Full Results

CHARLESTON, ILL. – On a blustery day at Eastern Illinois, the Fighting Illini fought through the conditions to come away with three event titles from Jayla Stewart (100m hurdles), Kandie Bloch-Jones (high jump) and the 4x100m relay team, while Kymbriona Taylor set a new personal-record in the 100m dash.

"It was an interesting meet with the weather," said Coach Ron Garner. "It was pretty challenging [with the weather] the past couple of days. Probably the biggest takeaway from the meet was, under the circumstances, what could we make out of it? Would we be caught up with the wind or would we focus on things we have control of? I think we had multiple people that took the approach that they were going to make the best of it."

Illini hurdlers Stewart and Smyers-Jones continued to bolster the unit's success this season with each setting personal-records in the final. After both Stewart and Smyers-Jones won their preliminary heats, the duo bettered their personal-best times. Stewart's winning time of 13.48 would have ranked inside the top-25 nationally entering the weekend, while Smyers-Jones placed runner-up with a 13.78 clip.  

"Jayla Stewart and Kortni Smyers-Jones did an excellent job and the 100m hurdles," said Garner. "The winds were rough, but they stayed focused, kept their patterns tight, and ran some very good races. They used the wind to engrain a pattern that will lead to better performances. They did an excellent job."

The hurdlers weren't the only ones to have individual success on the track this afternoon, as Kymbriona Taylor set a personal-best time in the 100m dash final. After winning her heat with the second-best overall time, the senior clocked a personal-best 11.85 time in the final to edge out Elise Anderson of Illinois State for second place.

"Coach Gillon gave Kymbriona [Taylor] a pre-meet plan of what she was going to focus on, and she stuck to it," said Garner. "She ran with an immediate urgency of trying to accomplish that. I was really pleased the leadership she demonstrated for the rest of our team."

Illini freshman Sade Hargrove also made the 100m final.

After the 4x100m had shown improvement in each of their first two meets of the season, the quartet of Hargrove, Rogers, Stewart, and Taylor took home the event title for the first time.

"The relays did a nice job," said Garner. "They weren't fast times, but there were gusts up to 50 miles per hour with swirling winds. We cut our marks back, we went a little conservative, but we were able to get around the track in both of them without any flaws. We made good, clean passes and won both of our heats, which was a positive thing for such a young group."

In her first competition since competing at NCAA Championships, Illinois high jumper Kandie Bloch-Jones was victorious in her outdoor debut. While the 5'7.25" (1.71m) mark was below her usual level of performance, the junior was able to edge out Eastern Illinois' Haleigh Knapp for the event crown.

"Kandie went from a short approach in the high jump for multiple reasons," said Garner. "She had to jump into those 50 mile per hour winds. She's a right handed jumper, and when she took the turn, she was taking the brunt of that [wind]. It was excellent focus from her."  

Rounding out the top-five performances for the Illini were Jasmine Berry and Lindsey Rakosnik in the 400m dash. Berry won her heat, second overall, with a time of 58.85, while Rakosnik followed Berry with a time of 58.86.  

Last night, the Illini opened the competition with improved marks in the long jump and two top-five finishes in the pole vault. In the long jump, Briana Driver placed sixth in the field with her best mark of the season, an 18'9.25" (5.72m) jump, while Janile Rogers placed two spots behind Driver with a leap of 18'7.75" (5.68m). For the pole vaulters, Sara McKeeman placed second and Jennifer DeBellis fourth, both marking 11'11.25" (3.64m).

"The long jumpers did a nice job," said Garner. "It was the same thing with huge winds they had to deal with, changing their steps and they were able to keep it composed. Both Briana [Driver] and Janile [Rogers] were able to be competitive, just missing big marks on fouls."  

Up next, the Illini will travel to Orlando, Miami for the UCF Triangular April 8-9. For complete coverage of Illinois Women's Track & Field, visit fightingillini.com and follow @IlliniWTrack on Twitter and Instagram.

Illini Top-Five Finishes

1-Jayla Stewart: 100m Hurdles, 13.48

1-Kandie Bloch-Jones: High Jump, 5'7.25" (1.71m)

1-4x100m Relay: Hargrove, Rogers, Stewart, Taylor, 47.03

2-Kortni Smyers-Jones: 100m hurdles, 13.78

2-Kymbriona Taylor: 100m, 11.85

2-Sara McKeeman: Pole Vault, 11'11.25" (3.64m)

2-Jasmine Berry: 400m, 58.85