By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Here are 10 storylines involving collegiate athletes to follow Friday and Saturday at the 110th Drake Relays Presented by HyVee at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.

Programming note: You can watch the live Webcast here of the meet Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The USATF.TV broadcast and on-demand videos will only be available for USATF.TV +PLUS subscribers. Subscribe here.

Tausaga seeks throwing double

Iowa junior Laulauga Tausaga is coming off the best outdoor meet of her collegiate career April 20 at the 25th Beach Invitational at Long Beach State’s Jack Rose Track and she looks to continue the momentum Friday with a potential sweep of both the women’s university-college discus throw and shot put.

Tausaga, the defending shot put champion with a mark of 54-11.25 (16.74m) shares the collegiate lead with UCLA sophomore Alyssa Wilson at 59-1.50 (18.02m).

Tausaga also ranks No. 2 among collegiate athletes in the discus with a personal-best 204-4 (62.28m).

Although challenging the 2013 shot put meet record of 60-11.25 (18.57m) held by Tia Brooks might be a big task for Tausaga, she is well within striking distance of the 2004 discus throw meet record of 205-5 (62.61m) belonging to Nebraska’s Becky Breisch.

Both competitions feature impressive depth, with North Dakota State freshman Akealy Moton (56-8.75/17.29m), Minnesota freshman Tess Keyzers (54-2.50/16.52m), Iowa junior Nia Britt (54-1.75/16.50m) and North Dakota State junior Bailey Retzlaff (53-7.50/16.34m) all entered in the shot put.

Missouri senior Gabi Jacobs (197-8/60.25m) is ranked No. 4 collegiately this season in the discus throw, with Iowa sophomore Konstadina Spanoudakis (190-1/57.95m) at No. 5.

The last female athlete to sweep both discus and shot put titles in the same year at Drake Relays is Arizona State’s Jessica Pressley in 2008.

Roberts ready to roll

Despite being one of the elite hurdlers in the world this year, Kentucky junior Daniel Roberts has been overshadowed by the success of Florida junior Grant Holloway, but Saturday is a big opportunity for Roberts to have some of the spotlight all to himself.

Roberts has the talent to compete in the World Showdown elite invitational men’s 110-meter hurdles and he’ll bring his wind-legal 13.30 seconds – No. 4 in the world this year – in search of the World Showdown elite invitational title.

Roberts boasts a personal-best 13.27 from last year’s Southeastern Conference Championships, giving him the potential to challenge former Arkansas star and three-time Drake Relays champion Omar McLeod.

Since the 110 hurdles were added to the meet schedule in 1976, McLeod is the only collegiate athlete to run under 13.30 seconds, with Roberts capable of becoming the second.

Iowa juniors Jaylan McConico and Anthony Williams, who have run 13.82 and 13.86 seconds this season, are both scheduled to compete in the Gary Osborn university-college section and are the leading entries to contend for that title.

Falda looks to be South Dakota’s finest

South Dakota has built an impressive tradition of pole vaulting success in recent years at the meet and its finest performance could come Friday from junior Helen Falda.

The Coyotes have won the past two collegetitles with Makiah Hunt and Emily Grove, along with Madison Mills in 2014.

Although Falda tied for third at last year’s meet, only clearing 13-3.50 (4.05m), she produced a mark March 29 of 14-3.50 (4.36m) to win her section at the 92nd Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, which ranks No. 8 among collegiate performers this season.

Nebraska’s Natalie Willer, who won three in a row from 2009-11, still holds the meet record with a 14-3.50 clearance in 2009.

South Dakota also has an opportunity to take the top two spots, with sophomore Landon Kemp having cleared 14-1.25 (4.30m) on April 12 at the Sioux City Relays.

A long time coming

Although the university-college men’s 400-meter hurdles record of 49.26 seconds set by Georgia’s Justin Gaymon in 2008 likely won’t be challenged Saturday, it could still be a memorable event for the winning school.

Iowa State hasn’t produced a winner since 1990, Houston hasn’t prevailed in the event since 1967 and Iowa has yet to crown a men’s 400 hurdles champion.

Houston sophomore Quivell Jordan ranks No. 6 among collegiate performers this season at 50.25 seconds, with Iowa State junior Eric Fogltanz and Iowa senior Chris Douglas both having run 50.50 or better during their careers.

Purdue produced the most recent champion with Obokhare Ikpefan in 2017 and the Boilermakers could add another with freshman Blanchard Montgomery IV, who ran a personal-best 51.07 on April 13 at the Louisville Invitational.

A new ruler of the runway

Following the graduation of Iowa State standout Jhoanmy Luque, who dominated the Drake Relays competition by winning both the women’s university-college long jump and triple jump the past two years, not only will new champions be crowned, but also the potential for a triple jump meet record.

A year ago this week, Kentucky senior Marie-Josee Ebwea-Excel produced a lifetime-best 45-11.25 (14.00m) at the National Relay Championships in Arkansas.

