By Adam Hensley
The Iowa track and field teams capped off the Big Ten meet May 13-15 with all-around scoring in a weekend full of highlights. The men finished fourth, and the women finished sixth.
Nebraska won the men’s side (140.5 points), and Michigan and Minnesota tied for first in the women’s division (106 points).
Hawkeyes Alexis Hernandez, Briana Guillory, MonTayla Holder, and Elexis Guster shone in the 4×400 relay. The quartet’s time of 3:31.22 not only produced a first-place finish, it took down the school record.
“That was inspirational,” said Iowa Director of Track & Field Joey Woody in a release. “Guster barely got through the 200 because she had a really bad cramp in her calf. I didn’t even think she would be ready to go in the 4×400. MonTayla has been battling an Achilles issue the last couple of weeks. For them to come back after all that, put up some great splits across the board, and to see Elexis catch the girl who beat her in the open 400 was impressive.”
Guillory also won the 200 meters, finishing in 22.95, second all-time at Iowa and the 19th-fastest time nationally this season.
On the men’s side, Kevin Spejcher (high jump), the 4×100 relay, and Aaron Mallett (110-meter hurdles) snagged first-place finishes in impressive fashion.
Spejcher jumped 2.18 meters for the win.
“After practice the other day, I had one of those jumps where 2 meters was pretty easy, so I felt good,” he said in a release. “As the meet kept going, it felt easier and easier on every jump. As I was going, I knew I could win it. I just knew.”
The 400-meter relay (Vinnie Saucer Jr., Christian Brissett, James Harrington, and Mallett) edged Nebraska for the top spot.
Aside from being a part of the best 4×100 relay in the Big Ten, Mallett defended his title as best hurdler in the conference.
His time of 13.48 set a stadium record in Lincoln, Nebraska, and it is fifth in the nation.
“I had a race under my legs, and I was ready to fire,” he said in a release. “Going and doing what I did in the hurdles was a big pressure off my shoulders, because Nebraska had four guys in there, and they’re at their home track in front of a home crowd. I was coming in as the defending champion, and I worked so hard to get to where I am. I just had to rely on myself. I executed my race the best I could, so I’m happy.”
William Dougherty highlighted Iowa’s early competition in the decathlon. He scored 7,311 points, his career best and a school record; it ranks 25th nationally.
In the 100 meters, Harrington and Saucer finished third and fourth.
Lake Kwaza placed sixth for the women.
The 400 meters proved to be one of the Hawkeyes’ best events. Guster and Hernandez placed second and seventh for the women, while Mar’yea Harris ran a career-best 45.76-second time for fourth place.
Carter Lilly and Mahnee Watts each scored points for Iowa in the 800 meters.
Watts followed up her stellar performance at the Drake Relays with her time of 2:08.53 (sixth place).
Lilly finished fourth with his personal-best time (1:47.54).
The dynamic duo of Noah Larrison and Mitch Wolff scored for the Hawkeyes as well. Larrison placed fifth, and Wolff finished sixth in the 400-meter hurdles.
In the field, Reno Tuufuli was the highlight for the men, placing second in the discus.
Jahisha Thomas finished seventh in the long jump and fourth in the triple jump to score points for the women’s team.
Other Hawkeyes who scored points: Harrington (second place, 200), Brissett (sixth place, 200), Guster (seventh place, 200), Kwaza (eighth place, 200), Holder (third place, 400 hurdles), 400-meter relay (Kwaza, Guster, Guillory, Hernandez, third place)
Iowa’s next meet will be May 26, when the Hawkeyes travel to Lawrence, Kansas, for the West Regional.