By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The 113th Drake Relays presented by Xtream and Powered by Mediacom are scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, April 26-29 at Jim Duncan Track and Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.

WATCH THE 113TH DRAKE RELAYS PRESENTED BY XTREAM LIVE APRIL 27-29 ON USATF.TV

Here are 10 college and university storylines involving professional and collegiate athletes to keep an eye on at one of the most prestigious meets in the country:

One last hurrah for Harter

Before any Arkansas athletes compete at “America’s Athletic Classic,” women’s head coach Lance Harter will be inducted April 27 into the Drake Relays Coaches Hall of Fame, ahead of his final appearance at the event guiding the Razorbacks before his retirement at the end of the season.

Arkansas has an opportunity Friday night to add another relay victory to Harter’s resume in Des Moines, looking to win the women’s 4x800 for the first time since 2005, with Iowa and Utah expected to be the primary challengers.

The Razorbacks have captured 10 Drake Relays titles in Harter’s 33-year tenure, including three victories apiece in the 4x200 and 4x400, as well as the 1,600-meter sprint medley relay in 2012 and 2015, the latter contributing to Arkansas winning the Drake Relays Cup team title.

Kentucky produced the meet record in the women’s 4x800 last year by clocking 8:25.25, with Katie McCune, Lainey Quandt, Anastacia Gonzales and former Drake Relays winner and Carlisle High graduate Ainsley Erzen scheduled to compete for the Razorbacks in pursuit of the all-time mark.

Arkansas also has several athletes scheduled to race in the 800, 1,500, 3,000 steeplechase, 5,000 and 10,000. The Razorbacks’ lone individual win in the university/college division under Harter at Drake Relays has been Brittany Hyter in the 100-meter hurdles in 2012.

Full speed ahead for wheelchair competitors

One of the most significant additions to the Drake Relays schedule in recent years will occur Saturday with the showcase of the first collegiate wheelchair championships for male and female athletes.

Competitors from Arizona, Illinois and Michigan will square off in the Para-College 100-meter wheelchair races, many of which have represented the United States at the Paralympics.

Regional competitions were held at Arizona and Illinois, with the top three finishers in each race earning automatic berths to participate at the Drake Relays, in addition to the next two fastest performers earning at-large entries.

Illinois teammates Hannah Dederick, Jenna Fesemyer and Eva Houston, all Paralympians, headline the women’s 100-meter race against the Arizona trio of Jacie King, Camryn Ledford and Chelsea Stein, in addition to Michigan’s Maria Velat.

Valera Allen, Aidan Gravelle, Peyton Gunnarson, Dustin Stallberg and Wyatt Willand are competing for Arizona in the men’s 100-meter event, along with Illinois athletes Evan Correll, Phillip Croft and Jason Robinson.

Correll, a graduate of Waukee High in Iowa, was runner-up last year in the 800-meter wheelchair event and finished fourth in the 400-meter race at Drake Relays.

Willand is a graduate of Northwood-Kensett High in Iowa, who won the 400-meter race in his senior year last season at Drake Stadium.

The addition of the 100-meter wheelchair championship races at the Drake Relays is one of several initiatives stemming from the recently launched USOPC/NCAA Para-College Inclusion Project, which aims to unify the collegiate community, athletes, national governing bodies and the NCAA to advance Para and adaptive sport around the country.

The Relays Cups runneth over

For the first time in meet history, there will be a third set of team awards presented Saturday at Drake Stadium.

In addition to the University Relays Cup and the High School Relays Cup, the College Relays Cup will also be presented to the top men’s and women’s programs representing NCAA Division 2, NCAA Division 3, NAIA or Iowa Community College.

The University Relays Cup will crown the winner of the NCAA Division 1 men’s and women’s team competitions, with the combined performances from the 4x100, 4x400, 4x800, 1,600-meter sprint medley relay and distance medley relay determining the winners. The results of the 4x200 relay would be evaluated as a tiebreaker.

Iowa won the men’s Relays Cup for the third time last season, joining victories in 2017 and 2018 under coach Joey Woody.

Kentucky captured the women’s Relays Cup last year, but is not competing in Des Moines this season.

The Hawkeyes are again strong challengers for the men’s University Relays Cup, along with Air Force and Iowa State.

Utah, Iowa and Illinois State are the top contenders for the women’s University Relays Cup.

Going the distance

Although the 4x1,600-meter relays do not factor into the crowning of the Relays Cup champions, the fields Friday are again among the deepest in the entire meet.

Iowa State has held the men’s 4x1,600 meet record of 16:09.45 since 1981. The Cyclones are also the defending champions in the event and will have an opportunity to repeat against strong lineups from Air Force, Drake and Tulsa.

Isaac Basten is expected to be part of the Drake lineup, with Nate Osterstock also a potential member of the quartet. Iowa State could showcase Ezekiel Rop and Titus Winders, with Air Force including Eli Bennett and brothers Scott Maison and Sean Maison.

Oklahoma State produced the women’s 4x1,600 meet all-time mark of 18:58.11 from 2015.

