CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois men's and women's track and field teams are prepared to begin the postseason with the Big Ten Outdoor Championships on Friday-Sunday (May 15-17) in Lincoln, Neb. at the brand-new Nebraska Outdoor Track. 21 men and 22 women will represent the Orange and Blue at the conference meet.
The women are led by reigning indoor national champion in the long jump, Sophia Beckmon, who has the number two best long jump during the outdoor season thus far, 6.79m (22-3 1/2). JaiCieonna Gero-Holt scored 5,870 points in her heptathlon which is the fourth-highest score in the nation and Meagan Humphries is directly behind her in fifth with 5,847 points.
In the throws section Phethisang Makhethe has the seventh-best hammer throw in the country at 68.73m (225-6) and her teammate, Jordan Koskondy, has the No. 10 mark, 67.54m (221-7).
Siun Quinn recorded a new best high jump at 1.85m (6-0 3/4) last weekend which is now the No. 9 mark in the country. Mia Morello has the 10th-best pole vault in the country, 4.50m (14-9), to round out the top-10 Illini women.
On the men's side, Jip de Greef is the national leader in the decathlon with 8,039 points and Andreas Hantson has the No. 11 best score with 7,733 points. In the triple jump Viktor Morozov has the nation's 11th-best jump at 16.28m (53-5).
WEST PRELIMINARIES WATCHLIST
The top 48 from each the east and west regions advance to their respective preliminary rounds on May 27-30. Illinois will compete at the NCAA West Preliminaries in Fayetteville, Ark. hosted by Arkansas. The top 12 from each east and west preliminaries advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore. on June 10-13.
WOMEN (17 across 11 events)
#2 long jump – Sophia Beckmon, 6.79m (22-3 1/2)
#5 hammer throw – Phethisang Makhethe, 68.73m (225-6)
#7 high jump – Siun Quinn, 1.85m (6-0 3/4)
#8 triple jump – Katharina Graman, 13.27m (43-6 1/2)
#8 hammer throw – Jordan Koskondy, 67.54m (221-7)
#8 pole vault – Mia Morello, 4.50m (14-9)
#9 high jump – JaiCieonna Gero-Holt, 1.84m (6-0 1/2)
#10 hammer throw – Oluwatomilayo Akintunde, 65.19m (213-10)
#11 high jump – Rose Yeboah, 1.83m (6-0)
#15 long jump – Katharina Graman, 6.39m (20-11 3/4)
#16 800m – Grace Kombetto (2:02.94)
#16 javelin – Jane Roosimagi, 52.65m (172-9)
#19 triple jump – Romi Tamir, 13.04m (42-9 1/2)
#20 pole vault – Anastasia Retsa, 4.27m (14-0)
#21 long jump – Romi Tamir, 6.34m (20-9 3/4)
#25 high jump – Emma Haeggblom, 1.81m (5-11 1/4)
#31 3000mS – Kennady Anderson (10:18.80)
#31 long jump – Meagan Humphries, 6.27m (20-7)
#32 shot put – Oluwatomilayo Akintunde, 15.61m (51-2 3/4)
#32 4x100m relay – Meagan Humphries, Sophia Beckmon, Elizabeth Ndudi, Katharina Graman (44.39)
#47 100m – Sophia Beckmon (11.45)
MEN (11 across seven events)
#8 triple jump – Viktor Morozov, 16.28m (53-5)
#11 shot put – Jacob Cookinham, 19.00m (62-4)
#12 400m – Jackson Gilbert (45.47)
#18 high jump – Jonathan Kapitolnik, 2.15m (7-0 1/2)
#21 pole vault – Gator Young, 5.34m (17-6 1/4)
#23 pole vault – Brenden Vanderpool, 5.30m (17-4 1/2)
#26 1500m – Pol Molins (3:39.26)
#33 pole vault – Jip de Greef, 5.24m (17-2 1/4)
#33 pole vault – Cade DeWitt, 5.24m (17-2 1/4)
#33 discus – Reece Ihenacho, 55.74m (182-10)
#48 shot put – Alex Sohn, 17.75m (58-3)
