CHAMPAIGN, ILL. – The Fighting Illini head south to the sunshine state for a head-to-head meet against Central Florida. The one-day competition at the UCF Soccer & Track Complex takes place on Saturday at the UCF Soccer & Track Complex. After placing 11th at World Championships, Pedrya Seymour returns to action, making her outdoor debut in the 100m hurdles this weekend.
COMPETITIONS TO WATCH
100m Hurdles: With Jayla Stewart and Kortni Smyers-Jones starting strong, highlighted by their 1-2 finish at EIU last week, the Illini will add their World Championships and NCAA Championships participant back into the mix in Pedrya Seymour. The trio routinely put three Illini in the finals of the 60m hurdles during the indoor season, Pedrya leading the group as she ascended to her current rank as the seventh-fastest time in school history (8.15).
High Jump: After tying for 12th at NCAA Indoor Championships three weeks ago, Illini junior Kandie Bloch-Jones opened her outdoor season with an event title last weekend at Eastern Illinois. With wind blowing into the jump, Bloch-Jones managed just a 5'7.25" (1.71m) leap but was able to persevere for the victory over host EIU's Haleigh Knapp.
4x100m: The relay group has made steady progress in each of the last three meets. The first two weekends saw the quartet better their time from the week prior. Although last weekend saw a step back in regards to time, the group fought through the conditions and earned the event title. Comprised of two true freshmen, a red-shirt freshman and a senior, the group as a whole shows strong potential this year and the years to come.
Long Jump: Briana Driver and Janile Rogers combined to have the best long jump performance of the outdoor season at EIU this past weekend. The duo both set season-best marks in the event, with Driver's 18'9.25" (5.72m) mark besting Rogers' 18'7.75" (5.68m). Both in their first year of outdoor eligibility, are set up to be a strength for the team in field events going forward.
NEXT UP
The Orange & Blue will take their first week off of the outdoor season before hosting their first outdoor meet of the season at the Illini Twilight on April 23.
ILLINI NOTES
Three Illini Blow Away the field at EIU Big Blue Classic
On a weekend that saw wind gusts up to 50 miles per hour, three Illini overcame the conditions to earn victories in their respective events. The top Illini performance came in the 100m hurdles where Jayla Stewart and Kortni Smyers-Jones finished 1-2 in the prelims and finals, each clocking new personal-best times in the process. In addition to their success, Kandie Bloch-Jones won the high jump and the 4x100m realy team picked up their first victory of the season.
Seven Top-5 Finishes at Vandy for Illini
In the second meet of the outdoor season, the Orange & Blue were led on the track by Kymbriona Taylor and hurdlers Jayla Stewart and Kortni Smyers-Jones. Taylor posted the top collegiate time in the 100m dash (11.95), while Stewart and Smyers-Jones both improved upon their times from the previous weekend to placed third and fourth overall. Coach Garner's squad also improved upon their 4x100m relay time, edging out their Baldy Castillo time with a 45.62 mark. Jennifer DeBellis had the top field performance, marking 12'7.5" (3.95m) in the pole vault.
Bobart and Rogers Lead Illini in Outdoor Opener
Sophomore Valerie Bobart cut the tape on the outdoor season with style as she won the team's first event of the campaign with a 10:48.2 time in the 3,000m steeplechase on Friday night. The next day, Janile Rogers led the way with personal-record times in the 100m and 200m. Joining her were strong hurdle performances from Jayla Stewart and Kortni Smyers-Jones, placing second and fourth in the 100m hurdles respectively.
Seymour Posts Personal-record time at Indoor Worlds, Places 11th
A week after competing at NCAA Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Alabama, Pedrya Seymour flew across the country to compete in the IAAF Indoor World Championships in Portland, Oregon. Once there, the Illini red-shirt sophomore set a new personal-record time in the 60m hurdles with a 8.15 clip that placed her 11th overall in the field.
Bloch-Jones & Seymour Compete at NCAA Championships
Pedrya Seymour started the weekend off with a 8.19 time in the 60m hurdles semifinals, but failed to qualify for the final with her 13th-place finish overall. On Saturday, Kandie Bloch-Jones finished tied for 12th in the high jump with a mark of 5'11.25" (1.76m).
Pedrya Seymour Selected for Indoor World Championships
Nassau, Bahamas native Pedrya Seymour was chosen to represent her country in the upcoming Indoor World Championships in Portland, Oregon on March 18 & 19. The Illini red-shirt sophomore has significantly improved her time in the 60m hurdles this season, posting a career-best time at Big Ten Championships (8.16) to finish third. She is set to race in the 60m hurdles on March 18.
Bloch-Jones, Seymour, & Choquette with Podium Finishes at B1G Championships
The 2016 edition of Big Ten Indoor Championships concluded with a trio of Illini marking podium finishes in their event final. Kandie Bloch-Jones started things off in the morning in the high jump, followed by Nicole Choquette in the 800m, and concluded by Pedrya Seymour in the 60m hurdles.
Trio of Hurdlers Show Growth, Consistency
At both the Meyo Invite and Iowa State Classic, the Fighting Illini have had three of the eight 60m hurdle finalists donning the Orange and Blue singlet. Sophomore Pedrya Seymour, freshman Jayla Stewart, and junior transfer Kortni Smyers-Jones have created a trio that has created a model of consistency for the team in recent weeks.
Choquette Shines at Meyo Invite
Nicole Choquette highlighted the weekend for the Illini with a personal-record time in the 800m, while finishing second in both the 600m and 800m. The 600m time was just shy of her Big Ten Championship time last February, moving her into fifth place in the NCAA.
Big Faces – Kandie Bloch-Jones Reaches New Heights
During the offseason, Kandie Bloch-Jones was chosen as one of the Big Ten Network's Faces of Illinois, making a commercial spot that will air throughout the spring on the conference network. The junior has started off 2016 with reason to believe she can compete with the nation's elite. After winning the high jump back-to-back times to begin the season, Bloch-Jones cleared 6-0 (1.83m), besting a three-time national champion, at the Rod McCravy meet to finish second. The junior went on to finish tied for 12th at NCAA Championships this season.
Orange & 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), Jennifer 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), Jennifer DeBellis (PV), Briana Driver (LJ), Nicole Choquette (800m), and Pedrya Seymour (60m H).
Freshman Five Bring Promise
The 2015-16 freshmen class brings promise to Coach Garner's program, as they enter the program 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 Danville 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.
