The Iowa track and field team opened its outdoor season on March 16 and March 17 at the Willie Williams Classic in Arizona. The result for the Hawkeyes: 11 event titles and a school-record three athletes receiving Big Ten weekly honors.

Just a week removed from the NCAA indoor championships, Brittany Brown claimed both the 100 meters and 200 meters. Her time in the 200, 22.83 seconds, is the fastest in the country. Her 100 mark, 11.44 seconds, is the second fastest in the nation.

Brown was named Big Ten Women’s Co-Track Athlete of the Week, her second such honor in her career.

“This was a good start for her just for her own mindset,” Iowa Director of Track and Field Joey Woody told Hawkeye Sports. “She had high goals at NCAAs and didn’t accomplish what she was trying to do, so just proving to herself that she is in good form.”

Brown’s 200 time was also a facility record.

On the men’s side, Antonio Woodard won the 200 with a mark of 20.61 seconds, also a NCAA-leading mark. Woodard was named the Big Ten’s men’s Track Athlete of the Week. He has set personal bests in three-consecutive 200s dating back to the indoor season.

Woodard also helped the men’s 4×100 relay team place first in the event. The team, which also included Mar’yea Harris, Tyree Sorrells, and O’Shea Wilson, posted the sole sub-40-second mark, 39.69 seconds.

“This was the hope for Antonio,” Woody told Hawkeye Sports. “I’ve always known he has had the ability to be a mid- to low-20 guy. I think he had a lot more to show, which is exciting.”

For Woodard, it’s all about sticking to what got him there in the first place in order to keep shrinking his times.

“Trusting my fitness and Coach Woody’s training makes things a lot easier,” Woodard said. “I plan on improving my personal best by staying consistent because I believe that consistency breeds breakthroughs.”

In the field, Reno Tuufuli won the men’s Big Ten Field Athlete of the week for the third time in his career. He won the discus with a throw of 58.95 meters. That mark is first in the nation currently. In addition to the discus, Tuufuli finished second in the shot put.

The only marks superior to Tuufuli’s in Arizona were from non-college competitors.

“Coach [Eric] Werskey has done such a good job with the throws group,” Woody told Hawkeye Sports. “Discus is their event. That is the event they love to do, and just to be able to get outside for that first competition and throw is always exciting for them.”

The team will travel to three different meets Wednesday-Saturday, the Texas Relays, the Florida Relays, and the Stanford Invitational.

“It’s truly a blessing to be recognized among some of the greatest athletes in the country,” Woodard said. “But what really put the icing on the cake for me is that I could share it with my teammates Brittany Brown and Reno Tuufuli.”