The Drake men's and women's track and field teams are set to compete at the 2017 Drake Relays presented by Hy-Vee this week, April 26-29, on their home track in front of nearly 40,000 total fans. 
 
Senior Reed Fischer (Minnetonka, Minn.) returns to the Blue Oval in hopes of breaking one of Drake's oldest school records in the 5,000 meters Thursday evening at 9 p.m. Boyd Nansel set the current school record in 1978 with a time of 14:00.25. Last year, Fischer finished third in the 5,000 meters with a time of 14:00.28, just three one-hundredths shy of beating Nansel. But this year, Fischer is determined to break that record.
 
"The goal is to get the win and then I think the school record will be a product of that," Fischer said. "I don't think it will be any slower than a 14-flat kind of race. The plan is to comfortably run under 14 minutes, get the school record and hopefully get a Relays flag."
 
Junior Mary Young (Urbandale, Iowa) will be competing in the 100-meter hurdles after winning and setting a season best time of 13.48 in the event last weekend at Musco Twilight. As a high school athlete, Young won the event twice. Hudson Priebe (Chamberlain, S.D.) and Bas Van Leersum (Zaandam, The Netherlands) will both be competing in the men's 400-meter hurdles with hopes of becoming the next Bulldog to take a victory lap on the Blue Oval. .
 
Priebe recently recorded a personal best of 51.67 in the 400-meter hurdles at Musco Twilight, which won him the event. This time is the sixth fastest in school history and is the top mark in the Missouri Valley Conference. He is also set to compete in the 110-meter hurdles.
 
Van Leersum, the defending MVC champion in the 400-meter hurdles event, followed Priebe for third place at Musco Twilight with a time of 52.58. His current personal record is 51.66.
 
Below are all the events Drake athletes will be competing on the Blue Oval this weekend. The entire week's action will be broadcast on USATF.tv and Saturday's events from 2-4 p.m. will be shown live on NBC Sports Network.
 
Thursday, April 27
Women's 10000-Meter Run, 7:30 p.m. — MyKaela Cole, Bailee Cofer
Men's 10000-Meter Run, 8:10 p.m. — Kyle Cass, Kyle Brandt
Men's 5000-Meter Run, 9:05 p.m. — Reed Fischer
 
 
Friday, April 28
Women's 100-Meter Hurdles, 9:32 a.m. — Mary Young
Men's 110-Meter Hurdles, 9:45 a.m. — Dominic Lombardi, Hudson Priebe
Women's 4x100 Meter Relay, 11:55 a.m.
Men's 4x100 Meter Relay, 12:05 p.m.
Men's Pole Vault, 12:30 p.m. — Erik Olson
Women's 400-Meter Hurdles, 1:05 p.m. — Victoria Coombe
Men's Triple Jump, 1:30 p.m. — Jonathon Osifuye-White
Men's 100-Meter Dash, 1:39 p.m. — Caulin Graves, Demetrius Shelton
Men's 4x400 Meter Relay, 3:28 p.m.
Men's 4x200 Meter Relay, 6:50 p.m.
Women's 4x800 Meter Relay, 7:49 p.m.
 
 
Saturday, April 29
Women's Triple Jump, 9:30 a.m. — Taryn Rolle
Men's 3000-Meter Steeplechase, 9:50 a.m. — Chris Kaminski
Men's High Jump, 10:00 a.m. — Forest Moses
Women's 1600-Sprint Medley, 10:07 a.m.
Men's 1600-Sprint Medley, 10:27 a.m.
Men's Distance Medley, 12:30 p.m.
Hammer Throw, 1:00 p.m. — Michael Dolan
Women's Distance Medley, 1:00 p.m.
Men's 400-Meter Hurdles, 1:13 p.m. — Bas Van Leersum, Hudson Priebe, Malik      Metivier
Men's 1500-Meter Run, 3:06 p.m. — Joshua Yeager