Iowa track and field has high expectations for Big Ten indoor championships

IOWA CITY — As Iowa track and field prepares for the Big Ten indoor championships, Coach Joey Woody has no shortage of confidence in this year’s group.

“I feel very confident with where our team is at across all the event groups,” Woody said. “It’s pretty exciting when you got a team that’s got point-scorers, potential point-scorers in a lot of different events.”

The men’s team has experienced plenty of success, winning the last two Big Ten indoor titles.

“We’re going for a three-peat this year,” Woody said.

The Hawkeyes are responsible for at least one of the three best men’s times in the Big Ten this year in the 60-, 200- and 400-meter dashes, 60 hurdle, 1,600 relay, long jump, triple jump and heptathlon.

The Iowa women have been in the upper echelon of the Big Ten, but not quite at a championship level. They finished third in 2021 and sixth in 2022 at the indoor championships.

Woody is expecting better results in 2023 on the women’s side, though.

“We’ve got a team that’s actually competing for a championship this year,” Woody said. “When you look at our point rankings going into the championships, we’re one of the favorites.”

The women’s team is “probably the best women’s program we’ve had since I’ve been here at Iowa,” Woody said.

Hurdler Paige Magee has been among the athletes Woody has noticed make significant improvement since last year.

“She’s had a tremendous indoor season,” Woody said. “She’s been a big contributor, obviously in the 60 hurdles, but also in the 200, which is a new event for her.”

Lasarah Hargove and Magee have the second and third-best 200 times in the Big Ten this season.

Iowa has four of the top five 600 performances in the Big Ten this season and two of the top four 60 hurdle performances.

Iowa received a boost in the transfer portal with the addition of sprinter Ali Dorn, who ran the fourth-fastest 600 indoor time and seventh-fastest indoor 400 time in Wisconsin program history.

“She’s been a great addition,” Woody said. “She’s been just a fantastic athlete, obviously, but she’s an even better person and supportive of her teammates.”

If Iowa does win a women’s indoor championship this weekend, it would be the first in program history.

“They’re excited,” Woody said. “They’re ready to battle, to go after that team championship.”

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