Iowa State Track Teams Compete Across the Country

Cyclones split up to attend three different invitational meets in hopes of securing more NCAA Championship qualifying performances.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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The Iowa State Track and Field teams will travel to three different events across the country this weekend - the Valentine Invite in Boston, the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and the Husky Classic in Seattle. The teams are looking to set more NCAA Championship qualifying marks at these well-regarded facilities that consistently produce fast times.

Why it matters

Iowa State currently has eight top-25 performances in the country, and the Cyclones are hoping to improve on those marks and secure more spots at the NCAA Indoor Championships through these three invitational meets. The facilities they are competing at - the Randal Tyson Track Center, the Boston University Track & Tennis Center, and the Dempsey Indoor Center - are known for producing NCAA qualifying times.

The details

The Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville will be hosted at the Randal Tyson Track Center, which has hosted 13 NCAA Championships since 2000 and produced the most NCAA qualifying marks of any facility in 2020. The Valentine Invite in Boston will take place at the Boston University Track & Tennis Center, which hosted the 2024 NCAA Indoor Championships and has consistently ranked among the top indoor facilities. The Husky Classic in Seattle will be held at the Dempsey Indoor Center, which while not having hosted an NCAA Championship, has also produced a high number of NCAA qualifying performances in recent years.

  • The three events are scheduled to start on Friday, February 14, 2026 and continue through Saturday, February 15, 2026.
  • After this weekend, the Cyclones will have two more weeks until the Big 12 Indoor Championship, which would be the season finale unless some players qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships.

The players

Iowa State Track and Field teams

The men's and women's track and field teams from Iowa State University.

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What’s next

After this weekend's competitions, the Cyclones will have two more weeks to prepare for the Big 12 Indoor Championship, which will be their final chance to qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships.

The takeaway

Iowa State's track and field teams are taking a multi-pronged approach to securing more NCAA Championship qualifying marks, splitting up to compete at three different high-caliber invitational meets across the country. The Cyclones are hoping to capitalize on the fast track conditions at these facilities to improve on their current top-25 national rankings and punch more tickets to the NCAA Indoor Championships.