CHAMPAIGN, ILL. – After setting two school records and a handful of highly ranked performances, the Orange and Blue are set for Big Ten Championships this weekend in Geneva, Ohio. The meet begins Friday, February 26 with the heptathlon at 10 a.m eastern time. Day two also commences at 10 a.m. with the awards presentation scheduled for approximately 4:50 p.m. eastern time.
Last Year at Indoor Big Ten Championships
The 2015 Big Ten Indoor Championships saw the Illini place runner-up to champion Nebraska, totaling 86 team points. On day one, Ian Barnett scored four team points for the Illini with a fifth-place finish in the 3,000m, while Jonathan Wells added four more in the long jump. On day two, current Illini Cam Viney and David Kendziera scored points in the 60m hurdles, while Mo Maat did the same in the 60m dash. Ian Barnett and Jonathan Wells both topped their day one performances with fourth-place finishes in the 5,000m and the high jump, respectively. Former Illini DJ Zahn added two event titles in the 200m and 400m, while also anchoring the Kendziera, Allen, McAsey, Zahn 4x400m relay team that won the Big Ten title.
Competitions To Watch
60m Hurdles: The event features four of the nation's best hurdlers, including Illinois' Cam Viney. Aaron Mallet of Iowa enters the meet with the top time in the Big Ten, and fifth-best in the nation, at 7.71. Nebraska's duo of Oladapo Akinmoladun and Antoine Lloyd will join Viney in challenging Mallet, Akinmoladun with a 7.74 time and Lloyd with a 7.78 mark. An, All-American Viney leads the Illini with a 7.78, a PR set last weekend at the Orange & Blue Open.
High Jump: Jonathan Wells will enter the high jump competition as the favorite after marking the best time in the conference with a 7-21/4 (2.19m) clearance at the Husker Invite. Joining him is Landon Bartel (Nebraska) and Chisom Ifedi (Penn State), both of whom have cleared 7-11/2 (2.17m). Wells is tied for 10th in the country, while Bartel and Infedi are tied for 15th.
5,000m: Dylan Lafond's 13:46.72 school record sits 14th in the NCAA, and tops in the Big Ten. His top challengers in the race will be Caleb Rhynard of Michigan State (13:53.92), while Michigan features Ben Planagan (14:02.91) and Micah Beller (14:03.45).
Throws: The Illini feature two sophomores that continue to show progression, netting personal-record marks time and again this season. Michael Hyc and Matsen Dziedzic have both shown capabilities of making significant leaps, and the Orange and Blue could use the benefit of sneaking some points from the shot put and weight throw this weekend.
Next Up
The Fighting Illini have a week off before those that have qualified for NCAA Championships head to Birmingham, Alabama on March 11-12.
Illini Notes
Illini on the National Scene
Jonathan Wells currently ranks 7th in the nation in the hump jump after he cleared 7-2 1/4 (2.19m) at the Husker Invite. In just his first-ever heptathlon, Wells' 5442 points ranks in the nation's top-30 this season. On the track, Cam Viney clocked the nation's 24th-best time in the 60m hurdles at the Husker Invite, while Dylan Lafond's record-breaking performance in the 5,000m (13:46.72) is currently 14th in the NCAA.
Lafond Rewrites Indoor Record Book
After setting a school record and earning All-America honors during cross-country season, Lafond has continued his success during the indoor track season. During the past three meets, the Manchester, New Hampshire native set the Illinois school record for the 3,000m (8:00.48) at the Rod McCravy meet, and then followed it up by breaking the Illini 5,000m record at the Iowa State Classic (13:46.72).
Cam Viney Times third-best 60m Hurdles Mark in Illinois History
The Fighting Illini got Cam Viney back from an early season injury at the Rod McCravy meet three weeks ago. Last weekend, Viney marked the third-best 60m hurdle time in Illinois history, clocking a 7.78 time in the Orange & Blue event final. The time beat out his personal-record time (7.82) set earlier this season at the Husker Invite (2/6).
