University of Illinois
Drake Relays
Illini Conclude Drake Relays
April 29, 2006 | Men's Track & Field
April 29, 2006
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Head coach Wayne Angel and his Fighting Illini men's track team took to the Drake Stadium track Saturday in hopes of finishing off an already successful 2006 Drake Relays. The final day saw three individual Illini post third-place finishes in three different events and two Orange and Blue relays have strong performances. However, the most impressive Illini performance on Saturday came from senior Abe Jones, who won the 400-meter hurdle titles when he went up against world-class competition in the invitational division rather than competing in the university/college division.
Looking forward to the Big Ten Outdoor Championships in two weeks, Angel was definitely satisfied with the performances his athletes put up over the weekend.
"Despite the weather that we had to put up with, I am very please with what I saw this weekend," Angel said. "Some of our times could have been better, but the fact is that our athletes competed well. We got a lot of work done and are definitely pleased with the progress we are seeing."
With the progress the Orange and Blue have consistently made throughout the outdoor season, Angel feels his Illini are ready for the conference meet in two weekends.
"As a group heading into the conference championships, I am very confident that we will be very competitive against the rest of the Big Ten," Angel said. "I'm looking forward to at least a second- or third-place finish."
Jones' first-place finish came when he won the invitational 400-meter hurdles race with a season-best 50.37 seconds to deny John Woody his fourth title in five years. The win is Jones' fourth Drake Relays title of his career.
After posting a regional qualifying mark in the 110-meter hurdles on Friday, senior Andre English returned to the track Saturday to post a season-best and regional qualifying mark of 13.97 in the 110-meter hurdles. The time was good for a third-place finish in the event.
Two more third-place finishes came from freshman sprinter Dominique Worsley and junior Dan Stock. Worsley's third-place finish came in the 100-meter finals where he posted a 10.79. Stock's third-place finish was a regional qualifying mark in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (9:02.47).
The 1,600 Sprint Medley Relay of senior Abe Jones, Worsley, junior Vadeboncoeur and senior Aaron King had a successful showing in their finals heat as they placed second to Baylor with a time of 3:26.21. The time was good for a fifth-place finish overall.
Illinois distance medley relay of junior Jason Bill, sophomore Paul Johnson, King and senior Tim Hobbs also posted a fifth-place finish with a time of 9:52.11.
"There were many great performances today," Angel said. "Abe (Jones) faced a world-class athlete and came out on top, and Dominique (Worsley) proved to be very consistent once again with his performance in the 110-meter hurdles."
Sophomore Nick Brown was the lone Illini athlete competing in the field Saturday as he placed sixth with a leap of 14.60-meters (47-11.00) (Wind -1.2).
The Illini now have two weeks off before heading to East Lansing for the 2006 Big Ten Outdoor Championship Meet. The conference championships will begin on Saturday, May 13 and run through Sunday, May 14.
