March 21, 2012
B1G/SEC Challenge Schedule
| Heat Sheets | Live Results
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - After finishing the indoor season just a few weeks ago, the Illinois men's track and field team begin the outdoor season by competing along with Indiana, Ohio State, Purdue and Wisconsin at the SEC/Big Ten Challenge on Friday, March 23 at Mississippi State's Carl Maddox Track. The five Big Ten squads will compete against host Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Tennessee with points being awarded to the conference's top-eight finishers in each event and pooled together to determine a conference winner of the challenge's championship.
"We're looking forward to opening up the outdoor season," head coach Mike Turksaid. "The facility is terrific and we have good weather in the forecast. It's going to be a great opportunity to get some quality performances."
The meet will feature a conference vs. conference scoring format, with the top-eight places in each event earning point totals of 10,8,6,5,4,3,2 and 1, respectively. The scoring positions can come from any heat or section of the event. The battle of the conferences will kick off at 10:30 a.m. on Friday morning with the hammer throw followed by the start of the running events at 2:00 p.m.
The sprint crew will be led by two All-Americans in Stanley Azie and Josh Zinzer as well as Big Ten indoor runner up (200m) and third place finisher (60m) Brandon Stryganek. Also, second-team All-American Davis Fraker will compete for the first time this year after redshirting the indoor season. The school record holder in the weight throw will compete in three events on Friday. Other Illini to watch this weekend include Big Ten indoor point scorer D.J. Zahn in the sprint crew, and junior Jordan Hebert and senior Kyle Engnellin the distance events.
"Fraker is coming off a sixth place finish at the USATF Indoor Championships a few weeks ago," Turk said. "He is healthy, been training hard and is very excited to open up his outdoor season."
The Illini will send a competitive squad to Starkville, but will be without Big Ten champion Andrew Riley, freshman Joe McAsey, sophomore Ryan Lynn, and 2011 Big Ten indoor pole vault champion Matt Bane.
Full results and a recap can be found on fightingillini.com after the completion of the event. The Illini will travel to Charleston, Ill., next weekend to compete in the Eastern Illinois University Big Blue Classic on Saturday, March 31.
