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Track and Field Notebook: Drake Relays, Kip Janvrin OpenTrack and Field Notebook: Drake Relays, Kip Janvrin Open
Jerod Ringwald
Men's Track & Field

Track and Field Notebook: Drake Relays, Kip Janvrin Open

The Hawkeyes travel across the state of Iowa to compete at the Drake Relays in Des Moines and the Kip Janvrin Open in Indianola. Action begins Thursday, April 24.

Drake Relays Schedule Kip Janvrin Open Schedule Full Notes (PDF)
by Elizabeth Coon

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). 

2025 NEWS

  • At the Tom Jones Invitational in Gainesville, fifth-year senior Kalen Walker clocked a personal-best 10.06 in the 100-meter invite, improving on his previous school record of 10.09 and finishing fifth overall.
  • In Florida, Chioma Nwachukwu recorded a school-record time of 51.26 in the women’s 400-meter invite, placing seventh and achieving a new personal best. Fellow freshmen Damaris Mutunga (52.13) and Alivia Williams (52.92) also notched personal bests in the event. Mutunga’s time ranks seventh all-time at Iowa.
  • The women’s 4x400-meter relay team of Olicia Lucas, Mutunga, Williams, and Nwachukwu clocked a program-best 3:30.92 to finish 13th overall at the Tom Jones Invitational. The quartet previously held the number two spot in school history with a time of 3:31.55.
  • Senior Alli Bookin-Nosbisch posted a program record in the 800 meters clocking in at 2:02.92, securing a personal best and school record at the Florida Relays.
  • Sophomore Ryan Johnson posted a program record in the hammer throw at the Texas State Invitational along with a victory in the men’s hammer throw at the Texas Relays. In San Marcos, Johnson shattered the school record he set just last week in his outdoor debut at the UCF Black and Gold Invitational. His throw of 71.87 meters not only earned him the gold but also secured the fifth best throw nationally.
  • Junior Lizzy Korczak took home the gold in the women’s javelin with a 57.69-meter throw at the Texas Relays. To begin the 2025 outdoor season, Korczak crushed the program record in the javelin on her first throw. Korczak launched a throw of 58.10 meters. She surpassed her previous personal best and top-10 mark of 50.62 meters, with five of her throws exceeding that mark.
  • Freshman Maria Arboleda won the women’s high jump, clearing 1.83 meters at the Texas Relays. Arboleda posted a program record (1.87 meters) in her debut in the high jump to open the outdoor season at the UCF Black and Gold Invitational.
  • At the Bryan Clay Invitational, freshman Luke Knepp and senior Yohana Yual made updates to the Iowa all-time list in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase. Knepp finished second with a personal-best time of 8:39.54, which now ranks second in program history and first in the Big Ten. Yual also recorded a lifetime best of 8:53.35, placing him fourth all-time at Iowa.
  • At the Kansas Relays, junior Sean Smith claimed the gold in the men’s hammer throw, recording a personal-best mark of 68.25 meters, the second-best throw in Iowa program history.

LAST TIME OUT

The Hawkeyes had a successful road trip across the country, competing in the Tom Jones, Bryan Clay, Mt. Sac and Kansas Relays. The Hawkeyes set three school records in Florida. Kalen Walker clocked a personal-best 10.06 in the 100-meter invite, improving on his previous record of 10.09 and finishing fifth overall. Chioma Nwachukwu recorded a school-record time of 51.26 in the women’s 400-meter invite, placing seventh and achieving a new personal best. Fellow freshmen Damaris Mutunga (52.13) and Alivia Williams (52.92) also notched personal bests in the event. Mutunga’s time ranks seventh all-time at Iowa. The women’s 4x400-meter relay team of Olicia Lucas, Mutunga, Williams, and Nwachukwu clocked a program-best 3:30.92 to finish 13th overall. The quartet previously held the number two spot in school history with a time of 3:31.55. At the Bryan Clay Invitational, freshman Luke Knepp and senior Yohana Yual made updates to the Iowa all-time list in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase. Knepp finished second with a personal-best time of 8:39.54, which now ranks second in program history and first in the Big Ten. Yual also recorded a lifetime best of 8:53.35, placing him fourth all-time at Iowa. At the Kansas Relays, junior Sean Smith claimed the gold in the men’s hammer throw, recording a personal-best mark of 68.25 meters, the second-best throw in Iowa program history. Sophomore Austin Busch earned the silver with a mark of 66.78 meters, improving his standing as fifth all-time at Iowa. In Kansas, Wisdom Williams recorded a 15.98-meter toss to secure the gold in the women’s shot put. In the women’s javelin, Korczak hit the 50.80-meter mark to finish first for the Hawkeyes.

