Iowa State Cyclones track and field represents Iowa State University (ISU) and competes in the Big 12 Conference of NCAA Division I. The team is coached by Martin Smith, he is currently in his 4th year at Iowa State. Originally, the men's and women's teams were considered separate; but beginning in the 2007 season the two teams were combined and are now operated as one single sport at the university. The Cyclones host their home indoor meets at Lied Recreational Facility and their home outdoor meets at the Cyclone Sports Complex, both are located on Iowa State's campus.

History

Men's

The Cyclones first put together a squad in 1921, competing in the Missouri Valley Conference. They experienced their first success under head coach and former track standout Robert Simpson, he coached at ISU from 1926 to 1937. Simpson molded Iowa State's first track stars in Ray Conger and Ray Putnam who would go on to win individual NCAA Championships for the Mile Run in the 1927 and 1931 respectively.

After struggling for several decades the Cyclones reached new highs under Coach Bill Bergan. The Cyclones had finished last or next to last in 21-straight Big Eight Conference outdoor meets before his arrival, under his leaderships they won 10 of 14 Big Eights Conference outdoor track championships. ISU athletes achieved All-America honors 104 times and captured 156 Big Eight individual titles under Bergan's direction. Three individual standouts from Bergan's squads were Danny Harris, Jonah Koech, and Jon Brown. Harris was a three time NCAA champion in the 400 meter hurdles in 1984, 1985, and 1986. Harris would then go on to win a silver medal representing the United States at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Hailing originally from Kenya, Jonah Koech is one of the most decorated athletes in Iowa State's history. He was a member of six Big Eight championship squads as well as winning six individual conference titles. Koech's marquee event was the 5,000 meter run, where he won three NCAA Indoor Championships in 1990, 1991, and 1993. In addition to Jon Brown's 1992 NCAA Indoor Championship in the 5,000 meter run, he would go on to represent Great Britain in the 1996, 2000, and 2004 Olympic games.

After Bergan retired in 1994, the team would once again struggle to compete until the arrival of current head coach Martin Smith. In Smith's four years the biggest individual success has been Edward Kemboi. In 2015 Kemboi won NCAA titles for the 800 Meter Run in both the Indoor and Outdoor championships.

Women's

The Iowa State Women's Track and Field team first got their start in 1973 under Head Coach Chris Murray. Their first individual success was Peg Neppel-Darrah when she won two AIAW titles at the 1976 AIAW Outdoor Championships in both the Two Mile and Three Mile run. Iowa State's most decorated track and field athlete wouldn't arrive until 1984 in Moroccan runner, Nawal El Moutawakel. Competing in the 400 Meter Hurdles El Moutawakel won the 1984 Outdoor NCAA Championship and Olympic Gold representing her home country of Morocco. With her win she became the first Moroccan woman and first woman from a Muslim majority nation to win Olympic Gold.

Iowa State's most recent stars are Lisa Koll and Betsy Saina. Koll is a four time NCAA champions. In the 10,000 Meter Run she won the 2008 and 2010 Outdoor Championships and in the 5,000 Meter Run she won the 2010 Indoor Championship 2010 Outdoor Championship. Koll would go on to represent the United States at the 2012 London Olympics in the 10,000 Meter Run. While at Iowa State Betsy Saina won the 5,000 Meter Run at the 2012 Indoor NCAA Championship and the 10,000 Meter Run at the 2013 Outdoor NCAA Championship. She would then go on to place fourth in the 10,000 Meter Run at the Rio Olympics.

Championships

Men's team championships

Titles Type Year National Championships 0 Men's NCAA Indoor Team Champions 0 Men's NCAA Outdoor Team Champions 0 Total Conference Championships 13 Big Eight Conference Men's Outdoor Team Champion 1908, 1944, 1945, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 8 Big Eight Conference Men's Indoor Team Champion 1944, 1945, 1946, 1984, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1993 0 Big 12 Conference Men's Indoor Team Champion 0 Big 12 Conference Men's Outdoor Team Champion 21 Total

Women's team championships

Titles Type Year National Championships 0 Women's NCAA Indoor Team Champions 0 Women's NCAA Outdoor Team Champions 1 AIAW Indoor Team Champions 1979 0 Total Conference Championships 6 Big Eight Conference Women's Outdoor Team Champion 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979 3 Big Eight Conference Women's Indoor Team Champion 1977, 1978, 1979 0 Big 12 Conference Women's Indoor Team Champion 0 Big 12 Conference Women's Outdoor Team Champion 10 Total

Men's Indoor Individual NCAA Champions

Men's Indoor Individual NCAA Champions Year Name Event 1967 Steve Carson 600 Meter Run 1984 Gareth Brown 800 Meter Run 1984 Bob Verbeeck 1,500 Meter Run 1985 Brian Tietjens High Jump 1990 Jonah Koech 5,000 Meter Run 1991 Jonah Koech 5,000 Meter Run 1992 Jon Brown 5,000 Meter Run 1993 Jonah Koech 5,000 Meter Run 2015 Edward Kemboi 800 Meter Run

