University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Win Drake Relays 4x1,600m Title
4/29/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
Yetzer collected her fourth career Drake Relays title in the 4x1,600-meter relay. She is the first Gopher to accomplish this feat. Overall, she has won five Drake Relays in her Gopher career. Yetzer took the baton for the anchor leg in second place and ran an impressive race to give the Gophers a comfortable margin of victory.
“All the previous legs had run strong,” said Yetzer. “I was okay to be in second place. I was actually excited that I got to race someone. It was an advantage for me because I got to tuck behind the Iowa runner and avoid the wind a little bit.”
Swenson and Yetzer will compete in the 4x800-meter relay on Friday evening. Minnesota has won the last four titles in that event.
“It’s something we definitely look forward to, right up there with Big Tens,” said Swenson of competing in the Drake Relays.
Also competing at the Drake Relays on Thursday was Ashlie Decker in the 5,000 meters. Decker placed seventh with a season-best time of 16:53.35.
Watch more video of 2011 Drake Relays on flotrack.org
Minnesota had a contingent of athletes competing in Philadelphia in the Penn Relays, unfortunately rainy weather made the conditions less than ideal. The 4x100-meter and 4x400-meter relays advanced to College Finals to highlight the day for the Gophers at the oldest track meet in the nation.
The 4x100-meter relay of Todea-Kay Willis, Nyoka Giles, Chimerem Okoroji and Alena Brooks clocked a time of 46.21 seconds to advance to Friday’s final. Sharyn Dahl, Giles, Brooks and Kelly Stalpes posted a time of 3:42.00 in the 4x400-meter relay to move on to Saturday’s final.
Dahl placed 14th in the 400-meter hurdles in a time of 1:00.43, while Stalpes finished 26th with a time of 1:01.28.
Natalie Devine and Kim Hovey led the Gophers in the field events. Devine finished fifth in the College High Jump with a height of 5 feet, 7 3/4 inches. Hovey placed fifth in the College Shot Put with a throw of 46-2 1/2. She added a sixth-place showing the College Discus with a throw of 156-10. Willis also competed in the long jump and placed 19th with a leap of 18-2 1/2.
“Coming to the Penn Relays is quite an experience,” said Minnesota head coach Matt Bingle. “I was happy our relays advanced. Hopefully the weather will improve so we can compete at the highest level
Watch more video of 2011 Drake Relays on flotrack.org
Players Mentioned
