CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Fighting Illini track & field hits the road for the first time this season, as the team heads to the University of Iowa to take part in the third annual Larry Wieczorek Invitational beginning at 2 p.m. CT on Friday, January 18. Field events will begin at 2 p.m. CT, while running events will start at 5:30 p.m. The invitational will continue on Saturday, January 18, at 2 p.m. with the prelims for the 60m women's hurdles starting the action.
Meet Information
Fans can follow live results throughout the Larry Wieczorek Invitational on results.wayzatatim- ing.com/meets/1858 , as well as by following @IlliniTrackXC on Twitter. Fans can also watch a live stream of the meet via BTN2Go or FloTrack. A full recap of the meet will be posted on fightingillini.com following the conclusion of the meet. KNOW THE FIELD Along with the Illini, eight other schools will be competing in Iowa City this weekend at the Larry Wieczorek Invitational, including four Big Ten foes. Big Ten competition includes Wisconsin, Purdue, Minnesota, and host Iowa. Also in the field are Missouri, Arizona, Baylor and Iowa State. No. 16 Wisconsin and No. 21 Arizona join No. 20 Illinois as the USTFCCCA nationally-ranked teams on the men's side, while No. 15 Baylor is the only ranked opponent on the women's side.
Follow the Action
Fans can follow live results throughout the Larry Wieczorek Invitational on results.wayzatatim- ing.com/meets/1858 , as well as by following @IlliniTrackXC on Twitter. Fans can also watch a live stream of the meet via BTN2Go or FloTrack. A full recap of the meet will be posted on fightingillini.com following the conclusion of the meet
Know The Field
Along with the Illini, eight other schools will be competing in Iowa City this weekend at the Larry Wieczorek Invitational, including four Big Ten foes. Big Ten competition includes Wisconsin, Purdue, Minnesota, and host Iowa. Also in the field are Missouri, Arizona, Baylor and Iowa State. No. 16 Wisconsin and No. 21 Arizona join No. 20 Illinois as the USTFCCCA nationally-ranked teams on the men's side, while No. 15 Baylor is the only ranked opponent on the women's side.
Illini To Watch
Jon Davis
1-Mile-: Saturday, January 19, 2:00 p.m.
2019 Indoor Season: Clocked personal-best 1:52.90 in the 800m at the Illini Open last weekend to take first place in the event.
2018 Indoor Season: Second Team All-America honors, placing 15th at NCAAs in 3K ... Named USTFCCCA Midwest Region Indoor Track Athlete of the Year ... Big Ten Championships 3K silver medalist ... Became the 498th American to run a sub-4 minute mile, clocking 3:58.46 at the Illini Classic to set a new program and Armory facility record ... Timed a school record 3K at Iowa State, timing 7:49.92 ... Named Illinois Big Ten Freshman of the Year
Briana Driver
Long Jump Finals: Friday, January 18, 5 p.m.
60m Dash Prelims: Saturday, January 19, 2 p.m.
2019 Indoor Season: Won the long jump at the Illini Open with a mark of 5.81m.
2018 Indoor Season: Placed fifth at Big Ten Championships in the long jump with an indoor PR of 19'7" (5.97m) ... Clocked 7.55 PR at 60m dash at Iowa State Classic ... Won the Illinois Open long jump with a leap of 19'0.5" (5.80m) ... Big Ten Sportsmanship Award recipient.
Jacob LaRocca
Pole Vault Final: Friday, January 18, 2 p.m.
2019 Indoor Season: Set a mark of 5.02m in his season debut at the Illini Open to win the pole vault finals at the event.
2018 Indoor Season: Cleared a personal-best bar of 17'1.75" (5.23m) to earn a bronze medal at Big Ten Championships ... Won the pole vault competition with a season best mark of 16'10.75" (5.15m) at the Orange & Blue Open ... Cleared five meters for the first time this season, marking 16'6.75" (5.05m) to place second at the Illini Classic.
Chisom Nwoko
Pole Vault Final: Friday, January 18, 5:30 p.m.
