Full Results
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Illinois Men's Track and Field distance group wrapped up competition at the Rod McCravy Memorial meet with multiple personal and season best times on Saturday (1/21) afternoon.
"In total, this is a meet that we're always excited to come to," said distance coach Jake Stewart. "It gives us a chance to race against the schools we don't typically see in the Midwest. We've always circled this as our first go of the year and we hope to continue coming down here because it's a great meet."
The Orange and Blue had four runners finish in the top-eight of the 3,000m race, led by Dylan Lafond in his season-opener. Lafond clocked 8:10.23 to place fourth in the race, followed by Alex Gold (6th/8:18.59), Jesse Reiser (7th/8:20.57) and Billy Magnesen (8:21.00).
The lone sprint event of the day for the Illini saw a personal-best mark, as junior Matt Burns lowered his indoor best time to 49.63 in the 400m. Joining Burns in the event were freshmen Doug Wilson (49.67) and Jordan Cagigal (49.72) who both had season-best performances.
"They all three looked better in the second half of the race," explained Stewart. "They got out and established themselves early on, and then were able to move forward from about 200m into the race. They passed a few guys coming home and, rather than getting to a point where they were just holding on, they were closing on people as they got towards the finish line. To this point in the season, all three probably ran their best races."
In the 800m, Illini senior Luke Brahm clocked 1:51.92 in heat two, while Tony Zea finished in 1:52.92 to win heat four and set a new personal-best time.
"It's the fastest he's ever opened in the 800m," said Coach Stewart of Brahm. "Tactically, there was one area that we talked about. From 400 to 500 meters he was a little bit overly aggressive, and he recognized that right after the race. He had a lot he can build off of. For Tony, he ran a two second lifetime personal-best time indoor. He won his heat, ran a confident race. He was never really challenged from about 300 meters out, but he looked really good and can be pleased with that."
Elsewhere in the middle distance events, Garrett Lee led the Illini in the mile with a time of 4:13.80, while Luke Schroer set a personal-best 4:15.61 in the mile.
"He's chipping away, making progress and put together the best block of training he's had since he's been on campus," said Stewart of Schroer's performance. "He ran a lifetime best today, and there's probably more there in the tank going forward."
A pair of Illini freshman competed unattached in today's meet, as Denis O'Callaghan timed 4:09.77 in the mile and Jonathan Davis recorded the top time of the 3,000m race, finishing in 8:04.88.
Up next, the Orange and Blue travel to Iowa City, Iowa for the second time this season to compete at the Black and Gold Premiere on Friday, January 27 and Saturday, January 28.
