Career Highlights – 2007 Big Ten 10,000-meter champion… 2006 NCAA Midwest Region Cross Country champion… two-time cross country all-region honoree… set school 3,000 (8:00.81) and 5,000-meter (13:56.46) records indoors, and school 5,000-meter (13:49.31) record outdoors… ran on school-record setting 6,400-meter relay (16:55.43)… track all-region honoree.
2007 — team captain… Indoor – led team in mile (4:07.54) and 5,000 meters (13:56.46), and ran on team-leading distance medley relay (10:24.54)… NCAA provisional qualifier in 5,000 meters… set school and meet 5,000-meter record with winning 13:56.46 at Last Chance Qualifier… first Hawkeye to break 14:00.00 in that event… runner-up in 5,000 meters (14:09.35) at Big Ten Championships… ran collegiate-best mile (4:07.54) at Meyo Invite, which ranks seventh in school history… Outdoor – Big Ten 10,000 meter champion (30:28.50), running that event for the first time in his career… led team in that event… qualified for NCAA regional in 5,000 meters with a school-record setting 13:49.31 at Stanford Invite… first Hawkeye to break 13:50.00 in that event… named co-Men’s Big Ten Runner of the Week (April 3) for that performance… placed third in 5,000 meters (14:11.59) at Big Ten Championships… placed eighth in 5,000 meters (14:14.62) at NCAA regional, earning all-region honors… ran 14:34.10 in 5,000 meters at NCAA Championships prelims… runner-up in 1,500 meters with collegiate-best 3:50.20 at Iowa Musco Twilight IX… that mark ranks eighth in school history… anchored fourth-place distance medley relay at Drake Relays (9:54.07), which ranks third in school history… named Iowa’s Big Ten Sportmanship award winner for men[apos]s track… letterwinner.
2006 — Indoor – set school record and provisionally qualified for NCAA Championships in 3,000 meters with the collegiate-best 8:00.81 at Alex Wilson Invite… ran season-best mile (4:08.31) at Iowa State Classic… anchored team-leading distance medley relay (10:19.26)… Outdoor – broke 38-year-old school 5,000-meter record of 13:56.0 set by current Hawkeye Head Coach Larry Wieczorek with the 13:55.96 he ran at Stanford Invite… placed fourth in 5,000 meters at Big Ten Championships (14:13.13) and ninth at NCAA regional (14:41.78)… led team in 1,500 meters (3:54.36), placing second at Musco Twilight VIII… anchored 6,400-meter relay that placed 11th and set school record (16:55.43) at Drake Relays… ran lead leg on distance medley relay to sixth-place finish (9:54.97) at Drake Relays, which ranks fourth on Iowa’s all-time bests list… letterwinner… Cross Country – won NCAA Midwest Regional with a season-best 30:40 (10,000 meters), earning all-region and NCAA Midwest Region Athlete of the Year honors… placed third at Big Ten Championships (24:20), earning first team all-Big Ten honors… set school 8,000-meter record with a collegiate-best 23:39 at NCAA Pre-Nationals, placing sixth… also led team in 10,000 meters (30:40)… placed 40th (25:43) at Roy Griak Invite and 82nd (32:23) at NCAA Championships… team co-captain… earned Deacon Jones Outstanding Cross Country runner team award… letterwinner.
2005 — Track – did not compete… Cross Country – placed 13th at NCAA Midwest Regional (31:18), earning all-region honors… placed 16th (24:33) at Murray Keatinge Invite, 38th (24:34) at NCAA Pre-Nationals, 65th (25:31) at Roy Griak Invite and 113th (31.24) at NCAA Championships… letterwinner.
2004 — Track – did not compete… Cross Country – second team all Big-Ten selection, placing 14th at Big Ten Championships (24:39)…competed in all eight races… led team in 8,000 meters (24:39)… first Hawkeye to cross finish line in three of last four races… placed 27th (31:22.95) at NCAA Midwest Regional, 52nd (32:21) at NCAA Championships and 55th (24:55.2) at NCAA Pre-Nationals… placed fifth at Hawkeye Invite (19:02) and eighth at Hawkeye Triangular (25:39)… letterwinner.
2003 — Track – redshirted… Cross Country – redshirted.
2002 — Cross Country – second Hawkeye to cross the finish line at the NCAA Midwest Regional, placing 13th in 30:26 and earning all-region honors… that time ranks second in school history… was also second Hawkeye to cross the finish line at NCAA Championships, placing 109th in 31:29… earned Big Ten Male Cross Country Athlete of the Week honors for winning Iowa State Open (25:17) in his collegiate debut… led Iowa at Big Ten Championships, placing 27th in 24:53.9… letterwinner.
High School — Class AA state cross country champion as a senior, leading team to state title… two-time cross country conference champion, leading team to conference titles both seasons… also won regional and sectional cross country titles as a senior… four-time all-conference in cross country… first team all-state, second team all-Midwest and first team all-American in cross country as a sophomore… four-time all-state in track… three-time cross country and two-time track team MVP… three-time 3,200-meter conference champion, winning state title as a senior… won 1,600-meter conference title as a sophomore… placed eighth in 3,200 meters at Golden West meet… set school records in 1,600 meters (4:11.9) and cross country three miles (14:19)… other best time was 9:04 in 3,200 meters… coach was Andy Preuss.
Personal — born February 23, 1984… son of Raymond and June VanDenend… religion studies/history major.
VanDenend’s Collegiate Bests
| Event | Time | Meet | Date |
| 1,500 meters (O) | 3:50.20 | Musco Twilight IX | 4/21/07 |
| Mile (I) | 4:07.54 | at Meyo Invite | 2/3/07 |
| 3,000 meters (I) | 8:00.81 | at Alex Wilson Invite | 3/4/06 |
| 5,000 meters (O) | 13:49.31 | at Stanford Invite | 3/31/07 |
| 6,000 meters (CC) | 19:02 | Hawkeye Invite | 9/3/04 |
| Five Miles(CC) | 25:09.10 | at Murray Keatinge Invite | 10/2/04 |
| 8,000 meters (CC) | 23:39 | at Pre-Nationals | 10/14/06 |
| 10,000 meters (CC) | 30:26.17 | NCAA Midwest Regional | 11/16/02 |