University of Iowa track and field concluded its outdoor season at the NCAA Outdoor Championships on June 7. Five Hawkeyes qualified for the final stage in Eugene, Oregon.
- Sophomore Mike Stein became a first-team All-American in the men’s javelin. Stein threw 72.81 meters (238′ 10″) to place seventh in his debut at Hayward Field.
- Senior Paige Magee qualified in the women’s 100 hurdles, finishing 13th with a personal-best and Iowa program record of 12.88 in the finals. With the second-team finish, Magee closes her outdoor career as a six-time All-American.
- Senior Jordan Johnson closed his Hawkeye career as a second-team All-American, placing 16th with a toss of 56.74 meters (186′ 2″) in the men’s discus.
- Junior Rivaldo Marshall qualified in the men’s 800 meters with a third-place time of 1:46.96 at the NCAA Regionals in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
- Senior Austin West was an NCAA qualifier in the men’s decathlon for the fourth time in his career.
- Seven Hawkeyes returned to Eugene, Oregon, for the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Team Trials from June 21-30. That delegation included Magee (women’s 100 hurdles), Stein (men’s javelin), West (men’s decathlon), senior Gratt Reed (men’s 110 hurdles), senior Kat Moody (women’s discus) and senior Kalen Walker (men’s 100 meters).
ONE FOR THE BOOKS
The Hawkeyes made 56 updates to the program top-10 standings this season, including 33 results indoors and 23 results outdoors. The Hawkeyes set 13 school records, including seven indoor records and five outdoor records. The class of new Iowa all-time leaders includes:
- Lia Love – indoor women’s 60 meters (7.24)
- Kalen Walker – indoor men’s 60 hurdles (6.51) and outdoor men’s 100 meters (10.18)
- Paige Magee – indoor women’s 60 hurdles (7.99) and outdoor women’s 100 hurdles (12.88)
- Alli Bookin-Nosbisch – indoor women’s 800 meters (2:03.42) and outdoor women’s 800 meters (2:03.26)
- Rivaldo Marshall – indoor men’s 800 meters (1:46.86) and outdoor men’s 800 meters (1:45.86)
- Sean Smith – indoor men’s weight throw (22.28m | 73′ 1.25″)
- Mike Stein – outdoor men’s javelin (81.19m | 266′ 4″)
- Daniela Wamokpego – indoor women’s triple jump (13.24m | 43′ 5.25″)
GREAT INDOORS
Both squads reached historic heights during the indoor season.
- The women’s team placed third at Big Ten Indoors, matching the program’s best finish previously set just last year. The Hawkeyes tallied 73 points and sent three qualifiers to the NCAA Indoor Championships in Boston.
- On the men’s side, senior Rivaldo Marshall became the first men’s 800 national champion in program history, racing 1:46.96 for the gold at indoor nationals.
- The Iowa men placed ninth with 21 points, good for the second-highest finish in school history at the indoor national meet.
- Three Hawkeye men’s athletes were first-team All-Americans. Along with Marshall, senior Kalen Walker raced 6.59 to take third place in the men’s 100 meters and senior Austin West earned three points in the men’s heptathlon (3,309). Senior Grant Conway was a second-team All-American indoors with a 15th-place showing in the men’s 110 hurdles (7.81).
B1G SHOWING IN ANN ARBOR
Iowa men’s track and field was runner-up at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships on May 12. The men have finished third or better at the outdoor conference meet five times in a row, dating back to 2019. The women’s program placed seventh this season. The Hawkeyes combined for four event championships; Iowa won the men’s 4×100 and men’s 4×400, while throwers Mike Stein and Kat Moody won the men’s javelin and women’s discus, respectively. All-time, the men’s program has produced 121 individual event championships and 26 relay titles at outdoor Big Tens. The Iowa women have collectively earned 37 individual Big Ten Titles and six relay championships.
HAWKEYE HURDLERS
Seniors Mariel Bruxvoort, Paige Magee and Tionna Tobias contributed to a women’s hurdle group that was ranked fifth in the nation in the 400 hurdles and seventh in the 100 hurdles. Magee improved upon her school record in the 100 hurdles with a time of 12.88 at the NCAA Championships. Tobias ranks third on the program record board (13.11). Magee also ranks second at Iowa in the 400-meter hurdles (56.62) while Bruxvoort ranks fifth (56.71). Magee set a school record in the indoor 60 hurdles (7.99) and was a second-team All-American in the event this season. Iowa was ranked sixth nationally in the men’s 110 hurdles with four national qualifiers. Seniors Grant Conway and Gratt Reed rank top-10 in program history for the event, while junior Kalil Johnson was back from a school-record shuttle hurdle relay team. Freshman Isaac Lewis qualified for the NCAA West Preliminary in the men’s 400 hurdles.
TIONNA TOBIAS-ED
In addition to her hurdle prowess, Tobias was a Big Ten runner-up in the women’s long jump (6.23 meters). At the Florida Relays, Tobias improved to third in program history in the long jump at 6.51 meters (21’ 4.25”). Indoors, Tobias was a second-team All-American in the long jump, placing ninth at nationals with a bounce of 6.32 meters (20′ 9″). Tobias helped Iowa to victory in the 4×100 at the Jim Click Shootout, tying for sixth in program history (44.44). Tobias is a two-time All-American, earning second-team honors this season with a bounce of 6.32 meters (20′ 9″) in the indoor long jump; the New Jersey, native, was previously an honorable mention in the 2023 heptathlon.
