EAST LANSING, Mich. - For the first time since 1994, the Fighting Illini men's track and field team is bringing home the team trophy from the Big Ten Outdoor Track and Field Championships. After sitting in third through the first two days of competition, Illinois ran away with the meet in the final day of competition, totaling 145 points to easily outdistance runner-up Nebraska (108). Over the course of the three-day competition, the Orange and Blue crowned five event winners and had 18 other place winners.

"This has been a really long haul for our team, especially our seniors," said head coach Mike Turk. "At 2010 indoors we were last. We have been second three times so we've been knocking at the door. I knew that if we just stayed the course that we would have a chance to win one."

Illinois' weekend got off to a strong start on Friday thanks to Davis Fraker (hammer throw) and Jannis Toepfer(10,000m) scoring 11 points for the Orange and Blue. Illinois' point total ballooned to 35 through two days with Corey Hammon (decathlon), Dylan Lafond (steeplechase) and Jonathan Wells (high jump & long jump) performing well on Saturday.

"I figured if we could get off to a good start on day one and have 10 qualifiers out of the prelims for the finals, that would set us up for a pretty good day and give us a shot," stated Turk.

Brandon Stryganek, DJ Zahn and Cam Viney each came away with individual event titles. Stryganek won the 100m dash with a career-best time of 10.27. Zahn was victorious in the 400m, posting a time of 45.81 en route to the win. This is the third consecutive year an Illini sprinter has won the 400m dash at the Big Ten Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Cam Viney wrapped up the individual wins in the 400m hurdles, breaking the tape in 50.30.

Illinois' day was bookended by wins in the relay events. The 4x100m relay of Mo Maat, Styrganek, Cole Henderson and Zahn got the Illini off on the right foot on Sunday, taking the event title in 39.80, while the quartet of Viney, David Kendziera, Joe McAsey and Zahn put an exclamation point of the weekend, winning the 4x400m relay in 3:06.57.

"It really got started off with that 4x1 and next thing you know we have guys like [Stryganek] winning the 100m and going wild out there," Turk exclaimed. "That's what it is about. The guys were just having fun and letting it go. They're a loose group and they're easy to coach. It was a lot of fun to watch."

Zahn, McAsey, Viney and Kendziera also added runner-up finishes to Illinois' cause in the final day of competition. Zahn finished second in the 200m dash, taking down his own school record with a time of 20.37. McAsey fell just short of defending his 800m title, running 1:48.29 to earn a silver medal. Viney added a runner-up showing in the 110m hurdles to his 400m hurdle title, clocking a career-best 13.52. Kendziera's second-place finish came in the 400m hurdles, finishing right behind Viney in 50.42 and moving into eighth on Illinois' all-time list.

Stryganek added a third-place finish in the 200m to his gold medals in the 100m and 4x100m relay. He crossed the line in a season-best 20.83.

Branden Tanthavong had a career-day in the triple jump, finishing fourth with a leap of 15.63 m (51' 3.50").

Dylan Lafond and Mitch Mammoser added a pair of fifth-place finishes to the Illini place-winner total. Less than 24 hours after finishing second in the 3,000m steeplechase, Lafond came back and used another late kick to finish fifth in the 5,000m, clocking 14:28.28. In the pole vault, Mammoser had a career-best clearance of 5.21m (17' 1").

Illinois' sixth-place finishers were Mo Maat and Garrett Lee. Maat ran a career-best time of 10.42 in the finals of the 100m. For Lee, he finished sixth in the 1,500m (3:58.48) after grabbing the 12th and final qualifying spot in Saturday's prelims.

In addition to his win in the 4x400m relay and runner-up performance in the 400m hurdles, Kendziera finished seventh in the 110m hurdles with a time of 13.78.

Ian Barnett was Illinois' final place winner of the weekend, finishing eighth in the 5,000m with a time of 14:31.89.

Just as it has throughout all Illinois' undefeated regular season, depth played a crucial role to the team's success this weekend. The Illini had two place winners in the 100m, 200m, 5,000m, 110m hurdles and 400m hurdles. The Orange and Blue distance crew also had a fantastic weekend, scoring in every possible event. The Illini jumpers also scored in every event. In total, Illinois scored in 18 of 21 events.

"This is one of those moments you wish for every year," stated Zahn. "Throughout each day an in every event we had guys stepping up. I couldn't be more proud of my team right now. Even before today we were hungry but this makes us even hungrier. Knowing that we have finally reached this level in the conference, I think it is just going to carry over. Now we know we have to work that much harder at the regional level and the national level. It doesn't end at conference and I think our team is aware of that. This is a great barrier to knock down and I think we will use this to our advantage."

