DES MOINES – With the majority of NCAA Division I indoor conference championships taking place this week, the Drake Relays presented by Hy-Vee announced the first of two releases of returning Division I university teams for the 110
th running of this iconic event. "We're thrilled to announce this first list of teams returning to the Blue Oval in 2019 and our next release will boast more favorites," said
Blake Boldon, Franklin P. Johnson Director of the Drake Relays. "As always we had so many team and athlete highlights that we couldn't fit it into one release."
The Iowa Hawkeyes headline the list among the returning men's teams. "The Drake Relays is always one of the major highlights of our season and something we circle on the calendar at the beginning of the year. We are looking looking forward to defending the Hy-Vee Cup that the men won and win our first cup for the women's program," commented Iowa Director of Track and Field, Joey Woody. "It's always exciting for our student-athletes to compete at America's Athletic Classic, especially for many of our home-grown athletes who were Drake Relays Champions in high school."
In the men's division last year, Iowa claimed their second consecutive Hy-Vee Cup trophy by winning the culminating 4x400m relay and their current indoor quartet is ranked sixth in the NCAA. The Hawkeyes have three 400m sprinters ranked in the top 16 indoors in senior Mar'yea Harris, junior Karayme Bartley and freshman Wayne Lawrence, and strong hurdlers in senior Chris Douglas and junior Jaylan McConico.
Illinois, which placed third in 2018 in both the men's and women's Hy-Vee Cup standings, also looks to reclaim some hardware. The men's team, which won the Hy-Vee Cup from 2013 through 2016, have standouts in senior Devin Quinn in the 200m and junior miler Jon Davis.
On the women's side, Purdue is back to defend their Hy-Vee Cup title with a stellar team which won four relay events on the Blue Oval and finished eighth at the 2018 NCAA championship. "The Boilermakers are excited to defend our Hy-Vee Cup. This is one of the most respected meets in the nation and we are looking forward to the opportunity to once again compete against quality programs," stated Purdue head coach, Norbert Elliott. "Nothing compares to the experience our student-athletes gain by performing in such a fierce and talented environment as the Drake Relays."
The Boilermakers had four individual Relays champions in 2018 including senior Janae' Moffitt who returns to defend her title in the high jump. Expect some very strong challengers, including Illinois in the sprints, Missouri in the horizontal jumps, Utah in the distance events, and especially from Iowa which is ranked 15th in the current USTFCCCA indoor poll.
In individual men's competition, keep an eye on junior Chris Nilsen of South Dakota, the NCAA meet record holder and defending outdoor champion in the pole vault, who has been runner-up in the Drake Relays elite division the past two years. During this indoor campaign, Nilsen has cleared a season best 18-8.75 three times.
Missouri has two outstanding 25 foot-plus long jumpers in freshman Roberto Vilches and sophomore Ja'Mari Ward, and look for freshman high jumper Roberto Viches to be in the mix. Loyola has a strong 800m runner in junior Kevin White, while Drake's standouts include sophomore Kundai Maguranyanga with an impressive indoor campaign in the 200m and senior Kevin Kelly in the mile.
On the women's side, the Iowa Hawkeyes have returning Drake Relays presented by Hy-Vee shot put champion Laulauga Tausaga, a junior who was named USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week earlier this month after tossing a school record 76-3.75 in the weight throw. Hawkeye senior Briana Guillory currently ranks sixth indoors in the 400m. Also look for Mizzou freshman, Mirieli Santos, who set a school record indoors in the triple jump to break fellow freshman Arianna Fisher's record set earlier this year.
All-Session tickets are now on sale at draketix.com/drakerelays or call 515-271-3647. For group ticket packages or more information, contact Dustin in the Drake Ticket Office at 515-271-4949.
