Drake Relays
The Drake Relays is an annual track and field meet held at Drake Stadium on the campus of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, featuring elite competitions across sprinting, distance running, field events, and relays for high school, collegiate, and professional athletes from around the world.[1] Founded in 1910 by John L. Griffith, the university's athletic director, the inaugural event took place on April 23 during a snowstorm, drawing 82 local athletes from Des Moines-area colleges and high schools before an audience of about 100 spectators.[2] Over the decades, it has grown into a four-day spectacle in late April, attracting over 40,000 fans annually and earning its nickname as "America's Athletic Classic" for hosting numerous world records, Olympic champions, and barrier-breaking performances.[3] The event's expansion began rapidly after its start: by 1914, it included participants from across the Midwest, and in 1922, it extended to two days with the introduction of radio broadcasts, further boosting its national profile.[1] In 1926, the meet moved to the newly constructed Drake Stadium, which seated 18,500 and became a permanent venue, enabling larger crowds and more complex events.[1] The Relays has been pivotal in advancing inclusivity in athletics; women's events debuted in 1961 with Olympic gold medalist Wilma Rudolph competing in the 100 meters, marking a significant step toward gender equality in track and field.[2] It also hosted early integrated competitions, with Jesse Owens setting an American long jump record of 26 feet 1¾ inches in 1935.[4] Renowned for its competitive prestige, the Drake Relays has drawn legendary figures such as Carl Lewis, who placed third in the 100 meters in 1994, and Michael Johnson, who triumphed in the 200 meters in 1996, alongside setting multiple meet records that still stand.[3] The meet routinely produces world-leading performances and has been a key stop on the professional circuit, with recent editions like 2024 and 2025 featuring record-breaking relays, Ryan Crouser's world-leading shot put throw of 21.63 meters, and multiple steeplechase records as of April 2025.[5] Beyond elite competition, it incorporates community elements like the Grand Blue Mile road race and family activities, solidifying its role as a cultural cornerstone of Iowa and a premier showcase for track and field's global talent.[3]History
Founding and Early Years
The Drake Relays were founded in 1910 by John L. Griffith, the athletic director at Drake University, who sought to address the lack of adequate track facilities in the region and to stimulate early-season interest in the sport among students.[1] Griffith, who had joined the university in 1908 as a coach for football and track, envisioned a relay carnival that would bring together local institutions without the high travel costs associated with attending distant indoor meets.[6] This initiative marked the first multiday track-and-field event of its kind in the Midwest, emphasizing collegiate competition while also including high school athletes from the outset to foster community engagement in Des Moines, Iowa.[1] The inaugural meet took place on April 23, 1910, on a makeshift field at Drake University, drawing 82 athletes and approximately 100 spectators, all from nearby Iowa colleges such as Simpson College, Highland Park College, and Des Moines College, as well as local high schools and even non-athletic groups like literary societies and Sunday School classes.[7] The event focused primarily on relay races and fundamental track events, held under challenging blizzard-like conditions that tested the resolve of participants and organizers alike. Despite the harsh weather, the meet proceeded, highlighting Griffith's determination to establish the Relays as a recurring tradition.[6] In the early years through the 1920s, the Relays faced ongoing hurdles, including persistent weather disruptions, limited budgets that constrained promotion and infrastructure, and modest attendance that underscored the event's initial local scope.[1] Griffith served as director until 1918, during which time participation gradually expanded to include more Midwest universities, such as Nebraska and Minnesota by 1912, through collaborative efforts with prominent coaches like Alonzo Stagg.[1] These challenges ultimately spurred the push for better facilities; by 1925, after the final meet at the temporary Haskins Field—which could seat between 7,000 and 12,000 spectators—construction began on a dedicated permanent venue to accommodate growing interest.[1]Growth and International Recognition
