GENEVA, Ohio – University of Iowa Track and Field set several new high marks during the first day of competition at the Big Ten Indoor Championships on Friday at Spire Academy.
The Hawkeyes posted three school records, improved on eight program top-10 marks and combined for 21 personal bests.
10 men’s team and nine women’s team members qualified for finals on Saturday.
Seniors Paige Magee and Kalen Walker each recorded Iowa program bests for the women’s and men’s squads, respectively. Both Hawkeyes take the fastest prelim times for their events into tomorrow’s finals.
PAIGE MAGEE 🤯#Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/VaURbqIeLs
— Iowa Track & Field/Cross Country (@IowaXC_TF) February 23, 2024
In the women’s 60-meter hurdles, Magee shaved one-hundredth of a second off her program-record time to become the first Hawkeye to run sub-8.00. At 7.99, Magee’s race ranks fifth in the country this season.
Walker matched a program-best 6.51 in the 60 meters that he set at the Jarvis Scott Open on Feb. 10. Walker’s time ranks second nationally.
Saturday closed out with fireworks. Sophomore Sean Smith heaved a 22.28 meters (73’ 1.25”) weight throw for second place and a new school record. It was Smith’s final toss of the night and the final event for day one.
B1G dawgs eat! #Hawkeyes x @sean_smith312 pic.twitter.com/mTfJSXE50c
— Iowa Track & Field/Cross Country (@IowaXC_TF) February 24, 2024
Smith’s throw ranks 13th in the nation.
Moments before, the women’s distance medley team raced to a fourth-place finish in 11:17.78, good for second in program history. The team was comprised of seniors Alli Bookin-Nosbisch, Ali Dorn, Grace Bookin-Nosbisch and Amber Aesoph.
In the women’s 800 meters, Iowa record-holder Alli Bookin-Nosbisch qualified with a 2:05.07 time that ranked fourth in the prelims. Bookin-Nosbisch will chase her first conference title on Saturday.
The #Hawkeyes post 11:17.78 in the women's DMR, good for 𝗦𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗗 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆!
Iowa takes fourth place:
» Alli Bookin-Nosbisch
» Aliyanna Dorn
» Grace Bookin-Nosbisch
» Amber Aesoph #B1GTF x #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/LPi4eeZeBh— Iowa Track & Field/Cross Country (@IowaXC_TF) February 24, 2024
In the men’s 60-meter hurdles, senior Grant Conway posted a personal-best 7.66, improving his fourth all-time standing at Iowa. Conway will be joined by senior Gratt Reed (7.82) and junior Kalil Johnson (7.94) in tomorrow’s final.
Three Hawkeyes also qualified in the women’s 600 meters, including redshirt sophomore Chloe Larsen (1:28.88), sophomore Gabby Cortez (1:29.89) and junior Jaiden Itson (1:30.76).
Senior Austin West will chase his second Big Ten gold tomorrow. The Iowa City, Iowa, native is second in the men’s heptathlon after four events, currently 63 points back from the lead with 3,340 points. He was an outdoor conference champion in the 400-meter hurdles last season.
West finished second in the heptathlon 60 meters, long jump and high jump. He was fourth in the pentathlon shot put. West’s 1.99 meter (6’ 6.25”) high jump is a personal best.
Sophomore Sal Capaldo is also competing in the heptathlon, where he currently stands in sixth place (3,340 points). In the women’s pentathlon, freshman Annie Wirth led Iowa with a personal-best 3,870 points, placing fifth.
HEAR FROM DIRECTOR OF TRACK AND FIELD JOEY WOODY
“I always say to the athletes, championship meets have lots of ups and downs. You can’t expect everything to always come out perfectly like you have on paper. I thought that the athletes competed really well and kept their nose in there. We had a lot of near-miss finals, the first or second one out. That is how championship meets are. It’s going to come down to a hundredth of a second or quarter of an inch.
We are on the verge of some big things, just missing a couple of events. We finished the day extremely well. I’m proud of the women’s DMR. Obviously, exciting for Sean to come out and get a big medal. He is probably going to punch his ticket to the national meet with that throw.
We have a lot of momentum coming into tomorrow. We have a lot of finalists. We just need to go out and focus on competing. We have a lot of big field events and finish the day with the 4×4, as well. We have great opportunities tomorrow. We have a chance to compete for championships. We just need to come out on fire in the morning.”
UP NEXT
The Big Ten Indoor Championships conclude on Saturday at Spire Academy in Geneva, Ohio.
