It’s been a year since the 2014 Raleigh Relays, and the performances we witnessed in the North Carolina capital are still fresh on our minds. For that reason, we’re heading back to the campus of N.C. State in 2015 ready to recapture the excitement created by insane kicks, loaded collegiate distance races, and the top preps in the South all on one track. Before you tune-in tomorrow morning at 9:30 am ET for the 2015 edition, here’s a quick refresher on the eye-popping races we saw last season. 

 

Brycen Spratling gave us a Hall of Fame Kick

There are good kicks, there are great kicks, and then there is Brycen Spratling’s insane anchor leg in the 2014 Raleigh Relays 4x400m. Look at the gap between the Pitt anchor and the leaders when he got the stick: 

 

Now watch him run them down: 

Andrew Colley aka “Locks of Love” dropped the 1500m hammer
During his collegiate days at N.C. State, Andrew Colley was known for two things: his luscious long blonde locks and his cross country ability. However, at his home track at the 2014 Relays, Colley dropped down to the 1500m and flashed some serious wheels, hair and all: 

Enough with 2014. It’s time to talk 2015 Raleigh Relays, aka the jewel of the South, aka a meet that you’d be a fool to miss. 

Men’s 4x400m, Saturday 4:10 pm ET

Kicker extraordinaire Brycen Spratling has turned pro and won’t be in Raleigh, but the deepest event of the weekend will once again be the men’s 4x4 relay. The defending champion GW Express (Olympian Bershawn “Batman” Jackson anchored) squad that ran 3:05.85 in 2014 will be back looking to crack the meet and facility record of 3:02.04 that has stood since 2004. Challenging them will be 2014 NCAA 4x4 qualifiers Pitt and D2 NCAA 4x4 champions St. Augustine’s. Expect the fastest relay of the weekend to go down in Raleigh. 

 

Men’s and Women’s 800m, Saturday 2:00/2:15 pm ET

Deep fields of half milers will line up for both the men and women in Raleigh.

 

Four-time D2 800m champion Drew Windle of Ashland leads a field of eight men under 1:50 at N.C. State. Windle has a 1:46.52 PB from 2014. 

Ashland's Drew Windle is a 4-time NCAA D2 champion in the 800m

On the ladies side, 2015 NCAA indoor sixth place finisher and defending Raleigh Relays champion Elizabeth Whelan of North Carolina will make her outdoor debut, and will face stiff competition from Hampton’s Ce’aira Brown, the 2014 runner-up in Raleigh. Brown owns the fastest seed time with her 2:03.76 from last season.

 

Men’s  and Women’s 5,000m, Friday 9:07/9:24 pm ET

Pros and top collegians alike will come together for the best 5,000m races of the early outdoor season. 

 

The men’s race will be a showdown between ZAP Fitness and Furman Elite pros, as well as NCAA studs Shane Quinn (Providence), Luis Vargas (Elon), and Graham Crawford (N.C. State). Crawford was the runner-up in 2014 with his 13:49, but he’ll need to run quite a bit faster this time around  against a much deeper field. ZAP’s Tyler Pennel won the USA Marathon Championships in October, and will work on his speed in Raleigh.

 

Providence’s Laura Nagel leads the women’s field with her 15:42.60 seed time. Nagel won’t run away with this one, however, as Furman Elite pros Stephanie Garcia and Melissa Salerno are also entered. Garcia is an outstanding steepler, having run 9:24 in 2014. 

 

Men’s 1500m, Friday 6:37 pm ET

The fast section of the men’s 1500m will be in hot pursuit of the 3:39.75 facility record when they line up on Friday evening. Former Minnesota All-American John Simons will make his outdoor pro debut with ZAP Fitness, and his 3:40.56 PB is the fastest in the field. 

 

Providence’s Julian Oakley ran 3:57.22 indoors in February, and should challenge for the win. 

 

You can watch the 2015 Raleigh Relays LIVE on FloTrack starting at 9:30 am ET Friday, and continuing through Saturday. Make sure to check the schedule and watch the races LIVE, because we cannot archive due to conference regulations. WATCH HERE!