Full Results
GENEVA, Ohio – The Illinois men's and women's track and field teams completed the Big Ten Indoor Championships on Saturday (Feb. 24), with the Illini women's program racking up 104 points to claim the title for the first time since 2013.
In the 11 years since their last indoor championship, the Illini women had not finished higher than ninth as a team. Overall, it marks the seventh Big Ten Indoor Championship for the Illinois women.
The men's team finished in seventh place with 54.5 points, the team's highest finish since finishing second in 2015.
"Words cannot describe how proud I am of this team and staff," said director of track, field and cross country Petros Kyprianou. "They saw it, they said it, they believed it and finally did it! This is a big deal for Illinois. Not only did this team get out of the bottom of the Big Ten. They fought their way to a championship with a very young team. This is their first championship in an Illini uniform. I'm very thankful Josh Whitman allowed me to surround myself with winners on my staff that could work as a team and understand the mindset of a championship. They say you shoot for the starts you'll land on the moon; this is our ambition and dream. The NCAA Championships are next and I can't wait to see these youngsters showcase their talents once again, I-L-L!"
This is the first conference championship for Kyprianou, who won two national championships as the head coach at Georgia – the women's indoor in 2018 and the men's outdoor later that same year.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The day began with a bang when junior Bara Sajdokova became a Big Ten Champion in the women's high jump clearing 1.89m (6-2 1/4) and earned 10 team points. It set a new school record and it tied the Big Ten Championships record. She's the first Illini woman to top the high jump podium since Kandie Bloch-Jones in 2014.
Junior Darja Sopova was not to be outdone. She topped the triple jump podium with a 13.39m (43-11 1/4) leap which awarded her 10 points. Sopova becomes the first Illini woman since Yvonne Mensah in 2007 to stand on top of the triple jump podium.
Junior Jessica McDowell turned on the burners in the 200m dash and sprinted a near school record time 23.32 to earn a much needed 10 points. The school record she's chasing belongs to Ashley Spencer (23.24) who was also the last Fighting Illini woman to be a Big Ten Champion in the 200m back in 2013. Prior to the 200m McDowell placed third in the 400m on the program's second-fastest time (51.81) and earned six points.
The 200m dash crew elevated the Illini into winning position when sophomore Azariyah Bryant took silver with the program's sixth-fastest time (23.53, eight points). Freshman Asia Thomas was right on her tail and took fourth (23.78) to score five points. Prior to the crucial 200m Thomas took bronze in the 60m (7.32, six points) and Bryant placed seventh (7.38, two points).
Redshirt junior Rose Yeboah leapt to third to earn six points in the high jump with a clearance of 1.86m (6-1 1/4). Graduate student Taylor Beard came up big tying for seventh (1.69m (5-6 1/2)) to earn a valuable point.
Junior Halle Hill's 3000m fifth-place finish to earn four points on the school's fourth-best time (9:21.40) may not seem like much at face value. However, at that moment Penn State was right on Illinois' tail and had five competitors entered in the second 3000m heat. Hill didn't flinch under pressure and came up big by outscoring all of them herself, a feat that would ultimately lock up the Big Ten Title for the Illini.
The women's 4x400m squad of Thomas, McDowell, Bryant and sophomore Madison Hardamon put the icing on the cake by taking third. They clocked in at 3:35.73 which is the program's fifth-fastest time and added six points to bring the Illini's winning margin to 17 over Penn State.
Senior Aiden Ouimet highlighted the men's side by putting on a clinic in the heptathlon. He became the first Illinois man to become a Big Ten Champion in the heptathlon and he did so in legendary fashion. Not only did he win, but he destroyed the previous Big Ten Championships record, and his own school record, by posting 6,120 points.
Junior Kam Garrett placed second (eight points) in the men's high jump and tied the school record, 2.21m (7-3). He's the first Illini man in 44 years to match Gail Olson's mark originally set in 1979 and again in 1980.
Senior Tyler Sudduth threw a season-best in his fifth place shot put finish (19.05m (62-6), four points). Fellow senior Will Rezny placed seventh with the program's sixth-best mark, 18.56m (60-10 3/4), and scored two points
The men's 4x400m team of sophomore Tadeas Placek, freshman Jackson Gilbert, senior Robert Williams and freshman Michail Rose placed fifth (3:10.30) to score four points.
Placek placed seventh in the 600m (1:17.98) and senior Will Merrick placed seventh in the men's mile (4:08.40) to each earn two points.
Illinois' five Big Ten Champions over the weekend is the most combined for the men's and women's team since 2015. The four Big Ten Champions for the women are the program's most since the 2013 title run.
