NCAA Indoor Championships Primer

AMES, Iowa – The Cyclones are set for NCAA Indoor Championships in Boston March 7-9. Iowa State has eight entries, the second-highest total of indoor qualifiers in Iowa State history and most since nine men and women qualified in 1997.

NCAA Championships

Live Results | Event Schedule | ESPN+

Four men and two women qualified in six individual events while the distance medley relay is also nationals bound. Iowa State begins competition Thursday, March 7 as Cam Jones takes on the weight throw at 5 p.m. CT.

Jones punched his ticket in both the weight throw and shot put, entering as the No. 11 seed in the shot put and No. 15 in the weight throw. After a shot put mark of 64-3 3/4 (19.60m) at Big 12 Championships, Jones won the event and broke the school record. Jones now holds the shot put and weight throw school records and Big 12 titles in both events. Jones holds a season best of 73-2 3/4 (22.32m) in the weight throw and has tossed marks over 70 feet at four competitions. Jones is one of two men in the nation to qualify for both the weight throw and shot put.

Friday action begins with the 800-meter semifinal, where Iowa State has two entries. Darius Kipyego holds the No. 4-seed time (1:46.71) and Finley Mclear holds the No. 11 time (1:46.97). Kipyego trimmed nearly two seconds off his first 800m time of the season (1:48.67), going on to post an all-time PR that ranks No. 3 in indoor program history. Kipyego also set the 1,000m school record this season with 2:18.53. The time is the fourth-fastest all-conditions time in collegiate history. Mclear began competition with Iowa State this season, debuting himself on the ISU performance list at No. 5 with his season best time.

Said Mechaal will then take on the 5,000m as he comes into the race as the No. 14 seed. Mechaal set his qualifying time of 13:27.43 at the Valentine Invite as he jumped right up the Iowa State performance ranks to No. 3. Mechaal also took down the mile school record earlier this season at the Iowa State Classic with 3:57.29.

Iowa State will run the distance medley relay Friday at 5 p.m. The team of Kipyego, Gus Langford, Mclear and Mechaal came just off the school record with 9:24.22 at the Arkansas Qualifier and remained in a qualifying position through conference championships.

Following the DMR Friday, Sydney Willits competes in the long jump. The All-American enters her first indoor nationals following a 16th-place long jump finish at outdoor nationals last season as a sophomore. Willits leaped to her qualifying mark at the Tyson Invite with 21-1 1/2 (6.44m) to move up to rank third in school history. The multi-event athlete set the pentathlon school record (4,085) while finishing fourth at Big 12 Championships, also notching fifth in the long jump the same day.

Rachel Joseph is ready to become the first Cyclone woman to compete in the 400m at indoor nationals. The sophomore has made history all season, lowering the school record for the fifth time to 51.98 (52.09 altitude conversion) at Big 12 Championships for the silver medal. Joseph enters with the 15th-fastest time in the nation with her time of 52.05 set at the Tyson Invite. Joseph is one of six underclassmen set to sprint in the event.

The top eight times from 400m semifinals will advance to Saturday's final. For the 800m, the top three from each of the two semifinal heats plus the next two fastest times will move on to Saturday's final.

Following NCAA Championships, outdoor season will begin with the USF Bulls Invitational March 15-16.

Iowa State Schedule (All Times Central)

Thursday, March 7

5 p.m. – Weight Throw: Cam Jones

Friday, March 8

3:50 p.m. – 800m Semifinal: Darius Kipyego, Finley Mclear

4:20 p.m. – 5,000m Final: Said Mechaal

5 p.m. – Distance Medley Relay

6 p.m. – Long Jump: Sydney Willits

6:30 p.m. – 400m Semifinal: Rachel Joseph

Saturday, March 9

1:45 p.m. – Shot Put: Cam Jones

3:30 p.m. – *800m Final

6:20 p.m. – *400m Final

*Eight will advance to the final

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Cam Jones

Rachel Joseph

Darius Kipyego

Gus Langford

Finley Mclear

Said Mechaal

Sydney Willits

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics