The Drake University track and field teams continued their outdoor season by splitting up and competing in five minutes in three different states March 31 – April 1.
 
Action was highlighted by senior Reed Fischer (Minnetonka, Minn.) opening his outdoor season by running the second fastest 10,000 meters in school history with a time of 28:47.86 at the Stanford Invitational on Friday, March 31. Fischer's time was less than three seconds off the 17-year-old school record held by Jason Lehmkhule as was the 16^th fastest time in his section of the 10,000 meters. However, Fischer raced against numerous professional competitors in the race and was the eighth-fastest collegian in the invitational field.
 
"It was a great outdoor opener and will qualify Reed for the preliminary round of nationals," said Drake University co-interim head coach Dan Hostager. "He competed very well against the nation's very best with lots of professionals and some of the best collegiate runners in the country. He's very motivated for the big season ahead."
 
Friday evening also saw Josh Yeager (Center Point, Iowa) turn in a big personal best in the 5,000 meters at the San Francisco State Distance Carnival on Friday with a time of 14:57.92 to finish 20^th in his section of the 5,000 meters and 87^th overall as the event featured eight sections of the 5,000 meters.
 
A group of Bulldogs also competed in the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays presented by Spectrum in the sprints and hurdles. Mary Young (Urbandale, Iowa) highlighted the Drake contingent by finishing 11^th in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.51 and was fourth in her heat against competitors from USC, LSU, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Purdue.
 
While in Texas, a group of Bulldogs also competed in the Texas State Bobcat Invitational with two athletes logging personal bests. Freshman Caulin Graves (Kansas City, Mo.) clocked a 10.51 finish in the men's 100 meters to finish 10^th with his personal best. Classmate Ebele Okoye (McDonough, Ga.) also recorded a personal best with a 56.70 finish in the 400 meters, just behind junior Rai-Ahmed Green (Irvine, Calif.) who finished 11^th in 55.99, just off her personal-best pace.
 
In the long jump, Johnathan Osifuye (Woodbury, Minn.) cleared 23-5.25 to finish seventh and match his personal best in the event.
 
Saturday afternoon, the bulk of the Bulldogs' roster competed at the nearby Central Invitational in Pella, Iowa. There, the Bulldogs recorded 38 top-10 finishes and won 10 events.
 
 
Drake Individual Men's Results
 
Texas Relays – Austin, Texas – March 31
100 Meters
77. Aaron Chier, 10.82
 
110-Meter Hurdles
36. Hudson Priebe, 15.00
 
 
Stanford Invitational – Stanford, Calif., - March 31
10,000 Meters
16. Reed Fischer, 28:47.86
 
 
San Francisco State Distance Carnival – San Francisco, Calif. – March 31
5,000 Meters
87. Josh Yeager, 14:57.92
 
 
Bobcat Invitational – San Marcos, Texas – March 31-April 1
100 Meters
10. Caulin Graves, 10.51
21. Aaron Chier, 10.76
42. Deonne Witherspoon, 11.21
 
400-Meter Hurdles
7. Malik Metivier, 54.45
 
Long Jump
7. Johnathan Osifuye, 23-5.25
 
 
Central Invitational – Pella, Iowa – April 1
100 Meters
11. Nihad Ejubovic, 11.52
 
200 Meters
4. Nihad Ejubovic, 23.09
8. Maxwell Harlan, 23.38
 
400 Meters
10. Harlan Maxwell, 52.39
 
800 Meters
1. Matt Cozine, 1:57.30
4. George Webb, 1:58.34
5. Cory Erickson, 1:58.98
12. Alec Bognar, 2:02.82
18. Michael Cooper, 2:04.86
24. John Freeman, 2:13.73
 
1,500 Meters
1. Xavier Lechleitner, 4:02.66
2. George Webb, 4:03.77
22. Cole Friedman, 4:27.35
 
5,000 Meters
7. Alex Rohlfs, 16:44.42
 
110-Meter Hurdles
2. Dominic Lombardi, 15.23
 
400-Meter Hurdles
1. Bas Van Leersum, 52.64
3. Dominic Lombardi, 54.77
4. Tyler Zak, 56.37
 
3,000-Meter Steeplechase
4. Kyle Cass, 10:18.58
 
Sprint Medley Relay
1. Zak, Ejubovic, Erickson, Cooper, 3:33.64
 
4x400-Meter Relay
2. Webb, Lechleitner, Bognar, Cozine, 3:27.93
 
Pole Vault
1. Erik Olson, 14-9 (4.50m)
5. Adam Perkins, 12-5.5
 
Discus
5. Michael Dolan, 146-9
 
Hammer Throw
7. Michael Dolan, 154-10
 
 
Drake Individual Women's Results
Texas Relays – Austin, Texas – March 31
100 Meters
80. Mariah Crawford, 10.82
 
110-Meter Hurdles
11. Mary Young, 13.51
 
 
Bobcat Invitational – San Marcos, Texas – March 31-April 1
400 Meters
11. Rai Ahmed-Green, 55.99
14. Ebele Okoye, 56.70
 
Long Jump
22. Taryn Rolle, 17-9
 
Central Invitational – Pella, Iowa – April 1
400 Meters
1. Kayla Giuliano, 58.90
 
800 Meters
1. Meghan Kearney, 2:17.66
2. Danielle Griesbaum, 2:20.97
3. Samantha Nielsen, 2:25.45
4. Paige Nicholson, 2:29.04
5. Kaylen Rettig, 2:29.10
 
1,500 Meters
2. Olivia Rogers, 4:58.24
3. Mykaela Cole, 5:00.60
10. Shelby Varney, 5:18.04
 
100-Meter Hurdles
1. Victoria Coombe, 14.59
7. Bryce Lang, 16.51
 
400-Meter Hurdles
1. Victoria Coombe, 1:03.64
2. Bryce Lang, 1:09.70
 
Sprint Medley Relay
2. Lang, Griesbaum, Nicholson, Garcia, 4:26.99
 
4x400-Meter Relay
1. Coombe, Giuliano, Kearney, Rettig, 4:06.32
 
High Jump
5. Tamar Mosby, 4-11
5. Taylor Patton, 4-11
 
Pole Vault
1. Christina LeMunyon, 10-0