Although Oklahoma State also won the title the past two years, the program is not competing in Des Moines this year, creating an opportunity for Air Force, Iowa State, Northwestern and Utah to challenge for the championship.

Ava Earl and Rachel McCardell are expected to race for Northwestern, with Ariel Keklak and Karli Branch potential competitors for Utah and Rachel Crytser part of the Air Force quartet.

Iowa State has entered a pair of relays, with Cailie Logue, Madelynn Hill and Iowa City Liberty graduate Ashlyn Keeney expected to be part of one lineup. Dana Feyen and Brenna Cohoon are scheduled to race for another quartet for the Cyclones.

The distance medley relays, held Saturday, also feature impressive depth, with Air Force, Drake and Iowa State all pursuing the SMU men’s meet all-time mark of 9:30.45 that has stood since 1983.

Notre Dame established the women’s DMR meet record by clocking 11:03.25 in 2021, with Air Force, Iowa, Iowa State, Minnesota and Utah all in contention to secure the title in the absence of last year’s winner Oklahoma State.

Raising the bar

The women’s high jump competition Saturday not only features of rematch of last year’s showdown involving Iowa Western Community College’s Miracle Ailes and Nebraska’s Jenna Rogers, but is scheduled to include three-time NCAA Division 2 champion Arika Harbo of Concordia-St. Paul, along with Division 1 finalists Daniella Anglin of South Dakota and Nyalaam Jok from Minnesota.

Ailes and Rogers battled inclement weather last year to both clear 5-11.50 (1.82m), with the Iowa Western standout making the height on her first try in comparison to the Nebraska All-American requiring two attempts.

Rogers boasts a personal-best 6-2.25 (1.89m), with Ailes clearing a lifetime-best 6-1.50 (1.87m).

Harbo, who won the Drake Relays heptathlon title last year, has cleared 5-11.50 (1.82m) on multiple occasions.

Ailes also won Drake Relays high jump titles in 2019 and 2021 representing Keokuk High and is seeking a fourth career championship at America’s Athletic Classic.

Rogers is attempting to become the first Nebraska female athlete to win the Drake Relays high jump since Sharon Burrill secured back-to-back titles in 1979-80.

Iowa State’s Gina Curtis has held the meet record of 6-2.25 since 2002.

Nebraska’s Mayson Conner is one of the elite competitors scheduled to participate in the men’s high jump Friday, squaring off against Grand Valley State’s Eli Kosiba, who cleared a personal-best 7-4.50 (2.25m) on April 21 at the Al Owens Classic.

Alabama’s Thomas McCants established the meet record of 7-5.75 (2.28m) in 1985.

Two laps, four divisions on display

The university men’s 800 matchup Saturday involves elite competitors from all three NCAA divisions, as well as a pair of teammates from Indian Hills Community College, offering plenty of intrigue in their quest to challenge the 1996 meet record of 1:46.53 established by Wichita State’s Einars Tupiritis.

Wes Ferguson from Nebraska-Kearney, the reigning NCAA Division 2 outdoor champion, finished second last year and is looking to continue his momentum following a lifetime-best 1:46.95 on April 14 at the Bryan Clay Invitational at Azusa Pacific University.

Mike Jasa of Loras College, the defending Division 3 indoor champion, boasts a personal-best 1:48.46.

They will square off against Iowa State’s Cebastian Gentil, who ran 1:46.75 indoors Feb. 11 at the Tyson Invitational in Arkansas, as well as Iowa’s Armando Bryson and his top mark of 1:48.31 last season.

The Indian Hills tandem of Rivaldo Marshall and Tyrice Taylor, along with Minnesota State’s Tanner Maier, are also expected to compete.

Cunningham back for more

Following a lifetime-best 32:43.64 performance April 13 in the 10,000 meters at the 63rd Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, Calif., that helped her elevate to the No. 3 all-time competitor in NCAA Division 2, Winona State standout Lindsay Cunningham is returning to Drake Stadium looking to repeat Thursday in the seeded section of the 5,000.

Cunningham clocked 16:05.36 last year to become the first Division 2 athlete to prevail in the event at the Drake Relays since 1980.

She ran 15:41.30 to secure the Division 2 indoor crown March 10 in Virginia Beach, with Cunningham looking to challenge the division’s all-time outdoor mark of 15:28.41 achieved last year by Adams State’s Roisin Flanagan.

Missouri graduate Karissa Schweizer produced the meet record of 15:23.21 in 2018.

Fiona Smith of Saint Benedict, who ascended to No. 3 in Division 3 history with her 33:23.89 effort at Mt. SAC Relays, is looking to become the fourth competitor in the division to eclipse the 16-minute barrier in the 5,000, joining Loras’ Kassie Parker, Wartburg’s Missy (Buttry) Rock and former Johns Hopkins standout Ella Baran.

Parker, who ran a record 15:37.00 on April 21 at the Payton Jordan Invitational at Stanford’s Cobb Track and Angell Field, is only expected to compete in relays for Loras at Drake Stadium.

Smith was fifth at Drake Relays last year in 16:16.54, with fellow Division 3 All-American Anastasia Tucker of Hope taking 11th last season in 16:36.95.

