DES MOINES, Iowa – The Jim Duncan Invitational high school division hosted at Drake Stadium on April 15, 2023, will expand the number of teams invited and events contested. This year, all boys and girls track & field teams from the Little Hawkeye Conference and Raccoon River Conference will be invited to compete in the Jim Duncan Invitational in addition to teams from the Alliance Conference and Central Iowa Metro League.

"Jim Duncan last announced in Drake Stadium over 30 years ago," said Franklin P. Johnson Director of the Drake Relays Blake Boldon. "His legacy and lasting contribution to high school sports, especially track and field, lives on. Expanding the Jim Duncan Invitational to include more metro area high schools and providing increased opportunity for Iowa preps to compete on the Blue Oval is a continuation of the decades long tradition of hosting Iowa's best."
 
2023 will be the 46^th edition of the Jim Duncan Invitational, originally known as the Drake Invitational. Jim Duncan served as public address announcer of the Drake Relays from 1951 until his death in 1989. The Drake Invitational was renamed the Jim Duncan Invitational a year later in 1990. A native of Clearfield, Iowa, Duncan attended Drake University, receiving his degree in 1931. He later was a professor of radio and journalism at Drake for 31 years until his retirement from teaching in 1981.

All entered high school relay teams will be accepted while 48 competitors in individual running events and 32 competitors in field events will be accepted. Should there be more than the allotted number of individual entries, the field will be determined by the time/mark that was officially submitted. If there is a tie for the final accepted time/mark, a blind draw will be conducted.

"We will accept all relay teams that are entered to ensure that the Jim Duncan Invitational will remain a de facto home meet for the teams from Des Moines Public Schools while also including others who are close enough to consider Des Moines their hometown," said Boldon.

The need for expansion was first considered due to the evolving nature of the Central Iowa Metro League. Teams from the Little Hawkeye Conference and Raccoon River Conference were added because both conferences include the greatest number of schools located within or adjacent to the Greater Des Moines metro area.
 
Alliance Conference
Ames
Fort Dodge
Des Moines East
Des Moines Hoover
Des Moines North
Des Moines Roosevelt
Des Moines Lincoln
Mason City
Marshalltown
Ottumwa
Waterloo East
 
Central Iowa Metro League
Ankeny
Ankeny Centennial
Dowling Catholic
Johnston
Southeast Polk
Urbandale
Valley
Waukee
Waukee Northwest
 
Little Hawkeye Conference
Dallas Center-Grimes
Grinnell
Indianola
Newton
Norwalk
Oskaloosa
Pella
Pella Christian
 
Raccoon River Conference
ADM
Ballard
Bondurant-Farrar
Boone
Carlisle
Carroll
Gilbert
North Polk
Winterset 
 
The Jim Duncan Invitational includes the university division that will be contested on April 14 featuring the Drake University track & field programs along with other collegiate teams.
 
Meet information as well as a tentative schedule of events for the university and high school divisions are attached.