Jan. 22, 2006

Final Stats

Champaign, Ill. - The Fighting Illini women's track and field team continued their strong start to the 2006 season with a victory at their own Illinois Invitational held Saturday at the Armory track on the campus of the University of Illinois. The Illini won the meet with 185 total points. Illinois State (78), Missouri Baptist (72), Louisville (71), Michigan State (54) and Southern Illinois (22) followed Illinois' first-place score.

Head coach Gary Winckler saw some improvements from last week's successful season opener in Iowa City.

"We had a really good meet today," Winckler said. "Last week was one of our better openers in several years and this performance was even better."

Yvonne Mensah led the Illini on the track with first-place finishes in the 60m and 200m. Mensah's 7.41 in the 60-meter dash was good enough to provisionally qualify for the NCAA Championships.

Mensah then pulled a trick out of her hat in the lone long jump performance of her career. The junior jumped was a distance of 6.20m.

"It was her first day ever long jumping and she did a great job with it," said Winckler.

Along with Mensah, senior Nina Henson placed first in the triple jump (12.09m) finishing ahead of junior Krista Jones (12.02m) and sophomore Mareisa Greene (1.65m) who took second and third respectively.

Placing second, third and fourth in the 800m were sophomore Rachel Hernandez (2:14.00), junior Cassie Hunt (2:14.68) and sophomore Maggie Carroll (2:15.00). Hunt also posted a time of 4:46.55 in the mile to finish second but provisionally qualifying her for the NCAA's. Junior Stephanie Simms placed third behind Hunt (4:48.77).

The Fighting Illini dominated the 60-meters taking three of the top four spots. Mensah (7.41), sophomore Tiara Armstrong (7.60) and freshman Omoye Ugiagbe (7.72) placed first, second and fourth, respectively. Ugiagbe secured a first place finish running the 400m in 56.88.

Other first-place finishers included sophomore LaNeisha Waller in the 60-meter hurdles (8.61) and junior Carlene Robinson in the 600m (1:32.39).

The women's 4x400m relay team comprised of Mensah, Robinson, Ugiagbe and sophomore Briana Cunningham finished the meet by placing second with a time of 3:47.30

"It was an all-around good team performance and we're feeling good. We're going to keep on continuing through January and into February," said Winckler.

The Fighting Illini women's squad will look to perform as well as they did this weekend when they host the Carle/Health Alliance Classic next weekend on Saturday, Jan. 28 at the Armory track. Field events are at 9:30 a.m. with action on the track beginning at 11:30 a.m.