University of Illinois
UVA Challenge
Illinois Track and Field Heads to Florida and Virginia for Weekend Meets
April 17, 2025 | Women's Track & Field, Men's Track & Field
Preview
| Tom Jones Invitational // UVA Challenge | |
|---|---|
| Date | Friday-Saturday, April 18-19 |
| Schedule | Tom Jones Invite // UVA Challenge |
| Location | James G. Pressly Stadium, Gainesville, Fla. // Lannigan Field, Charlottesville, Va. |
| Live Results | Tom Jones Invitational // UVA Challenge |
| Shop | Fighting Illini Store |
| Social Media | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook |
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Fighting Illini men's and women's track and field teams are set to compete at both the Tom Jones Invitational in Gainesville, Fla. and the UVA Challenge in Charlottesville, Va. on Fri.-Sat. April 18-19. Events Friday begin at 9:30 a.m. in Virginia and 11 a.m. in Florida while Saturday events begin at 8 a.m. in Florida and 9 a.m. CT in Virginia.
13 women and 10 men will represent Illinois at the Tom Jones Invitational. The women's roster includes Sophia Beckmon, Azariyah Bryant, Llyric Driscoll, Tacoria Humphrey, Lucie Kienast, Jordan Koskondy, Phethisang Makhethe, Elizabeth Ndudi, Bara Sajdokova, Abria Smith, Asia Thomas, Melissa Wullschleger and Rose Yeboah. Competing for the men's team are Jip de Greef, Kam Garrett, Jackson Gilbert, Dewayne Johnson, Viktor Morozov, Jayon Morrow, Alex Ornelas, Tadeas Placek, Rafael Raap and Will Rezny.
Last time in Gainesville, several Illini athletes made program history. Wullschleger became the first Illini woman since 2014 to record a top-10 javelin mark, throwing 41.99m (137-9), the third-best in program history. In the women's hammer throw, Koskondy placed second with the second-best throw in program history at 64.44m (211-5), Makhethe followed with the third best at 64.35m (211-1) and Smith posted the sixth best with a 58.25m (191-1) throw.
Yeboah claimed victory in the high jump invite, clearing 1.91m (6-3 3/4) to top World Championship silver medalist Anna Hall. Smith also shattered a 17-year-old school record in the shot put with a 17.58m (57-8 3/4) toss, earning second place and ranking seventh nationally for the 2025 season. Garrett earned second place in the high jump with a 2.20m (7-2 1/5) leap, the fourth-best mark in the nation this season while Johnson clocked the program's 10th-fastest 110m hurdles time at 13.87, placing 10th overall.
The Orange and Blue traveling to the UVA Challenge includes: Halle Hill, Sam Poglitsch, Kennady Anderson, Will Merrick, Stephen Moody, Trey Sato and Anthony Maida.
Their last time out at the Pepsi Florida Relays, Hill clocked 4:13.99 in the 1500m, earning bronze and moving up to No. 2 on Illinois' all-time leaderboard. Her time currently ranks 10th in the nation. Last month at the USF Alumni Invitational, Hill claimed first in the 1500m with a time of 4:20.09, Anderson followed in second at 4:22.54 and Poglitsch finished fifth at 4:25.02. On the men's side, Merrick won the 1500m in 3:44.30, Dovalovsky placed second with 3:44.34, and Sato took sixth in 3:47.67.
