April 26, 2008
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DES MOINES, IA — A shattered school record was the highlight for the University of Iowa men and women’s track and field teams in Saturday’s final day of competition at the 99th annual Drake Relays in Des Moines, IA.
The Hawkeye women’s 6,400-meter relay of senior Diane Nukuri, junior Racheal Marchand, graduate student Sarah Henize and senior Meghan Armstrong shattered the school record of 20:39.12 by over one minute with their third-place finish of 19:15.42. Former Hawkeyes Nikki Chapple, Jordan Laney, Katie Donlon and Michelle Sokol set the previous record in 2005.
The top finish of the day for the Iowa men’s squad was second place by the sprint medley relay of seniors Max Milder and Lee Elbert, freshman Chris Barton and sophomore Adam Hairston. The quartet ran a season-best 3:21.24 in the race.
Iowa’s 3,000-meter steeplechase runners – senior Jessica Schmidt and junior Andy Napier – also posted strong performances. Schmidt placed fifth in the women’s race with a time of 10:34.60, while Napier placed sixth in the men’s race in 9:05.50.
Recording season-best marks on the day for the Hawkeye men were sophomores Ray Varner and Dan Rolling. Varner placed eighth in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 51.27, which betters his previous NCAA regional qualifying mark in that event. Rolling posted a 6-6 3/4 in the high jump.
Two former Hawkeyes and a current staff member also competed in Saturday’s special invitation races. Former Hawkeye Tiffany Johnson placed fifth in the 100-meter hurdles (13.74). The two-time Drake Relays University 100-meter hurdles champion is the only women’s student-athlete in Hawkeye school history to win consecutive Drake titles in the same event. Former Hawkeye sprinter and current women’s assistant coach Shellene Williams placed fifth in the women’s 400 meters (53.62). Hawkeye men’s assistant coach Joey Woody placed fourth in the men’s 400-meter hurdles (50.93).
Iowa’s next competition will be Saturday, May 3, in Iowa City when it hosts the 10th annual co-ed Musco Twilight Meet at Francis X. Cretzmeyer Track. The Big Ten Network will air a tape-delay broadcast of the meet on May 14 at 7 p.m. (CT). Competing teams include Drake, Minnesota, Northern Iowa and Wisconsin. Events are scheduled to start at 3 p.m. Admission is $3 for adults and $2 each for groups of 15 or more. University of Iowa students and fans ages 18 and under will be admitted free.
IOWA WOMEN’S SATURDAY DRAKE RELAYS RESULTS (Event Winner Plus Iowa Placers)
6,400 meter relay
1. Baylor 19:05.80
3. Iowa 19:15.42
(Nukuri, Marchand, Henize, Armstrong)
3,000-Meter Steeplechase
1. Emily Brown (Team USA) 9:45.38
5. Jessica Schmidt (Iowa) 10:34.60
Hammer
1. Brittany Riley (S. Illinois) 217-5
18. Erin O’Hern (Iowa) 155-7
IOWA MEN’S SATURDAY DRAKE RELAYS RESULTS (Event Winner Plus Iowa Placers)
Sprint Medley
1. Long Beach State 3:18.73
2. Iowa 3:21.24
(Milder, Elbert, Barton, Hairston)
400-Meter Hurdles
1. Justin Gaymon (Georgia) 49.26
8. Ray Varner (Iowa) 51.27
Distance Medley
1. Indiana 9:49.05
16. Iowa 10:17.87
(B. MacTaggart, Splan, Dolan, Paul)
800 Meters
1. Dominic Tanui (Texas-El Paso) 1:49.38
8. Adam Hairston (Iowa) 1:52.57
3,000-Meter Steeplechase
1. Barnabas Kirui (Mississippi) 8:52.56
6. Andy Napier (Iowa) 9:05.50
Discus
1. Clendon Henderson (Liberty) 181-11
10. A.J. Curtis (Iowa) 159-7
13. Shane Maier (Iowa) 156-2
High Jump
1. Ehi Oamen (N. Iowa) 7-0 1/4
17. Dan Rolling (Iowa) 6-6 3/4
Triple Jump
1. Kyle Jenkins (Indiana) 53-5 3/4
13. Matty Gorman (Iowa) 47-1 1/2
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