Iowa Track Teams Place at Indoor Meet
Iowa Track & Field celebrated solid results at their latest indoor meet, with the men's team finishing 3rd place with 61 points and the women's team taking 8th with 42 points. The competitive showing demonstrates the program's depth across both squads.
The Hawkeyes' strong showing came at the 2026 Big Ten Indoor Track & Field Championships in Indianapolis. The men's team was in a tight battle for a top-three finish, ultimately securing third place. Oregon won the men's team title with 114 points, followed by Penn State with 96. On the women's side, Oregon also claimed the championship with 101 points, followed by Illinois and USC. The Hawkeyes' 8th place finish positioned them ahead of nine other conference teams, including Michigan, Ohio State, and Indiana. Senior Kalen Walker became a three-time Big Ten champion by winning the 60-meter dash with a facility-record time of 6.54 seconds. Teammates Darwin Jimenez and Jordan Gross also scored in the event, finishing fourth and sixth, respectively. The Hawkeyes secured another conference title when Ryan Johnson won the men's weight throw with a world-leading mark of 25.66 meters. In the women's 400 meters, Chioma Nwachukwu earned second-team All-Big Ten honors with a runner-up finish, posting a personal-best time of 51.67, the second-fastest in program history. Iowa's women's team saw a significant point boost in the 600 meters, with three athletes finishing in the top five. Gabby Cortez led the trio with a bronze medal performance. The women's 4x400-meter relay team also secured a silver medal, with their time of 3:30.08 ranking second all-time at Iowa. In the men's 60-meter hurdles, Blake Nyenati and Vaughn DeVaughn III placed fourth and fifth, respectively. Jordan Gross also contributed points in the 200-meter final with a fourth-place finish. In total, the Hawkeyes earned five All-Big Ten honors. Ryan Johnson and Kalen Walker received first-team selections for their individual titles. Chioma Nwachukwu, Emmanuel Njoku (silver medalist), and the women's 4x400-meter relay team were named to the second team. Next up, qualifying Hawkeyes will compete at the NCAA Indoor Championships. The national championship meet is scheduled for March 13-14 in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
