A portion of the Iowa track and field team headed to Des Moines to compete in the Jim Duncan Invitational hosted by Drake April 10 and 11. Fewer than 40 Iowa athletes competed, a majority being mid-distance runners and those in the field events.

Even with the small number competing, the Hawkeyes took home five individual titles as well as three seconds and a third-place finish.

“This was another great meet for our program and served our team well as we continue to progress throughout the season,” Director of Track and Field Joey Woody said in a release. “Every time you win, it builds confidence and it becomes habitual, and we had a lot of winners this weekend.”

Vinnie Saucer, Jr. took first in the men’s 100 meter with a time of 10.81 before taking the track again to run alongside James Harrington in the 200. Harrington, a junior, captured the title and set a meet record, posting a time of 21.04. Saucer finished second.

Iowa swept the 800-meter competitions, with Will Teubel (1:50.49) taking the men’s title and Katharina Trost the women’s. Trost’s time of 2:09.28 marks a new season best for the sophomore.

The last Hawkeye to take home the gold was Kayla Hochhalter, whose throw of 44.28 meters in the javelin earned her first place.

Senior Kaleb VanCleave achieved a new personal best in Des Moines, running a time of 47.68 in the men’s 400, in which he placed second. The best was a big one for VanCleave, since the Hawkeye has been battling injuries for a majority of the season. Four other Hawkeyes finished in the top nine of the event — Brennan Davey in third, Nicholas Aly in fifth, and Nick Jensen in ninth.

— by Courtney Baumann