The Drake Relays began attracting professional and elite amateur athletes in the 1930s, marking a shift from its regional collegiate roots toward broader prestige, exemplified by Jesse Owens' participation in 1935, where he set an American record in the broad jump at 26 feet 1¾ inches.[8][9] This era saw the event evolve into a platform for high-caliber competition, with the first world record set in 1914, but sustained growth in the 1930s solidified its reputation for record-breaking performances.[10] Following World War II, the Relays actively invited international competitors, enhancing its global appeal; in 1948, four foreign athletes combined to win a relay event for the first time in meet history, while Harrison Dillard's victory in the 120-yard high hurdles qualified him for the U.S. Olympic team, where he later won gold.[11][12] Attendance surged during this period, reflecting the event's rising stature; from hundreds in the early years, crowds reached 10,000 by 1922 and climbed to 17,000 for Owens' appearance in 1935, with sellout conditions becoming common starting in the 1960s as the meet expanded to three days.[13][8] By the 1970s, the Relays were officially designated "America's Athletic Classic," a title underscoring its status as a premier track and field event, and attendance exceeded 15,000 annually by 1980, providing significant economic benefits to Des Moines through visitor spending on lodging, dining, and local commerce.[14][15] The inclusion of women's events further propelled growth, beginning in 1961 with Wilma Rudolph's appearance in the 100 meters and expanding significantly in the 1970s amid the influence of Title IX, which promoted gender equity in sports and led to more competitive fields and records in female categories.[2][10] This development, alongside milestones like the 1948 Olympic qualifications, positioned the Drake Relays as a key international showcase, drawing athletes from around the world and establishing it as a vital precursor to global competitions like the Olympics.[8]Venue
Drake Stadium Overview
Drake Stadium was constructed in 1925 as a dedicated track and field facility on the campus of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, replacing the earlier wooden Haskins Field that had hosted the inaugural Drake Relays since 1910.[16] The new stadium, built with concrete and steel, opened on October 10, 1925, and was designed specifically to accommodate large-scale athletic events, including an oval track with extended straightaways optimized for relay baton passes.[17] Its initial configuration featured a standard multi-lane cinder track surrounding an infield area for field events, marking a significant upgrade in permanence and capacity for collegiate and invitational competitions.[16] The stadium's architecture emphasized functionality for track and field, with a horseshoe-shaped grandstand providing unobstructed views of the oval and infield. Originally seating approximately 18,000 spectators, it quickly became the exclusive venue for the Drake Relays starting in 1926, hosting the event annually thereafter.[16] Over the decades, the facility has earned the nickname "Blue Oval" due to the distinctive color of its track surface, a feature introduced in later resurfacing efforts that has since symbolized its iconic status in American athletics.[1] As the enduring home of the Drake Relays, Drake Stadium has hosted more than 100 editions of the meet, underscoring its role as a cornerstone of track and field history and a testament to the event's longevity and cultural impact.[18] Major renovations in subsequent years have preserved and enhanced its capabilities while maintaining its central position on campus.[16]Renovations and Features
In 2006, Drake Stadium underwent a comprehensive $15 million renovation project that modernized the facility while preserving its historic character.[19] Key upgrades included the installation of a new Mondo synthetic track surface meeting international competition standards, an expanded press box to accommodate media needs, improved permanent lighting systems enabling evening events, and enhancements to restrooms, concessions, and patron access for better overall usability.[20][21][22] The renovation adjusted the stadium's seating capacity to 14,557, incorporating aluminum bleachers for comfort and durability, along with a state-of-the-art video scoreboard and advanced timing systems suitable for elite-level track and field competitions.[19][22] These additions supported high-precision event management and spectator engagement during the Drake Relays. Further features include dedicated fan zones on the north concourse, offering interactive activities such as face painting and balloon art to enhance the family-friendly atmosphere.[23] Integrated technology, including live results platforms and broadcast capabilities via livestreams on platforms like RunnerSpace, has streamlined real-time updates and global accessibility for the event.[24][25] In August 2025, Drake University launched the $6 million Drake Stadium Centennial Campaign to mark the venue's 100th anniversary and fund infrastructure upgrades, including replacement of the track and field event surfaces, improved lighting, and enhanced accessibility features. As of November 2025, the campaign is ongoing, with a $600,000 leadership gift from Prairie Meadows supporting the initiative.[18] These improvements have significantly elevated the venue's profile, allowing Drake Stadium to host major national competitions alongside the annual Relays, such as the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in 2008, 2011, and 2012, as well as USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships in 2010, 2013, 2018, and 2019.[26][27][28]Organization and Management
