University of Illinois
Fighting Illini Challenge and Combined Events
Kienast, Thomas Shatter Multiple Records with National Leading Marks
January 24, 2025 | Women's Track & Field, Men's Track & Field
Recap
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The men's and women's track and field teams completed the first day of the Fighting Illini Challenge and Combined Events on Friday (Jan. 24) from the UI Armory. Tori Thomas broke the Big Ten, school and UI Armory pole vault record with her national leading clearance of 4.57m (15-0) and Lucie Kienast obliterated the Big Ten and school records in her very first pentathlon in the Orange and Blue with her national leading point total (4,405).
Thomas broke Stephanie Richartz's 4.45m (14-7 1/4) decade-old school record set back in 2015, while also besting Rutger's Chloe Timberg for the Big Ten record (4.55m (14-11)) and her own UI Armory record (4.42m (14-6)) both set last year.
Kienast knocks off Jess Lehman's (MINN) nine-year-old Big Ten record of 4,393 points set in 2016 and Marissa Golliday's 12-year-old school record of 4,167 points set in 2013. Kienast finished in second in the final pentathlon standings, assistant coach Cheyenne Nesbitt competing unattached walked away with the win and UI Armory record (4,506).
Will Merrick (2:22.72) took down three-time Olympian Marko Koers' 1000m three-decade-old school record (2:23.39) that he set back in 1995. Nicolas Dovalovsky also bested Koers' time trailing Merrick ever so slightly (2:22.74).
Halle Hill also captured a school record in the 1000m clocking in at 2:44.22 knocking of NCAA Champion Olivia Howell's record of 2:46.52 that she set back in 2021.
Melissa Wullschleger finished in fourth place in the pentathlon with the program's sixth-highest score with 3,903 points which currently ranks seventh in the nation. Abria Smith also improved her program's fourth-best weight throw to 20.68m (67-10 1/4). Kienast also notched a separate top-10 program mark in the pentathlon shot put throwing the program's sixth-best throw (14.65m (48-0 3/4)) in her event win.
In the men's heptathlon Jip De Greef currently leads the field with 3,326 points and Rafael Raap resides in fourth place with 3,070 points. Today's attendance was 697.
UP NEXT
The Illinois track and field team return to action tomorrow (Jan. 25) for the final day of the Fighting Illini Challenge and Combined Events. The men resume their heptathlon at 11 a.m. and track and field events begin at 1 p.m. CT.
NOTES
Event Winners and Top-10 Program Marks
- Tori Thomas won the pole vault with the Big Ten, school and UI Armory record, 4.57m (15-0).
- Mia Morello placed third, 4.03m (13-2 1/2).
- Halle Hill won the 1000m with a school record time (2:44.22).
- Sam Poglitsch placed second (2:50.73).
- Audrey Ginsberg placed fourth (2:56.77).
- Will Merrick won the 1000m with a school record time (2:22.72).
- Nicolas Dovalovsky placed second on the program's second-fastest time (2:22.74).
- Trey Sato placed third (2:24.87).
- Brady Masters placed fourth (2:26.92).
- Tadeas Placek placed fifth (2:27.24).
- Shawn Juliette placed sixth (2:31.27).
- Phethisang Makhethe placed second in the weight throw, 21.50m (70-6 1/2).
- Jordan Koskondy placed third, 21.13m (69-4).
- Abria Smith placed fourth with the program's fourth-best throw, 20.68m (67-10 1/4).
- Olivia Campbell placed sixth, 18.60m (61-0 1/4).
- Faith Deering placed seventh, 17.89m (58-8 1/2).
- Tacoria Humphrey won the long jump, 6.51m (21-4 1/4).
- Morgan Smalls placed second, 6.45m (21-2).
- Elizabeth Ndudi placed third, 6.24m (20-5 3/4).
- Sophia Beckmon placed fourth, 6.16m (20-2 1/2).
- Tyler Sudduth won the weight throw, 21.68m (71-1 1/2).
- Javaris Ambrose placed second, 19.78m (64-10 3/4).
- Jackson Gilbert won the 400m (47.89).
- Micah Hall placed third (49.38).
- Jayon Morrow placed fourth (49.88).
- Alex Ornelas placed fifth (50.07).
- Kam Garrett won the high jump, 2.05m (6-8 3/4).
- Ji'eem Bullock placed third, 2.00m (6-6 3/4).
Combined Events
Pentathlon
Lucie Kienast – Second (school and Big Ten record 4,405 points)
- Won the shot put with the program's sixth-best throw, 14.65m (48-0 3/4).
- Placed second in the 800m (2:17.38).
- Won the long jump, 6.19m (20-3 3/4).
- Placed second in the high jump, 1.70m (5-7).
- Placed eighth in the 60mH (8.83).
Melissa Wullschleger – Fourth (3,903 points)
- Placed third in the shot put, 12.82m (42-0 3/4).
- Placed fifth in the 60mH (8.73).
- Placed fifth in the long jump, 5.67m (18-7 1/4).
- Placed eighth in the 800m (2:27.57).
- Placed eighth in the high jump, 1.61m (5-3 1/4).
Llyric Driscoll – 11th (3,303 points)
- Placed second in the 60mH (8.52).
- Placed sixth in the shot put, 11.33m (37-2 1/4).
- Placed eighth in the long jump, 5.22m (17-1 1/2).
- Placed 11th in the high jump, 1.52m (4-11 3/4).
- Place 11th in the 800m (2:55.42).
Heptathlon
Jip De Greef – First (3,326 points)
- Won the 60m (6.96).
- Won the long jump, 7.39m (24-3).
- Placed second in the high jump, 2.00m (6-6 3/4).
- Placed fourth in the shot put, 13.83m (45-4 1/2).
Rafael Raap – Fourth (3,070 points)
- Placed third in the shot put, 13.94m (45-9).
- Placed third in the long jump, 7.12m (23-4 1/2).
- Placed fourth in the 60m (7.14).
- Placed fifth in the high jump, 1.85m (6-0 3/4).
Full Illini Results
- Ashley Oliver placed sixth in the 400m (59.19).
