University of Illinois
NCAA West Prelims
Illini Women’s Track Begins NCAA Prelims Competition Thursday
May 22, 2017 | Women's Track & Field
Five Illini seek bid to NCAA Finals
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Five Illini are headed to Austin, Texas for 2017 NCAA Prelims, May 25-27, at Mike A. Myers Stadium. The meet hosts the top-48 individuals and top-24 relays of the West region. Sprints, middle distance and field events will contest NCAA first and quarterfinal rounds, while distance events will contest semifinals.
| NCAA West Prelims | |
|---|---|
| When | Thursday, May 25 - Saturday, May 27 |
| Where | Mike A. Myers Stadium // Austin, TX |
| Live Link | Results | Live Stream (Free) |
| Meet Information | Championship Central | Meet Schedule | Tickets | Heat Sheets |
| Team Information | Meet Notes | Performance List | Media Guide | Quick Facts |
| Social Media | @IlliniWTrack  | #Illini | @Illiniwtrack  | Facebook  | YouTube  |
Meet Notes
Meet Information
Held at Mike A. Myers Stadium, fans can buy tickets to the 2017 NCAA West Prelims through TexasSports.com or by calling (512) 471-3333. All-meet tickets are $35 for adults and $15 for single-day tickets, with discounted prices for college students, youth and seniors. For parking, fans can find numerous lots surrounding Mike A. Myers Stadium for $12 per day.
NCAA Prelims Format
Sprints/Hurdles/800m: First round competition will advance the top three in each heat and the next six fastest times. In quarterfinals, top three of each heat and next three fastest times.
1500m: First round competition will advance five in each heat plus next four fastest. In quarterfinals, the top five in each heat plus the next two fastest times advance.
5K/10K: In the 5K, the 5 in each advance along with the next two fastest times. The 10K advances the top 12 finishers overall.
Steeplechase/Relays: The top three in each heat advance along with next three fastest times.
Field Events: The top 12 placers in each event will advance.
Last Year at West Prelims
Held in Lawrence, Kansas, the Fighting Illini advanced to NCAA Finals in three events last year, Pedrya Seymour and Kandie Bloch-Jones advancing individually and the 4x100m relay team also reaching Eugene, Oregon. Pedrya Seymour clocked the top 100m hurdles time at the meet, timing 12.95.
Illini to Watch
100m Hurdles // Pedrya Seymour and Jayla Stewart
First Round: Friday @ 4:30 p.m. // Quarterfinal: Saturday @ 7:05 p.m.
For the second straight year, the Fighting Illini will send multiple hurdlers to NCAA Prelims, as Pedrya Seymour and Jayla Stewart both rank in the top-20 of the West region. A First Team All-American last season, Seymour returns to NCAA Prelims with a 13.06 qualifying time at Eastern Illinois last month. A sophomore, Stewart joins Seymour after taking seventh at Big Ten Championships last weekend. Stewart's best time of the season came at Drake Relays where she won the 100m hurdles final with a time new personal record of 13.14.
High Jump // Kandie Bloch-Jones
First Round: Friday @ 4:30 p.m.
Making her fourth appearance in as many seasons at NCAA Prelims, senior high jumper Kandie Bloch-Jones advances to Austin with a height of 5'10" (1.78m). Bloch-Jones as twice reached that mark this season, the most recent coming last weekend at Big Ten Championships where she placed fifth. A four-time All-American in the event, Bloch-Jones will be looking to advance to Eugene, Oregon where she earned All-America honors last season. The Illini high jumper was an All-American during this year's indoor season, qualifying with a height of 6'0.25" (1.85m).
800m // Nicole Choquette
First Round: Thursday @ 8:10 p.m. // Quarterfinals: Friday @ 6:30 p.m.
Following a personal-best time of 2:05.25 to place sixth at Big Ten Championships, redshirt junior Nicole Choquette qualifies for NCAA Prelims for the second time in her career. The time in State College last weekend was the second time she's set a new personal-best time this season, the first coming at Bryan Clay where she finished in 2:05.56.
3K Steeplechase // Valerie Bobart
Final: Friday @ 8:20 p.m.
Valerie Bobart is in the field of 48 for the second time in her career. A senior, Bobart improved upon her qualifying time from last year by three seconds with a 10:27.46 run at the Bryan Clay Invite back in April.
Up Next
For the Illinois athletes that advance, NCAA Finals will be held in Eugene, Oregon, June 7-10.
Illini Notes
Five Illini Performances Qualify for NCAA West Prelims
The NCAA announced on May 18 that five Fighting Illini women's track and field athletes have qualified for NCAA Prelims next weekend in Austin, Texas at Mike A. Myers Stadium. Representing the Illini will be Kandie Bloch-Jones (high jump), Pedrya Seymour (100m hurdles), Jayla Stewart (100m hurdles), Nicole Choquette (800m) and Valerie Bobart (3,000m steeplechase). Competition begins on Thursday, May 25 and continues through Saturday, May 27.
Four Illini Score at Big Ten Championships
The 4x100m relay team led the Orange and Blue at Big Ten Championships, taking fourth place with a time of 45.53. Joining their performance, Kandie Bloch-Jones finished fifth in the high jump, Nicole Choquette took sixth in the 800m final and Jayla Stewart placed seventh in the 100m hurdles. Overall, the team finished 12th out of the 13-team field.
Seymour Sets PR And Takes 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.
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.
