University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Musco Twilight
Panther track and field shines at Musco Twilight
5/3/2025 7:34:00 PM | Track and Field
IOWA CITY, Iowa --- The UNI track and field team put together a solid showing on Friday and Saturday at the Francis X. Cretzmeyer Track, competing at the Musco Twilight, crowning ten event champions, with 29 career-best marks and 20 season-best performances, along with one new meet record.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Brendan Safley led off the weekend for the Panthers with a 5.30-meter showing to win the men's pole vault with Carter Pheifer following in third (4.55m). UNI would sweep the long jump events as Josey Dunbar lept for 5.89 meters to win the women's competition, while Zack Butcher won the men's long jump (7.16m). Maleah Walker followed Dubar in the long jump in second place to tie her career-best mark (5.54m) as Makayla Crannell took third (5.29m). Kaiden Quandahl followed Butcher in the men's long jump in third with a season-best 6.63-meter jump.
Katie Fare made history for Northern Iowa, setting a new Musco Twilight meet record in winning the women's shot put with a 16.92-meter throw, with Breanna Hackman finishing fourth (14.02m) and Jorie Hanenburg in fifth (13.45m).
On the track, the 4x100-meter relay team of Paige Kisley, Eva Van De Mortel, Libby Wedewer and Olivia Kramer clocked a time of 46.50 seconds for a first-place performance. Back in field action, Kait McHale would crack the top-five in program history with a 3.70-meter vault with Alivia Silvestri tying a season-best 3.60-meter vault to take second, Hannah Wallace taking third while tying her season-best (3.30m) and Annalise Zeinemann finishing fourth (3.30m). Sebastian Swistak also won the men's shot (18.09m), with David Russell taking second (18.07m), Carson Lienau finishing third (17.85m) and Spencer Kessel in fourth (17.50m).
Additionally on the track, Deonte Dean showed off his speed with a win in the men's 200-meter dash, clocking a winning time of 21.29 seconds. Luke Meyers took home second in the 200 meters with a season-best time (21.38), with Parker Kiewiet in third (21.38), Butcher running a career-best 21.48 seconds and Carter Morton (unattached) earning sixth (22.25).
Melody Ochana also led a strong trio of Panthers in the women's 1,500-meter run, recording a career-best 4:42.73 to earn first place, while Leah Klapatauskas ran a season-best 4:44.12 to take second and Kaylee Woolery third with a career-best time (4:46.90).
Zach Fall, Drake Hanson, Chase Knoche and Parker Kiewiet would round out the meet with a first-place showing in the men's 4x400-meter relay with a time of 3:11.54.
Other notable finishes from the Panthers in Iowa City included a pair of top-five times in program history in the women's 400-meter dash with Carlie Jo Fusco running the fourth-fastest time in school history in 59.26, followed by Joey Perry with the fifth-fastest time (59.94) as both athletes finished second and third respectively. In addition to an impressive long jump showing, Dunbar also set a new career-best in the women's triple jump of 11.18 meters to take second place, while the trio of Liza Schaffer (2:13.07), Mary Kelly (2:13.74) and Kaylin Lacher (2:14.39) all set new career-best marks in the women's 800 meters, finishing fifth, sixth and ninth respectively.
UP NEXT
UNI will wrap up regular season competition next Friday, May 9 at the Cyclone Twilight in Ames at the Cyclone Sports Complex.
UNI track and field action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Track and Field), X (@UNITrackFieldXC) and on Instagram (@uni_tf_xc). Schedules and rosters, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.
Players Mentioned