Directors
The Drake Relays have been directed by a sequence of 12 individuals since 1910, with the role appointed by the Drake University Department of Athletics to oversee planning, operations, and growth of the annual event. Since 2010, the position has been formally endowed and titled the Franklin "Pitch" Johnson Director of the Drake Relays, honoring Franklin Pitcher Johnson, a former track coach at Drake (1928–1940) and Relays director (1933–1940) who elevated the meet's prestige through innovative event formats and international invitations.[29][30] The inaugural director, John L. Griffith, served from 1910 to 1918 while also acting as Drake's athletic director. Griffith's founding vision transformed a modest local competition into the Midwest's first multi-day track carnival, held initially on April 22–23, 1910, despite challenging weather that limited early participation to 82 athletes from nearby institutions. He fostered collaboration among regional coaches by hosting invitational dinners and expanding participation to major universities like Nebraska and Wisconsin by 1914, laying the groundwork for the event's enduring traditions.[1][31] Subsequent directors built on this foundation through the mid-20th century, with the role often held concurrently by the head track coach or athletic director, emphasizing steady growth in competitive fields and facilities. By the late 1960s, the position evolved to focus on professional management amid rising national prominence. Bob Ehrhart's tenure from 1969 to 2000 marked the longest in Relays history at 31 years, during which he significantly expanded the invitational format and secured corporate sponsorships to support larger-scale operations. Under his leadership, the number of events grew from 49 to over 100, participant entries tripled from 2,763 in 1970 to a record 9,185 in 2000, and the meet attracted elite talents including Olympic gold medalists like Jim Hines, Bruce Jenner, and Michael Johnson, while setting one world record, three American records, and 15 meet records.[32][16][33] Brian Brown succeeded as the 11th director from 2005 to 2016, maintaining momentum through enhanced metro-area engagement before transitioning to university administration elsewhere.[34] The current 12th director, Blake Boldon, has served since October 2016, prioritizing digital innovation and broader accessibility. Boldon oversees communications, marketing, broadcasting, and video production to amplify the event's reach, while forging partnerships with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, Special Olympics Iowa, and Adaptive Sports Iowa to introduce inclusive elements like the Collegiate Wheelchair 100 Championship. His initiatives have set over 50 new Relays records and expanded programming, such as the Blue Oval Showcase during the 2020 pandemic and off-site events like team shot put at Jordan Creek Town Center.[35]Event Structure and Scheduling
The Drake Relays operates as an annual four-day outdoor track and field competition held in late April at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa, attracting athletes from various levels to compete on the iconic blue oval track. The 2025 edition, marking the 115th running of the event, occurred from Wednesday, April 23, to Saturday, April 26, commencing with preliminary rounds primarily for high school competitors on the opening day and building to championship finals for elite athletes on the concluding Saturday. This structure allows for a progressive escalation in competition intensity, with early days focusing on qualifiers and later sessions highlighting top performances across multiple disciplines.[23][36] The event is organized into distinct divisions: the high school division, restricted to Iowa athletes; the collegiate division, open to university and college teams; and the invitational division, featuring elite professional and select top collegiate competitors. More than 20 events are scheduled throughout the meet, including sprints (such as the 100m and 200m), middle-distance and distance races, field events like the high jump, long jump, shot put, and javelin, and relay formats including the 4x100m, 4x400m, and distance medley relay. Scheduling integrates prelims and finals across days, with high school events concentrated Wednesday through Friday and elite championships reserved for Saturday to maximize spectator engagement.