Full Results
CHAMPAIGN, ILL. – The Fighting Illini Women's Track and Field team concluded their final preparations for the Big Ten Indoor Championships meet next weekend with today's Orange and Blue Open. Three Fighting Illini came away with event titles, with Pedrya Seymour taking home 60m hurdle honors, Kandie Bloch-Jones in the high jump, and Hanna Winter in the mile run.
Pedrya Seymour and Kortni Smyers-Jones once again showed well in the 60m hurdles this afternoon, each qualifying for the final. After timing 8.30 in the prelims, Pedrya Seymour won the event title by tying her personal-record time of 8.27. Smyers-Jones placed fourth with a personal-best time of 8.51.
"The last couple weeks, I've really tuned into everything my coaches have said, to do everything he's told me to do faster, quicker, and that helped me get a personal-record," said Seymour. "So, going into Big Tens I'll keep working hard and look to see another big improvement."
In the 60m dash, four Illini qualified for the eight-sprinter final, including Seymour's heat-winning time of 7.66. Joining her were teammates Kymbriona Taylor (7.57), Sade Hargrove (7.71), and Emone Davis (7.74). For Taylor, it marked a personal-record time for the event.
In the event final, the Illini saw another personal-record from Sade Hargrove. Hargrove's 7.59 time easily moved her past her previous 7.76 mark set back in at the Border Battle.
The sprints group rounded out their day with three Illini finishing in the top-five of the 200m dash. Sade Hargrove recorded the top time for the Orange and Blue, 24.91, to place second. Briana Driver and Jasmine Berry finished back-to-back with times of 25.35 and 25.40, respectively.
After not seeing the results she wanted last weekend in Ames, Kandie Bloch-Jones responded with an event title today, ahead of next week's conference championships. Bloch-Jones cleared 5'111/2" (1.81m) on her first attempt, and then made attempts at the school record (6'11/2), coming up just shy of clearing it.
"She's a competitor," said Coach Garner. "She played basketball in high school, so she had to learn how to come back after an off night and respond. She'll be ready for Big Ten Championships next week."
After setting a personal-record mark at Iowa State, sophomore Sara McKeeman bested that mark today with a 13"01/4 (3.97m) clearance, tying the best mark on the team this year. Senior Jennifer DeBellis finished the pole vault competition with a clearance of 12'61/4 (3.82m).
"Things have just been coming together in practice," said McKeeman. "I've figured out a couple things with my technique that's made it a lot easier to get on bigger poles and jump higher heights. It's the coaching that Bryan [Carrel] has been giving me all along that's paying off."
Fighting Illini long jumpers Janile Rogers and Briana Driver combined for two top-three finishes in the event this afternoon. Rogers led the duo, placing just behind event winner Letristan Pledger's 18'9" (5.71m) mark, with a leap of 18'81/2" (5.70m). Finishing in third was Driver with a mark of 18-21/4 (5.54m).
Lindsey Rakosnik paced the Illini in the 400m with a personal-record time of 58.33 to win her heat. Rakosnik's time placed third overall, while Miranda Marry placed sixth and Twinkle Mehta finished in ninth.
A pair of Illini finished ahead of the pack in the mile run. Hanna Winter and Denise Branch came through in the final lap to overtake the field and finish 1-2 in the event. Winter's winning time of 5:00.09 set a new personal-record, while Branch's runner-up 5:00.55 time also set a personal-record.
Kristian Kladar rounded out the middle distance competitions with a 1:38.57 personal-record to finish second in the 600m run.
The Illini concluded the meet with a title in the 4x400m hurdles where the quartet of Rakosnik, Mehta, Kladar, Berry finished with a winning-time of 3:56.79.
Up Next:
With the indoor regular season behind them, the Fighting Illini will set their sights on the postseason, beginning with Big Ten Championships next weekend in Geneva, Ohio on February 26-27.
Event Titles:
Kandie Bloch-Jones: High Jump, 5'111/4" (1.81m)
Hanna Winter: Mile, 5:00.09 (PR)
Pedrya Seymour: 60m Hurdles, 8.27
Rakosnik, Mehta, Kladar, Berry: 4x400m Relay, 3:56.79.
