By 8 am one Friday morning in late April, teams from all over Iowa walk through the athletes’ and coaches’ entrance behind Drake Stadium. Female athletes covered in sparkles and bows, their hair braided into intricate patterns. The guys are no different. Heads often bleached and buzzed, complete with bedazzled spikes. Athletes buzz too and fro with excitement and nervousness. To a person who’s never run at Drake Stadium, the track is intimidating. The bright blue track, combined with the exclusivity it boasts, elicits a feeling of awe.
Drake Relays: The pinnacle of high school track. More competitive than the state meet, the Drake Relays is the crown jewel of high school track and field. Athletes strive to hit the blue standard: the time that they must run to qualify for the event. What makes the Drake Relays unique is the fact that it is a professional meet. Athletes of every caliber run there: High schoolers, D1, and even professional athletes. Last year, Olympic gold medalist Tara Davis-Woodhall competed at Drake in the long jump. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that Drake hosts thousands of athletes on the weekend. According to Drake University, the event earns $4.2 million dollars in sales annually.
In the past, Muscatine High School has sent a handful of athletes. A couple of boys’ relays and one girl’s event. However, this 2026 season, MHS is sending 6 relays and 4 individual events to the blue oval.
The Muskie boys and girls have a lot to bring to the event. Muskie Boys Head Track Coach Mark Rusch explains how, “We are looking forward to seeing how we stack up against the rest of the state. With good competition, we hope to run our fastest times of the season.” Rusch adds, “Any time there is quality competition, especially at the Drake Relays, there is a possibility to run fast and break records.”
While the event is relatively high stakes, the ultimate goal is to prepare for the state meet.
Rusch added on, “The Drake Relays can give us a lot of positive momentum as we enter the championship portion of the season…Meets with great competition really showcases the importance of handoffs, block starts, etc. They can and will be the difference between earning medals, making finals, and breaking school records.”
Additionally, the Muskie girls boast the number one 400 m hurdle time in the state, with Avery Bradley with a time of 1:02.92. The girls’ shuttle hurdle and 1,600m relay sit at 11th, eager to run against the best competition in the state.
Amongst the MHS athletes going is senior Kensley Paul. Kensley qualified for both the shuttle hurdle relay and the 1,600m relay. Kensley has run at Drake multiple times at the state track meet, but this is her first time qualifying for the Drake Relays.
Kensley explains, “I’m excited for Drake because I have put in a lot of work over the past four years, and I am eager to run with this amazing group of talented girls on the blue oval!”
Kensley highlights the fundamental nature of the event: it takes hard work to get to Drake Relays, and it is a privilege that few track athletes get. So if you see them in the halls, wish your classmates good luck as they compete this weekend!
You can watch the Muskies run at:
Mrs. Keitel • Apr 24, 2026 at 3:33 pm
Great article, Ella! And well-written. I enjoy watching the student-athletes as they compete and are proud of their accomplishments. These moments will stay with them for the rest of their lives. Congratulations to all participants!