The Drake University track and field teams hit the midpoint of the indoor season this weekend at the Messersmith Invitational Saturday at the UNI-Dome.
 
After weeks of strong training, the Bulldogs recorded 15 top-5 finishes against five other teams including MVC rivals Indiana State and UNI. In the team standings, the women's team finished fourth, while the men's team was fifth.
 
Mary Young (Urbandale, Iowa) continued her strong season by winning the 60-meter hurdles in 8.60 and the 200 meters in 25.26 followed by Rai-Ahmed Green (Irvine, Calif.) in third. In the shorter sprints, Mariah Crawford was fifth in the 60 meters in 7.84 while also checking in at fourth in the 200 meters in 25.62.

"It was good to see Mary return after a week off and pickup right where she left off," head coach LaRon Bennett said. "She's really setting herself up to have a big year." 
 
The men's team was led again by Bas Van Leersum (Zaandam, The Netherlands) in the 400 meters with a first-place finish of 49.02. Caulin Graves (Kansas City, Mo.) took second in 200 meters in 22.53 and fifth in the 60 meters with a 7.07 finish.

"Caulin has been a quiet force week in and week out," Bennett said. "He's such a raw talent, so every meet he's figuring something new out. I think when he puts enough things together his times will turn heads."
 
In the longer distances, George Webb (Morton Grove, Ill.) finished fifth in the 800 meters with a season-best time of 1:56.16.
 
The Bulldogs continue their indoor seasons next weekend with scheduled competitions at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational in Lincoln, Neb., and the Meyo Invite in South Bend, Ind.
 
Men's Team Results
1. Indiana State, 153
2. UNI, 115
3. South Dakota State, 84
4. UW Milwaukee, 47
5. Drake, 30
 
 
60 Meters (Final)
5. Caulin Graves, 7.07
 
60 Meters (Prelims)
4. Caulin Graves, 7.05
12. Kai Asberry, 7.17
14. Kendall Owens, 7.21
 
200 Meters
2. Caulin Graves, 22.53
9. Hudson Priebe, 23.08
13. Nihad Ejubovic, 23.45
 
400 Meters
1. Bas Van Leersum, 49.02
10. Malik Metivier, 51.45
12. Dominic Lombardi, 52.14
13. Cory Erickson, 52.56
 
800 Meters
5. George Webb, 1:56.16
7. Xavier Lechleitner, 1:56.65
15. Matt Cozine, 1:58.47
17. Alec Bognar, 2:00.74
 
Mile
11. Joshua Yeager, 4:27.29
12. Chris Kaminski, 4:30.07
 
3,000 Meters
8. Josh Yeager, 8:48.29
10. Alex Rohlfs, 8:49.04
12. Kyle Brandt, 8:53.20
13. Kyle Cass, 8:54.30
15. Chris Kaminski, 9:07.11
 
60-Meter Hurdles (Final)
7. Hudson Priebe, 9.14
 
60-Meter Hurdles (Prelims)
8. Dominic Lombardi, 8.51
9. Hudson Priebe, 8.57
 
4x400-Meter Relay
3. Lombardi, Van Leersum, Metiver, Zak, 3:22.45
6. Owens, Barrow, Ejubovic, Erickson, 3:28.15
 
High Jump
7. Forest Moses, 6-1.25
 
Long Jump
11. Tyler Zak, 20-9
 
Weight Throw
11. Michael Dolan, 48-10.25
 
 
Women's Team Results
1. Indiana State, 174
2. UNI, 87
3. UW Milwaukee, 63
4. Drake, 53
5. South Dakota State, 52
 
Drake Individual Women's Results
60 Meters (Final)
5. Mariah Crawford, 7.84
 
60 Meters (Prelims)
5. Mariah Crawford, 7.86
 
200 Meters
1. Mary Young, 25.26
3. Rai Ahmed- Green, 25.42
4. Mariah Crawford, 25.63
10. Ebele Okoye, 26.16
 
400 Meters
10. Rai Ahmed-Green, 59.17
14. Ebele Okoye, 1:00.29
16. Kaylen Rettig, 1:00.62
17. Victoria Coombe, 1:00.99
 
800 Meters
5. Kayla Giuliano, 2:17.32
9. Danielle Griesbaum, 2:19.73
14. Paige Nicholson, 2:27.80
 
Mile
6. Meghan Kearney, 5:16.92
7. Morgan Garcia, 5:18.50
11. Olivia Rogers, 5:27.17
15. Mackenzie Davis, 6:10.27
 
3,000 Meters
4. Mykaela Cole, 10:28.16
 
60-Meter Hurdles (Final)
1. Mary Young, 8.60
8. Victoria Coombe, 9.33
 
60-Meter Hurdles (Prelims)
1. Mary Young, 8.61
7. Victoria Coombe, 9.05
19. Bryce Lang, 10.03
 
4x400-Meter Relay
5. Rettig, Giuliano, Coombe, Lang, 4:00.28
 
High Jump
T4. Taylor Patton, 5-1.25
 
Pole Vault
T6. Christina LeMunyon, 11-0.25
 
Long Jump
2. Taryn Rolle, 18-5.25
7. Brittani Griesbaum, 17-6