Ryan Watts

Position:
Distance
Weight:
null
Class:
Redshirt Sophomore
Hometown:
Hamel, Ill.
High School:
Edwardsville

Awards and Honors
USTFCCCA All-Midwest Region XC (2024)
USTFCCCA All-Academic (T&F: 2025; XC: 2024)
Academic All-Big 12 First Team (XC: 2023, 2024; T&F: 2024)
Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll (F22, S23, F23, S24, F24, S25)

Personal Records

800m	1:56.31	2022 Outdoor
1,500m	3:47.34	2024 Outdoor
Mile	4:07.36	2024 Indoor
3,000m	8:06.08	2024 Indoor
5,000m	13:47.42	2025 Indoor
	13:37.23	2025 Outdoor

2024-25
Outdoor: Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the 5K and 10K, and ran the 10K in 29:41.35 for 35th place ... took 11th at Big 12 Championships with a 5K run of 13:44.54 ... placed eighth at the Payton Jordan Invite cutting 10 seconds off his 5K PR with 13:37.23, just off the ISU top 10 ... went 28:22.71 in his first-career 10K on the track, setting the No. 10-ranked performance in Iowa State history.
Indoor: Placed 13th in the 5K at Big 12 Championships (14:13.98) ... trimmed over 30 seconds off his previous best 5K time with 13:47.42 at the Valentine Invite, within five seconds of an ISU top 10-ranked performance.
XC: Competed in five meets... opened the season as the runner-up at the Cyclone Preview... ran 24:09.5 to finish 44th at Nuttycombe and help ISU to a runner-up team finish... finished in the top 100 at the Wisconsin Pre-National meet with a time of 23:48.4, shaving over 20 seconds off his time from the same course at the previous meet... posted a top 40 finish at the Big 12 Championship, running 23:34.1 as Iowa State finished third... earned all-region honors with a top 25 finish at the NCAA Midwest Regional, finishing 24th in 29:55.23.

2023-24
Outdoor: Ran the 1,500m (3:48.30, 21st) and 5,000m (14:28.39, 23rd) at Big 12 Championships ... turned in a 1,500m personal best of 3:47.34 for sixth at the ISU Alumni Invite ... opened outdoor season with a 5K best of 14:22.35 for 21st in his section at the Bryan Clay Invite ... finished 16th at Drake Relays with a 5K time of 14:28.82.
Indoor: Recorded a 3,000m best of 8:06.08 for third at the Tyson Invite ... took second at the Razorback Invite in the 3K with 8:07.33 ... timed in at 4:07.36 for a mile PR at the Cyclone Open ... also ran the mile at the Hawkeye Invite (4:11.21).
XC: Competed in three meets… finished sixth at the Cyclone Preview with a time of 18:30.0… ran 24:40.3 at the Greeno/Dirksen Invite to finish 22^nd individually… posted a time of 26:08.2 at Nuttycombe.

2022-23
Outdoor: Redshirted.
Indoor: Redshirted.
XC: Ran in one meet for Iowa State before seeing his season ended prematurely due to injury … finished 14th overall at the Mizzou XC Opener (6K, 18:40.2).

High School
Claimed 2022 Illinois High School Class 3A state titles at 1,600m and 3,200m, earning Illinois Gatorade Boys Track and Field Player of the Year in 2022 … was 2022 Southwestern Conference champion at 800m and 1,600m … following track and field season, finished fourth at the HOKA Festival of Miles High School in 4:08.96 … in cross country, earned All-State honors as a senior with eighth place finish at the state championships as a senior … also qualified for the state championships as a sophomore.

Personal
Statistics major.