400m Dash Final: Saturday, January 19, 2 p.m.
4x400m Final: Saturday, January 19, 2 p.m. (with Ololade Ayoola, Sade' Hargrove and Felicia Phillips
2019 Indoor Season: Nwoko started the season with titles in both the Pole Vault (3.76m) and 200m (24.74, tied personal-best) at the Illini Open
2018 Indoor Season: Placed seventh in the 400m at Big Ten Championships ... Ran the second fastest 400m in Illinois history at Big Ten Championships, timing 53.26 in prelims ... Timed a 400m PR at Rod McCravy, the sixth-fastest in Illinois history, with a time of 54.16 ... Set a PR in the pole vault (12'7.5", 3.85m) and 200m (24.74) at the Illini Classic ... Placed runner-up in the 400m at the Illinois Open.
Devin Quinn
200m Dash Final: Friday, January 19, 8 p.m.
60m Dash Prelim: Saturday, January 19, 2 p.m.
2019 Indoor Season: Quinn was dominant in the 60m dash at last week's Illini Open, taking first place with a career-best 6.65 finish time.
2018 Indoor Season: Placed fifth in the 60m and 200m at Big Ten Championships ... Set the second fastest indoor 200m in Illinois history at Big Ten Championships, clocking 20.87 to place fifth ... Won the 200m dash at the Iowa State Classic with a season-best 21.12 time ... Won the 60m and 200m at the Rod McCravy Memorial meet ... Has won the 60m dash at each of his first four meets this season ... Timed the third fastest 60m in Illinois history with a time of 6.69 at the Mark Colligan Memorial
Rebecca Craddock
1-Mile Final: Saturday, January 19, 2 p.m.
2019 Indoor Season: Placed third in the 800m in her season debut at the Illini Open with a time of 2:16.65
2018 Indoor Season: Placed eighth at Big Ten Championships in the mile with a time of 4:48.80 in the final ... Timed the seventh fastest mile at Big Ten Championships in prelims with a finishing time of 4:43.51 ... Ran seventh fastest 3K in Illini history with a time of 9:33.76 ... Set a personal record in the mile with a time of 4:48.92 at Rod McCravy ... Won the 800m race at the Illinois Open in her Illini debut, setting a new PR of 2:14.46 ... Timed 9:45.10 in her first collegiate 5K at the Mark Colligan Memorial.
Bret Dannis
60m Hurdles Prelims: Saturday, January 19, 2 p.m.
2019 Indoor Season: Took first in his collegiate debut at the Illini Open with a time of 8.09 in the 60m Hurdles
Madison Marasco
800m Finals: Saturday, January 19, 2 p.m.
2019 Indoor Season: Placed first in the 800m in her collegiate debut at the Illini Open, clocking a time of 2:15.94.
Illini Notes
Illini Open Season Strong At Illini Open
Fighting Illini track & field started their season strong last weekend, as both the men's and women's teams took first place at the Illini Open on Saturday, January 12 at the UI Armory. The women's team finished with four event titles, including two from junior sprinter and pole vaulter Chisom Nwoko. The men's team had five members win event titles, with sophomore Jon Davis and senior Devin Quinn setting personal bests in the 800m and the 60m dash, respectively.
Quinn, Davis Dominant in Season Debuts
Sophomore Jon Davis and senior Devin Quinn were dominant for the Orange and Blue in their season debut at the UI Armory last weekend. Quinn blew past the field with a new personal-best time of 6.65 in the 60m dash to win the event. Jon Davis won the 800m in his return, also clocking a PR with a 1:52.90 finish. Illini senior teammates Jesse Reiser and Denis O'Callaghan finished came in right behind Davis, placing second and third in the 800.
Nwoko Shines for UI Women's Squad
Junior sprinter and pole vaulter Chisom Nwoko led the Illini women with two event titles in the pole vault and the 200m in her season debut last weekend at the Illini Open. Nwoko won in a jump off in the pole vault with a mark of 3.76m. Later in the day, she captured the 200m title by tying her career-best with a time of 24.74.
