The Cyclone basketball team isn’t the only team taking on the SEC this weekend, as the No. 22 Iowa State women’s track and field team are taking its talents to the Razorback Invitational. 

Last week was a rust-buster for the team since it was the first meet for most of the women. The team finished eighth with a score of 37.

“Last week was very solid for us,” said coach Andrea Grove-McDonough. “It is something to build off of, it helped to let us know where we stand right now and what to fix come the indoor championships.”

Senior Evelyne Guay ran her first two races last weekend in Iowa City with the 1,000-meter run and the mile. She placed third in the 1,000 and was one of three Cyclones finishing in the top three. She was also one of nine Cyclones running in the mile, in which she placed fifth.

“Last week was like coach said, a ruster buster,” Guay said. “My body was not ready, it wasn’t awful, but it wasn’t my best. This week the plan is to be aggressive in the mile and leave it all out there. The team had huge success in cross country so we are pushing that success into the track season.”

Freshman runner Laurel Hoogensen ran her first race this past weekend for the Cyclones. Hoogensen finished ninth overall in the 600-meter run. This week she is running in the 800-meter with some familiar faces in Larkin Chapman, Maggie Davis, Jasmine Staebler and Erinn Stenman-Fahey.

“Last meet was alright for my first meet. It was for sure a rust buster,” Hoogensen said. “It was a good learning experience and it was super fun to get back on the track. I learned that college track is a bit different from high school track, I am racing against everyone in the same talent level as where in high school it was harder to find people that ran at the same level as me.”

The Cyclones know they have to give their all this weekend, with the University of Arkansas being the No. 2 team in the nation. Teams like Florida, Georgia, Southern California, Louisiana State, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Kansas State, Florida State and Oklahoma State will all be in attendance as well. This meet is huge for Iowa State to build up its resume early in the year. 

“I am looking forward to seeing all of the women compete this weekend,” Grove-McDonough said. “We are taking it week by week and I know the girls will build off last week to fight for a top spot this week in Arkansas.”