WHAT'S AHEAD: The Drake men's and women's track and field teams will open the outdoor campaign competing in the Baylor/Dr. Pepper Invitational in Waco, Texas, this Saturday (March 20). It will mark Drake's first appearance in the meet since 2007.
Competition begins at 9 a.m. with the women's javelin. The first running event -- the women's 4x100 relay - starts at 12:45 p.m.
BANGERT, DEGRAVE, GRASSMEYER KEY MEN'S FORTUNES: All-Missouri Valley Conference performers Josh Bangert (Washington, Mo.), Jon DeGrave (Lake Villa, Ill.) and Jeff Grassmeyer (Fremont, Neb.) will key the Drake men's track and field fortunes this spring.
Grassmeyer won the 5,000 as a sophomore at the 2007 MVC Outdoor meet, while placing fourth last year. He was seventh in the mile in 4:19.49 and finished 10th in the 5,000 in 14:51.97 at the 2010 MVC Indoor meet.
Bangert competed in the 2009 NCAA Midwest Regional in the long jump after soaring a personal best 24 feet 9.25 inches to finish fourth at the Drake Relays. He overcame a hamstring injury to finish second in the men's long jump at the 2010 MVC Indoor meet at 23-10.
DeGrave was third in the men's 400 in 49.29 seconds at the 2010 MVC Indoor meet. He closed out the meet by running the first leg on the Bulldogs' 4x400 relay, which finished fourth in 3:20.73. Other members of the relay were senior Kevin Earl (Overland Park, Kan.), Brandon Lewis (Plymouth, Minn.) and senior Anthony Pettaway (Colorado Springs, Colo.).
Freshman Charlie Lapham (Golden Valley, Minn.) placed sixth in the 800 in 1:56.44 at the 2010 MVC Indoor meet, while sophomore Shaun James (Lawrence, Kan.) was seventh in the 200 in 22.39. James also ran the third leg on Drake's distance medley relay, which was sixth in 10:30.13. Other members of the relay were Lewis, junior Colin Coomer (Overland Park, Kan.), and sophomore Ben Jaskowiak (Madison, Wis.).
WOMEN FEATURE BALANCED ATTACK: The Drake women's track and field program features balance in the field events and distance races.
Drake junior Tyse Samani (Kansas City, Mo.) captured the high jump title at the 2010 MVC Indoor Championship, leaping 5-7. Junior teammate Michelle Mitchell (Brookfield, Wis.) was ninth at 5-5.
Junior Ari Curtis (Fort Collins, Colo.) finished second in the MVC Indoor pentathlon with an NCAA provisional qualifying mark with a school-record 3,739 points. Curtis closed out the pentathlon strong by winning the final two events -- the long jump at 18 feet 7.25 inches and 800 in 2:18.48. Curtis came back to place 10th in the finals of the long jump at 18-4.25. Drake junior Kara McCartney (Elgin, Iowa) was third in the finals of the 800 in 2:15.13.
Senior Nicole Braunsdorf (St. Francis, Wis.) and junior Casey McDermott (Newton, Iowa) had big days at the 2010 MVC Indoor meet. Braunsdorf was third in the 5,000 (17:35.06), fourth in the mile (4:56.82) and sixth in the 3,000 (10:03.47). McDermott was fourth in the 5,000 in 17:44.13, fifth in the mile (4:57.74) and fifth in the 3,000 (9:47.50).
Drake closed out the meet by placing sixth in the 4x400 relay with Curtis, senior Caitlin Able (Aurora, Colo.), Clarissa LaFlora (Kewanee, Ill.) and freshman Sarah Yeager (Ottumwa, Iowa) being clocked in a season best 3:53.08. Freshman Marissa Smith (Ajax, Ontario, Canada) was eighth in the 60 hurdles in 9.03 second.
SCHOOL RECORD HOLDERS: Besides Ari Curtis owning the school record in the pentathlon, three other members of the Drake women's track team own school marks. Nicole Braunsdorf, who competed in the 5,000 at the 2010 NCAA Midwest Regional, owns the school indoor mark in the mile (4:48.91) set in 2009. Casey McDermott was a 2010 NCAA Regional qualifier in the 3,000 steeplechase after setting a school record of 10:44.48 en route to seventh-place finish at the Drake Relays
Junior Johanna Sprang (New Brighton, Minn.) set the school indoor mark in the pole vault (11-9) at the MVC indoor meet.