[37][38][36] Operational logistics emphasize efficient participant management, with high school entries processed exclusively online via the Varsity Bound platform from early March until mid-April, requiring verification through fully automatic timing (FAT) for all submitted performances. Qualification for the high school division relies on meeting the Blue Oval Standards, performance benchmarks tailored to each event to ensure competitive fields. Collegiate and invitational participants are selected via direct invitations based on recent results and rankings, streamlining the process for higher-level competitors. The meet's visibility is enhanced through live streaming partnerships, primarily with RunnerSpace.com for comprehensive coverage, supplemented by local cable broadcasts on Mediacom channels for select sessions.[37][39][40] Distinctive elements include the Friday evening Distance Carnival, a dedicated block for endurance-focused events starting at 5 p.m. with the women's 4x800m relay and progressing through longer races up to the 10,000m, often capped by a fireworks display to celebrate the feats of distance runners. Community integration is evident in ancillary races like the Grand Blue Mile, a one-mile street event held on Tuesday, April 22, in 2025, which doubles as the USATF 1-Mile Road Championships and draws public participants alongside elite fields, fostering broader accessibility during Relays Week.[36][23][41]Competition Categories
Collegiate and Professional Events
The Collegiate and Professional Events at the Drake Relays consist of invitational competitions drawing top NCAA Division I teams and elite professionals, held annually as part of the meet's championship program. These events encompass a range of track and field disciplines, including relay races such as the 4x100m, 4x400m, and 4x1600m, as well as individual competitions from sprints like the 100m and 110m hurdles to middle-distance races (800m, 1500m), longer distances up to the 10,000m, and field events including shot put, high jump, pole vault, discus, and hammer throw.[42][43] Professional athletes, often Olympians and world-ranked competitors, are drawn to the meet by significant prize money and its status as a World Athletics Continental Tour Silver Level event, which awards ranking points toward qualification for major championships like the Olympics and World Championships. For instance, winners in select events, such as the USATF 1 Mile Championships hosted within the Relays, receive $10,000, marking one of the largest purses for such distances in the U.S.[44][45] The collegiate component emphasizes competition among teams from the Missouri Valley Conference, including host Drake University, alongside powerhouses like Iowa, Iowa State, Nebraska, and Oregon, with team scoring systems that highlight relay performances to crown overall winners in the University/College division.[42][46] Events feature limited fields of 8-12 competitors per discipline to maintain elite quality, blending collegiate development with professional showcase opportunities.[47] Historically, the Relays began as an amateur collegiate and regional competition in 1910 but fully integrated professional athletes through invitational selections and enhanced incentives since the 2010s.[48][45]High School Championships
The high school championships at the Drake Relays originated in 1911, when Iowa boys began competing in select events as part of the predominantly collegiate meet, marking the integration of prep-level competition into America's Athletic Classic.[49] This division quickly became a cornerstone of the event, providing a national platform for emerging talent and serving as a key precursor to Iowa's state high school championships held three weeks later.[49] Annually attracting over 2,000 participants from Iowa high schools—based on 138 boys' teams and 128 girls' teams represented in 2024, with similar participation in 2025—the championships emphasize regional excellence while fostering the state's storied track and field tradition.[50] Competitions unfold across the four-day meet schedule, featuring scaled versions of elite events such as the 100m dash, 4x100m relay, shot put, and distance races like the 3200m, with formats including preliminaries and finals determined by field sizes.[37] Qualification relies on the Blue Standards system, introduced in 2018, which grants automatic entry to Iowa athletes meeting event-specific performance thresholds using fully automatic timing; for instance, the 2025 boys' 100m standard requires a time under 10.80 seconds.[37] These championships hold profound significance in talent development, acting as a vital pipeline to collegiate programs and exposing athletes to high-level competition that has historically produced Olympians and national standouts.[49] Top performers are honored with dedicated awards, including the Robert Kramme Award for the outstanding high school boys' athlete and the Gerry Cooley Award for girls, recognizing exceptional contributions during the meet.[51] Over the decades, the division has witnessed landmark achievements, such as national high school records set by Iowa prep athletes.[49]Meet Records
Men's Events
