Scots part of one of world’s premier track and field meets

Release Date: May 3, 2005

MONMOUTH, Ill. — If nearly every man, woman and child in Warren County showed up at Monmouth College’s next home track meet, that would create about the same crowd was on hand Friday and Saturday as the Fighting Scots took part in the 2005 Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa.

Monmouth College track coach Roger Haynes reported that approximately 18,000 spectators were on hand for the second day of the event, following the 14,000 or so who watched Friday’s action.

Billed as “America’s Athletic Classic,” the event is one of the world’s premier track and field meets, and it again featured many of the heavy hitters on the national track and field scene, as well as some outstanding prep athletes.

“It was a good experience overall,” said Haynes. “This shows them that there is a whole other level of track and field out there.”

The Fighting Scots gave a good account of themselves in several relay events, most notably the rarely-run 4x1600. Monmouth’s men finished eighth in the event, and six of the schools that topped them came from the university division, including Notre Dame. Minnesota won the race in 16:42.66, with the Scots’ group of Zach Barr, Anthony Welty, Aaron Etienne and Kel Bond finishing in 17:34.55. Haynes said Etienne was a key to the performance with a PR of 4:21 in the third leg.

A school record fell in the distance medley, as the talented group that almost made it to indoor nationals turned in a seventh-place time of 10:05.61. Welty, Tyler Rundle, Bond and Barr made up the record-setting team, with Rundle running a 48.0-second 400-meter leg.

Also competing was the 4x100 group of Rundle, Brad Gross, Brad Franks and Blake Boma (42.60), the 4x400 team of Rundle, Bond, Adam Rodriguez and Gross (3:21.23) and the sprint medley team of Rundle, Franks, Gross and Rodriguez (3:34.10).

Four women’s sprint groups were in action, and the 4x200 squad had the best performance, qualifying for the final, which they did not run. The team of Brenda Herrera, Jacquie Ouart, Megan Hamilton and Kila Cox ran a time of 1:44.44.

Thirty minutes after what would have been the 4x200 final, Herrera, Hamilton and Cox were joined by Christina Reiner in the 4x100, which ran a time of 49.60, good for 18th place among college teams.

Monmouth’s 4x400 squad of Cox, Tiffanie York, Erica Barnett and Ouart was clocked in 4:06.76, and the sprint medley team of Herrera, Ouart, Cox and York also competed. Cox had two 400-meter legs in the low 57-second range, while Ouart was clocked in under 26 seconds in a 200-meter leg.

Off the track, Haynes said that Rundle had an “up close and personal” moment with his idol, track star Jeremy Wariner. Rundle had his running shoes signed by Wariner, the 2004 Olympic champion in the 400-meter dash, and a member of the United States’ 4x400 gold medal team. During the remainder of this season, Rundle will simply have to look down at his feet to recall one of the high points of his collegiate track and field career.

Of local interest, Farmington High School graduate and former state champion Jake Pauli cleared 18’8-3/4 to win the pole vault. He currently competes for Nike International.

Men's Outdoor Track  |  Women's Outdoor Track