CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois men's and women's track and field teams had 14 student-athletes qualify for the 2022 NCAA Division I Outdoor West Preliminary Round, the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Track and Field and Cross Country Committee announced on Thursday (May 19). The NCAA West Prelims are set for May 26-28 and will be hosted by the University of Arkansas at John McDonnell Field in Fayetteville, Ark.

Big Ten Champion Olivia Howell highlights the list of Illini qualifiers, with the junior competing in the women's 1,500m alongside senior Emma Milburn and freshman Halle Hill. Joining the trio on the women's side will be junior Jessica McDowell in the 400m, redshirt-senior Rebecca Craddock in the 5,000m, graduate student Kristin Higgins in the high jump, freshman Tori Thomas in the pole vault and the women's 4x400m relay consisting of freshman Logan Neely, McDowell, Howell and junior Danni Stoughton.

On the men's side, Big Ten 1,500m runner up Jon Davis will race in the same event, while senior Bret Dannis qualified in the 110m hurdles, junior Robert Williams and freshman DeVontae Ford are competing in the 400m hurdles and junior Tyler Sudduth earns his second-straight NCAA qualification in the men's shot put.  

The four-day NCAA West Preliminary Rounds will have men's competition on Wednesday and Friday while women's competition will be held on Thursday and Saturday.

Student-athletes who rank among the top 48 in their respective event earn a berth into the NCAA West Preliminary Rounds. In addition, the best 24 relays times advance to the NCAA preliminaries. Athletes with the top 12 times/marks and the best 12 relay teams at both the East and West Preliminary Rounds sites will qualify for the NCAA Championships, held at Hayward Field on June 8-11 in Eugene, Oregon.

NCAA West Prelims Qualifiers
Women's 400m
Jessica McDowell

Women's 1500m
Olivia Howell
Emma Milburn
Halle Hill

Women's 5000m
Rebecca Craddock

Women's 4x400m Relay
Logan Neely
Jessica McDowell
Olivia Howell
Danni Stoughton

Women's High Jump
Kristin Higgins

Women's Pole Vault
Tori Thomas

Men's 1500m
Jon Davis

Men's 110m Hurdles
Bret Dannis

Men's 400m Hurdles
Robert Williams
DeVontae Ford

Men's Shot Put
Tyler Sudduth

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