Men take first, some women shine in the Border Battle.
By Adam Hensley and Connor Sindberg
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The Iowa’s track and field teams notched 11 wins in their first meets of the New Year during Jan. 9’s Border Battle in Champaign, Illinois.
Hawkeye men’s track started with a meet victory, defeating Illinois and Missouri.
Two Hawkeyes placed in the top 10 in school history. Junior O’Shea Wilson ran 6.76 in the 60 meters, third in the meet and sixth in Iowa history. It was Wilson’s first indoor meet since 2014.
Freshman Andy Jatis cleared 16-0.75 in the pole vault, good for second in the meet, ninth in program history.
“Every athlete competed to win, and I was really impressed with our freshmen; today was a good sign for us heading into the next couple of weeks,” Iowa Director of Track and Field Joey Woody said in a release.
Junior Aaron Mallett came into the meet as an All-American, and while he finished first in the 60-meter hurdles (7.95), he didn’t seem satisfied.
“It wasn’t the time I wanted, but anything under eight seconds is good for me. I could have raced cleaner,” he said in a release. “I stumbled off the blocks and hit a lot of hurdles, but to come back and win, it made it a good race from that aspect. Once I get all the kinks worked out, I’ll be ready to run fast.”
Feshman Christian Brissett, in his college début, claimed the 200 meters (21.74). Sophomore Carter Lilly (1:19.24) and senior Will Teubel (1:53.24) also won, in the 600 and 800 meters. Avery Meyers finished atop the shot put at 56-00.50.
Many women also had strong performances. Senior Lake Kwaza started the Border Battle on a positive note by winning the 60 meters (7:45). Freshman Briana Guillory followed by winning the 200 meters (24.41), and senior MonTayla Holder finished third.
Holder also hit third in the 400 meters. Junior Elexis Guster grabbed first in the 600 meters (1:34.01), and junior Alexis Hernandez finished third.
In the 800, junior Jordyn Sindt finished third. In the mile, junior Tess Wilberding finished second, and sophomore Madison Waymire finished third.
In the hurdles, sophomore Heaven Chandler and freshman Julia Lampe finished sixth and seventh. Chandler completed her day by finishing fourth in the long jump. The women capped the track events by winning the 4-X-400 relay (Guillory, Holder, Mahnee Watts, and Guster, 3:46.84).
In the field events, the Hawkeyes suffered subpar performances. Freshman Amy Smith finished seventh in the pole vault, and graduate student Khanishah Williams finished second of three competitors in the high jump. But feshman Tria Seawater-Simmons finished first in the triple jump (37.03) beating Illinois’ Kortni Smyers-Jones and notching the No. 8 mark in school history. In the weight throw, sophomore Leah Colbert finished second among three.
To finish the meet, the men and women’s teams won the 1,600-meter relays. The women (Guillory, Holder, junior Mahnee Watts, and Guster) ran in 3:46.84. The men (senior Mitch Wolff, freshman DeJuan Frye, Mallett, and freshman Mar’yea Harris) finished in 3:15.89.
The Hawkeyes will compete again in the Iowa Dual on Jan. 15 (Hawkeye Tennis & Recreation Center, discus)and Jan. 16 in the Recreation Building.
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