University Division Attracts Some of Nation’s Top Track and Field Student-Athletes to the 2021 Drake Relays presented by Xtream powered by Mediacom
The Blue Oval reclaims its status as one of the top destinations for the nation's best collegiate student-athletes
Drake Athletic Communications
DES MOINES (April 2, 2021) – Some of the nation's top university track and field student-athletes will travel to Des Moines later this month to compete in the 2021 Drake Relays presented by Xtream powered by Mediacom. Programs that have already committed to being part of the historic 111th edition of America's Athletic Classic include teams such as Houston, Missouri, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, Utah, North Carolina A&T, Tulsa, and Air Force. Strict COVID-19 protocols will be enforced for athletes, coaches, officials and spectators throughout the Drake Relays, to be held April 22-24, 2021, at Drake Stadium. The 2020 edition was postponed.
Programs such as Notre Dame, Furman and New Mexico are also set to send parts of their teams to compete at the Blue Oval.
"After such a disruptive year, these programs are hungry to compete and excited to be part of the Drake Relays," said Blake Boldon, Franklin "Pitch" Johnson Director of the Drake Relays. "This being an Olympic year just adds to the excitement and anticipation. Records are likely to be broken at Drake Stadium, and our fans will walk away having witnessed something truly historic."
In fact, the World Athletics Continental Tour has designated the Drake Relays a Silver Level event, one of only two meets in the United States to earn such status. That means the Drake Relays are a critical stop for athletes beginning their quest to qualify for the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo, including university student-athletes.
Houston's return to Drake Stadium also marks the return of Relays favorite Carl Lewis to Des Moines. An assistant coach for the Cougars under legendary head coach Leroy Burrell, Lewis and Burrell have Houston ranked 11th in the nation and bring the country's top 4x100-meter relay team to Drake and two of the nation's top 10 collegiate sprinters. The Cougars are the defending Drake Relays champions in the 4x100 and 4x400-meter relays.
"We are excited to return to Drake Relays and have had two successful trips to the Blue Oval, the most recent being in 2019," Burrell said. "My staff and I are big proponents of upholding tradition in track and field and the Drake Relays is one of the biggest traditions of them all. I feel that this year's Drake Relays will be a glorious celebration of return to normal for our sport after the shutdowns, cancelations and meets with spectator restrictions over the past two years."
Iowa State returns as the defending champion of the men's Relays Cup. The Cyclones are ranked eighth nationally and bring some of the country's best middle distance and distance runners to Des Moines.
"We look forward to returning to Drake Stadium and defending our men's Relays Cup championship," said Iowa State head coach Martin Smith. "The Drake Relays is always one of the highlights of our outdoor season, and we are excited to be back in 2021."
One of the nation's most successful but underrated programs, North Carolina A&T will make its Blue Oval debut this season. The Aggie men finished fifth at this year's NCAA Indoor Championship behind a title winning 4x400-meter relay that currently owns the fastest outdoor time in the world and has nearly broken the 3-minute mark. The NC A&T women's team also collected titles in the 200 meters and hammer throw at the recent Texas Relays.
"We are looking forward to competing with so many great teams at the prestigious Drake Relays," said Duane Ross, head coach at North Carolina A&T. "This meet has a history of great competitions and we're excited to be a part of it."
Entries for the University and College Divisions are now closed, with 38 teams represented in the Division I competition and 77 programs having entered the College Division.
The 2021 Drake Relays will also feature an elite division, college division, high school division, and a 4x100 meter relay event for middle schools. The USA Track & Field (USATF) 1-Mile Road Championships presented by Toyota will be held in conjunction with the Drake Relays. Additionally, the Drake Road Races will offer on-site and virtual options for participants, while the Grand Blue Mile presented by Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield will be an exclusively virtual event this year.
Previous ticket holders will be contacted this week for the first opportunity to purchase ticket packages.. For the complete meet schedule and other information about the 2021 Drake Relays presented by Xtream powered by Mediacom, visit DrakeRelays.org
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About the Drake Relays
The Drake Relays presented by Xtream powered by Mediacom has served as "America's Athletic Classic" since its first running in 1910. The annual competition, hosted by Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, is recognized internationally as a destination for the world's premier track & field athletes across multiple professional and amateur divisions. In 2020, the Drake Relays was named a Silver Level event on the World Athletics Continental Tour, one of only two meets in the United States to earn Silver Level status. In addition to its signature stadium competition, the Drake Relays includes two marquee road running events open to the general public — the Grand Blue Mile presented by Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield and the Drake Road Races. For more information, visit drakerelays.org.