The men's events at the Drake Relays encompass a range of track and field competitions, including sprints, middle-distance runs, hurdles, relays, and field events, with all-time records reflecting the meet's long history of elite performances since its inception in 1910. These records are primarily set in the invitational divisions, where professional and top collegiate athletes compete, and many coincide with American or world records due to the event's prestige during the invitational era from the 1970s onward. Wind-aided marks are noted where applicable, particularly in sprint and jump events, and all distances are provided with metric conversions for clarity.[52]| Event | Record | Athlete | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 m | 10.01 s | Harvey Glance (Auburn) | 1976 | Wind-aided (+2.0 m/s); set during invitational era and remains the fastest legal time in meet history.[52] |
| 400 m hurdles | 48.28 s | Danny Harris (Iowa State) | 1986 | Set during invitational era.[52] |
| High jump | 2.40 m (7 ft 10.5 in) | Derek Drouin (Nike) | 2014 | Current all-time mark; earlier notable height of 2.33 m (7 ft 7.75 in) by Dwight Stones in 1976 highlighted American dominance in the event.[52] |
| 4x100 m relay | 39.93 s | Texas-El Paso | 2004 | University men; representative of relay excellence, with faster university times like 38.96 s by Alabama in 1983.[52] |
| Shot put | 22.38 m (73 ft 5.25 in) | Ryan Crouser (Nike) | 2023 | Ongoing updates in field events; coincides with world-leading throws.[53] |
Women's Events
The women's events at the Drake Relays were first introduced in 1961, with Wilma Rudolph becoming the inaugural winner of the 100 meters, representing a pivotal moment in opening the meet to female athletes after nearly four decades focused solely on men.[2] This addition aligned with broader societal shifts toward gender equity in sports, and the program expanded dramatically following the enactment of Title IX in 1972, which mandated equal opportunities for women in educational programs, including athletics.[55] Post-Title IX, participation grew exponentially, transforming the women's division into a showcase for elite collegiate and professional competitors across sprints, hurdles, middle-distance and distance runs, throws, and jumps.[56] By the 1990s, the integration of professional fields elevated the competition, fostering deeper talent pools and more frequent record progressions in events like the mile and hurdles.[57] Today, the women's events emphasize diversity in disciplines, with hurdles testing speed and technique, distance races highlighting endurance, throws showcasing power, and jumps demonstrating precision and explosiveness. These categories have seen steady advancements, reflecting the overall professionalization of women's track and field. Representative all-time records in select women's events illustrate the meet's competitive legacy:| Event | Performance | Athlete | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100m | 11.06 s | LaShauntea Moore | 2010 |
| 800m | 2:00.03 | Ajee' Wilson (adidas) | 2015 |
| Pole Vault | 4.88 m | Sandi Morris (Nike) | 2018 |
Relay and Mixed Events
The relay events at the Drake Relays have formed a cornerstone of the meet since its founding in 1910, when the inaugural competition emphasized team-based races to foster early-season interest in track and field among local colleges and high schools.[2] These events highlight the importance of synchronization among teammates, particularly in baton exchanges, which demand precision on the 400-meter oval track of Drake Stadium—a layout that facilitates smooth transitions in straightaways and curves.[46] Over the decades, relays have evolved to include international participation, with teams from around the world becoming fixtures starting in the 1950s, elevating the competition's global prestige.[59] Mixed-gender events add a distinctive layer to the program, promoting inclusivity and varied strategies in team composition. The shuttle hurdle relay, a signature mixed format, involves four athletes navigating hurdles in a back-and-forth pattern across the infield, underscoring coordination under pressure as runners must reverse direction without losing momentum.[60] This event's design aligns well with the stadium's compact field space, allowing for dynamic passes that test agility and trust among mixed teams. In recent years, the meet has expanded mixed opportunities, such as introducing a middle school 4x400-meter mixed relay in 2025 to engage younger athletes in coed competition.[61] While 2025 featured strong performances in mixed formats, no all-time records were broken in these categories.[62] Meet records in relay and mixed events reflect the high level of competition across divisions. The following table summarizes select records for key relays, focusing on invitational and university levels where international and elite teams often compete.| Event | Record | Team/Athletes | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men's 4x100m Relay (University) | 38.84 | North Carolina A&T | 2022 |
| Women's 4x400m Relay (University) | 3:28.42 | Purdue | 2018 |
| Men's Distance Medley Relay (University) | 9:30.45 | Southern Methodist | 1983 |
| Mixed 4x100/110m Shuttle Hurdle Relay (Invitational) | 54.42 | Team Blue (K. Castlin, S. Adams, N. Ali, E. Lovett) | 2016 |