The world’s top ranked female pole vaulter will compete in a West Des Moines mall next month as part of the Drake Relays. Jenn Suhr was the 2008 Olympic silver medalist and will be part of the women’s field in the Pole Vault at the Mall in the Jordan Creek Towncenter. Drake Relays director Brian Brown says the presence of a top ranked competitor will add even more excitement to the competition. The Drake Relays are April 26th through the 28th.

Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz has made additional changes to his coaching staff. Recruiting coordinator Eric Johnson will move from tight ends coach and assist with the defensive line and graduate assistant David Raih will coach the tight ends. Ferentz says the change will allow Johnson to focus more of his attention on recruiting. He says the demands of that segment of the organization are so strong that his goal was to get Johnson in a position where he could dedicate more time to that area. Ferentz says Johnson is doing  a lot of work for the Hawkeyes, with regard to personnel, and it’s a “critical job, and always has been”, especially in the way recruiting is constantly undergoing changes.  Ferentz says by assisting with the defensive line Johnson will be more free to travel during the season. It is the latest of several changes on the Iowa staff which includes new offensive and defensive coordinators.