Iowa State's Evelyne Guay and Perez Rotich exchange the baton during the 4x1,600-meter relay at the Drake Relays on Thursday in Des Moines. The Cyclones finished third. Photo by Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune
With a team that included an athlete coming off of an injury, two freshmen, and a transfer who has struggled with injuries the last few years, Iowa State distance coach Andrea Grove-McDounough knew piecing together a winning 4x1,600-meter relay team at the Drake Relays would be difficult.
While the Cyclones ran more than 20 seconds behind the top two teams, Oklahoma State and Washington, the team of junior Perez Rotich, freshman Evelyne Guay, Brown transfer Kate DeSimone, and freshman Abby Caldwell were the best of the second pack on Thursday, finishing third in a time of 19 minutes, 23.