(Ames, IA) – Iowa State track and field star, Sydney Willits, has been named the 2024 Iowa State Female Athlete of the Year. During the 2024 season alone, she achieved a national championship, two All-America honors, and broke two school records.
At the NCAA Indoor Championships, she won the long jump with a school record of 22-1 1/2 (6.74m), becoming the first Iowa State woman to do so. Her jump was the first in school history to surpass 22 feet and marked a significant personal and program best.
In the outdoor season, Willits placed second at the Big XII Championships with a long jump of 21-3 1/4 (6.48m), ranking second in Iowa State outdoor history. She finished third at the NCAA West Prelims and ended 18th at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, earning Honorable Mention All-America honors.
Throughout the season, Willits secured three All-Big XII honors in the pentathlon, indoor long jump, and outdoor long jump. She set a pentathlon school record at the Big XII Indoor Championships and accumulated significant team points. Willits now has three All-America and seven All-Big XII honors in her career and will compete in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials which start on June 15th.
