This year’s Drake Relays have a distinct ISU flavor, as the 48 Cyclone men and women represent the most competitors of any school at the meet. The Cyclones started off action Thursday night with Lisa Koll in the women’s 5,000-meter run and Guor Majak, Kiel Uhl and Dan Taylor in the men’s 5,000m.

Iowa State is not the only act in town, however, as many top track and field athletes in the collegiate ranks as well as some top noncollegiate athletes from around the United States will compete. Here are the top 10 things to watch for among the nearly 8,000 athletes at the 98th Drake Relays.

1 – The 2006 NCAA Indoor champion – the Texas Longhorn women – will make their first appearance at the meet since 1984. Texas also features four athletes with individual NCAA titles. Also returning after long absences are the Ohio State men’s and women’s teams. The men haven’t been to Drake since 1987 and the women since 1992.

2 – The Florida women’s team will make its first-ever appearance along with the South Alabama men and women. Many teams are just trying to get a feel for the track as Drake will host the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 2008.

3 – 2006 Drake Relays’ outstanding men’s performer, Christian Cantwell, will defend his title in the men’s invitational shot put. Cantwell set the Drake Relays’ shot put record with a throw of 72 feet, 6.25 inches last year.

4 – 60-meter hurdle U.S. Indoor Champion Lola Jones will be trying for her third straight women’s 100-meter hurdle championship at Drake.

5 – Former Ankeny High School javelin thrower Leigh Smith will throw in the men’s javelin. Smith finished the season ranked fourth in the United States last year.

6 – Perhaps the headliner athlete will be 2006 U.S. athlete of the year and two-time Olympic Gold-Medalist Jeremy Wariner looking to repeat his title in the men’s invitational 200-meter dash. Wariner won gold medals at the 2004 Athens games in the 400-meter dash and 4×400-meter relay.

7 – Seven-time Drake Relay Champion Jeff Hartwig will compete in the men’s pole vault. Hartwig is the indoor and outdoor record-holder in the event.

8 – John Hinton will try to win his third straight master’s mile.

9 – The invitational high jump will be loaded for both the men and women. Five-time U.S. Outdoor Champion Amy Acuff will lead the women’s field, while the men’s field will feature seven of the top-10 high jumpers in the United States.

10 – 2007 U.S. Outdoor Champion Alan Webb will make his first appearance at Drake in the invitational mile.

Friday’s events start at 8 a.m. with evening events starting at 5:30 p.m. The opening ceremonies are scheduled for 6:50 p.m. with fireworks following the events. Saturday morning also starts at 8 a.m., with events ending with the university division men’s 4x400m at 6 p.m. Mediacom Connections 22 will televise Friday night’s events, starting at 5 p.m., and events will be shown live online at www.drakebroadcasting.com.