evThe University of Minnesota men's track and field team placed in five events in the opening day of the Drake Relays which saw its second largest Friday session crowd of 17,050 in the history of the event.

Steve Burkholder placed third in heat one of the 100 meter dash prelims at 10.71 while Matt Taylor, Burkholder, Adam Freed, and Tom Gerding finished second in heat two of the 4 x 100m relay prelims.

In the 4 x 800 meter relay finals, the team of Andrew McKessock, Nathan Clay, Brian Meyer, and Toby Henkels posted an eighth place finish of 7:28.38. Also placing for the Golden Gophers was the 4 x 1,600 meter relay group of Jason Owen, Clay, Eric Pierce, and McKessock who finished fourth with a time of 16:31.68 and Mark Fahey who took sixth place in the discus with a throw of 182-10 (55.72m)

Minnesota will compete in the final day of the Drake Relays Saturday, April 29.

2000 Drake Relays
April 28, 2000
Day 1 Agate (Golden Gopher
Races/Events Only)

100 Meter Dash (Prelims) University and College Division Heat 1 1. Babatunde Ridley, ILLINOIS 10.58 w:-0.3; 2. Kevin Mills, LINDENWOOD 10.69; 3. Steve Burkholder, MINNESOTA 10.71.

4 x 100 Meter Relay (Prelims) Heat 2 1. Kenny Edwards, Jeff Adam, Cyrus Nichols, Devon Davis, NORTHERN IOWA 40.30; 2. Matt Taylor, Steve Burkholder, Adam Freed, Tom Gerding, MINNESOTA 40.50; 3. Demetric Green, Dedrick Evans, Derrick Wallace, Antwan Dussett, GRAMBLING STATE 40.71.

4 x 800 Meter Relay (Finals) 1. MISSOURI 7:16.23; 2. STANFORD 7:16.94; 3. BAYLOR 7:17.55; 8. Andrew McKessock, Nathan Clay, Brian Meyer, Toby Henkels, MINNESOTA 7:28.38.

4 x 1,600 Meter Relay (Finals) 1. NORTHERN IOWA 16:21.53; 2. STANFORD 16:21.58; 3. DRAKE 16:27.67; 4. Jason Owen, Nathan Clay, Eric Pierce, Andrew McKessock, MINNESOTA 16:31.68.

Discus (Finals) University and College Division 1. Jason Gervais, WYOMING 205-01 APOT (62.50m); 2. Tom Barrett, ILLINOIS STATE 196-10 (60.00m); 3. Stefanos Konstas, TEXAS EL-PASO 190-08 P (58.12m); 6. Mark Fahey, MINNESOTA 182-10 (55.72m).