Hosting the Big 12 Indoor Track and Field Championships has been good to the Cyclones in the past and they will get the opportunity again on Feb. 22 for more fortune.

“It’s an exciting week for us, last time we hosted in 2010 on both sides [men and women] we overachieved quite a bit,” said ISU coach Corey Ihmels at a news conference on Feb. 18.

The Cyclones have several athletes who will be among the favorites this weekend. Betsy Saina, who broke the 5,000-meter run school record on Feb. 9, will attempt to defend her 3,000 and 5,000-meter titles she won at last year’s indoor championships.

“[Saina] is on a different level than everyone else right now, and she’s excited to be at home and I think she’s going to be tough to beat in whatever event we put her in,” Ihmels said. 

Meaghan Nelson will join Saina in the 3,000 and 5,000-meter runs, both of which she finished third at last season’s Big 12s.

Iowa State returns several conference champions in distance events on the men’s side. Rico Loy returns from early season injuries to defend his title in the mile run.

Loy won a close race at last year’s Big 12 Indoor Championships.

“Rico is back in the swing of things, we’ve had a good two-week block of training,” Ihmels said, adding that he believes Loy is in a good spot health-wise. “He had one of the surprising upset victories at the indoors last season.”  

Edward Kemboi also returns to defend his outdoor title in the 800-meter dash.

The women’s team will put forth favorites in the field events for the Cyclones. Laishema Hampton, Christina Hillman and Danielle Frere lead a deep throwing group for the women.

Hampton broke her own school record in the weight throw at the Iowa State Classic, a meet where Hillman and Frere finished in the top two in the shot put.

A surprise bright spot for the Cyclones has been Nick Efkamp. A sophomore from Madrid, Iowa, Efkamp has recorded the fastest times in the Big 12 in the 200 and 400-meter dash.

Ihmels thinks Efkamp has an opportunity to make a huge impact for the men in this championship meet.

“[Efkamp’s] been a tremendous find for us, he works very hard,” Ihmels said. “I think you can point to Ian Warner, his teammate, who has a tremendous work ethic, and Nick has followed right along with that.”

Overall, Ihmels is ready to see his team compete against the conference’s best this weekend.

“We’re excited to be at home and see if we can move up the standings on both sides, and have a great team performance,” Ihmels said.