By Steve Holt, Sports Writer
This weekend, ACU athletes will travel to Philadelphia and Des Moines for two of the biggest track and field events in the United States – the Penn Relay Carnival and the Drake Relays, respectively.
This year marks the 112th running of the Penn Relays, now the largest early-season track and field meet in the United States, drawing crowds of 45,000 or more for Saturday’s final events.
Drake is no slouch of a track meet either, celebrating its 96th competition this year.
Wildcat athletes will face some of the best collegiate and elite competition in the world, hoping to post improved times and marks in their events.
Most of the running and field event semifinal and final heats will take place Friday and Saturday.
Head coach Don Hood said coming off the most successful conference meet in years, his teams feel confident about the rest of the season, starting this weekend in Philadelphia and Des Moines.
“The key to the rest of the season will be to stay healthy and competitive,” Hood said. “I feel like the conference meet was a great confidence booster to both teams to let us see how strong we are and how good we can be when our mindset is on competing.”
Following this weekend’s action, Wildcat athletes will have two opportunities to post provisional or automatic qualifying times and marks before the NCAA Division II Championships, May 25-27 in Emporia, Kan.
On May 6, ACU athletes will compete at the Texas-Arlington Open in Arlington, and will compete May 11 in front of a home crowd at the ACU Twilight Open.
