By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Here are 10 storylines involving collegiate athletes to follow at the 109th Drake Relays Presented by Hyvee in Des Moines, Iowa.

Programming Note: You can watch the live Webcast here of the meet Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The USATF.TV broadcast and on-demand videos will only be available for USATF.TV +PLUS subscribers. Subscribe here.

Schweizer seeks significant run in 5,000

Missouri senior Karissa Schweizer could have the Blue Oval buzzing during Thursday’s Distance Carnival when she competes in the 5,000 meters, looking to eclipse a record that was set before she was born.

Wisconsin’s Cathy Branta-Easker ran 15 minutes, 31.18 seconds in 1985, but with Schweizer’s success in the event during the past two years, that record could be significantly lowered by the Dowling Catholic IA graduate.

Schweizer placed fourth at last year’s USATF Outdoor Championships in 15:18.69 in June in Sacramento. She produced an indoor personal-best 15:17.31 on Dec. 2 at the Boston University Season Opener and didn’t run the event again until the NCAA Division 1 Indoor Championships on March 9, clocking 15:43.23 to repeat as champion.

Schweizer has only run a 1,500 and 10,000 thus far outdoors, clocking a national-leading 32:00.55 in the latter March 30 at the Stanford Invitational, and 4:12.83 last weekend to prevail in her final home meet in Columbia.

The collegiate leader is San Francisco senior Marie Bouchard at 15:32.95, with Michigan’s Erin Finn the American leader at 15:33.15.

Looking to shake up the hurdling hierarchy

Illinois senior David Kendziera prevailed Saturday by a 13.47 to 13.49 margin against 2012 Olympic gold medalist Aries Merritt in the men’s 110-meter hurdles at the 60th Mt. SAC Relays in Torrance, Calif.

Kendziera will be looking for another memorable performance this Saturday in the 400 hurdles, attempting to take down a meet record that was set a decade ago.

Kendziera is targeting the standard of 49.26 set by Georgia’s Justin Gaymon in 2008, especially after running 49.39 at Mt. SAC to place second behind Jamaican professional Shawn Rowe (49.13).

Kendziera, who ranks second in Division 1 this year, has a personal best of 49.00 set in last year’s NCAA semifinals. North Carolina senior Kenny Selmon has the collegiate lead this season at 49.00.

Ready to relay a memorable message

Purdue ran 3:28.52 in the women’s 4x400 relay March 31 to place second behind collegiate-leader Kentucky (3:26.92) at the Florida Relays.

The Boilermakers are not only looking to remain a strong contender for the NCAA Division 1 title, but Chloe Abbott, Brionna Thomas, Symone Black and Jahneya Mitchell are also looking to make history Saturday with a potential run at the meet record.

Arkansas set the collegiate meet record of 3:28.63 in 2011, giving Purdue a legitimate chance to defend its title from a year ago and challenge that mark competing against Big Ten rivals Iowa and Ohio State in the final.

Purdue placed second March 10 at the NCAA Division 1 Indoor Championships in 3:28.82, with Carmiesha Cox joining Abbott, Mitchell and Thomas on the Boilermakers’ lineup.

Big improvement leads to potential bigger goal

Purdue sophomore Ashmon Lucas is not only the collegiate leader in the men’s discus throw, he might also be the most improved performer in the country entering Saturday’s final.

Lucas produced a 20-foot improvement on his personal best April 13 to unleash a throw of 206-5 (62.91m) at the UC San Diego Triton Invitational, only the fifth male athlete to throw beyond 200 feet this season.

Lucas’ performance placed him within striking distance of the 1989 meet record of 206-9 (63.02m) held by LSU’s John Nichols.

Iowa junior Reno Tuufuli, the defending champion, and North Dakota State junior Payton Otterdahl are also entered. Both athletes have thrown beyond 193 feet this season and rank among the top 10 performers in Division 1.

Cohen primed for sub-10 performance

Iowa Central Community College freshman Adva Cohen (Read feature story by Mary Albl) is not only looking to run under 10 minutes for the first time in her career in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase Thursday, but the top two-year college runner in the country is seeking even bigger goals.

