In the early going of the indoor track season, two sprinters have more than held their own for the women’s track and field team. Junior Elexis Guster and freshman Briana Guillory have led the charge for the Hawkeyes in their four events this season, including at last weekend’s Razorback Invitational.

Although the Hawkeyes struggled as team at the Jan. 29-30 Arkansas meet, it received spectacular performances from Guster and Guillory.

Both Hawkeyes had college-best performances in the 400 meters. Guster continued to be one of Iowa’s top performers — with a third-place finish and a time of 53.52, she moved to first in the Big Ten, 11th nationally.

“[Razorback Invitational] is a meet where you try to improve on individual performances, and I felt like we did,” Director of Track and Field Joey Woody said. “Elexis Guster is ranked No. 1 in the conference; we had some really good standout performances.”

Guillory was another standout who joined Guster in having Razorback Invitational success. She competed against her teammate and finished seventh in the 400 meters. Her time of 54.44 ranks seventh all-time at Iowa and fourth in the Big Ten.

“[Briana] is just a talented athlete. She came in, and she was expected to be that kind of athlete,” Woody said. “She’s just taking it all in and just accepted that she’s an athlete who will continue to compete and win championships. She’s not afraid of anybody.”

Guillory matched her effort with an equally impressive performance in the 200, finishing 11th with a time of 23.87. That mark moved her to third in the Big Ten in the event.

The Antioch, California, native has had a stellar start to the season, and that has not only caught the eye of her coach, it has also raised the eyebrows of her upperclassman teammates.

“I’m very proud of Briana; she reminds me of myself,” Guster said. “She’s a great training partner and I know she will continue to be successful because she is willing to work hard.”

Even with the early season success, Guillory doesn’t take all the credit; she attributes her accomplishments to her teammates pushing her in practice. She also believes that she came into college competition well-prepared, because of the groundwork she put in with her stepfather before enrolling at Iowa.

“My team has been a big part of my success from a confidence standpoint,” the freshman said. “My stepdad has been a big help as well. He keeps my priorities in line and lets me know that it’s OK to mess up.”

But she hasn’t made many mistakes so far. She’s even been given the opportunity compete with upperclassman in the team events.

At the Razorback Invitational, Guillory joined Guster, senior MonTayla Holder, and junior Alexis Hernandez in clocking a season-best time of 3:40.24 in the 4×400 relay.

Guillory, the youngest of 4×400 relay squad, realizes that trust is a key factor and she has earned that trust, given how well she’s competed early on this season.