University of Northern Iowa Athletics
Track & Field Eager To Kick Off 2017 Season
1/6/2017 2:26:00 PM | Track and Field
When talking about the sport of track and field, Jesse Owens once said, "one chance is all you need." Track and field is different in that aspect in that there aren't four quarter, or two halves. There is one race, one throw, one jump, one moment that can make someone victorious.
The world brought in the New Year last week, but not a lot changed for UNI track and field. They've been training, pushing and excelling toward 2017 since last June. And starting Jan. 14, the excitement and effort put into offseason training will be showcased as they officially open the season.
The Panthers are coming off a 2016 season that saw 12 school records and three Missouri Valley Conference records fall, 14 student-athletes earn all-conference in 18 events and three relays, and a total of five All-America honors earned.
UNI returns 27 seniors to the team this year and a veteran staff that will look to capitalize on last season that took the program to new heights.
UNI's distance program will look to keep the momentum coming off the 2016 cross country season as the Panthers women won the MVC Championships. Senior Kelsey Kirchoff will lead the women's distance racers during her senior campaign after breaking the indoor record in the 5,000 meters during the 2016 indoor track season.
On the track, the women will continue to build an already experienced team after finishing second at the MVC Outdoor Championships and third in indoors.
In the middle distance races, the women will return a trio of team point-scorers from last year's MVC meets in Brette Correy, Ashley Norem and Lindsey Kite. Correy was all-conference in the indoor 800 and outdoor 1,500 meters while Kite was outdoor all-conference in the 800. Norem, who helped anchor UNI's 2016 cross country team, scored team points in both the indoor and outdoor 800 meters in 2016.
The tandem of Maddie's return to the track this year in Maddie Irmen and Maddie Bell, who teamed up last year to score team points in both the indoor and outdoor 4X400 meter relay teams, both earning all-conference outdoors. In the short sprints, senior Daianera Whitaker will also look to improve on a promising 2016 where she saw PRs fall.
In the field, the Panther women will see junior thrower Sarah Pate and senior jumpers Chaley Rath and Kassidy Sharp shine. Pate is coming off a 2016 season where she qualified for the NCAA West Regional and was all-conference in the hammer throw. Rath and Sharp both sit ranked in the top-five all-time at UNI in the indoor high jump with Rath holding the outdoor record of 5-10.50.
The Panther men return one of the most decorated athletes in UNI and Missouri Valley Conference history in senior Brandon Carnes. Carnes is a 12-time MVC champion and earned All-America honors in both indoor and outdoor track last season. The Bradenton, Fla., native ranks in the top-five all-time at UNI in the outdoor 100 and 200 meters and the indoor 200 meters along with the school record in the 60 meter dash that he set in 2016.
UNI returns a trio of talented hurdlers to the track this season in Jon Rus, Daurice Fountain and Cole Phillips, also seeing action from long hurdler and sprinter Raheem Black. Rus, Phillips and Fountain all qualified for the NCAA West Regional in the outdoor hurdles last season with Fountain also earning all-conference in the indoor 60 meter hurdles after placing third in 2016.
The distance runners will be anchored by Bailey Wetherell who will double in the mid-distance races with 2016 standouts Colynn Black, Luke Johnston, Jordan Pingel and Wade Pingel. Black earned all-conference outdoors last season in the 800 meters while Johnston scored key team points in the event during the indoor season.
For the men's throwing crew, UNI returns both Isaac Holtz and Jake Humpal who qualified for the NCAA West Regionals in the discus and shot put. Humpal scored team points in both the indoor and outdoor MVC Championships last season while Holtz won the discus title at the outdoor meet.
Rounding out UNI's top returners in the jumps is seniors Charles Brown and Shawn Koch. Brown wrapped up a successful football career in the fall and is eager to turn his full attention to the track this spring after scoring team points in two of his seasons with UNI. Koch, a two-time NCAA West Regional qualifier, is a five-time all-conference earner.
The Panthers open the season with back-to-back weekends in Iowa City at the Hawkeye Challenge (1/14) and the Hawkeye Invitational (1/20-1/21) before hosting the Jack Jennett Open Jan. 26-27.
Players Mentioned
