The University of Northern Iowa men's track and field squad is in good company this evening.  The Panthers finished ninth at the Division I NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, earning 21.5 points to post their highest finish at the meet in the history of UNI track and field. The Panthers finished ahead of national powerhouses Baylor, LSU and Tennessee and less than 10 points behind Auburn, Michigan, Washington and Arkansas.

"This is our highest place finish ever and our kids competed unbelievably hard. I am extremely proud of them - I am proud of my staff and I am proud of our athletes. Our goal has been to be in the top-10 and it feels great to accomplish it," said Christopher Bucknam, UNI's Director of Running Programs. "We now are just that much closer to being one of those track powers. It just proves that we belong. Hopefully we can keep improving. It feels great to be among those traditional track powers."

Senior Kyle Smith (Toronto, Canada/Birchmount Park), who was ranked 15^th in the 800-meter run coming into the meet, snuck into the finals with the sixth-best prelim time. He then posted a personal-best time of 1:49.09 in the finals to clinch third and earn all-America honors. Smith then took his momentum into the 4x400-meter relay.

The Panthers used a combination of young and old to capture all-America honors in the relay, placing sixth in 3:08.01. UNI ran in the second of three heats, alongside Iowa State, Texas A&M and Oral Roberts. Freshman Cory Goos (West Liberty, Iowa/West Liberty) led off and then passed the baton to junior Terrence Reid (Davenport, Iowa/Central), who earned all-America honors last night in the distance medley relay.  Smith took the third leg of the 4x400 and handed off to sophomore Ryan Grenko (Iowa City, Iowa/City High) who pulled ahead of Iowa State in the final stretch to win the heat. With the sixth-place finish, UNI was able to pull into the top-10 team standings. 

Junior Raven Cepeda (Beloit, Wis./Memorial) shattered the UNI indoor school record in the heptathlon at the NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships.  He scored 5,864 points to place third, becoming a two-time all-American. Cepeda held the previous school record of 5,695 points, set Jan. 27 at the UNI Invite. The junior now holds an abundance of heptathlon records, including the MVC all-time record and MVC Indoor Championship meet record.

Cepeda had a career day in the multi-events today.  He set personal records in the final three events, placing fourth in the 60-meter hurdles in 8.11, third in the pole vault with an outstanding jump of 16-8.75 (5.10m) and third in the 1,000-meter run in 2:41.09.  In day one, Cepeda won the shot put portion of the event with a throw of 50-2 (15.29m). With a personal-best jump of 6-3.50 (1.92m), he took eighth in the high jump. He also placed 12^th in the long jump, leaping a season-best 22-0.25 (6.71m), and ninth in the 60-meter dash in 7.17.

The Panthers earned all-America honors in six events throughout this weekend: heptathlon (Raven Cepeda, 3^rd), shot put (Rachel Jansen, 4^th), pole vault (Andre Poljanec, T7^th), 800m (Kyle Smith, 3^rd), distance medley relay (Dylan Davis, Terrence Reid, Tyler Mulder, Dorian Ulrey, 4^th) and 4x400-meter relay (Cory Goos, Terrence Reid, Kyle Smith, Ryan Grenko, 6th).   

MEN'S TEAM SCORING - Top 25

1) Wisconsin                            40                   

2) Florida State                        35  

3) Texas                                   34                   

4) Stanford                               28  

5) Auburn                                 25                   

6) Michigan                              23  

7) Arkansas                              22                   

7) Washington                          22  

9) UNI                                     21.50              

10) Baylor                                21  

10) Tennessee                          21                   

10) LSU                                   21  

10) Louisville                            21                   

14) Arizona                              19  

15) Clemson                             18                   

16) Cornell                               12   

16) Minnesota                          12                   

16) Kansas                               12  

19) California                           11                   

19) Idaho                                 11  

19) Oregon                              11                   

22) Southern California             10  

22) McNeese State                  10                   

22) Northern Arizona               10  

25) Arizona State                     9                     

25) Nebraska                           9  

25) South Carolina                   9      

The University of Northern Iowa men's track and field squad is in good company this evening.  The Panthers finished ninth at the Division I NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, earning 21.5 points to post their highest finish at the meet in the history of UNI track and field. The Panthers finished ahead of national powerhouses Baylor, LSU and Tennessee and less than 10 points behind Auburn, Michigan, Washington and Arkansas.

