Missouri
Drake Relays
Track and Field Readies for Drake Relays
4/22/2026 7:00:00 PM | Track & Field
The Tigers travel to Des Moines for the 116th annual Drake Relays for the first time since 2022.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri track and field hits the road to Des Moines, Iowa to compete in the 116th annual Drake Relays April 22-25 at Drake Stadium.
TIGERS ON THE TRACK
A group of 40 Tigers are slated to compete at the meet, which spans four days.
Brianna Utecht opens the competition for the Black & Gold in the women's heptathlon at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday and extends into Thursday.
On Thursday evening, Allison Newman, Mirriam Chepkirui, Kobi Walker and Morgan Yeomans pace the women in the 1500m.
At 5:15 p.m., Skylar Ciccolini and Valentina Barrios represent the top ranked Missouri javelin squad in the World Athletics Continental Tour women's javelin.
Brianna Lee takes on the women's 800m to follow up on her winning result of 2:13.04 at the Big Red Classic. On Friday afternoon, Morgan Yeomans is scheduled to race in the seeded 800m after placing second in last week's meet with a 2:13.49.
At 7:16 p.m. on Thursday, Elissa Barnard is slated to compete in the 5000m. Newman and Natalie Barnard follow in the seeded 5000m.
To begin Friday's events, Anna Vedral faces the pole vault competition at 11 a.m.
At 11:45 a.m., Newman, Chepkirui, Walker and Lee race the 4x1600m for the first women's relay of the season.
Senior Ames Burton goes for the title in the women's discus championship, beginning at 5 p.m.
At 6:50 p.m., Suzy Lecoutre and Monica Wanjiku race the seeded 1500m.
A squad of four represents the Tigers in the javelin contest at 10:15 a.m. Saturday, consisting of Lexi Craig, Marysa Flieg, Nora Hark and Adrienne Russell.
At 12:30 p.m., Val Galligan and Morgan Cannon are slated to take on the women's javelin in the championship division.
Sophomore Marlena Tresnjo dons the Black and Gold in the women's high jump at 3 p.m.
To cap off the Drake Relays for the team, Petra Gombas and Reagan Kimrey compete in the women's hammer throw.
On the men's side, Ethan Hogan and River Hardman take on the first event for the men on Thursday at 5:10 p.m. with the 1500m.
At 6:52 p.m., a trio of Elijah Limo, Joshua Allison and Andrew Hauser race the men's 3000m steeplechase.
To round out Thursday's schedule for the Tigers, Hogan joins Joseph Bariola, Tyler Freiner and Ryder James in the 5000m at 8:15 p.m.
Chase Crawford returns to the men's shot put at 11:15 a.m. Friday after achieving a season best 17.30m (59-9.25) at the Big Red Classic.
At 12:01 p.m., Limo, James, Allison and Freiner run the 4x1600m, the first men's relay of the outdoor slate.
Lasse Funck prepares to race the 800m for the second time this season.
At 2:15 p.m., Robert Hines looks to follow up in the 100m after placing second with a 21.60 at the Big Red Classic.
Dillon Leacock readies for the 400m hurdles for the third time in the 2026 outdoor campaign.
A group of four end Friday's events with the seeded 1500m, consisting of Funck, Drew Rogers, Finn Russell and Carter Spradling.
On Saturday at 10 a.m., Garik Pozecki returns to the men's hammer throw after notching a personal best of 62.02m (203-6) at the Big Red Classic. At 12:15 p.m., Sam Innes competes in the championship division of men's hammer throw.
A distance medley relay squad of Leacock, Funck, Hardman and Spradling complete the men's lineup of the Drake Relays at 12:51 p.m.
RANKED TIGERS
Missouri has four women and three men ranked among the top 50 nationally in individual events through four weeks of outdoor competition.
Ciccolini leads the nation's top-ranked women's javelin unit, ranking No. 3 nationally with a throw of 57.45m (188-6) at the Yellow Jacket Invitational, which ranks third in program history. Barrios is No. 9 nationally with a mark of 55.80m (183-1), recorded at Battle on the Bayou.
Wanjiku's 10,000m result of 32:28.20 at the Bryan Clay Invitational marks No. 20 nationally.
Utecht ranks No. 36 in the heptathlon with 5,449 points from the Texas Relays, the No. 6 mark in program history.
On the men's side, Innes ranks No. 9 nationally in the hammer throw after posting a personal-best 70.36m (230-10) at Battle on the Bayou, the No. 2 mark in program history.
Limo ranks 29th for the 3000 meter steeplechase, following his personal best performance of 8:40.60 at the Raleigh Relays.
Leacock ranks No. 39 nationally in the 400m hurdles with a time of 50.93, which stands No. 3 all-time at Missouri.
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Players Mentioned