JUMP AROUND
Along with Tobias, Iowa’s young core of jumpers leapt into the spotlight this season. Freshman Maud Zeffou-Poaty joined Tobias in a women’s long jump squad that finished ranked 12th this outdoor season. Zeffou-Poaty ranks fourth indoors at Iowa (6.15 meters) and fifth outdoors (6.19 meters) in the event following her rookie campaign. Redshirt sophomore Ella Meeuwsen placed seventh in the women’s high jump at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships with a personal-best of 1.70 meters (5′ 7″). Meeuwsen was also high jump champion at the Florida Relays, winning at 1.66 meters (5′ 5.25″). Freshman Daniela Wamokpego was a second-team All-American in the women’s triple jump, placing 15th at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Wamokpego also set the indoor school record (13.24 meters) at the Tyson Invitational. Wamokpego placed furth outdoors in the event at the Big Ten Championships with a 13.21-meter (43′ 4.25″) mark that ranks third all-time at Iowa. Wamokpego took 14th overall in teh triple jump with a wind-aided 13.35 meters (43′ 1.75″) at the NCAA West Preliminary. Freshman Precious Irivi took sixth indoors and ninths outdoors at the Big Ten Championships in the men’s triple jump. He ranks seventh both indoors and outdoors in Iowa program history, recording a personal best of 15.57 meters (51′ 1″) at the NCAA West Preliminary, where he took 15th.
THROW IT DOWN
With veterans and rising underclassmen alike, Iowa throwers threw down this season. Sophomore Mike Stein fired a program-record 81.19 meters (255′ 4″) to win the Big Ten Championship in the men’s javelin. Stein placed seventh at nationals in his debut at Hayward Field. Senior Kat Moody was Big Ten Champion in the outdoor women’s discus. That throw (59.31 meters) ranks third all-time at Iowa. Moody also took conference fourth place indoors in the women’s shot put; Moody ranks second in program history in that event (17.00 meters). Senior Jordan Johnson placed 16th at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the men’s discus, as well as fourth at Big Tens. Sophomore Sean Smith was Big Ten runner-up indoors in the weight throw with a program-record mark (22.28 meters) and conference sixth place outdoors in the hammer throw. Other program top-10 results for Iowa this season included:
- W/I Weight Throw: Jamie Kofron (4th)
- M/I Weight Throw: Austin Busch (3rd)
- W/O Shot Put: Wisdom Williams (4th)
- M/O Hammer Throw – Smith (2nd), Busch (4th)
- W/O Javelin – Lizzy Korczak (2nd)
NEED FOR SPEED
Iowa won the men’s 4×100 (38.64) and men’s 4×400 ( 3:05.68) at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships this season. The lineups were:
- 4×100: Kalen Walker, Gratt Reed, De’Andre Stapleton Jr, Damoy Allen
- 4×400: Isaac Lewis, Josh Pugh, Connor Belken, Rivaldo Marshall
Walker was stellar for Iowa this season, setting program records in the 100 meters (10.09) and 60 meters (6.51). Allen ran 6.66 indoors for the third-fastest 60-meter time in program history. On the women’s side, senior Lia Love set the program 60-meter record at 7.24. Love was blazing in the outdoor opener with a wind-aided 11.15 in the 100 meters and helped the 4×100 team to a third all-time result (44.07) at the Desert Heat Classic. Love placed fifth in the 100 and 200 at the Outdoor Big Ten Championships and helped the 4×100 squad to a fourth place result at the conference meet.
TWO LAPS TO GLORY
Senior Alli Bookin-Nosbisch broke the school record in the women’s 800 meters at the Florida Relays, racing 2:03.26. She also set the indoor record (2:03.42) this season. Senior Rivaldo Marshall became Iowa’s first national champion in the men’s 800 meters, running 1:46.96 at Indoor Nationals. The Kingston, Jamaica, product owns the program record both outdoors (1:45.86) and indoors (1:46.86). Marshall was a two-time USTFCCCA Men’s Athlete of the Week. Outdoors, Marshall was a second-team All American (14th) and placed fourth at Big Tens in the event.
HAWKEYES AT THE OLYMPICS
Fourteen Hawkeyes competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials, including seven members of this year’s roster.
- Brittany Brown (’18) qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics with a 21.90 personal best in the women’s 200 meters. Brown is Iowa’s 26th Olympian.
- Other top finishes included senior Austin West taking sixth in the men’s decathlon, a 12th-place showing in the women’s discus for senior Kat Moody and seniors Paige Magee (100 hurdles) and Kalen Walker (100 meters) reaching the semifinals.
- Abroad, senior Austin Kresley became Mexico’s national champion in the men’s 100 meters. Freshman Daniela Wamokpego took eighth in the women’s triple jump at the French trials.
UP NEXT
Athletics events at the 2024 Paris Olympics will be held between Thursday, Aug. 1, and Sunday, Aug. 11.