Wells Provides Stability
With numerous Illini beginning the season with injuries, Coach Mike Turk has leaned on sophomore Jonathan Wells to be the backbone of early season competitions. During the indoor season, Wells has won three events (60m hurdles, long jump and high jump), while competing in his first heptathlon at the Rod McCravy meet three weekends ago. Last week, Wells marked his second-best high jump (7-2 1/4) at the Husker Invite, the seventh-best mark in the nation.
Quinn Shines Early
Freshman Devin Quinn has already made an impact on the track with impressive times in both the 60m and the 200m dashes. Like teammate Mo Maat, Quinn entered the program's top-10 list with an Illini debut time of 6.76 in the 60m. Quinn won his first career victory in the 200m at the Illini Classic, and then followed that up with a runner-up finish at the Rod McCravy Memorial Meet on January 22. After missing the Rod McCravy Memorial and the Husker Invite, Quinn returned for the Iowa State Classic where he placed in the top-five in both the 60m and 200m, setting a new PR in the latter event.
2015-16 Headlines
Six Event Titles Pace Illini at Orange & Blue Open
The Fighting Illini Men's Track and Field team wrapped up indoor regular season competition with the annual Orange & Blue meet at the UI Armory. Cam Viney showed he is in top form with a 60m hurdle personal-record time of 7.78. Joining him with event titles were Mo Maat (60m), Michael Hyc (Weight Throw), Konrad Eiring (800m), Blaze Galardy (Pole Vault) and unattached Illini Jesse Reiser (3,000m).
Dylan Lafond Breaks School Record at Iowa State
The Orange and Blue concluded the road portion of their indoor season with the Iowa State Classic. In addition to Lafond's record-setting 5K time, the Illini were led by Cam Viney, winning the 60m hurdles and Devin Quinn's top-five finishes in both the 60m and 200m. Overall, Turk applauded his team for "passing the eye test" and believes they're making the progress needed to perform at their best next weekend against the best of the Big Ten.
Wells, Viney, & Lafond Lead Illini at Husker Invite
The Fighting Illini competed at the 41st Annual Frank Sevigne Invite against some of the nation's top competition to begin the month of February. On Friday, Cam Viney highlighted the opening session with a new personal-record time in the 60m hurdles prelims. His 7.82 time moved him into third-place on Illinois' all-time record list. On Saturday, Viney came back to run a 7.83 time in the 60m hurdles final to place third. Elsewhere on the track, Dylan Lafond won the men's one-mile special with a time of 4:04.87. In field events, sophomore Jonathan Wells capped off the meet Saturday evening with a 7-2 1/4 (2.19m) clearance in the high jump, the best among collegiate competitors.
Lafond Sets School Record at McCravy Invite
The highlight of the two-day event came in the 3,000m run when All-American Dylan Lafond broke the Illinois school record with a time of 8:00.48. In addition to Lafond's performance, Alex Gold and Dan Lathrop continued the distance success with a 1-2 finish in the 5,000m on Friday evening. In the multi-events, Jonathan Wells got his first taste of the heptathlon, placing second in the event. On the track, freshman Devin Quinn continued his impressive start to the season with a runner-up finish in the 200m, while Cam Viney made his season debut with a third-place finish in the 60m hurdles.
11 Event Titles Propel Orange and Blue at Illini Classic
The Fighting Illini finished up their back-to-back home meets to begin the season with a dominating team 185 points to win the team score. Anchored by Jonathan Wells' two event titles, the Orange and Blue racked up 11 individual crowns on the day, including three freshman winning their first collegiate events: Devin Quinn (200m), Konrad Eiring (600m) and Jared Christiansen (800m).
Coach Turk Inks Four to Class of 2016
On November 20, the team welcomed four new faces into the Illini family with the 2016 recruiting class. Noah Adams (Blue Mound, Ill.) posted the 25th-best high jump mark in the nation last spring at IHSA State Championships, while Cooper Jazo (Lake Villa, Ill.). On the track, sprints coach Adrian Wheatley will add Josh Eiker (Galseburg, Ill.) to the group next fall. Eiker set a new IHSA state record in the 200m in 2015 with a mark of 21.20. Finally, distance coach Jake Stewart welcomes four-time defending IHSA 1A Cross-Country State Champion Jon Davis (Fithian, Ill.) to the team, adding on to a group that placed second at Big Ten Championships.
