University of Illinois
Big Ten Indoor Championships
B1G Championships on Tap for Illini Men’s Track and Field
February 22, 2017 | Men's Track & Field
Competition begins Friday at the Spire Institute
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Fighting Illini men's track and field team will put their top athletes up against the best that the conference has to offer at Big Ten Indoor Championships. Held at the Spire Institute in Geneva, Ohio, competition begins on Friday, February 24 and concludes on Saturday, February 25.
| Big Ten Indoor Championships | |
|---|---|
| When | Friday, February 24 - Saturday, February 25 |
| Where | Spire Institute // Geneva, Ohio |
| Live Stream | Session I | Session II | Session III |
| Live Results | Results |
| Meet Information | Schedule | Championship Central | Map Directions | Tickets |
| Team Information | Meet Notes | Performance Lists | Media Guide | Quick Facts |
| Social Media | @IlliniMTrack  | #Illini | @Illinimtrack  | Facebook  | YouTube  |
Meet Notes
Watch the Meet Live
The entire Big Ten Indoor Championships meet will be streamed live through BTN Plus on Friday and Saturday. With a paid subscription fans can access it online at www.btn2go.com and through the BTN2Go mobile app.
Last Year at Big Ten Championships
The Illini had nine point-scoring performances last year, led by runner-up finishes from Dylan Lafond (3K) and the Distance Medley Relay team of Liam Markham, Cam Viney, Konrad Eiring and Garett Lee. Jonathan Wells scored three times for the Illini, long jump, high jump and 60m hurdles, while Devin Quinn did so in both the 60m and 200m dash. Quinn's 21.20 prelims time in the 200m moved him into Illinois' all-time list.
A Look at the Competition
Two Big Ten schools will enter the conference meet ranked among the top-25 in the nation, according to the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. Indiana leads the conference with its No. 10 ranking, while Iowa checks in at No. 18.
Events To Watch
60m Hurdles: The Illini's David Kendziera enters the meet second in the Big Ten in the event with a time of 7.77 set at the Black & Gold Premier meet at the end of January and will be tested by a pair of Iowa Hawkeyes. Kendziera's toughest competition comes from Iowa senior Aaron Mallet who's 7.64 time leads the Big Ten and ranks fourth in NCAA Division I. Iowa also features Big Ten No. 3 Chris Douglas with a season-best time of 7.82.
200m: While Ohio State's Nick Gray enters as the favorite to win the event with a 20.86 time at the Kentucky Invite that ranks 16th in the country, a couple of Illini will factor into the mix for scoring positions 2-8. With only 0.15 seconds separating Taylor McLaughlin's second-ranked time of 21.05 and Deshawn Marshall's (Ohio State) 21.20, Devin Quinn (21.08) and Josh Eiker (21.19) will both have a chance to score for Illinois. Quinn's best time last season came at Big Ten Championships when he clocked 21.20 in prelims on his way to placing seventh. Eiker, a freshman from Galesburg, Illinois, owns the fastest 200m time in Illinois state history (20.38) and has dropped his time in each of his last two meets.
3K/5K: Illinois' record-holder in both the 3,000m (8:00.48) and 5,000m (13:46.72) will look to score in both events for the Orange and Blue this weekend after placing runner-up in the 3K at last year's meet. Also in the field, Jesse Reiser moved into Illinois 3K top-10 list with a time of 8:08.04 at the Rod McCravy Memorial meet back on January 21.
Pole Vault: An event comprised of underclassmen for the Illini, redshirt freshman Jacob LaRocca and true freshman Cooper Jazo will both provide scoring chances for Coach Turk's squad this weekend. After missing last season, LaRocca has cleared 16'6.75" (5.05m) or above three times this season including a season-best 16'9.75" (5.11m) last Saturday that ranks sixth in the Big Ten. Jazo is also coming off his best height of the season, marking 16'1.25" (4.91m) last weekend for a new personal-best.
Next Up
NCAA Indoor Championships will be held in College Station, Texas on March 10-11 for athletes finishing among NCAA Division I's top-16 performances in their event.
Illini Notes
Illini In the Rankings
Entering the final week of the regular season, the Illini have five performances that rank among the top-30 in NCAA Division I. All-American Jonathan Wells leads the Illini in 10th of the heptathlon rankings with a school record score of 5.685. David Kendziera ranks 13th with his 7.77 time in the 60m hurdles. Wells also ranks in the top-20 in the high jump with a height of 7'1.75" (2.18m), while the 4x400m relay (24th) and Michael Hyc (28th/shot put) round out the five.
