joe Stein – 6.88
7. Khullen Jefferson – 6.99

Women’s 600m
1. Alli Bookin-Nosbisch – 1:29.13, meet record
2. Gabby Cortez – 1:30.66
3. Chloe Larsen – 1:30.73
4. Jaiden Itson – 1:34.29
5. Grace Bookin-Nosbisch – 1:34.53
8. Clare Pitcher – 1:35.75
11. Lily Johannes – 1:38.56

Men’s 600m
5. Ryan Schreiner 1:18.50
6. Josh Pugh – 1:20.02
10. Brett Wasick – 1:21.40
11. Derek Leicht – 1:21.06
13. Carson Lane – 1:23.42, PR

Women’s Mile
2. Amber Aesoph – 4:52.74, meet record
6. Abby Ryon – 5:03.68
7. Aleah Tenpas – 5:05.17, PR
9. Cameron Kalaway – 5:12.57, PR
10. Ellie Twedt – 5:12.77
11. Ellie Rathe – 5:13.45, PR
14. Kelli Tosic – 5:16.18
17. Rowan Boulter – 5:31.51

Men’s Mile
10. Will Ryan – 4:12.73
11. Yohana Yual – 4:13.67, PR
12. Hayden Kuhn – 4:14.85
18. Aidan King – 4:17.64
22. Jack Pendergast – 4:20.53
27. Nick O’Connor – 4:24.82

Women’s 800m
3. Lauren McMahon – 2:26.77

Women’s 200m
1. Paige Magee – 23.84
3. Julia Pattison – 24.66
4. Nylah Perry – 24.70, PR
5. Alexandria Edison – 24.77
7. Mariel Bruxvoort – 24.89
9. Olicia Lucas – 25.16
16. Ellie Rickertsen – 26.33
22. Mytika Mayberry – 26.69

Men’s 200m
1. De’Andre Stapleton Jr. – 21.73
2. Connor Belken – 21.79
7. Evan Schuster – 22.72

Women’s 3,000m
2. Audra Soderlind – 11:03.93

Women’s 4x400m
1. Larsen, Duax, Cortez, A. Bookin-Nosbisch – 3:41.06
2. Bruxvoort, Lucas, Perry, Pattison – 3:43.49
3. Itson, G. Bookin-Nosbisch, Edison, Fitzpatrick – 3:52.55
12. Aesoph, Tenpas, Ryon, Tosic – 4:14.48

Men’s 4x400m
1. Pugh, Schreiner, Belken, Fingalsen – 3:12.92
4. Schuster, Wasick, O’Connor, Leicht – 3:23.87

Women’s High Jump
1. Ella Meeuwsen – 1.70m (5’ 7”)
2. Jade Hunter – 1.65m (5’ 5”)

Men’s Pole Vault
5. Sal Capaldo – 4.20m (13’ 9.25”)

Women’s Long Jump
1. Tionna Tobias – 6.11m (20’ 0.50”), meet record
2. Maud Zeffou-Poaty 6.07m (19’ 11”), PR + 4th at Iowa
6. Carlee Rochford – 5.27m (17’ 3.50”)
15. Isabelle Woody – 4.81m (15’ 9.50”)

Men’s Long Jump
1. De’Andre Stapleton Jr. – 7.29m (23’ 11”)
5. Kaleba Jack – 6.47m (21’ 2.75”)

Women’s Triple Jump
1. Kayla Hutchins – 12.35m (40’ 6.25”)