HAWKEYE RESULTS
Women’s 60m (prelims)
10. Holly Duax – 7.41
14. Lia Love – 7.54
Men’s 60m (prelims)
1. Kalen Walker – 6.51, = PR + 1st at Iowa, Q
4. Damoy Allen – 6.66, PR + 3rd at Iowa, q
9. Joe Stein – 6.77, PR, q
21. Miles Granjean – 6.95
Women’s 60mH (prelims)
1. Paige Magee – 7.99, PR + 1st at Iowa, Q
10. Tionna Tobias – 8.39
14. Natalie Harris – 8.62
16. Katie Petersen – 8.71
Men’s 60mH (prelims)
1. Grant Conway – 7.66, PR + 4th at Iowa, Q
5. Gratt Reed – 7.82, q
9. Kalil Johnson – 7.94, q
11. Kai Graves-Blanks – 7.97
Women’s 200m (prelims)
3. Paige Magee – 23.71, q
6. Lia Love – 23.94, q
10. Holly Duax – 24.02
16. Julia Pattison – 24.57
Men’s 200m (prelims)
8. Gratt Reed – 21.14, q
18. Miles Granjean – 21.74
Women’s 400m (prelims)
6. Nylah Perry – 53.89, PR + 8th at Iowa, q
7. Audrey Biermann – 53.92, q
12. Olicia Lucas – 54.53, PR
16. Mariel Bruxvoort – 55.25
Men’s 400m (prelims)
5. Tyrese Miller – 47.07, PR, q
9. Connor Belken – 47.31
17. Josh Pugh – 47.77
Women’s 600m (prelims)
2. Chloe Larsen – 1:28.88, q
6. Gabby Cortez – 1:29.89, q
8. Jaiden Itson – 1:30.76, q
10. Ali Dorn – 1:31.06
13. Clare Pitcher – 1:32.11
Men’s 600m (prelims)
7. Ryan Schreiner – 1:17.49, PR, q
13. Phillip Jefferson – 1:18.57
15. James Fingalsen – 1:19.00
Women’s 800m (prelims)
4. Alli Bookin-Nosbisch – 2:05.07, Q
9. Grace Bookin-Nosbisch – 2:07.56
Men’s 800m (prelims)
8. Rivaldo Marshall – 1:49.29, Q
12. Nick O’Connor – 1:49.85
16. Brett Wasick – 1:52.20
20. Derek Leicht – 1:53.97
Women’s Mile (prelims)
11. Amber Aesoph – 4:46.95
Women’s 5,000m (finals)
29. Abby Ryon – 17:50.76
Men’s 5,000m (finals)
16. Hayden Kuhn – 14:31.30, PR
25. Will Ryan – 14:52.85
Women’s Distance Medley Relay
4. Alli Bookin-Nosbisch, Aliyanna Dorn, Grace Bookin-Nosbisch, Amber Aesoph – 11:17.78, 2nd at Iowa
Men’s Distance Medley Relay
10. Nick O’Connor, Connor Belken, Brett Wasick, Aidan King – 9:57.20
Heptathlon
Austin West
60 Meters
2. 6.95
Long Jump
2. 7.30 meters (23’ 11.5)
Shot Put
4. 14.51 meters (47’ 5.25”)
High Jump
2. 1.99 meters (6’ 6.25”), PR
Sal Capaldo
60 Meters
4. 7.01
Long Jump
6. 6.69 meters (21’ 11.5”)
Shot Put
14. 11.06 meters (36’ 3.5”)
High Jump
5. 1.93 meters (6’ 4”)
Pentathlon
5. Annie Wirth – 3,870 PR
60m Hurdles
3. 8.63, PR
High Jump
1. 1.79 meters (5’ 10.5”), PR + 4th at Iowa
Shot Put
16. 9.40 (30’ 10.25”)
Long Jump
8. 5.50 meters (18’ 0.05”), = PR
800m
13. 2:27.46
13. Carlee Rochford – 3,578 point, PR
60m Hurdles
12. 9.02, PR
High Jump
4. 1.67 meters (5’ 5.75”), = PR
Shot Put
6. 11.34 (37’ 2.5”)
Long Jump
14. 5.30 meters (17’ 4.75”)
800 Meters
18. 2:38.28
16. Tionna Tobias – 3,339 points
60m Hurdles
1. 8.20
High Jump
7. 1.64 meters (5’ 4.5”)
Shot Put
8. 11.04 (36’ 2.75”), PR
Long Jump
2. 6.08 meters (10’ 11.5”)
800m
DNF
18. Isabelle Woody – 3,173 points
60m Hurdles
19. 9.91
High Jump
13. 1.61 meters (5’ 3.25”), PR
Shot Put
12. 10.08 (33’ 1”)
Long Jump
19. 4.82 meters (15’ 9.75”)
800m
15. 2:33.31, PR
Women’s Long Jump
9. Tionna Tobias – 6.02 meters (19’ 9”)
11. Maud Zeffou-Poaty – 5.94 meters (19’ 6.25”)
22. Kayla Hutchins – 5.46 meters (17’ 11”)
Men’s Long Jump
8. DeAndre Stapleton Jr. – 7.29 meters (23’ 11”)
19. Kaleba Jack – 6.71 meters (22’ 0.25”)
Women’s Weight Throw
12. Jamie Kofron – 19.65 meters (64’ 5.75”)
17. Alivia Bauer – 18.80 meters (61’ 8.25”)
Men’s Weight Throw
2. Sean Smith – 22.28 meters (73’ 1.25”), PR + 1st at Iowa
12. Austin Busch – 19.46 meters (63’ 10.25”)
14. Walker Whalen – 19.06 meters (62’ 6.5”)
16. Jordan Johnson – 18.73 meters (61’ 5.5”)