HAWKEYES RETURN TO DRAKE RELAYS AND KIP JANVRIN OPEN

The Hawkeyes return to the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa and the Kip Janvrin Open in Indianola, Iowa. Last season, the Hawks recorded a handful of personal-best at the two meets including Ali Frandsen who set a lifetime best of 14.11 in the women’s 100-meter hurdles. That mark took 0.51 seconds off her personal record. Lily Johannes set a women’s 800-meter personal best at the Kip Janvrin, racing 2:18.29 to take third place. In Des Moines, Miriam Sandeen placed eighth in the women’s 5,000 meters with a lifetime best 16:59.13 mark. At the Kip Janvrin, three Hawkeyes set personal records in the 1,500 meters. Jalyssa Blazek placed clocked in 4:45.25, while Cameron Kalaway finished in 4:45.40 and Clare Kelly crossed the line in 4:46.18. This year's Drake Relays will include Division I powers Baylor, Drake, Iowa State, Kansas State, Kentucky, Marquette, Minnesota, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Oregon State, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin. 

JOHNSON'S DOMINANT START

Ryan Johnson continues his incredible outdoor season debut as a Hawkeye breaking the school record in the hammer throw the first week of competition and bettering that record at the Texas State Invite. At the UCF Black and Gold Invitational, Johnson launched a 71.12-meter throw followed up by a 71.87-meter throw at the Texas State Invite. His throw currently ranks sixth nationally. Johnson is coming off an All-American performance at the NCAA Indoor Championships in the weight throw. The Springboro, Ohio, native claimed the bronze with a 24.48-meter toss. He also holds the program record in the weight throw at 24.59 meters.

MIKE STEIN RETURNS FOR THE HAWKEYES

Junior Mike Stein is back for the Hawkeyes, gearing up for a highly anticipated season in the javelin following a standout NCAA debut. Stein opened the 2025 outdoor season with a first-place finish in the javelin. He launched a 75.10-meter throw to seal the win for the Hawkeyes. Last season, Stein finished in seventh place and earned first-team All-American honors at the NCAA Championships. He concluded his impressive freshman campaign by claiming the Big Ten Championship, setting a new school record with a throw of 81.19 meters and earning Men’s Field Athlete of the Championship honors. That record-breaking performance also secured his qualification for the U.S. Olympic Trials, where he placed 21st in the javelin with a throw of 61.98 meters. 

2024 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

The Hawkeyes concluded the 2023-2024 season with impressive performances from across the board. 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 NCAA debut at Hayward Field. 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. 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. 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. 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).

INDOOR SEASON SUCCESS

Both the men’s and women’s squads have had an impressive finish to the indoor season, with 35 updates made to the all-time list. Notably, Pauline Bikembo set the Iowa school record in the women’s pentathlon with 4,331 points in the NCAA Championships. At the Iowa Open, sophomore Daniela Wamokpego reset the program record in the triple jump, leaping to a 13.51-meter mark. In her final attempt, Wamokpego not only set the school and meet records but also posted the NCAA DI’s seventh-best mark. The sophomore from Meaux, France, further solidified her position as a national qualifier in the event and climbed to second in the Big Ten. Her previous school record was set at the Jimmy Grant Invite earlier this season. Sophomore Ryan Johnson also set multiple Iowa program records throughout the indoor season. At the Robinson Family Open, Johnson shattered the school record with a 24.59-meter throw, which ranked fourth in NCAA Division I history at the time of competition. Earlier in the season, the women’s 4x400 relay team of Alivia Williams, Chioma Nwachukwu, Damaris Mutunga, and Olicia Lucas crushed Iowa’s program record with a time of 3:30.42.

UPDATING THE ALL-TIME LISTS

Iowa made 35 updates to the top-10 lists during the indoor season. The Hawkeyes made updates to the outdoor top-10 list:

UP NEXT

The Hawkeyes host the Musco Twilight meet celebrating senior day in Iowa City at the Francis X. Cretzmeyer Track. Tickets will be for sale on hawkeyesports.com. Admission is $5. Ages 2 and under are free. Iowa will also travel to the Desert Heat Classic in Tucson, Arizona. Action begins May 2.