Cowgirls Finish With Pair of Relay Crowns In First Day at Drake Relays

Cowgirls Finish With Pair of Relay Crowns In First Day at Drake Relays

April 23, 2021 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track, Cowgirl Cross Country & Track

DES MOINES, Iowa – In the first of three days of outdoor track and field competition for Oklahoma State, the highlight of the Pokes' performances was a pair of event wins in the women's 4x1600 meter relay and the women's 4x800 meter relay at the Drake Relays.

Opening up the Cowgirls' day from the 111th edition of the Drake Relays hosted by Drake University, the relay team of Gabby Hentemann, Molly Born, Heidi Demeo and Taylor Roe combined to capture the event crown in the 4x1600 meter relay. The female distance standouts clocked in at 19:27.09, more than 20 second ahead of the rest of the field.

Following up the ladies' event win, the Cowboy relay unit of Alex Stitt, Ryan Smeeton, Alex Maier and Isai Rodriguez posted a top-three finish of their own in the men's 4x1600 meter relay, earning the runner-up spot with a 16:43.54 pace.

Hurdles specialist Michaela Travers represented America's Brightest Orange well in the women's 400 meter hurdles, tabbing a third-place finish in a time of 1:01.08.

As they wrapped up day one from Drake Stadium, the Cowgirls captured their second relay title of the day. Rilee Rigdon, Kaytlyn Larson, Maddie Salek and Stephanie Moss teamed up for the first-place finish, finishing in 8:39.83, just under 15 seconds faster than the second-place runner-up relay team.

OSU's distance specialists will return to the Drake Relays tomorrow to close out their time in Des Moines, Iowa, while Oklahoma State athletes will also have athletes compete at the John McDonnell Invitational at Arkansas and the John Jacobs Invitational at Oklahoma.

Men's Individual Results

4x1600 Meter Relay
2. Oklahoma State - 16:43.54
(A. Stitt, R. Smeeton, A. Maier, I. Rodriguez)

1,500 Meters
6. Juan Diego Castro - 3:42.66

Women's Individual Results

4x1600 Meter Relay
1. Oklahoma State - 19:27.09
(G. Hentemann, M. Born, H. Demeo, T. Roe)

400 Meter Hurdles
3. Michaela Travers - 1:01.08

4x800 Meter Relay
1. Oklahoma State - 8:39.83
(R. Rigdon, K. Larson, M. Salek, S. Moss)