May 26, 2007

DES MOINES, IA -

The University of Iowa women's track and field squad crowned two champions and posted its highest team finish at the NCAA Midwest Regional in Des Moines Saturday. Senior Tiffany Johnson and junior Kineke Alexander won individual race titles, leading the Hawkeyes to an eighth place finish with 34.50 points - their highest finish in the five-year history of the meet. The Hawkeye men's team placed 16th with 19 points. In all, Iowa crowned 15 all-region honorees and advanced five automatic qualifiers to the NCAA Championships, set for June 6-9 in Sacramento, CA.

Johnson became second regional champion in women's school history when she won the 100-meter hurdles in 13.22. That time was only .02 off her collegiate best and the school record she holds in that event. By successfully defending her 2006 regional title in the 400 meters, Alexander became Iowa's first two-time regional champion. She won the race in 52.34. Junior Shane Maier was the Hawkeye men's top finisher on the day, placing second in the shot put with a season-best 58-6 1/2. Junior Meghan Armstrong was Iowa's fifth automatic NCAA qualifier, placing fifth in the 1,500 meters (4:21.56).

Earning all-region honors for Iowa during the two-day meet were seniors Adam Hamilton (hammer), Peaches Roach (high jump), Micah VanDenend (5,000 meters), Becca Franklin (hammer), Johnson (100-meter hurdles) and Lee Elbert (400-meter relay), juniors Racheal Marchand (5,000 meters), Armstrong (1,500 meters), Diane Nukuri (1,500 meters), Maier (shot put), Alexander (400 meters), Max Milder (400-meter relay) and Aaron Reed (400-meter relay), and freshmen Paul Chaney, Jr. (400-meter relay) and Ray Varner (400-meter hurdles).

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS (Top Five Plus Iowa)
Men's Team Standings
1. Oklahoma 75.33
2. Nebraska 60
3. Texas Tech 58
4. Kansas 50
5. Texas 47
16. Iowa 19
Minnesota 19

Women's Team Standings
1. Texas A&M 92
2. Texas 59
3. Texas Christian 42
4. Nebraska 40
5. Minnesota 37.50
8. Iowa 34.50

SATURDAY'S INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
Men's Javelin
1. Alex vanderMerwe (Tex.-El Paso) 225-11
14. Kale Katt (Iowa) 195-6

Women's Hammer
1. Chandra Andrews (Wichita St.) 200-4
6. Becca Franklin (Iowa) 192-2

Men's Shot Put
1. Kevin Bookout (Oklahoma) 63-0 3/4
2. Shane Maier (Iowa) 58-6 1/2
11. John Hickey (Iowa) 53-9

Women's Triple Jump
1. Toni Smith (Oklahoma) 43-6 1/2
12. Renee White (Iowa) 41-0 1/2

Men's 400-Meter Relay
1. Oklahoma 39.59
8. Iowa 42.53
(Milder, Chaney, Jr., Reed, Elbert)

Women's 1,500 Meters
1. Mable Kunihira (Oral Roberts) 4:18.71
5. Meghan Armstrong (Iowa) 4:21.56
6. Diane Nukuri (Iowa) 4:24.30

Women's 100-Meter Hurdles
1. Tiffany Johnson (Iowa) 13.22

Women's 400 Meters
1. Kineke Alexander (Iowa) 52.34

Men's 400-Meter Hurdles
1. Bryan Scott (Texas Tech) 50.03
8. Ray Varner (Iowa) 52.93

Men's 3,000-Meter Steeplechase
1. Rob Watson (Colorado St.) 8:49.38
12. Andy Napier (Iowa) 9:17.85

Men's 1,600-Meter Relay
1. Baylor 3:01.66
9. Iowa 3:09.51
(Pierre, Elbert, Varner, Riley)

Women's 1,600-Meter Relay
1. Texas A&M 3:30.04
10. Iowa 3:43.16
(Jones, Alexander, Johnson, Mims)

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