Tuesday, April 26, 2011
DES MOINES, Iowa--The first stadium
events of the 102nd Drake Relays get underway on Wednesday, April
27, when athletes in the heptathlon and decathlon begin their respective
competitions.
The heptathlon begins at noon on Wednesday, while the decathlon lifts
off at 12:30 p.m.
Leading the field in the decathlon is former University of Northern Iowa
star Mat Clark, who placed 10th at last year's USATF National Outdoor Championships at Drake Stadium, with a
score of 7,355. The 2009 Missouri Valley Conference champion won the Drake
Relays decathlon that same year, after placing second at the '08 Drake Relays.
Current UNI decathlete Daniel
Gooris is also in the field. Gooris is the highest-placing returning competitor
from the 2010 Drake Relays, finishing fourth with a score of 7,229.
The 2011 decathlon field also includes Oklahoma Baptist's Jared Huckabee, who placed 15th a year ago at the Drake Relays. Ted Rud
of North Dakota State has the 44th best mark in the NCAA thus far in 2011 with
his score of 6,998 posted earlier this month at the Texas Relays.
The heptathlon field includes four competitors who took part in last
year's Drake Relays, including Drake's own Briana Isom-Brummer, who placed 11th.
The highest returning finisher from the 2010 Drake Relays heptathlon is
Tulsa's Carolin Imhof. She placed
seventh a year ago with a score of 4,647, and is again joined by teammate Brianna Steel, who finished ninth (4,546)
after a 15th place finish in 2009.
Also in the field are Anne Carlson
(9th at the 2009 Drake Relays), Lindsey
Hall (ranked 27th in the NCAA this year; 5,169), South Dakota's Crystal Schiernbeck (8th at
last year's Drake Relays; 4,560), North Dakota State's Whitney Carlson (ranked 38th in the NCAA; 5,072); Utah's
Brianna LeRoy, (56th NCAA;
4,868) and Kennesaw State's Naomi Mack
(89th NCAA; 4,620).
After getting underway Wednesday, the multi-events competitions resume
Thursday at 9:30 a.m. for the heptathlon and 10:30 a.m. for the heptathlon.
Tickets for the 2011 Drake Relays are on sale now, and
may be purchased online through the official Drake Athletics website
(www.GoDrakeBulldogs.com) or by calling (515) 271-DOGS (3647).
