March 11, 2008

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The distance medley relay and Aja Evans will represent the Illinois women's track and field team at this weekend's NCAA Indoor Championships, the NCAA announced yesterday evening.

The distance medley relay of freshman Danelle Woods, junior Omoye Ugiagbe, senior Rachel Hernandez and sophomore Angela Bizzarri rank fifth in the country in the event after running 11 minutes, 9.09 seconds at Notre Dame's Alex Wilson Invitational on Friday. The time shattered the Illini school record, set by the same foursome earlier in the year.

Evans qualified in the shot put, where she ranks 12th. The sophomore also set a school record this season, marking 54 feet, 8 ¼ inches in the event at the Iowa State Classic on Feb. 16 for her qualifying distance.

Illinois has never earned All-America honors in the distance medley relay, and the last shot putter to do so was Collinus Newsome in 1997.

The NCAA Indoor Championships are hosted by the University of Arkansas and will be held Friday, March 14 and Saturday, March 15 at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Ark. The distance medley relay is scheduled to begin at 9:35 p.m. on Friday and the shot put starts at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.