Full Results

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Pedrya Seymour (60m hurdles), Kandie Bloch-Jones (high jump) and Valerie Bobart (mile) each won events as the Fighting Illini women's track and field team concluded the indoor regular season with the Orange and Blue Open. Seymour timed 8.07 in the hurdle final, Bloch-Jones cleared 6'0.5" (1.84m), while Bobart lowered her personal-best to 4:58.45

Models of consistency, Seymour and Bloch-Jones again displayed why they're one of the bests in the country in their respective events. Seymour finished below 8.10 for the fourth and fifth time this season, clocking 8.09 in prelims and 8.07 in the final. Bloch-Jones cleared 6'0.5" (1.84m) and earned her fifth high jump event title in six meets this season. The Illini senior again made attempts at breaking the Illinois school record of 6'1.25" (1.87m), but fell short.

"It's just another day at work for them," Head Coach Ron Garner said of the two All-Americans. "The standard that they're setting is that each time they come out, whether they feel great or not, they're running national-level performances, which sets them up to be confident going into major-meet situations. They're some of the best in the history of Illinois. Pedrya [Seymour] is putting herself in that place in the hurdles and Kandie {Bloch-Jones] is doing the same thing in the high jump."

In the 60m hurdle final, Seymour was flanked by teammates Jayla Stewart and Kortni Smyers-Jones at the finish line, as Stewart took second place with a time of 8.35 and Smyers-Jones' timed 8.59 to claim third. Stewart's 8.35 time was a lifetime-best performance, improving upon her season-best 8.40 time from last season, while Smyers-Jones' time sets a season-best for this season.

"It was great to see Jayla take another step forward," said Garner of the Illini sophomore. "We started off in a good place, but to get that breakthrough is a really good to see heading into Big Tens. To see her take it upon herself and be personally responsible and focused with Coach Gillon not here today was very encouraging."

Illinois' third event title of the day came in the mile where teammates Valerie Bobart and Denise Branch both finished in under five minutes for the first time in their Illini careers. Bobart's 4:58.45 time sets a new personal-record by seven seconds, while Branch lowered her time by a second to 4:59.13 to place runner-up.

"Their race today is an indication of the progress they've been demonstrating in practice, and is a good sign going forward into the Big Ten meet," said Assistant Coach Scott Jones. "I thought they raced intelligently and competitively. For Valerie, it will bode well for the 3,000m indoors and for her steeplechase prospects outdoors. The consistency Denise continues to show is very heartening for me." 

Coming off a personal-best long jump last weekend in Nashville, Illini sprinter and jumper Briana Driver did a little bit of everything today, setting lifetime bests in the 60m and 200m, while also finishing runner-up in the long jump. Driver began the day with a 7.60 personal-record, and team season-best performance, in the 60m final to place third. The Illini sophomore transitioned to field events where she marked 18'11.75" (5.78m), and then returned to the track to set a personal-best 24.71 time in the 200m.

"I think that Briana Driver had an excellent meet," said Garner. "It's hard to jump really far in our facility, but she had a solid jump today. Her 60m time was a personal-record and a team season-best which was excellent to see. And then, she came back with a personal-record in the 200 meters that will move up the list because that's a converted time that'll be in the 24.30s on the Big Ten list. It shows that athletically she's improving and seeing herself as a much better athlete."

Sade Hargrove also set season-best times in the 60m and 200m, clocking 7.63 in the 60m and 24.97 in the 200m.

Competing unattached, Nicole Choquette ran her first race of the season, timing 1:31.95 in the 600m to win the event. Illini sophomore Kristina Kladar placed runner-up with a time of 1:36.54.

Up next, the Illini will travel to Geneva, Ohio for Big Ten Indoor Championships inside the Spire Institute. Competition begins on Friday, February 24 and continues through Saturday, February 25.

Event Titles:

Valerie Bobart, Mile, 4:58.45

Pedrya Seymour, 60m hurdles, 8.07

Kandie Bloch-Jones, High Jump, 6'0.5" (1.84m)