Complete Results

Final Results

GENEVA, Ohio - The Illinois women's track and field team scored points in four events, including earning a win in one race, on the final day of the Big Ten Indoor Track and Field Championships. The Illini finished 10th in the 13-team field, with Ohio State winning the team title.

"The team gave a tremendous effort this weekend," said head coach Ron Garner. "I am very proud of their approach. Everyone gave the best effort they have all year, both physically and mentally. Top to bottom I couldn't ask for more from this group."

Nicole Choquette produced Illinois' highlight of the final day of the meet. Choquette won the 600m after entering the weekend as the conference's top performer in the event. Her time of 1:29.48 ranks third on the school's all-time list. Choquette's win was the second ever by an Illinois athlete in the 600m/600 yard at the Big Ten Indoor Championships.

"Nicole was the champion today," said distance coach Scott Jones. "She raced like a champion, leading virtually the entire race. She ran fearlessly and, as always, competed with great optimism. At last year's Big Ten Championships, she had a five-second PR in the 800, but that left her short of the finals. Today she went from having never scored in Big Ten competition to being a Big Ten champion. This is a big boost for our middle distance program."

Alyssa Schneider also produced a podium performance for the Illini. She finished third in the 5,000m in a time of 16:18.41, bettering her career-best mark of 16:21.43. Schneider's time is the second best in Illinois history.

"Alyssa's contribution to the team started yesterday," Jones stated. "She anchored the DMR for us and knowing we have her at the end makes life easier for the first three legs. She came back today and ran a tremendous race, both physically and tactically, earning a well-deserved spot on the podium. She just continues to prove she is a big-time competitor."

In the high jump, Kandie Bloch-Jones just missed making the podium, finishing fourth. She had a season-best clearance of 1.80m (5' 10.75").

"Kandie did a tremendous job competing with some really good high jumpers. A few of the girls she was going up against are going to be in the NCAA Championships and she was right there with them. Obviously, there is a bit of disappointment after winning last year, but I am very pleased with Kandie's effort today."

Breeana Coleman was the final Illinois athlete to score points for the team. After advancing through prelims of the 60m hurdles yesterday, Coleman finished eighth in today's finals.

"As a coaching staff, we are disappointed for Breeana," Garner stated. "She had a tremendous preliminary round and was heading into finals with a lot of momentum. Today's race started out well for her but some early contact off the first hurdle made things not pan out the way we hoped they would."

Illinois also got personal-best performances from Amanda Fox and Audrey Blazek in the 5,000m, and the 4x400m relay team had a season-best time.

"This Big Ten Championships meet was probably one of the best in recent years in terms of the number of national-level performances produced by the field," Garner concluded. "The team competed like it was a championship meet and gave their best effort, and that resulted in two Big Ten champs for us. This meet is a stepping-stone to our outdoor season and I think we are in a good place going forward."

Big Ten Team Standings
1. Ohio State - 84
2. Michigan - 69
T-3. Purdue - 68
T-3. Penn State - 68
T-5. Michigan State - 65
T-5. Nebraska - 65
7. Wisconsin - 58
8. Maryland - 53
9. Minnesota - 51
10. Illinois - 40
11. Indiana - 34
12. Rutgers - 24
13. Iowa - 22

Illinois Saturday Results at 2015 Big Ten Indoor Championships

60m Hurdles
8. Breeana Coleman - 8.51 - 1 team point

600m
1. Nicole Choquette - 1:29.48 - 10 team points

5,000m
3. Alyssa Schneider - 16:18.41 - 6 team points
18. Amanda Fox - 17:01.73
27. Audrey Blazek - 17:35.02

High Jump
4. Kandie Bloch-Jones - 1.80m (5' 10.75") - 5 team points

Weight Throw
23. Mariah Smith -15.91m (52' 2.50")

4x400m Relay
9. Jasmine Berry, Samone Thompson, Nicole Choquette, Janile Rogers - 3:44.34