Full Results
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Illinois women's track and field team finished their first day of the NCAA West Preliminaries on Thursday (May 29) from E.B. Cushing Stadium at Texas A&M. Four Illini women punched their tickets to the NCAA Outdoor Championships: Sophia Beckmon (long jump), Tacoria Humphrey (long jump), Mia Morello (pole vault) and Abria Smith (shot put).
Morello was locked in from the start of the competition as she cleared the first three bars all on her first attempt: 4.02m (13-2 1/4), 4.17m (13-8 1/4) and 4.32m (14-2). Competition was still deep after 4.32m so she would need to clear a new personal-best height of 4.42m (14-6) if she were to advance to the national meet. After taking her first foul of the competition on attempt one, she cleared the bar with ease on her second attempt to move on to her second NCAA Outdoor Championships. In addition, her new personal best is the second-best mark in program history.
Humphrey advanced with a 6.63m (21-9) jump on her third and final attempt after she recorded a foul on jump two. Her mark of 6.31m (20-8 1/2) on her first attempt had her slotted in at 17th entering her final jump where she had to clear at least 6.37m (20-10 3/4) to push her in the qualifying top 12. She answered the call as usual and laid down the 6.63m jump comfortably advancing to Eugene, Ore. This marks the first time she's made it to the national outdoor meet in the long jump.
Beckmon took the opposite approach to Humphrey as she hopped a season-best 6.56m (21-6 1/4) on her first attempt leaving no doubt that she's advancing to Eugene, returning to her home state. This is her first time advancing to the national outdoor meet in the long jump as well.
Smith mirrored Beckmon in that she wasted no time throwing her qualifying mark in the shot put as she heaved 17.69m (58-0 1/2) on her first attempt. This is her first NCAA Outdoor Championships that she's qualified to in her career.
Faith Deering threw the program's fourth-best throw, 61.61m (202-1), in her 16th-place finish just missing out on the top 12.
NATIONAL QUALIFIERS
UP NEXT
The men's track and field team starts their final day tomorrow (May 30) with field events starting at 1 p.m. and track events 5 p.m. CT.
NOTES
- Mia Morello recorded the program's second-best pole vault, 4.42m (14-6).
- Elizabeth Ndudi placed 16th in the long jump, 6.33m (20-9 1/4).
- Faith Deering placed 16th in the hammer throw with the program's fourth-best throw, 61.61m (202-1).
- Halle Hill placed 22nd in the 1500m (4:20.49).
- Asia Thomas placed 33rd in the 100m (11.45).