Illini Athletes Among Big Ten's Best
With just over a week remaining before Big Ten Indoor Championships, the Illini feature 12 performances that rank in the top-10 in the conference. Jonathan Wells' high jump of 7'1.75" (2.18m) leads the Big Ten, while his heptathlon score of 5,685 ranks third. Also ranked in two separate events is Michael Hyc (shot put/weight throw) and Devin Quinn (60m/200m). David Kendziera holds Illinois' top ranking in track events with the second-fastest 60m hurdle time (7.77). Jacob LaRocca sits sixth in the pole vault, while Josh Eiker (7th/200m), Dylan Lafond (5th/3K), Kenneth Allen (10th/400m) are also ranked.
Illini Tally 11 Top-10 Finishes at Iowa State Classic
The Illini 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. The 4x400m relay quartet of Joe Haight, Kenneth Allen, Matt Burns and David Kendziera also set a season-low time of 3:08.63 to place runner-up.
Jonathan Wells Breaks Heptathlon School Record
After redshirting last spring to focus on the multievents, Jonathan Wells broke the Illinois heptathlon school record in his first competition of the season. The Illini junior, a redshirt sophomore for the 2017 outdoor season, scored 5,685 points to pass Steve Monte's 5,577 points scored four years ago in 2013. Already a two-time All-American in the high jump, Wells brings versatility to Coach Turk's squad.
Regionally Ranked
The Fighting Illini are tabbed fourth in the Midwest region currently, according to the USTFCCCA weekly rankings. The Orange and Blue rank ahead of No. 5 Minnesota, while trailing Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska.
Hyc Hyc Baby
Thrower Michael Hyc has started his junior season with bang, setting personal-best marks in the weight throw in each of his first three meets and set a new shot put lifetime best at the Husker Invite. In the shot put, Hyc launched a throw of 60'3" (18.36m) last weekend, moving him into fifth-place on Illinois' all-time list and 28th in the country. Hyc's 66'5" (20.24m) throw at the Black & Gold Premier (1/27) improved upon his third-best mark in Illinois history. Hyc currently ranks eighth in the Big Ten in both events.
Of Historical Significance
Seven current Fighting Illini athletes currently hold spots on Illinois' all-time top-10 lists, led by 3,000m (8:00.48) and 5,000m (13:46.72) recorder holder Dylan Lafond and heptathlon record-holder Jonathan Wells (5,685). In sprints, Devin Quinn sits in fifth in the 200m and tied for eighth with Mo Maat in the 60m, while freshman Josh Eiker ranks ninth in the 200m with a 21.30 performance at the Iowa State Classic. David Kendziera (4th) and Jonathan Wells (T-9th) both rank in the top-10 of the 60m hurdles, while Wells sits runner-up in the high jump, just a half-inch behind Gail Olson's school record. Rounding out the list is Michael Hyc, third in the weight throw and fifth in the shot put, and Matsen Dziedzic, fourth in the weight throw.
Going the Distance
Distance coach Jake Stewart has restored the Illinois men's distance program to one of the best in the Big Ten and a competitor on the national stage. During the 2016 cross country season, Coach Stewart guided the Illini to the program's first NCAA Championships appearance in 30 years. On the track, Stewart has coached nine All-America performances, including Dylan Lafond who returns in the 3,000m steeplechase.
Illini Welcome 11 Freshmen
In addition to the talent returning to campus for the 2017 season, Coach Turk will welcome in 11 freshmen after the group impressed in their final season in high school. In total, the 11 new Illini combined for 17 IHSA state championships between cross country and track and field. At the 2016 IHSA state meet, the signees hauled in seven state titles, three runner-up finishes and tallied 107 team points.
Turk Tabs Talented Trio to Class of 2017
Fighting Illini Men's Track and Field Head Coach Mike Turk announced the signing of three student-athletes to the 2017 class on November 22. All hailing from the state of Illinois, the trio has combined for two individual IHSA state championships and six other top-eight finishes. Thrower Bill Matzek scored in the shot put and discus at 2016 IHSA Championships, while Curtis Gordon (pole vault) and Brayden Hamblen (cross country) both won state titles during their junior seasons.
Illinois Announces Reorganization of Track & Field and Cross Country Programs
Director of Athletics Josh Whitman announced on November 28, 2016 that the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics will reorganize the leadership structure of the men's and women's track and field and cross country programs in the summer of 2017. Upon completion of the 2017 outdoor track and field season, men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field and men's and women's cross country will be led by a single coaching staff. Under the consolidated structure, current men's coach Mike Turk will be head coach and will lead both programs, along with five full-time assistant coaches.
