4x400 Places 6th at NCAA Championships

EUGENE, Ore. – The University of Iowa’s 4x400-relay team of Alivia Williams, Damaris Mutunga, Olicia Lucas and Chioma Nwachukwu secured the programs first ever first-team All-America honor in the event at Hayward Field on Saturday night.

The quartet clocked a sixth-place time of 3:27.42 to finish the 2025 NCAA Championships in Eugene. Alivia Williams led the Hawkeyes in the first leg with a time of 52.78. Williams handed it off to Damaris Mutunga who clocked a 51.30. Olicia Lucas turned in a 52.61 split, with Chioma Nwachukwu bringing the Hawkeyes home in 50.74. The group turned in Iowa's second-fastest time in program history.

"The 4x4 ran another tremendous race today," Iowa Director of Track and Field Joey Woody said. "For being a very young group with three freshman and a sophomore, they competed like veterans out there. Alivia ran another fantastic lead-off leg to get us up in the mix and Damaris moved into the top three on the backstretch. She kept the baton moving, handing off to Olicia, who completed a monster third leg with one of the fastest splits of her career. Chioma got out really well and put us into a great position and fought hard all the way to the end."

"We've run the top three times in school history the last three races, so we couldn't ask much more from that group of women," said Woody. "They had a terrific season and I am proud they were able to not only qualify to this meet, but to make the finals and finish as first-team All-Americans in remarkable."

Sophomore Daniela Wamokpego finished 18th in the triple jump after qualifying to the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the first time in her career. The native of Meaux, France, stuck a wind-aided 12.71-meter jump in her first attempt. Wamokpego fouled on jump two, before wrapping up her series with a wind-legal 12.69. 

Freshman Maria Arboleda placed 18th in the high jump in her NCAA Championships debut. The freshman from Valle del Cauca, Colombia, needed only one attempt to clear the opening bar at 1.74 meters. Moving on to 1.79 meters, Arboleda used all three jumps to clear the bar. She was Iowa’s first women’s high jumper to make the national meet since Peaches Roach in 2007.

"I am proud of how well the women competed overall today," Woody added. "Maria and Daniela had great seasons and unfortunately just weren't able to put together their best performances today."

The women's team tallied three points at the championships, courtesy of the 4x400 relay.

Up Next: The collegiate outdoor season has concluded. Qualifying Hawkeyes will participate in the USATF Outdoor Championships in Eugene from July 31-August 3.

HAWKEYE RESULTS
Women’s 4x400 Relay Final
6. Al. Williams, Mutunga, Lucas, Nwachukwu - 3:27.42, 2nd at Iowa

Women’s High Jump Final
18. Maria Arboleda - 1.79 meters (5’ 10.50”)

Women’s Triple Jump
18. Daniela Wamokpego - 12.71 meters (41’ 8.50”), wind-aided