The Drake University track and field teams enjoyed clear skies, the warmest day of the year and a great crowd Saturday at the Drake Relays presented by Hy-Vee.
 
The Bulldogs advanced competitors to Saturday's finals in two events as Mary Young (Urbandale, Iowa) clocked a finish of 14.07 in the 100-meter hurdles. Her time was the seventh-fastest on the day to advance her to the finals. The men's 4x100-meter relay team of Aaron Chier (Belgium, Wis.), Caulin Graves (Overland Park, Kan.), Malik Metivier (Toronto, Ontario) and Kundai Maguranyanga (Glen Zorah, Zimbabwe) had the sixth fastest qualifying time of the day in 40.95 to also advance to Saturday.
 
Chier also finished 11^th in the preliminary heats of the 100 meters with a wind-aided personal best of 10.59. Graves enjoyed similar favorable winds to clock a personal best of 21.25 to finish tied for seventh in the 200 meters while Maguranyanga was ninth.
 
The Bulldogs opened the day in the javelin with big personal bests from Max Harlan and Jake Taylor as each threw beyond 170 feet with Harlan finishing 17^th at 172-3 while Taylor threw 171-1. Also in the field events, Christina LeMunyon cleared a season best of 11-7.75 to finish 17^th in the pole vault.
 
Kevin Kelly (Kilcok, Ireland) closed the evening by finishing fifth in the 1,500 meters in 3:50.25.
 
In addition to the two performances that qualified for Saturday's finals, the Bulldogs are expected to compete in eight other events Saturday at Drake Stadium
 
Drake Individual Results
10 a.m. – Men Javelin Throw
17. Max Harlan, 172-3 (52.51m)
19. Jake Taylor, 171-1 (52.15m)
26. Erik Olson, 151-8 (46.24m)
 
10 a.m. – Women Long Jump
23. Taryn Rolle, 17-0 (5.18m)
 
12 p.m. – Women 100 Meter Hurdles - Prelims
7. Mary Young, 14.07
 
12:30 p.m. – Women Pole Vault
17. Christina LeMunyon, 11-7.75 (3.55m)
 
1:26 p.m. – Men 4x100 Relay Prelims
6. Chier, Graves, Metivier, Maguranyanga, 40.95
 
2:49 p.m. – Men 100 Meters Prelims
11. Aaron Chier 10.51
 
3:03 p.m. – Women 4x400 Relay Prelims
10. Ahmed-Green, Young, Giuliano, Coombe, 3:47.79
 
3:25 p.m. – Men 4x400 Relay Prelims
12. Metivier, Priebe, Graves, Maguranyanga, 3:17.79
 
5:21 p.m. – Men 200 Meter Finals
T7. Caulin Graves, 21.15
9. Kundai Maguranyanga, 21.32
 
7:27 p.m. - Men 1,500 Meters Finals
5. Kevin Kelly, 3:50.25