Tucker clocked 16:29.34 indoors in December at Grand Valley State in Michigan.

Iowa State’s Alison Pray, competing unattached, has clocked 15:59.63, and is joined by Northwestern’s Rachel McCardell and her personal-best 15:50.78, Air Force’s Halle Hamilton and her lifetime-best 15:51.39, with reigning Drake Relays 10,000 champion Leah Hansen of South Dakota State also scheduled to race.

Hansons-Brooks ODP teammates Sarah Disanza, Angelia Rafter, Stephanie Sherman and Kathryn Munks are also scheduled to compete.

Disanza boasts a lifetime-best 15:20.57 indoors, with Rafter achieving an indoor personal-best 15:57.74 in December, Sherman clocking 16:07.58 indoors and Munks running 16:11.25.

Chinese athlete XiuZhen Ma could also be in contention with her lifetime-best 15:55.27.

Stars to be showcased in shuttle hurdles relays

Nebraska standout Darius Luff is not only expected to compete in the men’s 110-meter hurdles, but is also scheduled to lead the Cornhuskers in the 4x110 shuttle hurdles relay Saturday.

Luff, the runner-up in the 110 hurdles at last year’s Drake Relays, triumphed March 25 at the 95th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays in a lifetime-best 13.39.

Nebraska is expected to have Till Steinforth, Brithton Senior and Omar Rodgers competing along with Luff in the shuttle hurdles relay lineup.

Iowa and Illinois, the top two program’s in last year’s race, are not scheduled to compete Saturday.

Indiana State, the 2021 champion, is entered again after not finishing the race last season. The Sycamores still hold the meet record of 55.06 from 2001.

Birgen Nelson, the NCAA Division 3 record holder in the indoor 60-meter hurdles and the division’s reigning outdoor 100-meter hurdles champion, is leading Gustavus Adolphus in the women’s 4x100 shuttle hurdles relay.

Rowan is the only Division 3 program ever to run under a minute in the shuttle hurdles relay, clocking 59.52 in 2017.

Eastern Illinois edged Indiana State last year, with South Dakota State capturing the title in 2021.

Only Indiana State is expected to race Saturday, along with Iowa, Iowa State, North Dakota State and South Dakota.

Iowa’s lineup is expected to include freshmen Natalie Harris and Ellie Rickertsen, along with Katie Petersen and Miya Brines. Harris secured Drake Relays high school titles at both Waukee and Waukee Northwest, with Rickertsen a runner-up during her career at Northeast Goose Lake High.

Iowa State’s quartet includes freshman Mackenzie Carney, a Waukee Northwest graduate and an athlete who won Drake Relays titles for three schools during her prep career, along with Ames and Waukee.

Academy of Art, an NCAA Division 2 program, produced the meet’s all-time mark of 52.50 in 2013.

Zaltos looks to put hammer down again

Minnesota All-American Kostas Zaltos, representing Greece, is looking to repeat as men’s hammer throw champion following a 236-1 (71.95m) performance last year.

Zaltos, who took third at last year’s Division 1 outdoor final, produced a lifetime-best March 24 at the Clyde Hart Classic at Baylor with a 240-8 (73.36m) effort.

Drake’s Anthony Barmes and North Dakota State’s Trevor Otterdahl are fellow top-15 collegiate competitors scheduled to square off against Zaltos.

Barmes achieved a personal-best 231-5 (70.53m) performance April 14 at the Jim Duncan Invitational.

Otterdahl is looking to surpass the 70-meter mark for the first time after achieving a 228-9 (69.73m) effort March 24 at the 95th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays.

Dylan Kucera, an NAIA shot put champion and hammer throw All-America at Midland, is also expected to compete.

The meet record of 238-9 (72.77m) was set in 2002 by SMU legend Libor Charfreitag and equaled in 2008 by Auburn’s Cory Martin.

Mavericks on a mission to get record, title

Minnesota State made history in the women’s 4x200-meter relay last year by producing the second-fastest performance in NCAA Division 2 history at 1:34.87, finishing runner-up in the race behind Kentucky (1:32.98).

The Mavericks return the entire lineup of Denisha Cartwright, Ja’Cey Simmons, Rose Cramer and Makayla Jackson and are motivated to not only capture the championship and Division 2 record, but move into the all-time collegiate top 25.

Lincoln (Missouri) ran the Division 2 record 1:34.84 at the 2010 Drake Relays, still the fastest performance by any program outside of Division 1 in meet history. Texas Southern still boasts the all-time 4x200 mark of 1:31.96 in 1989.

Minnesota State, which is looking to be the first Division 2 program since Lincoln in 1997 to run the fastest overall time at the meet, expects to be challenged by Purdue, South Dakota, Indiana State and Utah.

St. Norbert also set the Division 3 all-time mark by securing fifth place in last year’s race in 1:40.05.

Loras was 10th overall last season in 1:40.79, improving to No. 4 in Division 3 history.

Harmony Creasy and Brooke Kruse return for the Duhawks from last year’s lineup, and are expected to be joined by Marion Edwards and Kelly Kohlhof.