Hawkeyes Complete 2025-26 Signing Class

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa track and field program welcomed 28 signees to the 2025-26 roster, Director of Track and Field Joey Woody announced on Friday. These newcomers will join 63 returners to open the season on Dec. 12-13 at the Jimmy Grant Invitational.

“We are very excited to introduce our 2025-26 incoming class to the Hawkeye Track and Field and Cross Country family,” Woody said. “Although most have only been on campus for just over three months, they have all made an immediate impact to our team.  This is probably the best recruiting class from top to bottom across all event groups that I can remember over my 19 seasons at Iowa.  Our staff did a tremendous job recruiting the best talent from across the globe.  As I reflect on our incoming class, the thing that stands out to me the most is that not only do we have great athletes who will contribute on the track and field, but we are fortunate to sign great people who will continue to build our positive team culture and family atmosphere.  A few highlights from the men’s recruiting class include signing the fastest 100m, 200m, 400m, and 800m athletes our staff has ever signed out of high school.  On the women’s side, we signed the fastest 100m, 200m, third-fastest 400m runner, one of the top U20 triple jumpers in the world, and the best hammer thrower we’ve ever signed out of high school.  In addition to our top HS talent, we are very excited to add four of the top transfer hurdlers we’ve ever signed at Iowa between both genders, and multiple junior college All-Americans.  Overall, our entire class is made up of multiple state champions, high school All-Americans, collegiate conference champions, and JUCO All-Americans.  Our staff did an excellent job of recruiting winners, and I believe every member of this incoming class will be huge a contributor for us at the Big Ten and NCAA Championships.  I can’t wait to watch all of our new athletes put on that Hawkeye uniform and compete for the Black and Gold."

This year’s incoming class represents 10 states and features seven student-athletes from the state of Iowa. The Hawkeyes bring in three student-athletes from Nigeria and a pair from Jamaica. Both Ghana and Sweden are also represented on this year's team.

MEN’S SIGNEES
SPRINTS
David Akhalu 
Ogun State, Nigeria 
Yakub Memorial Secondary School 
10.66 (100M)
21.29 (200M)
46.36 (400M)

Chidera Ezeakor 
Edo State, Nigeria 
10.25 (100M)
20.77 (200M)

Jordan Gross
Vandalia, Ohio 
Butler High School
10.35 (100M)
20.66 (200M)

Darwin Jimenez 
Methuen, Massachusetts
Allen Community College
10.24 (100M)
20.82 (200M)

Austin Rowswell
New Lenox, Illinois
Lincoln-Way West High School
21.41 (200M)
46.94 (400M)

Sylus West-Gaither 
Las Vegas, Nevada 
Legacy High School 
21.44 (200M)
46.51 (400M)

HURDLES 
Blake Nyenati 
Andover, Minnesota
North Dakota State University 
7.75 (60H)
13.62 (110H)

Vaughn DeVaughn III
Baltimore, Maryland 
Alabama State University 
13.85 (110H)
50.41 (400H)

MID-DISTANCE
Jashua Anglo
Johnston, Iowa 
Johnston High School
21.94 (200M)
47.60 (400M)
1:54.75 (800M)

Evan Osler 
Okoboji, Iowa
Okoboji Milford High School
49.13 (400M)
1:52.65 (800M)

DISTANCE
Spencer Alf 
McFarland, Wisconsin 
McFarland High School
1:54.27 (800M)
4:16.08 (1600M)
 
Elias Arbuckle
Grimes, Iowa 
Dallas Center-Grimes High School
4:15.29 (1600M)
9:03.68 (3200M)

Owen Wolfe 
West Des Moines, Iowa 
Dowling Catholic High School 
1:49.92 (800M)
4:09.21 (1600M)

THROWS
Tate Joens
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 
Indian Hills Community College 
59’2 ¼ (Shot Put)
171’5 (Discus)
196’10 (Hammer Throw)

Landon Prince 
Tiffin, Iowa 
Clear Creek Amana High School
64’1 ½ (Shot Put)
194’4 (Discus)

WOMEN’S SIGNEES
SPRINTS
Princess Uche 
Abia State, Nigeria 
University of Texas El-Paso
53.62 (400M)

Izzy Zahn 
Coldwater, Ohio
Coldwater High School
23.04 (200M)
52.89 (400M)

Iyanouluwa Bada 
Ikeja, Nigeria
Rexage Comprehensive College
11.30 (100M)

HURDLES
Jailya Ash 
Voorhees, New Jersey 
University of Connecticut
8.19 (60H)
13.29 (100H)
 
Isabel Evans
Johnstown, Ohio
John Northridge High School
13.94 (100H)
41.95 (300H)

Dymonde Nave
Sioux Falls, South Dakota 
Indian Hills Community College 
8.43 (60H)
13.57 (100H)
 
MID-DISTANCE
Rosemary Arthur
Sekondi, Ghana 
Colby Community College 
2:07.61 (800M)
4:30.19 (1500M)

Grace Boleyn 
Bettendorf, Iowa 
Pleasant Valley High School
2:11.42 (800M)
4:37.78 (1500M)

Leanna Lewis
Clarendon, Jamaica 
Norfolk State University 
54.42 (400M)
2:06.58 (800M)

Caila Lyons
San Antonio, Texas
Northside Brennan High School
54.70 (400M)
2:08.86 (800M)
4:37.60 (1500M)

Jody Ann Mitchell
Manchester, Jamaica 
New Mexico Junior College
1:32.02 (600M)
2:07.36 (800M)

DISTANCE
Ella Magallan
Burleson, Texas 
Burleson Centennial High School
2:14.59 (800M)
5:00.27 (1600M)
10:58.28 (3200M)

THROWS
Josephine Flynt
Katy, Texas
Katy Taylor High School 
175’11 (Hammer Throw)

JUMPS
Lovisa Ulvenstam 
Ostersund, Sweden
Wargentin High School
19’8 (Long Jump)  
42’3 (Triple Jump)