May 14, 2011

Results

IOWA CITY, Iowa - Despite battling heavy rain throughout the entire second day of the Big Ten Championships, the Illinois women's track and field team started and finished the day with a runner-up finish in an event while also advancing 12 qualifiers to event finals on Sunday. Seniors Kelly Washington (heptathlon) and Chantelle Groenewoud (3,000m steeplechase) each reached the podium with second-place showings while sophomore Amber Stack scored for the first time to bring the Illini team total to 26 points after eight scored events, tying them with Michigan State for sixth.

"Overall, we are looking really good," head coach Tonja Buford-Bailey said. "Our mentality going into it was to run like a winner and that is what we've been doing. The whole team has stepped it up, and it didn't matter what the weather was like because they fought through the conditions."

Groenewoud, who finished fourth in the event the past two years, ran a personal-best time of 10:17.28 in the steeplechase to garner her first Big Ten medal in the event. Her mark ranks second on the UI all-time list. Stack chipped in three points after placing sixth with a career-best time of 10:31.22.

"Chantelle and Amber looked great and gave us 11 points in the steeplechase," Buford-Bailey said. "Chantelle had a nice kick to finish strong and Amber really stepped up to put some points on the board."

In the heptathlon, Washington began the day by moving up to third overall after tying for first in the long jump with a bound of 18-6 (5.64m). She then jumped into the number two spot by taking second in the javelin following a personal best by over eight feet after throwing 124-0 (37.80m). The Grayslake, Ill., native held on to the runner-up position and closed out her career performance by running a seven second PR in the 800m and taking third with a time of 2:29.49.

"Kelly had an outstanding performance in the heptathlon," Buford-Bailey said. "She secured her spot in second with a great throw in the javelin and ran the 800m aggressively to keep her place."

The Illini boasted the silver medalist in the heptathlon for the second year in a row, as former multi-event athlete Alecia Beckford-Stewart took second last season. Washington, who was eighth last year with 4,678 points, improved by six spots and over 500 points from a year ago by recording a personal-best total of 5,221 points at her final conference competition.

Illinois notched three qualifiers in the 400m, the most by any school. Junior Ashley Kelly, the indoor 400m Big Ten champion, won the third heat and clocked the fastest time of the day at 54.72. Senior Melissa Bates (55.80) and sophomore Marissa Golliday (55.85) each took third in their respective heats and advanced by filling the final two qualifying positions. Junior Ryisha Boyd (56.16) also was third in her heat but placed 10th overall in prelims, coming up two spots shy of making the final.

Three Illini also qualified to the 200m final, giving the Orange and Blue the most of any team. Bates won her heat to clinch the automatic berth and had the second-fastest prelim time of 24.23. Sophomore Kayla Smith (24.44) and Kelly (24.51) each finished second in their respective heats and advanced to the final by placing fifth and eighth overall.

In the 4x100m relay, the foursome of senior Cheria Morgan, Kelly, Smith and senior Tamika Robinson turned in the quickest qualifying time at 44.83. The Illini placed second in the event at last year's Big Ten Outdoor Championships. Individually, Robinson sprinted to the fastest 100m qualifying time with a personal-best mark of 11.50 and advanced to the 100m hurdles with a time of 13.63. The Chicago, Ill., native will compete in three event finals on Sunday.

Other Illinois qualifiers came from sophomore Stephanie Morgan, who posted the second-fastest 1,500m time (4:27.87), junior Latoya Griffith, who timed a season-best mark of 59.89 and placed second in her heat of the 400m hurdles, and freshman Amanda Duvendack, who will be allowed to race in the 800m final after being impeded during prelims.

"Amanda will get a fair chance to run in the 800m final after getting impeded today," Buford-Bailey said. "She got pushed out into the rail and fell to her knees during the race, so she will be allowed to race tomorrow. She is fit and ready to run, so hopefully she can beat a couple people and score."

A full list of Illinois results from Saturday can be found below. Sunday action at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships will start at 11 a.m. with the triple jump. The running finals will begin at 12:45 p.m. with the 4x100m relay and end at 3:33 p.m. with the 4x400m relay.

Illinois Saturday Results at Big Ten Outdoor Championships
Q/q = qualified for Sunday event final

Heptathlon (FINAL)
2. Kelly Washington 5,221 points; 8 team points

3,000m Steeplechase (FINAL)
2. Chantelle Groenewoud 10:17.28; 8 team points
6. Amber Stack 10:31.22; 3 team points
20. Madeline Aufmann 11:09.73
22. Maggie Mulchrone 11:19.14

Long Jump (FINAL)
13. Kawanna Brooks 18-4 ¼ (5.59m)
21. Kelly Washington 16-4 ½ (4.99m)

Javelin (FINAL)
11. Kelly Washington 118-6 (36.12m)
15. Kristin Morrison 100-9 (30.71m)

100m (Prelims)
1. Tamika Robinson 11.50 Q
T13. Kayla Smith 12.01
T13. Cheria Morgan 12.01

200m (Prelims)
2. Melissa Bates 24.23 Q
5. Kayla Smith 24.44 q
8. Ashley Kelly 24.51 q
16. Cheria Morgan 24.96

400m (Prelims)
1. Ashley Kelly 54.72 Q
7. Melissa Bates 55.80 q
8. Marissa Golliday 55.85 q
10. Ryisha Boyd 56.16

800m (Prelims)
12. Samantha Murphy 2:14.73
19. Amanda Duvendack 2:22.83 q (due to impediment)

1,500m (Prelims)
2. Stephanie Morgan 4:27.87 Q
16. Katie Porada 4:36.76

100m Hurdles (Prelims)
5. Tamika Robinson 13.63 q

400m Hurdles (Prelims)
4. Latoya Griffith 59.89 Q

4x100m Relay (Prelims)
1. Illinois 44.83 Q
(Cheria Morgan, Ashley Kelly, Kayla Smith, Tamika Robinson)

Team Results Through Eight Scored Events
1. Indiana - 73
2. Penn State - 42.5
3. Wisconsin - 36.50
4. Purdue - 36
5. Ohio State - 35
T6. Illinois - 26
T6. Michigan State - 26
8. Minnesota - 16
9. Iowa - 11
10. Michigan - 10