The public eagerly watched as Iowa High School Girl’s athletics came into their own in the 1970’s, especially in track and field. Fans and the media responded by attending meets and becoming very interested in the achievements of these fine athletes; many of which are still among the leaders on our All Time lists. One of the prominent performers of that time was Jane Lange, from Davenport West High School. God gifted Jane with talent, mental toughness and a supportive family. Jane Lange was ahead of her time and seemed to have 2 or 3 best events. One advantage Jane had over her high school competition was that she supplemented the girls’ workout by running with her brother and the boy’s track team that was coached by her father, Don. Through this extra work she developed a strong base which helped her run at her fullest potential nearly every time out. Jane was very competitive at all distances she ran. At the 1977 Conference meet she won the 100, 200 and 400, although her coach, Dale Fogle, preferred to use her as the anchor on relay teams that seemed to be loaded in such a way, as to see just how much ground Jane could make up on her opponents! Jane led the West High Falcons to the state team title in 1976; it was her junior season and the final year for a single class state meet. Earlier in the meet, Jane anchored the Sprint Medley team to gold but the’76 team victory came down to the 4×4. Jane was the anchor and got the baton in 4th place, well in back of the leaders. She was still in 4th with 220 yards to go. She ran her best quarter of the meet and passed the leader in the final yards to win the race and the team title by 1 point over Oelwein.
In her senior season of 1977, the state meet was separated in to 3 classes. Jane had a superb meet, winning the 440 yard dash with the fastest time of the 3 finals, and anchored the Sprint Medley and 4×4 relays to wins for the second year in a row. Earlier that season, West ran 3:53.2 in the 4×4 which still stands at #6 on the All Time List.
In the summer of 1977 Jane ran with the Southeast Iowa Track Club at the USATFF Nationals. It gave her a rare opportunity to run what would become her signature event, the 800 meters. Jane finished 6th in the final and earned All American honors with her Iowa All Time best of 2:08.95. Her mark stood as the best ever for an Iowa high school girl for 29 years, until broken by the Dinsdale twins in 2006.
Jane spent her college years at Iowa State University where she continued to excel at the middle distances. In her freshman season, she pulled a hamstring just before the Drake Relays and tore it again anchoring the 4 x 800 meter relay to the Big 8 title. Her sophomore year, she led off the Cyclones 4 x 8 team that finished 4th at the AIAW Nationals.
The remainder of Jane’s collegiate career was inhibited by numerous stress fractures. But Iowa high school track fans will never forget the girl from Davenport West, who could run most anything, but will go down in history as one of the best ever at 800 meters.