Feb. 25, 2007

Champaign, IL -

The University of Iowa women's track team placed fifth at the Big Ten Indoor Championships with 75 points. Minnesota took the team title with 121.5 points. This marks the second highest finish the Hawkeyes have had during head coach James Grant's tenure; he led them to a third place finish in 2004.

Kineke Alexander was crowned champion in the 200 (23.67) and 400 meters (52.23). Her time in the 400 meters was good enough to set a new conference record. The previous record stood at 52.31 and was set last year by Alexander. She becomes the first athlete in Iowa history to win two titles at the Big Ten Championships in back-to-back years. The only other athlete to win two Big Ten titles in a single season is Elaine Jones (60 and 300 yards) in 1984.

Peaches Roach took the third and final title of the meet for the Hawkeyes. She won the high jump with a leap of 5-10. Roach has won the high jump at the Big Ten Indoor Championships three out of the last four years (2004, 2005 and 2007).

Alexander and Roach join Viven McKenzie (1983-85) and Shellene Williams (2003-04) as the only athletes in Iowa women's track history to win four Big Ten Championship titles. Alexander has earned all four of her titles from the indoor meet (two in the 200 meters and two in the 400 meters); while Roach has won three at the indoor meet and one at the outdoor meet. Roach is the only athlete of the four to have won the same event all four times (high jump).

Junior Diane Nukuri finished second in the 5,000 meters with a time of 16:24.60. She also took second place in the 3,000 meters yesterday. Senior Tiffany Johnson set a new career mark in the triple jump with a jump of 41-3 ¾, good enough for third place, right ahead of sophomore Renee White who took seventh place (40-10 ½). Johnson also performed excellent in the 60 meter hurdles. She finished fourth with a season-best time of 8.35.

Thrower Becca Franklin broke the school record in the weight throw with a throw of 58-3 ¼, good enough for fifth place. The previous record stood at 56-8, set by Franklin on Jan. 27.

Individuals from the Iowa track team will have another chance to qualify for the NCAA Championships, held in Fayetteville, AR. The team will send competitors to South Bend, IN, for the Alex Wilson Invitational, or to Ames for the Last Chance Meet on March 3.

RESULTS

Weight Throw
1. Liz Alabi (MN) 69-0 ¾
5. Becca Franklin (I) 58-3 ¼

Triple Jump
1. Yvonne Mensah (IL) 43-7 ¾
3. Tiffany Johnson (I) 41-3 ¾
7. Renee White (I) 40-10 ½

High Jump
1. Peaches Roach (I) 5-10

5,000 Meters
1. Erin Webster (Mich) 16:19.07
2. Diane Nukuri (I) 16:24.60
11. Racheal Marchand (I) 17:04.29

Mile
1. Nicole Edwards (Mich) 4:37.92
5. Meghan Armstrong (I) 4:47.03

400 Meters
1. Kineke Alexander (I) 52.23

60 Meter Hurdles
1. Tiffany Ofili (Mich) 8.10
4. Tiffany Johnson (I) 8.35

200 Meters
1. Kineke Alexander (I) 23.67
9. Peaches Roach (I) 24.62

1,600 Meter Relay
1. Penn State 3:37.70
6. Iowa 3:45.45
(Alexander, Johnson, Ponce, Jones)