Arkansas wins women’s 4×800 for first time since 2005 in final appearance at meet for retiring Harter, Air Force captures men’s 4×1,600 title after five-year drought, the program’s first championship in Des Moines following Lindeman’s passing
By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor
Photos by Lily Dozier and Ava Kitzi
DES MOINES, Iowa – The celebration continued for the Arkansas and Air Force track and field programs even beyond the Drake Relays Hall of Fame luncheon Thursday at the Courtside Club.
Both teams honored their respective Hall of Fame coaches Friday at the meet’s 113th edition with relay victories, with the Razorbacks adding an 11th women’s title at “America’s Athletic Classic” under Lance Harter in his final outdoor season with a 4×800 triumph, and the Falcons securing a 12th championship at Drake Stadium by delivering a come-from-behind 4×1,600 victory, their first since last year’s passing of former head coach Ralph Lindeman.
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Relay titles were twice as nice for Minnesota State and Purdue, who swept men’s and women’s crowns in the 1,600 sprint medley and 4×200 events, respectively.
Bradley also achieved a sweep in the men’s and women’s 1,500 showcases, with a pair of former collegiate All-Americans from Colorado taking the top two spots in the elite women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase.
Air Force hadn’t won a 4x,1600 championship at Jim Duncan Track since 2018, but Ethan Ashley, Scott Maison, Sean Maison and Eli Bennett managed to hold off Iowa State by a 16:23.31 to 16:23.69 margin to secure the seventh Drake Relays men’s title in program history.
Although Purdue led entering the anchor leg, Iowa State’s Titus Winders seized control on the final lap, before Bennett relied on a late surge to emerge victorious.
Arkansas hadn’t won a 4×800 championship since 2005 and it was the only relay event the Razorbacks entered in their return to the Drake Relays for the first time in eight years.
Analisse Batista, Katie McCune, Ainsley Erzen and Lainey Quandt dominated the field to prevail in 8:41.74, giving Arkansas multiple Drake Relays crowns in the women’s 4×200, 4×400 and 4×800 in program history.
Erzen, a graduate of Carlisle High in Iowa and winner of the past two Drake Relays girls 800 titles, achieved a 2:08.59 split on the third leg.
Minnesota State entered the women’s 1,600 sprint medley relay already boasting the NCAA Division 2 record, which it…
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