CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Fighting Illini track and field teams qualified 12 individuals (nine women and three men) to the 2024 NCAA Indoor Championships. This is the most in nearly 30 years, when the 1995 squad also sent 12 representatives (seven women and five men).
The nine individual women are the most ever in school history, with the next closest being 1996 with eight. The three men are the most since the 2015Â season, when they sent four. This stat excludes adding in members of a 4x400m or distance medley relay squad;Â only those top-16 in their respective event are reflected in these historic representation marks.
Second-year director of track, field and cross country Petros Kyprianou took a year and a half from accepting the job to turning Illinois into national competitors. The women's squad is fresh off its first Big Ten Indoor Championship title in 11 years (2013), with Jessica McDowell leading the team in points with 16.
NATIONAL QUALIFIERS
WOMEN
Sophia Beckmon (long jump): Beckmon qualified to the national meet in long jump by leaping 6.49m (21-3 1/2) and is seeded No. 9. She set this mark in her very first long jump event in an Illinois uniform at the Commodore Challenge. It is a school record, and she is one of two Illini freshmen to make it to nationals.
Tacoria Humphrey (long jump): Humphrey qualified to the national meet in the long jump with a mark of 6.42m (21-0 3/4) and is seeded No. 14. This mark came from her win at the Larry Wieczorek Invitational and moved her up to second on the program leaderboard, one place behind Beckmon.
Jessica McDowell (400m): McDowell qualified to the national meet in the 400m with a time of 51.81 and is seeded No. 12. She ran this time at last week's Big Ten Indoor Championships, which earned her a bronze medal and is the second-fastest time in Illinois history. She was the leading scorer for the women's team at the B1G Indoor Championships.
Elizabeth Ndudi (long jump): Ndudi qualified to the national meet in the long jump with a mark of 6.41m (21- 1/2) and is seeded No. 15. This mark was recorded in her win at the Illini Challenge and ranks third all-time in Illinois history. It's a UI Armory facility record, and she joins Beckmon as being the only other Illini freshman to qualify.
Bara Sajdokova (high jump): Sajdokova qualified to the national meet in the high jump with a clearance of 1.89m (6-2 1/4) and is seeded No. 7. This mark elevated her to Big Ten champion status, and she became the first Illini women's high jumper to do so since 2014. This mark is not only an Illinois record, but it tied the Big Ten Championships record as well.
Amber Simpson (weight throw): Simpson qualified to the national meet in the weight throw with a toss of 22.01m (72-2 1/2) and is seeded No. 14. She set this school-record throw at the Meyo Invitational, and it's the first time in her career breaking the 22-meter mark. In the first five meets of the season, she broke the school record four times.
Darja Sopova (triple jump): Sopova qualified to the national meet in the triple jump with a hop of 13.56m (44-6) and is seeded No. 6. This mark takes over a school record that lived for 21 years. It was set at the Commodore Challenge, in which she walked away the event champion. At last week's Big Ten Indoor Championships, she was the second-leading scorer and a B1G champion in the triple jump.
Tori Thomas (pole vault): Thomas qualified to the national meet in the pole vault by clearing 4.42m (14-6) and is seeded No. 10. She vaulted this mark at the very first meet of the season at the Illini Open. It's the second-best mark in Illinois history and a UI Armory facility record.
Rose Yeboah (high jump): Yeboah qualified to the national meet in the high jump with a height of 1.88m (6-2) and is seeded No. 10. She set this mark at the Illini Challenge, and it was a school record at the time after she dethroned Stacy Ann Grant's previous 1.87m (6-1 1/2) jump that stood for 25 years. She jumped 1.86m (6-1 1/4) at the B1G Indoor Championships to earn a bronze medal.
MEN
Kam Garrett (high jump): Garrett qualified to the national meet in the high jump with a leap of 2.21m (7-3) and is seeded No. 8. He set this mark at last week's Big Ten Indoor Championships and walked away a silver medalist. He's the first Illini man in 44 years to match Gail Olson's mark originally set in 1979 and again in 1980.
Aiden Ouimet (heptathlon): Ouimet qualified to the national meet in the heptathlon with a score of 6,120 points and is seeded No. 2. He scored this point total at last week's Big Ten Indoor Championships, in which he became the first-ever Illinois heptathlete Big Ten champion. It's also the highest point total ever scored in the Big Ten and a new school record.
Tyler Sudduth (weight throw): Sudduth qualified to the national meet in the weight throw with a heave of 23.14m (75-11) and is seeded No. 7. This mark comes from his win at the Larry Wieczorek Invitational, and it's the Iowa Recreation Building facility record. He's also the school record-holder with this mark and became the first Illinois Big Ten champion in the event since Manning Plater in 2021.