"This is our highest place finish ever and our kids competed unbelievably hard. I am extremely proud of them - I am proud of my staff and I am proud of our athletes. Our goal has been to be in the top-10 and it feels great to accomplish it," said Christopher Bucknam, UNI's Director of Running Programs. "We now are just that much closer to being one of those track powers. It just proves that we belong. Hopefully we can keep improving. It feels great to be among those traditional track powers."

Senior Kyle Smith (Toronto, Canada/Birchmount Park), who was ranked 15^th in the 800-meter run coming into the meet, snuck into the finals with the sixth-best prelim time. He then posted a personal-best time of 1:49.09 in the finals to clinch third and earn all-America honors. Smith then took his momentum into the 4x400-meter relay.

The Panthers used a combination of young and old to capture all-America honors in the relay, placing sixth in 3:08.01. UNI ran in the second of three heats, alongside Iowa State, Texas A&M and Oral Roberts. Freshman Cory Goos (West Liberty, Iowa/West Liberty) led off and then passed the baton to junior Terrence Reid (Davenport, Iowa/Central), who earned all-America honors last night in the distance medley relay.  Smith took the third leg of the 4x400 and handed off to sophomore Ryan Grenko (Iowa City, Iowa/City High) who pulled ahead of Iowa State in the final stretch to win the heat. With the sixth-place finish, UNI was able to pull into the top-10 team standings. 

Junior Raven Cepeda (Beloit, Wis./Memorial) shattered the UNI indoor school record in the heptathlon at the NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships.  He scored 5,864 points to place third, becoming a two-time all-American. Cepeda held the previous school record of 5,695 points, set Jan. 27 at the UNI Invite. The junior now holds an abundance of heptathlon records, including the MVC all-time record and MVC Indoor Championship meet record.

Cepeda had a career day in the multi-events today.  He set personal records in the final three events, placing fourth in the 60-meter hurdles in 8.11, third in the pole vault with an outstanding jump of 16-8.75 (5.10m) and third in the 1,000-meter run in 2:41.09.  In day one, Cepeda won the shot put portion of the event with a throw of 50-2 (15.29m). With a personal-best jump of 6-3.50 (1.92m), he took eighth in the high jump. He also placed 12^th in the long jump, leaping a season-best 22-0.25 (6.71m), and ninth in the 60-meter dash in 7.17.

The Panthers earned all-America honors in six events throughout this weekend: heptathlon (Raven Cepeda, 3^rd), shot put (Rachel Jansen, 4^th), pole vault (Andre Poljanec, T7^th), 800m (Kyle Smith, 3^rd), distance medley relay (Dylan Davis, Terrence Reid, Tyler Mulder, Dorian Ulrey, 4^th) and 4x400-meter relay (Cory Goos, Terrence Reid, Kyle Smith, Ryan Grenko, 6th).   

MEN'S TEAM SCORING - Top 25

1) Wisconsin                            40                   

2) Florida State                        35  

3) Texas                                   34                   

4) Stanford                               28  

5) Auburn                                 25                   

6) Michigan                              23  

7) Arkansas                              22                   

7) Washington                          22  

9) UNI                                     21.50              

10) Baylor                                21  

10) Tennessee                          21                   

10) LSU                                   21  

10) Louisville                            21                   

14) Arizona                              19  

15) Clemson                             18                   

16) Cornell                               12   

16) Minnesota                          12                   

16) Kansas                               12  

19) California                           11                   

19) Idaho                                 11  

19) Oregon                              11                   

22) Southern California             10  

22) McNeese State                  10                   

22) Northern Arizona               10  

25) Arizona State                     9                     

25) Nebraska                           9  

25) South Carolina                   9      

The University of Northern Iowa men's track and field squad is in good company this evening.  The Panthers finished ninth at the Division I NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, earning 21.5 points to post their highest finish at the meet in the history of UNI track and field. The Panthers finished ahead of national powerhouses Baylor, LSU and Tennessee and less than 10 points behind Auburn, Michigan, Washington and Arkansas.

