CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Fighting Illini track & field hosts its lone home meet of the 2020 season, the Illini Invitational on Friday, January 24 and Saturday, January 25. Friday's competition will feature the multi-events, beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday a full day of competition gets underway at 9 a.m. with the women's Pole Vault. Blue Session running events begin at 11:40 a.m. with the women's 400m. Orange Session running events will start at 4 p.m. with the 60m Hurdles Finals. Illinois track & field and cross country will also honor its 10 seniors on Saturday for Senior Day.
Meet Information
Promotions
Prior to the final 4x400m races, the Illini will once again host the ROTC Relays. The ROTC Relays are scheduled for 6 p.m. Their will also be several raffle drawings for prizes throughout the day. Fans can sign up for the raffle drawings at the marketing table.
Spectator Parking
Friday: Due to the work week parking on Friday in any campus parking lot is not available until after 5pm. There are University parking meters and City of Champaign meters available around the building. They are monitored through the week.
Saturday: Parking on Saturday is allowed in any campus parking lot and space not labeled as being enforced 24/7. University parking meters are not monitored on Saturdays. City of Champaign parking meters are monitored on Saturdays.
Follow the Action
Fans can follow live results throughout the Illini Invitational at http://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
11 teams including Illinois will contest the 2020 Illini Invitational. Several schools from the state of Illinois will travel to Champaign for the meet. Those teams include Chicago State, DePaul, Eastern Illinois, McKendree, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, University of Illinois-Chicago and Western Illinois.
Illini To Watch
Jonathan Wells
High Jump Final: Saturday, January 25, 3:30 p.m.
60m Hurdles Blue Session Prelims: Saturday, January 25, 2:40 p.m
60m Hurdles Orange Session Finals*: Saturday, January 25, 4 p.m.
2020 Indoor Season: Finished third in the Long Jump at the Larry Wieczorek Invite with a mark of 7.49 meters ... Long Jump mark ranks 23rd nationally ... Timed 8.03 in the 60m Hurdles at the Larry Wieczorek Invite to finish fifth.
Career Accomplishments: 6x All-American (high jump, long jump and heptathlon) ... 2019 U.S. Championships High Jump 3rd Place ... 2018 Big Ten Outdoor High Jump Champion ... 2018 Big Ten Outdoor Field Athlete of the Championships ... 2017 Big Ten Indoor High Jump Champion ... Holds heptathlon school record (5,786 points) ... Illinois High Jump School Record (7'5"/2.26m).
Chisom Nwoko
Pole Vault Final: Saturday, January 25, 9 a.m.
400m Orange Session Finals: Saturday, January 25, 4:40 p.m.
2020 Indoor Season: Clocked 54.46 in the 400m at the Larry Wieczorek Invitational, ranking 14th in the nation and 1st in the Big Ten ... Set new PR in the 200m at the Larry Wieczorek Invite, timing 24.57.
2019 Indoor Season: Placed fifth at Big Ten Championships in the 400m, clocking 54.22 ... Tied her PR of 24.74 in the 200m at the Illini Open ... Cleared a season-best 12'5.5" in the pole vault at last year's Wieczorek Invite ... Anchored the 4x400m relay throughout the season.
Amira Aduma
Long Jump Final: Saturday, January 25, 10 a.m.
60m Dash Blue Session Prelims: Saturday, January 25, 1:50 p.m.
60m Dash Orange Session Finals*: Saturday, January 25, 4:18 p.m.
2020 Indoor Season: Won the event title in the Long Jump at the Larry Wieczorek Invite, jumping 6.14 meters ... First collegiate Long Jump appearance at Larry Wieczorek .. Mark ties as the fifth best indoor jump in program history, and ranks 16th nationally and third in the Big Ten this season.
2019 Indoor Season: Did not compete.
2018 Indoor Season: Set 60m and 200m PRs at Big Ten Championships, timing 7.52 and 24.68 respectively in her conference meet debut ... Scored 20 points for the team at the Illini Classic, placing in the top-3 of the 60m, 200m and 400m races.
Cooper Jazo
Pole Vault Final: Saturday, January 25, 3 p.m.
2020 Indoor Season: Finished third in the Pole Vault at the Larry Wieczorek Invite, tying his personal-best by clearing 5.15 meters ... Tied for 28th nationally, third in the Big Ten in the event.
2019 Indoor Season: Placed eighth at Big Ten Championships in the pole vault ... Competed in 5 meets for the Illini ... Set a career-best 16'10.75" (5.15) in the pole vault at the Wieczorek Invitational (1/19).
Carolyn Nye
Pole Vault Final: Saturday, January 25, 9 a.m.
2020 Indoor Season: Cleared 3.95 meters to finish third at the Larry Wieczorek Invite, which is tied for the fourth best indoor mark in program history.
2019 Indoor Season: Set a new PR clearing 12' 5.5"(3.80m) in pole vault at the Iowa St Classic (2/9) ... Competing at Big Ten Championships, recording a mark of 3.79 meters ... Competed at each meet for the Illini, placing in the top-three three times.
Jason Shannon
60m Dash Blue Session Prelims: Saturday, January 25, 2:10 p.m.
60m Dash Orange Session Finals*: Saturday, January 25, 4:15 p.m.
