CHICAGO, Ill. – The UIC track and field programs continued their historic outdoor campaign this weekend, putting on a record-breaking display at the prestigious 116th Drake Relays and the Kip Janvrin Open. Competing against some of the nation's premier programs, the Flames reached new heights by shattering four school records and securing multiple top-10 finishes across both competitions in Iowa.
WOMEN
The Flames' relay squads stole the spotlight at Drake Stadium, rewriting three separate program records. The distance crew of Korima Gonzalez, Indigo Sterud, Emma Dubie, and Praise Oyebanji led the charge in the 4 x 1600m relay, clocking a historic 20:11.47 to secure an eighth-place finish and a new UIC benchmark.
On the sprint side, the 4 x 200m relay team—comprising Deja Richardson, Makaya Phillips, Chinenye Ifeajekwu, and Jorie Irving—stormed to a seventh-place finish with a record-breaking time of 1:40.28. Not to be outdone, the 4 x 400m squad of Irving, Ifeajekwu, Gonzalez, and Oyebanji capped off the record haul at the Drake Relays, crossing the line in 3:49.95 to take eighth place and establish a new program best.
At the Kip Janvrin Open in Indianola, Alayna Filipiak turned in a strong performance in the 400m hurdles, finishing 14th with a time of 1:06.93. Tianna Wilson also competed well in a deep field, taking 31st in the 800m with a time of 2:22.68.
MEN
The men's distance group added their own chapter to the record books during the Drake Relays. The quartet of Alexander Das, Aiden Massaro, Brady Kataoka, and Theo Cunningham combined for a gritty seventh-place finish in the 4 x 1600m relay. Their final time of 17:02.49 officially stands as the new UIC school record for the event.
COACH'S COMMENTS
"Collectively we had an exciting Drake Relays competition with strong performances throughout the weekend against some of the best teams in the country," said head coach Paul Zavala. "Coming away with four school records gives us a great opportunity to build momentum into the final weeks of the outdoor season."
UP NEXT
The Flames will look to carry this momentum into next weekend as they travel to Champaign, Ill., for the Gary Wieneke Memorial, hosted by the University of Illinois on Friday and Saturday, May 1-2.
FOLLOW THE FLAMES
For more information on UIC track and field, visit UICFlames.com or follow the Flames on social media through X (@UIC_XCTF or @UICFlames) and Instagram (@UIC_XCTF or @uicflames).
