CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The Drake University track and field teams had their final competitive tune-up prior to next weeks' Missouri Valley Conference Championship at UNI's Messersmith Invitational Friday evening.

The Bulldogs battled windy conditions all day as they made their final tweaks on the track before embarking on the championship portion of the season.

Michael Dolan (Lincolnshire, Ill.) led the men's team with a pair of personal bests in the discus and hammer throw. The freshman recorded a throw of 135-5 in the discus to finish 13^th and was seventh in the hammer throw with a toss of 156-9.

The Bulldogs' men's team had 11 top-10 finishes on the track against the four-team field that included runners from UNI, Minnesota and Iowa. Guy Eckman (Iowa City, Iowa) was the top finisher in the 1,500 meters with a 4:11.29 finish to take first place. Ryan Ross (Algonquin, Ill.) was third in 4:19.35. Steven Jordan (McFarland, Wis.) also had a first-place finish thanks to a time of 21.54 in the 200 meters.

In the hurdles, Travis Marsh (Ankeny, Iowa) returned to form with a 53.39 finish in the 400-meter hurdles to finish third.

The women's team had three competitors earn first-place finishes with Danyelle Cole (Kansas City, Kan.) leading four Bulldogs across the line in the 100 meters in 12.34. She was followed by Tiara Winston (Denton, Texas), Ariel Kinlow (Brown Deer, Wis.) and Jessica Campbell (West Des Moines, Iowa) in second, third and fourth, respectively. Kinlow also won the 200 meters in 25.63.

The distance races saw Cassie Aerts (David City, Neb) win the 1,500 meters in 4:54.69 with Mariah Kauder (Cascade, Iowa) and Stephanie Parks (Norfolk, Neb.) coming in third and fourth.

In the hurdles, Sarah Yeager (Ottumwa, Iowa) came in second in 14.11 while Destani Welch (Des Moines, Iowa) was fifth in 15.06.

The Bulldogs return to action in a week when they travel to Carbondale, Ill., for the annual MVC Championship.