Issue link: http://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/693864
151 T he University of Iowa track and field program continued its climb up the proverbial staircase in 2016, but it hasn't reached the top step. A school-record 15 student-athletes advanced to Eugene, Oregon, to compete at the 2016 NCAA Outdoor Championships. e Hawkeyes were entered in 14 semifinal events, also a school record, but came up short in eight races, three field events, and three relays. "We had a good season and we are happy for the record number of qualifiers getting to the NCAA Championships, but our program needs to take the next step and believe that we deserve to be in the finals at this meet," said UI director of track and field Joey Woody. Woody, a 1997 NCAA champion in the 400-meter hurdles, has raised expectations surrounding the program. He acknowledged prior to the meet that the number of qualifiers was a sign of progress and that someday soon UI track and field should expect to arrive in Eugene on a charter flight with multiple buses waiting to transport an even greater number of qualifiers to the track. e challenge is no longer to visit the NCAA final site, but instead take ownership of it. Fortunately for Woody, he will enter 2017 with 12 student- athletes hungry to return to the final site. He can also build on momentum of a season that set four school records, including both sprint relays on the women's side, a women's 200-meter record, and a decathlon performance that eventually ended up with an NCAA Championships berth. Of those four school records, one was set on the championship stage of the Big Ten finals. e women's 1,600-meter relay of Alexis Hernandez, Briana Guillory, MonTayla Holder, and Elexis Guster set a school and Big Ten Championships standard at the conference meet. It was the third time this year that quartet broke the school record. Another quartet, this one on the men's side, was also able to exchange the baton for conference gold. Aaron Mallett, Vinnie Saucer, Jr., Christian Brissett, and James Harrington won the 400-meter Big Ten championship, marking the third time in four years Iowa won the event. Of those relays, only Holder and Harrington (two All-Americans) have exhausted their eligibility. Big Ten high jump champion Kevin Spejcher also graduated, but a young core remains. Guillory was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year with a relay title and 200-meters Big Ten championship, and redshirt freshman Reno Tuufuli placed runner-up in men's discus at the conference meet. ey are two of 13 underclassmen that qualified for the 2016 NCAA Outdoor Championships West Preliminary. e returning upperclassmen include All- Americans Mallett, Saucer, and Mitch Wolff on the men's side, and Guster, Hernandez, Mahnee Watts, and Madison Rouw on the women's side. e Hawkeyes need to replace All-Americans Holder, Harrington, and Lake Kwaza, but welcome back All-Americans Brittany Brown and O'Shea Wilson, who both missed the season rehabbing injuries, and Will Teubel, a former NCAA qualifier who redshirted in 2016.