CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois men's and women's track and field teams both have qualified to the NCAA West Preliminaries hosted by the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark., on May 22-25. 26 total Illini will make the trip to Arkansas: 12 men and 14 women.
NCAA WEST PRELIMS INFO
The top 48 individuals from their respective events qualify for the prelims alongside the top 24 relay teams. The top 12 times/marks and top 12 relays from both the East and West Prelims will move on to the NCAA Championships scheduled for June 7-10 in Austin, Texas. The action will be live streamed on SEC+.
ILLINI QUALIFIERS AT A GLANCE
All four women's long jumpers qualified to the NCAA West Preliminary round with top-10 national marks: Sophia Beckmon (No. 2 6.86m, 22-6 1/4), Tacoria Humphrey (No. 4 6.81m, 22-4 1/4), Elizabeth Ndudi (No. 7 6.68m, 21-11) and Darja Sopova (No. 9 6.64m, 21-9 1/2).
Humphrey is fresh off a Big Ten Championships win in the long jump, and Sopova is also qualified in the triple jump with the nation's No. 11 mark (13.37m, 43-10 1/2).
Amber Simpson qualified with a Big Ten-record hammer throw of 70.21m (230-4), which was also the second-best mark in the nation. Tori Thomas also won a Big Ten title in the pole vault with the Big Ten Outdoor Championships record 4.52m (14-10).
Two other Illini women are heading into the prelims off a Big Ten gold medal: Jessica McDowell in the 400m and Rose Yeboah in the high jump. McDowell's 51.41 400m and Yeboah's 1.91m (6-3 1/4) high jump set earlier this season got them qualified to the preliminary round. Bara Sajdokova also high jumped a 1.91m (6-3 1/4) to qualify with the fourth-best mark in the nation this year.
Aiden Ouimet continues to improve his combined-events scores every time he goes out. He qualified with the nation's eighth-best score of 7,794 points. Tyler Sudduth also threw the nation's No. 8 shot put to qualify, 19.85m (65-1 1/2). He is also qualified in the discus (55.57m, 182-4)
Cody Johnston is the only freshman to advance to the preliminary round on the men's side with the nation's ninth-best vault (5.60m, 18-4 1/2). Kam Garrett rounds out the men's top qualifiers with the nation's 11th-best high jump, 2.20m (7-2 1/2).
ILLINI QUALIFIERS (QUALIFYING MARK)
MEN
1. Nicolas Dovalovsky – 800m (1:48.49)
2. Kam Garrett – High Jump (2.20m, 7-2 1/2)
3. Cody Johnston – Pole Vault (5.60m, 18-4 1/2)
4. Eleftherios Kontonikola – Javelin (69.27m, 227-3)
5. Will Merrick – 1500m (3:40.90)
6. Viktor Morozov – Long/Triple Jump (7.79m, 25-6 3/4 // 15.69m, 51-5 3/4)
7. Aiden Ouimet – Decathlon (7,794 points)
8. Tadeas Placek – 800m (1:48.12)
9. Will Rezny – Shot Put (18.32m, 60-1 1/4)
10. CJ Shoaf – High Jump (2.11m, 6-11)
11. Tyler Sudduth – Shot Put/Discus (19.85m, 65-1 1/2 // 55.57m, 182-4)
12. Robert Williams – 400mH (50.52)
WOMEN
1. Taylor Beard – High Jump (1.77m, 5-9 3/4)
2. Sophia Beckmon – Long Jump/4x100m (6.86m, 22-6 1/4 // 43.78)
3. Halle Hill – 1500m (4:15.86)
4. Tacoria Humphrey – Long Jump/4x100m (6.81m, 22-4 1/4 // 43.78)
5. Phethisang Makhethe – Hammer Throw (61.93m, 203-2)
6. Jessica McDowell – 400m/4x100m (51.41 // 43.78)
7. Mia Morello – Pole Vault (4.22m, 13-10)
8. Elizabeth Ndudi – Long Jump/4x100m (6.68m, 21-11 // 43.78)
9. Bara Sajdokova – High Jump (1.91m, 6-3 1/4)
10. Amber Simpson – Hammer Throw (70.21m, 230-4)
11. Darja Sopova – Long/Triple Jump (6.64m, 21-9 1/2 // 13.58m, 44-6 3/4)
12. Asia Thomas – 4x100m (43.78)
13. Tori Thomas – Pole Vault (4.52m, 14-10)
14. Rose Yeboah – High Jump (1.91m, 6-3 1/4)
