University of Illinois
Rod McCravy Memorial Invite
@IlliniWTrack Travels to Rod McCravy Memorial Meet
January 21, 2016 | Women's Track & Field
Fighting Illini Test Talent Against Nation's Best
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - With the first two home meets of the season behind Coach Garner's squad, the Fighting Illini travel to the highly-touted Rod McCravy Memorial meet in Lexington, Kentucky. On Friday and Saturday, the Illini will put their talent to the test against some of hte nations best teams, including six ranked opponents. The meet begins Friday morning at 10 a.m. ESPN3.com will broadcast the meet live beginning Saturday at noon eastern time. For live stats, go to http://results.flotrack.org/2016/01-22-Kentucky/Mobile/Timetable.php?D=1?
Meet Preview
Last Year at Rod McCravy
After a number of strong performances on the first day of the Rod McCravy Memorial Meet, including a new school record, the Illinois women's track and field team closed out the weekend with the second day of competition in Kentucky. The Illini added three more top-10 finishes to the four they earned Friday. Breeana Coleman earned Illinois' highest finish of the day in the 60m hurdles. After qualifying for the finals in eighth place, Coleman wound up finishing sixth. Her time of 8.38 is her fastest performance of the season and is currently the third-best mark in the Big Ten. The Illini also added three top-15 performances in the 800m run, led by Nicole Choquette's 2:09.97 time that placed her seventh overall.
Teams to Watch
Georgia
The Bulldogs placed fifth at NCAA Outdoor Championships last year and enter 2016 as the second-ranked team in the nation. The squad is led by pentathlon stand-out Kendall Williams, a two-time NCAA Champion in the event. Williams enters the weekend in the top-10 of both the 60m hurdles and the long jump. She is joined in the long jump by Keturah Orij, who is fifth in the long jump. In field events, Madaline Fagan ranks fifth so far this season with a 1.83m mark, while Gusin and Kallenou are tied for 9th.
Florida
Finishing eighth at NCAAs last spring, the Gators return Kyra Jefferson after she won three national titles and three SEC titles in 2015, including a indoor-outdoor sweep of the 200m dash. In the 400m, Florida returns Destinee Gause and Robin Reynolds in the 400m after both earned All-American honors last season. Shayla Sanders rounds out the sprints as she will attempt to win a NCAA title in the 60m, while Skylar Ross-Ransom and Ryann McEnany lead the hurdles group. in the field, the Gators return All American long jumper Darrielle McQueen and two-time All-American weight thrower Jayla Bostic.
Kentucky
The 2015 NCAA Championship runner-up enters the 2016 campaign ranked eighth by USTFCCCA. The hosts this weekend are led by Sha-Keela Saunders who holds the nation's top mark in both the long jump and the triple jump. Rebecca Famurewa joins in her field events as one of the top weight throws in the country, posting the fourth-best mark on the young season. On the track, Kentucky boasts Jacklyn Howell (13th in the 60m hurdles), along with Jasmine Oliver in the 60m (4th in the nation). In the 200m, Kianna Gray and Destiny Carter enter the meet with top-20 times.
Baylor
The Bears' strength resides in distance and in field events with the third-best triple-jumper in the nation, Briana Richardson, and the second-best pole-vaulter Annie Rhodes who finished seventh at NCAAs last spring. Olicia Williams, second in the 800m, and All-American Maggie Montoya, in the mile and 3,000m, highlight their distance group.
Names to Watch
Clemson's Sabria Hadley is ranked in the top-15 in both the 60m and 200m dashes, but Houston's Tori Williams and Miami's Shakima Wimbley will have a say in the 200m this weekend as well. In field events, Virginia touts one of the best pole vaulters in the nation, school record-holder Bridget Guy, while Clemson features Iana Amersterdam (triple jump) and ACC Freshman of the Year Deja Parrish.
Next Week
After three straight weeks of competition, Coach Garner and company will rest up to end the first full month of the season. Two weeks from now, the Orange and Blue will travel to South Bend, Indiana to compete in the Notre Dame Meyo Invite.
Illini Notes
Illini on the National Scene
After the first weekend of competition in the new year, several Illini are making their mark nationally, ranking in the top-30 in their respective events. In the high jump, junior Kandie Bloch-Jones is tied for 13th in the nation with her EIU Early Bird mark of 1.79m. Freshman Morgan Schulz had a 600m time of 1:34.02 at the Border Battle to put her 22nd in the country. 2015 600m Big Ten Champion Nicole Choquette owns the 27th-best 800m mark in the country after a 2:11.69 time last weekend. Pedrya Seymour stakes claim to the 24th-best mark in the country for the 60m hurdles with a 8.39 time to win the event at the Illini Classic, while teammate Jayla Stewart is 39th in the nation (8.55).
