ISU assistant track coach Andrea Grove-McDonough summed up the Iowa State Classic as an “OK meet” for the ISU runners, as the team continues to recover from its cross-country hangover.

Iowa State experienced both missed opportunities and strong performances throughout the meet.

Grove-McDonough said she’s a little disappointed that there weren’t better results, but it’s also no time to panic.

“In their defense, we might have put in a little more work, I might have overestimated that I thought they would recover better off it,” Grove-McDonough said. “I try to look at it as no harm, no foul. It will benefit them down the road. We’ll make sure we’re rested and have our legs under rest for the Big 12 meet.”

One event Grove-McDonough said she was hoping to get more from was the 3000-meter. Redshirt senior Katy Moen finished in the top five in the event, but Grove-McDonough said she was hoping Moen would get a time that would hold up for the NCAAs.

“[Moen’s] been a little bit off lately,” Grove-McDonough said. “I think she’s been tired and school’s been kind of a stressor for her. Having said that, I can’t say that I’m totally surprised that she was not feeling great.”

Grove-McDonough was pleased with the performances by freshmen Olivia Robertson and Abby Caldwell, who both recorded personal best times in the 3000-meter.

Grove-McDonough was also happy with Margaret Connelly, who had a second-place performance in the 5000-meter to end day one of the Iowa State Classic, setting a personal record with a 16:08.99 time.

In addition to Connelly’s strong run, senior Kendra White returned from a quad and hip flexor injury to break her own school record in the 400-meter dash. The sprinter clocked a 53:81 time, which placed her third overall in the event.

“I was a little hesitant because I didn’t know how my leg was going to hold up, but with so many people, like teammates and even parents of my teammates, saying ‘go get ’em, you can do it, I believe in you,’ having that here at home really builds up my confidence to go out there and run my race.”

As far as future goals, White said she hopes to break her school record again and place higher at the Big 12 meet.

In the field events, the ISU women received an impressive outing from freshman Jhoanmy Luque, who earned titles in both the long jump and triple jump. Luque currently ranks 14th in the nation in the long jump and 27th in the triple jump.

Joining Luque in jumping events was sophomore Marine Vallet, who placed first in the high jump, earning the 16th best mark in the nation.

The schedule shows the UNI-Dome Open on Feb. 20 and the Alex Wilson Invitational in South Bend, Ind. on Feb. 21 next, but the team’s focus remains on the Big 12 Indoor Championship on Feb. 27 and 28.

ISU assistant track coach Andrea Grove-McDonough summed up the Iowa State Classic as an “OK meet” for the ISU runners, as the team continues to recover from its cross-country hangover.

Iowa State experienced both missed opportunities and strong performances throughout the meet.

Grove-McDonough said she’s a little disappointed that there weren’t better results, but it’s also no time to panic.

“In their defense, we might have put in a little more work, I might have overestimated that I thought they would recover better off it,” Grove-McDonough said. “I try to look at it as no harm, no foul. It will benefit them down the road. We’ll make sure we’re rested and have our legs under rest for the Big 12 meet.”

One event Grove-McDonough said she was hoping to get more from was the 3000-meter. Redshirt senior Katy Moen finished in the top five in the event, but Grove-McDonough said she was hoping Moen would get a time that would hold up for the NCAAs.

“[Moen’s] been a little bit off lately,” Grove-McDonough said. “I think she’s been tired and school’s been kind of a stressor for her. Having said that, I can’t say that I’m totally surprised that she was not feeling great.”

Grove-McDonough was pleased with the performances by freshmen Olivia Robertson and Abby Caldwell, who both recorded personal best times in the 3000-meter.

Grove-McDonough was also happy with Margaret Connelly, who had a second-place performance in the 5000-meter to end day one of the Iowa State Classic, setting a personal record with a 16:08.99 time.

In addition to Connelly’s strong run, senior Kendra White returned from a quad and hip flexor injury to break her own school record in the 400-meter dash. The sprinter clocked a 53:81 time, which placed her third overall in the event.

“I was a little hesitant because I didn’t know how my leg was going to hold up, but with so many people, like teammates and even parents of my teammates, saying ‘go get ‘em, you can do it, I believe in you,’ having that here at home really builds up my confidence to go out there and run my race.”

As far as future goals, White said she hopes to break her school record again and place higher at the Big 12 meet.

In the field events, the ISU women received an impressive outing from freshman Jhoanmy Luque, who earned titles in both the long jump and triple jump. Luque currently ranks 14th in the nation in the long jump and 27th in the triple jump.

Joining Luque in jumping events was sophomore Marine Vallet, who placed first in the high jump, earning the 16th best mark in the nation.

The schedule shows that the UNI-Dome Open on Feb. 20 and the Alex Wilson Invitational in South Bend, Ind. on Feb. 21 are next, but the team’s focus remains on the Big 12 Indoor Championship on Feb. 27 and 28. 

The Harry Hoak Track in Lied Recreation Athletic Center will be the home of this year’s Big 12 meet, and it will be the last indoor event of the season that Iowa State hosts.