The Iowa track and field team split up for a second-straight weekend on Feb. 9 and Feb. 10, competing in the Tyson Invitational in Arkansas and Iowa State Classic.
Both the women and men finished the day with impressive 4×400 relay times — good enough for both relays to rise to No. 2 all-time in Hawkeye program history.
Sommer Sharpe, Briana Guillory, Brittany Brown, and Sheridan Champe made up the women’s relay team that posted a time of 3:34.34. The mark was fourth overall in the event at the Tyson Invitational.
On the men’s side, Collin Hofacker, DeJaun Fry, Bradford Garron, and Mar’yea Harris posted a time of 3:06.06, putting them at second in the event at the Tyson Invitational but also increasing their lead in the Big Ten; the relay team moved into first in the conference with a time of 3:07.54 at the Wieczorek Invitational.
“I think we have a team that can run 3:03 or faster,” Iowa Director of Track and Field Joey Woody told Hawkeye Sports. “So we need to continue to improve to be one of the dominant relays in the NCAA.”
Guillory, who was named January’s Athlete of the Month by University of Iowa Student-Athletes Academic Services, also tied her personal best from last weekend in the 200 — 23.26 seconds.
Antonio Woodward finished second in the 200 at the Iowa State Classic with a time of 21.27 seconds.
Harris finished third in the 200 at the Tyson Invitational with a time of 21.34 seconds, which is 10th all time in school history. Harris expressed his desire this past week to break 21 seconds in the event in the indoor season.
Bradford Garron came in just behind Harris, taking fourth place in the event with a time of 21.38 seconds.
On Feb. 9, Harris ran the 400 in 46.17 seconds, good for a fifth-place finish.
Chris Douglas ran the 60-meter hurdles in 7.81 seconds, .05 seconds behind his Big Ten-leading mark of 7.76 seconds from earlier in the season. He finished third overall in the event.
Daniel Soto set a personal best in the 3,000 meters for the second-straight week with a time of 8:11.83. That time is eighth in school history.
Nate Mylenek ran the mile in 4:04.25, which puts him 3rd all time at Iowa. Last week, Michael Melchert ran the 4th fastest time in school history—4:04.32. Melchert also ran the 3,000 meters in 8:08.30.
“Nate Mylenek had a huge [personal record] in the mile, and Michael Melchert continues to improve throughout the indoor season with a great 3K,” Woody told Hawkeye Sports.
Andrea Shine also moved into eighth in school history in her event, running the 5,000 meters in 16:21.53.
Laulauga Tausaga continued her dominant indoor season at the Tyson Invitational, taking second place in the shot put with a mark of 16.51 meters.
Jahisha Thomas, who is the Big Ten’s leader in the triple jump, finished second in the long jump with a mark of 6.23 meters.
Next weekend, the Hawkeyes will head to Notre Dame for the Alex Wilson Invitational, the team’s last tune-up before the indoor Big Ten Championships on Feb. 23 and Feb. 24.