Dec. 10, 2001
Distance
After an up and down cross country season that saw the Illinois roster get depleted by injuries, Michelle Byrne finally has a team that is near full strength and knows that success for her runners is eminent if her team can only stay healthy.
For Illinois to win the Big Ten Championships, it will take an all-around team effort. Illinois has a wealth of talent returning in every event from the 800 meters up and that depth begins with junior Cecelia Dietzen. The Elmhurst, Ill., native was a two-time placer for Illinois during the Indoor season, including a sixth-place finish in the 3,000 meter run and an eighth-place finish in the 5,000 meters.
The Illini are also expecting strong seasons from cross country standouts Amber Hunt and Erin Frakes and Katie Hartmann. Hunt competed in both the 3,000 meter and 5,000 meter runs at last season's Big Ten Championships and had a strong finish to her cross country season. In addition to running the 3K and 5K, Hunt will run the mile to add even more versatility to Illinois' distance lineup. Frakes will compete in her first track season after redshirting in 2000. Frakes will focus on the 5,000 meters for Illinois but can double in 3K if necessary, much like freshman Katie Hartmann. Like Frakes, Hartmann will be running her first track season and is expected to contribute in both the 3,000 and 5,000 meters.
Of the newcomers, look for freshmen Jamie Turilli and Casie Simpson to make immediate impacts. Throughout the cross country season, Turilli showed she was one of the better freshmen in the Big Ten. Turilli led the team in two events and will be an impact for Illinois in any event from the mile up to 5,000 meters. Simpson also showed she was a capable freshman, but will run the 800 meters and the mile for Illinois. As with any team, health is one of the keys to success. If Illinois can dodge the injury bug, Byrne feels this team has the depth and talent to score points for the team at the Big Ten Championship in any event from the 800 meters and up.
Throws
For the throwers, John Baumann is looking to replace the reigning Big Ten discus champion, Gia Lewis, but has plenty of depth to rely upon. Replacing Lewis won't be easy though. In her career, Lewis earned a pair of top-three Big Ten finishes in the discus and earned All-America honors as a senior with a fifth-place showing at the 2001 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
First in line to step in for Lewis is senior Adeoti Oshinowo. Oshinowo returns after competing in three events at last season's Big Ten Championships. Oshinowo competed in the shot put, discus and hammer throw for Illinois and has made a habit of improving each year under the tutelage of Baumann. Last season she placed seventh in the shot put and set new personal-best marks in each of her events. The Naperville, Ill., native will also be looking for a strong indoor campaign in her final season. Oshinowo set a personal-best mark in the 20 pound weight throw, while competing for the Illini in both the shot put and weight throw at the Big Ten meet.
While her eligibility is up in her outdoor career All-American Gia Lewis returns in the indoor. Last season, Lewis a set a personal-best mark in the shot put and will be looking for continued improvement in her quest to place at this season's Big Ten Championship.
While Oshinowo and Lewis provide championship experience, Tracy Moss and Audrea Wall will be looking to take the next in their improvement. Wall, who specializes in the Javelin, finished competed at the Big Ten Outdoor meet in 2001 and returns as one of the conferences' top young throwers in her event. Like Wall, Moss is also entering her third year in the Illinois program. Last season, Moss competed at the Big Ten Championships in the discus and has shown that she has the potential to step into Lewis' shoes in 2002.
Along with established veterans, Illinois has brought in an impressive crop of freshmen. Marie Hilmersson enters the Illinois program with an impressive prep resume. The Froui, Sweden, native is the top junior thrower in Sweden and is ranked second in the country in the hammer, discus and shot put, regardless of age.
Schaumburg, Ill., native Michelle Klosinski enters the program after a stellar prep career at Schaumburg High School. Klosinski earned all-state honors in the shot put in 2001, after a sixth-place finish and was a three-time qualifier at the Illinois State Track and Field Championship.
A third freshman who could make an impact for Illinois is Nicole Salata. Salata was a three-time all-state selection in the discus during her prep career, while winning the state title in the discus in 2001.
Sprints and hurdles
Simply put, Gary Winckler has brought the nation's top group of 60m and 100m hurdlers to the University of Illinois. The Illini return three 100m hurdle All-Americans from the 2001 NCAA Outdoor Championships and have four placers returning from the Big Ten Outdoor Championships in the same event.
