Full Results
COLLEGE STATION, TX – Fighting Illini 60m hurdler Pedrya Seymour advanced to the NCAA Indoor Championships final with an 8.09 time in prelims Friday evening at the Rhonda and Frosty Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium. High jumper Kandie Bloch-Jones also competed for the Illini on day one, tying for 15th.
Coming out of lane eight in heat two, Seymour's 8.09 time was fourth in her heat and eighth overall. It's the second NCAA final for the Illini redshirt junior after Seymour advanced to the 100m hurdles final last June to earn First Team All-America honors. Seymour placed 13th at NCAA Indoor Championships last year to earn her first All-America honors.
"It was a solid race," said Head Coach Ron Garner. "It gets her into the final and that's what's important. "She'll go over some things tonight with Coach Gillon and come back ready to go tomorrow."
The Illini hurdler will look to make it two straight years that the eighth qualifier for the 60m hurdles final has gone on to win the NCAA title. Michigan's Cindy Ofili placed eighth in the semifinals last year before going on to win the final.
Seymour is the first Illini to reach the NCAA Championships final in the 60m hurdles in six years. The last Illini to do so was Tamika Robinson in when she timed 8.14 in the final to place seventh.
In the high jump, Kandie Bloch-Jones was unable to clear the opening height of 5'9.25" (1.76m) on her three attempts and tied for 15th in the field.
"It's was disappointing," said Garner. "She's been to this meet three times and has performed well in the previous two. However, she'll bounce back from this experience and move forward going into the outdoor season."
Tomorrow, Pedrya Seymour will compete for an NCAA title as she races in the 60m hurdles final tomorrow evening at 5 p.m. central time. A live stream on ESPN3.com will be provided for the track finals, beginning at 3:55 p.m. central time.
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