Kentucky wins four women’s relays and adds a pair of men’s victories to capture both university division titles in same year for first time in program history; Minnesota State repeats sweep in college competition, in addition to Cartwright running wind-aided 12.71 in 100-meter hurdles, with Notre Dame clocking 10:54.50 in women’s DMR

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Photos by Ava Kitzi and Lily Dozier

DES MOINES, Iowa – Big Blue Nation took over the Blue Oval once again, and this time the Kentucky track and field program had to find two open seats on its team charter bus to strap in a pair of Relays Cup trophies for the return trip to Lexington.

Kentucky head coach Lonnie Greene calls the Drake Relays, “the best meet in the world,” and the Wildcats produced the greatest showcase of depth at the 114th edition of “America’s Athletic Classic” Presented by Xtream and Powered by Mediacom.

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For the first time in Greene’s tenure at Kentucky, the Wildcats swept both men’s and women’s Relay Cup titles in the university division, with Minnesota State repeating its sweep of both crowns in the college section.

Kentucky won the women’s 4x100, 4x400, 4x800 and 1,600-meter sprint medley relays, in addition to taking third in the distance medley relay to accumulate 46 points and secure its second win at Drake Relays in three years.

The Wildcats won their first men’s team championship at Drake Stadium, prevailing in the 4x100 and 4x400, in addition to third-place efforts in the 4x800 and 1,600 sprint medley for a 32-point performance.

Minnesota State triumphed in the women’s 4x100 and 1,600 sprint medley, as well as placing second in the 4x400 and third in the DMR to amass 34 points.

The Mavericks only won the men’s 1,600 sprint medley, but finished second in both the 4x100 and 4x400, along with securing sixth in the 4x800 for a 29-point effort.

Another extended weather delay Saturday resulted in Minnesota State waiting even longer for its coronation, in comparison to Kentucky being able to wrap up its sweep before the stadium was evacuated for the third time during the weekend as a result of threats of lightning in the area.

Kentucky had Victoria Perrow, Onieka McAnnuff, Morgan Davis and Alexis Glasco win the 4x100 in 44.38.

The Wildcats wrapped up the women’s title with the 4x400 lineup of Jania Martin, Reynei Wallace, Cha'iel Johnson and McAnnuff prevailing in 3:31.88.

In between, Mahogany Mobley and Sydney Steely joined Johnson and Wallace to triumph in the 1,600 sprint medley in 3:46.54.

Although it didn’t factor into the Relays Cup competition, Kentucky also had Perrow, McAnnuff, Davis and Glasco earn runner-up honors Friday in the 4x200 relay in 1:36.37, with South Dakota setting a program record to prevail in 1:34.24.

Charity Hufnagel was victorious for the Wildcats in the women’s university/college high jump with a 6-0.75 (1.85m) clearance, with Glasco placing second in the 100-meter hurdles in a wind-aided 12.96 and Perrow finishing runner-up in the 100-meter dash by an 11.502 to 11.503 margin against South Dakota’s Erin Kinney.

Kentucky set a meet record in the men’s 4x100, with Shavique Bascus, Clinton Muunga, Miles Jones and Kennedy Lightner clocking 38.66 to eclipse the 2022 performance of 38.84 achieved by North Carolina A&T.

Brandon Nyandoro and Brandon Miller teamed with Bascus and Lightner to lift the Wildcats to victory in the men’s 4x400 in 3:03.06.

Kentucky took third in the 1,600 sprint medley in 3:18.10 and third in the 4x800 in 7:32.98.

Freshman Alexander Chukwukelu emerged victorious for Kentucky in the men’s university/college 110-meter hurdles in a wind-aided 13.54.

Keaton Daniel, the reigning NCAA Division 1 indoor pole vault champion for the Wildcats, had an opportunity to compete in the men’s invitational section and tied for third with an 18-6.50 (5.65m) clearance.

Denisha Cartwright enjoyed one of her most memorable moments representing Minnesota State by winning the women’s university/college 100-meter hurdles in a wind-aided 12.71 for the No. 4 all-conditions performance in NCAA Division 2 history.

Cartwright also contributed to the Mavericks winning the 4x100, teaming with Adeyah Brewster, Rose Cramer and Tijuanique Morton to clock 44.76.

Eilika Lane and MaKenna Thurston joined Cartwright and Morton to help the Mavericks win the 1,600 sprint medley in 3:53.79.

Minnesota State clinched the Relays Cup women’s victory by finishing second in the 4x400 in 3:41.06.

After Marvin Dure, Jabez Reeves, Qai Hussey and Paul Lins held off Northern State for the third straight win for the Mavericks in the men’s 1,600 sprint medley, Minnesota State took second in the 4x100 in 39.96 and runner-up in the 4x400 in 3:10.73.

Although not part of the Relays Cup event, Minnesota State added a third-place finish in the 4x110 shuttle hurdles relay in 58.30.

Aside from the impressive versatility and range demonstrated by Kentucky and Minnesota State, there were more relay highlights Saturday at Drake Stadium, led by Notre Dame eclipsing its own meet record in the women’s university distance medley relay.

Siona Chisholm, Kate McAndrew, Gretchen Farley and Olivia Markezich clocked 10:54.50 for the second relay record of the weekend for the Irish, following an 18:44.15 performance in the 4x1,600 relay that produced meet, stadium and collegiate all-time marks.

