GENEVA, Ohio – The Illinois men's and women's track and field teams opened action at the 2022 Big Ten Indoor Championships, held at the SPIRE Institute on Friday (February 25), with the Illini men in fifth place with 12 points through four events and the women sitting in a tie for 10th with nine points through five events.
The day was highlighted a Big Ten championship in the men's distance medley relay and a runner-up finish in the women's distance medley relay, along with three other scoring athletes and four Illini advancing to Saturday finals.
"It ended up being a big day for our program," said head coach Mike Turk. "First, I'm so proud of our team, they showed who we are. We compete, support each other and celebrate every opportunity. That produced some inspiring performances."
In the final event of the day, freshman Nicolas Dovalovsky, redshirt-junior Kashief King, freshman William Merrick and graduate student Jon Davis brought home the Big Ten title in the men's distance medley relay after a third-place finish in 2020 and a runner-up finish in 2021, with the group turning in the fifth-best time in program history with a time of 9:35.38.
On the women's side, the Illini quartet of freshman Sam Poglitsch and juniors Jessica McDowell, Tracy Towns and Olivia Howell earned a come-from-behind runner-up finish in the distance medley relay with a program-best time of 11:03.41.
"We are very proud of how both of our distance medley relays came together to end day one of the Championships," said assistant distance coach Sarah Haveman. "All eight members of the relays ran great legs and because of that they were rewarded with first and second place finishes and a school record for the women."
Sophomore Kenli Nettles posted a personal-best with 3,446 points to place eighth in the women's pentathlon. Nettles posted personal bests in the long jump (5.59m) and 800m (2:42.24), while also finishing in second in the high jump (1.67m).
Freshman Daniel Mboyo had a strong debut at the championships with a fifth-place showing in the men's long jump after a personal-best mark of 7.45m, while junior Tyler Sudduth added a seventh-place finish in the men's shot put with a throw of 18.89m.
"Kenli Nettles goes from unable to even train for a year to big ten scorer in her first B1G championship," said Turk. "Daniel Mboyo comes out of the first flight of the long jump with a new personal best and fifth place in his first championship and he upset the pre-meet form chart! And both the women and men ran their hearts out tonight. One with a so close, thrilling come-from-behind runner-up finish and the other for the win. What a way to end the day. It galvanized our team!"
"I also cannot overlook Tyler Sudduth. "Only" a seventh place in the toughest conference in the country. I know he expected better but still a strong performance and he continues to show growth as an athlete and person. He'll have better days."
Four Illini made it out of preliminary races in Friday's running events as Howell (4:48.19) and Davis (3:58.72) advanced to the women's and men's mile finals, respectively, while McDowell qualified for the women's 400m race with a time of 54.13 and senior Brett Dannis earned a spot in the men's 60m hurdles finals with a personal-best time of 7.80.
Illinois Event Champions
Men's Distance Medley Relay: Nicolas Dovalovsky, Kashief King, William Merrick, Jon Davis // 9:35.38
Illinois Scoring Athletes
Women's Distance Medley Relay: Sam Poglitsch, Jessica McDowell, Tracy Towns, Olivia Howell // 11:03.41 // 2nd place // 8 points
Women's Pentathlon: Kenli Nettles // 3,446 points // 8th place // 1 point
Men's Distance Medley Relay: Nicolas Dovalovsky, Kashief King, William Merrick, Jon Davis // 9:35.38 // 1st place // 10 points
Men's long jump: Daniel Mboyo // 7.45m // 5th place // 4 points
Men's shot put: Tyler Sudduth // 18.89m // 7th place // 2 points
Advancing to the Finals
Women's Mile: Olivia Howell // 4:48.19
Men's Mile: Jon Davis // 3:58.72
Women's 400m: Jessica McDowell // 54.13
Men's 60m Hurdles: Bret Dannis // 7.80
Next Up
Illinois continues action at the 2022 Big Ten Indoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday (February 26), with field events beginning at 10 a.m. CT and running events slate to start at 11:30 a.m. CT.
For more Fighting Illini Track & Field news, stay tuned to FightingIllini.com and follow @IlliniTrackXC on social media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook.
