A number of personal bests were recorded as 11 athletes from the Iowa women’s track and field team competed at the Stanford Invitational on March 25.
The Hawkeyes opened their outdoor track season by competing in the 1,500 meters, 3,000-meter steeplechase, and the 5,000 meters in Stanford, Calif.
Junior Betsy Flood placed highest among the Hawkeyes in the 5,000 meters. She ran in section 1, the top section, and recorded a personal-best time of 16:16.41. Flood’s time moves her up to fourth among the Hawkeyes’ top all-time performers in the event.
Fellow junior Brooke Eilers ran the 5,000 meters in section 3. She ran the race in 16:29.47, eighth-best in Iowa history and a career best.
Junior McKenzie Melander also placed highly in section 2 of the 5k. She ran a time of 16:30.63, good for ninth and right behind Eilers on the all-time top-performers list.
In section 1 of the 1,500-meter race, senior Lauren Hardesty led the Hawkeyes and placed 14th with a time of 4:27.80.
Junior Danielle Berndt, who is fairly new to the event, recorded a personal record with a time of 10:51.21 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
The entire Iowa track and field squad will travel to Baton Rouge, La., next weekend to compete in the LSU Invitational.
— by Amy Tiffany