Markezich was part of the Notre Dame quartet that achieved the previous Drake Relays record of 11:03.25 in 2021.

Nebraska provided one of the most thrilling finishes of the weekend, with Niko Schultz diving at the finish line to help the Cornhuskers hold off DePaul in the men’s 1,600 sprint medley by a 3:17.26 to 3:17.34 margin.

Schultz joined forces with Tyrell Pierce, Terrol Wilson and Nick Bryant to lift Nebraska to its first Drake Relays crown in the event since 1990. 

Bradley made history with its first men’s university title at Drake Stadium, with two-time 1,500 champion Jack Crull anchoring the quartet to victory in 9:43.65, holding off Air Force in 9:44.13 and Gonzaga in 9:44.59.

Max Dieterich, Will Smith and Jaxson Copelin joined Crull in helping Bradley triumph.

Augustana won its sixth consecutive women’s college DMR, with Ashley Overgaauw holding off Khot Juac from Sioux Falls on the anchor leg to extend the Vikings’ streak by clocking 11:45.82.

Eleni Lovgren, Maia Peterson and Caroline Sudbeck, the lone returning athlete from last year’s winning quartet, helped Augustana move one step closer to matching the longest winning streak of any women’s program in any relay event in meet history, held by Lincoln (Missouri) with seven consecutive victories in the 4x100 relay from 2003-09.

Augustana has won nine of the past 13 women’s college DMR titles at Drake Relays.

Iowa Western Community College, already the fastest indoor DMR quartet in National Junior College Athletic Association history, elevated to No. 2 all-time outdoors, with Flynn Pumpa, Michael Francois, Mohammed Kowa and Geofrey Ronoh running 9:47.50.

Illinois State had Macee Rivers, Cambria Geyer, Corrina Courser and Emelia Ness win the women’s university/college 4x100 shuttle hurdles relay in 55.72.

Air Force prevailed in the men’s 4x110 shuttle hurdles relay in 57.33, with Darek Hackett earning his second win of the meet following his victory in 50.37 in the 400 hurdles.

Hackett teamed with Seth Meador, Braeden Holcombe and Philip Hundl to help the Falcons win the event for the first time at Drake Stadium since 1975-76.

Air Force also triumphed in the men’s 100-meter dash final, with junior Javin Bostic running 10.35 into a strong headwind.

Central Missouri’s lineup of Ariel Kerr, Brockton McLaughlin, Rawley Chard and Antonio Lay ran the fastest 4x100 in Division 2 this season by clocking 39.76 to prevail in the men’s college section.

Dordt achieved a program record and produced the fastest men’s 4x400 performance in the NAIA this season, with Levi Schelhaas, Devin Bos, Cole Zevenbergen and Payton Mauldin running 3:09.43.

Mauldin was credited with a 45.29-second split on the anchor leg for Dordt.

Glory Okon, Ethel Amissah, Kaylia Kelly and Angeline Estrada teamed up to help Iowa Western secure victory in the women’s college 4x400 in 3:37.61.

Rebecca Randleman, Alexis Pratt, Hailey Hindt and Olivia Keller led St. Thomas of Minnesota to a women’s university 4x400 relay win in 3:44.77.

Carson Amstutz, Danny Hopkins, Malik Stewart and Aidan Martin helped St. Louis prevail in its men’s university 4x400 in 3:15.21.

Although several field events were canceled as a result of the weather delay Saturday, Minnesota freshman Angelos Mantzouranis produced a meet record in the final round of the men’s championship university/college hammer throw with a mark of 247-10 (75.55m), eclipsing the effort of 246-11 (75.27m) achieved last year by Golden Gophers’ teammate and fellow Greek competitors Kostas Zaltos.

Minnesota swept multiple hammer competitions, with freshman Anthonett Nabwe achieving a fourth-round throw of 214 feet (65.23m) in the women’s university/college section.

Amber Simpson of Illinois, representing Wales, was determined to be the winner in the women’s championship section of the university/college hammer, which was only able to complete five rounds as a result of the weather delay. Simpson opened her series with a 217-6 (66.29m) effort and never relinquished control.

Nebraska’s Mirta Kulisic, representing Croatia, emerged victorious in the women’s championship university/college javelin throw with a 169-3 (51.58m) effort in the third round.

Dash Sirmon was also leading through five rounds in the men’s championship university/college javelin competition, giving Nebraska another victory with a 242-8 (73.97m) performance on his final throw.

Arianna Passeri of U-Mary achieved a wind-legal leap of 20-7 (6.27m) on her third attempt to secure victory in the women’s championship university/college long jump.

Charles Cruse of Illinois State cleared 17-3.50 (5.27m) to triumph in the men’s university/college pole vault.

Marshall Faurot achieved the same clearance in the championship section, which was halted due to the stadium evacuation and never resumed.

Although Jenna Rogers didn’t pursue a defense of her title in the women’s championship university/college high jump Saturday at Drake Stadium, Nebraska teammate Brooklyn Miller won her section with a 5-8 (1.73m) clearance on the third attempt.

Joshua Rivers, a junior at Wisconsin-Oshkosh, triumphed in the men’s university/college long jump with a wind-aided effort of 24-9.75 (7.56m) in the second round.

Dameco Walker from Ripon College, won his men’s long jump section with a sixth-round leap of 24-7.25 (7.50m).

Rhet Liley, representing Missouri S&T, was victorious in the men’s university/college javelin with an opening-round throw of 201-4 (61.37m).