Dordt University sets new school record in 4x400 win at Drake Relays

The four members on the Dordt University 4x400 relay had no doubt. They would wait out a two-hour weather delay and try to capture a Drake Relays championship.

The Defenders did so without authority. Senior Payton Mauldin capped off an excellent week by anchoring the Defenders to victory in the men's college 4x400 in a new school record 3:09.43. The former Central Lyon-GLR prep and NAIA record holder in the 600 meters put in a 45.29 anchor leg to fight off Minnesota State's anchor. Mauldin also won the college 400 meters Thursday.

The Defenders said the wait to run on the Blue Oval was worth it.

"When we heard there was a delay, our coach came and asked what we wanted to do," senior Devin Bos said. "All of us were like, 'We're going to stay here. Whether it's three, four hours, five hours, we just want to run. We wanted a chance, no matter what."

Dordt's time knocked nearly a second off the program record from 2011 and leads the NAIA this season.

"This is probably my favorite place in the world to run," said senior Cole Zevenbergen, the team's No. 3 runner. "Every time I come out here I try to give it my all. Tonight, I knew it was gonna be my last one so I just knew I had to lay it out there and give it my best. It's really special to set the school record on my final run around here.

All four relay members are former Iowa preps. Sophomore Levi Schelhaas ran for Pella Christian, Bos for Unity Christian in Orange City while Zevenbergen attended Western Christian of Hull.

Men's Iowa College DMR

Willian Penn has rarely been synonymous with excellence in track and field, but the times are changing under head coach Victoria Vinokur. The Statesmen became the fifth different champion in this five-year event, taking the Relays white flag in 10:12.53. That time ranks William Penn sixth best all-time in NAIA history.

Junior Brandon Williams had the key leg, with his 1:54.19 in the 800 more than five seconds better than anyone else on the third leg. He gave anchor D'Artagnon Beaver a slight lead.

"Trying to get us into contention," Williams said. "I know we all really wanted it bad."

Beaver pulled away from Dubuque's anchor on the 1,600 to seal Penn's win. Beaver praised the positive atmosphere Vinokur and head cross country coach Caleb Drake have built in Oskaloosa.

"I transferred from Hawkeye Community College and it was kind of scary," Beaver, a junior, said. "I had guys who just rallied beside me and a coach who cared more about my growth off the track than on the track. And all the pressure wasn't there."

Women's Iowa College DMR

Junior anchor Addy Parrott brought the Central College relay all the way back with a 5:05 effort over the final 1,600 meters to lead the Dutch to a winning time of 12:23.83. The former Danville prep ran 5:05, more than eight seconds better than other teams' anchors, to overcome an early lead by Dordt University and Northwestern College.

"Being in a relay is an adrenaline rush. You're not running for yourself," Parrott said. "We came in just wanting to have fun. It was awesome being at the Blue Oval. Not a lot of us get this opportunity."

The Central relay included Leah Bontrager, Alivia Roerdink and Sara Goodenbour. Bontrager is a native of Wellman while Goodenbour ran for Cedar Falls High.

Men's College DMR

An all-international Iowa Western Community College relay of freshman Flynn Pumpa, freshman Michael Francois, sophomore Mohammed Kowa and freshman Geofrey Ronoh ran the second-fastest time ever in NJCAA outdoor track history, a 9:47.50 effort beaten only by Ranger's 9:41.65 time from 1985.

Pumpa said coming to the Council Bluffs school to run for head coach Marc Bierbaum kept his dream going to run at a U.S. college.

"We all had our big goals. Then they got slightly comprised," said Pumpa, a freshman from South Brisbane, Australia. "Iowa Western came knocking on our door. The places we were going, the opportunities we were going to get, it couldn't be better. Very grateful, especially grateful for teammates like this. This is our taste of D1, almost, coming to the Drake Relays."

Women's University DMR

Notre Dame shattered its event record from 2021 by nearly 10 seconds while becoming the first women's team in Relays history to topple the 11-minute mark. The quartet of Siona Chisolm, Kate McAndrew, Gretchen Farley and Olivia Markezich covered the 2 1/2 miles, or 10 laps, in 10:54.50.

"It so special to come back here. This meet three years ago and this race in particular was one of my favorite memories of college and it's so fun to bring younger girls and do it all over again," Markezich said.

Men's University/College Hammer Throw

University of Minnesota true freshman Angelos Mantzouranis took down the Relays record of training partner and 2023 Relays champion Kostas Zaltos with his final throw, a 75.55-meter effort. The native of Athens, Greece, built up his series of throws until uncorking his 247-10 throw, which was more than 12 feet ahead of Air Force's Texas Tanner.

"It felt way different from every other throw," Mantzouranis said of his sixth throw. "I feel like I can do the same throw again."

Zaltos, a senior and fellow Greek, is taking a redshirt season to prepare for a run at the Paris Olympics.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Dordt University sets new school record in 4x400 win at Drake Relays