CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Fighting Illini track & field hosts its second and final home meet of the indoor season this weekend, with the Illini Invitational set to take place at the UI Armory on Saturday, January 26. Final running events are scheduled for 3 p.m., and field events will start the day at 9 a.m. The first 100 fans in attendance will receive a free slice of pizza, along with Hail to the Orange T-shirts.
Meet Information
Follow the Action
Fans can follow live results throughout the Illini Invitational at sidearmstats.com/illinois/track as well as by following @IlliniTrackXC on Twitter. Be sure to follow our instagram account, illinitrackxc for live meet highlights throughout the day.
Know The Field
The field at the Illini Invitational features 10 schools including host Illinois. Ranked teams include the No. 21 Illinois men's squad and the No. 19 Louisville women's team. A contingency of in-state schools will make the trip to Champaign, a group that includes DePaul, Illinois State, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, University of Illinois-Chicago and Western Illinois.
Illini To Watch
Jon Davis
800m: Saturday, January 26, 4:15 p.m.
2019 Indoor Season: Ran second-career sub-four minute mile at Larry Wieczorek Invitational ... First-place time of 3:58.06 is new PR and broke Hawkeye Indoor Facility record (4:02.34, Ken Popejoy, Michigan State, 1972) ... Owns fastest mile time in NCAA this season ... Clocked personal-best 1:52.90 in the 800m at the Illini Open last weekend to take first place in the event ... 800m finish time ranks 20th in NCAA.
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: 11 a.m.
60m Dash Prelims: Saturday, 1:25 p.m. Finals: 3:15 p.m.
2019 Indoor Season: Set a new PR and placed second overall and first among collegiate athletes in the Long Jump at the Larry Wieczorek Invitational ... 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.
Cooper Jazo
Pole Vault Final: 2 p.m.
2019 Indoor Season: Set new PR of 5.15m to place fourth and lead Illini at Larry Wieczorek Invitational ... Placed second at the Illini Open with a 4.72m mark.
2018 Indoor Season: Competed at Big Ten Championships, placing 13th ... Cleared 16 feet in three meets ... Set a PR twice this season, clearing 16'2.75" (4.95m) at the Illini Classic on Jan. 27 ... Won the Illinois Open with a height of 15'5.75" (4.72m) ... Set a PR at the Orange & Blue Open clearing 16'5.5" (5.01m).
Chisom Nwoko
Pole Vault Final: 9 a.m.
2019 Indoor Season: Finished second in the 400m last weekend in Iowa with a time of 54.49 ... 54.49 finish ranks 19th in NCAA ... Placed third in the pole vault at Larry Wieczorek Invitational with season-best 3.80m. 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
60m Dash Prelims: 1:40 p.m. Finals: 3:10 p.m.
2019 Indoor Season: Placed first again in the 60m dash at Larry Wieczorek Invitaional with another 6.65 finish time ... 6.65 finish ranks ninth in the NCAA ... Also placed first in Iowa in the 200m with time of 21.05, which ranks 12th in NCAA.
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
Madison Marasco
1-Mile Finals: 3:20 p.m.
2019 Indoor Season: Placed first once agin in the 800m at Larry Wieczorek Invite with new collegiate best time of 2:12.12 ... Placed first in the 800m in her collegiate debut at the Illini Open, clocking a time of 2:15.94.
Jesse Reiser
1-Mile Finals: 3:30 p.m.
2019 Indoor Season: Placed sixth at Larry Wieczorek Invitational in the 3K with time of 8:11.28 ... Finished second at the Illini Open in the 800m with new PR of 1:55.25.
2018 Indoor Season: Redshirt season
Sade' Hargrove
Long Jump Finals: 11 a.m.
60m Dash Prelims: 1:25 p.m. Finals: 3:15 p.m.
2019 Indoor Season: Set new PR and placed fourth in Triple Jump with 12.32m at Larry Wieczorek Invitational ... Placed ninth in 200m in Iowa with season-best 25.44 finish ... Placed second in Long Jump at Illini Open with new PR jump of 5.81m.
2018 Indoor Seasonr: Competed in the long jump and 60m dash at Big Ten Championships ... Jumped 18'10" (5.74m) at Iowa Classic to reset PR by eight inches, placing second ... Marked a PR in the long jump at the Illinois Open with a leap of 18'1.75" (5.53m).
Illini Notes
Jon Davis Runs Second-Career, Sub-Four Minute Mile At Larry Wieczorek Invitational
Fighting Illini sophomore Jon Davis ran the second sub-four minute mile of his career last weekend at the Larry Wieczorek Invitational hosted by the University of Iowa. Davis won the race with a time of 3:58.06, eclipsing both his own personal best (3:58.46, Illini Classic, Jan. 27, 2018), and the Hawkeye Indoor Track facility record (4:02.34, Ken Popejoy, Michigan State, 1972). The finish time is currently the fastest mile time in the NCAA.
Nwoko Runs To NCAA Top-20 In 400m Season Debut
Junior Chisom Nwoko made her debut in the 400m last weekend at the Larry Wieczorek Invitational, placing second with a time of 54.49, which currently ranks 19th in the NCAA. Nwoko also placed third in the pole vault last weekend with a mark of 3.80m.
Quinn Wins 200m, 60m In Iowa
Senior Devin Quinn placed first in his debut in the 200m, clocking a 21.05 finish which is good for 12th in the NCAA. Quinn also placed first in the 60m Dash, finishing with a time of 6.65 for the second consecutive week. His 60m dash time ranks in the top-10 in the NCAA in the event, with the 6.65 time currently ranking ninth.
Marasco Tops 800m Field For Second Straight Week
Freshman Madison Marasco took home the 800m title for the second straight week last weekend in Iowa. She clocked a new collegiate-best in the race with a 2:12.12 finish. Marasco made her collegiate debut at the Illini Open on January 12 in the 800m, winning the event with a time of 2:15.94.
Davis Named Big Ten Track Athlete of The Week
This is the second Big Ten Track Athlete of the Week honor of Davis' career, after earning the honor for his first sub-four minute mile time of 3:58.46 at the Illini Classic on January 27, 2018. With that finish, Davis became the 498th American to run a sub-four minute mile since 1957. As of September 5, 2018, just 522 Americans since 1957 have achieved the feat. Davis' new PR of 3:58.06 set at Iowa currently stands as the fastest mile time in the NCAA. Davis is in his sophomore season for indoor track with the Fighting Illini. He is a two-time All-American, earning Second-Team honors in his freshman outdoor track season in 2017, and again in his freshman indoor track campaign in 2018. He was named the USTFCCCA Midwest Region Indoor Track Athlete of the Year in 2018, earning a silver medal in the 3K at Big Ten Championships and placing 15th at NCAA's. In 2017 he was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year for the outdoor season.
Illini Men Nationally Ranked In Latest USTFCCCA Rankings
The Illinois men's track and field team is ranked 21st in the NCAA in the January 22 USTFCCCA National Rankings, after a first place finish at the Illini Open and a fifth place finish in the Larry Wieczorek Invitational in their las two meets. The men rank sixth in the Midwest Region, while the Illini women's squad ranks 11th.
Up Next
The Illini travel to Lincoln, Neb. for the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational Hosted by the University of Nebraska on Friday, February 1 and Saturday February 2.
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.
