Full Results
BOSTON – The Fighting Illini men's and women's track and field teams completed the NCAA Indoor Championships on Saturday (March 9) from the TRACK at new balance.
Senior Aiden Ouimet finished his heptathlon in fourth place with 5,997 points, which garnered All-America honors. Five Illini women earned Indoor All-America accolades, tying the program record that was first set nearly three decades ago.
"NCAAs showed that our teams are on an upward swing with all the All-Americans we gathered this weekend," said director of track, field and cross country Petros Kyprianou. "We have a very young team that showed some grit at the highest stage, and I'm really proud of where we are in such a short time since the start of our tenure. Illinois is a special place that we are proud to represent. I have been getting compliments left and right from our colleagues, and that shows me that the world is noticing our work. It is gratifying and encouraging to our teams. The fight continues, on to outdoor season! ILL!"
Ouimet entered Saturday in fourth place with 3,315 points. He began the day by sprinting an 8.10 in the 60mH to place seventh and grab 957 points (4,272). The pole vault followed, in which he placed eighth on a clearance of 4.76m (15-7 1/4) to raise 837 points (5,109). He closed out the day with his highest finish (fourth place) and a new personal-best time in the 1000m (2:38.73) to add the final 888 points to his total (5,997).
The men's team placed 38th with his five team points, their highest finish since 2017, when the Illini placed 30th.
The Illini women finished in 19th place, collecting 12.5 points for their best finish since 2013, when they came in 14th.
Bara Sajdokova and Rose Yeboah each collected All-America honors in the high jump after they both cleared 1.88m (6-2). Sajdokova placed fifth, as she cleared the mark on her first attempt and Yeboah did so on her final attempt.
This marks the first time in school history that two Illini women high jumpers stood on the podium together as All-Americans. Stacy Ann Grant was the last woman All-American in the event when she placed sixth back in 1999.
Darja Sopova broke her own school record in the triple jump, leaping 13.58m (44-6 3/4) en route to a sixth-place finish. Earning All-America status, Sopova became the first Illini woman to stand on the triple jump podium since Yvonne Mensah in 2006.
Five Illini women earned Indoor All-America honors (Tori Thomas, Elizabeth Ndudi, Sajdokova, Sopova, Yeboah), which tied the program record for most women All-Americans. That mark had only been achieved one other time in Illini history, as the 1995 team also saw five student-athletes named All-Americans.
Junior Kam Garrett placed 11th in the men's high jump when he cleared 2.15m (7-0 1/2) on his second attempt.
UP NEXT
The Orange and Blue track and field squads are set to begin their outdoor season next week, March 15-16, at the Hurricane Invitational in Coral Gables, Fla.
