Women Finish Program-High Sixth at NCAA Championships

EUGENE, Ore. – The Iowa State women put up the highest finish at NCAA Championships in program history taking sixth with 30 points. The Cyclones had three podium finishes in the final day to total five through the championship.

It is the first top 10 finish outdoors since 2010, and the second-highest point total at any championship for the women (1984 outdoors, 31 points). The women secure the fifth top 10 national finish, now with two at NCAA Outdoor Championships.

With the men scoring yesterday, the Iowa State men and women have now scored at every indoor and outdoor NCAA Championships for three-straight seasons. It is the first time the Cyclones have done so since 1989-91.

With four laps to go in the 5,000m, Mercyline Kirwa and Betty Kipkore made moves into the top nine, and on the back stretch leading into the final lap a lot of shifting began. The duo moved up and Kirwa went on to finish as the national runner up with a PR of 15:13.72 (No. 3 ISU) after taking the 10K title Thursday. Kipkore finished fourth in 15:14.43.

Kirwa totals 18 points through the championship, and Kipkore 10 points. The two both earned First Team All-America honors in the 5K and 10K. Kipkore is now a four-time First Team All-American, joining eight other women in ISU track and field history. Kirwa now totals three All-America career honors.

Rachel Joseph, racing her last lap as a Cyclone, took hold of her fourth First Team All-America honor taking seventh with a time of 50.82. Joseph added a crucial two team points with the finish.

Joseph wraps a historic career with eight All-America honors, six in the 400m and two in the 4x400m. Joseph is the fourth woman and sixth Cyclone in program history to earn as many. Joseph also is one of eight women, including Kipkore, to have earned four First Team All-America honors.

The senior also leaves Iowa State as the owner of seven school records, and set or reset individual school records 22 times. Joseph has taken the program to new heights, helping ISU to bring the 4x400m to nationals last season for the first time since 1982. Joseph concludes her collegiate career with the top 33 400m times ever run at Iowa State.

Top 10 Women's Team Standings

1. Georgia – 50; 2. Florida – 43; 3. Arkansas – 38; 4. Oregon – 36; 5. USC – 32; 6. Iowa State – 30; 7. Washington – 28; 8. Illinois – 27; 8. Nebraska – 27; 10. LSU – 24

Iowa State Results

400m Final (W): 1. Dejanea Oakley, Georgia – 48.79; 7. Rachel Joseph, Iowa State – 50.82

5,000m Final (W): 1. Marion Jepngetich, New Mexico – 15:13.01; 2. Mercyline Kirwa, Iowa State – 15:13.72 (PR, No. 3 ISU); 4. Betty Kipkore, Iowa State – 15:14.43