Next up on the schedule for Illinois is the NCAA West Preliminary Round in Austin, Texas from May 28-30. Stay tuned to FIGHTINGILLINI.com for a list of Orange and Blue participants.

Big Ten Championships Team Standings
1. Illinois - 145
2. Nebraska - 108
3. Iowa - 81
4. Ohio State - 78
5. Penn State - 66
6. Minnesota - 64
7. Michigan St. - 55
T-8. Wisconsin - 54
T-8. Purdue - 54
10. Michigan - 42
11. Rutgers - 36
12. Indiana - 28
13. Maryland - 6

Illinois Results at 2015 Big Ten Outdoor Championships

Sunday, May 17

100m
1. Brandon Stryganek - 10.27 - 10 team points
6. Mo Maat - 10.42 - 3 team points

200m
2. DJ Zahn - 20.37* - 8 team points
3. Brandon Stryganek - 20.83 - 6 team points

400m
1. DJ Zahn - 45.81 - 10 team points

800m
2. Joe McAsey - 1:48.29 - 8 team points

1,500m
6. Garrett Lee - 3:58.48 - 3 team points

5,000m
5. Dylan Lafond - 14:28.28 - 4 team points
8. Ian Barnett - 14:31.89 - 1 team point

110m Hurdles
2. Cam Viney - 13.52 - 8 team points
7. David Kendziera - 13.78 - 2 team points

400m Hurdles
1. Cam Viney - 50.30 - 10 team points
2. David Kendziera - 50.42 - 8 team points

4x100m Relay
1. Mo Maat, Brandon Stryganek, Cole Henderson, DJ Zahn - 39.80 - 10 team points

4x400m Relay
1. Cam Viney, David Kendziera, Joe McAsey, DJ Zahn - 3:06.57 - 10 team points

Pole Vault
5. Mitch Mammoser - 5.21m (17' 1") - 4 team points
14. Blaze Galardy - 4.86m (15' 11.25")

Triple Jump
4. Branden Tanthavong - 15.63 m (51' 3.50") - 5 team points

Shot Put
23. Matsen Dziedzic - 15.43m (50' 7.50")

Javelin
12. Aaron Wilks - 60.75m (199' 4")
13. Ben Dodds - 59.27m (194' 5.75")
17. George Wayda - 51.19m (167' 11.50")

Saturday, May 16
Q/q = qualified for finals

100m (Prelims)
2. Brandon Stryganek - 10.37 Q
3. Mo Maat - 10.43 q
13. Cole Henderson - 10.71

200m (Prelims)
2. DJ Zahn - 20.54 Q
4. Brandon Stryganek - 20.83 q
21. Maurice Watkins - 22.10

400m (Prelims)
1. DJ Zahn - 45.51 Q

800m (Prelims)
5. Joe McAsey - 1:49.34 Q
27. Trevor Kuehr - 1:54.79

1,500m (Prelims)
9. Garrett Lee - 3:49.67 q
11. Paul Zeman - 3:51.47
21. Tony Zea - 3:54.65
22. Malik Lee - 3:54.92

110m Hurdles (Prelims)
2. David Kendziera - 13.74 Q
3. Cam Viney - 13.79 Q
12. Jonathan Wells - 14.70

400m Hurdles (Prelims)
1. David Kendziera - 50.64 Q
2. Cam Viney - 50.91 Q

3,000m Steeplechase
2. Dylan Lafond - 8:46.53 - 8 team points
9. Jannis Toepfer - 9:05.27

High Jump
T-2. Jonathan Wells - 2.17m (7' 1.50") - 7 team points
10. Parker Deloye - 2.08m (6' 9.75")

Long Jump
5. Jonathan Wells - 7.38m (24' 2.50") - 4 team points

Discus
9. Brandon Noe - 53.48m (175' 5")
25. Michael Hyc - 45.59m (149' 7")

Decathlon (Final)
4. Corey Hammon - 7,153 pts.* - 5 team points
14. George Wayda - 6,738 pts.

Friday, May 15

10,000m
3. Jannis Toepfer - 29:30.36 - 6 team points
14. Brendan McDonnell - 30.26.72

Hammer Throw
4. Davis Fraker - 66.46m (218' 0.75") - 5 team points
22. Matsen Dziedzic - 54.95m (180' 3.75")
23. Michael Hyc - 49.69m (163' 0.50")

*School record