DES MOINES — Day three of the Drake Relays is in the books for the ISU track-and-field team. And with a fairly overcast day, the team still took care of business.

The fastest story on the track today was the women’s 4×400-meter relay team qualifying for the finals, which will take place Saturday evening. 

“I feel really good about it,” said sprints coach Nate Wiens. “We’re fortunate enough to have passionate and talented young women on the team of which all of them do a great job.”

Although the temperature was in the low 50s with mild gusts of wind blistering through the stadium, the 4×400 squad accomplished its goals for the day’s event.

“We came out and we knew it was going to be cold and we knew it was going to be windy,” Wiens said. “And I look at all seven [runners] and they get the job done.”

Sprinter Krista Shoeman led the 4×400 relay team in the first leg of the race. Shoeman said she felt confident heading into the event.

“Going into it, I felt really good about it, but once we got out there, it was really windy,” Shoeman said. “And I think that played with everyone’s head a little bit, but we still went out there and executed and got into the finals.”

When the relay squad returns on Saturday night to compete, weather conditions are predicted to get colder, windier and rainier.

However, Wiens said his athletes are smart when it comes to conditions like these and are adequately prepared.

“We’re from Iowa, they know how to warm up well and they know how to stay warm and race,” Wiens said.

With Shoeman qualifying at the last minute for the 400-meter hurdles, sprinter Dana Christensen will be replacing Shoeman in her leg of the race.

The women’s 4×400 relay team will compete tomorrow night at 5:47 p.m.