200m Dash Orange Session Finals: Saturday, January 25, 5:26 p.m.
2020 Indoor Season: Competed in the 60m Dash and the 200m at the Larry Wieczorek Invite.
2019 Indoor Season: Contested the 60m Dash at Big Ten Championships ... Set PRs at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational in the 60m Dash (6.82) and the 200m Dash (21.54) ... Competed at six meets for the Illini.
Illini Notes
Last Time Out: Aduma Jumps Into Illini Record Books
Last weekend Illinois track & field opened its 2020 campaign competing at the Larry Wieczorek Invite at Iowa. On the first day of competition, redshirt sophomore Amira Aduma captured the first individual event title of the season for the Illini by winning the women's Long Jump. Aduma, competing in the Long Jump for the first time collegiately, jumped 6.14 meters. The jump is tied for the fourth best indoor mark in program history. Aduma now ranks 16th nationally in the event.
Wells With Strong Return
Jonathan Wells returned to compete for the Illini for the first time since the 2017-18 season at last weekend's Larry Wieczorek Invite. Wells finished third in the long jump on the first day of meet action with a mark of 7.49 meters, which currently ranks 23rd nationally. On Saturday, he placed fifth in the 60m Hurdles Finals with a time of 8.03. Wells competes at home for the final time on Saturday, contesting the 60m Hurdles for the second straight week as well as making his 2020 debut in the High Jump.
Pole Vault Performances Lead Illini At Iowa
lllinois track & field was led by third-place finishes in the women's and men's Pole Vault on the final day of competition at the Larry Wieczorek Invitational at Iowa last weekend. Senior Carolyn Nye cleared 3.95 meters, which is tied for the fourth-best mark in Illinois program history. On the men's side, redshirt junior Cooper Jazo recorded a mark of 5.15 meters, tying his personal-best.
Nwoko's Nice Start
Illinois redshirt junior Chisom Nwoko had strong performances in the 400m and 200m to kickoff her 2020 campaign last weekend at the Larry Wieczorek Invitational. Nwoko clocked a 400m finish of 54.46, which currently is the fastest time in the Big Ten in the event and ranks 14th nationally. She also recorded a new PR in the 200m Dash, timing 24.57.
Senior Send-off
Illinois track & field and cross country will honor 10 seniors at the UI Armory on Saturday for their contributions and dedication to the program: Jordan Cagigal, Zach Dale, Vanessa Flaherty, Brenda Kendziera, Jacob LaRocca, Carolyn Nye, Felicia Phillips, Jesse Reiser, Grace Rogers and Jonathan Wells.
Illinois Promotes Turk, Haveman
Illinois Director of Athletics Josh Whitman announced on January 16 promotions for two leaders of the Illini track and field and cross country program. Mike has been named as Director of Fighting Illini Track and Field/Cross Country and will remain head coach of the men's and women's track and field programs. Sarah Haveman, meanwhile, is being promoted to head coach of the Illini men's and women's cross country teams. Both changes were approved by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees at its meeting earlier today.
"We are implementing this new leadership structure to ensure the program stability and to continue building toward our vision for national caliber track and field and cross country at the University of Illinois," Whitman said. "Coach Turk has overseen the merger of our men's and women's programs with grace and begun laying the foundation for combined success. Our combined programs have demonstrated significant growth in recent years with 24 student-athletes having competed at NCAA Championship events, and 56 student-athletes earning Academic All-Big Ten accolades during the last two semesters.
"Sarah Haveman has been instrumental to the cross country program's development since joining the coaching staff in 2017," Whitman continued. "Her promotion to head coach will allow for continued growth and competitiveness in these programs, and our distance events in track and field."
Turk's contract will be extended through Aug. 15, 2023, with Haveman also earning a multi-year agreement through the same date.
Turk Adds Lynn Smith To Coaching Staff
Illinois director of track & field/cross country Mike Turk announced the addition of Lynn Smith to the track & field coaching staff. Smith will serve as an assistant coach working with the Illini multi-event and vertical jumps student-athletes.
Smith most recently served as the men's sprints & hurdles coach for Team USA at the 2019 Pan American Games, where he coached 10 top-three finishes and two gold medal winners. He was the head coach for Team USA at the 2018 Athletics World Cup. In 2016 he served as an assistant coach for the USA World Indoor Team.
Smith spent six years as a head coach for Central State University, serving as the women's head coach from 2007-2009, and the men's and women's head coach from 2009-2012. In his time at Central State, he coached athletes to a total of 10 NAIA National Titles.
In 2008 Smith coached heptathlete Hyleas Fountain-Vaught to a Silver Medal at the Beijing Olympic Games. Smith is only one of two coaches in the history of USATF to coach an athlete to an Olympic Medal in the Heptathlon. Smith is the only coach in the history of USATF to coach an athlete to an Olympic Medal in the Heptathlon, and a World Indoor Medalist in the Pentathlon, after coaching Fountain-Vaught to a Bronze Medal in the Pentathlon at the 2011 World Indoor Championships.
Up Next
The Illini travel to Big Ten foe Indiana for the Indiana Relays. The two-day meet will take place on Friday, January 31, and Saturday, February 1.
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.
