Vote for the Register female Athlete of the Week for April 19-25

The week of April 19-25 saw the 116th Drake Relays take place at Drake Stadium in Des Moines.

There were a number of phenomenal performances from female high school track and field athletes from the Des Moines metro area during the Relays. Waukee Northwest had several notable individual efforts after winning five relays and producing multiple standout individual efforts.

It was also another busy week of high school girls golf and soccer featuring athletes from the metro area. Several female athletes stood out in those sports during the week as well.

Here are the Des Moines Register's female Athlete of the Week candidates from the Des Moines metro area for the week of April 19-25. DesMoinesRegister.com readers vote to determine the winners, who will be announced at the end of the week.

Katie Willits, Waukee Northwest

Waukee Northwest’s Katie Willits celebrates after winning high school girls 100-meter dash final in the Drake Relays at drake Stadium on April 24, 2026, in Des Moines, Iowa.

Willits won the girls 100-meter dash, and she also helped the Waukee Northwest girls shuttle hurdle team break 60 seconds during the Drake Relays from April 24-25.

On April 24 Willits won the girls 100 in 11.69 seconds and she anchored the Warrior girls 4x200 team to victory in 1:38.40. On April 25 she ran the opening leg on Northwest's victorious girls shuttle hurdle team that became the first female team in Iowa history to break 60 seconds with a 59.57 effort.

Morgan Karr, Valley

Karr broke 14 seconds in winning the girls 100 hurdles during the Drake Relays on April 24.

Karr crossed the finish line in 13.99 to beat Waukee's Jana Maharry by 0.29 seconds for the victory. Karr also helped Valley place second in the girls shuttle hurdle with a 1:00.37 showing.

Makenna Madetzke, Ankeny

Madetzke won the girls 800 and she took second in the elite mile during the Drake Relays.