University of Illinois
Drake Relays
Illini Advance Three to Event Finals at Drake Relays
April 24, 2009 | Men's Track & Field
April 24, 2009
DES MOINES, Iowa - The men's track and field team represented Illinois well on Friday at the Drake Relays, advancing two individuals and one relay to tomorrow's final and having three relays place in the meet's top-10.
Illinois will have two athletes competing in tomorrow's 110m hurdles final at 3:49 p.m., as freshman Andrew Riley and sophomore Cody Wisslead placed second and fourth, respectively, in event prelims. Running into a strong head wind, Riley finished runner-up with a time of 14.14 seconds while Wisslead took fourth in 14.67. Cincinnati freshman Terrence Somerville ran the top time of the day in 14.11.
The Orange and Blue 4x400m relay also will compete for a Drake Relays title tomorrow. Freshman Hendrik Maartens, junior Gary Miller, sophomore Dan Jones and senior Gakologelwang Masheto won their heat and placed fourth overall with a time of 3:13.66. Event finals are scheduled for tomorrow at 6:25 p.m. Ohio State ran the top prelims time in 3:08.51.
Illinois ran three relays that were final on Friday, led by the 4x800m squad that placed fifth overall. Junior Brian Beaird, Masheto, Scott Phelps and Miller timed 7:23.97 in a field of 18 teams. Wisconsin took the 4x800m relay title in 7:21.10.
Illinois also contested a 4x1,600m relay on Friday, with the foursome of Mike Murray, Jacob Nachel, Colin Mickow and Graham Farnsworth placing seventh and running well with a time of 16:57.58. The Illini were paced by strong legs by Murray and Nachel, who kept the Illini in the mix for the title. The 4x200m squad of redshirt freshman Stanley Azie, Roger Jones, junior Azeez Shogbuyi and Dan Jones took 10th overall with a time of 1:26.22.
The Illini 4x100m relay just missed qualifying for finals, as Riley, Azie, Roger Jones and Shogbuyi timed 40.89 to place ninth in prelims. The top eight teams advanced to the final, with Iowa State earning the last spot with a time of 40.85. Baylor ran the top time of the day (39.89).
Illinois will resume Drake Relays action early on Saturday, with the shuttle hurdle relay prelims at 8:43 a.m.
Illinois Schedule at the Drake Relays
Saturday, April 25
8:43 a.m........Shuttle hurdle relay prelims (Nic Haab, Shawn Ledbetter, Cody Wisslead, Andrew Riley)
10 a.m..........High Jump (Andrew Riley)
10:35 a.m........Sprint Medley Relay final (Stanley Azie, Roger Jones, Gakologelwang Masheto, Gary Miller)
1:14 p.m.........Shuttle hurdle relay final
2:33 p.m........Distance medley relay final (Graham Farnsworth, Hendrik Maartens, Brian Beaird, Mike Murray)
3:49 p.m........110m hurdles final (Andrew Riley, Cody Wisslead)
6:25 p.m........4x400m relay final