"This is our highest place finish ever and our kids competed unbelievably hard. I am extremely proud of them - I am proud of my staff and I am proud of our athletes. Our goal has been to be in the top-10 and it feels great to accomplish it," said Christopher Bucknam, UNI's Director of Running Programs. "We now are just that much closer to being one of those track powers. It just proves that we belong. Hopefully we can keep improving. It feels great to be among those traditional track powers."

Senior Kyle Smith (Toronto, Canada/Birchmount Park), who was ranked 15^th in the 800-meter run coming into the meet, snuck into the finals with the sixth-best prelim time. He then posted a personal-best time of 1:49.09 in the finals to clinch third and earn all-America honors. Smith then took his momentum into the 4x400-meter relay.

The Panthers used a combination of young and old to capture all-America honors in the relay, placing sixth in 3:08.01. UNI ran in the second of three heats, alongside Iowa State, Texas A&M and Oral Roberts. Freshman Cory Goos (West Liberty, Iowa/West Liberty) led off and then passed the baton to junior Terrence Reid (Davenport, Iowa/Central), who earned all-America honors last night in the distance medley relay.  Smith took the third leg of the 4x400 and handed off to sophomore Ryan Grenko (Iowa City, Iowa/City High) who pulled ahead of Iowa State in the final stretch to win the heat. With the sixth-place finish, UNI was able to pull into the top-10 team standings. 

Junior Raven Cepeda (Beloit, Wis./Memorial) shattered the UNI indoor school record in the heptathlon at the NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships.  He scored 5,864 points to place third, becoming a two-time all-American. Cepeda held the previous school record of 5,695 points, set Jan. 27 at the UNI Invite. The junior now holds an abundance of heptathlon records, including the MVC all-time record and MVC Indoor Championship meet record.

Cepeda had a career day in the multi-events today.  He set personal records in the final three events, placing fourth in the 60-meter hurdles in 8.11, third in the pole vault with an outstanding jump of 16-8.75 (5.10m) and third in the 1,000-meter run in 2:41.09.  In day one, Cepeda won the shot put portion of the event with a throw of 50-2 (15.29m). With a personal-best jump of 6-3.50 (1.92m), he took eighth in the high jump. He also placed 12^th in the long jump, leaping a season-best 22-0.25 (6.71m), and ninth in the 60-meter dash in 7.17.

The Panthers earned all-America honors in six events throughout this weekend: heptathlon (Raven Cepeda, 3^rd), shot put (Rachel Jansen, 4^th), pole vault (Andre Poljanec, T7^th), 800m (Kyle Smith, 3^rd), distance medley relay (Dylan Davis, Terrence Reid, Tyler Mulder, Dorian Ulrey, 4^th) and 4x400-meter relay (Cory Goos, Terrence Reid, Kyle Smith, Ryan Grenko, 6th).   

MEN'S TEAM SCORING - Top 25

1) Wisconsin                            40                   

2) Florida State                        35  

3) Texas                                   34                   

4) Stanford                               28  

5) Auburn                                 25                   

6) Michigan                              23  

7) Arkansas                              22                   

7) Washington                          22  

9) UNI                                     21.50              

10) Baylor                                21  

10) Tennessee                          21                   

10) LSU                                   21  

10) Louisville                            21                   

14) Arizona                              19  

15) Clemson                             18                   

16) Cornell                               12   

16) Minnesota                          12                   

16) Kansas                               12  

19) California                           11                   

19) Idaho                                 11  

19) Oregon                              11                   

22) Southern California             10  

22) McNeese State                  10                   

22) Northern Arizona               10  

25) Arizona State                     9                     

25) Nebraska                           9  

25) South Carolina                   9