CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois men's and women's track and field team rounded out the Illini Invitational on Saturday (April 23) with multiple event champions, including a sweep of the women's 400m, at Demirjian Park.

"It was a great weekend at Demirjian Park," said head coach Mike Turk. "Although windy, the warm weather and facility provided an excellent environment for competition. I am really excited about the progress we are making especially in the hurdles. Logan Neely and Kenli Nettles had breakthrough performances in the 400m hurdles for the women and then Robert Williams and DeVontae Ford for the men. Bret Dannis was great in the 110m and we got a special performance by senior Declan Rustay in the 100 with a big lifetime best. Edwin Siuda really impressed winning the 3000m steeplechase with a big PR on a tough day and it was a gutsy race for the women by Maggie Gamboa and Katie Hohe as well."

Prior to the start of the running events, the Illini celebrated 23 seniors with a special ceremony, including Conner Artman, Jacqueline Bassey, Nya Carr, Rebecca Craddock, Bret Dannis, Jon Davis, Caroline Fix, Shanice Garbutt, Logan Hall, Josie Held, Kristin Higgins, Jaden Jackson, Kashief King, Reed Marshall, Billy Matzek, Allison McGrath, Emma Milburn, Camille Osborne, Will Rezny, Declan Rustay, Vince Shields, Kionnah Weaver and Colin Yandel.

The men's 4x100 squad, composed of Rustay, freshmen Dacorey Ware and DeVontae Ford, and Dannis, were the first Illini event champions of the day, finishing with a time of 40.85.

Dannis and Ford also secured podium positions in the 110m hurdles, finishing first and third, with Dannis winning with a wind-aided personal best time of 13.66 and Ford finishing in a time of 13.93.

In the women's 400m, the Illini claimed all three podium positions as junior Jessica McDowell finished first with a time of 53.23, freshman Logan Neely in second with a time of 56.29 and junior Danni Stoughton finished in third with a time of 56.62. In the men's section, redshirt-junior Kashief King finished third with a time of 48.95.

It was a championship sweep for the Orange and Blue in the 100m dash, with senior Nya Carr winning the women's section in a time of 11.60, and Rustay topping the men's section with a 10.31 wind-aided personal best.

The Illini added another one-two combination in the women's 800m field as junior Olivia Howell and freshman Halle Hill dominated the field, finishing first and second with times of 2:07.11 and 2:10.21, respectively.

The Illini also swept the 3000m steeplechase races as well, with freshman Maggie Gamboa running a 10:43.44 to claim her crown and freshman Edwin Siuda running a 9:09.34 personal best time to win the event. Junior Katie Hohe finished third in the women's section of the 3000m steeplechase with a personal best time of 11:09.85.

The running events were capped by the 4x400 women's team of McDowell, sophomore Kenli Nettles, Neely, and Stoughton taking first place with a time of 3:41.02. On the men's side, the Illini squad of Ford, King, junior Robert Williams and junior Jason Thormo finished second with a time of 3:10.28.

In the field events, graduate student Kristin Higgins equaled a personal-best leap of 1.75m in the women's high jump to secure another event champion, while freshman Tori Thomas finished second overall in the women's pole vault with a mark of 3.88m.

Junior Tyler Sudduth had another strong outing on the day, finishing as runner-up in the men's shot put with a toss of 18.78m and took home a third place finish in the men's discus with a mark of 50.07m.  

Illinois Event Champions
Men's 4x100m Relay: Declan Rustay, Dacorey Ware, DeVontae Ford, Bret Dannis // 40.85
Women's High Jump: Kristin Higgins // 1.75m
Men's 110m Hurdles: Bret Dannis // 13.66
Women's 400m: Jessica McDowell // 53.23
Women's 100m: Nya Carr // 11.60
Men's 100m: Declan Rustay // 10.31
Women's 800m: Olivia Howell // 2:07.11
Women's 3000m Steeplechase: Maggie Gamboa // 10:43.44
Men's 3000m Steeplechase: Edwin Siuda // 9:09.34
Women's 4x400m Relay: Jessica McDowell, Kenli Nettles, Logan Neely, Danni Stoughton // 3:41.02

Personal Bests
Women's High Jump
Kristin Higgins » 1.75m (tied)

Men's 110m Hurdles (wind-aided)
Bret Dannis » 13.66

Men's 100m (wind-aided)
Declan Rustay » 10.31

Women's 3000m Steeplechase
Katie Hohe » 11:09.85

Men's 3000m Steeplechase
Edwin Siuda » 9:09.34

Up Next
The Illini travel to Des Moines, Iowa, for their final regular season meet of 2022 with the Drake Relays next Tuesday-Friday (April 26-29).

For more Fighting Illini Track & Field news, stay tuned to FightingIllini.com and follow @IlliniTrackXC on social media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook.