University of Illinois
Illinois Twilight
Illinois Twilight on Tap for @IlliniMTrack
April 22, 2016 | Men's Track & Field
#Illini Set to Honor 2016 Senior Class
CHAMPAIGN, ILL – The Fighting Illini Men's Track & Field team returns home to compete at the Illinois Track Stadium for the first time this season, hosting the Illinois Twilight meet this Saturday. The meet begins at noon with throws, followed by jumps at 4 p.m. and track at 4 p.m. In addition to the collegiate races, the meet will include wheelchair competitions in the 100m, 200m and 400m that features some of the best Paralympic athletes in the world.
| Illinois Twilight | |
|---|---|
| When | April 23 // Throws: 12 p.m. // Field: 4 p.m. // Track: 4 p.m. |
| Where | Illinois Track Stadium // Champaign, Ill. |
| Live Results Links | Illinois Twilight Results |
| 2015-16 Information | Illinois Record Book | Illinois Meet Notes |
Head Coach Mike Turk will recognize 10 graduating seniors this Saturday. The group helped form the core that brought the school it's first Big Ten title since 1994.
Field: Ben Dodds, Blaze Galardy, George Wayda, Mitch Mammoser
Distance: Bryce Basting, Ian Barnett, Joe McAsey, Liam Markham, Jereme Atchison
Sprints/Hurdles: Cam Viney
Competitions to Watch
400m: Kenneth Allen made significant strides in California with back-to-back season bests, lowering his top 2016 time to 47.40. With his new mark just seven-hundredths off of his personal-record time, the junior could be set up for a personal accomplishment this Saturday evening in the event.
4x100m Relay: Joe Haight, Cole Henderson, Keveion Akins and Mo Maat got some more experience under their belt with twice races this past weekend. Even though their 39.63 time on Friday did not officially count due to a timing issue, it showed the potential that this young group has for not only this year, but also in seasons to come.
Javelin: Ben Dodds notched a new personal-best mark on Friday at the Bryan Clay Invite, a 215-6 (65.70m) showing that placed him fourth in the event. After the meet, Coach Turk said he sees Dodds hitting his stride during his senior year and that he sees more personal-records coming in the next few weeks.
Distance: Distance events that will feature three Illini seniors - Ian Barnett in the 3,000m, while Bryce Basting and Liam Markham compete in the 1500m. The trio competed in the 1500m at the Bryan Clay with Markham taking top honors amongst them. Thee week prior Bryce Basting led the Illini in the event at the Stanford Invite.
Wheelchair Races: Daniel Romanchuk is the top-ranked junior athlete in America in the 800m, 1500m, and 5000m. He was a gold medalist at the 2015 Para Pan American Games. Joining him is Gyu Dae Kim who is a two-time Paralympic medalist at the 2012 London Games, winning bronze for South Korea in the 4x400m and 1500m. He also won gold in the 800m at the 2013 World Championships.
Next Up
The Orange & Blue host their first home outdoor meet of the season next weekend with the Illini Twilight meet on April 23.
Illini Notes
Sprints group leads Illini in California
Kenneth Allen and Mo Maat led the Illini on Friday and Saturday at the Clay and Beach Invites with season-best performances. Allen topped his season-best 400m mark on back-to-back days, first with a 47.66 performances on Friday, and then followed it up with a 47.40 time on Saturday. For Maat, the Memphis native set a personal-best time of 21.24 in the 200m to finish as the top collegian at the Beach Invite. Joining the two sprinters was the 4x100m group. Although discounted due to a timing issue, the 4x1 ran a 39.63 mark. The next day, the team of Akins, Henderson, Maat and Haight followed it up with an official season-best mark of 40.50 in the elite section at Mt. SAC.
Young Illini Shine at Gibson Invite
the Orange & Blue were led by underclassmen, totaling four of the team's five individual titles. Sophomores Mo Maat (100m), Cole Henderson (200m) and Trevor Kuehr (800m) each chipped in an event title for the Illini, while freshman Isaiah Michl (400m hurdles) added the fourth crown. In addition to the individual titles, the Illini used two sophomores and two freshmen to win the 4x100m relay competition.
Viney & Barnett Top Performances at Stanford Invite
Cam Viney and Ian Barnett combined for three individual titles to open the season at the Stanford Invite. Viney took titles in both hurdles events, the 110m and 400m. Although neither times for Viney were personal-bests, he won each event with ease. In the 10,000m, Barnett set the seventh-best time in school history with a 29:10.83 time.
Barnett in Elite Company
With Barnett's 29:10.83 time at Stanford, the senior is now on five top-10 lists, tied for the current best among past and present Illini. He currently ranks in the top-10 in the indoor 3K and 5K and the outdoor 1,500m, 5K and 10K. The other Illini to have the same honor: Dorian Green, Babatunde Ridley, Sherman Armstrong and Jannis Toepfer.
Fighting Illini Ranked 9th to Start Outdoor Season
Coming off their best NCAA finish since 1988 and a Big Ten Championship, Mike Turk's squad enters the outdoor season slated at number nine in the USTFCCCA preseason rankings. The ranking is tops among all Big Ten schools, just above No. 13 Ohio State and No. 19 Penn State.
Wells, Kendziera, Lafond & Lee to Red-shirt This Spring
With the rash of injuries during the indoor season and long-term planning for the defending champs, Coach Turk will red-shirt four Illini during the outdoor season. Although he stayed healthy throughout the indoor slate, 2016 indoor high jump All-American Jonathan Wells will use the spring to focus on multi events as he seeks to increase his versatility in the second half of his Illini career.
Jonathan Wells Earns First Team All-America Honors
Sophomore high jumper Jonathan Wells posted his second highest mark of the indoor season at NCAA Championships with a clearance of 7'1.75" (2.18m) to place eighth in the field. The First Team All-America honor is the first of Wells career after he competed at indoor championships last season, but finished 13th.
Quinn, Viney, & Wells Score for Illini on Day 2 of B1G Championships
The Orange and Blue Track and Field team wrapped up the 2016 Indoor Big Ten Championships at the Spire Institute. In day two, freshman Devin Quinn led the team with seven points, totaled with top-eight finishes in both the 60m and 200m dashes. Joining him, Jonathan Wells placed in both the high jump and 60m hurdles, while senior Cam Viney finished fourth in the hurdles. As a team, the Illini placed 10th out of 13 teams.
Lafond & DMR Score On Day 1 of B1G Championships
After four Illini qualified for five finals spots tomorrow, the Orange and Blue surged in the day's final events to finish the opening day third in the team score. Dylan Lafond and the distance medley relay team each scored for the Illini, a momentum they hope to carry over into day two of the meet.
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).
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. Quinn concluded his indoor season with two top-eight finishes at Big Ten Championships in the 60m and 200m dashes. In the 200m, Quinn moved into seventh on the Illini top-10 list with a 21.20 time in his qualifying heat.
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).
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.
