DES MOINES — Running just off their season-best pace, the Central College women's track & field team placed eighth in the 4x400-meter relay preliminaries, earning a spot in Saturday's finals.

The quartet of Lizzy Van Utrecht (sophomore, Ottumwa, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont HS), Alivia Roerdink (sophomore, Tiffin, Ohio, Hopewell-Loudon HS), Emily McMartin (junior, Pella) and Ava Parkins (sophomore, Monmouth, Ill., Burlington Notre Dame [Iowa] HS) clocked in at 3 minutes, 51.62 seconds.

"It was super exciting," coach Brandon Sturman said. "It's nice to see us step up in that environment, to not only qualify but win our heat. It'll be a good experience to double back and try to PR on Saturday.
           
Gunner Meyer (junior, Fairbank, Wapsie Valley HS) ran a season-best time of 14.21 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles prelims, taking 15th place. He was second amongst four Division III athletes in a field of 29 total athletes.
           
"It's a great opportunity to run at the Drake Relays in an open event when it's a combined University and College Division," Sturman said. "He was against good competition and ran a really clean race."
           
Mary Gustason (junior, Marion, Linn-Mar HS), Parkins, Olivia Bohlen (junior, Belle Plaine) and McMartin finished .3 seconds slow of the school record in the 4x200-meter relay, placing 17th in 1:42.91.
           
"Our goal was to break the school record," Sturman said. "IT's not something we run often so we don't practice it a lot. They ran well and they will all be back next year to try and get the school record."
           
In addition to the women's 4x400-meter relay team running in Saturday's final, Central will also have the men's distance medley relay and men's shuttle hurdle relay in the morning.
 
Women's results
4x100 relay (prelims) – 16. Mary Gustason/Ava Parkins/Danika Arnold/Emily McMartin, 48.25
4x200 relay – 17. Mary Gustason/Ava Parkins/Olivia Bohlen/Emily McMartin, 1:42.91
4x400 relay (prelims) – 7. Lizzy Van Utrecht/Alivia Roerdink/Emily McMartin/Ava Parkins, 3:51.62
Sprint medley relay – 8. Danika Arnold/Olivia Bohlen/Lizzy Van Utrecht/Alivia Roerdink, 4:12.35
 
Men's results
400 meters – 18. Kaleb Brand, 48.71
4x100 relay (prelims) – DQ. Connor Miklos/Jackson Tavegia/Owen Tomko/Gunner Meyer
4x200 relay – 26. Connor Miklos/Brian art/Owen Tomko/Jackson Tavegia, 1:31.96
4x400 relay (prelims) – 21. Brian Hart/Alex Volden/Jrake Van Hemert/Kaleb Brand, 3:19.30
Sprint medley relay – DNF. Brian Hart/Connor Miklos/Kaleb Brand/Jack Every
110-meter hurdles (prelims) – 15. Gunner Meyer, 14.21
Triple jump – 9. Kale Purcell, 46-8.25