Day One Results | Richartz Interview

GENEVA, Ohio - The Illinois women's track and field team opened the first day of the Big Ten Indoor Track & Field Championships with a number of strong performances. The Illini had a multiple season-best or career-best performances, including two individuals qualifying for tomorrow's finals, two changes to the school's all-time lists and one performance that broke Illinois and Big Ten records.

Stephanie Richartz had the performance of the day for the Illini, winning the indoor pole vault title for the second time in her career. Richartz cleared 4.39m (14' 4.75") to claim the crown, breaking her own school record of 4.38m (14' 4.5") that she set at last weekend's Orange and Blue Open. That mark also eclipsed the previous Big Ten Indoor Championship record and established a new Big Ten Conference record.

"It's really nice to be able to end my senior indoor season with a Big Ten championship title," said Richartz. "It was phenomenal a couple of years ago but given everything I have been through and that this is my last time around, there's something truly magical about it being the last one."

Also in the pole vault, Jennifer DeBellis had a new personal-best clearance of 4.09m (13' 5") on her way to a fourth-place finish. DeBellis eclipsed her previous best of 4.03m (13' 2.5") set at the Rod McCravy Memorial Meet earlier this season.

"Stephanie was absolutely amazing," said pole vault coach Bryan Carrel. "She got into a jump off but she's a competitor and she pulled it out. Jennifer also really stepped up. She got us points when she wasn't expected to. She went from being seeded 11th to placing fourth and that was huge for us. Those two make it easy for me to look like a good coach."

In track prelims, a pair of Illini qualified for tomorrow's finals. Breeana Coleman, who ran a season-best time of 8.25 in the 60m hurdles, will enter tomorrow's finals with the third-fastest time. In the 600m, Nicole Choquette also qualified for finals with the third-best performance of the preliminary rounds, clocking 1:31.24.

The distance medley relay team of Britten Petrey, Samone Thompson, Lindsey Rakosnik and Alyssa Schneider also scored points for the team after finishing in sixth. The quartet clocked 11:23.54, making them the fourth-fastest team in school history.

The Illini put together a number of season-best or lifetime-best performances. Pedrya Seymour had a career day in both the 60m hurdles and 200m. Coleman added a career-best 7.51 performance in the 60m to her performance in the hurdles. Jasmine Berry (400m) and Miranda Marry (600m) had their best performance as members of Illini, as did Courtney Ackerman in mile and Hanna Winter in the 3,000m. Kymbriona Taylor also had a season-best performance in the 200m.

Illinois is currently in in ninth place with 18 points. The final day of competition begins tomorrow morning at 11:00 a.m. ET with the high jump. Running event finals begin at 12:30 p.m. ET.

Big Ten Team Standings (through six events)
1. Wisconsin - 31
T-2. Michigan State - 24
T-2. Ohio State - 24
T-4. Indiana - 23
T-4. Penn State - 23
6. Minnesota - 22
7. Nebraska 20
8. Maryland - 19
9. Illinois - 18
T-10. Purdue - 9
T-10. Michigan - 9
12. Rutgers - 8
13 - Iowa

Illinois Friday Results at 2015 Big Ten Indoor Championships
Q = qualified for Saturday's finals

60m Hurdles (Prelims)
3. Breeana Coleman - 8.25 Q
16. Pedrya Seymour - 8.59

60m (Prelims)
11. Breeana Coleman - 7.51
20. Kymbriona Taylor - 7.73
22. Janile Rogers - 7.81

200m (Prelims)
18. Janile Rogers - 24.55
24. Kymbriona Taylor - 24.96
25. Pedrya Seymour - 24.96

400m (Prelims)
19. Jasmine Berry - 56.58

600m (Prelims)
3. Nicole Choquette - 1:31.24 Q
21. Miranda Marry - 1:34.49

800m (Prelims)
12. Lindsey Rakosnik - 2:11.16

Mile (Prelims)
17. Courtney Ackerman - 4:55.53

3,000m
14. Hanna Winter - 9:48.77
19. Denise Branch - 10:00.41

Pole Vault
1. Stephanie Richartz - 4.39m (14' 4.75") - 10 team points
4. Jennifer DeBellis - 4.09m (13' 5") - 5 team points
T-24. Sara McKeeman - 3.74m (12' 3.25")

Long Jump
18. Janile Rogers - 5.48m (17' 11.75")

Distance Medley Relay
6. Britten Petrey, Samone Thompson, Lindsey Rakosnik, Alyssa Schneider - 11:23.54 - 3 team points