CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Fighting Illini track and field wraps up the 2019 regular season competing at the 110th Drake Relays presented by Hy-Vee in Des Moines, Iowa. The Illini begin competition at the Drake Relays on Thursday, April 25, and the meet continues through Saturday, April 27. The Illini men's team has won four of the six Hy-Vee Cup titles since its inception in 2013.
Follow the Action
Fans can follow live results throughout the War Eagle Invitational at https://results.drakerelays.us/ , as well as by following @IlliniTrackXC on Twitter. Additionally, fans can watch the Drake Relays with a subscription to USATF.TV. From 3-5 p.m. on Saturday, April 27, fans can watch the meet on the NBC Sports Network or with a subscription to NBC Sports Gold. A full recap of the meet will be posted on fightingillini.com following the conclusion of the meet.
Illini to Watch
Devin Quinn
2019 Outdoor Season: Won fifth event title of the season and third in the 100m at the War Eagle Invitational, recording the top finish time of 10.19 ... Set new season-best in the 200m with a time of 20.52 at the War Eagle Invitational ... Set new PR in the 100m with time of 10.06 to win the event title at the Ole Miss Classic ... 100m time ranks first in the Big Ten and third in the NCAA ... 10.06 finish in the 100m ranks second in Illini program history ... Won the 200m at the Ole Miss Classic with a time of 20.58 ... 20.58 finish in the 200m ranks first in the Big Ten and seventh in the NCAA ... Was part of the event winning 4x100m sprint relay team at Ole Miss, the sprint relay's second consecutive event title ... Five individual event titles this season (Three in the 100m, two in the 200m)
Briana Driver
2019 Outdoor Season: Set an all-conditions PR in the Long Jump at the Ole Miss Classic with a mark of 6.09m ... Was part of the first-place 4x100m sprint relay squad at the Ole Miss Classic ... Has two event titles in the Long Jump this season ... Was part of the first-place 4x100m sprint relay squad at the Illini Twilight, which recorded its fastest finish of the season and the top finish in the Big Ten this season with a time of 44.65.
Joe Haight
2019 Outdoor Season: Won the event title in the 200m at the Illini Twilight with a season-best finish time of 21.16 ... Recorded a PR in the 400m at the War Eagle Invitational with a time of 44.66 to place second ... Has been part of three event-winning 4x100m relays this season.
Janile Rogers
2019 Outdoor Season: Placed Recorded at PR and the ninth-best long jump in Illinois outdoor program history with a mark of 6.18m at The Reveille ... Was part of the first-place 4x100m sprint relay squad at the Illini Twilight, which recorded its fastest finish of the season and the top finish in the Big Ten this season with a time of 44.65.
Jesse Reiser
2019 Outdoor Season: Recorded a PR in the 3000m Steeplechase at the War Eagle Invitational and placed second with a time of 9:00.45 ... Clocked a season-best time in the 1500m with a time of 3:44.33 at the Illini Twilight, which also earned his his second event title in the 1500m this season ... Placed first in the 1500m at the Ole Miss Classic with a finish time of 3:49.47 ..
Amira Aduma
2019 Outdoor Season: Timed her best finish of the season in the 400m Hurdles with a 1:00.94 finish at the War Eagle Invitational, good for second place ... Won her second 400m Hurdles event title of the season at the Illini Twilight, finishing with the top time of 1:01.72 ... Captured her first event title of the season with a first-place finish in the 400m Hurdles at the Ole Miss Classic, clocking a season-best time of 1:01.71.
Illini Notes
Several Illini Head To Kip Janvrin Open
A crew of Illini track & field athletes will compete at the Kip Janvrin Open this week, hosted by Simpson College in Des Moines, Iowa. Those athletes are listed below:
Men: Ben Barnes, Zach Dale, Luke Goebel, Phillip Hall, Jack LaLonde, Billy Matzek, Wyatt McIntyre, Jackson Pompe, Vince Shields
Women: Ololade Ayoola, Jacqueline Bassey, Madeline Bruce, Nicole Cho, Brooke Delahanty, Alexis Jones, Lauren Katz, Brenda Kendziera, Katie Mans, Jade' Mayes, Olivia Oliver, Mikayla Olsen, Camille Osborne, Tayla Schwarz Kionnah Weaver, Katie Witte, Wynda Wormack
Women's Distance Leads Illini At War Eagle Invitational
Illini women's distance runners charged Illinois at the War Eagle Invitational last weekend hosted by Auburn. The Illini were strong in the women's 1500m Invite on Friday, as Mikaela Lucki won the event title with the first-place finish time of 4:29.60. Freshman Emma Milburn also earned a top-five finish with her personal-best time of 4:31.65, which was good for third place. Junior Grace Rogers also set a new PR with her finish time of 4:36.44 and placed sixth.
