April 1, 2008

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Illinois women's track and field senior LaNeisha Waller was named the Big Ten Track Athlete of the Week, announced Tuesday by the conference office. Waller marked three NCAA Regional qualifying standards and won two events at the Hurricane Challenge in Coral Gables, Fla. on Saturday to lead the Illini. She wins the weekly accolade for the first time in her career, and is the first Illini to earn the honor since Carlene Robinson on May 1, 2007.

Waller won her signature event, the 100m hurdles, at the Hurricane Challenge in clocking an NCAA Regional qualifying time of 13.45 seconds and defeating a strong hurdling field that included athletes from Miami and Tennessee.

The Cedar Rapids, Iowa native also ran the second leg of the Illini's 4x100m relay, joining teammates Tiara Armstrong, Aja Evans and Omoye Ugiagbe in finishing third and racing to a time of 45.57 to hit the regional standard.

Waller concluded her eventful meet by tying for first in the long jump with Florida International's Kerry Walker with a distance of 19 feet, 11 1/2 inches. The mark was just shy of Waller's personal best, and earned her a third NCAA Regional qualifying mark on the day.

The Illini are off from competition this week before heading to Tempe, Ariz. for Arizona State's Sun Angel Track Classic on Saturday, April 12.