Full Results
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Fighting Illini men's track and field team recorded seven event titles at the Orange and Blue Open on Saturday, their final tune-up before Big Ten Indoor Championships next weekend. Junior thrower Michael Hyc led the Illini with two event titles, the first coming in the weight throw and the second in the shot put, while Parker Deloye (high jump), Jacob LaRocca (pole vault), Doug Wilson (200m), Dylan Lafond (3K) and the 4x400m relay team also added in event victories.
"We have some guys that are trying to prove themselves and make the Big Ten team. I think we'll have some decisions to make, as some guys improved their performances today. There were several personal-bests today, and some of our young guys stepped up today."
Two Illini saved their best for last today, as Michael Hyc and Parker Deloye did their best work of the meet in their final attempt.
For Hyc, the Illini thrower set his best marks of both the weight throw and shot put competitions on his final attempt. Hyc marked 64'9.25" (19.74m) on his final attempt of the weight throw, and then measured 59'11" (18.26m) on his last throw of the shot put. Dziedzic placed runner-up to Hyc in both events with a mark of 59'8.5" (18.20m) in the weight throw and 54'0.5" (16.47m) in the shot put.
"Micheal Hyc was really good again today," said Coach Turk. "That was exactly the kind of tune-up [for Big Ten Championships] he and Matsen [Dziedzic] needed. In the weight throw, Mike was a little sluggish today and it really wasn't coming together very well. He kind of gutted out a good performance on his last throw, which is what he's done all year. I thought he had his best day in the shot put. He didn't PR, but overall, his series and the way he set things up was probably his best."
Deloye cleared his first two bars on his first attempt, but remained tied with Illinois State's Francis Ehigbai after each cleared 6'5.5" on their first attempt and couldn't clear 6'7.5" on their first three attempts. In the jump-off, Deloye cleared the 6'7.5" (2.02m) mark on his next attempt, while Ehigbai failed to do so, to win the event.
A pair of Illinois pole vaulters set personal-record clearances today, as freshmen Jacob LaRocca and Cooper Jazo finished first and second, respectively. LaRocca cleared four bars, his last three without a miss, to win the competition with a height of 16'9.25" (5.11m). Jazo cleared 16'1.25" (4.91m) on his third attempt to place runner-up to LaRocca.
"Our pole vaulters were great today," said Turk. "They're coming along really well and will be a wild card for us heading into next week with what they can do at the conference meet. I wouldn't count any of them out."
Illinois also received three event titles on the track, as Doug Wilson (200m), Dylan Lafond (3,000m) and the 4x400m relay each won their respective races. Wilson set a season-best performance in the 200m for the third straight week, lowering his time to 24.22 in his heat, while Lafond cruised victory with a time of 8:09.95. The relay team of Isaiah Michl, Jordan Cagigal, Tony Zea and Doug Wilson added the third track victory with a time of 3:23.51.
"I thought Doug [Wilson] had a great day," Turk said of the freshman sprinter. "He had a nice run in the 200m on a smaller track and ran a really nice 4x400m relay leg. We've been working with him on setting up his race tactics, and he executed that really well."
In addition to the event victories, the Illini also grabbed runner-up finishes from Jonathan Wells in the 60m hurdles, timing 8.09, and Cagigal in the 400m dash with a time of 50.36. Mo Maat placed third in the 60m dash with a season-best time of 6.83.
A pair of Illini freshmen won events while competing unattached today, as Jonathan Davis timed an impressive 4:01.08 mile and Denis O'Callaghan won the 800m with a time of 1:54.52.
Up next, the Orange and Blue will travel to Geneva, Ohio for Big Ten Indoor Championships next weekend inside the Spire Institute. The two-day meet begins on Friday, February 24 and concludes on Saturday, February 25.
Event Titles:
Jacob LaRocca, pole vault, 16'9.25" (5.11m)
Michael Hyc, weight throw, 64'9.25 (19.74m)
Parker Deloye, high jump, 6'7.5" (2.02m)
Doug Wilson, 200m, 24.22
Michael Hyc, shot put, 59'11" (18.26m)
Dylan Lafond, 3,000m, 8:09.95
Michl, Cagigal, Zea, Wilson, 4x400m Relay, 3:23.51
