Lafond, Kendziera Punch Tickets to NCAA Championships

Kendziera also advances to Saturday’s 110m hurdles quarterfinals

Men's Track & Field May 26, 2017

Lafond, Kendziera Punch Tickets to NCAA Championships

Kendziera also advances to Saturday’s 110m hurdles quarterfinals

AUSTIN, TX – 3,000m steeplechase runner Dylan Lafond and 400m hurdler David Kendziera punched their tickets to NCAA Finals in Eugene, Oregon on Friday night at Mike A. Myers Stadium on day two of NCAA West Prelims. Lafond clocked 88:56.31 and placed 12^th overall, while Kendziera advanced with a season-best time of 49.67 to finish sixth overall in qualifying. Kendziera also advanced in the 110m hurdles on Friday, taking second in his heat of the first round, and will race in the quarterfinals on Saturday.

"They both qualified to move on to Eugene, and that's what we're here to do," said Head Coach Mike Turk. "Nothing else really matters other than putting out your best effort and to move on and advance. Those guys are our leaders and we're looking forward to seeing what those guys can do out in Eugene."

Both redshirting during the 2016 outdoor season, Lafond and Kendziera will be making their second trips to NCAA Outdoor Championships after both earned First Team All-America honors in their respective events in 2015. Kendziera took third in the 400m hurdles and Lafond placed seventh in the steeplechase.

Running in section two of the steeplechase, Lafond earned one of the automatic qualifying bids by placing in the top three of his section. The Illini redshirt junior timed 8:56.31 to qualify for his second NCAA Outdoor Championships.

"Dylan's been through this before and I thought he ran a confident race," said Turk. "At the same time he was able to do the bare minimum to do, while conserving quite a bit of energy."

Like Lafond, Kendziera is headed back to Track Town USA for NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 400m hurdles. A four-time All-American, Kendziera advanced with a season-best time of 49.67 that earned the second automatic qualifying spot in heat two. The time falls a tenth of a second behind his lifetime-best mark of 49.56 at 2015 NCAA Championships.

"Dave went into the lion's den, probably the strongest event in the country but certainly the strongest event in the west prelims," Turk said of the qualifying performance. "I thought he ran really well. He was very composed, had great energy and was very focused. I think Dave went out a little bit harder in that race, and that's why the time drop was coming. It tells you he realizes the level of competition is rising, getting tougher, and that he feels confident in going up against that."

In addition to the 400m hurdles, Kendziera moved one step away from advancing to Eugene in the 110m hurdles on Friday as he advanced to Saturday's quarterfinal round with the eighth-best qualifying time. Racing in heat two, Kendziera timed 13.84 and placed second to earn the one of the automatic bids to the next round.

Illinois' fourth track event of the evening featured Josh Eiker making his NCAA Prelims debut in the 200m. A true freshman, Eiker timed 21.16 in heat four of the opening round but was unable to advance.

"Josh is at the end of his freshman year, and I know he would have liked to have run faster," Turk said of Eiker. "But, he's really good. This is just a beginning for him. I know he'll come back and make adjustments. This experience is one that will make him better."

The lone Illini field event on Friday featured Michael Hyc who finished with a mark of 54'5" (16.60m). Hyc set a new hammer throw personal-record twice on Thursday, heaving 197'11" (60.32m) on his first throw and then 204'5" (62.32m) on his second attempt. The lifetime best moved him into second place on Illinois' all-time list.

The Fighting Illini will conclude action at the 2017 NCAA West Prelims tomorrow, May 27, as the Illini will look to qualify for NCAA Finals in four more events. Jonathan Wells will lead off in the high jump at 6 p.m. followed by the 4x100m relay (6:15 p.m.), David Kendziera in the 110m hurdles (7:20 p.m.) and Jon Davis in the 5,000m (8:45 p.m.). The meet can be streamed for free here beginning at 1 p.m., while live results can be accessed here.

For complete coverage of Fighting Illini Men's Track and Field, visit FightingIllini.com, follow the Illini on Twitter (@IlliniMTrack) and Instagram (@IlliniMTrack) and like Fighting Illini Men's Track and Field on Facebook.

Illinois Individual Results (Full Results)

Saturday Results

3,000m Steeplechase

12. Dylan Lafond, 8:56.31Q

400m Hurdles Quarterfinal:

6. David Kendziera, 49.67Q

110m Hurdles First Round:

8. David Kendziera, 13.84Q

200m First Round

32. Josh Eiker, 21.16

Shot Put

35. Michael Hyc, 54'5.5" (16.60m)