In addition to lowering her Israeli national record and the fastest time in National Junior College Athletic Association history, Cohen is also pursuing the 2004 meet record of 9:57.03 set by Northern Arizona’s Ida Nilsson.

Cohen will also face a significant challenge from Team USA Minnesota professional Breanna Sieracki, an eight-time NCAA Division 2 All-American at University of Minnesota Duluth who has a personal-best 9:56.83.

Sieracki ran 10:10.05 on March 30 to win her section at the Stanford Invitational.

Only eight collegiate female athletes have produced sub-10 efforts this season, with only 28 women in the world achieving that goal this year.

Buckeyes look for breakthrough

Ohio State got its season started in impressive fashion by running 39.26 in the men’s 4x100 relay March 24 at the USC Power Five Trailblazer Challenge and followed it up with a 39.31 effort April 12 at the Tennessee Relays.

Eric Harrison, Nick Gray, Zack Bazile and Drelan Bramwell are not only looking to produce a sub-39 effort, but potentially challenge the 1983 meet record of 38.96 run by Alabama.

Only four collegiate programs have run under 39 seconds this season, with LSU the national leader at 38.84 from March 24 at Arizona State.

Small in stature, big-time talent

North Dakota State senior Alyssa Olin won the women’s javelin competition last year, throwing 155-4 (47.34m) in less-than-favorable conditions.

Not only is the 5-foot-2 standout back to defend her title Friday, but possibly challenge the 1983 meet record of 194-4 (59.24m) established by Nebraska’s Denise Thiemard.

Olin ranks No. 2 in NCAA Division 1 with a personal-best throw March 16 of 191-6 (58.36m) from the Baldy Castillo Invitational at Arizona State.

Olin, who threw 188-6 (57.45m) on her first attempt April 20 at the 24th Beach Invitational in Long Beach, Calif., has said throughout the season she is capable of a 60-meter effort with the right conditions.

North Dakota State freshman Kari Wolfe, who has thrown 170 feet (51.82m) this season, is also entered, giving the Bison the potential to take the top two spots for the second year in a row.

Determined to go the distance

Iowa State ran 9:32.14 in the men’s distance medley relay Feb. 17, but missed qualifying for the NCAA Division 1 Indoor Championships by less than two seconds.

Zach Black, Jaymes Dennison, Rashon Roomes and Dan Curts give the Cyclones the potential to challenge the meet record 9:30.45 set by Southern Methodist in 1983.

Curts, Dennison and Roomes competed in the DMR at last year’s meet, contributing to a ninth-place finish for Iowa State in 10:02.25.

There will also be state bragging rights at stake, with Iowa also entered after running 9:33.90 during the indoor season.

Luque looks to add to legacy

Iowa State senior Jhoanmy Luque is back to defend her titles in the women’s long jump and triple jump, but there is extra incentive for the Venezuelan talent following a pair of 44-foot efforts in the triple jump.

After placing fourth March 10 in the women’s triple jump at the NCAA Division 1 Indoor Championships with a leap of 44-10.75 (13.68m), Luque followed with a 44-9.50 (13.65m) performance March 31 at the Florida Relays and ranks No. 3 among collegiate athletes this season.

Luque, who will likely only jump three times in the long jump in order to focus more on the triple jump, is looking to soar past the 2003 meet record of 45-3 (13.79m) set by Minnesota’s Shani Marks.

In difficult weather conditions last year, Luque won with marks of 20-1 (6.12m) in the long jump and 43-0.50 (13.12m) in the triple jump.

Under the radar no more

Bradley junior Haran Dunderdale was perhaps only known among British runners when he entered the 3,000-meter steeplechase April 19 at the Bryan Clay Invitational.

But the Bradley junior quickly became more recognized among collegiate athletes with his performance at Azusa Pacific University.

Dunderdale clocked 8:50.90 to win his section, just off his personal-best 8:50.43, elevating him to No. 19 among NCAA Division 1 performers this season.

Dunderdale is entered Thursday in the 5,000 as part of the Distance Carnival, looking to add another personal best after also running 3:48.32 in the 1,500 at Bryan Clay.