University of Illinois
Big Ten Outdoor Championships
@IlliniWTrack Set for Big Ten Championships
May 12, 2016 | Women's Track & Field
Competition begins Friday in Lincoln
CHAMPAIGN, ILL. – The Fighting Illini will toe the line with the best athletes the Big Ten has to offer this weekend at Big Ten Championships. After three Illini took home medals at the indoor meet back in February, the Orange & Blue will look to take another step forward at this weekend's outdoor meet in Lincoln, Nebraska. The action begins Friday morning with multi events and continues through event finals on Sunday afternoon.
| Big Ten Championships | |
|---|---|
| When | May 13-15 |
| Where | Lincoln, Nebraska // Ed Weir Stadium |
| Live Links | Live Results |
| Meet Information | Illinois Record Book | Illinois Meet Notes | Meet Schedule | Heat Sheets |
Competitions to Watch
100m Hurdles: At the beginning of the outdoor season, both the coaching staff and the three hurdlers set a goal of putting three Illini in the event final. Entering the weekend, the three Illini each rank among the top-15 in the conference. All-American Pedrya Seymour leads the group with a time of 13.17, third-best in the conference. Seymour is flanked by freshman Jayla Stewart, ranking ninth in the conference, and Kortni Smyers-Jones, 13th in the conference. With Stewart on the cusp of the top-8 and Smyers-Jones fresh off of a breakthrough at the Illini Open, the preseason goal appears to be within reach.
800m: Despite battling an Achilles injury this spring, Nicole Choquette will look to build upon her runner-up finish in the event during the indoor season. Indoors, Choquette clocked a 2:05.90 at the February conference meet to set a new personal-best time in the event. Rachel Weber of Ohio State and Danielle Pfeifer of Michigan enter the weekend with the conference's top times, both clocking sub 2:06 times in the event.
4x100m: With Jayla Stewart returning to the group that ranks fifth in the conference this season, Coach Garner has his sights set on a podium finish this weekend. Trailing both Ohio State and Rutgers by less than two-tenths of a second, a fully healthy group could be primed for a sub 45.00 time and a chance at a medal.
High Jump: After nearly winning the Big Ten title for the second time in her career indoors, the 2016 All-American and Big Ten runner-up hasn't quite hit her stride yet outdoors. The junior is currently tied for ninth in the conference with a mark of 5'9.25" (1.76m). However, her personal-record of 6'1 (1.84m) set last year, which would tie for the top mark in the Big Ten currently, is more indicative of what she's capable of. Reka Czuth of Nebraska currently has the best mark, followed by indoor champion Janae Moffitt.
Pole Vault: After sitting out the indoor meet due to injury, senior Jennifer DeBellis will compete in her final Big Ten Championships meet. The Vancouver, Washington native owns the second-best mark in Illinois history and recently recorded her best mark of the season at Drake Relays. DeBellis is joined by Sara McKeeman, who had her breakthrough at Big Ten Indoor Championships, clearing 13'1.75" (4.01m).
NEXT UP
For those qualifying for the NCAA West Regional, preparation will begin for the May 26-28 meet in Lawrence, Kansas. Entering Big Ten Championships, 13 individuals have met the qualifying standard for the meet along with the 4x100m relay team.
ILLINI NOTES
Six Event Titles Highlight Regular Season Finale
Pedrya Seymour won the 100m hurdles title for the fourth time this season, clocking a winning time of 13.18. Elsewhere on the track, Janile Rogers topped the field to win the 200m, while the 4x100m relay added Jayla Stewart back into the mix in route to victory. In the field, Briana Driver (long jump), Sara McKeeman (pole vault) and Kandie Bloch-Jones (high jump) won their respective events.
Illini Win Shuttle Hurdle Relay at Drake for First Time Since 2001
Pedrya Seymour, Jayla Stewart, Jasmine Berry and Kortni Smyers-Jones clocked a 54.76 time that cruised past the field to win the first shuttle hurdle relay victory since the program set the world record in the event in 2001. Outside of the relay, Seymour clocked a PR 13.17 time in the 100m hurdle prelims, while Lindsey Rakosnik set a personal-best time in the 800m.
Orange & Blue Notch Five Titles, Win Twilight
Pedrya Seymour took home three event titles, two individual and one relay, as the Illini totaled five event crowns over the course of the meet to top the 13-team field with 146 points. Seymour's victories in the 100m hurdles and 200m dash combined with a 4x1 victory (Seymour, Driver, Rogers, Taylor) and individual titles by Briana Driver in the long jump and Jasmine Berry in the 400m hurdles.
Five Individual Titles Highlight UCF Dual
In a rare dual format, the Fighting Illini took home event crowns in the 100m hurdles, high jump, pole vault, 3,000m steeplechase and triple jump. In addition to the five event victories, the Illini also set multiple personal-records with Sara McKeeman (pole vault), Janile Rogers (200m) and Valerie Bobart each recording their best outdoor marks of their careers.
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 relay 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 an 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 an 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.
