As Big Ten Indoor Championships concluded last Saturday, one thing was certain: Wayne Lawrence is a standout Hawkeye to watch out for.

The transfer from South Dakota State is only in his second year at Iowa, but his statistics show the impact he has made on the program. Lawrence finished first in the 200-meter, 400-meter, and 4×400-meter relay last weekend. He set a new personal best in every event and beat Iowa’s all-time record for the 400 with his time of 45.56.

Lawrence’s marks helped the Iowa men’s track and field team secure a second place finish at the Big Ten Indoor meet. His performance garnered a Big Ten Athlete of the Meet honor. Laulauga Tausaga claimed the award on the women’s side.

To say that Lawrence has made progress over the past year would be an understatement. At last year’s Big Ten Indoor Championships, Lawrence competed solely in the 400-meter, where he finished eighth.

“I’ve improved by a lot,” Lawrence said. “Last year, I tore my hamstring at Big Tens pre-meeting, so I couldn’t really run. I got eighth place; I didn’t even run the 2 or on the 4×4. This year, I was perfectly healthy and won all three. Last year, I went to nationals with a PR of 46.1, but this year, I broke my PR at Notre Dame and then broke it again, so I felt much better about this indoor season.”

Lawrence’s next step involves a trip to the NCAA Indoor Championships later this month.

“I’m really just trying to go out there and compete to the best of my ability,” Lawrence said. “All the guys out there are top competitors in the country, so if I go out there and make the final in the 400, it will be a huge accomplishment. It would be my first time making the final first-team all-American. I hope to break my school record again, and in the 4×400 I would be glad with both performances.”

Lawrence’s coaches and teammates have high hopes for the sprinter. Senior sprinter DeJuan Frye said he’s proud of his friend and 4×400-meter relay teammate.

“It’s been fun watching him grow up and mature,” Frye said. “Now we’re best friends, so it’s nice seeing him develop and become the athlete that he is.”

Related: Men’s track finishes second, women eighth at Big Ten Indoor Championships

Assistant coach Jason Wakenight personally coaches Lawrence, and he is impressed with the progression of Lawrence’s skills as a member of the Hawkeye track and field team.

“He came here midyear, so he was a guy who didn’t know many people on the team,” Wakenight said. “It took him a while to get acclimated to what we’re about, how we train, what our team values are, and just how we show up every day and how we go to work in the 400 group.”

Wakenight isn’t afraid to express his satisfaction with the results Lawrence has produced of late.

“I thought that was a big adjustment, but really, once he got a hold of things — once we got into competition — he really became one of the guys that kept everyone loose and relaxed and a person that people can rally around. He has taken a lot of big steps, and, obviously, what he did at the Big Ten meet this weekend is just a testament to what he’s been working towards these last 18 months.”