Ben Huftalin serves as the Associate Director of the Drake Relays for Event Production, a role he has held since 2023.
Huftalin has a massive role in the operations of the Drake Relays as the primary supervisor of the planning and execution of the Drake Road Races and Grand Blue Mile presented by Wellmark Blue Cross & Blue Shield. Additional responsibilities include event marketing and communications, website and social media management, fitness expo coordination, stakeholder and municipal relationship management, and support of broader Drake Relays event overations.
Prior to joining the Relays staff, Huftalin served as a Graduate Assistant Coach at Grand View University, his alma mater, from 2022-23. While with the Vikings, he assisted with all aspects of the track and field program while completing his graduate studies. His responsibilities included recruiting prospective student-athletes, developing training plans, and leading daily practice operations with primary oversight of the middle-distance discipline. He also supported athlete development, meet preparation, and program administration.
He also spent part of 2023 at Fitness Sports where he worked in a specialty running retail environment focused on customer service, gait analysis, footwear fitting, and supporting the local running community.
During his career, Ben has earned the 2025 Allen Steinfield Award from USA Track & Field for outstanding service to distance running. He also helped Drake earn the 2025 Best of the Valley Award for Social Media Campaign after a successful Relays Resolution effort.
While a student at Grand View, Huftalin was a 7-time All-American and National Champion in the 4x800 relay. He earned both Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Sport Management from GVU.
Ben hails from Osage, Iowa where he graduated from Osage High School in 2017.
