Track and Field Notebook: Big Ten Indoor Championships

THIS WEEK

The Hawkeyes travel to Indianapolis, Indiana for the Big Ten Indoor Championships on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 28-March 1.

HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG

The meet schedule and results can be found on track and field schedule page at hawkeyesports.com. Updates and results will also be posted on the team's official 'X' account (iowaXC_TF). The Big Ten Championships will be streamed on B1G+.

2024-25 NEWS

• Sophomore Daniela Wamokpego set the school record, meet record and posted the NCAA DI’s eighth-best mark at 13.51 meters at the Iowa Open. Wamokpego improved her position as a national qualifier in the event and rose to second in the Big Ten as her result went final.
• Senior Austin Kresley secured his spot as second all-time on Iowa’s program-record list, improving with a 6.62 in the finals of the 60 meters at the Iowa Open. Kresley was the top finisher in the prelims, blazing to the finals in 6.64, which was a then-personal record.
• Freshman Ethan Glyde won the high jump title at 2.08 meters to start the Iowa Open. Junior Sal Capaldo notched a season best of 1.95 meters.
• Junior Sean Smith claimed the crown in the weight throw at 21.16 meters. Teammates Austin Busch (20.61 meters), Bryce Ruland (19.82 meters) and Walker Whalen (18.58 meters) secured top-five finishes at the Iowa Open.
• Sophomore Ryan Johnson crushed his previous program record at the Robinson Family Open in Tiffin, Ohio, with a 24.59-meter throw. His throw is the second-farthest in NCAA D1 in 2025. Johnson climbed to fourth in NCAA division one history and also ranks fifth among all NCAA competitors all time in the men’s weight throw.
• At the Jarvis Scott Open, senior Lia Love updated her lifetime best in the women’s 200-meter invitational. She clocked a 23.38, good for second place. Love remains fourth all-time at Iowa.
• The women’s 4x400-meter relay team of Chioma Nwachukwu, Alivia Williams, Olicia Lucas, and Damaris Mutunga claimed the second all-time spot at Iowa with the time of 3:31.62 at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic.
• Senior Jaiden Itson made her mark in the women’s 600 yards with a time ranked eighth at Iowa. Itson’s 1:23.80 secured her fifth place.
• At the Tyson Invitational, sophomore James Fingalsen cracked into the program-best list with a 1:49.10 finish in the 800-meter invitational.
• Junior Wisdom Williams collected the gold with a 15.75-meter finish in the shot put. Sophomore Sydnie Smith secured first in the weight throw (17.94 meters) at the Robinson Family Open.
• Sophomore Isaac Lewis led the men’s 400 meter group with a personal best, finishing with a time of 46.67, which ranks seventh all-time at Iowa. On the women’s side, three Hawkeyes made their mark on the all-time list. Nwachukwu (52.46) now sits in fourth, while Mutunga and Williams hold the fifth and eighth spots, respectively.

LAST TIME OUT

University of Iowa track and field concluded competition at the Iowa Open with sophomore Daniela Wamokpego resetting the program record in the triple jump with a 13.51-meter mark. Wamokpego set the school record, meet record and posted the NCAA DI’s eighth-best mark at 13.51 meters. She improved her position as a national qualifier in the event and rose to second in the Big Ten as her result went final. Senior Austin Kresley solidified his spot as second all-time on Iowa’s program-record list, improving with a 6.62 in the finals of the 60 meters. Kresley was the top finisher in the prelims, blazing to the finals in 6.64, which was a then-personal record. The Hawkeyes secured two more wins on Friday, starting with freshman Ethan Glyde winning the high jump title at 2.08 meters. Sean Smith claimed the crown in the weight throw at 21.16 meters.

IN THE RANKINGS

The Hawkeyes are ranked in the USTFCCCA team top 25 along with ten events ranked in the top 20. The men’s group is ranked No. 22 with three events ranked nationally. The men’s weight throw places first with the 400 meters and 60- meter hurdles finishing No. 11 and No. 17 respectively. The women’s group has seven events ranked in the top 20. The pentathlon sits at first place. Women’s 400 meters takes the number four spot with high jump securing number ten. Also featured in the top 20 is the 60-meter hurdles (No. 11), weight throw (No. 14), 800 meters (No. 18), and long jump (No. 18).

2024 B1G INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

Last season, University of Iowa Track and Field closed the Big Ten Indoor Championships with six All-Big Ten finishes in Geneva, Ohio. The Hawkeyes earned five second-place finishes. The women’s team placed third with 73 points, matching the highest finish in program history. The men’s team finished sixth with 58 points. In the men’s heptathlon, Austin West posted a personal-best 5,975 points, good for a silver medal and the sixth-best total in the country last season. West posted personal records in three of seven events, including the pole vault (4.40 meters) and 1,000-meter race (2:32.65). In the women’s 60-meter hurdles, Paige Magee finished second with a time of 8.01. Magee also took third place in the women’s 200 meters (23.64). In the men’s 60 meters, Kalen Walker earned silver, running 6.61. In the women’s 600 meters, Chloe Larsen ran 1:28.66 to finish second. Alli Bookin-Nosbisch finished the women’s 800 meters with a time of 2:05.55 for third place.