Orange and Blue See More Out of Seymour
Early returns from Pedrya Seymour have already to shown significant growth from last season. The Nassau, Bahamas sophomore has won the 60m hurdles in each of the first two home meets this season, setting personal-record times each weekend, including her 6.38 mark in the Illini Classic. Sprints and hurdles coach Randy Gillon applauded her start to the season and believes she can become a reliable asset to the team at Big Ten Championships and beyond.
DeBellis Steps into Pole Vault Spotlight
For most of Jenn DeBellis' career at Illinois she has spent her time behind five-time Big Ten Champion, and indoor and outdoor school recorder holder, Stephanie Richartz. However, DeBellis has quietly moved up the ranks as one of the program's best vaulters as well. Currently holding the second-best pole vault mark in Illini history, DeBellis enters her senior season as the leader in an event that has been a strength for Coach Garner in years past. With a personal-best mark of 4.09m, DeBellis will look to compete with the Big Ten elite this winter and spring.
Freshman Five Show Promise
The 2015-16 freshmen class brings promise to Coach Garner's program, as they enter the program with after racking up accolades in high school. Jayla Stewart leads the group as a five-time All-American in track and was the Hershey National Champion in the 100m hurdles. Joining her is Emone Davis, an All-American in the 4x100m and holds Danvile High School records in four events. In field events, Mother McAuley standout Briana Driver who was the 2015 indoor and outdoor conference long jump champion. Sade Hargrove is the lone freshman from outside the state lines, but brings with her the 2014 Virginia state championship in the long jump, while also wining 4A South Conference championships in the 55m, 100, 200m, 300m, and long jump. Rounding out the class are standouts in distance events is Cary-Grove's Morgan Schulz. Schulz won the 2015 800m state title and holds school records in the 100m, 200m, 300m, 400m, and 800m.
B1G Faces - Kandie Bloch-jones
During the offseason, Kandie Bloch-Jones was chosen as one of the Big Ten Network's Faces of Illinois, making a commerical spot that will air throughout the spring on the conference network. The junior is coming off of a top-20 finish at NCAA Championships in 2015 and holds the third-best high jump mark in school history. As a freshman, the Argenta, Illinois native won the high jump title at Big Ten Indoor Championships and earned Second Team All-America honors at the NCAA meet. Last season, Bloch-Jones placed fourth at Big Ten Indoor Championships and had her best jump of her career (1.84m) at the Rankin Invite.
2015-16 Headlines
Orange and Blue Win Illini Classic
For the second week in a row, the Orange and Blue rode veteran performances, combined with youthful progression, to a team victory. The Illini used four event titles, two in field events and two on the track, to pace the team to 142 points, besting second-place Western Michigan by 33 points. Pedrya Seymour was the top performer again for the Illini with another personal-record in the 60m hurdles, this time with a 6.38 time. Lindsey Rakosnik (600m), Jenn DeBellis (pole vault) and Janile Rogers (long jump) each earned event wins to round out the team's four on the day.
Illini Sweep Border Battle
After splitting the Border Battle last year on the campus of the University of Iowa, the Orange and Blue were able to sweep the competition this afternoon at the UI Armory. The Fighting Illini beat Missouri by a score of 75-65, while edging out the Hawkeyes 68-67. The Illini were led by five event titles: Kandie Bloch-Jones (HJ), Jenn DeBellis (PV), Briana Driver (LJ), Nicole Choquette (800m), and Pedrya Seymour (60m H).
Bloch-Jones Garners Early Season Awards
After qualifying for 2015 NCAA Championships last season, placing 20th, Kandie Bloch-Jones has jumped out to a fast start in 2015-16 with a high jump mark that broke the Early Bird meet record. The performance earned her accolades from the Big Ten office and the University of Illinois. Bloch-Jones was named Big Ten Field Athlete of the Week on December 16, and shortly after was named the University of Illinois Scholar Athlete of the Week.
Illini Earn Six Event Titles at Early Bird
The Illini earned six event crowns over the course of the season's opening evening as the team scored 108 points to place second. In the field, Bloch-Jones (high jump) and Rogers (long jump) won titles outright, while Jenn DeBellis and Sara McKeeman shared the pole vault crown. On the track, Jasmine Berry (400m), Smyers-Jones (60m Hurdles), and the 4x400m relay team of Berry, Choquette, Marry, and Schulz took home titles.
