Tuesday, January 15, 2013

What's Ahead: The Drake women's track and field squad returns to compete at the Iowa State Open this Friday and Saturday (Jan. 18-19) in Ames, Iowa. The meet, held at the Lied Recreation Center and will start on Friday at 1 p.m. and Saturday with 10 a.m.

Last Time Out:  Seniors led the effort for Drake as Whitney Westrum (Waukee, Iowa) and Marissa Smith (Ajax, Ontario) claimed second in the 300 meters and 60-meter hurdles respectively, in the season opener at the Cyclone Holiday Preview on December 7.

Westrum ran a time of 40.58 and was followed by teammate senior Sarah Yeager (Ottumwa, Iowa) who finished fourth in 41.01. Yeager also finished third behind Smith in the 60-meter hurdles in 8.73.

A group of freshmen had impressive showings in their first events for the Bulldogs. Jaclyn Aremka (Plainfield, Ill.) claimed second in the high jump leaping 5-3.25 (1.61m). Danyelle Cole (Kansas City, Kan.) finished sixth behind Westrum and Yeager in the 300 meters in 42.01. Destani Welch (Des Moines, Iowa) finished seventh in the 60-meter hurdles and Laura Gann (Wheaton, Ill.) finished .01 seconds behind the winner in the 3,000-meter run in 11:10.81.

A Year Ago: In her first indoor meet at the Iowa State Open (Jan. 20, 2012), Mariel Fulton (Louisville, Colo.) garnered a second-place finish in the seeded 3,000 meters, clocking in at 10:29.63.

Yeager and Briana Isom-Brummer (St. Louis, Mo.) earned top finishes in the finals of the 60-meter hurdles, Yeager coming in sixth in 9.08 and Isom-Brummer finishing in 9.22 for ninth.

The distance medley relay of Melissa Parks (Norfolk, Neb.), Westrum, Kirsten Lake (Parker, Colo.) and Fulton finished eighth in 12:28.68.

Up Next: The Bulldogs will travel to Cedar Falls, Iowa, January 26 for the Jack Jennett Invitational.