From the 60-meter dash to the hammer throw, the athletes of Iowa women’s track and field have their sights set on greatness for the 2026 indoor season.
Head coach Joey Woody said the Hawkeyes emphasize team culture and heart.
“We’ve got a tremendous group of young ladies from every event group, a group of girls that are committed to competing at the highest level for their individual events but also for the team,” Woody said. “They’ve got some big goals this year at the Big Ten and NCAA level.”
This group of women includes athletes from six foreign countries, including Sweden, Jamaica, and Ghana. Accompanying the international presence on the team are Hawkeyes from Iowa and 10 other states across the country.
Some of the new additions have already etched their name into the record books, such as freshman Caila Lyons, who was named Big Ten Women’s Co-Freshman of the week following a strong showing at this year’s Hawkeye Invitational on Jan. 10.
Hailing from San Antonio, Texas, Lyons nabbed the 600-meter title in 1 minute, 31.12 seconds, marking the fourth-best freshman performance in the event nationally.
Paired with this rookie talent is the experience of veterans like senior Holly Duax, a sprinter from Sioux City, Iowa, who credits her commitment to Iowa to the familial atmosphere of the program.
“I could tell that it was more than just a track program,” Duax said. “It was a place where I could build relationships and make friends that I will have for a long time, and I could see that they all respected each other.”
Duax, who has been running for 10 years, also credited Woody for his role in her performance, which has spanned a successful collegiate career on the track and in the classroom.
“I definitely feel, after being here for four years, he knows exactly what works for me, and he knows the cues to give me,” Duax said. “I feel like regardless of how I perform, I can talk with him about my performance and not feel like I need to shy away from anything.”
As a sprinter, Duax represents a leader in one of Iowa’s different event groups. Other athletes represent mid-distance, hurdles, or, in the case of junior Peyton Wilson, throws.
Similar to Duax, Wilson cited the team culture as a key factor in her recruitment decision. Even though Iowa City is an eight-hour drive from her hometown of Lancaster, Ohio, Wilson doesn’t hold any regrets about her choice.
“Going far away for school, I wanted somewhere that felt like a home away from home,” Wilson said. “The team atmosphere and the connections, and just having that community already built in before I came, really stuck out to me.”
Wilson, who competed in the hammer throw at last year’s Big Ten Championships and the Drake Relays, also cited higher placement and making it to more finals as a program goal.
“We’re always striving to win those championships, and I think this year, especially, we have a huge chance to do that, just with the passion and the love that our team has,” Wilson said.
The Hawkeyes finished fourth in indoor last season, trailing Illinois and new arrivals Oregon and USC.
Woody expressed the idea of being a top Big Ten contender as a goal, noting the competitiveness of the conference.
“It’s definitely deeper and stronger than it’s ever been, with all the additional teams and the number of talented athletes,” Woody said. “We just [have] to put it all together, and I think we can be a top three or four team [in] the Big Ten. We [have] to make sure everybody’s firing on all cylinders at the right time. I think we can reach those goals.”