Wildcats Finish Drake Relays with Multiple Standout Relay Performances

TF Uroy Ryan Drake Relays April 25, 2026

Wildcats Finish Drake Relays with Multiple Standout Relay Performances

Apr 25, 2026 | Track & Field

The men and women finished with a team score after finishing five relay races

DES MOINES, Iowa – The K-State track and field teams wrapped up three days of the Drake Relays on Saturday (April 25) at Drake Stadium, finishing with team scores after competing in five relay races.

After the five races, the 4x100, 4x400, 4x800, sprint medley relay and distance medley relay, both K-State teams finished top-5 in the university divisions. The men's team were named runners-up with 30 points, the women's team in 5^th place with 15 points. The University of Iowa won both team events with 40 and 37 points, respectively.

"Really proud of our crew this weekend. I probably wouldn't be a track coach today if it wasn't for the Drake Relays," head coach Travis Geopfert said. "It was fun for K-State to have such a good showing and come away with a couple titles with Jourdin Edwards and Tavon Underwood. Those are memories these athletes will cherish for a long time."

Starting the day with the DMR, the women's team finished with a time of 11:28.69 for 9^th place, now the no. 5 fastest time in the K-State record books featuring freshmen Emma Baum and Reese Brownlee, junior Angi Pondler and senior Grace Meyer.

In the men's race, they finished 6^th with a time of 9:47.25 with senior Julian Avila, freshmen Mattix DaCunha and Vance Krudwig and sophomore Jackson Esquibel.

Both the Cats' men's and women's SMR teams finished in 3^rd place. For the men, they clocked a time of 3:20.36 with freshmen Jack Guthridge and Croix DaCunha, sophomore Thomas Canivet and freshmen Dylan Plath.

The women's team ran in 3:50.99 with a young team of all freshmen, Desirae Riehle, Anastasiia Kretova, Delaney Brinker and Anna Pozdeeva.

The men's 4x100 relay competed in the finals on Saturday as runners-up in 39.92 seconds, this time with sophomore Uroy Ryan, junior Nen Matlock and Croix DaCunha and Guthridge.

The Wildcats ended the day in the 4x400 relays in the university invite race. The women's team finished in 4^th place with a time of 3:32.77, now the no. 3 fastest time in K-State history, with runners Riehle, sophomore Ariana Jackson, Kretova and senior Vanessa Mercera.

The men's team found themselves at runner-up again in the 4x400 with a time of 3:06.73 from senior Cyrus Ways, Matlock, freshman Heath Grant and junior Tavon Underwood.

The Wildcats will wrap up the regular season on May 8 hosting the Ward Haylett Invitational at R.V. Christian Track.

FROM THE TRACK
Head Coach Travis Geopfert
On the freshmen talent on the team…
"We have a very special freshman class on both sides, and those freshmen really stepped it up this weekend. Some breakthrough performances in the hurdles with Reese Kasper and Mattix DaCunha and awesome relay legs by all the freshmen women's sprint medley and by Jack and Croix in two different sprint relays. Brock Olsen, the young man showed some serious grit in his first ever 10k, a top-10 K-State performance is a great way to start!"

On veteran athletes also showing improvement…
"I'd be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the huge breakthrough in the 400 hurdles by senior Delaney Wright, a great leader that deserved that PR, proud of her and coach Mat Clark. Also thrilled with senior Kayla Goodwin, best I've seen her compete and fun to see that smile on her face. Drake is special, this team is special and it was an honor to come home and have our athletes showcase their talent."

Drake Relays
Des Moines, Iowa
Drake Stadium

Men's Long Jump (UD/CD)
12. Mattix DaCunha, 6.90m (22' 7.75")(0.7)

Women's Distance Medley Relay (University)
9. K-State, 11:28.69
(E. Baum, R. Brownlee, A. Pondler, G. Meyer)

Men's Distance Medley Relay (University)
6. K-State, 9:47.25
(J. Avila, M. DaCunha, V. Krudwig, J. Esquibel)

Women's Sprint Medley Relay (University)
3. K-State, 3:50.99
(D. Riehle, A. Kretova, D. Brinker, A. Pozdeeva)

Men's Sprint Medley Relay (University)
3. K-State, 3:20.36
(J. Guthridge, C. DaCunha, T. Canivet, D. Plath)

Men's 4x100 Relay (University) (Finals)
2. K-State, 39.92
(U. Ryan, N. Matlock, C. DaCunha, J. Guthridge)

Women's High Jump (Championship)
4. Zoey Brinker, 1.80m (5' 10.75")

Women's 4x400 Relay (University)(Invite)
4. K-State, 3:32.77
(D. Riehle, A. Jackson, A. Kretova, V. Mercera)

Men's 4x400 Relay (University)(Invite)
2. K-State, 3:06.73
(C. Ways, N. Matlock, H. Grant, T. Underwood)

-- k-statesports.com --

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