Drouin extends record, close finishes in relays

The atmosphere was charged this weekend at Franklin Field as 48,025 track and field fans cheered at the Penn Relays. IU track and field sent several athletes to Philadelphia to participate in the 118-year-old event.

The highlight of the weekend for the Hoosiers came Saturday when senior high jumper Derek Drouin cleared 2.33 meters (7-7.75), re-breaking the school outdoor record he broke the week before. That height also broke a 37-year-old facility record and gave Drouin his third Penn Relays high jump championship.

“The Penn Relays has a different feeling than any other meet,” Drouin said. “It’s not everyday that you get to jump in front of this many people.

“I’m happy with my jump, but I would have at least liked to get that next bar. Overall, I am satisfied.”

Drouin also competed with freshmen Zach Bray, Dylan Anderson and Stephen Keller in the Shuttle Hurdles Championship of America Friday. The relay team took third.

“It was a group of kids who come to practice every day and put in an honest effort,” Associate Head Coach Jeff Huntoon said. “We ran a world-class high jumper, a too-short high hurdler and two decathletes and each one ran a personal best. It put a smile on everybody’s face to see them do that.”

Also on Friday, the Hoosier men competed in the Distance Medley Relay Championship of America, placing fourth with a time of 9:29.02. Senior Andy Bayer anchored the relay with a 1600-meter split of 3:55.6, three seconds faster than any other anchor.

The Hoosiers’ DMR Championship of America time was faster than the winning times in every year since 2005.

“This was kind of a typical DMR for us, getting so close to winning a big race and coming up short,” Huntoon said. “Great efforts all around, but Andy in particular had the best split of the weekend.”

On Saturday, IU came within a second of its first College of America title since 1954 in the 4x1600-meter Relay. Junior Robby Nierman, senior Zach Mayhew, graduate student Adam Behnke and Bayer raced to a time of 16:18.29, second best in school history.

Nierman gave IU the lead after the first leg, and Mayhew kept it. Behnke gave up the lead but handed the baton to Bayer within striking distance. Bayer couldn’t close the gap, though, and split the same time as the winning anchor from Oregon.

“I was really proud of them, but especially the first three guys,” Huntoon said. “We took a shot and decided to let Andy try to outkick some people at the end and it didn’t work out.”

Huntoon also said the 4x100-meter Championship of America was a big morale victory for IU. The team of junior Nick Turner,freshman Cornelius Strickland, graduate student Chris Vaughn and sophomore Nick Stoner was the last team in during qualifications, but took fifth in the championship heat.

“This race is always a huge deal so whenever we get there is impressive,” Huntoon said. “Being the only northern school in there is something we’re really proud of. It means a lot to these kids to prove that you don’t have to go south to sprint.”

The Hoosiers wrap up the regular season at home May 3, when they compete in the Billy Hayes Invitational at home.

Huntoon said overall he was pleased with the effort he saw this weekend, but wished they could have brought home a winning relay trophy.

“I don’t know if we’re allergic to the Penn Relays trophies or something,” Huntoon said.

“We always come so close. We gave some great efforts though, throughout the weekend.”