CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois men's and women's track and field teams hosted the Illini Classic on Friday (February 18) in the UI Armory, with the Illini registering 15 event titles and 13 student-athletes posting personal best performances on the day.
The Illini opened the meet with a strong showing in the field events, starting with redshirt-junior Brian Keyes taking the men's weight throw with a mark of 18.28m, followed by a win in the women's long jump from senior Nya Carr with a leap of 5.67m.
Freshman Tori Thomas continued her stand out performance in the women's pole vault during her rookie season with a jump of 3.97m to place first in the event. Classmate CJ Shoaf then turned in a personal best mark of 2.03m to win the men's high jump. Field events then concluded with redshirt-juniors Will Rezny and Billy Matzek going one-two in the men's shot put with throws of 17.03m and 16.66m, respectively.
The Illini continued their success into the running events, collecting 10 event titles, including sweeping the mile, 400m, 60m hurdles and 60m on both the men's and women's side.
Freshman Amalia Malecek earned her second mile event title of the season with a time of 4:58.54, with four Illini in the top five. On the men's side, freshman posted a personal record time of 4:15.65 to place first.
Junior Danni Stoughton (57.56) and senior Jaden Jackson (50.21) took home the 400m title, followed up by junior Grant Jenson turning in a time of 1:24.76 to take the 600m run.
Senior Bret Dannis earned his fourth 60m hurdles title of the season with a time of 7.93 as the Illini went one-two-three in the event as freshman DeVontae Ford (8.02) and junior Robert Williams (8.31) placed second and third, respectively. On the women's side, senior Kionnah Weaver posted a personal best 8.65 to take the women's event.
Freshman Dacorey Ware (6.87) and Dannis (6.93) finished first and second in the men's 60m, while junior Nicole Nguyen (7.81) and senior Jacqueline Bassey (7.90) also finished one-two in the women's 60m dash, with Bassey's time going down as a personal best.
Freshman Will Giblin then finished off the day by blowing past his previous personal best with a time of 8:29.46 to win the final event of the day in the 3000m.
Illinois Event Champions
Women's 60m: Nicole Nguyen // 7.81
Men's 60m: Dacorey Ware // 6.87
Women's 60m hurdles: Kionnah Weaver // 8.65
Men's 60m hurdles: Bret Dannis // 7.93
Women's 400m: Danni Stoughton // 57.56
Men's 400m: Jaden Jackson // 50.21
Men's 600m: Grant Jensen // 1:24. 76
Women's mile: Amalia Malecek // 4:58.54
Men's mile: Edwin Siuda // 4:15.65
Men's 3000m: Will Giblin // 8:29.46
Women's pole vault: Tori Thomas // 3.97m
Women's long jump: Nya Carr // 5.67m
Men's high jump: CJ Shoaf // 2.03m
Men's shot put: Will Rezny // 17.03m
Men's weight throw: Brian Keyes // 18.28m
Personal Bests
Men's weight throw
Vince Shields » 17.08m
Women's high jump
Kristin Higgins » 1.71m
Men's high jump
CJ Shoaf » 2.03m
Men's shot put
Hunter Hendershot » 15.95m
Men's 60m hurdles
DeVontae Ford » 8.12
Women's 60m hurdles
Kionnah Weaver » 8.65
Men's 60m
Bret Dannis » 6.92
Women's 60m
Jacqueline Bassey » 7.90
Women's mile
Maggie Gamboa » 5:01.23
Men's mile
Edwin Siuda » 4:15.65
Bennett Melone » 4:19.93
Logan Hall » 4:20.57
Men's 3000m
Will Giblin » 8:29.46
Next Up
Illinois next travels to Geneva, Ohio for the 2022 Big Ten Indoor Track and Field Championships, held at the SPIRE Institute on February 25-26.
For more Fighting Illini Track & Field news, stay tuned to FightingIllini.com and follow @IlliniTrackXC on social media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook.