Ebwea-Excel, who ranks fifth among collegiate performers this season at 44-10.75 (13.68m), has an opportunity to challenge the 2003 meet record of 45-3 (13.79m) set by Minnesota’s Shani Marks.

Although the women’s university-college long jump meet record of 22-3 (6.78m) set in 2003 by Iowa’s Aisha James doesn’t appear to be in jeopardy Friday, Kentucky could also factor significantly in that competition as well.

Kentucky sophomore Zhane Smith leads all entries at 20-9 (6.32m), with Minnesota freshman Hannah Morris also in contention at 20-6.50 (6.26m).

Nebraska was the last program in 1996 to sweep the women’s university-college long jump and triple jump with two different athletes.

Tuufuli looks to take two

Iowa senior Reno Tuufuli won the men’s university-college discus throw in 2017 and prevailed in the shot put last year.

Tuufuli looks to make history on multiple levels, not only becoming the first Iowa male athlete to repeat in the shot put, but also attempt to become the first Hawkeye men’s standout to sweep both events in the same year.

Tuufuli won the shot put last season with a mark of 60-8.50 (18.50m), prevailing over North Dakota State standout Payton Otterdahl, who is scheduled to compete Saturday in the Tokyo Countdown men’s elite invitational shot put.
Tuufuli secured the 2017 discus title with a throw of 194-8 (59.34m).

Iowa has crowned three champions in each event, which were added to the Drake Relays schedule in 1922.

Tuufuli will be challenged in the shot put by a pair of Kentucky standouts, Charles Lenford Jr. and Noah Castle, along with Purdue’s Jalil Brewer.

In the discus, where Tuufuli ranks No. 3 among collegiate performers this season at 205-2 (62.54m), he’ll square off against South Dakota senior Ben Hammer and Northern Iowa senior Isaac Holtz, along with Lenford Jr. and Castle.

The discus meet record of 206-9 (63.01m) held by LSU’s John Nichols has stood since 1989.

Kentucky’s dynamic duo seeks one big hurdling prize

Alabama’s Beau Walker was the last athlete to sweep the women’s university-college 100- and 400-meter hurdles in the same year in 2004.

Kentucky has a pair of athletes who possess the potential to win one or both events Friday and Saturday.

In the 100 hurdles, junior Faith Ross boasts a wind-aided time of 12.89 and freshman Masai Russell has a wind-aided mark of 13.02. They both have wind-legal efforts of 13.62.

Iowa State freshman Keira Christie-Galloway has a wind-legal mark of 13.25, with Iowa junior Jenny Kimbro entering the meet with a wind-legal effort of 13.30.

In the 400 hurdles, Ross is No. 5 among all collegiate performers this season at 57.38, with Russell right behind at 57.57. Kimbro ranks No. 17 at 58.27.

Iowa was the last program in 1998 to sweep both women’s university-college events with different athletes. Paula Ruen won the 100 hurdles and Wynsome Cole captured the 400 hurdles.

Major opportunity for Minor

Rahman Minor won the men’s university-college high jump title last year for Purdue with a clearance of 7-1 (2.16m).

Minor followed coach Lonnie Greene and transferred to Kentucky, giving him the opportunity to become the first individual in the high jump in meet history to capture titles for different programs.

Minor has a clearance of 7-1.50 (2.17m) this season, but doesn’t enter the competition as the top entry.

South Dakota junior Zack Anderson has cleared 7-2.50 (2.20m) and could be the program’s first champion in the event in meet history.

Illinois State’s Kevin Clements is the last repeat men’s high jump champion in 1989-90.

Relays reloaded

A total of 12 relays, including five for Purdue, have the opportunity to repeat as champions Friday and Saturday.

Purdue dominated the women’s relays last year, capturing titles in the 1,600-meter sprint medley, along with the 4x100, 4x200 and 4x400. The Boilermakers also won the men’s 4x200 last season.

Iowa State will look to secure back-to-back championships in the men’s 4x800 and 1,600 sprint medley.

Iowa has the opportunity to defend its title in the men’s 4x400, with Tulsa looking to repeat in the men’s distance medley relay and Air Force attempting to secure back-to-back crowns in the men’s 4x1,600 relay.

Indiana State is looking to prevail again in the women’s 4x100 shuttle hurdles relay, with Missouri trying to repeat in the women’s distance medley relay, despite the graduation of Karissa Schweizer.

Their cups runneth over

Iowa returns in pursuit of a third consecutive men’s Hy-Vee Cup team title after Big 10 rival Illinois won the first four years (2013-16) the competition was held.

Purdue looks to repeat in the women’s team competition, but will receive a significant challenge from Kentucky.

Baylor is the only women’s program to win multiple Hy-Vee Cup team titles, prevailing for the first time in 2014 and sharing the trophy with Texas in 2016.