Full Results
EUGENE, Ore. – The Illinois women's track and field team completed their first day of competition at the NCAA Outdoor Championships on Thursday (June 6) from Hayward Field. Graduate student Amber Simpson became the program's first ever women's hammer thrower to garner All-America honors with her eighth-place finish, 67.73m (222-2).
She finishes her lone season with the Illini owning the Big Ten and school record hammer throw, 70.21m (230-4). In addition, she threw the school record weight throw (22.01m (72-2 1/2) breaking the record in four out of her first five indoor meets.
Junior Tori Thomas became the program's second ever women's pole vaulter All-American with her seventh-place finish, 4.40m (14-5 1/4). The last Illini women's pole vaulter to stand on the podium was Stephanie Richartz in the 2015 season. Thomas' earlier junior season highlights were her outdoor Big Ten title with the meet record vault, 4.52m (14-10). She was also an All-American at the NCAA Indoor Championships, placing sixth with a 4.40m (14-5 1/4) clearance. Richartz was also the last to be All-America in the same indoor and outdoor season (2015).Â
Junior Jessica McDowell advanced to Saturday's finals in the 400m clocking the program's second-fastest time (50.98). This is the first time she's ran sub 51 seconds in her career and qualified to the 400m national finals.
Senior Aiden Ouimet placed 11th in the decathlon with 7,673 points; he recorded a personal best in the discus (42.20m (138-5)). Ouimet finishes his Illinois career as the program's first Big Ten champion and second ever All-American heptathlete. His fourth-place finish at the NCAA Indoor Championships is the highest in school history (5,997).
He owns the school records in both decathlon (7,794) and heptathlon (6,120). His 6,120 points set the Big Ten Indoor Championships meet record, is the 17th highest score in NCAA history and earned him Big Ten Outstanding Field Athlete of the Championships honors (the first for the program indoors). Â Â
The women's 4x100m relay team of freshmen Asia Thomas and Sophia Beckmon, junior Tacoria Humphrey and McDowell placed 13th (43.71). This team finishes their season as the first women's 4x100m team to make it to the national meet since 2016 and they shattered the 28-year-old (1996) school record (43.50).
Sophomore Mia Morello placed 22nd in the pole vault, 4.00m (13-1 1/2). Morello completes her second season with her first NCAA Outdoor Championships qualification, highest finish at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships (third) and the program's third-best mark outdoors, 4.30m (13-10).
UP NEXT
Two Illini men, Kam Garrett and Viktor Morozov, are in action tomorrow (June 7) on the final day of men's competition. Fans can watch the full action of each event on ESPN+; Garrett's high jump will be here and Morozov's triple jump will be here.
NOTES
Decathlon – Aiden Ouimet (11th, 7,673 points)
- Placed fifth in the discus and scored 709 points with a new PB throw, 42.20m (138-5).
- Placed seventh in the javelin and scored 676 points with a SB throw, 55.85m (183-3).
- Placed 10th in the 110mH and scored 869 points (14.84).
- Placed 10th in the 1500m and scored 689 points (4:38.66).
- Placed 15th in the pole vault and scored 793 points, 4.61m (15-1 1/2).
