IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa senior Justin Austin has been named Big Ten Track Athlete of the Year and Athlete of the Big Ten Championships, the conference office announced Tuesday. It is the second time in three seasons Austin has swept the awards. He also earned both honors in 2011.
Austin contributed 30 points to Iowa’s team total at the 2013 Big Ten Outdoor Track and Field Championships. He won titles in the 100 and 200 meters, and ran the second leg of Iowa’s championship 400-meter relay.
Since the Big Ten started naming an Athlete of the Year in 1988, only five student-athletes have earned the honor in multiple seasons. Since 1979, only six student-athletes have earned multiple Athlete of the Championship honors.
Austin is one of four Hawkeyes to earn the conference honors, and the first to win the awards on two occasions. Anthuan Maybank won Athlete of the Year honors in 1993, and Tim Dwight was named Athlete of the Championships in 1999. Pat McGhee won both awards in 1989.
Austin — the school record holder in the 100 meters, 200 meters, and 400-meter relay — returns to the track May 23-25 at the first round of the NCAA Championships. He is seeded 16th in the country in the 100 meters (10.22) and ranked No. 13 in the 200 meters (20.54). Iowa’s 400-meter relay team is seeded eighth nationally.
Austin is one of 31 Hawkeyes expecting to compete in Austin, Texas, at the NCAA West Regional. The NCAA will release the official competitors list Thursday, May 16.
