DES MOINES, Iowa – High School start lists were announced today for the 2026 Drake Relays. This year's prep competition will run from April 23-25 at historic Drake Stadium.
See the link located to the right for the list of accepted entries in the high school division of the 116th running of the Drake Relays and the Blue Standard marks. More information is available
www.drakerelays.org.
Track and field fans should be treated to an impressive display by Iowa's best prep athletes on the legendary Blue Oval.
All eyes will be focused on Quentin Nauman from Western Dubuque who began his rise to national fame as one of the best prep runners in America at Drake Stadium. The Oregon recruit is bidding to become the first Iowa prep ever to run a sub 4-minute mile on Iowa soil when he runs in the elite mile Saturday afternoon.
As a junior, Nauman was named the outstanding high school boys performer at the 2025 Drake Relays becoming just the second athlete ever to win three individual Relays titles in the boys competition. He won the 1,600 in 4:05.17, a Relays record and the fastest time ever in the state. That came after he won the 3,200 in a record 8:25.45 time on Thursday and the 800 on Friday, tying the Relays record of 1.51.76.
Keegan Decker of Iowa City Liberty might challenge Nauman as well in the 1600 and 3200. Decker leads the 3200 (8:59.49) this spring and is right behind Nauman in the 1600 (4:04.33).
Keep an eye on Washington junior Greyson Hartman who moved into second on the all-time Iowa high school list in the boys shot put at 67-3 1/2. Norwalk's Kaiden Kunze leads the state in the long jump moving into No. 4 on the all-time performance list after soaring 24-5 at the Jim Duncan Invitational He also ranks second in the 100 (10.52). Junior Tay Seals of Clear Creek-Amana already has run under 14 seconds in the 110 hurdles with a state leading time of 13.92 with Ankeny's Hayden Carlson right behind at 13.99.
Charlee Gall of Cedar Falls returns after a memorable Drake Relays debut as a high school freshman, winning both the girls 1500 in 4:31.54, which is No. 12 on the state's all-time list and 3000 in 9:44.19—ninth on the all-time list. Mount Vernon junior Evelyn Moeller is the state leader in both events this spring.
Ottumwa senior Delilah Subsin is back to defend her title in the high school girls' discus where she is the state leader this spring. Linn-Mar senior Abby Mecklenburg looks to challenge the Drake Relays record (19-3 3/4) in the girls' long jump, owning the state's top mark of 20-2 1/2 this spring.
Led by sprinters Katie Willits and Keziah Caldwell, Waukee Northwest is seeking an unprecedented fifth straight title in the girls 4x200 relay. Waukee Northwest also is the leader in the 4x100 (:47.33) after winning that event last year and setting a Relays record of 47.42 in the prelims. Willits and Caldwell own the top two times in the 100 this spring of 11.98 and 12.16, respectively.
The final Drake Relays schedule can be found
here.
Tickets to the 2026 Drake Relays are available for purchase
here.
Following are the cut-off marks for acceptance in each event, the 2026 Blue Standard and the number of athletes or teams which attained the Blue Standard in that event.
| Boys |
|
Girls |
|
| 100m |
10.75 |
|
100m |
12.35 |
|
| 400m |
49.00 |
|
400m |
57.05 |
|
| 800m |
1:54.00 |
|
800m |
2:15.40 |
|
| 1600m |
4:15.00 |
|
1500m |
4:42.50 |
|
| 3200m |
9:15.00 |
|
3000m |
10:13.00 |
|
| 110mH |
14.50 |
|
100mH |
15.10 |
|
| 400mH |
54.15 |
|
400mH |
1:04.50 |
|
| 400m Wheelchair |
1:10 |
|
400m Wheelchair |
1:30 |
|
| 4x100m |
43.20 |
|
4x100m |
50.50 |
|
| 4x200m |
1:29.00 |
|
4x200m |
1:44.50 |
|
| 4x400m |
3:24.50 |
|
4x400m |
4:01.50 |
|
| 4x800m |
7:58.00 |
|
4x800m |
9:31.00 |
|
| ShuttleH |
59.00 |
|
ShuttleH |
1:05.00 |
|
| 1600 Med |
3:31.50 |
|
800 Med |
1:49.00 |
|
| High Jump |
6-7 |
|
High Jump |
5-6 |
|
| Long Jump |
23-0 |
|
Long Jump |
18-00 |
|
| Discus |
175-0 |
|
Discus |
140-0 |
|
| Shot Put |
56-0 |
|
Shot Put |
42-0 |
|
