The Iowa State track and field team is set to compete in the Desert Heat Classic Saturday at Drachman Stadium in Tucson, Arizona. 

This meet marks the second-to-last regular season competition before the Big 12 Outdoor Championships, providing the Cyclones with a crucial opportunity to fine-tune performances against a competitive field.

Iowa State will look to build on the great momentum it found last weekend at the Payton Jordan Invite, hosted by Stanford. Junior Rodgers Kiplimo and redshirt sophomore Ryan Watts ran the men’s 5,000-meter and both placed in the top 10. 

At the Drake Relays in Des Moines, the Cyclones found just as much success. Both the men’s and women’s distance medley teams had strong showings. The women’s team placed second while the men’s team placed third. Both teams ran the fastest time in school history since 2010. 

The Desert Heat Classic will have a tough field of teams for the Cyclones to compete against. Arizona State will have its men’s team coming into this meet ranked No. 24 in the nation, according to USTFCCA. The host school, Arizona, is no pushover either. 

The team to beat in this meet, however, is Nebraska. The Cornhuskers are having a great season and have their men’s team ranked No. 5 in the nation and their women’s team ranked No. 19. These teams will pose a great challenge for the Cyclones to take on while getting ready for the final push this season.