Men's Outdoor Individual NCAA Champions

Men's Outdoor Individual NCAA Champions Year Name Event 1922 Lloyd Rathbun Two-Mile Run 1922 Deac Wolters 440 Yard Dash 1927 Ray Conger Mile Run 1931 Ray Putnam Mile Run 1943 George Gast Javelin Throw 1981 Scott Crowell Discus Throw 1984 Danny Harris 400 Meter Hurdles 1985 Danny Harris 400 Meter Hurdles 1985 Brian Tietjens High Jump 1986 Danny Harris 400 Meter Hurdles 1993 Jonah Koech 5,000 Meter Run 1996 Dmitry Drozdov 3,000 Meter Steeplechase 2015 Edward Kemboi 800 Meter Run

Women's Indoor Individual National Champions

Women's Indoor Individual National Champions Year Name Event 1979 Debbie Vetter 1000 yards 1979 Laurie Eder, Debbie Esser, Ellie Mahall, Sumetia Wells 4 × 440 yards relay 1979 Evelyn McMeekin, Debbie Esser, Debbie Vetter, Diane Vetter Distance medley relay 1981 Christine McMeekin Distance medley relay 1981 Wren Schafer Distance medley relay 1981 Sumetia Wells Distance medley relay 1981 Dianne Vetter Distance medley relay 1989 Edith Nakiyingi 800 Meter Run 1991 Edith Nakiyingi 800 Meter Run 1992 Karen Glerum Mile Run 2010 Lisa Uhl 5,000 Meter Run 2012 Betsy Saina 5,000 Meter Run 2014 Christina Hillman Shot Put

Women's Outdoor Individual National Champions

Women's Outdoor Individual National Champions Year Name Event 1976 Debbie Esser 400 Meter Hurdles 1976 Peg Neppel-Darrah Two Mile Run 1976 Peg Neppel-Darrah Three Mile Run 1977 Debbie Esser 400 Meter Hurdles 1978 Debbie Esser 400 Meter Hurdles 1978 Debbie Vetter 1,500 Meter Run 1979 Debbie Esser 400 Meter Hurdles 1982 Colleen Hanna 100 Meter Dash 1984 Nawal El Moutawakel 400 Meter Hurdles 2008 Lisa Uhl 10,000 Meter Run 2010 Lisa Uhl 10,000 Meter Run 2010 Lisa Uhl 5,000 Meter Run 2013 Betsy Saina 10,000 Meter Run 2014 Christina Hillman Shot Put

Olympians

Cyclones in the OlympicsNameYearCountryEventPlaceRay Conger1928 Amsterdam1,500 Meter Run10thClive Sands1976 Montreal100 Meter Dash200 Meter Dash4 × 100 Metre RelayDNPDNPDNPDavid Korir1980 MoscowBoycottedJames Moi1980 MoscowBoycottedSunday Uti1980 Moscow4 × 400 Metre RelayDNPNawal El Moutawakel1984 Los Angeles400 Meter HurdlesGoldDanny Harris1984 Los Angeles400 Meter HurdlesSilverHenrik Jørgensen1984 Los AngelesMarathon19thMoses Kiyai1984 Los AngelesLong JumpTriple JumpDNPDNPDorthe Rasmussen1984 Los AngelesMarathon13thSunday Uti1984 Los Angeles4 X 400 Meter RelayBronzeBob Verbeeck1984 Los Angeles5,000 Meter Run13thAllan Zachariasen1984 Los AngelesMarathon25thHenrik Jørgensen1988 SeoulMarathon22ndJoseph Kipsang1988 SeoulMarathonDNFEdith Nakiyingi1988 Seoul800 Meter Run27thYobes Ondieki1988 Seoul5,000 Meter Run12thSunday Uti1988 Seoul400 Meter Dash4 X 400 Meter RelayDNP7thMaria Akraka1992 Barcelona1,500 Meter RunDNPYobes Ondieki1992 Barcelona5,000 Meter Run5thJon Brown1996 Atlanta10,000 Meter Run10thJohn Nuttall1996 Atlanta5,000 Meter RunDNPSuzanne Youngberg1996 AtlantaMarathon58thJon Brown2000 SydneyMarathon4thJon Brown2004 AthensMarathon4thAurelia Trywiańska2004 Athens100 Meter HurdlesDNPAurelia Trywiańska2008 Beijing100 Meter HurdlesDNPLisa Koll2012 London10,000 Meter Run13thGuor Marial2012 LondonMarathon47thMohamed Hrezi2016 RioMarathon77thBetsy Saina2016 Rio10,000 Meter Run5thHillary Bor2016 Rio3,000 Meter Steeplechase7th

Facilities

Iowa State track athletes train and compete in one of the finest indoor facilities in the world. Iowa State's $13 million Lied Recreation-Athletic Facility complements Iowa State's outdoor track complex. The combination gives Cyclone track athletes first-rate, year-round practice facilities. The Lied Recreation-Athletic Facility was the site of the 1998, 2000 and 2007 Big 12 Indoor Track and Field Championships. The indoor facility includes a 300-meter track that is one of the largest and fastest indoor surfaces in the world. Over the summer of 1999 the track was resurfaced at a cost of over $600,000 with a mondo surface, showing ISU's commitment to being amongst the best in the nation.

Their home meets are held at the recently opened Cyclone Sports Complex. The $13 million facility opened in 2012.

Notes

References

External links