DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake Relays has finalized its staff for the 2026 edition of America's Athletic Classic. Three Barb Cox Interns will join two returning contributors to work alongside Franklin P. Johnson Director of the Drake Relays Blake Boldon, Associate Director Tre Stanton, and newly appointed Associate Director Ben Huftalin across a wide range of operational areas for the 116th running of the Relays.

In September 2023, friends of Barb Cox established an endowed fund in her honor with a $50,000 gift, recognizing her many years of dedicated volunteer service in the Drake Relays office and on the Drake Relays Committee. Cox played a vital role in coordinating apparel, credentials, and other logistics for hundreds of Relays officials, supporters, and sponsors, while also overseeing key hospitality elements for guests and athletes. Her attention to detail and positive, welcoming demeanor left a lasting impression on countless staff members and volunteers.

The creation of the endowment and subsequent gifts have enabled the Drake Relays to expand support for seasonal staff and interns, whose contributions are essential to managing the many moving parts of America's Athletic Classic each year.

"Barb Cox's inspiring positivity made long days and challenging tasks more enjoyable," Boldon said. "Part of her legacy with the Drake Relays is the reminder to enjoy each day and take pride in the work. The endowment has improved our staffing each of the last tw years and this year's group of Barb Cox Interns again embodies her spirit through their enthusiasm and commitment to supporting everyone involved in the Relays. Continued generosity to the endowed fund has allowed us to support our largest and strongest intern class to date."

Myrissa Carrillo returns to the Drake Relays team as Youth and Masters Coordinator. In her role, she currently oversees all Youth and Masters Events for the 116th Drake Relays. She will serve as the primary athlete liaison for the USATF Masters 1 Mile Championships and primary contact for the USATF Masters Track & Field and USATF Masters LDR Committees. Her responsibilities include coordinating registration, managing athlete data and waivers, and all communications within the Youth and Masters Events sphere. Myrissa is also responsible for organizing the Elementary Shuttle Relay that takes place during the halftime portion of the annual Drake Relays Night at a Drake men's basketball game. She is excited to rejoin the Relays team this year and is grateful for the opportunity. Myrissa can be reached at meetmgmt@drake.edu.

Maddi Morales returns to the Drake Relays staff as the Volunteer Coordinator in 2026. She first joined the Relays office as an intern in 2023 then became part of the Drake Athletics Facilities and Operations team later that year. In 2024, Morales served as the Drake Relays Operations Manager, overseeing the intern staff and major operational elements of the event. In 2026, Morales will oversee volunteer recruitment and coordination for all Drake Relays events and the Jim Duncan Invitational. Maddi can be reached at relaysvolunteers.drake.edu.
 
Breanna Page is a junior at Drake University studying international business and marketing with a minor in management, currently serves as the Barb Cox Intern focusing on marketing and communications intern for 2026 Drake Relays. In her role, she assists with managing the event's social media accounts, crafting engaging content, and helping to draft newsletters and press releases. Bre can be reached at drakerelays@drake.edu.
 
Ruby Hoch hails from Norwalk, Iowa, and is a junior at Central College pursuing a degree in communication studies with a minor in business management. In her role as Barb Cox Intern, Hoch is working with the Grand Blue Mile staff to coordinate the mascot race and family fun zone to create an enjoyable experience for all. She will also drive marketing initiatives, craft compelling email campaigns, and provide on-site event support to ensure a memorable experience for attendees. Ruby can be reached at relaysintern@drake.edu.
 
Sam Carpenter, a graduate student from Alexandria, Virginia, is a member of the Drake University track and field team and is pursuing a Master of Business Administration. As a Barb Cox Intern, his efforts focus on hospitality, where he supports lodging arrangements for officials and volunteers, assists with catering, and helps support volunteer recruitment and coordination. In addition to these responsibilities, Sam is involved with the Grand Blue Mile the Hall of Fame luncheon. Carpenter can be reached at relaysevents@drake.edu

After two successful years as Assistant Director of the Drake Relays, Ben Huftalin has been promoted to Associate Director. Ben oversees the Drake Road Races and Grand Blue Mile, both of which have flourished under his leadership.

"We have a great team in place and we're excited to execute world class events in the next ten weeks," Boldon added. "We are lucky to have Myrissa and Maddi return and Tre and Ben both deserve credit for identifying an incredible class of Barb Cox Interns this year."
 
To make a gift toward the Barb Cox Internship Endowment, please contact Senior Associate Athletic Director Tim Tesar at tim.tesar@drake.edu.   
 
Tickets for the 116th Drake Relays April 22-25 are available at https://godrakebulldogs.evenue.net/events/DR.