Before Iowa’s first home track meet of the season, the team competed coast to coast.

Coastal competition 

On April 11, a duo of Hawkeyes took the track for the Bryan Clay Invitational in California to post top-ten times in school history. 

In the men’s 3000-meter steeplechase, second-year Hayden Kuhn finished in 8:59.18. His performance improved his seventh-ranked time in school history. Third-year Yohanna Yual ran a 9:02.33 and now ranks eighth in Hawkeye history.

The Tom Jones Memorial in Gainesville, Florida, brought more stiff competition and close personal-bests for the Hawkeyes. In the 200-meter sprint, fourth-year Austin Kresley ran a 20.68. Just four spots behind Kresley was fellow-fourth year Damoy Allen in 20.84. 

Also in Florida, a new men’s 4×100-meter relay group made their season debut with a time of 39.55. The squad of fourth-years Kalen Walker, Austin Kresley, Joe Stein, and third-year Kalil Johnson finished in 11th place. 

Later the same day, a pair of rookies posted personal bests. First-years Ali Frandsen and Olicia Lucas finished with a time of 14.62 in the 100 hurdles and 54.38 in the 400-meter race, respectively.

“[Lucas] attacked the race from the start and competed really well in her heat,” Iowa Director of Track and Field Joey Woody told Hawkeye Sports of the first-year’s race.

On the West Coast, fourth-year Clare Pitcher ran a 2:12.15 800-meter race with fellow fourth-year Grace Bookin-Nosbisch close behind in 2:13.07.

At the Bryan Clay Invitational, fourth-year Amber Aesoph completed a near personal best. Aesoph clocked in at 4:29.87 in the 1500-meter race.

“Amber executed a very good race,” distance coach Randy Hasenbank told Hawkeye Sports. “She was within a fraction of her all-time best.”

Finally home

For the first time in months, the Hawkeyes won’t have to board a flight to compete. 

Iowa will host the team’s first home outdoor meet of the season on April 19-20. The Musco Twilight is held in Iowa City at Francis X. Cretzmeyer Track.

Woody is excited to host the meet, as the program was forced to cancel last year due to weather. 

“We’re going to have some great field events,” Woody said. “I’m really looking forward to the throwers really shining.”

Woody also says the distance runners are looking forward to an opportunity to race at home. 

Due to competing two weeks in a row, the majority of the sprinters and hurdlers will have the weekend off. The final group of Iowa runners will miss the home meet for the Mt. Sac Relay on April 17-20 in Walnut, California.