CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The University of Illinois men's and women's track and field teams are set to start the 2025 season with the Fighting Illini Open on Saturday (Jan. 11) at the UI Armory. Field events are slated to begin at noon and track events at 1 p.m. CT.
The women's team, led by Big Ten Indoor and USATFCCCA Midwest Region Coach of the Year Petros Kyprianou, begins their indoor season as reigning Big Ten champions for the first time since 2013. Two individual Illini indoor Big Ten champions will be in action including Tyler Sudduth, the weight throw champion, and Darja Sopova, the triple jump champion.
In addition to the Big Ten champions there will be three 2024 NCAA Indoor All-Americans competing in the field: Elizabeth Ndudi (long jump), Sopova (triple jump) and Tori Thomas (pole vault).
There are 14 new faces donning the Orange and Blue for the first time highlighted by Oregon transfer and 2024 decathlon All-American Rafael Raap and 2022 long jump All-American Morgan Smalls who's an LSU transfer.
