Hawkeye track teams and Drake relays

[mr12182]

Do the Iowa men's and women's track team s compete at the Drake Relays? If not, why? TIA

 

[DavidHawk324]

They barely had anyone there this year and it wasn’t their best runners. It looked like they sent their best to a meet in Arizona instead. It’s been like this for awhile where their best people don’t attend Drake.

I’m also curious why. Only reason I can think of would be weather. Otherwise, I would think Iowa would want to support the one track meet that fans in the state actually attend. However, maybe the Iowa coaches are more focused on recruiting out of state so they don’t care.

 

[mr12182]

Have the Drake Relays lost some of their luster? Don't seem to be attracting the high end track teams or maybe I'm mistaken.

 

[DavidHawk324]

Have the Drake Relays lost some of their luster? Don't seem to be attracting the high end track teams or maybe I'm mistaken.

I think so. Local Des Moines TV station just ran a small thing on Drake’s weather curse. Basically being unlucky with the weather this century. I’m sure some colleges don’t want to deal with it so you don’t see Baylor, Florida, etc. there like in the past. I don’t recall Big Ten schools with many runners either. Overall, the university schools haven’t been as strong or you’ll have 1-2 good schools in a race and then everyone else isn’t close.

That said, I’m guessing most attendance and merch sales have always been driven by the high school teams.

 

[wneff]

I don't live there now, but grew up in Des Moines in the 60s and 70s. At that time, Drake was getting post-collegiate world class athletes and the many of the top college teams. Those times seem to be long gone.
Seems to have essentially turned into state track meet but without classes. If they are going to go that route, wish they would try to make it Midwest high schools as opposed to just Iowa.

Have no doubt thst Woody knows what he is doing, but it is difficult to follow the Iowa team before the Big 10 tournament. Seems as though on any given weekend they are at multiple competitions.

 

[DavidHawk324]

I don't live there now, but grew up in Des Moines in the 60s and 70s. At that time, Drake was getting post-collegiate world class athletes and the many of the top college teams. Those times seem to be long gone.
Seems to have essentially turned into state track meet but without classes. If they are going to go that route, wish they would try to make it Midwest high schools as opposed to just Iowa.

Have no doubt thst Woody knows what he is doing, but it is difficult to follow the Iowa team before the Big 10 tournament. Seems as though on any given weekend they are at multiple competitions.

Added high schoolers from other states would be interesting. It looks like the Penn Relays pull from surrounding states.

I think Drake did have an event or two last year where their were a couple of really elite mid-distance runners in Iowa and they went against other top runners from out of state. That would be more interesting to me as a viewer than another race of Coe, Iowa Central, Dubuque, etc. (Iowa college division).