With the Big 12 Indoor Track and Field championships only a week away, last weekend’s UNI Open was no high priority for the ISU men’s and women’s track and field teams.

To allow many runners to rest, both teams only sent a handful of athletes to Cedar Falls.

For the women’s team, Jummy Alowonle placed fourth in the women’s long jump at 19-0. Alowonle said she felt the UNI Open was similar to another practice in that the competition wasn’t top-notch, but still good preparation for the Big 12 Championship meet next weekend in Lincoln, Neb.

“It was kind of a rest-up week for most of the team. Not everyone had to go. I had the choice of resting up or going. I decided to go because I felt that I needed it,” Alowonle said.

Alowonle said she believes the Cyclones can finish in the upper tier of the conference.

“Every meet we’ve had has been leading up to this meet. Every meet is like a hard practice for the conference meet,” Alowonle said. “Our team, as a whole, has a great chance to finish Top 5 in the conference.”

Alowonle said the jumpers in particular can help the score for the entire team.

“I think the jumpers have a lot to bring to the overall score for our team,” she said.

“If we can all place, that’s major points right there. So we’re up to the challenge and we’re ready. We’ve prepared well and Coach [Ron McEachran] has done a great job getting me, Priya [Hoze], Davonna [Carr] and Agata [Kosuda] ready. I’m excited and ready for it.”

McEachran said he feels the team needs rest so they are ready to perform next weekend.

“The work is done at this point in time,” McEachran said. “What we’re doing now [in practice] is sharpening up a little bit by doing sprint work. We’re going to start to rest them here.”

The only first-place finish for the Cyclones was by Jessica Huff in the 800-meter run with a time of 2 minutes, 13.10 seconds.

For the men, Isi Oamen finished third in the long jump with a leap of 22-3 3/4. McEachran said Oamen has come a long way and has vastly improved since he started long jumping.

“Isi jumped at about what he’s been jumping,” McEachran said. “He’s pretty new to the event and competing in it at the collegiate level. He never really had long jumped before. There were a lot of habits he had in his running technique that we have taken time to correct. I think he’s coming along well.”