CHICAGO – The Fighting Illini men's and women's track and field teams set multiple personal-bests, moved up in the Illinois history books, and achieving national marks after traveling to Chicago to compete at the Wisconsin Indoor Invite on January 14, 2023.
It started with senior Tyler Sudduth in the men's weight throw, finishing third overall with a 20.95m toss and moving up third in program history in the event, as well as 10th in NCAA Division I currently, and a personal-best. In the women's weight throw, freshman Olivia Campbell and sophomore Carolina Hintz are both in the Illini top ten with an 18.56m throw (2nd) and a 15.31 throw (9th), respectively. In the men's high jump, senior Alex Babbington finished tied for first with a leap of 2.01m. In the women's high jump, sophomore Tacoria Humphrey jumped the current fifth-best national and fifth-best mark in program history, 1.83m, and won the event with a personal-best.
Freshman Mia Morello also etched her name into the women's pole vaulting record book, finishing first in the event with a 4.17 vault, good for second all time and ninth nationally. Sophomore Daniel Mboyo placed third in the men's long jump with a leap of 7.07m. Sudduth rounded out the field events for the Illini with a 18.74m throw than won the event and is currently eighth in the NCAA.
Redshirt-senior Colin Yandel ran a personal-best 4:07.54 mile, finishing second. Graduate student Kionnah Weaver finished second in the women's 60H with a personal-best 8.44. In the men's section, graduate Bret Dannis won the event with a current 9th best national time of 7.82, while sophomore DeVontae Ford finished second with a personal-best 7.87. Senior Robert Williams also ran a personal-best 8.06 while placing fourth. In the women's 600m, sophomore Lydia Malecek and freshman Ashley Oliver finished second and third with times of 1:33.59 and 1:33.97, respectively. In the men's section, sophomore Will Merrick placed third with a 1:19.49.
In the women's 60m, senior Jessica McDowell placed second with a personal-best 7.46. Redshirt-senior Madison Marasco finished first in the women's 800m with a 2:16.94. Senior Will O'Brien won the men's section with a 1:53.50. McDowell set a new program record in the women's 300m with a 37.13 while also finishing first. In the men's section, redshirt-senior Kashief King finished first with a 33.31, while senior Jason Thormo finished second with a 33.48. Both Illinois 4x400m relay teams won their event with the women, comprised of freshman Azariyah Bryant, freshman Madison Hardamon, McDowell, and Oliver winning with a time of 3:49.50 and the men, comprised of Thormo, Williams, freshman Tadeas Placek, and Ford winning with a time of 3:10.17.
Up Next
The Fighting Illini men's and women's track and field teams travel to Iowa City, Iowa for the Larry Wieczorek Invitational Friday January 20 through Saturday January 21, 2023.
