University of Illinois
49'er Classic
Women’s Track Begins Outdoor Season in Charlotte
March 15, 2017 | Women's Track & Field
49’er Classic begins Friday, March 17
CHAMPAIGN, IL – The Fighting Illini women's track and field team opens the 2017 outdoor season with a trip to Charlotte, North Carolina for the 49'er Classic on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Held at the Irwin Belk Track Center, the Illini will compete in the two-day meet on March 17 and 18.
| 49'er Classic | |
|---|---|
| When | Friday, March 17 - Saturday, March 18 |
| Where | Irwin Belk Track Center // Charlotte, North Carolina |
| Live Link | Results |
| Meet Information | Tentative Schedule | Meet Info |
| Team Information | Meet Notes | Indoor Performance List | Media Guide | Quick Facts |
| Social Media | @IlliniWTrack  | #Illini | @Illiniwtrack  | Facebook  | YouTube  |
Meet Notes
Follow the Meet
Fans can follow the meet with live results on Friday and Saturday through www.flashresults.com and by following @IlliniWTrack on Twitter.
Illini Competitions to Watch
100m Hurdles // Jayla Stewart and Kortni Smyers-Jones
Prelims: Friday @ 11 a.m. // Final: Saturday @ 11:45 a.m.
After the Orange and Blue put hurdlers in the Big Ten final three weeks ago at Big Ten Indoor Championships, the Illini will look to continue the success into the outdoor season. Sophomore Jayla Stewart finished her indoor season with personal-best times in each of her last three races. Following a 8.35 personal-record at home on February 18, Stewart dropped down to 8.31 in the Big Ten prelims and then down to 8.26 in the final to place sixth. Kortni Smyers-Jones also finished the indoor season with back-to-back season-best times of 8.59 at the Orange and Blue Open and Big Ten Championships.
100m // Kymbriona Taylor, Emone Davis, Briana Driver, Jayla Stewart, Kay Hylton
Prelims: Friday @ 12:05 p.m. // Finals: Saturday @ 12:20 p.m.
The Illini get back their top sprinter this weekend after senior Kymbriona Taylor competed unattached during the indoor season. Now in her final season of eligibility, Taylor will look to build off of last year's outdoor season that saw her clock a personal-best 11.65 time at the Illini Open on May 4 and advance to NCAA Championships as the anchor of the 4x100m relay team. Sophomores Emone Davis, Briana Driver and Jayla Stewart will join Taylor in the event. Driver led the Illini in the 60m dash with a team-best 7.60 time at the Orange and Blue Open.
200m/400m // Kay Hylton, Felicia Phillips and Chisom Nwoko
400m Final: Saturday @ 12:05 p.m. CT // 200m Final: Saturday @ 2:25 p.m. CT
A trio of freshmen will continue their development in the longer sprints after getting their feet wet indoors. Hylton led the Illini in the 200m with a season-best performance at Big Ten Championships, as she timed 24.56. In the 400m, Phillips and Nwoko made progress throughout the indoor season. Phillips set her season-best time of 55.05 at the Rod McCravy meet, while Nwoko's came two weeks later at the Meyo Invite where she finished in 55.34.
800m // Nicole Choquette and Kristina Kladar
Final: Saturday @ 12:35 p.m. CT
Nicole Choquette will make her season-debut in the 800m this weekend. A 600m champion in 2015 and the 800m runner-up last indoor season, Choquette will look to again lead the Illini middle distance group this spring. Her personal-best time in the outdoor 800m came at the Rankin Invite in 2015 when she timed 2:06.70. Also in the event, Kristina Kladar is coming off of a strong indoor season that saw her drop her 800m time down to 2:14.45 at the Music City Challenge.
Next Up
The Fighting Illini will stay in south to continue the outdoor season, as the Illini travel to Columbia, South Carolina for the Weems Baskin Invite. The meet begins on Friday, March 24 and concludes the following day, March 25.
ILLINI INDOOR NOTES
Seymour Sets PR to Take 3rd at NCAA indoor Championships
Illinois 60m hurdler Pedrya Seymour placed third in the final at NCAA Championships with a personal-best time of 7.97 on Saturday evening at the Rhonda and Frosty Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium. The All-America honor is the third of Seymour's career, while the third-place finish in the 60m hurdles is the best by an Illini since 2003 when Perdita Felicien took third as well.
Seymour Places Runner-up, Bloch-Jones and Stewart Score at Big Tens
The Fighting Illini women's track and field team received point-scoring performances in the 60m hurdles, high jump and 4x400m relay as Big Ten Indoor Championships concluded on Saturday afternoon inside the Spire Institute. Seymour led the trio of Illini with a runner-up finish in the 60m hurdles, tying her 7.98 personal-record, while Bloch-Jones (fourth), Stewart (sixth) and the 4x400m relay team (seventh) also placed on day two of the meet.
Long Jumpers Come Up Big in Nashville
Briana Driver and Janile Rogers both set significant personal-record jumps at the Music City Challenge on February 11, resulting in Coach Garner calling it the best long jump competition for the Illini in three years. Driver wasted no time in setting the new PR, leaping 19'6.75" (5.95m) on her first attempt. Rogers set a PR in each of her three jumps, her best coming on the second attempt at which she marked 19'4.75" (5.90m).
Bloch-Jones Named Co-Big Ten Field Athlete of the Week
Following her personal-best mark of 6'0.75" (1.85m) at the Illini Classic, Illini senior high jumper Kandie Bloch-Jones was named Big Ten Co-Field Athlete of the Week on Wednesday, January 18. Bloch-Jones' mark currently ranks sixth in the country, first in the Big Ten and second on Illinois' all-time list.
Bloch-Jones, Seymour Impress at Illini Classic
Kandie Bloch-Jones flirted with the Illinois high jump school record, as the Illini senior cleared 6'0.75" (1.85m) to win the competition. Bloch-Jones attempted the school record height of 6'1.75" (1.87m), but fell short on her three attempts. On the track, Pedrya Seymour made her season debut with a 60m hurdles personal-best time of 8.13 to win the event.
The Gang's All Here
The 'Hurdle Gang' is back for their second season after the group was arguably the most consistent group on the team in 2015-16. Headlining the group was redshirt sophomore Pedrya Seymour, who advanced to indoor and outdoor NCAA Championships, and then went on to place sixth at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in the 100m hurdles. Joining Seymour were first-year Illini Jayla Stewart and Kortni Smyers-Jones. Stewart showed continued growth throughout her freshman campaign, placing at Big Ten Championships and advancing to NCAA Prelims. Over the summer, Stewart placed seventh at U.S. Track and Field Junior Championships. Smyers-Jones, a junior college transfer, also improved her times throughout her junior season and advanced to NCAA Prelims in May to put three Illini in the event.
B1G Faces - Pedrya Seymour
During the offseason, Pedrya Seymour was chosen as one of the Big Ten Network's Faces of Illinois, making a commercial spot that will air throughout the spring on the conference network. The redshirt junior became the first Illini to reach an Olympic final while still enrolled at University of Illinois. Seymour surged into second place all-time on the Illinois list in the 100m hurdles with a 12.64 showing in the Olympic semifinal. Representing the Bahamas, Seymour would go on to place sixth as the youngest competitor in the eight-hurdler final. As part of the commercial, Seymour also talks about suffering and overcoming injuries and the loss of her brother.
For complete coverage of Fighting Illini Women's Track and Field, visit FightingIllini.com, follow the Illini on Twitter (@IlliniWTrack) and Instagram (@IlliniWTrack) and like Fighting Illini Women's Track and Field on Facebook.
