ST. LOUIS -- Isaac Basten was named the Missouri Valley Conference Men's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week, the league announced on Wednesday (May 4). Basten delivered one of the most memorable performances by a Drake athlete on Jim Duncan Track to energize the faithful crowd Friday at Drake Stadium as part of the 112th Drake Relays on Friday, April 29. 

Basten held off Moad Zahafi of Texas Tech in an eagerly anticipated 1,500 showdown, producing the first victory in the event by a Drake male athlete since 1981, edging the Moroccan challenger by a 3:39.11 to 3:39.59 margin. Zahafi entered the meet as the world leader in the 800 at 1:43.69, but Basten closed in 56.47 in comparison to the Texas Tech standout running the final 400 in 57.39. He moved into No. 19 in the nation with that run. 

The Drake track & field programs are preparing for the Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Championships May 13-15 at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.