INDIVIDUAL ILLINI POINT TOTALS
WOMEN
1. Jessica McDowell – 16 points
2. Darja Sopova – 15 points
3. Bara Sajdokova – 10 points
3. Azariyah Bryant – 10 points
5. Elizabeth Ndudi – 8 points
5. Asia Thomas – 8 points
7. Tori Thomas – 6 points
7. Rose Yeboah – 6 points
9. Mia Morello – 5 points
10. Halle Hill – 4 points
11. Sophia Beckmon – 3 points
12. Taylor Beard – 1 point
12. Tacoria Humphrey – 1 point
12. Leah Pasqualetti – 1 point
12. Amber Simpson – 1 point
MEN
1. Tyler Sudduth – 14 points
2. Aiden Ouimet – 10 points
3. Kam Garrett – 8 points
4. Viktor Morozov – 5 points
5. Cody Johnston – 4.5 points
6. Will Merrick – 2 points
6. Tadeas Placek – 2 points
6. Will Rezny – 2 points
TEAM SCORES
WOMEN
1. Illinois – 104 points
2. Penn State – 87 points
3. Iowa – 73 points
4. Minnesota – 72 points
5. Michigan – 71 points
6. Wisconsin – 67 points
7. Rutgers – 61 points
8. Nebraska – 54 points
9. Ohio State – 38 points
10. Indiana – 32 points
11. Michigan State – 31 points
12. Purdue – 12 points
13. Maryland – 0 points
MEN
1. Wisconsin – 122 points
2. Nebraska – 118 points
3. Penn State – 88 points
4. Ohio State – 80.33 points
5. Indiana – 61.33 points
6. Iowa – 58 points
7. Illinois 54.5 points
8. Michigan – 49 points
9. Rutgers – 28.5 points
10. Purdue – 21.33 points
11. Michigan State – 21 points
UP NEXT
The Illinois track and field teams return to action for the NCAA Indoor Championships, March 8-9, in Boston, Mass.
NOTES
Event Champions, Finals Qualifiers and Scorers
- Aiden Ouimet won the heptathlon with Big Ten Championships and school record (6,120 points), scored 10 points. First ever Illini heptathlon Big Ten Champion.
- Bara Sajdokova won the high jump with a school record and tied the Big Ten Championships record, 1.89m (6-2 1/4), scored 10 points. First high jump Big Ten Champion since Kandie Bloch-Jones in 2014.
- Rose Yeboah placed third, 1.86m (6-1 1/4), scored six points.
- Taylor Beard placed seventh, 1.69m (5-6 1/2), scored one point.
- Jessica McDowell won the 200m with the program's second-fastest time (23.32), scored 10 points. First 200m Big Ten Champion since Ashley Spencer in 2013.
- Azariyah Bryant placed second with the program's sixth-fastest time (23.53), scored eight points.
- Asia Thomas placed fourth (23.78), scored five points.
- Darja Sopova won the triple jump, 13.39m (43-11 1/4), scored 10 points. First Big Ten Champion since Yvonne Mensah in 2007.
- Kam Garrett placed second in the high jump and tied the school record, 2.21m (7-3), scored eight points.
- Jessica McDowell placed third in the 400m with the program's second-best time (51.81), scored six points.
- Asia Thomas placed third in the 60m (7.32), scored six points.
- The 4x400m relay team of Asia Thomas, Jessica McDowell, Azariyah Bryant and Madison Hardamon placed third with program's fifth-fastest time (3:35.73), scored six points.
- Viktor Morozov placed fourth in the triple jump, 15.77m (51-9), scored five points.
- Halle Hill placed fifth in the 3000m with the program's fourth-best time (9:21.40), scored four points.
- Tyler Sudduth placed fifth in the shot put with a season-best, 19.05m (62-6), scored four points.
- Will Rezny placed seventh with the program's sixth-best mark, 18.56m (60-10 3/4), scored two points.
- The men's 4x400m team of Tadeas Placek, Jackson Gilbert, Robert Williams and Michail Rose placed fifth (3:10.30), scored four points.
- Tadeas Placek placed seventh in the 600m (1:17.98), scored two points.
- Will Merrick placed seventh in the men's mile (4:08.40), scored two points.
Top-10 Program Marks
School Record – heptathlon: Aiden Ouimet, 6,120 points
School Record – high jump: Bara Sajdokova, 1.89m (6-2 1/4)
School Record – high jump: Kam Garrett, 2.21m (7-3)
Second – 200m: Jessica McDowell, 23.32
Second – 400m: Jessica McDowell, 51.81
Fourth – 3000m: Halle Hill, 9:21.40
Fifth – 4x400m: Thomas, McDowell, Bryant, Hardamon, 3:35.73
Sixth – 200m: Azariyah Bryant, 23.53
Sixth – shot put: Will Rezny, 18.56m (60-10 3/4)
Combined Events
Aiden Ouimet – First (6,120 points)
- Won 60mH with new PB (8.05).
- Won pole vault with new PB, 4.90m (16-0 3/4).
- Placed fifth in the 1000m (2:40.49).
Full Illini Results