Included in that group of returnees is the United States Track Coaches Association's 2001 Female Athlete of the year Perdita Felicien. Felicien was also named the 2001 Big Ten Outdoor Female Athlete of the Year and is a two-time Big Ten Freshman of the Year award winner. Last season, the Pickering, Ontario, native won the first Big Ten title of her career, doing so in the 100m hurdles at the Big Ten Outdoor Championship and went on to finish fifth at the NCAA Championship in the same event. Felicien was also the national runner-up in the 60m hurdles last season as a freshman and will be looking to bring home a pair of NCAA titles in 2002.
Ironically enough, Felicien's main competition could come from her teammates. The reigning 2001 Big Ten Outdoor Freshman of the Year, Susanna Kallur will compete in her first indoor season after finishing third at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships in the 100m hurdles and fifth at the NCAA meet. Both Kallur and Felicien competed at the 2001 World Track and Field Championships over the summer and affirmed their status as two of the world's top hurdlers.
The third returning All-American is Jenny Kallur, the twin sister of Susanna. J. Kallur finished fourth at the Big Ten Outdoors in the 100m hurdles in addition to scoring in the 200m dash for the Illini. At the NCAA Championship, she finished seventh overall in the 100m hurdles completing the Illinois trifecta in the single event.
In the sprints, Chequetta Bearfield returns after placing in both the 60m and 200m dash at the Big Ten Indoor Championships. Bearfield finished seventh in the 60m and fourth in the 200m and gives Illinois one of the Big Ten's top returners in each event. In addition to her hurdle success, Kallur will also see time in the sprints after her success as a freshman.
Felicien will also cross over to the sprints. Felicien finished sixth in the 100m dash for Illinois last season at the Big Ten Outdoors and will provide Illinois with added depth in each of the sprint races.
A newcomer to watch for is Shanna Pickett. Pickett comes to Illinois after a successful prep career at Morgan Park High School in Chicago. Pickett will primarily see time for the Illini in the 200m dash, after finishing second at last season's state championships with a time of 24.06.
Vertical Jumps
Camee' Williams returns as Illinois' top high jumper. The senior placed at both the Big Ten Indoor and Outdoor Championships for Gary Winckler's club last season. At the Indoor meet, Williams finished fifth with a personal-best mark of 5'07.00". During the outdoor season, Williams had another personal-best leap of 5'08.00" at the Texas Relays. Williams finished the season with a fourth-place finish at the Big Ten Outdoor meet, the best conference finish in her career.
Behind Williams are a pair of returnees and a group of three freshmen that are expected to provide quality depth in the event. Kristen Aloiso and Jessica Bayne return after competing in 2001. Aloisio had a season best jump of 5'02.25" at the Houston Quadrangular, while Bayne finished 14th at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships with a jump of 5'03.75". Help is also on the way in freshmen Nicole Friel, Candice Bullard and Marietta Lessley. Each enters Illinois after solid prep careers and are expected to compete immediately for Gary Winckler's team.
Illinois' all-time pole vaulter, Angela Hilgers, returns for her junior campaign after placing at both the Big Ten Indoor and Outdoor Championships. Hilgers earned a fourth-place finish during the Indoor season with a career-best jump of 12'04.25", the top jump by nearly two feet in Illinois history. She topped that height in the outdoor season jumping 12'05.50" to finish second at the Indiana Triangular, while finishing eighth at the Big Ten Outdoor meet.
Horizontal Jumps
Depth and experience are the keys for Illinois in the long jump. The Illini return every jumper from 2001 and have added prep standout Shanna Pickett to the mix that includes Camee' Williams and Crystal Riley. Last season, Pickett finished second at the state meet in the long jump with a leap of 18' 03.25" and will provide competition for both Williams and Riley. Riley was fifth at both the Big Ten Indoor and Outdoor meets in 2001 in hopes to bring home a Big Ten long jump title after a successful off-season. Williams also returns after seventh at the Big Ten Indoor meet with a jump of 19'02.75".
Riley also experienced success in the triple jump last season. The Chicago, Ill., native placed at both the Big Ten Indoor and Outdoor meets in 2001 and will look to improve her performance this season. Last year, Riley leapt to fifth place at the Big Ten Outdoor with a season best jump of 39'07.25". That mark set a personal best for the junior who also finished seventh at the Big Ten Indoor meet earlier in the year. This year Riley will get help from transfer Nicole Whitman. Whitman enters the program after a stay at Hampton University where she was named team MVP and has a personal-best jump of 41'09.00" under her belt.
