Feb. 11, 2006

Fayetteville, Ark. - Day one of the fifth-annual Tyson Invitational saw junior Camile Robinson lead the Fighting Illini with two personal-best times in the 60-meter hurdles and 400-meter dash. On Saturday in Fayetteville, Ark., junior Cassie Hunt and her fellow Illini distance runners showed what else the Illinois women's track and field program has to offer.

In a collection of some of the best distance runners in the nation, three Illini distance runners each recorded personal bests in the 3,000-meters. Junior Cassie Hunt led the Orange and Blue by running a new Illinois record and automatic qualifying time of 9:15.16 to place second. Hunt's mark is Illinois' first automatic qualifications of the season.

Junior Stephanie Simms provisionally qualified for nationals as she finishes sixth in the race with 9:29.95. Sophomore Maggie Carroll finished 10th with a personal-best 9:45.72.

Illinois' success did not stop there. The Orange and Blue capped off the meet with a provisional qualifying time in the 4x400-meter relay. Juniors Yvonne Mensah, Carlene Robinson and Camile Robinson and freshman Omoye Ugiagbe ran a season-best 3:37.50 to finish fifth. The time ranks third on Illinois' all-time best list.

Individually, Carlene Robinson placed first in the 800-meters with a time of 2:10.24. It was Robinson's first 800-meter race of the indoor season. Freshman Pam Wolf also ran strong with a time of 2:11.56 to finish sixth.

In the field events, sophomore Mareisa Greene competed against a field that included many of the nation's best high jumpers. Greene managed to clear a personal indoor best height of 1.74m on her third attempt to place second. Auburn's Michelle Wiliamson bested Greene's performance by clearing 1.74m in just two attempts to take first place.

In the second triple jump competition of her career, junior Yvonne Mensah placed second with a leap of 12.81m (42'00.50"), just .25 inches off Florida State's Alyce Williams' first-place mark of 12.82m (52'00.50"). Senior Nina Henson finished third and provisionally qualified in the triple jump championship with a leap of 12.82m.

Coach Sullivan Sets Record
Illinois volunteer coach Kevin Sullivan set a new Canadian National record in the 3,000-meter run Friday night at the Tyson Invitational as he placed third with a time of 7:42.17. Sullivan, a two-time Olympian, is now the Canadian record holder in the 1,500-meters, the mile, the indoor mile, the indoor two mile and 3,000-meters.

The Illini will spend the next two weeks training for the Big Ten Indoor Championships. The University of Wisconsin will host the conference championships beginning Saturday, Feb. 25.

Complete results from the Tyson Invitational can be found at www.flashresults.com.