May 23, 2001

Champaign, Ill. - The Big Ten Conference has announced the winners of the 2001 outdoor track and field awards, and a pair of Illini hurdlers have swept the women's honors.

Sophomore Perdita Felicien has been named the Big Ten Women's Outdoor Athlete of the Year after a record-setting season. Felicien won her first Big Ten championship this past weekend, claiming the title in the 100 meter hurdles. She won the final of the hurdles in a school record time of 12.73 seconds, which ranks as the fastest time in the NCAA as well as the second fastest time in the world this year. Also at the Big Ten meet, Felicien anchored Illinois' 4x100m relay to a second place finish and placed sixth in the 100m dash, setting a personal best of 11.62 seconds in the 100m dash prelims.

Felicien was named the Big Ten Women's Track and Field Athlete of the Week three times during the outdoor season. She has clocked under 13 seconds in the hurdles six times in eight total races. Felicien also anchored Illinois' world record setting 4x100 meter shuttle hurdle relay team at the Drake Relays.

"Perdita has had a phenomenal season, and there was no better choice for this award," Head Coach Gary Winckler said. "She has been the NCAA leader in the hurdles the entire season and has spent a great deal of time atop the world list as well. Now her challenge is to continue this high level of performance at nationals."

Also running on the record-setting shuttle hurdle relay at Drake was Susanna Kallur, who has been named the Big Ten Women's Outdoor Freshman of the Year. Kallur, the 2000 junior world champion in the 100m hurdles from Falun, Sweden, joined the Illini squad in January and redshirted the indoor season. She has made her mark outdoors, running four hurdles races under 13 seconds. Kallur won the 100 meter hurdles individual title at the Drake Relays, clocking 12.81 seconds (wind-aided) to rank second in the NCAA , and was named Big Ten Women's Track and Field Athlete of the Week following Drake. At the Big Ten Championships this past weekend, she finished third in the 100m hurdles with a time of 12.85 seconds, ranking her fourth in the world this year. She also ran on Illinois' second place 4x100m relay and placed seventh in the 100m dash. Kallur also has the distinction of being the only athlete to defeat Felicien in a hurdles race this season.

"Susanna was clearly the best freshman in our conference, in fact she is the fastest freshman hurdler in NCAA history. That honor was held by Perdita, but Sanna has exceeded what Perdita did as a freshman," said Winckler. "When you put in perspective what she has already accomplished in just one outdoor season, it's pretty exciting to think about the future Susanna has ahead of her."

Both Felicien and Kallur have qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 100 meter hurdles. The meet will be held May 30-June 2 in Eugene, Oregon.