by Larry Eder
WORLD-LEADING TIME, SEVEN DRAKE RELAYS RECORDS HIGHLIGHT SECOND DAY AT DRAKE STADIUM
DES MOINES, Iowa – Iowa a ran a world-leading time in the men’s university 4×800 relay en route to capturing its first Drake Relays title in the event since 2017, highlighting Friday’s action at the 115th running of the Drake Relays presented by Xtream powered by Mediacom.
Seven Drake Relays records were set, capped by the WACT women’s steeplechase, which produced not only a Relays record but added five runners to the top 15 on the world list. Sophie Novak, a former Notre Dame standout who came in ranked third in the world, won in 9:28.48 to break the meet record.
The Oregon women, making their first appearance at the Drake Relays since 1999, captured two titles in a span of 50 minutes before Iowa’s eye-opening time of 7:21.88 in the 4×800.
Native Iowans Derek Leicht (Dubuque) and James Fingalsen (Mason City) ran the opening two legs for the Iowa, with Fingalsen’s 1:49.10 leg pushing the Hawkeyes into a lead they never relinquished. They held off 14-time Relays champion Iowa State, which finished second in 7:23.10.
“We’re beyond proud,” said junior Ryan Schreiner, who ran the third leg for Iowa. “We’ve been flying under the radar for so long and this was really our moment to get on stage, get out there and show what we’re made of. It’s been a long time coming.”
“We had a very good day today at the Drake Relays capping off the night with a spectacular win in the men’s 4×800 relay,” Director of track and field Joey Woody said. “The men’s 4×800 relay had a tremendous race executing each leg perfectly to give Terrick (Johnson) a nice lead on the final leg. Terrick controlled the race from the front very effectively and had a great kick to run away from the field and win our first Drake Relays Flag in the 4×800 relay since 2017.”
Oregon sophomore Juliet Cherubet, the defending Big Ten Conference outdoor 1500 champ, got things started for the Ducks by capturing the women’s university-college 1500 in 4:13.11, marking Oregon’s first Drake Relays title since 1999.
Thirty-five minutes later, the Ducks posted the third fastest time in the world en route to winning the university 4×800 relay in 8:30.12. Senior Klaudia Kazimierska, who finished 10th in the 1500 at the 2024 Olympics for Poland, ran a 2:06.42 anchor leg for Oregon, which also got strong legs from junior Ella Nelson, sophomore Samantha McDonnell and senior Mia Barnett.
“This is such a special team,” Oregon’s leadoff runner Samantha McDonnall said. “If someone’s out, we know someone else will just step up and in. You’re not going to be able to exactly replace every person, but everyone has their own talents…that’s just really special about this team.”
Novak passed Elise Thorner with 200 meters to go and easily broke the old women’s steeplechase record of 9:31.03 that Annie Rodenfels set last year. Thorner finished second in 9:30.41, which put her at No. 6 on the world list. Angelina Ellis took third in 9:34.48, No. 7 in the world, and former Iowa State runner Janette Schraft, who won 11 state high school titles on the Blue Oval, climbed into 12th on the world list with her fourth-place time of 9:37.87. Two-time Polish national champion Aneta Koniecrek finished fifth in 9:38.84 (No. 14) and was followed by India’s Ms Ankita at 9:30.00 (No. 15).
The Iowa State men have a long history of success in the University/College 4×1600 relay and the Cyclones made it an even dozen titles with a runaway victory in 16:38.06 — the top collegiate time this year. The Cyclones are now tied with Illinois for the most Relays championships in the event, though the Illinii have not won it since 1982.
“Today we just wanted to go out there and put it on for the crowd,” said the Cyclones’ anchor, Devan Kipyego. “You know, this is a big statement for Iowa State and the heart of Iowa — the Drake Relays, so we just wanted to go out there and win.”
Iowa State’s lead was so comfortable that Kipyego could turn and wave to the crowd as he neared the finish line. It was an all-Iowa top three as Drake finished second in 16:58.69 and Iowa Central Community College was third in 16:59.78. Iowa State holds the Relays record in the event, running 16:09.45 in 1981.
“We planned that yesterday,” Kipyego said. “Coach (Jeremy Sudbury) was like, going down the (final) 200, ‘Just go celebrate. Have fun with this.’”
“Coming into the Drake Relays, we’ve got the home crowd,” added Quinton Orr, a Humboldt native who ran the first leg for the Cyclones. “Everyone loves us. So an Iowa guy being on there — I’m from a small town, a hard-working Iowa kid. I ran here in high school and it’s the biggest meet, super fun.”
The Oregon State women made their first Drake Relays appearance one to remember by capturing the university 4×1600 relay as freshman Ainsley Herron sprinted past Notre Dame’s Gretchen Farley in the final 100 meter to give the Beavers the victory in 19:04.83 by five-hundredths of a second.
Notre Dame, which set a collegiate record at the Drake Relays of 18:44.15 last year, led from the start and Ainsley stayed on Farley’s heels in the final carry until making her move coming out of the final turn. It looked for a moment that Farley might regain the lead, but Herron held on. Oregon State’s time is the best in the collegiate ranks this spring.
“I was definitely feeding off the energy from the crowd and I loved it,” said Herron. “The Notre Dame runners were running really strong. I was really inspired watching my other teammates run before me. They really put it out there and now it was my turn.”
Reigning NCAA indoor champ Tyus Wilson from Nebraska defended his title in the men’s university-college high jump, soaring 7 feet 3 inches and hitting that mark on his first attempt. Grand Valley State’s Jaivon Harrison, who swept the 2024 NCAA Division II indoor and outdoor titles, also cleared 7-3 to finish second. He recorded tha mark on his second jump.
Thirty years after Gina DeWitt became the first Drake runner to win the women’s 800, the Bulldogs’ Emilie Meyer repeated the feat. Meyer, the Missouri Valley Conference indoor 800 champion this year, outdueled Oregon’s Ella Nelson to win the race in 2:03.85 – less than nine-tenths of a second off the meet record. Nelson got second in 2:04.50.
“That was quite a special moment,” said Meyer. “I knew going into it was a really tough field. But I knew I was able to compete with them and that last 200, just kind of had to dig deep. It’s been a dream of mine, honestly, since I’ve come to Drake. So to be able to fulfill that just has been pretty special.”
Wisconsin-LaCrosse senior Sam Blaskowski, who ranks No. 7 on the collegiate list, led qualifiers in the men’s university-college 100 in 10.19. Iowa senior Kalen Walker, who had the fifth fastest collegian time in the nation, was disqualified in the qualifying round because of a false start.
Five records were set in the high school division with Quentin Nauman from Western Dubuque tying the record in the boys 800 and Clear Lake’s Reese Brownlee equaling the meet record in the girls 400.
Nauman, who set a meet record in the high school boys 3200 Thursday, tied the 800 record of 1:51.76 set by Dowling Catholic’s Ryan Schweizer in 2016. Nauman, who has committed to Oregon, will seek his third title of the weekend in the 1600 on Saturday.
Dowling Catholic set a boys meet record in the 1600 medley relay in 3:25.35, while Ankeny Centennial set a mark in the 4×200 relay in 1:26.55. West Des Moines senior Emma Havighurst established a record in the high school girls 100 hurdles of 13.82.
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