By Adam Hensley
[email protected]

While Iowa’s sprint group headlines its success on the track, the 400-meter hurdlers are making sure they do not go under the radar.

The trio of Mitch Wolff, Noah Larrison, and Chris Douglas shone at the Jim Click Invitational this past weekend.

Wolff, a senior, took home a victory in the 400-meter hurdles. He finished in under 51 seconds, 50.96 seconds to be exact, for the first time in his career.

“It was a blur,” Wolff said. “Everything happened so fast; I was not paying attention to time. It felt good, but I’m still hungry.”

While shaving time down under 51 seconds remains a major achievement, Wolff wants more.

“Fifty-one seconds was just the first hurdle,” he said. “I want to get down to 50, 49 seconds.”

Wolff currently sits at ninth all-time at Iowa in the event.

Larrison finished right behind, coming in second at the Click Shootout and also ranking 11th in team history, 19th in the country.

After running a personal-best time in the 400-hurdles at the Florida Relays earlier, he followed up with a better time, 51.22 seconds.

“He’s just working hard,” Iowa Director of Track and Field Joey Woody said. “He’s put a lot of work in. He’s got a good mindset, trying to get better every week. His race rhythm is really good.”

Larrison said his next goal is to accomplish what Wolff did at the Click, breaking 51 seconds.

“Afterwards, I just look at my time and place and figure out what adjustments and things I need to fix for next time,” Larrison said.

While Wolff and Larrison made headlines by snagging top-two finishes, Douglas ran a career best in that race as well, crossing the finish line in 52.82 seconds.

He finished fifth in the race.

Each Hawkeye hurdler could have a shot at greatness; the name of the game is depth, something Iowa has been looking for in the 400-hurdles.

“We haven’t had the depth in the 400-hurdles for a couple of years,” Woody said. “We have two, three good guys in there, competing, trying to make the finals.”

Wolff echoed his coach’s comments.

“Compared to years past, we have more hurdlers in general,” he said. “We’re all pretty close and support each other. They chemistry is really there.”

Frye’s breakout performance

DeJuan Frye, a freshman from Lacey, Washington, busted out for arguably his best meet in a Hawkeye uniform.

Frye won the 400 meters, clocking in the best time of his career and the seventh best time in Iowa history (46.58 seconds).

“Winning felt good,” he said. “It really helps my confidence that I know I can run with faster people.”

His time ranks fourth in the Big Ten.

Frye was also a member of the first-place 400-meter relay. Along with Christian Brissett, Aaron Mallett, and James Harrington, the squad finished in 39.53 seconds, fourth fastest in program history.

“I need[ed] to run for my life because James was coming in hot when I got the baton,” Frye said. “I was just trying to compete.”

Frye’s specialty is in the 400, but his coach switched things up by inserting him into a shorter race.

“We knew he had it in him; it was just a matter of time before he broke out,” Woody said. “I think running on the 4×1 just opened him up even more and put him at a whole new level.”

National rankings

As of the latest NCAA track and field rankings, the Hawkeyes are slotted at No. 33.

The team moved up two spots following the Click Shootout.

According to these rankings, Iowa stands as the fifth-best team in the Big Ten, which has three teams in the top 25.

In the Midwest region, however, Iowa comes in at second.