Illini Garner 11 Event Titles and Win Illinois Intercollegiate

Men's Track & Field January 30, 2010

Illini Garner 11 Event Titles and Win Illinois Intercollegiate

Jan. 30, 2010

Results

CHARLESTON, Ill. - After a dominating performance at the Carle/Health Alliance last week, the Illinois men's track and field team picked up where they left off, easily winning the Illinois Intercollegiate with 169 points on Saturday. The Illini grabbed 11 individual event titles at Lantz Fieldhouse and topped host Eastern Illinois (128) by 41 points. Senior Greg Shroka reset his personal best in the high jump (2.18m) to win the event for the third consecutive meet and made an attempt at the school record, with his final three jumps coming at 2.22m.

"We had a very good meet today with a number of personal bests across the board," interim head coach Mike Turk said. "Greg (Shroka) got a chance to take some jumps at the school record for the first time and had some pretty good cracks at it."

Illinois' other All-American, sophomore Andrew Riley, also reset his personal best for the second straight week to win the 60m dash (6.78) and took the top spot in the 60m hurdles (7.94), giving him six total event titles in just three meets this season. The Kingston, Jamaica native also was third in the high jump (2.04m). Sophomore Shawn Ledbetter was the second Illini finisher in the 60m hurdles, placing fourth overall at 8.33.

The Illini filled the top four spots in the 60m dash, with junior Stanley Azie (6.93) and freshmen Boyea Lockett (6.99) and Josh Zinzer (7.01) following Riley. Zinzer was the top Illini finisher in the 200m, taking second place with a time of 22.43.

Sophomore Roger Jones leapt to the long jump crown with a mark of 6.80m, while junior Oz Lifshitz won the triple jump (15.05m) and finished over a meter ahead of the next competitor. The Mickow brothers dominated the distance events, as Colin handily won the 3,000m (8:41.75) by nearly five seconds and Hunter picked up the victory in the 5,000m (14:49.90). Freshman Jordan Hebert (15:03.44) and sophomore Phil Pompei finished two-three in the 5,000m behind Hunter.

"I challenged some of our other guys to step up, and they responded well," Turk said. "Roger (Jones) and Oz (Lifshitz) did very well in the jumps for us, and Hunter Mickow really looked good and is ahead of where he was last year. Shawn (Ledbetter) will be our sprinter of the week after a strong showing in the hurdles and Josh Zinzer also had a very good day."

Both of Illinois' relay teams earned victories, with the distance medley team of senior Brian Beaird, freshman Ryan Lynn and sophomores Graham Farnsworth and Colin Mickow running 10:07.12 to win by over 26 seconds and the 4x400m relay team of juniors Shane Daniel and Dan Jones and freshmen Bai Kabba and Malcolm Taylor timing 3:17.86 to win by under half a second.

Other event victories came from sophomore Alex Baldwin in the pole vault (4.60m) and freshman Kyle Engnell in the mile (4:11.17). Engnell was also the runner-up in the 800m (1:55.97) followed by sophomore Dan Kremske (1:58.42) in third.

Illinois finished second through fourth in the 400m, paced by Daniel (49.40), Dan Jones (49.94) and freshman Bai Kabba (50.23). In the 600m, senior Scott Phelps (1:20.61) and Taylor (1:21.03) were third and fourth, respectively. Junior Matt McHugh was runner up in the weight throw (17.18m).

Next week, the Illini head to the Meyo Invitational in South Bend, Ind.

Illinois Intercollegiate Team Results
1. ILLINOIS, 169
2. Eastern Illinois, 128
3. SIU-Edwardsville, 59

Illinois First Place Finishes

60m
1. Andrew Riley, 6.78

60m hurdles
1. Andrew Riley, 7.94

3000m
1. Colin Mickow, 8:41.75

5000m
1. Hunter Mickow, 14:38.12

Mile
1. Kyle Engnell, 4:11.77

4x400m Relay
1. Shane Daniel, Bai Kabba, Malcolm Taylor, Dan Jones, 3:17.86

Distance Medley Relay
1. Brian Beaird, Ryan Lynn, Graham Farnsworth, Colin Mickow, 10:07.12

Long Jump
1. Roger Jones, 6.80m

Triple Jump
1. Oz Lifshitz, 15.05m