CHAMPAIGN, ILL. – The United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) named four Illinois women's track and field athletes All-Academic. Pedrya Seymour, Kandie Bloch-Jones, Valerie Bobart and Nicole Choquette each were named individually, while the team was honored for their 3.31 team GPA.
In order to be eligible for the award, student-athletes must have a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher and have either finished in the NCAA top-96 of their event during the indoor season or advanced to NCAA West Prelims during the outdoor season.
Graduating with a degree in communication, Seymour leaves Illinois as one of the program's top hurdlers. In 2017, Seymour earned a bronze medal during the indoor season with a third-place finish in the 60m hurdles at NCAA Championships. Outdoors, Seymour advanced to NCAA Prelims for the second straight year but was unable to compete due to injury.
A four-time high jump All-American, Kandie Bloch-Jones concluded her career by qualifying for NCAA Indoor Championships and advancing to NCAA West Prelims during the outdoor season. Following the collegiate season, Bloch-Jones competed at U.S. Outdoor Championships after she qualified with a 6'0.75" (1.85m) performance at the Illini Classic in January. The Argenta, Illinois native received graduated in May with a degree in community health.
Also a 2017 graduate, Valerie Bobart qualified for her second straight NCAA West Prelims appearance in the 3,000m steeplechase. The Illinois senior earned her spot in Austin with a 10:27.46 at the Bryan Clay Invite on April 13, setting a new personal-best time and moving in sixth place on Illinois' all-time list. Bobart graduated with a degree in chemical engineering.
Nicole Choquette made the second trip of her career to NCAA Prelims in 2017. Continuing her graduate studies in plant biology, Choquette continued to move up Illinois' all-time list in the 800m. At Big Ten Outdoor Championships, Choquette advanced to the 800m final with a personal-best time of 2:06.25 where she placed sixth.
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