Full Results
AMES, Iowa – The Fighting Illini men's track and field team recorded five top-10 finishes on Saturday, 11 total over the course of the two-day Iowa State Classic. Among the 11 top-10 finishes was a 60m hurdle title by David Kendziera and two 200m performances that rank on the Illinois all-time list.
"I think we are progressing really well as a team," said Turk following the meet. "We're about where we should be. We're still improving. We still have a ways to go. I don't think we've hit on all of our cylinders yet, but I don't think I should expect to do that until later in the season. We've got a really nice team that is very coachable, works hard and puts forth good effort. I feel pretty good about where we're at as a team right now."
Illinois' top individual performance of the meet came from David Kendziera who won his third 60m hurdles competition of the indoor season. Kendziera clocked 7.81 in the final to beat out runner-up Elijah Young (8.07) by over a quarter of a second after timing 7.93 in prelims earlier in the afternoon.
"Dave's a veteran and he's really running well right now," said Turk of the hurdler. "He's consistent, he handles things in a professional manner, is very focused and is executing the way he knows that he can. He has a lot of experience that pays off for him. Today he hit a hurdle, but was able to stick with his race, and still run a pretty good time. Those are all things that quality veterans will do."
The Illini hurdler returned at the end of the meet to anchor the 4x400m relay team to its best time of the season, a time of 3:08.63. Joined by Joe Haight, Kenneth Allen and Matt Burns, the Illini placed runner-up to Kansas' 3:08.18. Illinois has lowered their 4x400m time in each of the last three meets.
"I think we ran a really good relay," said Coach Turk. "I was very pleased with the way that came together for us. We put Matt Burns back into the mix and he ran like a veteran today. He gave us a really good solid leg in the middle of the relay. The other thing that made a huge difference was that Joe Haight just keeps getting better. He led off with a 47.40 and was fantastic, putting us right in the middle of it. Kenneth Allen ran probably one of his best races of his career as well."
Illinois' third top-10 finish on the track came from Allen in the 400m. Competing in heat three of the race, Allen timed 47.42, besting his 47.65 time at 2015 Big Ten Indoor Championships.
"He's very coachable," Coach Turk said of the Illini senior. "We talked to Kenneth after last week about this pattern where he runs really fast relay splits, but we haven't seen him put up a fast open time yet. One of the things that we pointed out to him was that his distribution of energy during the race wasn't quite right. He was going out a little too fast and it was leaving him a little bit short at the end of his race. We've made some adjustments, and he executed it. I think it's the best open 400 meters that I've seen him run at Illinois."
A pair of Illini finished in the top-10 in the field events, as Jonathan Wells took third in the high jump and Michael Hyc placed seventh in the shot put.
The two-time high jump All-American cleared three bars on the afternoon, finishing with a height of 7'0.5" (2.15m) he cleared on his third attempt. Winning the completion was 2016 NCAA Outdoor high jumper runner-up Christoff Bryan (Kansas State) with a clearance of 7'2.5" (2.20m).
"I don't think he would tell you this was his best day," Turk said of Wells. "I don't think he felt great out there, but he really worked through some things. He stuck with it and put forth a great effort. He was very coachable, listening to the adjustments that he was told to make and he executed that pretty well. He was real close at 2.20 [meters] and had some good jumps there. I think it was a great performance under the circumstances of competing in the heptathlon last week."
Hyc marked 57'1" (17.40m) on his fourth throw of competition to place seventh in the shot put. The fourth throw narrowly edged out his second-best throw of the day, a 57'0.75" (17.39m) heave on his first attempt.
In middle distance, Illini senior Luke Brahm nearly tied his personal-record 800m time, clocking 1:50.73. Brahm's personal-record set at Princeton is 1:50.71.
The Illini also received a bevy of impressive finishes yesterday at the Iowa State Classic, led by Devin Quinn's (21.08) and Josh Eiker's (21.30) 200m personal-records that moved them into fifth and ninth, respectively, on Illinois' all-time indoor list. Other notable performances included top-10 finishes by Joe Haight (5th/200m), Michael Hyc (5th/weight throw) and Cole Henderson (6th/60m).
Up next, the Fighting Illini will wrap up the 2017 indoor season with the Orange and Blue Open on Saturday, February 18 inside the UI Armory. Big Ten Indoor Championships take place the following weekend, February 25-26, in Geneva, Ohio.
Top-10 Finishes:
1.David Kendziera, 60m Hurdles, 7.81
2.4x400m Relay, 3:08.63
2.Devin Quinn, 200m, 21.08 - PR
3.Devin Quinn, 60m, 6.76 – Ties PR
3.Jonathan Wells, high jump, 7'0.5" (2.15m)
3.Josh Eiker, 200m, 21.30 - PR
5.Joe Haight, 200m, 21.41 - PR
5.Michael Hyc, weight throw, 64'11.75" (19.79m)
6.Cole Henderson, 60m, 6.80 – ties PR
7.Michael Hyc, shot put, 57'1" (17.40m)
7.Kenneth Allen, 400m, 47.42 – PR
