FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The road to Eugene is never easy, but for the Iowa State track and field program, the NCAA West Prelims served as a definitive statement of intent. Over four grueling days of competition, the Cyclones battled through rain delays, lightning threats and the highest level of collegiate competition to secure 13 entries for the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
This marks the third-straight year the program has sent double-digit entries to the national stage, finishing just one shy of the all-time
program record of 14 set in 2024.
The tone was set early by the men’s distance squad. On the opening day, Robin Kwemoi Bera and Sanele Masondo became the first Cyclones to punch their tickets to nationals, navigating a tactical 10,000m race to finish sixth and seventh, respectively. For Bera, it marked his third-consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships, while Masondo returned to the big stage seeking to build on his 2024 First Team All-America honors. However, the night was also a reminder of the “one-spot” margin of error at this level, as Rodgers Kiplimo finished 13th, missing a qualifying berth by a single position.
As the women took the stage on day two, the theme shifted from endurance to precision. Sydney Willits, the 2024 Indoor National Champion, proved her mettle in the long jump. Sitting outside of qualifying range heading into her final attempt, Willits delivered a clutch mark of 20-10 (6.35m) to leap into 11th place and secure her fourth career trip to the NCAA Championships.
The evening concluded with a freshman takeover in the women’s 10,000m. Mercyline Kirwa and Betty Kipkore, already All-Americans from the indoor season, showed no signs of freshman nerves. Kirwa crossed the line in fourth, followed immediately by Kipkore in fifth, ensuring Iowa State would be well-represented in the longest distance event in Eugene.
Day three belonged to the men’s finals, where the Cyclones added three more qualifiers in spectacular fashion. Joash Ruto provided the highlight of the day in the 3,000m steeplechase. Ruto didn’t just win his heat for an automatic advancement; he scorched the track with a final lap of 64 seconds, clocking 8:26.87. The performance shattered a facility record that had stood since 2002 and registered as the fastest time in the region this season.
The youth movement continued with freshman Jailan Sohna, who delivered the performance of his life in the 800m quarterfinals. Sohna clocked a personal-best 1:46.48—the eighth-fastest time in Iowa State history—to take second in his heat and secure his first career outdoor national berth. Rounding out the men’s qualifiers was the veteran Bera, who showcased incredible recovery to finish second in his 5,000m semifinal, becoming a double-qualifier for Eugene.
The final day of competition was a masterclass in sprinting and relay execution. Rachel Joseph continued her unprecedented assault on the Iowa State record books. After posting the fastest time in the first round of the 400m, Joseph cruised through the quarterfinals with a time of 50.32. Remarkably, Joseph now owns the top 30 times in Iowa State history for the 400m and has dipped under the 51-second barrier six times this season alone.
She was followed by Makayla Clark, who delivered a career-best performance in the 800m. Clark’s time of 2:01.01 was not only a personal record but placed her just .13 seconds off a school record that has stood since 1990.
The distance duo of Kipkore and Kirwa then returned to the track for the 5,000m, both securing their second entries of the meet. Betty Kipkore provided the fireworks, storming past the field in the final curve to set a new facility record and a personal best of 15:14.28, the third-fastest time in program history.
The meet concluded with a historic performance in the women’s 4x400m relay. The quartet of Brooklyn Sandvig, Rachel Joseph, Emma Vorpagel, and Makayla Clark braved a looming lightning delay to clock a blistering 3:28.81, shattering the school record they had set the previous season. Joseph’s split was particularly eye-popping, as she moved the baton with a sub-50 second leg (49.02) to help the team take third in their heat and clinch their spot at nationals.
While 13 entries moved on, the meet also marked the end of several storied Cyclone careers. Zach Verzani (hammer throw) and Alec Carr (hurdles) concluded their time in Ames as some of the best to ever compete in their respective disciplines, with Carr leaving as the school record holder in both the 60m and 110m hurdles. Others, like Candra King and Tyson Seeser, came agonizingly close to advancing, finishing 13th and 15th in their events, respectively.
The NCAA Championships will be held from June 10-13. With a mix of seasoned veterans like Joseph and Willits, and a surging group of freshmen like Sohna, Kipkore, and Kirwa, the Cyclones are poised to make significant noise on the national stage. Thirteen entries, multiple school records, and a program reaching its peak—the Cyclones are ready for the ultimate test.
