Hawkeyes Win Drake Relays Hy-Vee Cup

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DES MOINES, Iowa — The University of Iowa track and field team won the Drake Relays Hy-Vee Cup for the third consecutive year. This time, it was the women’s turn to bring the trophy home after tallying 26 points on Saturday.

“This was an unprecedented weekend for the Hawkeye women,” Iowa Director of Track and Field Joey Woody said. “Multiple Drake Champions and top-three finishes across all event groups, and to finish the weekend winning the Hy-Vee Cup is spectacular. The men also had a great weekend across all event groups. We had some champions in the long jump and discus, and multiple top-three finishes.”
 
The Hawkeye women scored 10 points for winning the sprint medley relay, and eight points for each of their second-place finishes in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter relays.
 
Sophomore Antonise Christian, junior Talia Buss, senior Briana Guillory, and senior Taylor Arco won the sprint medley relay in 3:54.18 to move into sixth all-time at Iowa, and junior Jenny Kimbro, sophomores Aly Weum and Addie Swanson, and freshman Peyton Wensel placed second in the 1,600-meter relay to compliment the Hawkeyes’ Friday night 3,200-meter relay.
 
“The Hawkeyes showed what it takes to win a conference championship,” Woody said. “The biggest takeaway was the tremendous depth we had to pick up the slack when we needed it most.
 
“Addie Swanson started the weekend off with a huge personal best and won her heat in the 400-meter hurdles,” Woody said. “Then, she came back to run the shuttle hurdle relay today in an event she’s never competed before and finished the weekend off by stepping in to run the 1,600-meter relay when we needed her the most. That’s what being a great teammate is, we need athletes who will step up and fight for each other.”
 
On the men’s side, the Hawkeyes placed second in the race for the Hy-Vee cup with 23 points, scoring in the 3,200-meter relay (eight points), 1,600-meter relay (six points), sprint medley relay (six points), and distance medley relay (three points).
 
Juniors Karayme Bartley and Antonio Woodard, and seniors Mar’yea Harris and Carter Lilly finished the sprint medley relay in 3:54.18 to place third, and freshman Wayne Lawrence Jr., senior Noah Larrison, and juniors Austin Lietz and Chris Thompson finished the 1,600-meter relay in 3:12.54 to place third.
 
The men’s distance medley relay, including junior Tysen VanDraska, Lawrence Jr., and juniors Nolan Teubel and Nathan Mylenek earned an Iowa top-10 time, ranking sixth with a 9:53.14 finish.
 
The Hawkeyes continued the success on the field with wins from senior Reno Tuufuli in discus (58.88m, 193-2) and freshman James Carter in the long jump (7.34 meters, 24-1). Carter’s jump is a wind aided (+4.1) personal best.
 
“James Carter was a fun surprise today in the long jump,” Woody said. “I’m excited to see what he does in two weeks in both events to contribute to our team points.”
 
Junior Jenny Kimbro and sophomore Anthony Williams closed out the top-three finishes for the Hawkeyes. Kimbro finished second in the 100-meter hurdles with a wind-aided (+2.3) personal best in the 100-meter hurdles (13.34), and Williams finished the 110-meter hurdles in 14.14 to finish third.
 
“I thought Jenny Kimbro had another great weekend after breaking the school record in the Heptathlon last weekend,” Woody said. “She came out and narrowly missed winning two Drake flags in both hurdle events and had a great relay leg to give us another runner-up finish.”
 
The Hawkeyes have two weeks off from competition before hosting the 2019 Big Ten Outdoor Championships on May 10-12 at Cretzmeyer Track. For more information, head to hawkeyesports.com/B1GTrack.

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