Freshmen Dannis, Marasco Turn-In Impressive Debuts
Freshmen Bret Dannis and Madison Marasco both were stellar in their collegiate track debuts with the Orange and Blue last weekend, both winning event titles at the Illini Open. Dannis took first-place in the hurdles finals, recording a time of 8.09 to win the event. Marasco followed suit later in the day with a first-place finish in the 800m, clocking a winning time of 2:15.94.
Illini Men Nationally Ranked In Preseason USTFCCCA Rankings
The Illinois men's track and field team is ranked 20th in the country in the preseason USFTCCCA National Rankings. The Illini are fourth among Big Ten teams in the National Rankings. The Illini are led by returning All-American Jon Davis, and Big Ten Bronze Meadlist Pole Vaulter Jacob LacRocca.
Driver Heads Illini Women In Senior Campaign
Senior Briana Driver heads into her senior season looking to build off a strong junior in which she placed fifth at Big Tens in the long jump with an indoor personal-best of 19'7" (5.97 m). She is the defending champion in the long jump at the Illini Open, recording the first place mark of 19'0.5" (5.80m). Driver was the team's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award Recipient last season.
Jon Davis Eyeing More Records In 2019
2018 was a record-setting year for Jon Davis in his first Indoor season. Most notably, Davis Most notably, Davis became the 498th American to run a sub-four minute mile, clocking 3:58.46 at the Illini Classic to set a new program and Armory facility record. Davis followed that up two weeks later by breaking the 3K school record by 11 seconds at Iowa State Classic with a time of 7:49.92.
Turk Names Wheatley Associate Head Coach, Adds Jebreh Harris To Staff
On August 15, Head Illinois Track & Field Coach Mike Turk announced the promotion of Adrian Wheatley to associate head coach, as well as the hiring of Jebreh Harris as an assistant coach for middle distances. In his time at Illinois, Wheatley has coached 46 All-America performances, 48 NCAA qualifiers, 73 Regional Qualifiers, 13 individual Big Ten champions, three Big Ten relay titles and 40 All-Big Ten finishers. He has been named USTFCCCA Midwest Region Men's Assistant Coach of the Year three times. In h Harris coached conference champions in the indoor 400m, three times in the outdoor 800m and the outdoor high jump. In 2018, he coached Avi'Tal Wilson-Perteete to the second fastest time in the 800m in the NCAA. He has also been a part of the coaching staff for two USA National Teams, most recently as the men's distance coach for the World Jr. Team this summer. In additional coaching staff moves, Turk named assistant coach Sarah Haveman as head coach of both the men's and women's cross country teams, as well as adding volunteer assistant Nolan Fife to the full-time staff as an assistant distance coach for the track and field and cross country teams.
Illinois Breaks Ground On Demirjian Park
Several from the Illini community gathered for the Demirjian Park Groundbreaking Ceremony on October 13, 2018. Representing Illini Track & Field were Head Coach Mike Turk and freshman Phillip Hall, both giving appreciative speeches thanking the Demirjian family for this profound contribution to Illinois Track & Field, and Illinois Athletics. Last year, University of Illinois Director of Athletics Josh Whitman announced plans on December 6 for the construction of new soccer and track and field facilities on the UI campus. The new complex will be named Demirjian Park, in honor of a lead gift from the Demirjian family of Decatur, Ill. The project, which will be executed in phases with full completion scheduled for the spring of 2021. Some of the highlights of the new facility include locker rooms, meeting rooms, sports medicine, nutrition and coaches' offices. For fans, the new facility will offer dual grandstands, permanent restrooms and concessions, new video and sound technology.
Up Next
The Illini return home for the Illini Invitational on Saturday, January 26 at the UI Armory. Field events will begin at 9 a.m. and final running events starting at 3 p.m. CT
For complete coverage of Fighting Track & Field, visit FightingIllini.com, follow the Illini on Twitter (@IlliniTrackXC) and Instagram (illinitrackxc) and like Fighting Illini Track and Field & Cross Country on Facebook.