HAWKEYES IN THE TOP 10

The Hawkeyes have five ranked athletes and events in the top 10 nationally. Abraham Vogelsang and Ryan Johnson hold the No. 3 spots in the Heptathlon and weight throw. On the women’s side, Pauline Bikembo holds the No. 8 spot in the pentathlon. Also securing No. 8 spots nationally are Damaris Mutunga (600 meters) and Daniela Wamokpego (triple jump).

B1G ATHLETES OF THE WEEK

Hawkeyes Ryan Johnson and Damaris Mutunga earned B1G Athlete of the Week honors following their performances at the Robinson Family Open and Tyson Invitational. This marks the second Big Ten award of the season for both athletes. It is Mutunga’s second freshman of the week recognition, joining Pauline Bikembo and Chioma Nwachukwu in receiving league honors. Johnson also claimed the field athlete of the week for the second time, joining teammates Sean Smith and Abraham Vogelsang. In total, the Hawkeyes have received conference recognition seven times in 2024-25. Johnson shattered his previous program record at the Robinson Family Open, with a 24.59-meter throw. His mark is the third-farthest in NCAA Division I this season and ranks fourth in NCAA Division I history. Johnson’s mark ranks fifth among all-time NCAA competitors. Mutunga delivered a dominant performance in the 400 meters at the Tyson Invitational, setting a personal-best time of 52.14 seconds. The freshman finished third amongst collegiate competitors. The time ranks sixth all-time at Iowa. Mutunga is currently the top-ranked freshman in the nation for the event. Mutunga also ran the anchor leg of the women’s 4x400-meter relay finishing in 3:31.62.

SCHOOL-RECORD HOLDERS

Seven school records have been set by current members of the 2025 Iowa roster:

• Lia Love: Women’s 60 meters (7.24)

• Kalen Walker: Men’s 60 meters (6.51)

• Paige Magee: Women’s 60-meter hurdles (7.99)

• Alli Bookin-Nosbisch: Women’s 800 meters (2:03.42)

• Ryan Johnson: Men’s Weight Throw (24.59 meters)

• Daniela Wamokpego: Women’s Triple Jump (13.51 meters)

• Alivia Williams, Chioma Nwachukwu, Damaris Mutunga, and Olicia Lucas: Women’s 4x400 Relay (3:30.42)

UPDATING THE ALL-TIME LISTS

This season, the Hawkeyes have made 35 updates to the top-10 lists:

• Men’s 60 Meters: Austin Kresley (2nd)
• Men’s 60-Meter Hurdles: Kai Graves-Blanks (8th)
• Women’s 60-Meter Hurdles: Lillian Harden (4th)
• Men’s 200 Meters: Austin Kresley (3rd)
• Women’s 200 Meters: Lia Love (4th)
• Men’s 400 Meters: Isaac Lewis (7th)
• Women's 400 Meters: Damaris Mutunga (3rd), Chioma Nwachukwu (4th), Alivia Williams (8th)
• Women’s 600 Meters: Damaris Mutunga (2nd), Gabby Cortez (5th)
• Women’s 600 Yards: Jaiden Itson (8th)
• Men's 800 Meters: Terrick Johnson (9th)
• Men’s 3,000 Meters: Luke Knepp (6th)
• Men’s 5,000 Meters: Brayden Burnett (8th)
• Women's High Jump: Jeanne Le Goff (9th)
• Men's Long Jump: Emmanuel Njoku (5th)
• Women's Long Jump: Pauline Bikembo (3rd), Maud Zeffou-Poaty (4th)
• Men's Triple Jump: Precious Irivi (7th)
• Women’s Triple Jump: Daniela Wamokpego (1st), Jeanne Le Goff (4th)
• Men's Pole Vault: Abraham Vogelsang (7th)
• Women's Weight Throw: Wisdom Williams (9th)
• Men's Weight Throw: Ryan Johnson (1st), Sean Smith (2nd), Austin Busch (4th), Bryce Ryland (8th)
• Women’s Shot Put: Wisdom Williams (5th)
• Women’s Pentathlon: Pauline Bikembo (2nd), Annie Wirth (6th)
• Men's Heptathlon: Abraham Vogelsang (3rd), Sal Capaldo (5th)
• Men’s 4x400 Relay: Pugh, Lewis, Johnson, Brown (5th)
• Women’s 4x400 Relay: Williams, Nwachukwu, Mutunga, Lucas (1st)

UP NEXT

The Hawkeyes conclude the 2024-25 indoor season at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Virginia Beach, Virginia, on March 14-15.