Johnson Selected as Big Ten Field Athlete of the Championships

IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa’s Ryan Johnson was named the Big Ten Field Athlete of the Championships, the conference announced Wednesday.

Johnson claimed the Big Ten weight throw title with a world-leading mark of 25.66 meters at the 2026 Big Ten Indoor Track and Field Championships. Mike Stein was Iowa’s most recent winner of this award, earning the distinction in 2024 after he won the Big Ten javelin title.

The throw set a new school record, previously held by Johnson, and broke the collegiate, meet, and facility records. With the performance, Johnson moves to third on the all-time American weight throw list and fourth in world history. The previous Big Ten record of 25.58 meters was set by Wisconsin’s Michael Lihrman in 2015.

Now a back-to-back Big Ten champion, Johnson earned the program’s first men’s weight throw conference title last season with a 24.38-meter effort.

Johnson returns to competition at the NCAA Championships on Friday, March 13. The men’s weight throw is scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m. (CT).

Men’s Indoor Track & Field Sportsmanship Honorees

Vaughn Devaughn III, Iowa 

Women’s Indoor Track & Field Sportsmanship Honorees 

Princess Uche, Iowa