Next up on Friday evening, sophomore Nicki Cast placed third in the 3000m Steeplechase, recording a new PR finish of 10:34.55 which ranks eighth best in Illinois program history. Freshman Lauren Katz also set a new PR in the race with her finish time of 11:19.90 which placed her seventh.
In Saturday's 1500m open race, the Illini claimed the top-three spots which each runner setting a new personal-best in the event. Sophomore Allison McGrath placed first in the event with her time of 4:34.54. Sophomore Caroline Fix claimed second, recording a finish time of 4:39.56. Freshman Shanice Garbutt would finish third, clocking a time of 4:39.87.
Seniors Lead Illini At War Eagle Invitational
Illinois men's track & field were led by several top performances from its seniors at last weekend's War Eagle Invitational. Devin Quinn captured his fifth event title of the outdoor season and third in the 100m dash. Quinn clocked a finish of 10.19 to win the event title at the War Eagle Invitational. Later on in the 200m, Quinn placed second with a season-best time of 20.52. He finished first among collegiate competitors, placing only behind professional runner Jareem Richards.
In the men's 400m, Haight clocked a new PR of 46.66. Haight would claim second place in the 400 with the finish.
Not too long after on Saturday, seniors Denis O'Callaghan and Konrad Eiring ran to top-five finishes in the men's 800m race. O'Callaghan clocked a new outdoor PR in the event, recording a finish of 1:50.86 which would place him second in the event. Eiring clocked a time of 1:51.86, good for third in the event and a new season-best.
On Friday evening, Senior Dan Lathrop led the way in the men's 5K with a second place finish, clocking a season-best time of 14:23.28.
17 Illini Performances Rank Among West Top-50
The Fighting Illini currently have 17 performances in the top-50 of qualifying for NCAA West Prelims in Sacramento Calif. Devin Quinn leads the way on the men's side, ranking third in the 100m and fifth in the 200m. Janile Rogers ranks 22nd in the long jump to lead the Illini women.
Head coach Mike Turk and Celena Mondie-Milner To Be Inducted Into Drake Relays Presented By Hy-Vee Hall of Fame
Illinois track & field and cross country head coach Mike Turk and 18-time All-American and Illinois Athletics Hall of Famer Celena Mondie-Milner will be enshrined into the Drake Relays Presented by Hy-Vee Hall of Fame on Thursday. Turk will become the 88th member of the Drake Relays Coaches Hall of Fame, and Mondie-Milner joins Olympian Reese Hoffa as the 218th and 219th inductees of the Drake Relays Athletes Hall of Fame. Turk becomes the fourth Illinois coach to be inducted into the Drake Relays Coaches Hall of Fame, joining charter members Harry Gill and Leo Johnson as well as former women's head coach Gary Winckler who was inducted in 2010.
Illini History At The Drake Relays
The Orange and Blue carry a long standing history at Drake, as the Illini have had continued success at the meet that's resulted in 13 Drake Relay Hall of Fame inductions, nine athletes and four coaches, and eight Outstanding Performers winners. On the men's side, the Illini won the first four Hy-Vee Cup titles since its creation in 2013, the trophy going to the team with most relay team points. On the women's side, the Orange and Blue have had four Outstanding Performers awards, including three in a row from 2001-2003. The 2001 Outstanding Performer award went to the Illini shuttle hurdle relay team that set the event world record with a time of 52.85.
Up Next
The Illini will have next week off from competition and will begin preparation for Big Ten Outdoor Championships, set for May 10-12 at the University of Iowa.
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.
